The Weston Report - A Penny For Macca's Thoughts Wednesday, 2nd Oct 2013 23:46 by Ryan Weston After the whirlwind of the previous three-days, this was never going to be an uneventful 0-0. Not often, if ever, has a loss to our fiercest rivals seemed so irrelevant in the build-up to following game. Players and fans alike had barely started to lick their wounds when come around 7:23 PM on Saturday evening, GSE announced their latest, and biggest bombshell. It was one of those moments where you hear the lovely blonde on Sky Sports News say something, you then read the yellow ticker on the bottom to have it confirmed and you still don’t believe it. The fact that I nearly choked on my lovely three cheese pasta (recipe on request) said it all. Despite Twitter rumours and some rumbles of discontent, I never thought I’d see the day that Derby sacked a Clough. Cue a red-hot phone, overloaded social network sites and an emergency Radio Derby phone-in. Overtime from Auntie-Beeb?! Then you know the proverbial has hit the fan! While listening to the normal mixture of fans, some of which I’d quite happily share a pint with, some who sounded like they’d had enough and some that quite frankly should have stayed in Nottingham, such was their moronic statements. What struck me the most was that our Nige had become Marmite. Undoubtedly, he had done what was asked of him and without him, maybe I’d be writing this report on a game against Port Vale or the like. He had done things the right way, building from the academy up and bringing together the nucleus of a very exciting squad. Whether with more time and money to build Rome, we’d have seen another footballing fairytale, who knows? Was he the right man to take us further? Were his questionable substitution policies and sometimes outrageous public dressing-downs ultimately going to bear fruit? Did he discover that Michael Jacob's was hiding weapons of mass destruction? Thankfully, I’m not paid to answer these questions (ed - actually your not paid at all - don't get any ideas!), but I am sensible enough to say that the timing of his dismissal was downright scandalous. I went to bed on Saturday, after suffering more dross from Manish and co on the Football League Show, depressed, confused and speculative about who could come in. As it turned out, the answer lay somewhere in rural Holland… sorry at QPR. For a terrifying moment, the name Pulis was odds-on favourite but after a brief lie down in a dark room, it became clear that there was only one man in the frame. By Sunday evening, the news of the Loftus Road club’s coach suspiciously becoming out of contract this week led to virtual confirmation but also more questions on how long Nigel had actually been doomed for? After another watch of THAT youtube video, my head on Sunday night was how Schteve would cope at a club that wasn’t a ‘massive underdog’ in the Skybet Championship. Monday, as the I’s were dotted and T’s crossed, my mood changed to one of a new beginning and a manager, or head coach, with a point to prove at a club he quite obviously loves. The additions of Simpson of Steele (not a 70’s crime drama although it should have been) seemed sensible and popular, although quite what messers Taylor, Metgod, Garner and Crosby are doing in the garden still remains to be seen. By Monday night, I had become bored of seeing the light shining off Sam Rush’s head and the usual jargon spouting from his David Brent like beard. What we all needed was a game. And boy did we get one. A quiz question in years to come: ‘What was the score in Darren Wassall’s one and only game in charge of Derby?’. I very nearly had to rely on Sky Sports again to tell me the final result after a first half which defied all defending logic ever taught to a schoolboy. With Macca looking on, one could hardly have blamed him for ending his tenure before it had even started. Perhaps it was a post-Clough hangover. Or perhaps it was the same Achilles heel which has blighted us for many a Clough game. Showing three changes from the side that lost at Florist, with Fish, Davies and new-boy Zak ‘Hovis’ Whitbread coming in, the Rams started positively enough, until that was, Jake Buxton thought he was Cafu and got in a tangle on the far touchline. The subsequent free kick was superbly headed into his own net by Whitbread, who obviously thought he still played in blue or was trying to get on the bloopers DVD for Christmas. An all-too familiar soft goal. What followed was anything but predictable. From the next attack, Derby again marked members of the North Stand crowd instead of the opposition, resulting in Murphy having the freedom of Derby to head in. 0-2. 8 gone. My head in hands. The ninth minute didn’t bring a goal, rather a wonderful display of gratitude to the departed Clough, with all four sides rising to acclaim him, much to the obvious confusion of the Ipswich players. The acclaim was next for a goal that should be treated as a collector’s item. Davies’ corner was this time bulleted into the correct corner by Whitbread, showing the ‘best of both’ as we finally scored from a set-piece of our own. The optimism lasted all of about 37 seconds as more calamitous defending and goalkeeping saw a third go in for the visitors. Derby’s right side went AWOL, allowing an exchange of passes before Grant could only assist Cresswell’s effort in at the near post. The near silence and almost apologetic celebration summed it up. 1-3. 14 gone. There was no way though, that the scoring would end there. After first Ward then Martin went close, I ordered an abacus off Amazon. The almost basketball feel to the game owed much to our rigid 4-4-2, with no defensive orientation in midfield but ultimately, no defensive organisation. Forsyth was once again playing like Bruce but it was to be another set-piece which set my jaw to drop further. Déjà -vu as Cresswell’s corner was easily headed in by Murphy. Cue half-hearted chants of sack the board, but even they couldn’t be blamed for such amateurish defending. Jamie Ward could however, be blamed for not squaring the ball to Sammon for a tap in after good pressure, and the chorus of boo’s that greeted the interval was more than justified. Staving off the temptation of an early night watching the Champions League and after pinching myself a few times, I decided to stick it out. It could get no worse. Again, what came next was barely conceivable in Hollywood, never mind at a disgruntled Pride Park. The arrival of Eustace and Bennett did little to affirm a comeback in my mind. How wrong I was. Straight from the off, backed by an inconceivably supportive crowd and possibly a smoke and a pancake, we set about Mission Impossible. Mission one was achieved early, as Bryson coolly finished between Gerken’s legs. Suddenly, we believed and Bennett almost made it 3-4 with the next move only to become sandwiched (probably with Gerken in the middle). No matter as the black and white army moved forward at will. Hughes, moved into a free role off the striker and was showing all of his incredible promise and then some, while Eustace provided leadership and steel that was missing in the first period. On the hour, the deficit was down to one, following another slick move, culminating in Martin’s flick to Hughes, whose drive across goal found Ward, who this time couldn’t miss. Game on. Suddenly, Ipswich didn’t know whether to stick or twist and settled on neither. Time and again, the strength of Martin and the pace of Bennett caused the problems, with the midfield three all passing with aplomb. Eustace missed a free-header from a corner, Bryson’s volley was blocked but Ipswich couldn’t keep the ball, seemingly content with thrashing the ball downfield to no-one in particular. We smelt blood, but as time ticked down, it looked like the brave effort was to be for nothing. Not so, as more calamitous defending saw Ward’s corner cleared only to Bryson, who smashed home to bring the Pride Park roof off and to see yours truly scrape his shin to bits on the seat in front. There were still five minutes of added time to negotiate, with Ipswich forcing two corners which, I confess, I watched through the cracks of my fingers. No more drama though as the referee, who was consistently dreadful throughout, brought proceedings to an end. So what will Macca have learned? Our defending from dead balls is still appalling, we can no longer play 4-4-2 but this group of players have massive courage and a huge heart. What have we learnt about Macca? He can deliver one hell of a half-time team talk. A penny for Steve’s thoughts after this. In English not in Dutch. The post Clough-era has begun.
Interim Rams Gaffer Darren Walsall: “We had worked in training on set-pieces and seen videos on Ipswich so to concede the goals in the manner we did was not good enough and so disappointing. We didn’t defend properly and we were all stunned to go in at half-time 4-1 down.” “Steve McClaren and his team came into the changing room at half-time, even though I think they just wanted to watch tonight but the circumstances we were in led to them getting involved. He came in, had a few choice words and wanted to change formation, as well as demanding some character and spirit from the players in the second half.” “The changes worked a treat in the second half and we were a much better side; the players were a credit to everyone. They could have crumbled and felt sorry for themselves and Steve will be so proud of the way they responded, as did the fans when we gave them something to shout about.” “To come back to 4-4 feels like a win on a night of two halves and it sets things up nicely for the first-team ahead of the game against Leeds on Saturday. John Eustace was so important for us in the second half and his performance in the holding role allowed Will Hughes and Craig Bryson to bomb forwards.” “A mention should go to Mason Bennett too because he was excellent down the left-hand side. I think Steve will have learnt we need to defend better tonight first and foremost, but he will also be pleased with the positives we saw in the second half.” “There’s an honest group of players in that dressing room and the character was brilliant.”
Ipswich Manager Mick McCarthy: “We are very disappointed not to win the game, of course we are. We played really well in the first-half and could have scored more than four but their goal 90 seconds into the second-half changed the course of the game."
Weston’s Player Ratings : Lee Grant: Again let in a soft goal. Needs to command area more - 5 Craig Forsyth: Playing more like a failed winger out of position with each game - 4 Adam Smith: At fault for the 3rd goal. Still doesn’t look comfortable. Improved 2nd half - 5 Jake Buxton: Another who improved but couldn’t get much worse - 5 Zak Whitbread: Own goal but one at the right end and grew into game - 6 Craig Bryson: Skipper on the night and a skippers performance. Weston’s Star Man - 8 Ben Davies: Linked ok down the right but didn’t take his big chance - 5 Will Hughes: Pedestrian first half, superb second half - 7 Jamie Ward: Greedier than a fat man with a pack of Haribo in 1st. Redeemed himself in 2nd - 6 Connor Sammon: Worked hard as normal but lacked killer touch - 5 Chris Martin: Quiet first half, great second. Needs a goal soon - 6 Subs Mason Bennett: Pace and power changed the game. Outlet who provided a real threat - 7 John Eustace: Helped change game. Quality tackles, passing & leader in the middle - 7 Johnny Russell:Think he had one touch — 6
Ref: Trevor Kettle Crowd: 21,307 Possession: Derby 62% — Ipswich 38% Shots (on target): Derby 14 (6) — Ipswich (5) Corners: Derby 8 — Ipswich 6 Fouls: Derby 14 — Ipswich 15
Derby
:
Grant; Smith, Buxton, Whitbread, Forsyth; Davies (Bennett H.T), Bryson, Hughes, Ward (Russell 90); Sammon (Eustace H.T), Martin.
Goals: Z.Whitbread (12’), C.Bryson (47’,88’), J.Ward (61’)
Goals: C.Berra(7), D.Murphy(9), A.Cresswell (14), D.Murphy (34)
Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
You need to login in order to post your comments |
   Derby County Polls[ Vote here ] |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
