Season compass 2017-18

Their tie will be brought forward (no way a 4 week delay
will be allowed) .

 

I think that it should be, but I can't see a gap in their schedule.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/derby-county/scores-fixtures/2017-09

 

Updated for the CL fixtures.

 

Echoes of 2010 both in the CL group draw and fixture schedule.

Right from now, the squad mentality must be that the Dortmund
home game is MUST WIN. To enter the ties against Madrid
with two wins will be a big mental benefit.

 

It would appear that the Derby v Barnsley Tie will be played in the same week as the 3rd round ties, so with our involvement in Europe alongside the championship fixtures we will play the 3rd round on date of the 4th round and it maybe that this tie wont be caught up until Dec (the gap between qtr and semi finals)

 

As we will probably play our second XI , why don't we play it on the same day as a CL tie , as a support act. That way we might get a decent crowd.

 

If we play Derby does that mean THudd will be coming to our new, albeit temporary home?

 

PL (like for like with 2016-17 after 3 games) : Pts = -5 , GF = -2, GA = +1.

 

PL (like for like with 2016-17 after 4 games) : Pts = -3 , GF = 0, GA = 0.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...m-Hotspur-set-best-away-record-125-years.html

Gary Lineker pointed out we don't need Wembley to be home. We need it to be away.

The truth is certainly the first 11 and arguably the squad as a whole are overdue to win things. Obstacles stand in the way: the inability to win the biggest games, the Wembley curse, and the fact that the PL's best teams have gotten significantly better for the second year in a row.

It used to be true that our problem was with teams that sat back, but I don't think that's true anymore. The team has great creativity, goal scoring and width, all the things that make it hard for bunkered teams to keep clean sheets. Of course we've already dropped points and will drop more, but we've been about the best team against the bottom 14 two years running. Our weak point now is when good teams take away space and time. That will always cause problems for anyone, but we have, if anything, gotten even poorer than we were a couple of years ago. The performance at Anfield last year simply lacked spirit, and the (admittedly friendly) loss to Man City saw Spurs beaten more comprehensively than any time in the past two years. Aurier and a pacier LB would help, I think. City concentrated on taking away the long balls to the fullbacks, which they could do partly because neither Davies nor Trippier has much pace. The City press was vulnerable to pacy dribblers--both GKN and Geogiou (sp) were effective on a day when nobody else really was--and the long ball up the middle. But I would suggest the real problem is the same one that has kept us from winning big games: a lack of belief and determination. I think and hope the new arrivals this transfer window will help. Between two commanding defenders and a player who's won things, we ought to be able to improve our big game performances.

In any case, I'm enjoying watching us play more and more. The first fifteen minutes of the second half against Everton were gorgeous. Eriksen was magical. Kane is becoming one of the best players in the world. Davinson looked like he'd been with us for 10 years not 10 days. He enabled Jan and Toby to play like AMs. I can't believe any club has a better back three.

The away record does indicate something special about the team. Leading the PL in GD two years running does as well, especially when we both scored the most goals and gave up the least. But we still need to win things.

 

The must-win game with Dortmund done.

The CL reason this was must-win is because of the
fixture schedule. Dortmund play get real Madrid next,
and assuming Spurs beat Apoel, the points gaps to
our rivals before the first Madrid showdown could be :

Dortmund : 3/5/6
Madrid : 0/2/3


Playing Apoel next is also very good, as it gets the
long away trip done and dusted early in the season.

 

5/2 suits me.

 

Wouldn't we want Real to beat BD twice. If we can then beat Appoel twice, worst case is a 1 goal loss in Dortmund to qualify. Unless people are hoping to qualify top?

 

Play it like in 2010.
If after the Madrid games the opportunity is there to top
the group, take it.

 

Win the group. Let RM and BD take points off each other and we can win the group. We need to get as many ranking points as possible to make life easier in the future. Don't be scared of RM, they must be sh!tting themselves after watching the match last night, there is a possibility that they will not qualify.

 

PL (like for like with 2016-17 after 5 games) : Pts = -5 , GF = -5, GA = 0.

 

A chance to improve this coming up.

 

PL (like for like with 2016-17 after 6 games) : Pts = -2 , GF = -2, GA = +1.

 

How do people feel things are going ??

The Mancs GD is a concern for me, but we are thereabouts
with Wanyama not playing for a while, and Lamela + the DOF
still on the long-term wounded list.

 

Wanyama back in will go some way to improving our GA stats. I'm not overly concerned about the two Mancs just yet. Neither have had a particularly difficult start to the season, with both yet to face anyone who finished above them last season. City in particular have had a string of games against teams who lack the foggiest clue about how to defend. I'm reserving judgement until after their next game which is away to Chelsea and may well prove to be their 'Spurs skin' of the previous 2 seasons.

United worry me much more as they have been solid defensively for 3 seasons now but have added firepower to that foundation. Unlike Fraudiola, Maureen knows how to eek out results even when they aren't playing well. Plus he knows the league inside out.