Short in key areas: Burton defeat overshadowed by looming investment

Many boxing fans have long praised prospective Derby investor Turki Alalshikh for making huge fights happen. While many of the Pride Park faithful are hoping for a similarly big impact, head coach John Eustace seems more cautious.

In his first media interview of the season, Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Derby after Saturday’s 1-0 Bass Charity Vase defeat to Burton Albion.

He said: “Obviously I’ve spoken to the club and they’ve mentioned that there is a takeover, but I think there’s been about three takeovers since I’ve been here. Until everything’s done, then I’ll take that seriously.”

The 'T' word will get people talking. Ultimately, speculation will always fill the void left until any deal is finalised and announced. Whether it is investment or a takeover, there are still many questions we cannot answer.

But Eustace’s caution is understandable, be it false dawns at Blackburn or Knighthead instantly showing him the door at St Andrews, he has been here before.

Back to matters on the pitch, and fortunately, The Rams and The Brewers stopped short of the sort of spectacle Alalshikh has become renowned for arranging. But Derby’s expected melees was surely higher than their xG, with chances few and far between.

The first boiled over after 57 minutes, when Lewis Travis went in too hard on Tomas Kalinaukas, resulting in bookings for Travis, Max Johnston and Burton’s Toby Sibbick.

Just the other side of the hour, as a trialist crunched Bobby Clark. Cue another scrap and an eventual revenge foul from The Rams’ new number eight, who went into Ollie Yates’ book too.

If only Derby had played football with the same intensity. “I thought we looked a bit leggy,” Eustace admitted.

His side were second to everything in the opening stages, Tyrese Shade using his pace to give the Derby defence a run around. He then drew a foul from Oscar Fraulo in the box before converting from 12 yards.

By contrast, Derby lacked pacey direct wingers - Eustace practically admitted as much. He said: “We’re still short in midfield, in the wide areas, I think that’s very evident.” It is reassuring that Eustace and the club see the glaringly obvious gaps in the squad.

On the right flank, Joe Ward was too often unable to get out but really should have scored just before half-time. Played in by Carlton Morris, he scuffed a first-time effort across goal wide.

Second half headers from Dion Sanderson and Matt Clarke failed to beat the two-metre frame of Corey Addai, while substitute Richard O’Donnell got across superbly to deny Kyran Lofthouse Burton’s second with the goal gaping.

As for the penalty shoot-out after the game, it was meaningless – Burton had already won. But the 4-3 defeat did highlight another aspect in which Derby will need to improve before their season opener undercard next weekend. After a midweek trip to Rotherham, they welcome Lincoln City to Pride Park in the Carabao Cup first round on Saturday.

Who knows what could have happened by then?

 

Bilbija makes his debut

Filip Bilbija’s debut (assuming we don’t count his minutes in Tuesday’s behind closed doors defeat to Valencia) was a quiet one. After playing the first half as a number 10 behind Carlton Morris, he looked brighter coming in off the left after the break in that inside forward role. Like Clark in the first half, he was comfortable dropping into pockets and worked hard but will need time to get up to speed.

John Eustace has urged fans to have patience as the German adjust to a new country, league and club. His comments were strikingly similar to those he made about Patrick Agyemang last season; if he can have the same sort of impact the American has, I’m sure everyone at Derby will be delighted.

I’m just disappointed that he’s wearing 33!

Szmodics is back

 

There was one big bit of news on Saturday: Sam Szmodics is back. The 30-year-old Ireland international’s return has been one of football’s worst kept secrets. He’s been in Derby for 10 days!

The loan deal reportedly has a £2.7m appearance-based obligation to buy, and Eustace is clearly delighted the pair have been reunited. He said: “In that last half an hour he probably did the most on the pitch that anyone else did.”

Many feel may be more of a squad player, but this is evidence that Derby are looking for strength in depth. That’s why this deal was always all about the price, and it feels reasonable. But having had time to adapt to his surroundings and a proper pre-season, can he recreate his Blackburn form this time?

Clark needs to remain central

Last week, I pondered the role of the 10, and what this could mean for Bobby Clark, particularly with the two above arrivals. John Eustace has hailed his versatility, but Saturday suggested that he is wasted out wide.

Clark needs freedom, the opportunity to carry the ball up the pitch and spray passes. While his supreme abilities in tight spaces are ignored out wide too. His work-rate on the flank was impressive, covering for Craig Forsyth on multiple occasions but limited his license to create, and combine from the inside left.

His penetrative in-to-out diagonal run is a huge asset, which starting him as the widest player in build-up risks neutralising too; but he certainly wouldn’t be that alongside Murkin, who is still a couple of weeks away from returning to action.

It’s only pre-season

While Derby’s first competitive game is just a week away, and there is clearly still a lot of work to do. Remember that Derby lost this fixture last year too and had a slow start to the transfer window.

After all of the emphasis on needing to get business done early this summer, Eustace believes that “we are maybe a little bit ahead of where we were [this time] last year.” At least this time the hold up is something which could provide a real sporting boost to The Rams.

Derby (4-2-3-1): Zetterström (GK) (O’Donnell 71’); Johnston, Sanderson, Clarke, Forsyth; Fraulo, Travis (C); Ward, Clark, Bilbija (Szmodics 61’); Morris.

Unused Substitutes: Kane (GK); Osayande; Hodges, Wren, Myers.