Paul Warne has given a positive update regarding some of his injured Derby County players in his pre-match interview.
The Rams play Millwall this weekend and will make the trip down to The Den with a couple of extra faces who have recovered during the international break.
Two Able To Play, One Nearing Return
County were missing five players in their last game before the break, with the Pride Park side beating Queens Park Rangers 2-0. Of those, both Callum Elder and Ben Osborn have been involved in training this week.
Some more hopeful news came regarding Crystal Palace loanee David Ozoh. Speaking to the club’s official media, Warne said:
“Callum joined in training on Tuesday, so he needs some minutes.
“Ozzy has trained for a couple of days this week.
“With David, we were hopeful he would be available for this weekend – we’re not sure he will be but he’s really close.”
Elsewhere in the squad, Liam Thompson, Tom Barkhuizen and Jake Rooney were all involved in National League Cup action to build their minutes up following their returns from issues.
“We’ve Learned”
Derby have made a good start to life back in the Championship and are currently 12th heading into this weekend’s matches. The Rams have put in some good performances on the way, beating both Middlesbrough and Bristol City.
Reflecting on how he has felt the season has gone so far, Warne added:
“When we get the best out of the group – the players and the staff – everyone sees the results. From a performance point of view, I’ve been pleased. I’m disappointed we didn’t pick up points against Norwich City and Sheffield United. We’ve learned from the tactical mistakes we may have made at Blackburn Rovers on the opening day and our home performances have been really good.
“We’ve had a chance to win every game. And at this level, I think it’s really impressive. The players we brought in have hit the ground running, too. They have contributed well and had a massive input.
Writer’s View
Derby County can be proud of how they have adapted from League One into the Championship. The squad looks strong and the goals are coming from players across the pitch. A win over Millwall will show the rest of the league they have what it takes to compete at this level and be a threat going down the line.
