Two points dropped as Derby step into Christmas?

If you’re looking for a last-minute present for a Derby fan, perhaps avoid the board game ‘Frustration’.

There was enough of that on Saturday as The Rams drew 1-1 with Portsmouth.

It was akin to a child counting down to Christmas day: it is so near, yet so far. The tree is up, family are beginning to gather, and you are now on holiday.  But still the sleeps cannot tick down quickly enough.

After going behind to Callum Lang as they were vastly outduelled in the first 20 minutes, The Rams reprieve came through Hayden Matthews' 45th minute own goal.

Derby slowly grew to control a poor-quality encounter, which culminated in a hatful of chances to find a winner in the latter part of the second half.

It really had felt as though The Rams might just get another win on the board, as the previously uninspiring final balls improved in the closing stages.

There was Dion Sanderson’s cross which was just too far in front of Lars-Jørgen Salvesen, Andi Weimann’s long-range scissor-kick, Matt Clarke’s header wide and Agyemang’s aerial effort which Nicolas Schmid sensationally tipped over the bar.

John Eustace diagnosed the issue as lacking “that little bit of composure and quality to go and score a second.”

John Eustace spoke of his side remaining a work in progress after the draw with Portsmouth.

His side, he said, “need to be a little bit braver on the ball and make better decisions”.

Eustace told BBC Radio Derby that “to get another point in the right direction is pleasing.”

That is undeniable, though there may well be a lingering sense that his side have dropped two more.

Portsmouth have the worst away record in the Championship, and John Mousinho was pleased to merely have “stopped the rot” having failed to pick up a point away from Fratton Park since October.

And the defending for Portsmouth’s goal, which saw Callum Lang beat three defenders to round off a devastating counter attack was lacklustre.

But while Derby are still looking for consistency in their performances without the likes of Carlton Morris, they are now unbeaten in three.

Going into the Christmas period, The Rams remain 12^th and now have four games that were highlighted as tough at the beginning of the season.

High-flying Middlesbrough on New Year’s Day will provide a particularly stern test. But while Birmingham, Leicester and Wrexham promise to be good battles, they sit in the three places directly below Derby – so the games are certainly winnable.

And of course, Boxing Day specifically comes with the added spice of Eustace returning to St Andrews (or St Andrews @ Knighthead Park as it is now known) for the first time since his dismissal.

Boosts come from the returns of Lewis Travis and Max Johnston to training, two of four probable starters according to Eustace (alongside Morris and David Ozoh) who have been absent in recent weeks.

 Both trained on Friday, albeit Boxing Day may be too early for the pair to return to match action, with the battle for the starting position on the right flank between Johnston and man of the moment Joe Ward a fascinating prospect.

January is on the horizon too, so there is also potential for boosts on that front soon. But for now, this is where Derby are: a work in progress with some areas further ahead than others.

Now comes an intriguing battle, where their steady progress comes up against a Birmingham side splashing the cash.

But as we reach the halfway-point and round out 2025 in the next couple of games, Eustace’s side are in an exponentially stronger position than they were last season, which is well in line with pre-season expectations.