With four new signings plus recent acquisition Danny Mills starting for Derby last Saturday against Wigan, many Rams fans must have felt that Paul Jewell was taking a revolutionary rather than evolutionary approach to rebuilding the side. Apparently he used to have a pet tortoise named Trotsky, so maybe that's no surprise.
What many of the Derby faithful would never have expected to see was the distinctive blond mane of Robbie Savage leading out a Derby side at Pride Park. Savage was an idol at Leicester City, fierce local rivals of Derby, and this writer was present in 2001 when his behaviour following his ‘winning’ a penalty almost caused a riot. It can take a long time for football fans to forgive and forget.
But Savage impressed with his endeavour on Saturday. He certainly seemed to have made a difference organisationally, as Derby’s midfield and defence operated with more togetherness, giving them a much more solid look, at least initially.
By the middle of the second half, though, Savage was puffing and blowing like the carthorse some believe him to be. His fitness will improve with games, though, and he could prove to be a real talisman for the side, eventually.
Alongside him, Hossam Ghaly, signed on loan from Spurs, added some nice touches and tackles, though he also looked unfit and off the pace, as did Derby’s other new signings. Both Laurent Robert on the left and new Argentine striker Emanuel ‘Tito’ Villa struggled to make an impression.
Derby’s key problems have been defensive though this season, and they persisted on Saturday. Andy Todd is certainly unfit at the moment, but should be good and experienced enough to do a competent job alongside the right partner.
That partner isn’t Claude Davis. One thing this observer noticed in the first half was how often Mills, undoubtedly signed for his leadership qualities, spent talking to and shouting at Claude Davis - it was almost constant.
A sign of good communication, one may think. But communication involves listening, and Claude seems incapable of that. He’s also an international defender, meaning that he shouldn’t require ‘coaching’ through an entire game by a team-mate.
From his comportment on the pitch, Davis is clearly a monumentally arrogant man: a great player in his head. Never before has arrogance been so misplaced.
Even before the idiotic elbowing incident that got him sent off, Davis was proving just how much he deserves the new soubriquet awarded him by the fans: ‘Coco’, as in Coco the Clown.
He has no sense of anticipation - his positioning, both tactically and of body, is awful. He seems frightened of the ball, often letting it bounce disastrously, causing comedy chaos in Derby’s defence. His basic technique is terrible: he slices clearances, mishits passes and throws his body into ridiculous shapes as he attempts idiotic volleys. This must have something to do with the baffling number of silly injuries he incurs. Overall, he's a signing that epitomises Billy Davies’s lack of transfer market acumen.
‘Coco’ missed the trip to Fratton Park on Saturday due to suspension, and further defensive readjustment was forced on Derby as right back Tyrone Mears was forced to withdraw with a shin injury that could keep him out for three months. Welsh international Lewin Nyatanga, recently returned from a loan spell at Barnsley, stepped in at left back.
He made an immediate impression: slotting in the rebound from Craig Fagan’s header to put Derby a goal ahead after four minutes.
What happened after they took the lead is a metaphor for Derby’s season.
Danny Mills was forced to leave the field on 32 minutes with injury. Left winger Eddie Lewis was brought on at left back as Paul Jewell was forced into a clumsy looking readjustment of his defence, with Andy Todd moving across to right back.
Derby were three-one down by the hour mark, having reorganised again at half-time into an unfamiliar 3-5-2 formation. Such is life at County.
Billy Davies left Paul Jewell with a sinking ship. That much was obvious to most observers. What wasn’t apparent is the sheer amount of holes that have to be plugged and the frequency with which new holes appear.
Not only did Davies leave gaps in terms of quality, something Jewell is attempting to remedy with his new signings, he also left a squad that hadn’t been physically properly prepared for the Premiership. The number of injuries Derby have suffered this season has left them unable to build the consistency of personnel and formation that builds confidence.
On Tuesday they travel to Sheffield Wednesday. A problematic game for many reasons, but made more so by the fact that none of the new signings, apart from Mills, are eligible. Derby fans are wondering just who will actually play.
Jewell would do well to cast his eyes across Sheffield on Tuesday in the direction of Bramall Lane. Sheffield United, relegated from the Premiership last season, now languish in the Championship, as close to relegation as to the play-offs. Further revolutionary action is definitely required if he is to prevent a similar thing happening to Derby.
What many of the Derby faithful would never have expected to see was the distinctive blond mane of Robbie Savage leading out a Derby side at Pride Park. Savage was an idol at Leicester City, fierce local rivals of Derby, and this writer was present in 2001 when his behaviour following his ‘winning’ a penalty almost caused a riot. It can take a long time for football fans to forgive and forget.
But Savage impressed with his endeavour on Saturday. He certainly seemed to have made a difference organisationally, as Derby’s midfield and defence operated with more togetherness, giving them a much more solid look, at least initially.
By the middle of the second half, though, Savage was puffing and blowing like the carthorse some believe him to be. His fitness will improve with games, though, and he could prove to be a real talisman for the side, eventually.
Alongside him, Hossam Ghaly, signed on loan from Spurs, added some nice touches and tackles, though he also looked unfit and off the pace, as did Derby’s other new signings. Both Laurent Robert on the left and new Argentine striker Emanuel ‘Tito’ Villa struggled to make an impression.
Derby’s key problems have been defensive though this season, and they persisted on Saturday. Andy Todd is certainly unfit at the moment, but should be good and experienced enough to do a competent job alongside the right partner.
That partner isn’t Claude Davis. One thing this observer noticed in the first half was how often Mills, undoubtedly signed for his leadership qualities, spent talking to and shouting at Claude Davis - it was almost constant.
A sign of good communication, one may think. But communication involves listening, and Claude seems incapable of that. He’s also an international defender, meaning that he shouldn’t require ‘coaching’ through an entire game by a team-mate.
From his comportment on the pitch, Davis is clearly a monumentally arrogant man: a great player in his head. Never before has arrogance been so misplaced.
Even before the idiotic elbowing incident that got him sent off, Davis was proving just how much he deserves the new soubriquet awarded him by the fans: ‘Coco’, as in Coco the Clown.
He has no sense of anticipation - his positioning, both tactically and of body, is awful. He seems frightened of the ball, often letting it bounce disastrously, causing comedy chaos in Derby’s defence. His basic technique is terrible: he slices clearances, mishits passes and throws his body into ridiculous shapes as he attempts idiotic volleys. This must have something to do with the baffling number of silly injuries he incurs. Overall, he's a signing that epitomises Billy Davies’s lack of transfer market acumen.
‘Coco’ missed the trip to Fratton Park on Saturday due to suspension, and further defensive readjustment was forced on Derby as right back Tyrone Mears was forced to withdraw with a shin injury that could keep him out for three months. Welsh international Lewin Nyatanga, recently returned from a loan spell at Barnsley, stepped in at left back.
He made an immediate impression: slotting in the rebound from Craig Fagan’s header to put Derby a goal ahead after four minutes.
What happened after they took the lead is a metaphor for Derby’s season.
Danny Mills was forced to leave the field on 32 minutes with injury. Left winger Eddie Lewis was brought on at left back as Paul Jewell was forced into a clumsy looking readjustment of his defence, with Andy Todd moving across to right back.
Derby were three-one down by the hour mark, having reorganised again at half-time into an unfamiliar 3-5-2 formation. Such is life at County.
Billy Davies left Paul Jewell with a sinking ship. That much was obvious to most observers. What wasn’t apparent is the sheer amount of holes that have to be plugged and the frequency with which new holes appear.
Not only did Davies leave gaps in terms of quality, something Jewell is attempting to remedy with his new signings, he also left a squad that hadn’t been physically properly prepared for the Premiership. The number of injuries Derby have suffered this season has left them unable to build the consistency of personnel and formation that builds confidence.
On Tuesday they travel to Sheffield Wednesday. A problematic game for many reasons, but made more so by the fact that none of the new signings, apart from Mills, are eligible. Derby fans are wondering just who will actually play.
Jewell would do well to cast his eyes across Sheffield on Tuesday in the direction of Bramall Lane. Sheffield United, relegated from the Premiership last season, now languish in the Championship, as close to relegation as to the play-offs. Further revolutionary action is definitely required if he is to prevent a similar thing happening to Derby.
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