Giles Barnes, easing back to match fitness, was not risked in the Rams' Reserves 1-1 draw with Reading Reserves on Monday, due to an ankle knock.

Media stories linking defender Darren Moore with Championship club to Leicester City were dismissed by Derby County. Davies said that Moore was important to his plans, apart from enquiries about Lee Holmes' loan availability from some clubs, he'd heard nothing of such stories and things were quiet.

A Guardian story suggested that Alisher Usmanov, the 2nd largest shareholder of Arsenal and a man that Arsene Wenger said that the rich and profitable Gunners should be able to do without, was advised to purchase Derby County or Tottenham prior to his investment at the Emirates Stadium.

At least the stories are going upmarket from the ‘Billy bust-up' and ‘Billy out!' tabloid rantings and perhaps we should expect frequent investment and takeover stories to emerge with the Rams existing in a media-generated void between being a stable, solvent smaller club or a super-rich billionaire's plaything.

I think we can pretty much expect plenty of linkage with international consortia or ‘personality' football speculators going forward and will have to see how the club fields any approaches and disseminates news to the fanbase. Needless to say, some fans will be sensitive about the source and intentions of new input and shareholdings arriving at board level in the light of the torrid recent history the club experienced.

The Rob Earnshaw debate continued, after a surprising lack of visibility from the prolific Welshman in the Rams' striking ranks. Some Rams fans thought he may get a late substitute run against Bolton, then the Welsh international boss John Toshack chipped in, expressing concern through the national press and declaring he'd been bereft of first team action this year.

Billy Davies was having none of this, suggesting Toshack “should get his facts right,” and reminding everyone that Earnshaw had spent 4 months out with a serious groin injury and another two months not playing during the close season. Davies said that Earnshaw would have to be patient in the light of the performances that the Rams' established strikers are producing.

Billy Davies and Peter Gadsby met recently to review the club's present and plan the future, considering scenarios if Derby stay up, or if they go down, discussing players and possible financial/investment situations that may emerge, though Davies pointed out that any financial investment or takeover plans were the board's business. Billy said it was a good meeting with the club looking to the future.

Gadsby himself featured in an interview on Sunday before the Reading match talking about Derby's situation. Yes, the club was seeking £10m for Pride Plaza funding but the aim was for the club to be self-sustaining and generate enough diverse revenue not just to depend on director donations. Takeover talk is wide of the mark but financial partnerships could emerge to put more money into the club.

Eddie Lewis was recalled to the USA squad for the upcoming friendly against Switzerland and so has the chance to add to the 73 caps for his nation. Teammate Danny Feilhaber will join up too. The Scottish quartet of Teale, Pearson, Miller and McEveley again join their squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers and Rob Earnshaw and Lewis Price have Welsh call-ups.

Rams' manager Davies paid tribute to Steve Coppell's achievements with the Royals. He was awarded Manager of the Year last season as Reading finished eighth. That was subsequent to an emphatic Championship title season where points and goals records fell when Reading dominated that league. They haven't fared so well this season and conceded seven at Pompey as the Rams were held by Bolton. John Madejski's ambition and investment in his club is a longer-term local success story than Derby County's recent renaissance and both clubs are trying to bridge the gap and remain in the top tier.

There is no doubt that the respective managers and chairmen share the same concerns about the enormous gulf in spending power that now separates the very top clubs from the rest.

Billy Davies asserted that the Rams will get better over time and were improving with each game – and that the most important initial target for Derby was not to be ‘detached' from the bottom group of clubs in the Premier League. He doesn't want to be bottom of the League, of course but was confident that the Rams could pick up points and survive.

Sunday afternoon gave Derby a chance to follow up on their hard-earned home draw with Bolton Wanderers. Pre-match interviews carried the usual upbeat messages: Tyrone Mears says “it's time we sorted out our away form” and Jay McEveley said “we're ready for the battle”, with the squad hoping to get among the goals at last on the road goals and not ship several themselves – or let in fateful early goals again. Sadly, they only achieved one of those aims and failed to return with anything from the game.

Feilhaber was selected in midfield, though with Stephen Pearson moved to a wide position to accommodate the changes, the Rams didn't have enough thrust down the middle to disturb Reading in a rather sterile game of few chances. Derby (again) had too little up front; Miller sparkled intermittently but Steve Howard was ineffective and we need more threat to score goals and win points at away venues.

Of course it was a more even game than other Rams' performances as Reading are also a team having a poor return this season near the foot of the table - but no goals and no points again for Derby was a huge disappointment from a game that was there for the taking. Ultimately, nothing was delivered.

Doyle gave Reading the lead after 62 minutes, so Davies pushed on Giles Barnes and Rob Earnshaw in a bid to salvage something from the game. The Rams couldn't produce a response, however, so five away defeats in a row tell their own story about our present lack of quality and power at this level.

Substitutes Barnes and Earnshaw gave Derby some pep in the last 20 minutes and Pearson must play in central midfield to give maximum effect. Maybe Davies therefore did get a few selection pointers for the next (Fulham) game where the Rams must pick up and achieve something. One point from the Bolton and Reading games do not bode well for Derby's survival plan.

Some encouragement can be taken from Feilhaber getting some Premier League minutes, Barnes maintaining his comeback and Earnshaw featured at last to combine with Miller. Simply, Davies has too few options and a lack of top level quality to select from – so it is about maximising performance, finding the best blend and chemistry and getting results from this set of players for the next three months.

Results elsewhere – with Birmingham, Sunderland, Fulham, Wigan and Bolton all losing too – were a relief and allowed Davies to repeat his assertion that the Rams were ‘very much in the mix' and ‘not detached', still on target according to his expectations. Fans would expect Davies to know, too that yet more is expected all round if the Rams are to have a realistic chances of amassing his overall points target for 2007/08. The Rams must now wait for the Fulham game on 20 th October to set about their task.

RamsWeek 40 2006 saw Billy Davies trying to establish competition for places in his squad. He was looking at the loan market and eyeing Manchester United starlet David Jones. The Rams had 15 points from 10 games as they made progress and their disjointed early season form was turning into a productive if not spectacular style, echoing the successful pragmatism of Billy's days at Preston North End.

The Rams eventually progressed to climb to the pinnacle of the table of course, with Davies collecting two Manager of the Month awards; season 2007/08 in contrast is shaping up for a hard winter, battling for Premier League survival.

Photo: Action Images

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