Fair Play Cotts/Lawrence in fighting spirit

Tip of the cap to you Mr Cotterill I say

It often takes a bigger person to accept 'they were wrong', although this is something that Steve Cotterill has done following the Derby defeat.

Yep, we are fairly short on numbers, although for me that just makes it all the more important that we get it right when we are left in such a position that we need to make personnel or tactical changes.

Lets be fair Cotterill has done a good job, although - and I have made no secret of my thoughts on this - I am not convinced that he is the 'football genius' that some think he is. As said, do not get me wrong I think he is doing a very good job, but like some of his predecessors I am not entirely convinced by his tactically ability, something they were often pelted with for - so fair is fair. I am not also convinced by his man management skills and handling of some players...

Not actually using the right players, perhaps even formation, or making changes to the set-up and personnel against Derby played a part in our downfall for me, although HE and WE, as a club, fans and a collective unit of players 'should' learn from this.

And, credit where it is due, he has come out and admitted that perhaps the tinkering and moving of players, and not picking others to have made this a more seamless transition, due to the absence of one player 'probably' was wrong and did not really help and he WILL NOT make the same mistake again.

Well played sir, and I tip my cap to you for doing this.

Cotterill is someone that I liken, to be fair in the good and bad ways, to Harry Redknapp - I just hope that the bad ways do not win through too much!

The way the guy acts (or tries to), the way he can work with certain players and not others among other things are similar, although a clear difference from his comments today in The News is the fact that he would appear willing, and able, to admit 'he was wrong', something that Redknapp would NEVER do...

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Lawrence ready to come out fighting!

Since his arrival Liam Lawrence has said - and to be fair, more often than not done - all the right things.

The Irishman continues to impress, most definitely with his words, as he does - as said - more often than not with his performances too.

It was 'said' that he was unsure if he should sign for us or not, something he has denied, and soon made it clear that he made the right decision - something that he has continued to say more and more.

At the weekend he had, arguably, his most ineffective game for us and unlike Hull, where I also thought he was quiet dare I even say poor but we got away with it, at Pride Park his lack of influence showed.

Then again, unlike against Hull when others stepped up to the plate and delivered, who was good against Derby?

Jamie Ashdown was the ONLY one to come away from Pride Park with any real credit really, unfortunately his world class save - and it WAS world class, simply stunning - has somewhat been overshadowed because we were so poor and we lost.

Nevertheless Lawrence has been the bigger man and accepted it was not his best game but has come out fighting, insisting that he will give it everything tonight, with it being his belief that we CAN beat QPR, and any other team in this division.

To be honest I would agree, then again most teams would feel the same as it is a pretty open league as literally anyone could be anyone.

Assuming the game goes ahead tonight WHY should we not beat the table toppers, bring 'em on I say...

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