After consecutive away draws, a trip west along the A50 was seen by many as a good opportunity for Derby to notch their first win on the road, but the Rams instead fell to their first defeat in a month.
Right-sider Joe Ward made his first league start of the season as a makeshift full back in place of the injured Kane Wilson, while Ben Osborn preferred to Kenzo Goudmijn. But despite a week of rest, the Rams looked sloppy against a Stoke team who had been involved in midweek action.
Derby started on the front foot, pressing high. Ward won the ball back in the first minute before fizzing a cross to the back post for Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, whose touch was too heavy.
The skipper won a free kick after cutting inside a few minutes later, which Ward would curl goalwards, forcing a strong hand from Viktor Johansson to push it away.
But Ward’s attacking instincts would soon contribute to his side’s undoing, the makeshift full back stepping into midfield, allowing space for Enda Stevens down the left. The Irishman passed the ball inside to compatriot Tom Cannon, who went round Jacob Widell Zetterström before the ‘keeper naïvely clipped Cannon’s ankle with his hand to concede a penalty.
Cannon, who scored four goals in The Potters’ only other win under Narcís Pèlach slotted the ball into the bottom right corner.
A huge chance for Stoke to double their lead went begging after a quarter of an hour. Following a one-two on the left flank, Stevens pulled the ball back to Andrew Moran, whose powerful first-time effort was off target. A lucky escape for Warne’s side.
As he had done in the opening stages, Zetterström again found Mendez-Laing with a glorious ball out to the left flank in the 26th minute, from which the number 11 cut inside to release a tame effort.
In a first half of few chances, Jerry Yates appeared notably frustrated at the service he was again receiving from his teammates, the striker caught offside three times in the opening 45 minutes.
At the break there were two changes for Derby, with both full backs taken off as Warne and co. looked to limit Stoke’s wide overloads. Joe Ward had looked off the pace out of possession covering at right back, while at left back, Craig Forsyth was caught out by Million Manhoef and Junior Tchamadeu on a few occasions.
In their places, Callum Elder and Nat Phillips were introduced, with the Rams shifting to a 3-5-2 formation, in which Elder and Kayden Jackson played as wing backs.
Derby were looking better in their new shape, but there was danger in the 57th minute as Stoke surged forward down the right, with Eiran Cashin losing Manhoef. Cannon’s shot was saved well by Zetterström before Cashin recovered to clear off the line and deny substitute Lewis Koumas a tap-in.
Though there was controversy due to a foul on Bae Joon-Ho by Nat Phillips in the build-up. Having been booked a few minutes earlier, the Liverpool loanee was fortunate to still be on the pitch.
The Rams’ wing backs linked up well for a chance on the hour, Elder running in behind down the left and cutting the ball back to Jackson, whose scuffed shot was saved by Johansson.
There was soon a big chance at the other end: a perfect cross from Stevens was met by a great header from Bae Joon-Ho, but Zetterström made an excellent flying save.
And within two minutes, Derby were level, albeit thanks to a stroke of luck.
Ben Gibson headed Elder’s cross back towards Johansson, who had rushed out of his goal. The goalkeeper dashed backwards as quickly as he could and got a touch on the ball, but couldn’t stop it going over the line, meaning he was the one credited with the own goal.
From here it felt as though the momentum was with the Rams, who had recently brought on Kenzo Goudmijn and Dajuane Brown in search of attacking inspiration. But it was Stoke who found the winner with eight minutes to play.
Following two free kicks which hit the wall from promising positions, the Potters had some set-piece success. Bae Jun-Ho’s corner was a flat delivery to the front post where Gibson headed home for his first Stoke goal, while Derby protested that Nat Phillips had been nudged in the back.
Analysis: Few positives to take
The first half in Stoke was probably Derby’s worst of the season. Creatively, they looked out of ideas, and for the first time the players’ frustration at this began to seep out.
Be it Jerry Yates’ lack of timely service, or Ebou Adams wayward pass in the first half which meant Ben Osborn couldn’t get his intended cross off, things didn’t click for the Rams going forward.
Despite the fact it doesn’t suit best suit their best XI, with the personnel available the back three does seem to be the best fit while Kane Wilson is out at least. After all, Joe Ward is not a right back, and it showed, his best performances come when he is given more freedom.
Ward isn’t the only square peg in a round hole: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing hasn’t been as effective on the left as on the right and looked better when able to roam into space.
Overall, it was just a really poor afternoon from Derby, who lacked guile again. They’ll have to be much better in Coventry on Wednesday as the hunt for an away win goes on.
Stoke (4-3-3): Johansson (GK); Tchamadeu, Phillips, Gibson (C), Stevens; Seko (Koumas 56’), Burger, Moran; Manhoef (Vidigal 90’), Joon-Ho (Bocat 88’), Cannon.
Substitutes not used: Bonham (GK), Dixon, Thompson, Sidibe, Tezgel, Ennis.
Derby (4-3-3): Zetterström (GK); Ward (Phillips 46’), Nelson, Cashin, Forsyth (Elder 46’); Adams, Osborn, Harness (Goudmijn 64’); Jackson, Yates (Brown 63’), Mendez-Laing (C) (Collins 78’).
Substitutes not used: Vickers (GK), Bradley, Thompson, Blackett-Taylor.
Comments