Back from the game - Derby

[West Stand Man]

And there was me thinking that Mills had quite a good game tonight -

You are right, he did. The fools above were either not there or are just plain stupid.

[FiNeRaIn]

And there was me thinking that Mills had quite a good game tonight -

You are right, he did. The fools above were either not there or are just plain stupid.

You have no idea about football so I'm not sure why you are calling other people stupid. His set pieces were poor, he gave the ball away 4/5 times really poorly, he was at fault for at least one of the goals...need to see the other again and his awareness was bad. So yeah if you consider those qualities having a good game then you are right. However you are the other dude are incorrect with your opinions, he was poor.

[Ian Royal]

Re: Mills - as much as there is a huge question mark over him, I would add that 2 years ago Cummings looked just as bad, if not worse. These days he looks more than half decent at right back and performed very well again today. Guess what I am saying is that BMc seems to have a habit of getting the best out of players - Kebe's best form has come under BMc, for instance.

I'd just like to say I see the same promise in Mills I saw in Cummings back then.

Obviously didn't see the game tonight, but I thought he was decent against Burnley. Might need a bit more time and development, so it's good to have Harte available, who could well come in and offer a bit more composure. Wouldn't be such a big deal now we have Cummings looking good on the right and a more settled centreback pairing developing a bit of a partnership.

I'd probably give Mills another few games though.

Interesting to see the first few posts largely tally with the feeling I could get for the game from the radio too.

Cheers as always peops.

Oh, and on the subject of Church, it's no surprise he's performing better with decent options alongside him looking to move the ball around to feet. From what I've seen of Le Fondre he reminds me of Kitson in his awareness and interplay.

Does Church really need to get more than 15 a season if ALF is getting 20 and Manset 10 from the bench?

[who are ya?]

Things are ticking along nicely though

Considering the thick cloud of doom and gloom over our start to the season, you've got to wonder how the fans of 10 other clubs below us feel like. It has settled down now and we're probably about where we'll finish imho but I thought that last season before that gr8 run all the way to Wemberz

[Basingstoke Royal]

Very frustrating and game we should have won. We played well but a couple of silly school boy problems.

1. Why can't we ever do anything with our own throw? All night we just gave it back to derby. Sort it out lads.

2. Why can't we find ever find a blue shirt with our clearances.

Le Fondre looks a great buy but had to work like a lone striker all night because church is lazy and seems to think he is better than he really is. I like players that give 100% and he definitely isn't one of them. Le Fondre and Hunt upfront would be my first choice.

Good to see kebe back and he will get better with a few games under his belt.

This team has the potential to beat anyone in the division - but at the moment silly mistakes and a second decent striker is hurting us.

[West Stand Man]

And there was me thinking that Mills had quite a good game tonight -

You are right, he did. The fools above were either not there or are just plain stupid.

You have no idea about football so I'm not sure why you are calling other people stupid. His set pieces were poor, he gave the ball away 4/5 times really poorly, he was at fault for at least one of the goals...need to see the other again and his awareness was bad. So yeah if you consider those qualities having a good game then you are right. However you are the other dude are incorrect with your opinions, he was poor.

I bow to your superior wisdom and worship at the feet of such a guru.

Oh, and I didn't say he had an error free game - he'd be in a Champions league team if he was up to that. He was, however, easily up the standard you should expect of a good Championship LB. That is my opinion and I am sticking to it. You are entitled to yours - even if it is wrong.

[Basingstoke Royal]

Church looks 100x the player he was before with Alf. He's done a lot better this season, but imo he'll never score more than 15 in a Championship season.

Things are ticking along nicely though and our heads never dropped.

Give me one positive thing church did tonight?

[howser]

Lots of positives in the above reports, but the question has to be how does McD do it ? he is robbed of his best players yet he still manages to get an amazing team spirit and ethic, from what is in reality, a depleted squad compared to last seasons. The biggest worry must be that other teams will be seeing the fabulous job he has done here. Alf, well he was much advertised as a curetonesque type of player but he looks to be that +1 ! I think its six full games +1 sub show, 4 goals and probably should have had maybe a couple more at Burnley, very good buy and what a snip at £350k.

[FiNeRaIn]

You are entitled to yours - even if it is wrong.

I agree, but in this case yours is wrong and not mine.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Great start with the Royals for Alfie.

Played 7 Goals 4. Better than 1 in 2.

On course for 20+ ?

[Elmer Park]

We should have won that really despite the fact that no one other than Le Fondre looked like scoring. Players in general looking much more confident now.

Alf really has made the step up to the Championship much better than I feared he might and Church seems to have gained some self belief and is looking much better this season than last. Thought Kebe looked fit, which surprised me and on the other wing HRK got better as the game wore on after I thought a poor first half. Great cross for the second goal too. Leigertwood seems to have recovered his mojo and is looking more his old self now and although Tabb did a decent job for the team whilst Karacan was out of favour, I thought Jem showed tonight he is the superior player,

I thought Cummings, Gorkss and Pearce were fine tonight but Mills defending is a worry. I think people are over critical of his all round game but he showed a shocking lack of anticipation for the second goal. The concern is that kind of error is exactly the type of error Harte makes when he plays. Feds had little to do tonight.

All in all we should be able to cobble together enough points to keep us away from the bottom three but despite the unbeaten run it's hard to see us seriously threatening the top six.

[andrew1957]

And there was me thinking that Mills had quite a good game tonight -

You are right, he did. The fools above were either not there or are just plain stupid.

You have no idea about football so I'm not sure why you are calling other people stupid. His set pieces were poor, he gave the ball away 4/5 times really poorly, he was at fault for at least one of the goals...need to see the other again and his awareness was bad. So yeah if you consider those qualities having a good game then you are right. However you are the other dude are incorrect with your opinions, he was poor.

You are being very unfair on Mills IMO. You highlight a few of the things he did poorly but what of all the things he did well? He made any number of interceptions and got the ball forward positively on a many occasions. He helped us to keep pressing Derby at the back. He is young and will make mistakes (like Cummings did at first) but I do see some promise. The bottom line is we are unbeaten since the current back 4 came together - which must say something positive.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Surprised by some of the negativity... as with the post match boro thread.

Fact is we have same no. of points as we did this time last season. Come on URZ

[No Fixed Abode]

6 points from a possible 18 at home. Is that right?

[grey_squirrel]

Maybe if McD sticks with Mills on Saturday, he will be able to show Adkins that he was wrong to think of him as only their third choice left back!......but still good enough for our first 11 !!!..... but I doubt it.

[andrew1957]

Surprised by some of the negativity... as with the post match boro thread.

Fact is we have same no. of points as we did this time last season. Come on URZ

Fair point. You could even argue that things are more positive than they were this time last year - when we had disappointing back to back losses in games 11 and 12 and things looked a bit bleak.

[Ian Royal]

Surprised by some of the negativity... as with the post match boro thread.

Fact is we have same no. of points as we did this time last season. Come on URZ

Fair point. You could even argue that things are more positive than they were this time last year - when we had disappointing back to back losses in games 11 and 12 and things looked a bit bleak.

And our strikers had 2 goals between them rather than 10.

[FiNeRaIn]

6 points from a possible 18 at home. Is that right?

Yeah it really is abysmal, can't understand the optimism honestly. Whats even more worrying is that nearly all the teams bar boro have been really poor.

Southampton last season were a division below us, on paper we should be stronger. That won't stop people logging on here on saturday if we hang on for a 0-0 and claiming its a good point. Sign of the times im afraid.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

6 points from a possible 18 at home. Is that right?

Yeah it really is abysmal, can't understand the optimism honestly. Whats even more worrying is that nearly all the teams bar boro have been really poor.

Southampton last season were a division below us, on paper we should be stronger. That won't stop people logging on here on saturday if we hang on for a 0-0 and claiming its a good point. Sign of the times im afraid.

Oh FFS go & top yourself and end it now. Jesus. We are averaging 2 pts per game, playing ball to feet, front 2 look lively & are scoring. What exactly do you want?

Why do you watch Reading if you nit pick at everything? They are playing arguably the best footy we've seen for a long time & we are starting to get results with young hungry players. I just don't understand the negativity on here at all. We were great tonight & the wins at home will come sooner rather than later.

[winchester_royal]

6 points from a possible 18 at home. Is that right?

Yeah it really is abysmal, can't understand the optimism honestly. Whats even more worrying is that nearly all the teams bar boro have been really poor.

Southampton last season were a division below us, on paper we should be stronger. That won't stop people logging on here on saturday if we hang on for a 0-0 and claiming its a good point. Sign of the times im afraid.

What a truly ridiculous post. Southampton are top. This evening they beat a team who last season were 2 divisions above them. On paper they are currently the strongest team in the league. Last season is irrelevant.