From the South West Corner: Eight questions with Derby County
Ahead of tomorrow’s must win game against Derby, we sat down with Rams fan Dan Walls to discuss the game.
Leeds United face Derby County tomorrow night. Derby are a team in good form, and they sit only a point behind Leeds. Both teams need to win the game to strengthen their playoff credentials, and after watching Leeds of late, we’re not as hopeful as we want to be.
Ahead of the game, we sat down with Rams fan, Dan Walls to get his opinion on Derby and their chances against Leeds.
From the South West Corner: Derby County
Hey Dan. Since the defeat against Bristol in mid-September, Derby have gone on a decent run. What in your opinion has been the major factor for the success over the last month?
I think the major factor has been finding the right balance in the team. We were lacking someone to control the centre of midfield with George Thorne out injured long term. Rowett thought he’d signed Kieftenbeld from Birmingham, but the player filled the wrong paperwork in and we missed the deadline by seconds.
Rowett then bought in Joe Ledley and that has created a settled, balanced side. We’ve also tightened up defensively, cut out silly defensive errors and concentration lapses. At the other end, we’ve started to take our chances in front of goal with Nugent and Vydra creating a good partnership.
Gary Rowett has been in charge since March, what are your thoughts on your manager?
I really like Gary Rowett. He played for the club in a successful period under Jim Smith in the late 90's. He’s lived locally and knows what the club means to the people of Derby. I think the one thing Rowett provides is honest, hard working players who are prepared to put a shift in for the team. That’s something we’ve lacked in previous years.
I think he needs a bit of time; our recent record of sacking managers isn’t great and doesn’t allow anyone long enough to create their own squad. I think given another transfer window or two, we’ll really start to benefit from Gary Rowett’s management style.
Who should we be watching for on Tuesday evening?
Matej Vydra has been on fire recently and seems to be enjoying his time at the club. He’s a clever player who creates pockets of space and links up well with Nugent.
What matchup is most important for Derby against Leeds?
It’s a tough call as I think Rowett will make a few changes. I think we might see Chris Martin for Derby and up against Jansson would be a good battle. Both are very strong battlers. Martin likes the ball in to feet and if Jansson gets in too close behind, you can be sure that Martin will look to buy a few free kicks!
Why do you support Derby County?
I support Derby because my dad took me to watch the Rams as a kid in the 80's. We weren’t great then, and the good old Clough days were well behind us, but I loved the old Baseball Ground. My dad was a firm believer that you support your local team.
Give us a reason you’ll win?
We’re in good form at the moment and we’ve just produced our best away display for a long time in a good 2–1 win away at Norwich. We seem organised and hard to beat whilst being clinical in front of goal.
Give us a reason you’ll lose?
Our away form isn’t great. If we sit back, we will get punished. We need to take the game to Leeds. Leeds have some quality players and are capable of beating anyone at Elland Road.
What’s your match prediction then?
My prediction is 1–1.
We would like to thank Dan Walls for taking the time to answer our questions, and we wish him and Derby County luck for the rest of the season.
Check back here at Nowt For Second for the full preview of Leeds United’s match against Derby County tomorrow night. And be sure to follow us on Facebook or Twitter for more Leeds United coverage. MOT.
