Well done to Nigel Clough for his first win in the League Cup since becoming manager of Derby County. A reasonably good performance on Tuesday night, only 48 hours after a hard fought draw against Blackburn earned us our first win in the competition in a number of years.
Derby travel to Brighton today with 17 players and approximately 3 formations used in 2 games of football, Clough will have to decide who to start and what formation to put them in for what I predict will be a tight first away game.
Does Clough go with 4-5-1 and 4-3-3 when attacking or an unbalanced 4-4-2? Either way I am still not totally convinced Clough is sure what is best, but I am sure this will change from game to game and even during games. Maybe it is good to be flexible and adapt to situations during games, but this will take time.
Brighton have been in the press for negative reasons since their play off semi final dressing room 'poop' scandal and the controversial sacking of Gus Poyet. Hopefully Derby can capitalise on this.
My main concern is that in similar situations last season, Derby were frequently a little cautious in away games, inviting teams on. Too often the home team then took the lead resulting in Derby deciding to be more positive, but it always seemed a little too late. Clough had his hard luck stories, some might say they were self created, hence the Rams appalling away record.
May be I am being harsh.......I don't know.
Anyway, Brighton does not seem to have strengthened too much in the summer and Derby has a better team and has a stronger bench when compared previous years.
I am going remain positive and go for a score draw.
Come on Derby. Come on You Rams