Derby County have finally hit form in recent weeks, easing a lot of the pressure on gaffer Paul Warne. He was facing calls from supporters to be sacked a month ago, losing the backing of some supporters in the away end at Stevenage in October.
That toxicity has turned to positivity with five straight wins, pushing Warne’s side into the top six. Following Bolton Wanderers’ defeat to Portsmouth on Monday, the gap to the automatic places is just three points.
Although the East Midlands outfit will be desperate to avoid the dreaded Play-Offs, that may be the option if they have their yearly February blip. It is something that has thwarted past promotion charges in the second tier, and with the agony of missing out on the top six last season altogether, Derby fans will be hoping for automatic promotion.
The Rams face Wycombe Wanderers tomorrow before a home game against Lincoln City before Christmas. They then have a tough run over the festive period, beginning at Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day. Two games against sides in the top six follow, with a trip to Oxford United followed by the visit of Peterborough United to Pride Park.
So, do Derby have what it takes to win promotion at the second time of asking?
Evenly-Contested Division
There’s no denying that this League One season is weaker than in previous years, partly due to the promotion of Ipswich Town, Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday last season. All three amassed over ninety points, leaving the division more open this time around. Of the three beaten Play-Off sides last season, Peterborough United, Oxford United and Barnsley all occupy a spot in the top seven, but there are a host of other names in contention.
It looks like it might finally be Portsmouth’s year to win promotion after numerous near misses, as they have opened up a six-point gap at the top. The same is true for Oxford, after years of having a promising squad, it looks like they are going to mount a serious promotion charge this term.
Stevenage have stunned the division since their promotion, sitting third which epitomises the unpredictability of the third tier. The result of all this is that there is potential for a side of Derby’s calibre to have a real shot at promotion, in the absence of the ‘big clubs’ that have been seen in the division in the past few years. While the size of a club does not give any side a divine right to be promoted, there will be a justified belief that Derby can emerge from the Play-Off pack in the next few weeks to knock on the door of the top two.
Utilising the Academy
The Mel Morris era at Derby will be looked back on in anger by most Rams fans, with good reason, but the club’s academy prospered under his reign.
Unfortunately, following the repercussions of administration, Derby were forced to sell a number of their prized assets. As a result, some academy talents were fast-tracked into the first team, thanks to a transfer ban. The knock-on effect of this was that Derby’s academy was decimated, and the results were clear when the U21’s side failed to win a single game in PL2.
There has been a huge improvement in the performances of both the U18s and U21s this term, which has filtered through to the first team. Several academy graduates have made first-team appearances, and in the recent three-nil win over Leyton Orient, Dajaune Brown and Adebayo Fapetu were named in the matchday squad. You only have to look at the starting line-up at Brisbane Road to see the players that have come through the club’s production line.
The EFL Trophy has also been good ground for youngsters to get minutes, and a run in the competition could have another key positive. Regular football keeps the squad fresh, while not overworking it. It also keeps the winning mentality going, something that is crucial in a promotion push.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
A player who had been under fire in the early parts of the season for his failure to track back, the Guatemalan international has been in superb form for the past two months. No player has more assists in the third tier than Derby’s in-form winger, and his form in front of goal has helped Derby move into the top six.
His performances are crucial to Derby’s promotion push, scoring five goals in the last seven to earn the Rams some crucial wins. He has hit even greater heights in the past three games, scoring one and assisting the other as Derby just got over the line against a resilient Bristol Rovers outfit. In the following midweek win over Port Vale, he laid the ball on a plate for Tyreece John-Jules to net the only goal of the game.
Last weekend’s success in the capital came in large part thanks to the individual brilliance of the former Cardiff man, with a goal and an assist again. The importance of keeping Mendez-Laing fit cannot be understated; Derby’s long-suffering fans may have something to celebrate come April if he continues his electrifying form.
