New loan signing Craig Forsyth goes straight in Derby County squad for trip to Cardiff City

“I am rather surprised to see that fans are writing off Jamie Ward for the season before we even know how serious the injury is and the reason for the loan signing is because Ward is quite a capable left winger as well as striker - or hasn't anyone noticed yet!!. As far as I can see Craig Forsyth has been signed just to cover for a month until Ward's injury is determined and Theo and Nathan are not seen as having the ability to take us forward. They have not really achieved what NC had hoped for and consequently you move on from there.
There is always a turnover in players at all clubs as situations change from day to day or week to week. Why is it that people automatically assume that certain players are no good before they have seen them in action - Sammon has not been given a fair chance by some but the other players appreciate the work he does and the chances he has helped create for others particularly Jamie Ward. Conor will never score 20+ goals a season, and I agree that is something we need, but this term it is the defence that has pulled us back after the disastrous changes made last summer.
It is necessary in most cases however that an analysis of any given player can only be made after circa a dozen games however with loans, at this stage of the season, it is not possible to go that length of time unless the loan is for the remainder of the season which is only another 10 games anyway. Rams are going nowhere this season and I fully expected that as youngsters need time to develop into the real thing whilst the experienced pros need to give them what expertise they can. In Rams case there have been too many changes in the defence this season so no consistency has been achieved - Johnny Brayford missing last night.
Any progress this season can only be judged upon the strength of squad we have for next term when I believe it is possible to make a real challenge for the top 6 provided we retain the youngsters, develop a couple more, and sign someone in the mould of Palace's No 15 who could not play the game but certainly could stop others from playing and disrupted any rhythm we had. This is the sort of player that is needed for away games in the Championship where we have been muscled out of matches on a number of occasions.
Having only arrived back from Cardiff in the early hours initial thoughts were that we fully deserved the full three points from what was a spirited and better display than of late and Chris Martin was NOT offside when he scored the 'goal' that was disallowed as I happened to be right in line with the decision. The "liney" copped a wrong un and Cardiff were extremely lucky to get an equaliser - but from yet another headed goal conceded! How many more? However all round the team did well and I thought that NC got his tactics right on this occasion when almost no-one expected us to come away with anything but a good hiding. The "new" stadium is obviously much better than the dilapidated Ninian Park used to be but is only a concrete and paint job with very little atmosphere I'm afraid.
This is a Rams team worth supporting in my view, having been to every single match this term home and away, and whilst others are entitled to their opinion I cannot understand the hyper criticism of a player who has just arrived and most have not seen play previously. I have always believed Rams fans to be a fair and knowledgeable lot in general but there is a definite bias coming into what are becoming instant judgements based on no experience of a player.”

“Is there a reason we don't have any Serb / Italian/ Spanish/ French /Slovak players?”

“I have to admit i am impressed that losing someone used predominently and effectively as a striker has left us short in midfield, andhow Jacobs, predominently used effectively as a winger is a striking option. And on the bench for his loan replacement. Every time i think maybe we're getting somewhere and maybe i should revise my opinion of NC'S ability the results trail off and we get some bewildering comments that make one wonder what the hell goes on in his head. Not sure I mind a Scottish loan player. We can hardly complain about Bryson.”

“Silly me! Here was I thinking we needed to get another center back and someone who could score goals. Even sillier I thought our midfield was pretty good. Just shows thatClough knows best. Oh wise man Clough thou art the greatest! Thou followeth in thy father's footsteps!”

“AOD - please read what I wrote - I made no comment about how good the player is/was. My comment was just based on what the actual pattern of Derby's signings has been in recent seasons.

Not many players, regardless of their cost, seem to guarantee much of anything nowadays - ask Chelsea about Torres. So I don't judge players before I've seen them play a dozen or so full games for Derby, and say again that I hope Craig does well (better than his namesake Burley, at any rate).

Tell me how good you think the new temp is when you've seen him play regularly, and I'll also give you my honest view. But even on that simple basis, we hardly know how good a few recent signings will ever be, do we?

Given the size of - and gaps in Derby's squad - we've simply done the bare minimum by signing Forsyth, dictated by the latest injury. We still need a goalscorer!!!

Ward's injury was totally avoidable, anyway - he was facing his own goal when decided to flick the ball up before kicking up an almighty overhead volley near the halfway line that went nowhere. He then clutched at his leg and went off the pitch.

He made a silly choice there and injured himself.

So - back to the point: have we signed this loan player (a) because he's better than all our other available left-sided midfielders?

We don't know yet.

Has he been signed with longer term team-building in mind?

We don't know yet.

Was he signed truly as an "emergency loan"? The facility is so bady abused by most clubs, it's now a meaningless title. Lately, Derby have steered clear of it - maybe wary of more failures?

Jamie Ward may now be starting his second lengthy spell on the sidelines, but we didn't make use of loans when he was out for three months earlier this season.

Players like Tyson or Theo might have been able to come off the bench to do a job and actually prove they're worth a starting position in an ordinary Championship team, but they've been sent away to help other clubs' injury crises. Clough signed 'em, now he doesn't trust them.

Ever get the feeling that the season is over for fans now? For Derby, it's just a matter of tinkering with the team to see how a few youngsters or low-budget loans shape up ready for another season of the same next time around.

A few more points this season will be gathered - but they won't count for anything. I'm a long-term S/T holder and want value for money, watching a team that wants to win and is actually capable of doing so more often than 18 other teams in our league.”

“why care so much what Forrest or Leicester fans think? I don't. Give the lad a chance before labelling him. Not every signing is a donkey. Jeez, miserable pessimists get my goat!”

“Just like DCFC's super new "best value" season ticket deals, the proclaimed policy of only signing players that "are better than those we have got" lasted a very short time, didn't it?

As if we thought it was ever going to be any different with the current super-networker owners...

He'll no doubt "do a good job", be "an honest lad" and will improve "when he gets a few games under his belt".

Meanwhile, Forest & Leicester fans just have another laugh at our expense.”

“Nothing like watching someone play before jumping to a massive conclusion that he's no good! Thats fair then.”

“Dont' sound like this guys pulled up any trees does not sound any better than we have already.”

“Not another Scottish 'honest' player for pete's sake. NC you need to get new scouts who know abit about the rest of the world, because we are not going to get anywhere with the procession of scottish players coming here. Dear oh dear!!”