Despite the season only just setting sail - and Derby having lost but one match — many fans have already set about sounding the emergency sirens.
Looking over the various forums, Facebook and Twitter after the defeat at Charlton - many were calling for a change of line-up on the field while some even verged on the more extreme. Comments questioning the management of McClaren seem slightly premature in the extreme especially as only 4 league matches ago — he was a legend to all and sundry.
The Rams midfield set up seems to be the main bone of contention — with Dawkins out wide and Hughes playing the defensive midfield role — being the most hotly debated.
There is no doubt that Mascarell coming into the defensive midfield role was the main change being called for by a majority of fans. This is not surprising as Hughes, despite looking good at times, seems to lack the natural reflex reactions required for such a role.
Simon Dawkins has also being copping it sweet after a poor opening 3 League fixtures with only a lively Cup performance, against lower league opposition, the only thing to hang his hat on. McClaren has favoured him heavily in the opening matches but surely his patience is wearing thin after his attempts at tricky moves and fancy flourishes too often end up resulting in losing the ball more often than making an impact.
Midfield aside — after shipping 3 goals at The Valley a spotlight will also be shone on the defence — especially after conceding 2 goals from crosses and Keogh making a howling error that helped Charlton pull away from the Rams for a second time.
Positional problems aside — one thing Steve and his team does have is time.
At the core of the discussion one fact remains - Derby has only lost one game. Despite average performances it is only one this one game in which they have not taken something from the points on offer. Logic must prevail that perhaps som are jumping the gun.
The likes of Martin, Bryson, Hughes etc have not become average players overnight. Perhaps the hangover of last season is mentally affecting the players more than they would like to admit, or perhaps even realise. It may be harder than first though to start all over again from the beginning, after being so close. I still feel drained when I think about it - so I can only imagine how the players deal with it.
I genuinely believe McClaren will find the blue touch paper to light the fuse soon, but integral to that is finding a better starting mix that can hit the ground running from the first whistle.
For me the fan voices are right on this occasion and Mascarell must come in and do what he did in the second half at Wednesday and Russell must be given a chance over Dawkins to spice things up going forward.
But that’s the thing — we will all have our opinions and ideas on what needs to be improved but what was disappointing is the amount of fans already sharpening the knife for both McClaren and some players. Only months ago the club played well enough to take Derby a top flight club and if not for that one mistake — it would be Derby and not Harry’s pretenders sitting one flight up.
This season teams will come at The Rams harder than ever before as they expect to be playing a contender. Our team must find a way to counter that and rise above negative tactics to play the game they want to play, to dictate the play.
Maybe we need a change of formation, a change of starting line-up, sign some more reinforcements or even just ask if playing Best out wide is a ploy to defeat the opposition through extreme surprise and bewilderment!?
Whatever the case, if any changes need to be made, I firmly believe that Steve and his team will get it right no matter what it takes. They have the resources and support behind them and you can only imagine they will not rest easy until they tweak the formula to once again get the party started.
I also believe that the class of Bryson, Martin, Hendrick, Hughes, Ward, Buxton, Forsyth etc — will begin to shine again and put this slow start behind them. They were some of the hardest working players in The Championship last season and I am positive we will be reminded of that again very soon.
I think we all wanted and hoped Derby would romp into the top two and run away with the league like the Foxes last season — but in our heart of hearts - we knew this is DCFC and nothing is ever quite that easy… where would the fun be in that!?
In saying that - it won’t get any easier if fans start getting on the back of both staff and players. The cheering of Dawkins' removal at Wednesday showed worrying signs of how quickly some will turn. Some of the overreacting last night after the match also showed how fast the worm can turn.
It's time to stick side by side, back the Manager and his team to rectify the wrongs and prove that little needs to change but instead that they just needed to get their groove back.
Hopefully they find that groove on Saturday!
COYR!!