November goal hero Lawrence in frame for award
TOM ONE OF FOUR PLAYERS NOMINATED IN CHAMPIONSHIP
TOM Lawrence is in the frame for the Sky Bet Championship player of the month award for November.
The Derby County forward is one of four players nominated and is up against Bournemouth winger Jaidon Anthony, Hull City midfielder George Honeyman and Queens Park Rangers striker Chris Willock.
The judging panel for the Sky Bet player of the month features Sky Sports EFL pundit Don Goodman, EFL communications director Mark Rowan and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies.
In explaining their choice of Lawrence, they said: “Lawrence’s growing maturity, fuelled by the Derby captaincy, saw him inspire his teammates by sweeping home superb finishes against Bournemouth and QPR in his three goals and two assists.”
Lawrence scored twice, including the winning penalty, in the 3-2 home victory against Bournemouth last month before opening the scoring against QPR at Pride Park, although the visitors hit back to win 2-1.
The four bosses nominated for the Championship manager of the month award for November are Hull City’s Grant McCann, Blackburn Rovers’ Tony Mowbray, Fulham’s Marco Silva and QPR’s Mark Warburton.
WAYNE Rooney was impressed by Derby County’s three substitutes in the defeat by Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
Derby struggled in the first half and fell behind to Alex Scott’s goal.
Rooney sent on strikers Colin Kazim-Richards and Luke Plange for the second half. It was 19-year-old Plange’s first-team debut. Ravel Morrison replaced Craig Forsyth after 71 minutes.
The Rams improved but they could not find an equaliser and they have now lost their last two games and won only one of their last 11. The gap between Derby and safety is 20 points and they need wins if they are to close the gap.
Could Rooney be tempted into starting with two strikers when Blackpool visit Pride Park Stadium on Saturday? He could choose two from Tom Lawrence, Plange and Kazim-Richards or play Lawrence off the other two.
Plange is top scorer for the under23s this season. Of course, it would be a big ask for the youngster but why not hand him his first start and see how he goes, whether in a rejig of the shape or in the usual 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3?
Rooney was pleased with the youngster’s performance on Saturday.
“I thought he did well when he came on, I thought he was positive, carrying the ball he did well. We are pleased to have him in the squad and he will get more game time,” said Rooney.
“He moves well, he is quick and works hard. He is aggressive in terms of winning the ball back and he can score goals. Of course it is different at this level and like all the young players I will have to protect him as well but if you can get him anywhere around the box he is capable of scoring.”
Phil Jagielka and Curtis Davies is the first-choice centre-back pairing but fellow central defender Richard Stearman offers the option of a switch to three at the back and wingbacks.
Nathan Byrne or Festy Ebosele could fill the right wing-back slot, Craig Forsyth or Kamil Jozwiak the left wing-back role.
A 3-5-2 formation could accomodate a midfield trio of Max Bird, Graeme Shinnie and Jason Knight, while Liam Thompson would be another option.
Could this 3-5-2 be an option? Allsop; Jagielka, Davies, Stearman; Byrne, Bird, Shinnie, Knight, Jozwiak; Lawrence, Plange.
Winning teams tend to pick themselves but Derby have won only four of their 21 League fixtures and so each game invites a discussion on personnel and formation.
That is every much the case ahead of the Blackpool fixture. ■■Predicted Rams XI to face Blackpool: Allsop; Byrne, Jagielka, Davies, Forsyth; Bird, Shinnie, Knight; Ebosele, Plange, Lawrence.