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Preview: Derby County vs. Crystal Palace
Preview: Derby County vs. Crystal Palace
Friday, 24th Sep 2010 21:37 by Mick McDermott

The Rams are still seeking their first home win and need to 'reignite their season', as one of the players put it. Will they put Palace to the torch?

 

 

 

Derby County vs. Crystal Palace

Pride Park Stadium, Derby

The nPower Championship

Saturday 25th September 2010, 13:00 pm

 

Derby County v Crystal Palace – Historical:

P 30 W 19 D 6 L 5 F 63 A 23

Last game at Pride Park Stadium:

17/04/10 Derby County 1 - 1 Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace:   19/24  P 7 W 2 D 1 L 4 F 8 A 12

Leading scorers: Vaughan (3)

Derby:    20/24  P 7 W 1 D 2 L 4 F 7 A 11

Leading scorers:  Commons (2)

 

The Rams:

Another good performance at Barnsley but only one point. Despite all of our possession and good football we can't put it in the net. Hopefully we can get a good striker in by the weekend to do the job... Perhaps Woods from WBA? (Oh wait - he's gone to Barnsley), James Vaughan from Everton? On loan at Palace.

I won’t comment any further but it does show how silly it is to sell your number one striker and not have a replacement lined up. I know Tom Glick thought that Chris Porter would be "back by the weekend" but who else did? His Injury rumbles on and I'm going to speculate that it's likely to be season long or even career threatening.

Hopes of another loan finally came to fruition on Friday night with WBA's Luke Moore coming to Pride Park for a month.

We need someone who can finish and hold the ball up front; Moore (a £3m buy from West Midlands' rivals Aston Villa) didn't make Albion's cut for their 25-man 2010-11 squad. Abion fans don't rate him - and clearly, neither does his manager, Roberto Di Matteo. At least he'll be desperate for a game - but it's hardly team-building, is it?

Dean Leacock, fresh from scoring his first goal for the club, is talking up the Rams' team on Radio Derby;

"There's nothing to fear in this league.

"We have played the best team apparently - QPR - and we should have beaten them and that says a lot about what we can do."

He does admit they were rubbish against Sheffield United however;

"We held our hands up after the Sheffield United game and said we didn't do ourselves justice."

He then goes on to give the rallying call for the fans;

"We owe the home fans something massive and we need the home fans,"

"They turn out in their thousands and hopefully we can put on a performance for them against Palace."

Hopefully? It's starting to wear a bit thin, Dean. The fans are growing restive and you now have two home games to start getting it right. We don't demand victory - we aren't Manchester United - but we do demand 100% on the pitch. Do that, and the fans will back you.

Probable Team:

Bywater

Brayford Leacock Barker Moxey

Bailey Pearson

Bueno Green Commons

Kuqi

Subs –   Deeney, O'Brien, Savage, Moore, Cywka, Doyle

No.  Position  Player  

1 Keeper   Stephen Bywater  

2 Defender  John Brayford  

3 Defender  Gareth Roberts  LFT

4 Midfield  Paul Green  

5 Defender  Shaun Barker (vice-captain)  

6 Defender  Dean Leacock  

7 Striker  Steve Davies  Injured

8 Midfield  Robbie Savage (captain)  

9 Striker  Shefki Kuqi (on loan from Swansea City)  

10 Midfield  Kris Commons  

11 Midfield  Stephen Pearson  

12 Striker  Chris Porter  Injured

13 Keeper   Saul Deeney  

14 Defender  Russell Anderson Injured

15 Midfield  David Martin  

16 Midfield  James Bailey  

17 Defender  Jake Buxton  

18 Midfield  Ben Pringle  

19 Striker  Tomasz Cywka  

20 Defender  Miles Addison  Injured

21 Defender  Dean Moxey  

23 Striker  Conor Doyle  

25 Defender  Mark O'Brien  

26 Striker  Callum Ball  

27 Striker  Alberto Bueno (on loan from Real Valladolid)  

32 Keeper   James Severn  

35 Midfield  Jeff Hendrick  

36 Defender  Kallum Keane  

37 Midfield  Ryan Connolly  

38 Midfield  Medi Abalimba  

39 Defender  Mitchell Hanson 

--  Striker      Luke Moore    (on loan fron West Bromwich Albion)

 

Crystal Palace:

George Burley is proud of the way his young squad has reacted to coming out of administration. From BBC Radio London;

"I feel we're building a very good side but that doesn't happen overnight."

"We've got some top-class young players coming through. There are areas where it's never easy but there are a lot of positives about Palace."

Burley added: "We started with 10 first-team players and virtually no staff. We've come a long way in the last few months. It's like anything, it takes time."

"We've got a lot of loan players, a lot of young players, so it's very important that we're very focused. We keep working hard and we keep improving and try and get the right results."

Palace are yet to score on the road and do seem to concede a few - 3 each at Reading and Scunthorpe - However, they got a good draw against Burnley and put 4 past a hapless Pompey - Including a hat-trick for former Ram & loan target James Vaughan.

Burley himself of course is no stranger to Pride Park - A job he left after his position became 'untenable', but Burley isn't bitter;

I really enjoyed my time at Derby, the fans were terrific and it was a great club to work for,"

"In football you move on and I've been at a number of good Championship sides over the years where I've been very fortunate to be the manager."

"But they are very loyal fans, great traditions since the Brian Clough era, they really love their football and there's always a good atmosphere at Pride Park."

Current Squad:

No.  Position  Player

1 Keeper   Julián Speroni (vice-captain)

2 Defender  Nathaniel Clyne

3 Defender  David Wright

4 Defender  Claude Davis

5 Defender  Paddy McCarthy (captain)

6 Defender  Adam Barrett

7 Midfield  Darren Ambrose

8 Midfield  Neil Danns

9 Striker  James Vaughan (on loan from Everton)

11 Midfield  Andy Dorman

12 Striker  Calvin Andrew

13 Keeper   Lewis Price

14 Striker  Sean Scannell

15 Midfield  Kieron Cadogan

16 Striker  Wilfried Zaha

17 Defender  Jack Holland

18 Defender  Lee Hills

19 Defender  Julian Bennett (on loan from Nottingham Forest)

20 Midfield  Edgar Davids

21 Midfield  Kieran Djilali

22 Midfield  Jerry Nnamani

23 Striker  Nathaniel Pinney

24 Defender  Charlie Holness

25 Midfield  Alassane N'Diaye

26 Defender  Matthew Parsons

27 Striker  Dario Zebroski

28 Midfield  Stuart O'Keefe

29 Striker  Jonathan Obika (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)

30 Midfield  Alex Marrow (on loan from Blackburn Rovers)

31 Defender  Anthony Gardner (on loan from Hull City)

32 Striker  Pablo Couñago (on loan from Ipswich Town)

 

What the bookies think:

Derby are favourites at 6/5 while the Eagles are at 9/4. The draw is 23/10 The Bookies don’t still don't think much of our strike force, with Shefki Kuqi taking over as favourite - whilst Kris Commons and Alberto Bueno are at 6/1.

James Vaughan is at 6/1 for the Eagles and 40/1 for a hat-trick.

 

Information for travelling fans:

Driving:

It’s M1 to J25 for Derby. Follow Brian Clough Way towards the city until you see Pride Park on the right. The ground and away parking are signposted. About 40 miles and an hour’s drive.

Parking:

Away fans can park at Catalyst on London Rd opposite the Navigation pub. It's about 10-15 minutes from the ground. Don't be tempted to park at Pride Park shopping centre, unless you fancy being clamped.

You can also park at the Fireplace showroom just at the turn off the A52 for Pride Park. Don’t be in a rush to leave however as it takes an age to get out of there.

Another alternative is to pass the exit for Pride Park on Brian Clough Way and head for Pentagon Island... Take the first exit and turn left and after a few hundred yards you will come to The Cattle Market Car Park. It's about 10 minutes walk to the ground from here.

Drinking:

Given the early start, it's likely that there won’t be much time for drinking however there are a few pubs very close to the ground but if you come by train, the locale around the station is fairly inviting.

The Crown and Cushion at the junction of London Rd always seems to be full of away supporters. The Brunswick is a must for any real ale fans and the Alexandra next door is my personal favourite.

Fans tend to mingle in these pubs and as long as you're not being aggressive, the atmosphere is good. The Waterfall opposite the station is okay as well.

If you are driving, the Navigation Pub on London Rd opposite the parking area is your best bet. Around the ground there's a Frankie & Bennie's, Harvester and the Pride Park but these tend to be very busy.

Mick's prediction:

The fans are restless and the players nervous. If we could guarantee that by getting behind the players we'd cure their nerves we'd raise the rafters. But against the Blunts - most fans' last encounter with the team - we just didn't get out of the blocks.

Which Rams will turn up? Looks like the fans are starting not to bother.

Derby County 2-0 Crystal Palace

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Action Images



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