Signs are pointing in right direction despite lack of power up front

DERBY County extended their unbeaten run to three matches and recorded a third consecutive clean sheet.

The goalless draw against Preston North End at Deepdale moved the Rams on to three points at the bottom of the Championship and they are six points behind Hull City, who are just outside the bottom three.

Here is what Rams manager Wayne Rooney told the media after the game.

What are your thoughts on the draw and a point?

Rooney: “I thought we were the better team, had full control of the game, especially in the first half, and we created some good chances but couldn’t find that goal to win us the game.

“Good performance, good point, but it really should have been three.

“We are trying to find ways of scoring more goals because it is not through lack of chances because we are creating chances. Maybe a lack of composure or not being ruthless enough in front of goal. We have to score more goals, it is as simple as that.

“On the flip side it is three clean sheets in a row which is pleasing and that has helped us to get a point.”

Louie Sibley came on for Sam Baldock. How do you think he did?

Rooney: “Sibs came on up top and I thought he did a good job. I spoke to Sibs after the game because it is never nice when you come on and get subbed off. It was purely a tactical decision, it wasn’t to do with his performance.

“Of course he will be disappointed, I expect him to be disappointed because it is not nice when that happens.”

Does such a performance give you heart the team is going in the right direction?

Rooney: “The way we have been playing this season performancewise has been very good. The lads know their roles. We can improve, we know that, but we are heading in the right direction.”

How did you assess Festy Ebosele’s performance at right-back?

Rooney: “He did well. I think Festy is a huge talent. He is raw, he will make mistakes, but what he gives you is moments in games, not many players can give them moments. He is a threat for us, he was a threat today.”

Should you have had a couple of penalties?

Rooney: “Should have been a penalty (foul on Ebosele), the defender was never the right side and takes him down. Second half, handball, it should have been a penalty.

“I am sick of standing here week after week – they were two isolated occasions in the game that didn’t go our way and I felt the performance of the officials throughout the 90 minutes was not good enough.

“It has to be better. The players are

working really hard and you can accept mistakes from referees, but it is every week. Maybe somebody can come down and speak to me and tell me why we are not getting decisions.”

It was a surprise appearance by Colin Kazim-Richards on the bench.

Rooney: “Until Friday morning he was not in my plans for this game. When we arrived at the training ground he had been in early and I spoke to the physios and fitness

coaches and they said he had worked really well.

“So I went to the doctor and the physio, and to Colin, and said can you give me 10 to 15 minutes? They said from an injury point of view it is fine, fitness-wise it won’t be there so that is the reason I only brought him on towards the end.

“I am pleased to have Colin back with us. He still needs to work on his fitness, of course. He hasn’t trained with us yet, actually, so we will work on that. The next couple of games there will be cameo roles for him coming on towards the end.”

How pleasing is the three consecutive clean sheets?

Rooney: “We are looking very solid as a team. It was a different game against Preston to the Swansea game where we were under pressure in terms of not having possession and having to work off the ball a lot.

“Today we had a lot of the ball, created chances but just disappointed we didn’t take the three points.”

Craig Forsyth missed out through illness. Will Tuesday’s game against Luton come round too soon for him?

Rooney: “Yes, I think so. We will see how he is for the Coventry game on Saturday.”