3 main reasons

[Ordar]

Brilliant performance from the guys today especially against such a good side. I wasn't overly looking forward to the game, but am glad I went.

I thought 3 main things caused that result;

1) we actively pressed quickly when we didn't have the ball. Too often this season we've allowed other teams to settle and dictate the game. Today was a Southampton like high pressing game, giving the Derby players no easy pass. It resulted in them barely creating anything and us winning the ball countless times much higher up the pitch.

2) Striker who actually does something. I thought Woodrow played very well. He won his share of headers (more than Hugo has jumped for in the past 4 months combined) and he was also running the channels and hassling defenders. He put a big shift in and deserved his goal.

3) this might be a little controversial, but, LVC's injury meant we had to bring Kavanagh on which instantly stopped any threat from Derby down our left. Staf actually had cover for once so wasn't constantly 2 on 1 which was happening when Tunnicliffe was playing ahead of him. Derby like many teams seemed to have game planned to exploit Staf 2 on 1, but they got no joy after the sub. I half expected Hoogland to come on for Tunnicliffe and do the same the other side.

Special mention to Scott Parker who was utterly incredibly today. Great performance, great win

[colinwhite]

Thanks for that Ordar . Was only able to listen to jim , but these type of games suit us.
As a manager you can't win . Keeep it tight and focus on clean sheets and you are too negative and boring .
Encourage your side to play and you are naive and tactically clueless . in todays game we were effective , but if we had done the same against wolves we may have lost . Kits biggest weakness in my view is his lack of flexibility and stubornness , but these qualities were Roys greatest strengths for us and the reason he got sacked by Liverpool .

[bill taylors apprentice]

Spot on !!!
The shame is its taken this long to get it right.

[ChesterTheTabby]

Brilliant performance from the guys today especially against such a good side. I wasn't overly looking forward to the game, but am glad I went.

I thought 3 main things caused that result;

1) we actively pressed quickly when we didn't have the ball. Too often this season we've allowed other teams to settle and dictate the game. Today was a Southampton like high pressing game, giving the Derby players no easy pass. It resulted in them barely creating anything and us winning the ball countless times much higher up the pitch.

2) Striker who actually does something. I thought Woodrow played very well. He won his share of headers (more than Hugo has jumped for in the past 4 months combined) and he was also running the channels and hassling defenders. He put a big shift in and deserved his goal.

3) this might be a little controversial, but, LVC's injury meant we had to bring Kavanagh on which instantly stopped any threat from Derby down our left. Staf actually had cover for once so wasn't constantly 2 on 1 which was happening when Tunnicliffe was playing ahead of him. Derby like many teams seemed to have game planned to exploit Staf 2 on 1, but they got no joy after the sub. I half expected Hoogland to come on for Tunnicliffe and do the same the other side.

Special mention to Scott Parker who was utterly incredibly today. Great performance, great win

Great Post, Ordar, well said!

[millsy]

100% agree with original post. It was so obvious that Staf was doubled up on early in the game. How/why did Tunnicliffe not react and worse, why did the coaches not get instructions onto the field to nullify the threat?

Fantastic team performance today but reason I'm still concerned is that those 2 key decisions i.e. Cauley up from and Kav on to shore up the left side, we're both enforced by injury rather than instigated by the manager and his team. In my view, they still have a lot to do to convince me they have things under control!

[VicHalomsLovechild]

100% agree with original post. It was so obvious that Staf was doubled up on early in the game. How/why did Tunnicliffe not react and worse, why did the coaches not get instructions onto the field to nullify the threat?

Fantastic team performance today but reason I'm still concerned is that those 2 key decisions i.e. Cauley up from and Kav on to shore up the left side, we're both enforced by injury rather than instigated by the manager and his team. In my view, they still have a lot to do to convince me they have things under control!

To be fair to Kit. Roy stuck with players even when those players dipped in form. When AJ was flattened Roy was forced to make changes and that took us to a big final.
Well done all the lads today, players and management. It was a great afternoon. The drink at the pub afterwards was a bit quite with nothing to moan about.

[Scrumpy]

Can I also add that the centre backs need to be brave and try and play the ball out from the back. If we're playing the possession football with a diamond, then they need to cut out the long balls and try and play the short ball to Ruiz or Parker. Or the full backs.

The trouble is, as confidence fails it is all too easy to just hoof it out. Any decent opposition will obviously try and push up on our defence and force mistakes but we did well today and played it out without too many scares. Of course, on the occasions when we did go long, it helps that Woodrow was very willing to make a challenge (unlike a certain Columbian).

All round, a very pleasing performance.

[callumc513]

Great post, great day all round!

[snarks]

Tunni did provide some cover for staff early on, but he is not left sided. No doubt kav gave the team better balance.

Parker and Ruiz were very good. The main thing for me was the fact of a 90 minute performance, for the first time this season. That made all the difference.