It felt like a statement of intent: Derby County extended their unbeaten run at Pride Park to eight games by dismantling Bristol City.
Bristol City had received plaudits for their style of play in their opening three games of the Championship season, whilst the same could not be said for the Rams. Many expected them to struggle against Liam Manning’s young side following a disappointing showing in midweek as they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by League Two Barrow.
Paul Warne made wholesale changes from the trip to Holker Street, which included Eiran Cashin returning after suffering a concussion two weeks ago and Jacob Widell Zetterstrom playing at Pride Park for the first time. But Ben Osborn and Kane Wilson were still unavailable, whilst deadline day arrivals Nat Phillips and Marcus Harness will have to wait until after the international break to make their Derby debuts.
The visitors’ team featured two Derby academy graduates, in skipper Jason Knight and Max Bird who were returning to Pride Park for the first time alongside former loanee Haydon Roberts who was amongst the substitutes.
The Robins started well, Sinclair Armstrong forcing Zetterstrom into a double save after eight minutes, before Bird teed up Twine. The number ten’s effort was blocked well by Curtis Nelson, but that didn’t stop those in red shirts appealing for a handball.
Warne’s side were under the cosh for much of the ten minutes leading up to the opening goal but threatened on the break. Jerry Yates, who led the line with a dogged relentlessness, pulled off one of a few sublime flicks as part of a one-two with Mendez-Laing down the left flank, before the skipper drove through the middle and slipped it to Goudmijn on the far side of the box who was denied by O’Leary.
But the Dutchman would soon have another chance as Derby had a corner. Mendez-Laing’s delivery was cleared as far as Goudmijn 23 yards out. Urged to shoot by the crowd, he took a touch and rifled the ball low through the crowd of bodies and into the bottom left corner. The 22-year-old seems to have settled relatively quickly in his new surroundings, but had, at times, looked like a frustrated magician. His quality was obvious, but things hadn’t quite fallen for him until now, when he pulled a rabbit from a hat for his first goal in black and white.
The number 17 saw another effort whistle just wide after pressing high and winning the ball back on the edge of the box. At the break, Derby were one up, and didn’t look losing.
Armstrong forced Zetterstom into another good save at the start of the second period before the chances kept flowing at the other end of the pitch.
Kayden Jackson kept up his run of scoring in every competitive game at Pride Park this season when he found the net on the hour. Elder’s throw, 15 yards from the corner flag on the left was to Yates at the byline. The number 10 flicked it back to Jackson, 15 yards out, who let fly and found the bottom right corner.
Mendez-Laing had a chance to make it three after being released down the right by Goudmijn. He took a great touch to take it round O’Leary who had ventured the best part of 30 yards from his goal, before hitting the post with his shot from just to the right of the edge of the 18-yard box.
Yates was next to go close, Derby carving open a Robins’ defence which saw no need to rush out and press by shifting the ball from right to left. It was substitute Tom Barkhuizen who found the striker in space in the box, but the Swansea loanee’s left-footed effort hit the same post that had denied Mendez-Laing from the other side.
Zetterstrom made another good save as he turned Twine’s free kick from 25 yards over the bar with his right palm before Derby sealed the win with a just over a minute remaining.
David Ozoh started the move deep inside his own half, riding a challenge before beating a second defender. On the halfway line, he played the ball down the left for Ebou Adams, whose shot from just inside the box was saved by O’Leary before the ball came out to the edge of the box where Ozoh was arriving and hit it first time into the bottom right corner for his first goal in a competitive senior fixture, which goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom ran the full length of the pitch to celebrate.
Analysis: A top display at the perfect time.
Having been unlucky to leave Vicarage Road empty handed, there were positives for Derby to take into the new week despite defeat. But after that dismal display in the North West in midweek, and the failure to bring in a long-desired number nine on deadline day, despite two other exciting additions, Derby risked slumping into the international break. So, to end the month by delivering a display Paul Warne has called ‘one of the proudest’ of his tenure was the perfect remedy for any disquiet with Pride Park electric come full time.
Even despite a nervy start, everyone in the Derby starting XI was worthy of at least an eight out of ten in a game which may well be the template for survival. Though the Rams only had 35 percent possession across the ninety minutes, they were braver and bolder in their play than they have been so far this season. With Paul Warne noting in his post-match interview with RamsTV that his side were better once David Ozoh pushed up that little bit higher, hopefully this type of performance can become the norm, although there are of course times, particularly away from home, when backs against the wall displays will be required.
It's an incredibly difficult task to pick a player of the match, but there are a few players worth picking out for particular praise. Jacob Widell Zetterstrom made some crucial saves and looks every bit worth his million-pound-plus price, whilst in front of him Eiran Cashin looked back to his best after a shaky start to the season. The number six was practically faultless, with his ability on the ball noticeable.
Up front, Jerry Yates did exactly the job Paul Warne wants his striker to do, bar finding the back of the net. He led the line with a confidence and a relentless work ethic, constantly getting into good positions and bringing others into play with some lovely touches and flick-ons. It may not have worked out for him at Swansea, but if Yates can continue to play as well as he did and add the goal he deserved to his game, concerns about the lack of a number nine on deadline day could be forgotten.
The most impressive part of the team for me, though, was the midfield. They were again without start man Ben Osborn, but they didn’t miss him. In Adams and Ozoh Derby rather fittingly have two midfielders who can be described as Rolls Royces. Adams looked every bit the player he did in League One last season, plugging gaps as Osborn has also done so well, leading the way in terms of interceptions, and coming in joint-second for recoveries.
Ozoh also put his stamp on the game with a similarly impressive work rate, making the most tackles, whilst also being a handful on the ball, progressing it with ease. The Crystal Palace loanee had a 96 percent pass accuracy, whilst recording multiple goal creating actions (the two offensive actions leading directly to a goal, such as passes, take-ons and drawing fouls.)
In the ten, this was the game where Kenzo Goudmijn has truly announced himself to the Derby faithful, the 22-year-old flaunting his technical qualities with the most shot creating actions of any player on the pitch (6) and making the most progressive passes of any Derby player (5). He may not be the strongest physically, but in the right set up, Derby have a really exciting player on their hands.
Derby (4-2-3-1): Zetterstrom (GK); Nyambe (Ward 90’), Nelson, Cashin, Elder; Ozoh, Adams; Jackson (Brown 90’), Goudmijn (Thompson 86’), Mendez-Laing (C) (Barkhuizen 74’); Yates (Forsyth 86’).
Substitutes not used: Vickers (GK), Bradley, Collins, Chirewa.
Bristol City (4-2-3-1): O’Leary (GK); Tanner, Vyner, Naismith, Pring; Williams, Knight (C); Sykes (Hirakawa 83’), Bird (Mehmeti 64’), Twine (Wells 83’); Armstrong (Mayulu 64’).
Substitutes not used: Bajic (GK), McNally, Roberts, Cornick, McGuane.
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