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RamsFan Report: Super Striker Moxey Can't Rescue Rams At Ricoh
RamsFan Report: Super Striker Moxey Can't Rescue Rams At Ricoh
Sunday, 22nd Aug 2010 13:50 by Daniel J Sewart

When your second choice left back suddenly becomes your first choice striker, should alarm bells start ringing?

   

Coventry City 2 v 1 Derby County          

Ricoh Arena, Coventry

The NPower Championship

21st August 2010 - 12:15pm

 

Referee: E Ilderton

 

Crowd: 13,169 including 773 Travelling Rams

 

Goals: Jutkiewicz  - Pen (Cov) 33’, Moxey (Derby) 52’, Turner (Cov) 80’

 

Teams:

Sky Blues:

Westwood, Keogh, Craine, Cameron, Turner, Carsley, Doyle, McSheffrey, Bell (Clarke 76), Eastwood (Gunnarsson 81), Jutkiewicz (Platt 38)

Unused Substitutes: Quirke, Clingan, Baker, Wood

Yellow Cards: Cameron, Eastwood

 

The Rams:

Bywater, Brayford, Roberts, Leacock, Barker, Savage (Porter 87), Bailey, Doyle (Cywka 72), Green, Moxey, Commons

Unused Substitutes: Deeney, Buxton, Pringle, Martin

Yellow Cards: Roberts, Leacock

 

RamFan Report:

Injuries once again rained on the Rams parade, as only three games into the season Nigel was being forced to fill round holes with square pegs.

Fans would have been worried as soon as they saw the line-up with the team starting minus an out and out striker. Hulse and Varney were not even on the bench - which surely points more to an impending transfer for one or both rather than an injury or a pressing engagement.

Things look decidedly small up front with Commons leading the line, Moxey back in the team behind him on the left and Doyle on the right. Not an inspiring set-up but over the first half, both youngsters selected will do their best to prove me wrong.

Fractured hero Tomasz Cywka is doing his best ‘Zorro’ impersonation on the bench sporting a protective mask, while Nigel Clough sits in the stand with his son William in a scene very reminiscent of days gone by when Nigel was that boy.

The game gets underway and there's some good passing from Derby as the team are trying to play football and keep the ball on the deck. On more than one occasion their speed and pressure pick pockets Coventry of the ball resulting in thrusts forward.

Two extremely similar fouls in the opening ten minutes by the Rams are met with two different results. A Savage special earns him nothing more than a ticking off while Roberts finds himself earning a yellow card that is a perfect match for his away strip.

Derby are attacking and get the ball into the box dangerously on occasions but the likes of Green and Commons present far less threat than Hulse or Porter would. Too often the balls swing in perfectly for the head of a tall powerful centre forward but instead are met by fresh air.

After a Coventry foray forward, Commons makes a great counter attack with Moxey riding shotgun by his side, Dean breaks forward and Kris slides a perfect pass through defenders. As Moxey enters the box his chip is so close to Bailey that he must have scarcely believed he couldn’t quite get to it.

Doyle is busy impressing on the right as he chases and harasses his opponents for the ball; definitely a youngster full of fight looking to impress. A bit more polish to his game and he may be the real deal, which Clough obviously believes he can be.

Dean Moxey is also lively and like a terrier chasing a stick he chases down what many would have thought a lost cause. That forced keeper Paul Westwood to leave his box to clear but as he did so, slipped over.

Enter Paul Green, who latches onto the poor clearance and lashes a long range shot from just under half way towards a now exposed goal. Westwood and defender Ben Turner charges back and as the ball heads towards the gaping mouth of goal- and only a lunging header from Turner rescues the day for Coventry and recriminations for Westwood.

Half hour gone and Derby are beginning to look dangerous and the better of the two teams in what had been an uninspiring contest.

From a Coventry corner, Lee Carsley lashes in a great shot that Roberts clears on the last line. From the resulting throw-in, Dean Leacock barges into Doyle just inside the box seemingly tripping him in the process.

If nothing else, it was just plain lazy from the Derby defender who should have done better at a time when the Rams were easily the better side and up to that point were comfortably keeping Coventry at bay.

Jutkiewicz steps up to the spot and takes the penalty and although Bywater guesses the correct direction, the power and placement beats him.

33 minutes gone and the Rams' dominance has got them nowhere but behind.

Derby looks to respond immediately as Doyle whips the ball in dangerously but it is lashed away. Although the rebound falls to Savage, his shot is scuffed and without power.

Commons is grabbed on the arm in a tussle with Cameron; Savage takes the resulting free kick from just inside the right corner flag  but his effort is collected easily by the keeper.

Derby raise the tempo further, peppering the Coventry box with crosses and passes but being unable to find the key to unlock the Sky Blues defence, looking as busy as the medical team at Moor Farm!

Coventry return the fire and Leacock continues his apparent half-interest in the game by lazily heading the ball towards goal rather than clear - so Barker is required to lash the ball clear from Platt. That’s twice Dean has been caught out, luckily only punished once.....so far.

As the half comes to a close, Eastwood slips in a cross after a great run, only for McSheffrey to fire wide from only yards out.

Luckily for the Rams, a poor finish saved them from being two goals down and as the whistle signals half time they frustratingly finished a good half of football hanging on by the skin of their teeth.

HT: 1-0

Coventry make the early running with little effect, whilst the Rams slowly work their way into the half with more hard work and constant pressure.

The running of Green, Moxey and Doyle is especially impressive although still lacking that killer ball.

Commons has been busy without finding the time or space to make Coventry pay - and some of his good work is undone by the inexperience of those around him.

Then the passing that has threatened to reap rewards finally does so.

Green, Roberts, Moxey and then a brilliant ball from Savage show what Nigel’s Rams are capable of, with a move that releases Brayford charging in on the right. He adds cream to the display as he slides in a great cross that Moxey sweeps up then a cherry on top by lashing it home.

A tribute to his former Exeter City team mate Adam Stansfield, who recently passed away, replaces the regular goal celebration and adds poignancy to what was a fabulous build up and goal by Moxey.

The equaliser signals a spell of Sky Blues' pressure but Barker and Brayford are prominent by being the equal of everything that the home team manage to serve up.

Commons nearly creates something from nothing as a deflection from his shot falls to Moxey, who shoots wide but the assistant's flag was already up for offside.

Leacock is caught ball-watching again as a nasty bounce clears him and in turn, only just makes it impossible for Eastwood to hit the target.

As you can tell Dean was trying my patience…. so I can only imagine how Nigel must have felt about the centre-back's half-awake display.

Cywka warms up on the boundary, masked but still no sign of Silver or Tonto. The Rams could use them both but word is they are both injured.

More quality movement from the Rams finds Paul Green in the clear with only the keeper to beat but a flag and whistle ends a warning sign that the Rams will not be content to sit back and try to defend the single point.

Keogh and Bell combine well for home team but the resulting cross into the box clears everyone. As the ball is thrust back into the Rams box, Bywater is on hand to claim confidently.

Savage to Doyle, Bailey to Brayford as more quality passing again springs from nowhere and Moxey is picked out. Wrong-footed, he can only spray agonisingly wide from close range.

Brilliant football again from the Rams only let down by a lack of experience in an area foreign to the Rams second-choice left back but first-choice striker.

Commons is fouled on the edge of the box and Savage bends one in. For a second it looks in but ends up only just missing the cross bar and sliding across the top of the net.

Bell turns defence into attack by getting in behind the Rams defence and his ball into the danger area is beaten away by Leacock who knew little about the ball until it struck his leg.

The game is opening up as both teams attempt to attack but in their enthusiasm mainly turn the ball over to their opponents.

The Lone Ranger canters on for Derby at the expense of Doyle who has been good but faded as the game went on. Obviously the talk of not risking Tomasz after his operation were exaggerated but the fact the boy avoided oncoming players during his time on the pitch may suggest he thought otherwise.

It’s end-to-end stuff for the rest of the match. Roberts' overhead kick clears the danger for the Rams and Moxey has an attacking run blocked off the ball as the ref see’s things differently despite his adamant protests.

The Ref once again shows his sight is slowly fading as he moves with all the speed of cement drying, in trying to get out of the way of a Savage pass. The resulting rebound from the whistle blower's legs results in a Sky Blue forward thrust which only just avoids ending in a goal and possible controversy for the official.

Commons get a free and hits the wall, Sav follows up and over. Platt counters with a great header only to be denied by a brilliant fingertip save from Bywater.

Then Rams hearts are broken as all of their hard work is spoiled when Ben turner heads in, unmarked by an out-of-position Barker. Shaun had run out of puff long before this and if fully fit would be unlikely to make such an error. At least unlike his match-fit partner, he never stops trying.

A great run by Commons puts the ball on a platter for Moxey but instead of gobbling up the chance he smashes the plate and hits the cross bar. On another day he would have been a hat-trick hero, in fact if we had a striker playing his role, they may very well have been.

Perhaps we should try and get one of those?

Commons trying till the very end earns a late free kick which when lofted in finds the head of Dean Leacock and despite making good contact drifts despairingly wide.

Four minutes of injury time played and that was all she wrote.

The Rams were impressive in more than patches and worked hard to create and play football which is an encouraging sign for the team. The fact that the players they require to make it really successful seem to be often unavailable waters down team effectiveness.

Inexperience and players sometimes out of position probably cost them a point at the very least, with plenty of chances not taken and far too many good chances spoiled by poor final balls or avoidable off-side runs.

Dean Leacock has often been described as appearing cool and relaxed but that can be mistaken for disinterest or inattention, for that is pretty much what it looked like to me. Barker gave everything he had to give (which is about 60% at the moment), while Roberts and Brayford are growing in their roles. Deano is letting his three partners down and on this performance he will not keep Anderson out when fit again.

The use of Doyle and Moxey today proved the club do not have the depth required to cover a handful of injuries, let alone a full campaign. If this display does not prove once and for all the club need to spend on at least three key-position players, then nothing will.

Most suprisingly I find myself warming to the role Savage can play in this formation. His passing and steady head played a big part in the best of the teams play. He needs cooler more experienced heads around him though to provide the cover and time he needs to play the role effectively.

Nigel Clough is proving he can get his team to play football given time and the players required. Sadly the gaps appearing on the park are neutering any chance of it bearing fruit. The time is fast approaching for the Rams owners to dip into their pockets - or find themselves on the end of severe backlash.

Peter Gadsby must be sitting back patiently waiting for the fans to find their voice because if things continue like this, Mohammed wont need to go to the mountain, the mountain will most certainly come to him.

Derby fans can take some time to wind-up but once they do.......

 

Dan's Man Of The Match:

Dean Moxey - One thing you always get from Dean is heart and it was beating extra hard at the Ricoh. Being asked to do what we never would have expected of him plus nearly winning the match off his own boot.

He won the respect of this Rams fan for his performance and will no doubt be given another chance until Cywka returns to full fitness. May it not be a one-off display, as we will need another against a rampant QPR.

It could be the beginning of a fresh start for the youngster who always does what every Rams fan wants of a player, even if not always effectively.

He gives 100% in a Derby shirt and I for one can ask no more.

 

Coaches Reaction:

With Nigel Clough making an early exit, first team coach Gary Crosby spoke to the official site after the match:

"We're very, very disappointed and frustrated with the result, I thought the performance was fantastic, to come away from home against any side in the Championship and dominate was a great effort”.

"We had the ball for long spells and created plenty of chances. We're frustrated, but very encouraged by the performance."

"The longer it went on the more and more I felt we got on top. We felt we could go on and win it, but there is always the danger of being caught out when you dominate and don't take your chances”.

"It is hard when you've lost; they are incredibly down right now. We've told them not to be, they should keep their heads up because their performance was excellent”.

"If the performances continue the results will look after themselves. Today's performance was excellent, we couldn't ask any more other than taking the chances we missed”.

"It will turn; the performances are there which is what we're looking at. Now we want to get that result against QPR next Saturday before the international break."

"We had a few strikers out, but Dean came in and did a very good job, I think anyone who saw the game will think that. He scored a good goal and could have had another”.

"We couldn't have asked any more of him."

 

Left Back turned Super Striker Reaction:

Dean Moxey on his goal and his team's loss:

 "The performance wasn't worthy of a defeat, we didn't take our chances, they took theirs and that was the difference at the end of the day”.

"The management staff have told us to keep our confidence up, which we will do. We battered them in all honesty, but goals win games”.

"We need to put the performances into effect soon, because we can't keep playing as well as we have been and losing. What we have to do is move on to next week now and hopefully get a result against QPR, who are flying right now so it will be a good test for us”.

"We don't want to go into the international break off the back of a defeat."

"That goal was for Adam, it is just a shame we didn't get something from the game, he was my room mate at Exeter and it has been a hard few weeks since his death”.

"That one was for Adam, and his family. It has been an emotional few days. I went to Exeter last week to lay some flowers down for him and it is his funeral this week which I will be attending”.

"It was surprising to be up front today, I hadn't played up front since I was a little kid. I actually enjoyed it and it was nice to score too”.

"It was a tiring job, the manager asked me to do a job and I hope I did enough for him."

Next Match:  

Derby County v Queens Park Rangers

Pride Park Stadium      Saturday August 28th – 3pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

Photo: Action Images



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