Billy Grant catches up with Pav from the Punjabi Rams and discusses Derby’s stuttering form, Steve McClaren rumours and whether he can see another A52 derby on the cards in the near future.
We thought you guys would be up celebrating promotion by now. What’s going on?
So did we, 15 points clear and looking forward to a summer celebrating, how wrong we were.
Last season there was no expectation and we played free flowing football that was easy on the eye and great to watch.
This season we’ve not managed to get a consistent run of performances, teams have been trying to stop us play more as well.
A common theme post game on twitter has been, “ we’ve got the result performance will come.
Also we’ve had a lot of chopping and changing of the team, never really felt settled this season.
I know every team has injuries and we were coping fine but we had too many together in mind Feb, losing Chris Martin was a massive blow for us.
With you wheeling in big money players like Darren Bent and Tom Ince to get yourselves over the finish line, some people would accuse you of trying to buy your way out the league. Is this sh!t or bust for you?
Bit far with the big money players tag. They might be on big money at parent clubs but I think people need to look at what Derby are playing for them.
I think we know we are in touching distance of going up but its not a case of buying our way out.
If injuries to key men hadn’t hurt us, the signings of Bent and Ince would’ve been enough to keep us in the top 2.
Not quite a disaster if we don’t go up. There’ll be the usual summer of speculation.
The club were good in getting most of the squad singed to longer term deals last summer so whoever does go won’t go cheap.
We’ll just go again with who we have in August and hopefully learn from the last two seasons and go up as Champions!!!
There are also rumours that there has also allegedly been some disharmony in the dressing room and with McClaren being linked with a move to Newcastle, has this unsettled your squad?
There’s always rumours when a team’s going through a sticky patch, not just at Derby.
I think it’s worth looking at the number of players who’ve joined Derby down to the Mac’s coaching skills so theres always two sides to each story.
It’s also worth remembering this is the first major rough patch since the Mac took over.
Looking back the rumours started about the same time as the bad run .
It’s definitely unsettled fans and unfortunately this seems to have fed down to the players.
It hasn’t helped that the Mac hasn’t come out and just said I’m not going to Newcastle.
Our President had to make a statement denying the rumours, I think that shows it was having a negative impact.
On paper your run-in – with matches against Blackpool, Huddersfield, Millwall and Reading – doesn’t look that horrendous.
If we beat you boys this weekend I can see us winning the remaining games (Ed – if you beat us and win every game, I can guarantee you will finish up Champions).
Will that be enough who knows. The Championship has been a strange old league this season.
If its not enough to get automatic it should see us in decent form for the play offs but that means nothing.
Last time Brentford played Derby, we met you in the pub after the match. You were shellshocked. After you going 1-0 up, we turned it around in the 2nd half and hit you hard – Stuart Dallas scoring a late goal for the Bees to win 2-1. You weren’t ready for that were you?
Let’s not talk about what happened on the pitch when we came to Brentford.
To be fair we thought little old Brentford, still got terraces this will be an easy 3 points.
We should’ve won that game but lost control and in the end I hate to say it you probably deserved the win.
Been the story of our season, so many points dropped from winning positions.
Was impressed with your style of football having just come up. You tried to play the game how it should be played.
Off the pitch what a great day out. Think we were hanging with you in the Globe early doors. The pub after the game was a great atmosphere (despite us losing) and summed up how it should be between so called ‘rival’ fans.
We played Forest on Easter Monday .. they gave us a bit of a fright going 2 goals up. But we turned it around – equalising with yet another last minute goal fro Jota. We’ve scored 22 goals from 80 mins on this season. They wished us the best of luck against you guys. Are you worried that you might, if you dont pull your fingers out, have a re-enactment of the A52 Derby next season?
Not worried, as I don’t think it will happen. Gives us an opportunity to bring the Brian Clough Trophy home though.
Looks like we’ll be in the playoffs and I know it’s a cliché but is a lottery.
Wembley last season we bossed that game but a mistake cost us.
That’s an interesting stat about late goals. I wonder what our points total would be if games finished at 80 minutes.
The Championship race is the closest run in years. What teams do you fear the most out of the leading pack to upset your applecart?
It’s hard to say as everyone has been so inconsistent.
The Watford front line looked good against us the other week.
I’ve always thought Norwich would be dangerous, Boro can play decent stuff as they showed against City in the cup.
People keep saying Bournemouth can’t do it but they’ve been there all season.
I’ve not really answered your question have I ….
If we don’t make the top 2 then going for Norwich and one other.
Give us a score prediction
3-1 to my beloved Mighty Rams
BillytheBee
Billythebee99
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
CastBox
Acast
TuneIn
Google Podcasts
