When is a Derby not a Derby? Home v The Rams Sept 2nd, 3-o'clock.

[sonicthewhite]

Feckin get in. Me is a happy bunny

[Worthy4England]

Needed that. Luvverly.

[Prufrock]

Well we made hard work of that right at the end, and had the rub of the penalty, but I don't think you can deny we were the better side over the game. Big step forward from last year.

Get in!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Despite averaging 2 goals a game, we don't look that threatening. Clearly we are, or have been, with our 1.76 xG for our first 5 games.

In the league games before today we've had 16, 16, 9, 21 and 17 shots. Fleetwood the single-figure outlier.

Maybe that highlights my point? Plenty of chances, not very clinical? We're very, very good at getting the ball forward into areas where we can do something. It just seems like its sometimes a war of attrition rather than, few shots with lots of goals. Not intending to be critical, just seems like we're good based upon the number of chances we create rather than how clinical our forward line is.

Aye, possibly. Efforts on target have been 4, 7, 5, 5, 6 and then 4 today (from 17 again) so aye - a lot are either off-target or possibly blocked.

[The_Gun]

Get in there. We were better when they had their full quota, and we’ve still got some issues up front, but that’s a big three points.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I think if Derby were to be seen as a benchmark game as to where we'll finish in the league then we can look very positively today.

It's good, I'm glad, but there will be caveats. Those with reservations can rightly point out that we can't rely on a pengy and an oggy and a red for the oppo every week.

But it's a monkey off the back, both in the short-term form-dip and the longer-term Warne hoodoo. And looky here, for what it's worth we're in the top 2 – and now averaging more than 2ppg....

[Worthy4England]

It's a weird lookin table right now...we just need to stay at the top of it. PPG, is ok, but if we'd been offered 2 last season, we'd have probably taken it and been 3rd.

[Prufrock]

4 points up on the same games last year now.

That's 0.66 a game, 31 over a season, 112 points record breaking champions.

[The_Gun]

Bit concerning that JDB still doesn’t seem ready. Could kind of do with him sooner rather than later, because all the other options are pretty shite.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

It's a weird lookin table right now...

The top 4 - Exeter, us, Stevenage, Vale – certainly ain't what the bookies predicted.

But just below the 13-pointers, sharks lurk. Pompey, who beat Posh 3-1 today, on 12. Barnsley, who've had a weird summer but still pose a threat, on 10. Today's opponents on 9, as are Blackpool and Posh.

We'll see - but it's nice to be looking down.

[Mar]

Despite averaging 2 goals a game, we don't look that threatening. Clearly we are, or have been, with our 1.76 xG for our first 5 games.

In the league games before today we've had 16, 16, 9, 21 and 17 shots. Fleetwood the single-figure outlier.

Maybe that highlights my point? Plenty of chances, not very clinical? We're very, very good at getting the ball forward into areas where we can do something. It just seems like its sometimes a war of attrition rather than, few shots with lots of goals. Not intending to be critical, just seems like we're good based upon the number of chances we create rather than how clinical our forward line is.

Aye, possibly. Efforts on target have been 4, 7, 5, 5, 6 and then 4 today (from 17 again) so aye - a lot are either off-target or possibly blocked.

Indicative of our slow and patient build up I guess. Our xG per game suggests we'd win more than we lose over the season if we keep clean sheets, so numbers wise we're looking good.

[Mar]

Bit concerning that JDB still doesn’t seem ready. Could kind of do with him sooner rather than later, because all the other options are pretty shite.

Maybe Evatt's under the impression that Jerome is better at seeing out a game?

Strange though. I'd have JDB ahead of Jerome in the pecking order. Perhaps its a case of we'll be seeing more of JDB on Tuesday.

[DJBlu]

Josh Sheehan was superb today btw.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Bit concerning that JDB still doesn’t seem ready. Could kind of do with him sooner rather than later, because all the other options are pretty shite.

Maybe Evatt's under the impression that Jerome is better at seeing out a game?

Strange though. I'd have JDB ahead of Jerome in the pecking order. Perhaps its a case of we'll be seeing more of JDB on Tuesday.

Maybe, but that wasn't the task at Burton, when Jerome replaced Adeboyejo on 72 at 1-1.

Interesting to see Tuesday's lineup. Some players really need minutes - Bod, Dan, CMG, Maghoma. Morley, too – since being hooked at the half v Wigan he's only played 3 minutes (plus added) in the two subsequent league games, while in those same fixtures, Ashworth hasn't even made the bench. Forrester will want to stake his claim too, having watched Toal push past him in the queue.

So that's 7. The others (GK, RWB, 2xCB) will have to come from today's starters, what with the paper-thin squad and all. Shame as a Pizza Cup game would be an easy in for a new signing, had we made any.

[knobpolisher]

Josh Sheehan was superb today btw.

Absolutely, thought he ran the show reminiscent of the late great Gary Speed.

I've tried to like Nlundulu but he and Jerome when they came on were bobbins, and that's being generous. Losing the ball I can forgive but coming on as a sub against a tired team and not tracking back is scandalous.

[nicholaldo]

Could we have stumbled upon a winning formula in having Thomason and Sheehan together?

[The_Gun]

Sheehan, Dempsey, Santos and Toal all great today. Toal really makes a big difference to our defensive solidity - he’s easily a Championship calibre player.

[The_Gun]

Could we have stumbled upon a winning formula in having Thomason and Sheehan together?

Thomason did his usual - worked hard and played some nice passes, but also made some bad mistakes and got booked.

Sheehan and Dempsey are definitely in our best XI, but the other slot remains up for grabs.

[Prufrock]

It was also very much two behind one. Inverting the middle of the pyramid. Looked a lot better. Meant Sheehan didn't get isolated and allowed us to take control.

Also looked to be back to the hybrid. On the ball was often a back four with Total and Santos central.

[Harry Genshaw]

Lovely 3 points but the same concerns for me. A really good side would have scored 3 or 4 today and made for a far more chilled 8 minutes of injury time.