Much Improved Rams Thwarted by Tractor Boys

By Jon Nicholls | Published: Saturday 31 October, 2009

Ipswich Town 1 Derby County 0

Derby travelled to Portman Road with high hopes; after all despite Derby’s atrocious away form of late, Roy Keane’s Tractor Boys were yet to make a notch on the victory post.

Derby however proved that once again when it comes to ‘curse’ breaking the Rams are kings.  Time and time again teams desperately in need of a win need only a fixture against derby to break their duck.

The injury crisis continues to plague the club, this time claiming new victim Rob Hulse, who was ruled out of the squad by a nasty stomach bug; this meant a lone role for veteran striker Paul Dickov upfront.

Derby dominated the first half; making their intentions known early on. Livermore and Dickov linked up within the first few minutes, only for Dickov to fire into the side netting. Derby’s best chance of the half came courtesy of Robbie Savage, who’s rocket shot from distance forcing Portsmouth loanee Begovic to parry it away.

The Ipswich attack was led by former Ram and recently rumoured Clough target Jon Stead; the striker held the ball up well but despite several attempts failed to severely challenge Bywater.

The Rams continued their dominance after the break and other than a superb stop from Bywater to push away Bruce’s header were troubled little.

In true Derby style it was typical defensive errors from the Rams’ that cost them the game in the 66th minute.  Liam Rosenior crossed a delicious hanging ball from deep on the right; whilst Derby’s defence watched the ball’s trajectory they left Wright clear to leap meeting the ball with a thunderous header that Bywater despite making contact was unable to stop from pounding the back of the net.

There is little doubt that Derby’s performance at Portman Road was a marked improvement over recent games, and the Rams can count themselves unlucky not to have left Suffolk with at least a point. With less than a week until a home tie against Coventry Derby will hope that key players continue to return from the medical room and make as big an impact as Stephen Pearson did today.

Posted in Fixtures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White Night Frights, as QPR Stun Rams With Comeback

By Jon Nicholls | Published: Saturday 24 October, 2009

Derby County 2 QPR 4

Wear it white night turned into a murky shade of grey as Derby threw away a 2-0 lead in emphatic style with the BBC cameras broadcasting every moment of the embarrassment to the nation.

Derby actually started brighter of the two sides, and other than an early scare courtesy of Jay Simpson they were deserved of the lead gained on the ninth minute. A quick thinking Robbie Savage spotted veteran striker Paul Dickov unmarked in the box; a quickly taken free kick and a well placed shot later the ball was firmly in the back of the net.

As the game opened up both sides created chances in an end to end battle that served perfectly as an advertisement for Championship level football.  Things got even better for the Rams on 36 minutes; Paul Dickov showed his experience winning a free kick on the edge of the Rangers’ box. Savage stepped up to curl a beautifully taken free kick into Cerny’s top corner; they don’t get much better than that!

Unfortunately this was the peak of the game, so far as the Rams were concerned. The Rangers’ fight back began almost instantly; an extremely soft free kick awarded 25 yards out was converted with a low drive from Tarrabt, with a curl taking the ball round the Derby wall out beyond the post before tucking just into the lower corner of Bywater’s goal.  The free kick whilst impressive raised several questions about the positioning of Derby’s wall and whether such a feat should have been allowed to happen in the first place.

QPR burst out of the blocks after the break, equalising in less than two minutes. The ever impressive Routledge controlled the ball at the back post to set up Mahon to fire home from close range.

Derby were stunned and it showed in their play. Dickov had dropped back into midfield and as a result the Rams appeared impotent in attack. By the hour mark the Rams were behind.

Davies and Pearson returned to action for the Rams, and did have some immediate effect. Their added pace and enthusiasm threatened to turn a limp second half from Derby into a contest, but fate didn’t prevail. Instead the Rams found themselves 4-2 down in the final minute of the game. A QPR penalty was converted by Hungarian striker Ákos Buzsáky, from here there was no come back for the Rams.

As the white T’shirts given out to fans before the match rained down onto the pitch like rotten tomatoes, the Rams were left wondering where it all went wrong.

Posted in Fixtures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Travelsick Derby fall foul to the Adam Johnson Show

By Jon Nicholls | Published: Tuesday 20 October, 2009

Middlesbrough 2 Derby County 0

To paraphrase BBC Five Live rather succinct summary of the game ‘Derby were so poor, it was unreal’. Such a response may not have been unexpected given Derby’s recent away form; but the Rams actually held the upper hand against Middlesbrough in the form stakes.

At no point during the ninety minutes of ‘football’ on show did Derby appear to be comfortable. The first scare came after four minutes when if it wasn’t for a block from Shaun Barker then the Rams would have almost certainly been trailing.

The current injury crisis is by far the biggest factor in Derby’s season so far; the crisis was deepened just 12 minutes in to the game as Kris Commons limped off with a recurrence of his hamstring injury. As if that wasn’t penance enough Derby soon lost Jay McEveley to a fractured cheek bone as well, the Scot getting caught during a passionate tackle.

With two enforced changes made in less than 20 minutes it is hardly surprising that the Rams looked rattled. A little over a minute later and the price had been paid. Adam Johnson by far the best man on the pitch made a little run into the Derby box, Barker caught flat-footed brought the England U21 international down leaving the referee with little choice but to award the resulting spot kick. Johnson fired his penalty straight down the middle of goal to get the game off the mark.

It took until the hour mark before either side made any other move of significance. Once again this move came from Adam Johnson, drifting in from the wing the ‘boro midfielder let fly from the edge of the box, the sweet ball flew past Bywater curling nicely into the far corner of the net.

For Derby Dickov came closest from a 30yard free kick and Teale also had a shot blocked, but in any other game these attempts would rarely garner a mention.

Derby’s away form is currently little short of abysmal, if this run continues then injury crisis or not difficult questions will have to be asked.

Posted in Fixtures | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rams Hold Firm Against Foxes

By dennisdcfc | Published: Sunday 18 October, 2009

Leicester City 0 – Derby County 0

Derby entered the international break on a high following an impressive 3-0 victory against Sheffield Wednesday at home.  The Rams bounced back from the 6-1 mauling against Cardiff City and looked in good form for a trip to the Walkers Stadium to face East Midlands rivals Leicester.  Injuries had looked set to disturb the Derby back four, with Leacock and Buxton still in recovery and news Barker was rumoured to be on the sidelines for a considerable length of time.  Jay McEveley was temporarily the only fit centre back in the first team squad.  Luckily, both Leacock and Barker miraculously made the starting 11 and proved to be the stars of what turned out to be a lacklustre derby.

Leicester started the first half the brightest, dominating possession and plying constant pressure on the Derby back 4.  Prolific scorer Matt Fryatt caused problems in the 10th minute following a darting run into the Derby area but produced a tame effort easily held by Stephen Bywater.  The Foxes continued to dominate without making the crucial breakthrough, Andy King came close with a long range effort just the wrong side of the top corner.

Derby woke up in the second half and played a more offensive game.  The best chance of the match came from Derby midfielder Kris Commons who curled a stunning shot onto the cross-bar.  Controversy struck both teams late on, Derby being denied two penalty shouts for fouls on Rob Hulse.  Meanwhile Leicester fans were jubilant just before the whistle as ex-Ram Matt Oakley placed the ball into the back of the net seemingly scoring a last-gasp winner.  The linesman saved the day however, signaling offside at ensuring Derby earnt a hard earned point.

The Rams will be pleased to make the short journey back to Derby with a point.  Whilst some fans may be unhappy at the negativity of Clough’s 4-5-1 formation, given the clubs injury crisis up front (Davies, Porter et al.) and the attacking prowess of Leicester City’s front 2; Clough must be praised for his shrewd tactics.  In fact fans might feel hard done by just to leave with a single point following the penalty appeals.  The defence stability from today’s game will need to replicated on Tuesday night as Derby face Middlesbrough at the Riverside.

Posted in Fixtures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s a Hoot! As Rams Beat Owls

By Jon Nicholls | Published: Saturday 3 October, 2009

Derby County 3 Sheffield Wednesday 0

Sheffield Wednesday probably fancied their chances upon their visit to Pride Park; the Rams had only managed to muster up three points from the previous six games, a run of form that can only be described as abysmal. Football however is an unpredictable game and despite capitulating midweek at Cardiff the Rams side which turned out today were a formidable force that returned an emphatic victory against their South Yorkshire visitors.

Derby’s side still ravaged by the injury plague affecting the club saw two changes from the side defeated so heavily at Cardiff; veteran striker Paul Dickov made his first start for the club, and Jay McEveley returned to action as a make shift centre back.

The Rams looked sharp right from the off, playing smart effective football. Rob Hulse came close twice within the first ten minutes; raging past the offside trap latching onto the through ball Livermore only to see Darren Purse get back in time to remove the danger, and then a header that with some more power may well have had the ex-Ram Lee Grant beaten in the Owl’s goal.

Derby’s positive play was rewarded on the 17th minute. Paul Dickov showed his experience in the Wednesday box by shrugging off his marker with a deft turn before crossing to the unmarked Croft whose volley crashed off the underside of the bar and into the net.

Derby should have been two up just minutes later as Dean Moxey beat the defence only to fire his shot wide of far post.

The Rams looked confident going forward but also seemed able to soak up the Wednesday pressure at the back; surviving several attacks and a goal mouth scramble which ultimately resulted James O’Connor firing wide.

Derby doubled their lead just after the hour mark with an excellent shot from the charging Jay McEveley.  The centre back surprised everybody as he sprinted the length of the pitch to latch onto a ball from Lee Croft on the edge of the Wednesday box.

Victory was sealed by an injury time penalty converted by Rob Hulse; the Derby striker had been bundled down inside the box by Wood leaving the referee with no choice but to award a penalty to the Rams.

The importance of this win cannot be underestimated; as well putting the ghosts of recent weeks to bed, it sent the Rams into the international break on a high. Derby return to action in two weeks with a crunch tie at the Crisp Bowl.

Posted in Fixtures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bluebirds hit Rams for six

By dennisdcfc | Published: Thursday 1 October, 2009

Cardiff City 6 – Derby County 1

The outlook for Derby’s first visit to the Cardiff City stadium seemed bright.  The victory against Bristol City on Saturday brought a welcoming halt to Derby’s concerning run of defeats.  Whilst the Rams looked wasteful in the final third, the centre half pairing of Shaun Barker and Dean Leacock seemed solid, bringing a defensive confidence so evidently absent in the previous two seasons.  Add to that Cardiff City’s recent poor form and lack of goals from striker Michael Chopra and Derby fans would have been forgiven for perhaps expecting a rare haul of 3 points on the road.

It wasn’t long before the newfound optimism was cruelly brought back to reality, as Derby began poorly.  The Derby back four played a poorly timed offside trap and Peter Whittingham took advantage, stroking the ball home from just a few yards out.  Things soon went from bad to worse, as Derby’s promising central defensive partnership was broken as Dean Leacock was replaced on the 30th minute with a tight hamstring.  Jay McEveley, Leacock’s replacement, suffered a baptism of fire as Michael Chopra put the Bluebirds up by 2 soon after, slotting in after a sumptuous ball from wide left.

As the second half began Derby looked set to mount a come back; Rob Hulse pulling one back against the run of play.  The Rams striker beat Mark Hudson to a cross and toe-poked the ball past Cardiff keeper Marshall.  The comeback was quickly quashed as Derby capitulated under the constant pressure of Cardiff striker Michael Chopra.  Chopra made it 3-1 soon after, dashing through a gaping hole in Derby’s defence to squeeze the ball home.  Cardiff fans were still celebrating when Chopra completed his hatrick, benefitting off some woeful marking from Shaun Barker and exquisitely chipping the ball over Bywater.  Dean Moxey was to blame for the fifth; the promising youngster looked completely out of sorts throughout the entire match and his poor marking lead to Chris Burke inflicting further embarrassment.  Chopra still hadn’t finished though, he added his fourth late on.  Jay McEveley was at fault this time, Chopra turning the Derby defender unchallenged and finishing with utmost poise.

Nigel Clough recently appeared on Radio Derby on the back of Derby’s run of 4 defeats.  Press and fans alike were quick to lavish Clough with praise, highlighting his defiant approach and bravery in answering the calls of his critics, an attribute many managers notably lack.  The Bristol City result seemed to finally signal that Derby had turned the proverbial corner and all seemed rosy in the Derby camp.  This proved to be short lived and both the embarrassing score line and appalling performance left Derby fans humiliated.  Whilst perhaps the Middlesbrough defeat at home to West Brom stands to be spare Derby’s blushes for the worst defeat in this championship season so far, fans may feel increasingly apprehensive as Derby hang precariously above the gaping jaws of the relegation zone.  Many level headed fans will be keen to stress composure and perspective, but that is a difficult skill sect to possess given the similarity of manner of this defeat and the painful memories of our last ill fated Premier League season.  Whilst fans calling for Nigel’s head will remain firmly in the minority for the time being, Nigel’s injury ravaged Derby side need to put on a resolute display at home on Saturday, against high fliers Sheffield Wednesday, to silence the ever-growing doubters.

Posted in Fixtures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment