Formation change not enough as Derby lose to Preston

“Nowhere near good enough” and then “great”.  It was a game of two halves (and Derby formations) according to John Eustace, as his side fell to defeat at home to Preston.

Following a victory at West Brom seven days earlier, the Rams’ boss fielded an unchanged side, sticking with a 3-4-2-1 set up as Ben Brereton Díaz, Max Johnston and captain Lewis Travis made their home debuts.

Though this set-up proved too passive at Pride Park. While the half-time introduction of Patrick Agyemang and the switch to a 4-2-3-1 saw Derby greatly improve, they could not overcome Alfie Devine’s curling strike, and some intelligent game management.

Preston started well, getting a lot of joy down the left through Thierry Small, who was using his pace to ease in behind Max Johnston and whip the ball in. But as at The Hawthorns, Matt Clarke stood strong at the heart of The Rams’ defence.

And Craig Forsyth soon got a crucial touch to prevent Pol Valentín running through on goal.

But the breakthrough came when former Ram Lewis Dobbin found Tottenham-loanee Alfie Devine in acres of space who curled the ball into the top-left corner from 25 yards.

Now in front, the chances kept coming for the Lancashire side, with the wingbacks key to their build-up. Next, Pol Valentín beat Elder with a simple pass around the corner to Devine, whose cross was blocked by Forsyth.

Back in the visitors' starting XI, top-scorer Milutin Osmajić had a golden chance to make it two when he received Whiteman’s channel ball in the box. But he fired straight at Jacob Widell Zetterström, who made a good reflex save.

Derby’s first shot of the game finally came in the 44^th minute, Ben Brereton Díaz taking down a ball over the top and shooting straight at Iversen from 20-yards-out despite having passing options either side of him.

And on the stroke of half-time, Max Johnston’s cross was headed back across goal before Andrew Hughes made a goal-saving sliding tackle.

The impact of Derby’s half-time changes were clear to see. The Rams were now front-footed in their approach. Patrick Agyemang’s presence again helped to stretch the game, prompting roars from around the ground.

Bobby Clark had a golden chance in the inside-left on the hour mark, but Iversen got something on it to turn it behind. And the Dane would then deny Agyemang after he turned to wriggle free of two defenders and fashion himself a chance.

The pressure on the visiting defence nearly came to a head in the 71^st minute. After Iversen spilled the ball from a corner, Ebou Adams recycled the ball down the right. Brereton Díaz’s header across goal so nearly crept in before a teammate headed wide from such a position so good that some fans were already off their seats.

That was as good as things got for Derby, with Preston putting their bodies on the line, sitting (and seemingly digging) deeper and deeper, while Iversen made a couple more strong saves too.

Excellent game management saw Preston get their first away league win since February over the line. While Derby wonder: what might have been if they had started in the shape they finished with?

Analysis: A lesson learned?

John Eustace had spoken pre-match about the importance of having “the right balance” to the side. It’s fair to say that that wasn’t achieved until after the interval, with the second half shape the likely blueprint for home games going forward.

After a first 45 in which Derby had struggled to keep hold of the ball, let alone move it up the pitch (they completed 15 final third passes compared to Preston’s 31), it had felt as though they were crying out for a midfielder like the man pictured above: Harrison Armstrong.

Adams and Travis are both incredibly hard-working, tough-tackling midfielders and real leaders, but having the two of them alone in the middle of the park does not really help to control a game or create chances, hence why an extra man in the middle, albeit in the form of an attacking midfielder dropping in, made a difference. It allowed them to play shorter, simpler passes when required.

There will be some calls for David Ozoh to come into the side to help with the creativity, but Eustace insists Adams and Travis have “done really well again”.

A player who could bring creativity in a different area is Max Johnston. On his home debut, the wing back tallied some good defensive numbers as he looked to nullify Thierry Small and was also aided by the change in shape. Rather than being left one-on-one out wide, Travis and Clark were then able to rotate with him to plug gaps and allow the Scotland international to be a wide outlet, picking up different positions.

But the player who was a real game-changer was Patrick Agyemang, raw but physical and a relative unknown, there have already been lofty comparisons drawn by some. His manager expects that he’ll be “a top performer in the league”.

With Agyemang “excellent”, but “too much of a risk” to start, some of that balance remains about fitness too. The second half saw Carlton Morris adopt a deeper role, with his duel-winning abilities harnessed by giving him more support up front. I asked John Eustace whether this was something he hoped Agyemang could provide.

He said: “I think Carlton’s been a standout performer for us in the first six games for sure.

“That was the first time he’s played as a ten today, in the second half.

“So, he had to do that for the team, and we want to get as many of our best performers on the pitch as possible.

“It’s about trying to find the right balance now for [Morris and Agyemang] to play with each other.”

While it didn’t result in a goal on this occasion, it easily could have done. With Eustace saying that his side didn’t deserve to lose and easily could have scored, maybe he feels as though he has found that balance?

If so, it could be the partnership that really gets Derby’s season going.

Derby (3-4-2-1): Zetterström (GK); Sanderson, Clarke, Forsyth; Johnston, Travis (C), Adams (Ward 87’), Elder (Agyemang 46’); Clark (Weimann 66’), Brereton Díaz (Salvesen 87’); Morris.

Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK); Batth, Nyambe; Ozoh; Jackson.

Preston (3-5-2): Iversen (GK); Storey, Gibson (Vukčević 85’), Hughes; Valentín, Devine (Smith 85’), Whiteman (C), McCann, Small (Lindsay 74’); Osmajić (Jebbison 74’), Dobbin (Armstrong 67’).

Unused Substitutes: Walton (GK); Offiah; Thórdarson, Frøkjær-Jensen.