Jamie Ward believes the supporters can play a key role in helping Derby County chalk up their first home League win of the season tomorrow.
Derby boast the best away record in the early weeks of the Championship with 10 points from a possible 12 on the road, but they have the second worst home record. Only one point has been collected from nine at Pride Park Stadium, where the Rams have been frustrated by Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and Burnley; Reading are the visitors tomorrow.
Ward is confident the home form can pick up and sees the fans playing a part.
“We all know what we can do at home, as we showed last season, but teams are coming to Pride Park with the aim of stopping us playing. It has worked for teams so far but, hopefully, we will turn that around. We need the fans to get behind us. When there are 25,000 it is an intimidating place for away teams and with them behind us, we will perform and, hopefully, not let them down."
Ward says patience is important.
“You always have to be patient as a player because you are not going to score from every attack. The fans, at times, are quick to boo us off, so they need to be patient, like we need to be as players."
When asked if there was a secret to Derby’s improved away results, Ward replied:
“There is no secret: there is not as much pressure on us away from home and maybe that has something to do with it."
http://goo.gl/Ou7ipX
So has the atmosphere changed from last season, Jamie? Or the season before that?
It's a nonsensical excuse and pretty poor to blame the fans for 'heaping pressure' on these poor underpaid lads who just want to play football... what utter tripe. I think he'll find it has much more to do with the quality of the oppo we've had at home so far; teams that any level of footballing nous have sussed Plan A and Your Nige is, as always, utterly clueless when it comes to having a Plan B.
Looking at the upcoming fixturesgames, we can probably expect it all to change around as our away from dips in October and our home form picks up but that's down to the fixture list rather than blaming the people that continue to pitch up to pay Jamie's wages despite getting little back by way of entertainment over the past six years.
Shut your face, Jamie Ward, and man the hell up.
Teflon Jamie Ward
posted on 22/9/13
I loved it when we had proper wingers...
(((wistfulsighsmiley))))
At least on here we've got proper whingers
posted on 22/9/13
'Home games' being the misleading element, Milf...
The squad has goals in it already. What it doesn't have is defence. More midfield attacking intent won't change that basic football requirement and we can all bang on about 442, 451 and diamonds til the cows come home, but the fact is the base on which any of those is constructed is flimsy, easily breached and not worthy of the name.
Clough built this squad, it's his responsibility that it's absolutely bereft of quality in key areas and has an embarrassment of riches in others and, even now, he's looking to add to the big pile at the expense of the little one. It's fking ridiculous, inexcusable and I'm sick of the incessant "it's not our Nige's fault, blame GSE" when quite patently it IS entirely and exclusively the fault of Brian's lad. If Barks and OB make 20 appearances between them this season it'll be a miracle, but he wants a right winger?!!
He's a tw.at.
posted on 22/9/13
Thats better... We DO need a proper winger though, whether the defence is threadbare or not doesn't change that, it's not an either/or is it!
Our home form would improve with a decent wide option, I'll state it again, scoring first will change the gameplan of the oppo entirely... At the moment the first goal is killing us.
YES IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT WE HAVE A THREADBARE DEFENCE (it doesn't help that keogh & forsyth aren't playing well either)
^ i have put this in capitals just so you don't miss it
posted on 22/9/13
And stop thinking that everyone who can see positives, as well as obvious negatives, thinks everything smells of roses, WE DON'T, ffs.
posted on 22/9/13
We DO have wide options. Ward, Jacobs and Coutts are all good wide midfielders/wingers and I doubt we could get better on loan.
The manager is choosing to either not play them or play them in a different position.
posted on 22/9/13
They're not feckin wingers ffs
posted on 22/9/13
Only Jacobs...
posted on 22/9/13
If they're not wingers, how many central midfielders has Clough brought in, and why?
Bavies
Coutts
Hendrick
Peabo
Hughes
Eustace
All senior players, all vying for two berths, yet no wingers or defenders?
That's a squad that's been 'managed', is it?!!
posted on 22/9/13
HE want to play 3 or 4 CM's doesn't he!!
posted on 22/9/13
That's still too many, and throw 'in the hole' Ward into the mix and we're way over, yet have no defensive cover AT ALL!!
The man's mental.