One of the other East midland Derbies - Can Nigel Clough's men improve their away form against the resurgent Foxes?

Leicester City v Derby County
Coca Cola Championship
Walkers Stadium, Leicester
3:00 pm, 17th October 2009

Leicester City:
Current League position: 7/24
Leading Scorer: Matty Fryatt 7lg1cp
Manager: Nigel Pearson
Kit Home: blue shirt/white shorts
Kit Away: black shirts, blue stripe/Black shorts
Last game: Coventry City 1-1 Leicester City

Quotes from the manager:

From the BBC following the Coventry Game:

"I thought it was an enjoyable encounter because both sides were trying to win it and had a good go, but I felt that we were the better side."

Current Foxes Squad:

No / Position / Player
1 Keeper Chris Weale
2 Defender Robbie Neilson
3 Defender Ryan McGivern (on loan from Manchester City)
4 Defender Michael Morrison
5 Defender Aleksandar Tunchev
6 Defender Wayne Brown
7 Midfield Max Gradel
8 Midfield Matt Oakley (Vice-Captain)
9 Striker Steve Howard
10 Midfield Andy King
11 Midfield Lloyd Dyer
12 Striker Matty Fryatt
13 Keeper Conrad Logan
14 Midfield Stephen Clemence (Captain)
15 Defender Bruno Berner
16 Midfield Nicky Adams
17 Midfield Dany N'Guessan
18 Striker Martyn Waghorn (on loan from Sunderland)
19 Midfield Richie Wellens
20 Defender Luke O'Neill
22 Striker Yann Kermorgant
23 Striker D. J. Campbell
24 Striker Paul Gallagher
25 Defender Jack Hobbs
26 Midfield Astrit Ajdarevic
28 Midfield Robbie Burns
29 Defender Chris Powell
35 Keeper Carl Pentney
–– Keeper Alex Cisak
–– Midfield Levi Porter
–– Defender Lathaniel Rowe-Turner

The Rams:

Quotes from the manager:

Commenting in the DET on his two wingers’ formation and whether it would continue:

"That is up to Lee Croft and Gary Teale. They have done it at home and we cannot see any reason why they can't do it away as well,”

"If not, when we get the options we will go with a more solid midfield players and we won't play with wingers in away games."

Current Rams Squad:

1 Keeper Stephen Bywater
2 Defender Paul Connolly INJURED
3 Defender James McEveley
4 midfield Paul Green INJURED
5 Defender Miles Addison INJURED
6 Defender Dean Leacock
7 Midfield Lee Croft
8 Midfield Robbie Savage (captain)
9 Striker Rob Hulse
10 Striker Kris Commons
11 Midfield Gary Teale
12 Striker Chris Porter INJURED
13 Keeper Saul Deeney
14 Defender Shaun Barker INJURED
16 Midfield Stephen Pearson INJURED
17 Defender Jake Buxton
18 Midfield Ben Pringle
19 Striker Giles Barnes INJURED
20 Striker Steve Davies INJURED
21 Midfield Dean Moxey
22 Midfield Arnaud Mendy
23 Defender Mark O'Brien INJURED
24 Midfield Jake Livermore (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
25 Striker Paul Dickov (on loan from Leicester City) INELLIGIBLE
26 Midfield Lee Hendrie
27 Defender Fredrik Stoor (on loan from Fulham)
31 Striker James Vaughan (on loan from Everton) INJURED
-- Midfield Reuben Zadkovich

What the Bookies think:

Home Win: 5/6
Draw: 23/10
Away win: 13/5
First Scorer: Matty Fryatt 4/1, Steve Howard 5/1, Rob Hulse 7/1

Information for travelling fans:

Driving: It's about 35 miles to Leicester. The new stadium isn't that far from Filbert Street. Take the M1 South to Junction 21. Take the A5460 towards Leicester until you go under a railway bridge. Carry on for another 200 yards and turn right at the traffic lights into Upperton Road and then right again into Filbert Street. The new stadium is visible just behind the old Filbert Street ground.

Parking: Park at the Leicester Rugby stadium or use the street parking around Upperton Rd. get there early however as it tends to get congested and hard to park. A better plan is to take the train as it's only 15 minutes from the city centre to the stadium.

Drinking: If you go on the train, expect to be herded into the Hind across the road from the station unless you get there early. You'll then get the obligatory police escort to the stadium.

Most of the pubs around the ground are for home fans only though the Counting House on Freemans Common Rd does serve away fans though as this is regarded as a high profile game, the police may have something to say.

Footballgroundguide.com recommends the Leicester Gateway on Gateway Street near the hospital.

Mick's prediction:

Following the mauling at Cardiff, it was good to see the team get back to winning ways against Sheffield Wednesday. Before the game, many fans were fearful about what a seemingly resurgent Wednesday side might do to us - Particularly with Jay McEveley at centre half.

We needn't have worried. McEveley stood firm and, even without his goal, was man of the match for me - something I thought I'd never hear myself say.

To be fair, it was pleasing to see Wednesday making the same defensive errors we are used to seeing the Rams make - and more to the point seeing the team capitalize on it.

Lee Croft played well and although he would have put it in the stand if he'd been a few yards further back, he took his goal well. Maybe it's a confidence thing with wingers? If so his goal should help and if Commons is fit, he needs to fight for his place.

Gary Teale on the other hand continues to frustrate. He is capable of beating players and getting to the byline - and he can cross a ball - but he doesn't consistently enough - that's why he's so unpopular among the fans.

Can we continue the form from that game after the international break? Another injury to Shaun Barker means that another of the key players against Wednesday isn't fit and coupled with Paul Dickov (another excellent player on the day) we're again playing on the bare bones.

Dean Leacock, Kris Commons & Jake Buxton should be available but are they fit? Same with the almost forgotten Reuben Zadkovich.

Playing Barker while he was unfit may have caused his problem in the first place. I would go 4-5-1 with Hendrie in to beef up the midfield. If that doesn't work, Commons could replace Croft or McEveley and we could play 4-4-2.

Mick's team:

Bywater, Stoor, Leacock, McEveley, Moxey, Teale Livermore, Savage, Hendrie, Croft, Hulse

Subs: Buxton, Zadkovich, Commons … whoever is available!

Prediction:

Leicester 2-0 Rams

Photo: Action Images

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