Easy drive, easy parking, quick to get served in pub (The Navigation) and a sunny day gave the impression it could be a good day.
Unfortnately it seemed men v boys in first half as Connor Sammon bossed things through the heart of our defence.
I don't rate Sammon and Derby paid about 3 mill for him, but his movement, touch and strength had Lees, Tate and Peltier chasing shadows and looking physically small in comparison.
Thei Robinson also gave our back 4 a torrid time along with Michael Jacobs who looked a handy winger and Will Hughes really ran things in midfield.
Peltier looked particularly poor, but also Tate and Lees just didnt clear at times when they had plenty of chances to.
Byram was cool under pressure, positioning was good as was his distribution.
Most of the rest were anonymous, except for Mccormack whose delivery was really poor today, he didn't get a single free kick on target, with his efforts often sailing completely out of play.
Bechio laboured and our tactics of hoofball were completely ineffective.
We were really lucky to snatch a goal on halftime, it was our only effort on target in the first half, a half in which Kenny helped limit Derby's goals to 1.
Felt like Derby were rocked by that goal and we came out well in second half and had a couple of really close near misses and although Hall didn't have a great game, his tracking back to help out the defence was great.
Derby snatched a goal against the run of play and then warnock made subs to try and change game.
Diouf came on and linked up well with Byram to creaet a couple of oportunities, but when you're chasing a game and bring on Varney to retrieve the situation you know you haven't got much hope.
As Varney's comedy cameo of completely mis-timing headers etc began, Leeds fans sung 'if Varney scores we're on the pitch'.
White came on for Norris, but both had anonymous afternoons.
We then hoofed the ball for the remainder of the game, with our strikers getting nowhere near the aerial balls and allowed derby to easily clear their lines and then snatch a third.
Great example of how limited our squad can be and how one dimensional our play is.
Don't let previous 3 results fool you, no way this squad is getting promoted.
Thoughts from today
posted on 8/12/12
We were lucky against Palace and Red Leicester so I wasn't in dreamland saying were gona thump Derby. Huddersfield aint exactly Cardiff either
posted on 8/12/12
Will Hughes motm for a 17 year old lad thats
posted on 8/12/12
good
posted on 8/12/12
The lad played well,looks class,does he allways play like that or is he hit and miss?
posted on 8/12/12
Plays like it all the time este. Been described as a left footed Scholes and the new Liam Brady. Had scouts from both Manchester clubs Asenal and Barcelona as well as a host of other prem clubs.
posted on 8/12/12
Thanks pablo,like I said looks class.
Can yous hold onto him?
posted on 8/12/12
thats a big no
posted on 8/12/12
Like Ponteram says no. I just hope we get a good fee for him when he does go. Would also like a loan back for a season or 2 if he is not going to be in the their first team plans straight away.
We have not done so good though with selling our good youngsters in the past with crooked owners taking anything so a lot of fans are a bit sceptical about getting a decent fee or selling to the first bidder. Hopefully get as good a fee as Southampton have got for their players.
posted on 8/12/12
Seems like the crooked owners thing is not just us!
posted on 10/12/12
It seems clear that we need Thomas and players like him who add a real spark of creativity and pace. He didnt play and we lost. Diouf needs to be in the team too. I believe that one or two quality players can lift the performances of otherwise ordinary players we have in all areas of the team.
Roll on January!