G.M's Match Preview: Derby To Make It A Boxing D-Eight To Remember?
Thursday, 26th Dec 2013 11:42 by George Martin

Derby travel to Huddersfield for a Boxing Day showdown, buoyed by another win and three goals at home to Doncaster. Can the Rams make it 8 consecutive wins - which would be the best of any Championship club this season?

During the Doncaster match, the visitors played some good football and passed the ball round neatly without too much of an end product. That was the difference between the two sides.

Derby's clinical movement and passing in the final third created chances which were taken very well. The only blip was the penalty miss/save from Martin. He hit it well enough. He hit it into the corner. I just think Turnbull in goal guessed right and timed his dive and reach to perfection. The follow up, swing and miss by Dawkins actually made me laugh. Bless him. He did make amends, brilliantly after half time though.

The highlight of the game for me was Grant saving a one on one from Theo Robinson with the score at 1-0, and then Derby making around 6 passes to put the ball in the Doncaster net for the second goal.

Doncaster did not even touch the ball after Grant's save. Fantastic football, fantastic finish. Grant coming over to the South Stand by-line to celebrate after his important save was great and Buxton came to congratulate him too. A true gent.

Slightly worrying was the 15 minute spell after the Buxton own goal where the defence looked a little shaky. Keane looked uncomfortable, Wisdom was too central and at times forgot he was playing right back.

However, another fantastic pass by my man of the match Martin, allowed Bryson to dribble into the box and curl a lovely pea roller into the corner. 3-1, game over. For Doncaster, I was impressed by right midfielder, Duffy (number 7). A neat and tidy footballer.

Keogh will be missed for the next few games. He is injured for up to four weeks. Hopefully it will be a Ward type injury and he will be back sooner, but the club have mentioned medial ligament damage, so that will be at least a few weeks depending on the grade and extent of the tear. I imagine we won't see him until the end of January.

It gives Man United loanee Keane a great opportunity to show what he can do. Whether he plays on the right or left side of centre, where he is more comfortable, will be a decision for the coaching staff to make. He looked uncomfortable on the right side and on the radio he said he had not payed there for over a year. At times, in the second half, I could tell.

Moving him to the left side is an option but that may then unsettle Buxton. They have had a few days to play together, so hopefully the right decisions will be made. Personally, I'd be tempted to move Buxton over to the right, but we will see.

More than three thousand Derby fans will travel to Huddersfield. For me, they are a typical long term Championship team. They concede as many as they score, they win as many as they draw and lose, and are mid table.

In their last 6 games, they won 3 on the trot, followed by 2 defeats and a goalless draw. In Vaughn, Paterson and Hammill they have players who can create chances and score goals. I expect, at times, it will be a tough afternoon for the full backs. Dawkins and Ward will need to work hard to get back and help Forsyth and Wisdom.

Keane and Buxton will have to be at their very best and fully focused to keep out Vaughn and Paterson, who are both players I have been impressed with when they have played against Derby and when watching highlights.

Hopefully Huddersfield will come out and play and this will give Derby the opportunity to use the space, pass well and create chances.

I believe this will be Derby's toughest test of the last seven games. Part of me thinks we have to eventually lose, but I also wonder who will stop us from scoring. If things are not going right we are able to use Hendrick, Russell, Sammon and the pace of Bennett, if needed.

Derby do not seem to have a great record away at Huddersfield in Recent years. Last year's 1-0 defeat under Clough was awful. Another cautious display where hardly a shot was even registered, never mind actually testing the keeper out.

I would take a draw, but would love to see the winning streak continue.

The last time Derby won at Huddersfield? 1995, 1-0.

Yes, you remember, it was Boxing Day! Another strange coincidence especially as Steele, Simpson and McClaren were all at the club!

A Sturridge cross, a D.Powell header that was saved by their keeper only for Ron Willems to race onto the rebound and lash it home. Cue delirium in the away end!

Oohh the memories!!

Current Form — Last 5 League Matches:

Huddersfield (13th): W, W, L, L, D

Derby (4th): W, W, W, W, W

The Stats That Matter:

The Rams are proven quick starters this season with 22 of their goal tally coming in the first 45 minutes of matches.

Steve McClaren has collected 28 of a possible 33 points since taking over at Derby. Go Macca!

The Rams have the highest goals ‘for’ in the Championship with 45, as well as the best conversion rate per shots on goal.

The Rams will be looking to make it 8 wins in a row to overtake Burnley’s run of 7 from earlier this season - which they equalled last week. This would make Derby’s the longest winning run by any club in the Championship this season.

Huddersfield has not won in their last 3 matches with 2 losses and a draw but they are yet to record back to back home defeats this season. If there is any team that is going about setting and breaking records this season… it’s the Rams… so break it boys!