Derby County are still yet to pick up a point away from home this season despite a battling display against Sheffield United.
After back-to-back wins with an unchanged XI, Paul Warne was forced to make one change at Bramall Lane. Due to the injury David Ozoh picked up in last weekend’s 1-0 win at home to Cardiff City, former Blade Ben Osborn made his first start since the 1-0 win at home to Middlesborough five weeks ago.
For the hosts, Chris Wilder also made just a singular switch to the side that won 2-0 at Hull City last weekend, Sydie Peck coming in for Ollie Arblaster.
The game got off to a flying start Kenzo Goudmijn playing Kayden Jackson in within the first ten seconds, with the former Ipswich man’s effort going behind for a corner.
Sheffield United quickly went up the other end, a chance falling to Jesurun Rak-Sakyi as the Rams failed to clear their lines, but Jacob Widell Zetterström was there to turn it over the bar.
In the eighth minute, there was a minute's applause in memory of former Sheffield United Women's player and staff member, and Derby County fan Maddy Cusack, who passed away a year ago yesterday.
In a game where they struggled to create, Derby’s best chance came in the 23rd minute. Jerry Yates’ cross found Ryan Nyambe who played in Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. The skipper’s powerful effort from 15 yards out on the right-hand side of the box could only rattle the post.
Both managers were booked after an incident on the half hour mark; Chris Wilder pushing Rams striker Jerry Yates before Paul Warne, marking his 400th game in management, did the same to Wilder.
Gustavo Hamer drove an effort at Zetterström from 25 yards, but the Swedish goalkeeper did well to get down low to his left and turn the ball round the post.
At the break, Paul Warne could be fairly happy with his side. They were frustrating their hosts with a solid structure and tons of energy – Ebou Adams and Ben Osborn were standing out in this respect. A draw would have been an excellent result, but if Derby could start to create, the game was there for the taking.
But it was the Blades who would take the lead eight minutes into the second half, Gustavo Hamer scoring from a free kick, given for a soft foul by Ben Osborn right on the edge of the box. Hamer’s right-footed effort was curled beautifully around the wall of just three players and into went into the top corner off the post.
After going behind, the Rams looked tired, and even when changes did come, they never could gain a foothold in a game which became incredibly scrappy, with Sheffield United slowing the tempo down to a snail’s pace.
Derby failed to create a single chance in the second half, and whilst Sheffield United had a number of shots, they were far from clear-cut chances. Adams was equal to a number of corners which he headed away, whilst Zetterström was commanding in his box once more.
Analysis: Fatal free kick errors
Well-structured and hard-working, until they conceded, Derby put in an excellent backs-to-the-wall display. Against a side expected to be competing at the top end of the division, the Rams’ play in the first two thirds of the pitch was impressive, on the whole. But their inability to create chances meant that the writing was on the wall once Hamer’s free kick flew in. What will frustrate Derby, is that the goal was avoidable, with two crucial moments costing them.
Ben Osborn had to resort to conceding the free kick due to Curtis Nelson stepping too far out of defence and conceding possession, leaving the Rams out of shape. It’s unfortunate, but it happens in football. Of course, had this error been avoided, the second one would be irrelevant in this instance, but it is something that Warne and his staff will no doubt investigate: should the wall have been bigger? With just Osborn, Yates and Jackson in the wall, and Mendez-Laing a few yards to Osborn’s left, there was a gap at the near post, which Hamer’s strike flew through. An extra man to Osborn’s left in the wall could have made the difference.
Of course, a lack of chances created is a worry, but it must be remembered that there is a huge gulf, on paper at least, between the two teams. Derby will need to improve their attacking output on the road, but there are still positives to take in their defensive play against a side who are predicted to be right up there come the end of the season.
Sheffield United (4-2-3-1): Cooper (GK); Gilchrist (Seriki 66’), Souttar, Ahmedhodžić, Burrows; Souza (C), Peck; Rak-Sakyi (Brooks 67’), O’Hare (Brewster 77’), Hamer (McCallum 90’+6); Moore (Norrington-Davies 90’+7).
Substitutes not used: Davies (GK), Shackleton, Campbell, Marsh.
Derby (4–3-3): Zetterström (GK); Nyambe (Phillips 77’), Nelson, Cashin, Elder (Blackett-Taylor 81’); Adams, Goudmijn (Ward 81’) Osborn (Harness 67’); Jackson, Yates, Mendez-Laing (C) (Brown 77’).
Substitutes not used: Vickers (GK), Bradley, Forsyth, Collins.
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