I've just watched VI's post-match interview on iFollow and he talks about how we played the game, how the opposition played, and respect. What did Wayne say in his interview?
"Tonight I wasn't asking them to play football, because Barnsley don't let you do that with how they play. "It's quite direct, so tonight was all about winning individual battles. Then hopefully you can pinch a goal and get away with three points. "There was a gameplan to get the ball in behind them and cause them problems. "I'm really pleased with the players because Barnsley have won their last seven games so it was always going to be difficult. To pick up a point away from home was a good result."
Eurghm, lighk, eurghm, yer know, a don't think Barnsleigh play much futborl, lighk, eurghmmm, jerknowworrameen, lighk? Unlike us at, eurghmmm, Darbee, who are, eurghmmmm, like peak Spayn in chomparissoghn, lighk.
To be honest, I preferred Chaplin's pre-game response to what other teams say about us, which was basically, "don't care". We play how we play, teams will have their plan to counter it. If they do that well, we'll have to respond. Sometimes it will be ugly, sometimes not. Last night it wasn't ugly because of the tactics, it was ugly because we didn't play well when we did try to measure a pass, it went wrong.
I don't think there's anything wrong with that. We don't let teams play "football" if "football" is playing it around your back line.
He called us the most direct team he’s ever seen. And said that is why they played the way they did. So every team recently, who all came here playing purely long ball - Stoke, Birmingham, Millwall etc - aren’t usually long ball outfits. Not at all. Well renowned possession based teams these. They just completely change their system and style of football to take on little old Barnsley. It’s complete bollo***. The fact is - which Val referred to - we play a really high press and throttle sides who try and play a passing game. They struggle to play through us. We then win possession and punish them. On the deck. Yes, we play direct from defence. But we are not this monstrous long ball outfit that many are now claiming. It’s other managers excusing their own expensively assembled sides’ inability to beat us. The sad thing is, none of these sides who are now allegedly playing us at ‘our’ own game have beaten us regardless. And the footballing sides (Norwich, Watford, Swansea) have done. As Val says - be honest, show respect. You can’t beat us playing football so you’re trying to make out you are matching us up. And still can’t beat us. Enjoy your relegation scrap, Wayne.
Post of the year so far, for me that mate. Keep up the good work everyone and pass on my thanks to Valerien
On quest Rooney said it's not a great way to play football. I suppose he has a point. his yardstick is to assemble a team of over paid journeymen and carefully mould them into a bottom six side. That's where we've gone wrong. Assembled young hungry talent and moulded them into a top six side. It's the exact opposite of what Rooney obviously regards as "great football".
Can't see he's done much better than Cocu last season. Not sure bringing him into the fold will turn out to be the best move Derby's made.
Made me smile seeing Rooney Rosenior and Given in their dugout, those 3 probably cost more per week than our entire team. Give me big Val anyday.
I think we are becoming a bit too easily offended. Majority of what other manager's have said is true. We play direct and stop other teams playing football. I've mentioned it many times but I think our style of play is rather unique and a bit mental. The fact that other teams are trying to find ways to combat our style of play is a compliment. Don't regard anything Rooney has said as offensive.
Is calling us direct a criticism? Direct isn't long ball. I really like the way we play (most of the time, it doesn't always work as a spectacle) and I've heaped the team and manager with lots of praise on here, but I'd call us direct. We don't piss about with it at the back, we get the ball and move it forward very quickly, rarely taking more than one touch, sometimes with long passes, sometimes with a number of short ones, but always fast and always direct. Sometimes, because we only take one touch it's scrappy, sometimes, it's scintillating. I don't see this as a criticism "Tonight I wasn't asking them to play football, because Barnsley don't let you do that with how they play." I see it as huge praise. And it's true. If Derby had come to Oakwell trying to play football from the back we would have torn them to pieces. Our major strength is ripping into teams who play football from the back and anyone who tries it must be mental. Rooney simply acknowledged that and Derby changed their game accordingly.
Barnsley under Gerhardt and other teams wanted to play the ball out from the keeper twenty metres to fullback and then on we go... remember the mistakes at the back? We'd have clangered six goals against us. We couldn't play through the press. Mads must've hated it. Val worked it out... give them the ball and press them. We can play beautiful football.... and we can pick our moment to do this...
I think there's a difference to saying "pass it out from the back" and "football" Saying trying to stop you playing football suggests that you can't string 2 passes together. Wonder that Rooney didn'tt mention of the introduction of diving to the beautiful game!
They were looking dead certs for relegation under Cocu. He’s definitely improved them by going back to basics and having what appears to be a far better plan. Also made a handful of shrewd loan signings for the position they’re in. I think we’re a bit too quick to get offended these days. I also think the opposition are a bit too quick to complain about a system they can’t really figure out.
I think there’s more to it than meets the eye - suspect Big Val is creating (promoting / building on) a siege mentality at the club and within the squad. Smart move.
