Six factors that could be key in battle to beat odds
EXPERIENCE SET TO PROVE VITAL IN BID FOR SURVIVAL
A TOTAL of 21 points deducted this season has left Derby County battling against relegation.
The Rams were docked 12 points after the club went into administration and then a further nine points for breaches of the League’s Profitability and Sustainability rules.
No team has survived in the Championship having been handed a 12-point penalty, never mind a 21-point penalty, but the Rams are making a fight of it.
Three wins and a draw in their last four matches saw them pick up 10 points which leaves them 11 points from safety with 21 games remaining.
Here’s a six-point plan that could boost Derby’s chances of beating the odds and staying in the Championship.
■Extend Phil Jagielka’s stay
Phil Jagielka has been a key figure for the Rams since joining as a free agent in August.
He has started 20 of the 25 League games and has formed a first-choice centre-back pairing with Curtis Davies.
The combined age of Jagielka (39) and Davies (36) is 75 but they have impressed with their consistency, their know-how and their reading of the game.
Jagielka’s contract expires on January 17 and needs to be sorted because to lose him now would be a blow to the team.
Rams manager Wayne Rooney wants to hand Jagielka an 18-month deal to cover the remainder of this season and next season but the club remains in administration with the search for a new owner ongoing.
■Maintain solid defensive record
Only three teams in the Championship - leaders Bournemouth, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion have conceded fewer goals than Derby.
Twenty-four goals conceded in 25 League games shows the Rams are tough to beat.
They may sit bottom of the table but they have lost only seven of their matches and only the top four teams have lost fewer.
Derby’s defensive solidity will be crucial in the second half of the season because they are not free-scoring and so they need a solid platform.
■Turn draws into wins
One of the frustrations this season is the number of draws. Derby have drawn 11 of their 25 games - the most in the Championship.
Two late goals from Colin Kazimrichards and Curtis Davies saw the Rams take a point away to Reading on Monday in a dramatic comeback but clearly the more wins recorded the better chance Derby have of pulling of the ‘Great Escape.’
■‘Old heads’ remain key figures
Experience can prove vital in pressure situations when chasing promotion or battling to avoid the drop.
There is know-how spread throughout Derby’s team.
Defenders Phil Jagielka (39), Curtis Davies (36), Craig Forsyth and Richard Stearman (34) are all 30-plus.
Midfielder Graeme Shinnie is 30, goalkeepers Ryan Allsop and Kelle Roos are 29, as is right-back Nathan Byrne.
In attack, Colin Kazim-richards is 35, while skipper Tom Lawrence, who turns 28 next week, has played 280 games in his career, including 166 appearances for the Rams.
The pressure at present is off, to an extent, as Derby’s chances of staying up are slim and many have already written them off, but pressure will ramp up the closer the Rams get to producing what would be a remarkable achievement.
It is then that the experienced players will have key roles to play in helping and guiding the youngsters in the squad.
■The youngsters continue to develop
Derby’s young players have handled a difficult situation remarkably well.
Not only are they having to develop in a tough environment such as the Championship, they are having to do so from the bottom of the table and they have stood up to the test.
Max Bird is playing his best football in a Derby shirt, Liam Thompson has been a breath of fresh air with his tenacity and energy, and Jason Knight has started the last 10 games and is back in the groove after his injury in pre-season.
Festy Ebosele is capable of giving opponents problems with his power and pace, Luke Plange has shown plenty of promise in his four starts and has an eye for a goal, Lee Buchanan is due to return from injury this month, Louie Sibley has shown previously that he can impact games and Dylan Williams is an 18-year-old left-back with bags of potential.
■Bond between team and fans stays strong
One of Derby’s strengths this season alongside the character, spirit and fight they are showing has been the bond between the team and the fans.
The fans have applauded the efforts of the players, while the players have appreciated the backing of the fans.
That togetherness has been important and will be needed in the remaining League matches.