Derby County v Crystal Palace – Historical:
P 30 W 19 D 6 L 5 F 63 A 23
Last game at Pride Park Stadium:
17/04/10 Derby County 1 - 1 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace: 19/24 P 7 W 2 D 1 L 4 F 8 A 12
Leading scorers: Vaughan (3)
Derby: 20/24 P 7 W 1 D 2 L 4 F 7 A 11
Leading scorers: Commons (2)
The Rams:
Another good performance at Barnsley but only one point. Despite all of our possession and good football we can't put it in the net. Hopefully we can get a good striker in by the weekend to do the job... Perhaps Woods from WBA? (Oh wait - he's gone to Barnsley), James Vaughan from Everton? On loan at Palace.
I won’t comment any further but it does show how silly it is to sell your number one striker and not have a replacement lined up. I know Tom Glick thought that Chris Porter would be "back by the weekend" but who else did? His Injury rumbles on and I'm going to speculate that it's likely to be season long or even career threatening.
Hopes of another loan finally came to fruition on Friday night with WBA's Luke Moore coming to Pride Park for a month.
We need someone who can finish and hold the ball up front; Moore (a £3m buy from West Midlands' rivals Aston Villa) didn't make Albion's cut for their 25-man 2010-11 squad. Abion fans don't rate him - and clearly, neither does his manager, Roberto Di Matteo. At least he'll be desperate for a game - but it's hardly team-building, is it?
Dean Leacock, fresh from scoring his first goal for the club, is talking up the Rams' team on Radio Derby;
"There's nothing to fear in this league.
"We have played the best team apparently - QPR - and we should have beaten them and that says a lot about what we can do."
He does admit they were rubbish against Sheffield United however;
"We held our hands up after the Sheffield United game and said we didn't do ourselves justice."
He then goes on to give the rallying call for the fans;
"We owe the home fans something massive and we need the home fans,"
"They turn out in their thousands and hopefully we can put on a performance for them against Palace."
Hopefully? It's starting to wear a bit thin, Dean. The fans are growing restive and you now have two home games to start getting it right. We don't demand victory - we aren't Manchester United - but we do demand 100% on the pitch. Do that, and the fans will back you.
Probable Team:
Bywater
Brayford Leacock Barker Moxey
Bailey Pearson
Bueno Green Commons
Kuqi
Subs – Deeney, O'Brien, Savage, Moore, Cywka, Doyle
No. Position Player
1 Keeper Stephen Bywater
2 Defender John Brayford
3 Defender Gareth Roberts LFT
4 Midfield Paul Green
5 Defender Shaun Barker (vice-captain)
6 Defender Dean Leacock
7 Striker Steve Davies Injured
8 Midfield Robbie Savage (captain)
9 Striker Shefki Kuqi (on loan from Swansea City)
10 Midfield Kris Commons
11 Midfield Stephen Pearson
12 Striker Chris Porter Injured
13 Keeper Saul Deeney
14 Defender Russell Anderson Injured
15 Midfield David Martin
16 Midfield James Bailey
17 Defender Jake Buxton
18 Midfield Ben Pringle
19 Striker Tomasz Cywka
20 Defender Miles Addison Injured
21 Defender Dean Moxey
23 Striker Conor Doyle
25 Defender Mark O'Brien
26 Striker Callum Ball
27 Striker Alberto Bueno (on loan from Real Valladolid)
32 Keeper James Severn
35 Midfield Jeff Hendrick
36 Defender Kallum Keane
37 Midfield Ryan Connolly
38 Midfield Medi Abalimba
39 Defender Mitchell Hanson
-- Striker Luke Moore (on loan fron West Bromwich Albion)
Crystal Palace:
George Burley is proud of the way his young squad has reacted to coming out of administration. From BBC Radio London;
"I feel we're building a very good side but that doesn't happen overnight."
"We've got some top-class young players coming through. There are areas where it's never easy but there are a lot of positives about Palace."
Burley added: "We started with 10 first-team players and virtually no staff. We've come a long way in the last few months. It's like anything, it takes time."
"We've got a lot of loan players, a lot of young players, so it's very important that we're very focused. We keep working hard and we keep improving and try and get the right results."
Palace are yet to score on the road and do seem to concede a few - 3 each at Reading and Scunthorpe - However, they got a good draw against Burnley and put 4 past a hapless Pompey - Including a hat-trick for former Ram & loan target James Vaughan.
Burley himself of course is no stranger to Pride Park - A job he left after his position became 'untenable', but Burley isn't bitter;
I really enjoyed my time at Derby, the fans were terrific and it was a great club to work for,"
"In football you move on and I've been at a number of good Championship sides over the years where I've been very fortunate to be the manager."
"But they are very loyal fans, great traditions since the Brian Clough era, they really love their football and there's always a good atmosphere at Pride Park."
Current Squad:
No. Position Player
1 Keeper Julián Speroni (vice-captain)
2 Defender Nathaniel Clyne
3 Defender David Wright
4 Defender Claude Davis
5 Defender Paddy McCarthy (captain)
6 Defender Adam Barrett
7 Midfield Darren Ambrose
8 Midfield Neil Danns
9 Striker James Vaughan (on loan from Everton)
11 Midfield Andy Dorman
12 Striker Calvin Andrew
13 Keeper Lewis Price
14 Striker Sean Scannell
15 Midfield Kieron Cadogan
16 Striker Wilfried Zaha
17 Defender Jack Holland
18 Defender Lee Hills
19 Defender Julian Bennett (on loan from Nottingham Forest)
20 Midfield Edgar Davids
21 Midfield Kieran Djilali
22 Midfield Jerry Nnamani
23 Striker Nathaniel Pinney
24 Defender Charlie Holness
25 Midfield Alassane N'Diaye
26 Defender Matthew Parsons
27 Striker Dario Zebroski
28 Midfield Stuart O'Keefe
29 Striker Jonathan Obika (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
30 Midfield Alex Marrow (on loan from Blackburn Rovers)
31 Defender Anthony Gardner (on loan from Hull City)
32 Striker Pablo Couñago (on loan from Ipswich Town)
What the bookies think:
Derby are favourites at 6/5 while the Eagles are at 9/4. The draw is 23/10 The Bookies don’t still don't think much of our strike force, with Shefki Kuqi taking over as favourite - whilst Kris Commons and Alberto Bueno are at 6/1.
James Vaughan is at 6/1 for the Eagles and 40/1 for a hat-trick.
Information for travelling fans:
Driving:
It’s M1 to J25 for Derby. Follow Brian Clough Way towards the city until you see Pride Park on the right. The ground and away parking are signposted. About 40 miles and an hour’s drive.
Parking:
Away fans can park at Catalyst on London Rd opposite the Navigation pub. It's about 10-15 minutes from the ground. Don't be tempted to park at Pride Park shopping centre, unless you fancy being clamped.
You can also park at the Fireplace showroom just at the turn off the A52 for Pride Park. Don’t be in a rush to leave however as it takes an age to get out of there.
Another alternative is to pass the exit for Pride Park on Brian Clough Way and head for Pentagon Island... Take the first exit and turn left and after a few hundred yards you will come to The Cattle Market Car Park. It's about 10 minutes walk to the ground from here.
Drinking:
Given the early start, it's likely that there won’t be much time for drinking however there are a few pubs very close to the ground but if you come by train, the locale around the station is fairly inviting.
The Crown and Cushion at the junction of London Rd always seems to be full of away supporters. The Brunswick is a must for any real ale fans and the Alexandra next door is my personal favourite.
Fans tend to mingle in these pubs and as long as you're not being aggressive, the atmosphere is good. The Waterfall opposite the station is okay as well.
If you are driving, the Navigation Pub on London Rd opposite the parking area is your best bet. Around the ground there's a Frankie & Bennie's, Harvester and the Pride Park but these tend to be very busy.
Mick's prediction:
The fans are restless and the players nervous. If we could guarantee that by getting behind the players we'd cure their nerves we'd raise the rafters. But against the Blunts - most fans' last encounter with the team - we just didn't get out of the blocks.
Which Rams will turn up? Looks like the fans are starting not to bother.
Derby County 2-0 Crystal Palace