Sorry for the pessimism - it's the way DCFC is to me now. I think another season like this and I may be in the "who cares?" camp.

Derby County v Cardiff City
Coca Cola Championship
Pride Park, Derby
Sunday 2nd May 2010 - 3:00pm

Cardiff:

Current League Position: 4/24

Leading scorer: Peter Whitingham 20lg 3cp

Manager: Dave Jones

Kit Home: blue shirt/yellow trim/white shorts Kit Away: yellow shirts, blue shorts

Last game: Cardiff 3-2 Sheff Wed

Quotes from the manager:

Dave Jones speaking to the BBC after beating Wednesday 3-2;

"Even though we have qualified for the play-offs, I'm not taking it easy."

"I was like a raging bull with the players at half-time as I wanted a higher tempo, I wanted to move the ball quicker, I wanted more forward passing and I wanted more runs."

"I know it was relaxed atmosphere and the some of football we played was outstanding but I still want more."

"I want to go into the play-offs with a good momentum and with a winning. We have that - and that's the best way to be."

Speaking to the BBC about having home-advantage in the play-offs:

"I've been in the play-offs playing at home first and playing at home last - and I've failed both ways,"

"The best way to prepare for the play-offs is going into it with momentum."

Current Bluebirds Squad:

No. Position. Player.
1 Keeper David Marshall
2 Defender Kevin McNaughton
3 Defender Mark Kennedy
4 Midfield Gavin Rae
5 Defender Mark Hudson
6 Defender Gábor Gyepes
7 Midfield Peter Whittingham
8 Striker Michael Chopra
9 Striker Jay Bothroyd (vice-captain)
10 Midfield Stephen McPhail (vice-captain)
11 Midfield Chris Burke
12 Defender Tony Capaldi
14 Defender Paul Quinn
15 Defender Anthony Gerrard
16 Midfield Joe Ledley (vice-captain)
17 Midfield Kelvin Etuhu (on loan from Manchester City)
18 Midfield Solomon Taiwo
20 Keeper Peter Enckelman
23 Midfield Darcy Blake
24 Defender Miguel Comminges
26 Striker Warren Feeney
27 Defender Adam Matthews
28 Midfield Aaron Wildig
29 Striker Josh Magennis
32 Defender Aaron Morris
44 Striker Ross McCormack
49 Midfield Jonathan Meades
— Defender Darren Dennehy

The Rams:

Quotes from the manager:

Nigel Clough talking to BBC after the QPR game:

"The game typified our season. We already had 13 players on the injured list and Paul reported groin and hip problems just before the match."

"That sort of thing certainly doesn't help. But we conceded two poor goals, failed to take our chances and ended up with nothing from a game in which we played well."

"We made a dreadful start, conceding a goal so early, and were chasing the game from the opening minutes to near the end."

No. Position. Player.
1 Keeper Stephen Bywater
3 Defender James McEveley
4 Midfield Paul Green
5 Defender Miles Addison (vice-captain)
6 Defender Dean Leacock
7 Midfield Lee Croft
8 Midfield Robbie Savage (captain)
9 Striker Rob Hulse
10 Midfield Kris Commons
11 Midfield Gary Teale
12 Striker Chris Porter
13 Keeper Saul Deeney
14 Defender Shaun Barker
16 Midfield Stephen Pearson
17 Defender Jake Buxton
18 Midfield Ben Pringle
19 Midfield Michael Tonge (on loan from Stoke City)
20 Striker Steve Davies
21 Defender Dean Moxey
22 Midfield Arnaud Mendy
23 Defender Mark O'Brien
24 Defender Nicky Hunt (on loan from Bolton Wanderers)
25 Midfield David Martin (on loan from Millwall)
27 Defender Russell Anderson
28 Defender Mitchell Hanson
29 Striker Greg Mills
31 Striker Tomasz Cywka (on loan from Wigan Athletic)
33 Defender Mark Dudley
35 Striker Callum Ball
36 Midfield Ryan Connolly

What the Bookies think:

Home Win: 13/10

Draw: 9/4

Away win: 8/5

First Scorer: Michael Chopra 5/1, Jay Boothroyd 11/8, Ross
McCormack,Peter Whittingham, Chris Porter all 6/1

Information for travelling fans:

Driving: It's 160 miles to Derby. Best RAC route is the A48/M48 to the M4, then take the A40 to the M50 and M5. At J4a join the M42 which becomes the A42 before joining the M1 at J23. Head north and take J25 for Derby.

Follow the A52 Brian Clough Way towards Derby and the ground is on the left. Look for the brown away football supporters signs for parking etc.

Parking: It used to be at the old Wilmorten College site however that is now a housing estate so away fans should park at Catalyst on London Rd opposite the Navigation pub. It’s about 10-15 minutes from the ground.

Don’t be tempted to park at Pride Park shopping centre unless you fancy being clamped. You can also park for a £5 at the hospital further up London Rd near the hospital and the Railway station.

Another alternative is to pass the exit for Pride Park on Brian Clough Way and head for Pentagon Island. Take the first exit and turn left and after a few hundred yards you will come to The Cattle Market Car Park. It’s about 10 minutes walk to the ground from here.

Drinking: There are a few pubs very close to the ground but if you come by train, the locale around the station is fairly inviting. The Crown and Cushion at the junction of London Rd always seems to be full of away supporters. The Brunswick is a must for any real ale fans and the Alexandra next door is my personal favourite.

Fans tend to mingle in these pubs and as long as you’re not being aggressive, the atmosphere is good. The Waterfall opposite the station is okay as well. If you are driving, the Navigation Pub on London Rd opposite the parking area is your best bet.

Around the ground there is a Frankie & Bennie's, Harvester and the Pride Park but these tend to be very busy.

Mick’s Prediction:

This has been a wretched season. The third on the trot. 

The lowest points?  Well the 2-4 surrender to QPR at Pride Park? The back to back 2-0 home defeats by Doncaster & Blackpool? The abject 4-1 home defeat by Scunthorpe?

Just when you thought we'd hit the bottom we scraped a
new low.

The high point was the unexpected 1-0 over high flying Forest at Pride Park and glorious as that was given the boasting of most Forest fans & Billy Davies, it's not enough for a team like Derby.

The board of directors have done an excellent job off the pitch with the finances and I know that as a club we have to live within our means - but our means should be way higher than the Blackpool, Doncaster & Scunthorpes of this world - so why aren't we performing at a level above them?

It's easy to say "be patient" and "give Nigel time" but we've been patient - we've given the club time. If we could see some progress on the field it would be easy - but we aren't seeing much if any progress.

The following players are simply not good enough to play for Derby County in my opinion:

James McEveley, Lee Croft, Robbie Savage, Gary Teale, Saul Deeney And Jake Buxton.

The following players are so injury prone as to be worthless to the club:

Miles Addison, Dean Leacock and Steve Davies.

The following players are the start of a good team:

Stephen Bywater, Shaun Barker, Russell Anderson, Kris Commons and Rob Hulse.

And some of the above are being linked with summer moves.

Not much to get excited about is there? I've renewed my season ticket more in hope than expectation. Another season like this last one will see me not bother anymore.

Despite newspaper pronouncements to the contrary, we seem to always surrender the final game in abject fashion. 

Cardiff are safely in the play offs and have little to play for other than to impress Dave Jones for the play off finals - maybe we can finish the season with a bang instead of the customary whimper.

Injuries and banned managers on stand by for excuses.

Mick's Team:

Deeney, Connolly, Barker, McEveley, Moxey, Savage, Tonge, Martin, Commons, Cywka, Porter.

Subs: Atkins, Teale, Pringle ...

Prediction:

Derby 1 - 4 Cardiff

Being the last game of the season - let me wish all of you a good summer and hopefully DCFC will show me up for the misery guts I am by installing the WOW factor at Pride Park?

We can but hope.

Photo: Action Images

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