Yet more changes likely for big game with City
TEAM news is always eagerly awaited, perhaps more so ahead of Derby County’s Championship clash with Coventry City tomorrow.
Wayne Rooney was criticised for making the number of changes he did for Tuesday night’s game away to Cardiff City.
A change in goal was necessary as first-choice keeper David Marshall was injured, but Rooney also changed half of the 10 outfield players and Derby slumped to a 4-0 defeat.
Rooney admitted afterwards the selection was a gamble that “didn’t pay off ”. He said it was to give players a rest following a busy schedule and going into three consecutive away matches.
Now all eyes will be on the team he sends out at St Andrew’s.
The team sheet against Cardiff suggested the players rested were Colin Kazim-Richards, Nathan Byrne, Jason Knight, Max Bird and Martyn Waghorn. If so, it would not be a surprise to see all of them return to the starting 11.
Marshall missed the Cardiff game due to a back problem. If fit, he is expected to replace Kelle Roos.
A return for Byrne at right-back would allow Andre Wisdom to move back across to centre-back alongside Matt Clarke.
Will there be a change at left-back? Lee Buchanan’s form of late has dipped, understandable with young players, and Derby have the option of Craig Forsyth.
Patrick Roberts is an option in a wide role ahead of Kamil Jozwiak.
The 24-year-old winger on loan from Manchester City was not involved on Tuesday night.
A club can name five loan players in a match-day squad. Derby have six loanees, which means one has to be left out of the squad for each fixture.
“That is something we need to look at (each game) having six loan players,” said Rooney.
“The game before, Teden Mengi missed out, the game before that it was Beni (Baningime).
“I felt Patrick would benefit more from having a full week’s training and getting him up to speed to come in than sitting on the bench against Cardiff and maybe coming on for 20 minutes.
“He will be involved on Saturday.” Roberts has made one start and three appearances as a substitute since he joined the Rams on transfer deadline day.
Rooney said young midfielder Louie Watson has put himself in the reckoning for a first start.
The 19-year-old’s performance when he came off the bench at Cardiff was described as a “real positive” by the manager.
“He has been brilliant. He has shown great quality, great energy in training every day. He is consistent with it,” said Rooney.
“It was good for him to come on (at Cardiff ) and it was good for me to see how he handled that.
“I thought Louie was a real positive. He was brave and passed the ball forward, which we failed to do for the first hour of the game.”
Another option for Derby would be to go two up front against Coventry, Kazim-Richards and Lee Gregory, and rejig the shape from a 4-3-3.