What's going wrong?

[Cobby]

Now I don't think I'm being too negative when I say that we are in a really bad run of form, but why has so much changed from the first third of the season?

 

Was it loan players going back, the management team losing the dressing room, poor tactics, or simply that we are just playing better teams than us? On a more positive note, what could we do to fix it!

 

I'd like to hear all of your thoughts.

[liampie]

wrong decisions at the wrong time, derry just needs to settle the squad down and sign a defender.

[lambleypie]

Tactics, loss of loan players and a run of tough games. Do we now have the quality to snap out of this current run? I think so but we need to start picking up points.

[waldorf]

Negative tactics and a lack of fight in the final third.

[heraldmagpie]

If only Derry knee himself, supposedly hes hot favourite for the Barnsley. Jump ship? I suspect not.

[Captain Sticky]

Losing Zeli was a blow

[Captain Sticky]

And we have to remember he is still a relatively new manager 'cutting his teeth' although there is some experience around him. In Derry I still trust but can't get my head round all the attacking signings when 1. GT is our top scorer and 2. Our poor defence keeps losing us games. The midfield seems to be settling if only the same could be said of the back. Newton freeing Blair for the wing is a positive in my mind. I'm hoping for something Saturday against Port Vale but that won't be easy after their good result against Donny

[Feral Fox]

Losing Zeli was a blow

First few games I wasn't impressed, but as he settled in he more and more looked a quality player. Since he left we haven't had the right balance.

Add into that a bad combo of Smith and Jones (which hopefully now has been laid to rest with the emergence of Thompson and Noble) then the balance will never be right.

Up front we got lucky with Gary Thompson scoring a few crackers, but SD has struggled to pair him up with someone. The insistence of a large man upfront has backfired so far. BB looks the part, but again, with no set partner to benefit he won't produce. Cassidy etc...Have just set up a bad mindset in the players.

Look how Hollis' distribution went down hill so fast. I'm sure some of it was lack of experience, but I'm sure some of it was tactics from the boss pair saying lump it up to the big man.

Edwards is better, but hardly a sure fire thing and by now the confidence has been sucked out of the team. That means individual mistakes are now massive ones, which is a never ending circle.

[Fan of Big Tone 𝕏 @mainstandpie]

Its a combination of things in my opinion, we've had some tough opposition, we were punching above our weight, we miss some of the loan players that went back Lang in particular, lack of a settled team hasn't helped either, tactics have been wrong in some games.

 

However, don't panic Mr. Mainwaring all will be well after Saturday when we give Port Vale a good tonking.

[Feral Fox]

Its a combination of things in my opinion, we've had some tough opposition, we were punching above our weight, we miss some of the loan players that went back Lang in particular, lack of a settled team hasn't helped either, tactics have been wrong in some games.

 

However, don't panic Mr. Mainwaring all will be well after Saturday when we give Port Vale a good tonking.

I hope so. Looking forward to seeing lots of goals from my luxury seat!

[AmericanPie]

It seems to me like we are going through another transition, the only difference is it seems Derry does not know who to start and I question if we actually have a good enough squad to select a regular starting 11. I think what we do have is decent enough but it confines us.

Just need to get the points, take this ever building pressure off our shoulders.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

I wouldn't blame Derry completely but his desire to start us with one striker, especially when all can see it doesn't work - is very negative and frustrating. If it worked we wouldn't be questioning it, so it's a two sided coin. I think some of the players have been letting him down, they're on the field and he gives them instructions. I've said for awhile, it's confidence which is our main issue.

Derry can deny it, the club can promote that the camp is fine but again it's rather obvious.

Tough run of fixtures, unable to grind results. It suggests to me that confidence is down, I mean why else would our defence become so easy to break down?

I'd just hope Derry sticks with two strikers and settles the formation/squad down. Get the points we need. I honestly think next season will be better, will it be more competitive from us? I can only hope so.