Jack Bryan is a football writer and life long Derby County supporter.
The Rams started 2023 as they mean to go on yesterday, with an emphatic 4-0 win over a struggling Accrington Stanley side.
Derby were in control from the first whistle, and took the lead inside seven minutes. Lewis Dobbin’s ball from the right-hand side of the box deflected to Tom Barkhuizen for his third of the season from eight yards out.
The move for the second goal started with an interception from Louie Sibley, starting at left back. The 21 year-old found veteran David McGoldrick who played a clever no-look pass to Jason Knight. The Irishman waited for the run of Korey Smith, who had burst forward from right back, and Smith played in Conor Hourihane for a neat finish from fifteen yards.
Derby remained dominant, Barkhuizen and Dobbin having chances prior to McGoldrick netting a third from the spot just before half time. Craig Forsyth’s shot having hit Ethan Hamilton’s arm.
The fourth came straight from kick off, Knight beating Stanley 'keeper Toby Savin to a mis-hit back pass, and unselfishly squaring the ball for Tom Barkhuizen to tap into an empty net.
Derby dictated the play for the rest of the game, limiting Accrington to three shots in the second half to go with their two in the first, although they did lower the tempo. The only real negative for the hosts being the 79th minute sending off of substitute Will Osula, something Paul Warne described post-match as part of the young striker’s ‘learning curve’.
For my money, that was the best performance from Derby this season, and showed the potential that Paul Warne’s side have. Pressing with real intensity when they lost the ball, running their socks off and giving their all, whilst playing some very fluid football. David McGoldrick lead the line brilliantly, his technical ability a level above most of the league, as was highlighted by that no-look pass. With runners around him, the team thrived.
The defence continued their fine form with a fourth consecutive clean sheet, and remain the best in the division. Eiran Cashin and Forsyth won 75% of their aerial duels whilst midfielders Korey Smith and Louie Sibley looked comfortable as full backs once again. Max Bird did well, plugging gaps when Knight and Hourihane bombed forward, the two players key to the win.
Jason Knight was everywhere, even as a ten, creating three chances, getting the assist for the fourth goal, and making eight recoveries. That’s the second most of any Derby player alongside Forsyth, behind Cashin with 11. Derby's number 38 ran both channels out wide and epitomised the work rate Paul Warne wants of his team.
Conor Hourihane made the runs into the box that Derby fans have been desperate for him to make, getting his first goal under Warne, and a club-branded mug as a result. He also drove Derby forward, creating four chances, the most of any player, with 13 passes into the final third.
The Rams used the flanks very effectively, before drifting inside in the final third. Tom Barkhuizen scoring two goals from the left. Right winger Lewis Dobbin and right back Korey Smith both got assists, the latter making a superb run into the box to set up Hourihane’s first time finish.
Derby are now unbeaten in 11 league games, and 15 in all competitions if you discount the penalty shootout against Liverpool, after a performance that would have made any Rams fan rapidly fall in love with football.
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