Too tight but Rams just have to carry on same
DERBY County go into today’s clash against Middlesbrough in the bottom three of the Championship.
The Rams are 22nd on 28 points, the same number as Birmingham City (23rd) and Sheffield Wednesday (21st).
Rotherham United are 20th on 29 points, Coventry City 19th on 31, Nottingham Forest 18th on 32, while Huddersfield Town and Queens Park Rangers have 33.
Only five points separates the 23rd-placed team and the 16th-placed side.
The battle is tight, as Rams boss Wayne Rooney agrees: “I think there are many teams who can get sucked into it. We just have to focus on ourselves,” he said.
“If we do what we have done for the next two months, we will be fine. If we continue to apply ourselves and perform as we are and picking up points the way we have, then we will have no worries.”
Derby made five loan signings on transfer deadline day and Rooney says they have settled in well.
“It was frustrating the game (at Barnsley last Saturday) being postponed but the pitch was not ready for us to play,” said Rooney.
“What it has done is allow me to get the new players in a full week’s training, give them our messages and ideas on how we want them to play.
“It has been a good week of preparation. They (the new signings) have been really good. Training has been good and they are getting used to it being a bit different in terms of intensity.”
Rooney was asked about his midfield and the impact of losing Poland international Krystian Bielik to injury. “We have brought Beni Baningime in as well (on loan from Everton) to help us in there and between the four of them – Graeme Shinnie, Jason Knight, Beni Baningime and Max Bird – I trust any of those four to go out and do the job for us,” said Rooney.
“There are lots of games coming up and I am happy with the squad now. I have a bigger squad and have more options in terms of how we play, which players play and it makes it a little bit harder for me, but better for the team.
“Players will be disappointed through not playing, but it is on them to show me when they come on or when they do play or in training to show me they deserve to play.”
There are many teams who can get sucked into it. We just have to focus on ourselves.
Wayne Rooney