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Mick's MatchDay Preview - Derby vs. Reading
Mick's MatchDay Preview - Derby vs. Reading
Friday, 17th Dec 2010 11:32 by Mick McDermott

The Rams are on a run of losses and find themselves having to beat both their opposition and the referee. Can they turn it around on Saturday?

 

 

Derby County vs. Reading

Saturday 18th December 2010 15:00

Pride Park -Derbyshire

 

Derby v Reading - Historical

P 14 W 7 D 3 L 4 F 26 A 18

 

Last game at Pride Park.

28/11/2009: Derby 2-1 Reading ; Green, Hulse

 

Recent Form:

Reading: 14/24 P 20 W 6 D 9 L 5 F 28 A 22

Leading scorers: Harte, Kebe, Long (4)

 

Derby:     7/24  Derby P 21 W 9 D 3 L 9 F 34 A 27 

Leading scorers:  Commons (11)

 

The Rams

 

Another game where we've conceded 2 goals - another defeat. It's been a bleak few weeks for the Rams.

While it would be easy to lay the blame at the door of the referee, the fact remains we aren't solid at the back anymore and we aren't putting the ball away at the other end. 

So what's gone wrong?

Our good form coincided with the arrival of Shefki Kuqi & Frank Fielding. Particularly Kuqi who is good at the target man roll and willing to run after every ball - something that even a fully fit Rob Hulse didn't seem to do.

Kuqi seemed to fall out of favour with Clough and Moore was used in the loan striker role. Although a willing runner and a good contributor to the game all round, he isn't a target man and his habit of standing on his marker means that he doesn't bring the front three into the game the way Kuqi did.

Another problem for Clough is that he's having to swap and change players because of Illness and injury. Roberts & Pearson are just not as good to have on the pitch as Moxey & Savage. Pearson in particular is becoming a big dissapointment and many fans are asking what it is that Clough sees in a player who provides so little on the pitch.

The same is true of the rather hapless Roberts who simply isn't as good as Moxey. Okay Moxey makes mistakes - but Roberts is simply out of his depth in this league.

 

Mick's Team

Bywater

Brayford, Barker, Leacock, Moxey

Bailey, Savage

Bueno, Green, Commons

Porter

Substitutes:

Roberts, Pringle, Cywka, Moore, Deeney, Doyle

 

Current Rams Squad:

No.     Position     Player

1    Keeper         Stephen Bywater

2    Defender     John Brayford

3    Defender     Gareth Roberts

4    Midfield     Paul Green

5    Defender     Shaun Barker (vice-captain)

6    Defender     Dean Leacock

7    Striker     Steve Davies

8    Midfield     Robbie Savage

10    Midfield     Kris Commons

11    Midfield     Stephen Pearson

12    Striker     Chris Porter

13    Keeper         Saul Deeney

14    Defender     Russell Anderson

15    Midfield     David Martin

16    Midfield     James Bailey

17    Defender     Jake Buxton

18    Midfield     Ben Pringle

19    Striker     Tomasz Cywka

20    Defender     Miles Addison

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)

28    Striker     Luke Moore (on loan from West Bromwich Albion)

30    Keeper         Ross Atkins

35    Midfield     Jeff Hendrick

36    Defender     Kallum Keane

37    Midfield     Ryan Connolly

38    Midfield     Medi Abalimba

39    Defender     Mitchell Hanson

 

Reading

Reading are another team suffering a crisis of confidence. Thewy haven't won for six games and their last game was a dour 0-0 home draw against Coventry.

The goals aren't coming and when the goal is at their mercy, the strikers are fluffing it. Goalkeeper Adam Federici leapt to the defence of the strikers in the local Reading paper insisting that "the goals will come" but judging by the fans comments they are sceptical.

Manager Brian McDermott also defended Long saying:

“I just say to him, do the right things. I keep faith with players who are putting themselves on the line for the club, and that's what he's doing".

“I thought the crowd were really good with him as well."

“He had his head in his hands in the dressing room afterwards because he feels he should have scored right at the end. He’s hit the post, he’s getting in the right areas and he’s got to keep doing that."

 

Current Reading Squad

 

No.  Position Player

1  Keeper Adam Federici

2  Defender Andy Griffin

4  Midfield Jem Karacan

5  Defender Matthew Mills (vice-captain)

6  Midfield Brynjar Gunnarsson

7  Midfield Jay Tabb

8  Midfield Mikele Leigertwood (on loan from QPR)

9  Striker Shane Long

10  Striker Noel Hunt

11  Midfield Jobi McAnuff

14  Midfield Jimmy Kébé

15  Defender Zurab Khizanishvili (on loan from Blackburn Rovers)

16  Defender Ívar Ingimarsson (club captain)

17  Midfield Michail Antonio

18  Striker Simon Church

19  Midfield Hal Robson-Kanu

20  Midfield Brian Howard

22  Defender Julian Kelly

23  Defender Ian Harte

24  Defender Shaun Cummings

25  Midfield Jake Taylor

26  Defender Alex Pearce

32  Striker Jacob Walcott

33  Defender Chris Armstrong

36  Defender Jack Mills

37  Midfield Jordan Obita

38  Midfield James Rowe

40  Midfield Lawson D'Ath

41  Keeper Alex McCarthy

44  Defender Danny Joyce

 

What the bookies think

Derby are favourites at 11/8 on while Reading are at 19/10.

The draw is 12/5. Kris Commons is 5/1 as first goalscorer while Luke Moore and Alberto Bueno are at 6/1.

Shane Long & Noel Hunt are both at 13/2 for Reading.

 

Information for travelling fans

Driving

It’s will be  long cold journey from Reading to Derby. Take the M25 to the M40 North, Head for the M1 North to J16 for Derby. Take the A500/A50 to Derby. Take the A6 turn-off for Derby and the ground and away parking are signposted. About 80 miles and a 1.5 hours 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

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 very good 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

First of all this is the last match before Christmas so let me take this opportunity to wish all Rams fans everywhere a Merry Christmas.

Referee's permitting, and with both teams low on confidence, I predict a nervous game with the first team to takew it by the scruff of the neck winning. With Savage back in the squad and Commons still playing for a contract (or a move?) that should be us.

Rams 2-0 Reading

 

 

Photo: Action Images



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