The players were too passive, but the same could not be said of Derby’s fans.
After a goalless draw at Preston, the flock’s frustration was palpable – a response was needed, as was reflected in Paul Warne’s team selection, which saw six changes.
But just two minutes in, Swansea were ahead.
Brentford loanee Myles Peart-Harris’ low cross from the left was cushioned by Zan Vipotnik 16 yards out with a great touch before he turned and smashed the ball into the top left corner.
Swansea made it two in the 14th minute, Liam Cullen breaking the lines with a diagonal ball from the left to Ronald, who put the ball through Zetterström’s legs a into the far bottom corner.
It was another slick move from Swansea. Having also had very vocal protests for a spot-kick ignored after Callum Elder went down, the Pride Park faithful were sounding increasingly irate.
Meanwhile repeated shouts of “Olé!” were coming from the South East Corner.
With Jerry Yates ineligible to face his parent club, Derby had to configure their attack differently. Kayden Jackson was tasked with leading the line, flanked by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Corey Blackett-Taylor.
The Rams’ game plan was very clearly to allow Swansea to keep the ball and then use their pace up front to hit Luke Williams’ side on the counter and get in behind their high line. But Swansea’s ball movement was both too quick and too slick.
Just before the half hour mark, with Zetterström receiving treatment, there was a chance for Derby to reset. Their press became more aggressive with defenders stepping up.
Having been thoroughly outclassed for the first half hour, the Rams came into the game in the final 15 minutes of the half. Curtis Nelson’ header deflected behind, before Jackson saw a shot blocked after Lawrence Vigouroux dropped Blackett-Taylor’s shot.
Eiran Cashin also saw a free header blocked from the first of three corners on the stroke of half-time, but the improvement wasn’t enough to stop boos from ringing out.
Four minutes into the second half, Derby should have scored. After Mendez-Laing’s cross from the right was volleyed by Harness, Vigouroux parried it into the path of Jackson who volleyed over the bar from four yards out.
With 25 minutes to play, substitute Tom Barkhuizen was fouled in the box by former Ram Cyrus Christie for Derby’s first penalty of the season, which Mendez-Laing fired into the roof of the net.
Warne brought on two strikers in Collins and Brown as the hosts pushed for an equaliser. And after Kane Wilson saw his header blocked, the latter volleyed wide in stoppage time.
Lacking a clinical edge
Against Swansea Derby accumulated 3.58 expected goals (xG) - their highest number since a 4-0 win away to Birmingham City in December 2020. This points to two things: the number of high-quality chances they created, and just how wasteful they were.
For context, in the nearly four years since then, the Rams have recorded two 5-0 victories. They also have not had an opponent rack up a higher xG figure against them but have conceded four goals on multiple occasions (Blackburn’s xG in the opening game of this season was 2.05.)
Many will feel that had Derby started the way that they played for the last hour, they would have won the game. It seems very plausible, but I dare say that based on the finishing on show, the game would have ended 1-0.
Not for the first time this season, the Rams deserved more than they came away with on the balance of play, which will be particularly disappointing ahead of a difficult December.
While Jerry Yates has been in fine form for the last few games, it is again clear why Paul Warne was targeting another striker right up until the summer window closed. Someone to step in for, or partner Jerry Yates will likely be on the shopping list in the new year.
The standout performer for my money was undoubtedly Kane Wilson: Derby are a better side when he is unleashed. His desire to drive down the flank or through the inside and push the team up the pitch matched perfectly with the more aggressive approach that Warne switched to.
The other thing that improved as the game went on was the control in midfield. Liam Thompson was excellent again when he came on. The fact that Thompson can more than hold his own physically, is strong in the tackle, and a good ball carrier pairs well with midfield destroyer Adams. He offers a bit more defensive support than the likes of Harness or Goudmijn too, which is crucial when Wilson marauds forwards.
Warne shouldn’t throw caution to the wind, but his side’s best performances are coming when they don’t sit off and invite pressure. It seems a more effective approach both in defence and attack.
Given their good home form, they can afford to be brave.
Derby: (4-3-3): Zetterström (GK); Wilson, Nelson, Cashin, Elder (Forsyth 62’); Goudmijn (Thompson 62’), Adams, Harness (Brown 79’); Mendez-Laing, Jackson (Collins 79’), Blackett-Taylor (Barkhuizen 62’).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Bradley, Osborn, Phillips.
Swansea (4-2-3-1): Vigouroux (GK); Naughton (Key 66’), Cabango, Darling (Christie 60’), Tymon; Grimes (C), Franco (Fulton 83’); Pereira, Cullen, Peart-Harris (Abdulai 83’); Vipotnik (Bianchini 66’).
Unused Substitutes: McLaughlin (GK), Allen, Tjoe-a-on, Abbey.
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