Eight-goal thriller sees Derby collapse to defeat

Is a triple salvo a thing? If so, that’s what Derby were on the receiving end of as Frank Lampard’s Coventry City came to town.

Last season, this fixture saw Eustace’s side show off their staunch defensive abilities on a crucial night in their great escape. Despite reverting to a similar three-at-the-back system, this was effectively the opposite, as The Rams conceded five in a competitive fixture for the first time since 2010.

Following the midweek smash and grab at West Brom, this should have been an opportunity for Derby to get their season up and running. But instead, it was another false start.

The visitors took the lead inside seven minutes of a set-piece-packed first half. Victor Torp whipped a free kick from the right to the near post. Jacob Widell Zetterström came for, and missed it, allowing Bobby Thomas to head it across him and into the back of the net.

It was not one the Swede will want to watch back.

But just five minutes later, Callum Elder said: “Anything Joe Ward can do…” (I imagine) as he whipped a free kick into the far top corner from a tight angle. A mirror image of Derby’s 96^th minute leveller from midweek and some way to get your first Rams goal.

Making his first league start in Black and White, Birmingham loanee Dion Sanderson was the man tasked with marking tricky winger Ephron Mason-Clark, continually staying tight to the former Peterborough man. But in the 23^rd minute, Sanderson would take him down, allowing Haji Wright to score from the spot by lashing the ball into the roof of the net.

Having restored their lead, the visitors looked to dial down the chaos, gaining control of the play. But despite some good playmaking from Jack Rudoni and co., The Sky Blues would surrender this when Bobby Thomas handled Ryan Nyambe’s cross in the box.

After both Thomas, and his duelling opponent Matt Clarke had been booked, up stepped Carlton Morris. As Carl Rushworth dived down to his right, Derby’s number nine coolly drilled his penalty down the middle to level things in stoppage time.

Much like the last meeting between these two sides, The Rams came out of the blocks quickly after the break, finding a goal within five minutes.

Following some early scares from Haji Wright at the other end, Callum Elder saw his long throw cushioned by the head of Coventry’s Thomas. It dropped to Ebou Adams, who showed great anticipation to swing a boot at the ball, guiding it into the bottom right corner.

Now Derby’s season was up and running. Was it ever going to be anyone else?

The parallels to that Tuesday night in March continued: Coventry had more chances, but Eustace’s side looked comfortable in defending their goal, with some good transition play scattered throughout.

Ebou Adams later told BBC Radio Derby: “At 3-2 up, I thought they were done.”

Done? The Sky Blues were anything but.

Frank Lampard’s men grabbed their equaliser in the 72^nd minute, Thomas getting his head on Milan Van Ewijk’s long throw this time. Zetterström got a hand to the ball before Brandon Thomas-Asante bundled it in.

It is always better to be sure.

Coventry retook the lead three minutes later, Bobby Thomas playing a sweeping diagonal ball out to Van Ewijk, who swung a deep cross to the back post. It was there that Mason Clarke had been left unmarked by Nyambe and Sanderson, allowing the left winger to execute a simple header.

Van Ewijk was the architect again for the final goal, pulling the ball back to Torp in the inside right, who took two touches before rifling the ball through a crowd of bodies and into the bottom left corner.

Three goals in seven minutes: a calamitous collapse.

Analysis: Defensive woes bite again

Eight goals conceded in two league games; it hardly makes for good reading. Of those eight, five have come in the final 20 minutes of matches. And be it Stoke’s stoppage time double, or Coventry’s quickfire triple, in quick succession on both occasions.

Captain Ebou Adams described The Rams’ performance to BBC Radio Derby as “sloppy”. While John Eustace told Rams TV: “At the moment we’ve got a bit of a soft underbelly.”

Given the timings of so many of the goals, fitness and match sharpness may have been a factor. Again, Eustace mentioned the importance of “minutes in the legs”, while admitting: “We’re probably not as fit as where we want to be through different scenarios.”

While the first goal came from a goalkeeping error and the second from Sanderson overcommitting, this was evident in the final three goals. By this point, Coventry were first to everything, quicker and more powerful, while all Derby could do was sit deep, inviting pressure.

As seen in midweek, fresh legs can help. Yes, there were the heroics of Josh Vickers, but also notable was the use of all five substitutions by the 70^th minute mark compared to each of Derby’s changes occurring in the final ten minutes. But the head coach suggested that fitness was lacking on the bench.

There were some positives in The Rams’ attacking efficiency – they only scored three or more goals in a game four times last season. Carlton Morris may have been isolated, but took his chance when it came, yet again.

But you never expect to lose when you score three goals, which is part of what makes it so frustrating for fans. Including popstar and Derby fan Niall Horan, who speaking to BBC Radio Derby, said the side were “all over the place”. He did also see more than a Flicker of hope, singing the praises of John Eustace and highlighting the talent that is currently sidelined through injury.

There is no sugar coating it: One Way or Another, the defence must be tightened. But Derby’s points tally can surely only go in One Direction.

Derby (3-4-2-1): Zetterström (GK); Sanderson, Batth (Ward 81’), Clarke; Nyambe (Brown 89’), Thompson (Goudmijn 84’), Ozoh (Clark 81’), Elder; Adams (C), Jackson (Weimann 81’), Morris.

Unused substitutes: Vickers (GK); Forsyth, Rooney; Osborn.

Coventry (4-2-3-1): Rushworth (GK); Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching (C), Dasilva; Torp (Allen 90+5’), Grimes; Thomas-Asante (Raphael 90+7’), Rudoni, Mason-Clark (Kesler-Hayden 90+1’); Wright (Simms 90+1’).

Unused substitutes Wilson (GK); Bidwell Brau; Andrews, Allen; Obikwu.