Derby County have signed Jerry Yates on loan from Championship rivals Swansea City. The former Blackpool hitman scored eight goals last season for The Swans. What can the 27 year old striker bring to The Rams? We spoke with Ian Mitchelmore a freelance sports journalist with BBC Sport Wales, Only Swans, Guto from The Jack Cast and Swans Cast to find out.
What do you make of Jerry Yates’ move to Derby County?
Ian: It's a move that suits all parties, all things told. Jerry Yates arrived at Swansea during a period of significant transition at the club, with Russell Martin joining Southampton while Michael Duff was brought in as the new head coach. The style shift did little to help the squad as players struggled to adapt to new methods. Ultimately, a loan move to a club like Derby, on the back of promotion, could be just what Yates needs to reignite his career.
Only Swans: I think it’s a good move for both clubs. From what I’ve been told, Derby need a striker and we need to offload one. I’m also a fan of it being a loan as opposed to a straight up sale.
Guto: From a Swansea perspective it's no surprise he wanted to leave as he's had a very difficult time here. Having paid £2.5m for him last summer a loan was always the most likely option. I'm torn as to whether Derby is a good move for him. He needs somewhere where his confidence can recover and a newly promoted club with a bit of a buzz could work really well for him but unsure whether a Paul Warne system will get the best out of him as a striker.
Swans Cast: It doesn't come as a surprise really. Yates has had a tough time during his stint at Swansea and never really looked comfortable on the pitch, falling short of expectations. There were some positive signs in the first half of the season under Michael Duff, where he scored the majority of his eight league goals, but these really dried up after Duff was sacked and with that, Yates confidence and favour with the fans spiraled downwards. He was linked with moves away in January, and tipped to make a deadline switch to Blackburn which never materialised. Things did not improve for Yates thereafter, having to get used to life on the bench for the most part and second half appearances. There were a handful of starts thrown in, where Yates continued to try hard, maybe too hard sometimes, and it just didn't click for him. A summer move was expected as Luke Williams looks to overhaul the squad to adapt to his new style of play, and Derby County as a newly promoted team hints at similarities of Blackpool for Yates where he had his most recent successful period as a footballer.
He only joined Swansea last summer. Why are the Swans looking to loan him out?
Ian: Former manager Michael Duff desperately struggled at Swansea and was ultimately sacked in December, being replaced by Luke Williams in January. The former Notts County boss plays a brand of football that is far more in line with that of Russell Martin than Duff. As such, Yates does not fit in with Williams' preferred style of play. At £2.5m and with Kyle Joseph going the other way to Blackpool, the addition of Yates somewhat typified how bad a period the 2023 summer transfer window was for the Swans. Getting him off the wage bill this summer will go a significant way to helping the club find a more suitable forward option for the 2024-25 campaign.
Only Swans: He simply hasn’t been good enough. He rarely gets on the ball, struggles to get any chances and ultimately just looks like a completely different player to what most Swansea City fans were expecting.
Guto: It simply hasn't worked out. I can't think of a single match where you could say he had a great game. He began with bucketloads of enthusiasm and hard work but would go long periods without touching the ball. As the season wore on and he still failed to click his enthusiasm waned and his confidence crumbled. His frustration was clear to see when he was sent off in the final game of the season for sparking a brawl. He's unfortunately been a bad fit and after failing to find his groove under both Michael Duff and Luke Williams, he needs a fresh start.
Swans Cast: As previously mentioned, Swansea had a change of manager last season after an underwhelming campaign, and Yates was caught up in the middle of that. He scored most of his goals under Duff in the first half of the campaign, but was less suited to a return to a possession based system Luke Williams brought. Swansea need to regenerate the squad to suit this system, but funds need to be raised in order for that to happen. Yates, being a player brought in for a change of direction last summer that has ultimately been ditched is therefore seen as a player that can be used to fund this summer of change.
It’s safe to say that he hasn’t hit the heights for Swansea that he did at Blackpool. Why is that?
Ian: As mentioned above, the change in style did Yates no favours, despite the fact he is probably more suited to Duff's methods. The squad as a whole struggled, and that did not help Yates one bit. Nevertheless, he still contributed nine goals in all competitions, the joint-best alongside Jamal Lowe of any Swansea player last season, so his goal output in tough circumstances was hardly terrible. But it was a wretched campaign for the club, and they are now bidding to realign themselves with the club's ideal of playing possession-based football. Yates is not really suited to that.
Only Swans: In hindsight, it was a signing that should never have been made and that is down to our Director of Football. Jerry Yates whilst known as a striker, has always performed best playing off of a number 9 in more of a wide forward role. He hasn’t been given that role at Swansea City and it was ultimately a complete mis-profile by us.
Guto: I think it was mostly a tactical/stylistic issue. He was asked to perform a role which didn't really work to his strengths. He's not the best dropping deep to get involved in build-up and he's not imposing enough to play as a lone striker up front to win headers or hold the ball up. He just looked lost in our team and his self-belief just eroded quite rapidly.
Swans Cast: Swansea had a difficult year, switching managers and playing styles from a high possession style with Russell Martin (think Southampton), to a more direct and heavy press style with Michael Duff. Duff had a large overhaul of players last summer, Yates being one who joined, but was unable to find any form, consistency and ultimately failed to connect with the fans which led to his sacking. Swansea then went through a period of caretaker manager which lasted the entire Christmas period and longer than expected, before reverting back to a high possession based system with the arrival of Luke Williams. Ultimately, Yates did not suit this and is a casualty of the poor season and changes at the club during his stay.
What are his strengths?
Ian: Yates is a physical forward and is more than capable of battling to hold up possession. He is also alert to poacher's finishes, which is never a bad thing.
Only Swans: To be completely honest, he’s yet to show any strengths in a Swansea shirt. However, that’s not to say he has no strengths. As mentioned in the previous question, Jerry has found success in his career by playing off of a number 9. If used correctly, his strengths may begin to show.
Guto: Goal-scoring. He still scored eight goals in a team which lacked creativity and didn't play to his strengths. He gets into dangerous areas and had a decent conversion rate. He was also a very hard worker at Blackpool and in his early days with us but that side of his game went as his confidence disappeared.
Swans Cast: Yates is predominantly a finisher. He plays well off the last line of defence where he can run off the shoulder onto clever balls in behind. Yates also can run himself into the ground which is a key trait in a high press system when you need your striker pressing from the front to set the tone for the press.
What are his weaknesses?
Ian: Yates lacks pace to be a problem in behind defences, therefore he relies more on playing with his back to goal or getting on the end of crosses. He has also shown he can have something of a short fuse, as evidenced by his daft red card picked up on the final day of last season against Millwall.
Only Swans: His positioning and first touch have been his main weaknesses. As a result of not being an out and out striker, he lacks the instinct required to play in the position. This tends to result in him being too far away from play and not being on the end of crosses to score goals. As Swansea are a possession based side it is a necessity that the striker is comfortable as the focal point of attacking moves. Jerry has not shown that he has the ability to be a focal point in a Swansea shirt.
Guto: His ball control wasn't the best and neither was his passing. He's not a dribbler, struggles to hold the ball up and I was surprised by how little he won in the air. All of these put together mean he can go missing for long periods and it can be difficult to get him on the ball.
Swans Cast: Yates is definitely not a target man, he struggles to hold up play against physical defences and this can lead to him struggling to have an impact when leading the line as a solo striker in hard games where the team needs an outlet to get up the pitch. He is also not the most technically gifted player, and making his own opportunities and taking players on are not strong parts to his game.
What type of striker is he? Does he hold the ball up and link up play or does he run in behind?
Only Swans: As previously mentioned I think Yates is best as a wide forward. He isn’t particularly fantastic at either of these things but he does tend to run in behind more often than not due to his fairly diminutive size.
Guto: It's very hard to say as we've not really worked out which style would get the best out of him. He's a goal-scorer more than anything. Perhaps a younger James Collins would be a fair description. With a bit of self-belief he could be a pest up front who chases everything and gets into the box to finish off chances. To be honest we've not seen him do much running in behind and his hold-up play often looks like hard work. He's more of a run in behind kind of striker but more than anything he just pops up in the box, looking to finish off any scraps.
Swans Cast: Yates is definitely not a target man, he struggles to hold up play against physical defences and this can lead to him struggling to have an impact when leading the line as a solo striker in hard games where the team needs an outlet to get up the pitch. He is also not the most technically gifted player, and making his own opportunities and taking players on are not strong parts to his game. Yates is definitely a striker that benefits in teams playing more fast, direct football where he will have plenty of opportunity to run in behind off the shoulder of the defense. He is a striker who can make a nuisance of himself to the opposition defence and try and force mistakes from them from his constant hassling.
Is there a future for him at Swansea? Or is this move one that puts Yates in the shop window?
Ian: From the club's perspective, in an ideal world, no. It's a signing that they will most likely see as a poor one, and one that will most probably see them lose money on the aforementioned fee forked out just a year ago. Swansea would probably have preferred to sell Yates permanently, although a good season with Derby could help keep his value slightly higher for a sale next summer.
Only Swans: I do not see a future for Jerry Yates at Swansea City. Many might think there could be one as this move is only a loan but I see this as a smart move to try boost his value, as opposed to a chance for minutes with the chance of returning.
Guto: I struggle to see where he fits in at Swansea. More than anything I think this is a move to get him off the wage bill for a year and hopefully entice another club to buy him but he's not an up and coming youngster so whoever looks to buy him will probably get him for far less than the £2.5m we wasted last summer.
Swans Cast: Yates is definitely not a target man, he struggles to hold up play against physical defences and this can lead to him struggling to have an impact when leading the line as a solo striker in hard games where the team needs an outlet to get up the pitch. He is also not the most technically gifted player, and making his own opportunities and taking players on are not strong parts to his game. Yates is definitely a striker that benefits in teams playing more fast, direct football where he will have plenty of opportunity to run in behind off the shoulder of the defense. He is a striker who can make a nuisance of himself to the opposition defence and try and force mistakes from them from his constant hassling. I would be shocked to see Yates in a Swansea shirt again.
From my understanding, there is a desire for Yates to be moved on, so I am a bit disappointed to see a loan deal agreed considering how long is left of the window, and the other potential clubs interested. Having said that, I understand the finances in the EFL are not great for many clubs, and a loan does a job with cash flow specifically for wages giving some allowance to move in the market for Swansea. I would imagine the goal is for Yates to excel in this move, and either earn a permanent deal at Derby, or attract interest elsewhere.
What will it take for him to be successful at Derby?
Ian: I would imagine he will be more of a prominent figure at Derby which could allow him to shine more consistently, particularly if he hits a decent run of form at any stage. The change of style and managers at Swansea last term certainly didn't help Yates, so some consistency in those areas at Derby could help him show the levels he demonstrated at Blackpool.
Only Swans: I believe that the main way of bringing success out of Jerry Yates is to determine which position brings more output out of him. He has definitely struggled as a loan striker in South Wales. For better output I believe he must have a strike partner. If Paul Warne can adapt his tactics to suit this, there is a chance for Jerry Yates to have a successful season with Derby.
Guto: I think the main thing is confidence. Even if he's not really clicking in a side, Jerry Yates should be able to give you energy and desire up front as well as chipping in with a few goals. I just think his spirit was crushed by a difficult season last year and the energy which would have made him an useful squad player was nowhere to be seen. It will be interesting to see how he works with somebody like Mendez-Laing in the side distracting defenders and creating chances for him. If he builds a good chemistry with team-mates, he could click at Derby like he did at Blackpool.
Swans Cast: Yates just needs to regain his confidence and return to the level and form he showed for Blackpool. If he can do that, he will have a good chance at succeeding at Derby. Yates is a player who clearly wants to do better, but needs to get himself out of the slump he is in, a new start may be the challenge he needs.
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