FEWER CHANCES AND LOSS OF FORM RAISES DOUBTS OVER STRIKER’S FUTURE CKR in struggle to find a role in Rooney’s new-look set-up
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WHEN Ravel Morrison was pencilled in as the centre-forward for Derby County’s 2-1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers on Monday, it prompted some interesting questions.
What was manager Wayne Rooney’s plan with the former Manchester United prospect as a false nine? Will the role be utilised more as the season goes on? And what happens with Colin Kazim-Richards?
The former Turkey international has endured a tough season. After being a talisman last season in which his goals, assists and general presence played a massive part in keeping the Rams up, Kazim-Richards has not had the same impact.
The striker played 90 minutes in the Rams’ opening day 1-1 draw against Huddersfield Town, then netted a goal and scored in the penalty shoot-out in the Carabao Cup victory against Salford City.
But he suffered a setback in only the second League game of the season. When riding a challenge, Kazim-Richards tore his Achilles and the injury kept him out for three months.
Since his return to action in October, the 35-year-old has started only one of the last nine games as Rooney eases him back into action, and has played under 20 minutes in five of those nine games. He is yet to find the net in the League.
The 11 minutes he played against QPR on Monday, as Derby chased a winner only to lose to an Andre Gray stunner, marked the epitome of his frustrations.
At full-time, Kazim-Richards crouched down with his head held low. He was hardly involved, winning an early duel before drifting from the action, and the Rams only tossed in one cross for him to attack.
His constant presence on the bench since his return has been surprising, considering his role last season and, in more recent times, his influence on the team when he was introduced after 22 minutes against Bournemouth.
Coming on for an injured Sam Baldock, Kazim-Richards played a clever flick to Tom Lawrence for the Welshman to level the game at 2-2.
Outside of that contribution, the striker won five of his 13 duels and three of his 10 aerial battles – which is not great on the surface, but the context of him having to compete for long balls skews the data.
In his limited time on the pitch (415 minutes), Kazim-Richards is fourth on the team in expected goals (a chance by which a player is expected to score) with 1.4.
But there seems to be a disconnect in how Kazim-Richards is being used in the team. At the start of the season, Rooney favoured a 4-2-3-1 with the attacking midfield three behind the main striker being a fluid rotation of players.
As the season has worn on, it seems Rooney has tweaked the system slightly and gone with a flat 4-3-3 with the front three fluid and interchangeable. It is reminiscent of when Pep Guardiola used three attacking midfielders as strikers and had them all occupy the false nine position at some stage.
That, of course, limits KazimRichards. The striker is comfortable peeling out wide and isolating an opposition full-back and winning the ball. He is also at his strongest when dropping deep and linking play, but constant rotations and picking up positions in the spaces between the centre-backs and deepest midfielder is not where you often find him.
It is, of course, fair to point to his lack of form in the games since returning from injury. Balls would bounce off him and he lacked the burst to get on the end of crosses and make a move to get across his marker in the box.
He may have been fit to return to action but Kazim-Richards was still playing his way into full fitness and, of course, no League goals so far this season will always be something for Rooney to point to when commenting on his lack of minutes recently.
His role seems to be becoming less influential as the games go by and, with his contract up at the end of the season, one could ask if his days at the club are numbered.
A new deal has yet to be discussed with the striker, who has been open to staying at the club even if they are relegated. It is believed Kazim-Richards would be keen to accept some sort of player/ coach role.
The striker has started the road to obtaining his coaching badges as he looks towards the next stage of his career with the window closing on his playing days – though it is believed he would like to play for another season or two.
The next couple of months will go a long way to indicating what is next for Kazim-Richards at Derby. He has fallen down the pecking order and Rooney’s style of play seems to be going further and further away from his strong suit.
Derby rebooting could mean Kazim-Richards is a sacrifice in that department. Though the Rams only have Jack Stretton contracted through next season, they could move to get younger still up front, which would mean parting ways with both Baldock and KazimRichards. Kazim-Richards’ bond with the fans is a strong one. After Derby survived on the final day of last season, he could be seen starting the bounce before getting into his car and leaving. Former Rams defender Shaun Barker has even made a t-shirt with the striker on it as part of his fashion brand.
The striker has rightly garnered cult hero status and could certainly offer something for the Rams next season. But so often in football that status comes with a short stay.