Date 27th May 2019. EFL Play-off Final Wembley Stadium. PART ONE OF TWO
Opponents Aston Villa
Team :- Roos, Bogle, Keogh, Tomori, Cole.
Mount, Johnson, Wilson, Huddlestone,
Lawrence. Wilson. Bennett
Subs:- Carson, Marriott, Josefzoon, Waghorn, Evans, Nugent,
Referee :- Paul Tierney
Attendance :- 86,826
Conditions. Cool dry and grey.
Pitch, Immaculate.
The route to this game was by way of Elland Road, where Derby County stunned Leeds players and fans alike by inflicting an emphatic victory on a magical night in Yorkshire. Leeds were a goal to the good at the start of the game and having defeated Derby 3 times this season - every Leeds fan, player, management and all the media expected Leeds to go through to the final. Glory be - it was not to pan out like that. Leeds got a two goal lead within 15 minutes but Derby refused to bow to Leeds pressure and battled brilliantly to score the necessary 4 goals and went through convincingly.
Bring on Aston Villa who, in their last 10 games have scored 19 goals, conceded 7 and won 8, drawn 1 and lost 1 for 25 points.
Derby have scored 27, conceded 12 and won 6, drawn 2 and lost 2 for 20 points
Intriguingly poised, you might say. Anything can happen depending in the referee and luck. Franks team selection was a big surprise.
Villa started more brightly that Derby and had more of the ball, more corners and more shots. They looked the better side. Gradually Derby got more into the game - showed more control and at least looked like contenders. Neither had many shots on target until - almost on half time Villa got the ball on their right wing. Someone crossed to the far post and Bogle betrayed his lack of experience by allowing El Ghazi to stay ball side for him to guide the ball just inside Roos’s right post. It was so obvious what was going to happen. As the attack built up I was anxiously waiting for Bogle’s being alert to the danger but he simply was not concentrating and McGinn got to the ball just ahead of him. At half time the situation seemed not too desperate and it was to be hoped that Derby would learn from their first half object lesson by Villa.
Derby pressed more in the second half leaving more space for Villa attacks. They attacked from their left wing and Grealish (I think) launched a cross which was deflected high into Derby’s box. Roos stayed in his goal area and tried to catch the ball but only managed (whilst receiving close attention from McGinn) to get his catching wrong and drop it into his own net. McGinn may have got a touch to it but I didn’t think so. Both goals were to some extent, gifts, and they proved just too much for The Rams to recover from once they did start to show more urgency after the second goal went in. Why they couldn’t muster the same urgency before they were 2-0 down I do not know. Marriott then came on and made an immediate difference, he showing much more aggression and intent. With 10 minutes to go Johnson found an unmarked attacker I could not identify who passed to Marriott for him to control the ball before firing in a low shot which Waghorn just deflected into Villa’s goal. Derby’s aggression was too little too late and to the fans dismay to was Villa who were celebrating at the end. They were the better side and all things at Derby County will be subject to drastic change during the summer.
For Those Who Could not Attend
posted on 29/5/19
comment by Igør Rampard (U1993)
posted 14 hours, 40 minutes ago
I think TL losing his Mum recently has been a detriment to him, Holmes was a huge loss, we missed his energy but the real head scratcher was starting Huddz, Villa were always gonna start on the front foot because of it and the defence looked shaky early on and throughout the game.
Say what we like about Malone but we missed his maurauding forward play, did Cole even go past the halfway line, it all if's and maybe's and we deffo would have had the measure of WBA but we played right into Villa's hand with the team selection and they took advantage but we missed a trick with inexperience and sloppy goalkeeping.
Not as gutted as the QPR defeat but would have been great to do this overated shower of swear words.
On one last sidenote, we were also linked with Mings when Villa got him and he has been the catalyst from being the 4th worse defence in the league to a club record 10 wins a row and ultimately playoff winners.
Ah well.
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Losing Malone was a tragedy as he was much more effective than Cole. I was not impressed when Frank brought hi into our squad. Even when we played Chelsea a couple of years or so ago and he played for them - he looked worn out and too old. George Evans would have done better than Cole.
posted on 29/5/19
comment by Strett (U1462)
posted 34 minutes ago
Good lunging tackle by Keogh for their second.
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Strett - its very good of you to concern yourself so with our performance. Especially as Forest have so may of their own problems for you to ponder.
posted on 29/5/19
comment by 666 ⚽️ (U11795)
posted 3 hours, 51 minutes ago
Ashley Cole was approaching their final third just prior to the opening goal, hence being so far out of position. He was obstructed, but not unfairly according to the ref, and was running back into position when the ball went through the middle past the fouling of BJ and into the area Cole would usually have been prowling.
That 10 yard head start meant Tomori came over on the cover and Cole went into Tomori’s position, although Cole then couldn’t affect the cross as it went over him. Bogle tried to shield the ball across himself rather than deal with it effectively and the rest, as they say, is history.
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666 are you OK? You should go straight to A&E and tell then you have put a post up about letting in a goal without blaming Keogh.
I agree with everything you said by the way.
posted on 29/5/19
Just out of curiosity, in the second half something happened in the crowd, I noticed a lot of fans no longer watching the game but looking to my right. I was in Block 514 and couldn't make out what was happening but my nephew mentioned a stretcher. I noticed a few security members circulating.
Was there an issue of Villa fans in the Derby end or a fan taken seriously ill? Are they okay?
posted on 29/5/19
Saw a fan taken out on a stretcher, Desi.
He had his hand(s) over his face and looked in quite a bit of distress
posted on 29/5/19
comment by VC10Ram (U18980)
posted 4 hours, 55 minutes ago
comment by 666 ⚽️ (U11795)
posted 3 hours, 51 minutes ago
Ashley Cole was approaching their final third just prior to the opening goal, hence being so far out of position. He was obstructed, but not unfairly according to the ref, and was running back into position when the ball went through the middle past the fouling of BJ and into the area Cole would usually have been prowling.
That 10 yard head start meant Tomori came over on the cover and Cole went into Tomori’s position, although Cole then couldn’t affect the cross as it went over him. Bogle tried to shield the ball across himself rather than deal with it effectively and the rest, as they say, is history.
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666 are you OK? You should go straight to A&E and tell then you have put a post up about letting in a goal without blaming Keogh.
I agree with everything you said by the way.
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I agree about the mix up leaving Villa to make an unchallenged cross but look at the replay and you will see El Ghazi dives too early, missed the header and went under the ball. Unfortunately the ball hits his back and goes in to the net. Bogle getting the blame but it was bad luck.
posted on 29/5/19
It's not goal that cost us, it seemed throughout the half it was always gonna happen, it was the timing of it when we looked like the game plan had worked.
But the 2nd goal knocks the stuffing out of the players and fans.
Said before the game, no problem losing to a worldly but again an error that little bit of pain is seeping in now.
Did read something on SM earlier from Alan Hinton that he give up his space in the comfy seats at the first game against Leeds as their were 3 potential investers present.
Watch this space folks.
posted on 29/5/19
Rewatched the game on Rams tv for the first time today.
Surprised how even the first half actually was, it seemed much more in Villas favour in the stadium.
Such small margins, a few individual errors and unfortunate breaks making the difference.
Will only ever be able to see the future king as a feckin Villa fan now !
posted on 29/5/19
Haven't been able to do that just yet but will, won't make any difference but it's always made me move on betters.
To already have Shinnie in the side means we have addressed a problem ara but I really want Waggy and Jack to say they are staying.
posted on 31/5/19
comment by Eddie 'the last walz' Gray (Is Rad a wolf in sheeps clothing?) (U7370)
posted 3 days, 6 hours ago
Did Fat Frank cry?
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no, unlike all you to$$ers.