Latest Derby County news from Derbyshire Live brings you the talking points from last night as the Rams were beaten at Reading
Derby County turned in a dismal performance as they blew the chance to move top of League One as Paul Mukairu’s goal sealed Reading a 1-0 win at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Derby started fairly well as Nathaniel Mendez-Laing whistled a shot over the bar but then had a let-off when Femi Azeez laid a pass into the run of Andy Yiadom who had snuck into the area. The full-back who had escaped the attentions of Mendez-Laing engineered space for the shot but watched it crash off the inside of the post before it was cleared.
Derby were reckless in possession, and it almost resulted in a goal when Eiran Cashin miscontrolled, allowing the hosts to break through Azeez. His shot caused Josh Vickers to save, before Conor Hourihane’s clearance went straight to Paul Mukairu, who fired over.
Derby’s chance to strike the post came when Callum Elder, the club’s greatest player in the first half, sprinted up the left wing before clipping a ball inside that Hourihane received before rattling the upright with a shot from the edge of the box.
Warne’s side needed to wake up, but they fell down in the second half when Azeez hit the post and Mukairu was first to the rebound, which he hammered into goal. That was enough for Warne to make three changes, bringing on Louie Sibley, Corey Blackett-Taylor, and Tyreece John-Jules off the bench.
The latter nearly brought Derby level with a header and a beautiful flick that should have resulted in a corner, but the officials inexplicably awarded a goal kick. Derby tried to find an equaliser but were unable to do so, and they lost.
Here’s the talking points from last night.,,,,
Miles off it
You would have thought that knowing victory would have taken them top of the league table it was a night for Derby to make a statement of intent in terms of the promotion race.
But this was an incredibly disappointing night when too many players were miles off the standard that was required. Derby have won plenty of plaudits for their form since the end of October but this just felt like a shot across the bows that promotion won’t be handed to them. Reading, despite all of their turmoil off the pitch, were more intense, packed greater physicality and Derby just had no match for it. The front players struggled and the midfield was powderpuff.
Fortunately, Derby do not have long to wait before they have the chance to correct it and they are still in a fabulous position to attack the top two. But they cannot afford many performances like this otherwise it will be gone before they know it.
Striker needed but midfield is an issue
With Tyreece John-Jules looking like he is going to be out for a considerable period, Derby will push ahead with trying to sign a striker before the window closes in seven days. Sheffield Wednesday’s Michael Smith still remains on the agenda, but the Owls’ demands threaten to kill that deal altogether.
But while it is easy to argue the case for a centre-forward given three number nines are currently sidelined and for the next month at least, the midfield is of equal concern. Teams that are physical and intense with their pressing have always been a problem for Derby and so it proved here last night. Max Bird and Conor Hourihane both struggled to have any form of control on a night when one or two touches were required.
It’s the only area of the pitch that really has remained untouched since Derby dropped into League One and in some games, like last night, it still lacks the required bite and presence. And that could ultimately be the difference between the top two and the top six.
Credit to Elder
After the Australian’s performance against Burton Albion, it could have been very easy for Warne to have cut him from the pile.
But Derby’s head coach gave him another chance where he majorly improved against Lincoln and that was followed up here by his best display since he joined the club on a free transfer last summer.
He was by far and away the best player in Derby’s ranks in that his speed, his energy and, and his tenacity was levels above a lot of his team-mates on the night. If he wasn’t trying to engineer openings going forward, he was racing back to make tackles and blocks at the other end. On a night when a large majority of the players fell way below the standards they have set, he was not among them. Fair play.
Poor John-Jule
It felt like the on-loan Arsenal forward had overcome his injury problems as a result of how cautious Derby have been with him ever since he returned from a quad injury back in November.
But late on in the second half, the forward crossed a ball into the box and immediately felt something go in his right leg which led him to sink to the pitch. Whenever players dump themselves to the turf it is never a good sign and at that point you knew John-Jules’ night was over.
The physio merely spoke with him briefly before signalling that he needed to come off, prompting John-Jules to slide his shirt over his head as he headed back into the tunnel. According to Warne, the striker was distraught, and you couldn’t help but sympathise with him. Everyone will hope that the injury is not too serious and will just last a few weeks, not months. It was a brutal blow on a bad night for Derby.
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