MATCHWATCH : Derby County (h) sponsored by a new hope

[Sutekh]

FCUK you Frank Lampard TV

i hope we perform well, there were parts of the game i have seen in pre season that i do actually like despite everyone's doom and gloom. Lets spoil the Sky party. I bet they are upset they have to feature us at all.. Come on URZ

Very good post

A lot of 3/4-0 predictions on the Derby forum, can't see it myself, first game of the season is usually a tight affair, how many away teams start with a heavy win?

I seem to recall Bolton won 4-0 at Leicester in 2001 with Michael Ricketts notching a hatty. Derby fans are pricks. The game will be a draw

Norwich City 1-7 Colchester United

Norwich were promoted at the end of that season.

[Snowflake Royal]

Baldock will have had Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with the squad. Maybe Monday as well. That's 3-4 days training.

I reckon he'll start assuming he was signed for the first XI.

After much pondering and with Moore going, this is my team.

...................... Mannone
........ Gunter, McShane, Ilori
Yiadom.....Meyler, Kelly...... Richards
.......................Barrow
...........Bodvarsson, Baldock

It would also make our attack the 3Bs.

[savage 4 england]

Mannone
Yiadom McShane Illori Gunter
Bacuna Meyler
Meite Swift Barrow
Baldock

Pace and power.

[Hound]

I like both of those 2 line ups tbf

But Aluko is bound to start unfortunately. At least for a few weeks

[savage 4 england]

Mannone
Yiadom McShane Illori Gunter
Bacuna Meyler
Meite Swift Barrow
Baldock

Pace and power.

[CountryRoyal]

Mannone
Yiadom McShane Illori Gunter
Bacuna Meyler
Meite Swift Barrow
Baldock

Pace and power.

I actually quite like that.

[Westwood52]

And I'm going to miss it ! Aggh !
Wedding party arranged by the wimmins ages ago. I am just hoping for a wi fi signal-in the middle of nowhere ?

A good start over the first three or four games is vital; as unless you have incredibly good team spirit-failure to pick up points early tends to stay with the team throughout the season.

Another midfielder aside; we have probably done as well as can be expected on transfers in.

Bacuna could be the key. I felt that for most of last season we were just annihilated in midfield. If he and Meyler can just do the business in front of the back four (?) , then we will have a solid base to build on.


Trouble is Bacuna is the conundrum. He has all the gifts; but somewhere within him, not the will power. Can Clement find the key ?

[3points]

Think we will have Bod up top. Can’t see mcnulty getting many games this side of Christmas now Baldock has signed.

[muirinho]

Mannone
Yiadom McShane Illori Gunter
Bacuna Meyler
Meite Swift Barrow
Baldock

Pace and power.

I actually quite like that.

Can't remember when this last happened, but Gunts is injured and will be out for 3-6 weeks.

[CountryRoyal]

Mannone
Yiadom McShane Illori Gunter
Bacuna Meyler
Meite Swift Barrow
Baldock

Pace and power.

I actually quite like that.

Can't remember when this last happened, but Gunts is injured and will be out for 3-6 weeks.

I actually quite like that.

[muirinho]

I actually quite like that.

Can't remember when this last happened, but Gunts is injured and will be out for 3-6 weeks.

I actually quite like that.

Do you? I'm not looking forward to seeing Blackett playing LB, but there you go, we all have our opinions.

[bracksroyal10]

GK-Mannone
RB - Yiadom
CB Mcshane
CB Blackett (yes I am confident he could do us a job at centre back with some consistency in his natural position and prefer a left footed CB)
LB Richards
CM Meyler
CM Bacuna
CAM Swift
LW Barrow
RW Meite
ST Baldock

I would quite like to see Aluko come on and be given a go in behind our striker once Swift has ran has game 65 mins in usually. I think his footwork/ability to turn quickly could be useful in tight spaces supported by the pace & athleticism of Bacuna and the cover of Meyler.

[Stranded]

Gunter out for 3-6 weeks so will be Richards at Left Back on Friday.

Likely defence of Yiadom, Ilori, McShane, Richards. Two forward thinking full backs, Meyler is going to be very important on Friday.

[windermereROYAL]

GK-Mannone
RB - Yiadom
CB Mcshane
CB Blackett (yes I am confident he could do us a job at centre back with some consistency in his natural position and prefer a left footed CB)
LB Richards
CM Meyler
CM Bacuna
CAM Swift
LW Barrow
RW Meite
ST Baldock

I would quite like to see Aluko come on and be given a go in behind our striker once Swift has ran has game 65 mins in usually. I think his footwork/ability to turn quickly could be useful in tight spaces supported by the pace & athleticism of Bacuna and the cover of Meyler.

Blackett is suspended

[bracksroyal10]

GK-Mannone
RB - Yiadom
CB Mcshane
CB Blackett (yes I am confident he could do us a job at centre back with some consistency in his natural position and prefer a left footed CB)
LB Richards
CM Meyler
CM Bacuna
CAM Swift
LW Barrow
RW Meite
ST Baldock

I would quite like to see Aluko come on and be given a go in behind our striker once Swift has ran has game 65 mins in usually. I think his footwork/ability to turn quickly could be useful in tight spaces supported by the pace & athleticism of Bacuna and the cover of Meyler.

Blackett is suspended

Completely forgot, in which case it must be Ilori instead

[RoyalJones]

McShane didn't look comfortable at all Saturday
Ilori was okay on the whole but has mistakes in him
Moore isn't playing on Friday
Blackett is suspended
O'Shea is 37
Obita is still out
Gunter is injured for '3-6 weeks'

Looks like it might be Richards -- McShane -- Ilori -- Yiadom in defence with Mannone in goal

We haven't even started the season and our defence looks like a mess.

I reckon both Barrow and Aluko will start as well as Meyler and Kelly. Unsure on the rest.

[Hound]

The defence would look a lot stronger if Moore did play...mind you I expect its simply Richards in for Gunter this week.

Our ability from last season to pick up injuries doesn't seem to have diminished anyway

Popa, o Shea, Harriott, Bacuna and McShane possibly, Gunter + McCleary and Obita from last season. Decent effort that - 6 to 8 injured fro the first game of the season

[CountryRoyal]

Can't remember when this last happened, but Gunts is injured and will be out for 3-6 weeks.

I actually quite like that.

Do you? I'm not looking forward to seeing Blackett playing LB, but there you go, we all have our opinions.

Was being a bit facetious. Gunter is better at LB than he is at RB and certainly better than Blackett there.

Is Richards injured?

[muirinho]

I actually quite like that.

Do you? I'm not looking forward to seeing Blackett playing LB, but there you go, we all have our opinions.

Was being a bit facetious. Gunter is better at LB than he is at RB and certainly better than Blackett there.

Is Richards injured?

Not that I know of, but Clement tends towards experience, and I got the impression he didn't trust Richards much.

However, I suspect he'll have no choice against Derby, because as others have pointed out, Blackett is suspended for that first game.

[Rea Ding]

Feel the most confident as I ever have so far this pre season, we might not be totally screwed if a few payers click and remain injury free we may surprise ourselves on Friday night against a team who is under pressure to perform from the off