Always a pleasure to welcome Joe from Derby County Talk back to LFW ahead of the Rams' visit to W12. In form Rams as well, following the seemingly bizarre recall of Steve McClaren.

Nigel Pearson is (still) one of the most sought after managers for Championship clubs with a vacancy. What did you make of his appointment and how was his summer?

Joe: I was delighted when Pearson was appointed in the summer. Many, including myself, felt that it was time to bring in a manager with good pedigree and a track record in this league, someone who's 'been there and done it'. There was no-one better suited to this criteria than Pearson, for me. The appointment of ex-Ram favourite Chris Powell as assistant was seen as a masterstroke by supporters, not only due to the fact that he's a likeable guy, but that in his own right he's an experienced Championship manager himself. It was seen as a win, win situation.

The early signs coming out of the club during pre-season were positive, many players stated during interviews that it was the toughest pre-season they had experienced in their careers. Everything was set up for a good campaign ahead of our opening day game at home to Brighton.

What went wrong? Why was he sacked? Any inside info on the 'suspension' or simply results were shit?

Joe: After 'failing' three years in a row to reach the Premier League, many thought it was time to ditch the tried and tested 4-3-3 formation that we had adopted to our play for the past two seasons. To do this, recruitment needed to key. Subsequently, no one was brought in over the summer and Pearson was determined to switch to a 4-4-2, which provided him with success at Leicester.

We simply didn't have the players to play the formation, and it showed in the games and results during Pearson's short reign at the club. The players looked lost and didn't know their jobs, we weren't applying the very basics to our game and the side looked unbalanced.

The defeat away at Burton at the end of August seemed to trigger Derby into splashing out £8m+ on Matej Vydra and £4m on Ikechi Anya from Watford. Players that Pearson believed would fit into how he wanted us to play. Our talisman and top goalscorer from the previous three seasons Chris Martin was massively out of favour under Pearson and he was shipped out to Fulham on loan on deadline day. The fans at the time were split in opinions whether or not it was the correct decision.

Results didn't improve and one win in nine in the league and only three goals scored placed us firmly in the relegation places, enough was enough for the Derby hierarchy and hours before our midweek game away to Cardiff, it was announced on social media that Pearson had been suspended by the club, pending an internal investigation and assistant Chris Powell had been placed in temporary charge of the team. Allegedly, there had been a heated discussion between Pearson and the chairman Mel Morris the day before the Cardiff fixture over the direction in which the way the club was heading, which forced him to suspend Pearson. Derby had recorded a convincing 2-0 win that night at Cardiff, back to playing a 4-3-3. Was that the players sending a message to Pearson? Who knows?

And what about the second coming of Shteeve? You only sacked him 18 months prior, that seemed really random.

Joe: The day before it had announced that McClaren was in talks about a return to the club, Mel Morris had spoke to a select group of supporters at a marketing question and answer at Pride Park and spoke highly of Steve McClaren as a coach and the way he had evolved the club to what it is now during his first tenure. The next day he was re-appointed as manager.

Again, many supporters were split. The football and style of play was a joy to watch in his first 18 months at the club, and many felt that his refusal to rule out the speculation linking him to the Newcastle job was a major factor in our famous collapse in the 14/15 season which saw us drop from first in the league in March to eighth on the final day. Retrospectively, an injury crisis which saw us lose key players such as Chris Martin, George Thorne, Jake Buxton and Darren Bent hurt us more than we thought it would. The spine of our team had been ripped apart and it ultimately cost us.

Results have improved dramatically, how has he done it?

Joe: Firstly, he's brought back the 4-3-3, the system which suits our players. Similar to when he was first appointed three years ago, he's kept things simple and make a few tweaks that allow our forward players express themselves. I don't know what it is about McClaren but Tom Ince and Darren Bent seem to thrive under him and long may it continue.

One question mark over McClaren has always been his ability to stop his team conceding too many goals. At the back end of the 14/15 season we were treated to 4-4 draws and 3-2 wins, and although they're entertaining, you can't always expect your forwards to dig you out of a hole when the going gets tough. The re-emergence of the forgotten man Alex Pearce, a summer signing last year who made only one start for the club before being made surplus to requirements, has been instrumental alongside captain Richard Keogh in the sides recent run of form.

What's been wrong with this group of players? They seem to have been phoning it in for months now and now they're suddenly playing well again.

Joe: From the outside, it does probably look as if this group of players have 'bottled' it in the previous three attempts. I could say we've been unlucky with injuries, in the Play-Off final (I still have nightmares over that day by the way), but at the end of the day, you make your own luck in football and the buck has to stop with the players, they have to take a lot of the responsibility when they cross that white line to perform.

The fact that Steve has already coached the majority of the players at the club in his previous spell may indicate to why he's having success so early on in his return, he'll know the strengths and weaknesses with the squad of players he's working with, whereas other managers wouldn't have that that advantage if we had opted for someone else.

Stand out players in the team?

Joe: As I mentioned in the previous question, Alex Pearce has really impressed me since coming into the side. He replaced Jason Shackell earlier on in the season when he picked up a injury and hasn't looked back. He's helped record 7 clean sheets in the 9 games since McClaren returned and the shirt is his to lose.

Bradley Johnson is another who has taken his opportunity with both hands since McClaren's arrival. Since being brought in for £6m on deadline day last year he had been in and out of the side due to being massively out of form. He has been used as a defensive midfielder in the role of screening the back four in the last couple of months in absence of George Thorne and has shown his experience, not putting a foot wrong.

Tom Ince and Darren Bent are two others who have both come into form recently. The pair scored six goals between them last month and are showing the form they produced when they first arrived at the club on loan in January last year, scoring 23 goals between the two of them in the final 18 games of the campaign.

Weak links?

Joe: The only position in our squad where I'd say we were lacking bodies right now is right back. Cyrus Christie was recently ruled out for up to three months after picking up an injury in our 3-2 win away at Wolves and the only natural replacement we have in that position is 34 year old Chris Baird. Baird had to a tough start to his Derby career, he was made club captain by then manager Paul Clement last summer and started the first five games of the season, drawing four and losing one. Subsequently, Baird was benched in favour of Christie and has been a bit part player since, with a spell out on loan to Fulham last year which didn't go to plan. He's often been used as a scapegoat by the fans when results didn't go our way and has received some pretty harsh criticism on social media, which has been unfair in my opinion. After replacing Christie, through injury, he has been superb and showed his experience in the side, helping us retain our very good defensive record this season. The only question mark I have is whether or not he'll be able to cope with the fixtures that are coming in thick and fast during the busy December period. I'd be shocked if McClaren didn't go in for another at right back this January.

Is this the year you finally do it? What happens if not?

Joe: If we carry on this run of form into the new year, can we look towards the play-offs or at a push the automatics? Who knows, but if we were to fall at the final hurdle, then we go again next year. After watching the drab football served to us under Pearson, many supporters said they'd take a season of consolidation to allow the new manager to be put his own style to the team and go for it next year.

At the end of the day, I want to be entertained when I go to football. I want to see us play the right way and go away thinking I've a seen my team go out there and give everything they've got, if they do that, I couldn't ask for anymore. There's no point scraping your way to promotion and then being totally unprepared for the Premier League, because there's only one way you'll end up (as both of our clubs have seen in the past). I want us to have an identity and knowing if/when we reach the promise land, we've got the tools which enables us to go up and most importantly, stay up. Southampton are the perfect example of this, the way that club has been run is nothing short of phenomenal.

The Twitter @DerbyCountyTalk, @loftforwords

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TacticalR added 14:25 - Dec 14 Thanks to Joe. A lot of things from Derby's experience to consider for our club too. As you say, Pearson looked a good bet. Also, a lot of people here are calling for 4-4-2. As for McClaren, there is a lot of managerial change in this division, and it is interesting the way certain managers do seem to fit at certain clubs (even if they've gone and come back again). McClaren seems to know what he is doing at this level - one of our best spells in recent years was when he was coaching the team under Harry.

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