ROWETT FURY AT HIS RAMS ‘BOTTLERS’
DERBY manager Gary Rowett pledged only to select players ‘who have the bottle’ after his play-off contenders imploded against relegation-haunted Sunderland.
Rowett’s men are without a win in eight games after playing a massive self-destruct role in all four goals against Chris Coleman’s side, who moved off the bottom with this win.
The Rams boss said: “I’m usually the first to stand up and say my players have got the bottle – but I’m beginning to doubt that.
“I will pick my side at Preston from players I know can handle the pressure rather than those who blatantly can not.
“I’ll probably have six or seven on the treatment table if you get treated for feeling sorry for themselves.
“People tell me we are still in the top six – I don’t know how.
“Fortunately we have another game very quickly to get back on the horse we have fallen so spectacularly off.”
A bizarre night saw the Black Cats apparently set up to frustrate Derby – yet create a whole host of chances.
Only the woodwork and wasteful finishing stood between the visitors and doubling their winning margin with Rowett admitting he brought on Joe Ledley, to ‘prevent them scoring five or six’.
From the opening couple of minutes when Scott Carson’s careless clearance nearly rebounded in off Ashley Fletcher, Derby were dreadful defensively.
The catalogue of errors was almost embarrassing.
Full-back Craig Forsyth got a deliberate head to George Honeyman’s tenthminute shot only to redirect the effort beyond Carson.
Then skipper Richard Keogh’s crazy pass presented possession to Ashley Fletcher who threaded a low shot past the former England keeper in the 36th minute.
Even a moment of rare quality from Matej Vydra who sent a stunning half-volley soaring past Lee Camp in the 42nd minute could not stem the tide.
Fletcher miskicked a glaring chance wide in first half injurytime before a shocking tackle from Forsyth on the marauding Lynden Gooch allowed Aiden McGeady roll in a 50th penalty.
Fletcher and Paddy McNair struck wood and Derby were seeing stars.
Appalling marking allowed John O’Shea to cap his creditable night with a close range finish in the 77th minute.
This allowed Sunderland’s fans, free temporarily at least from the nerves of a dreadful season, to roar their team home.
They won with ease without totally suggesting their troubles are behind them.
Their defending was a mixture of haphazard and spirited but their sharpness on the break was a revelation.
Coleman challenged his side to back up this win by treating Monday’s visit of Sheffield Wednesday like ‘our last game’ after hailing a ‘huge perfomance’.
“We haven’t been consistent but we must look for back-toback wins,” he said.
“I’m not setting my players a points target but we’ll treat Monday as if it is our last game of the season.
“It’s amazing what a bit of courage and steel and resilience can do – and we showed that through the spine of our team.
“The supporters were with us and we must continue to excite them if we are to get out of this.”