McClaren under pressure - you got a point Steve!

Steve McClaren might like to play a few mind games, but Derby are not in the Premier League yet. His post-match comments were met by a bit of disbelief by AFCB fans. Derby had a good amount of the game and did enough to get a draw, but they easily could have gone behind further at times when they were 2-1 down. Instead McClaren's 'magnificant' players will have to do with a draw as they could not roll over an AFCB side that were suggestively 'hanging on'.

 Indeed you never deserved to lose that game - actually Steve you didn't lose it!

Derby's expensive side may come up
short in the long run, despite their larger budget.

AFCB proved to be no push overs.

Small words here and there from managers will niggle supporters from time to time and I'd rather look at the game as a whole and consider that it was another good advert for Championship football. These two sides are surely among the best Championship sides and Derby should be pleased enough that they have taken four points from the two matches with AFCB, although that is perhaps not what McClaren thought he was owed having splashed out in January to boost his squad with big name signings. Still, Tom Ince and Darren Bent scored so perhaps it will be money well spent.

Pleasingly for AFCB fans though two matches don't make a season and if AFCB were hanging on in this match it will be interesting to see who is adjudged to have been hanging on when we come to May. This league is so tight and the margins so thin that I don't see any team lacking in spirit or fight and Derby and AFCB will be right there at the end. 

Derby did have a good second half at Dean Court and they had periods of the game when their power and control was very evident. They did edge the amount of shots on and off target, but I thought it was a fairly even contest with both sides giving a good account of themselves. Eddie Howe did suggest that like the Watford match the Cherries did not start as sharply as they might and getting into that good early tempo again is something that I think he will try and get back for the match against Huddersfield on Saturday.