Latest fans view from Stuart Hughes
Last updated : 10 September 2009 By Stuart Hughes
I can't start this week without commenting on Fabio Capello's England team. Obviously Igor Stimac, and especially Aljosa Asanovic, wouldn't have been happy, but I thought England were outstanding in their 5-1 demolition of Croatia on Wednesday night. It was the best performance I've seen from our national side in a long, long time. England have now played eight, won eight, and qualify for next year's world cup in South Africa with two games remaining.
But I'm not here to talk about England, although two of Derby County's players were on international duty. Kris Commons added a sixth Scottish cap to his collection when coming on for Scotland as a 67th minute substitute against Holland. Unfortunately the Scots lost 1-0 and their 2010 World Cup dream is over.
Congratulations to Miles Addison who made his England under-21 debut in the 1-1 draw with Greece in Tripoli. Addison came off the bench in the 56th minute, replacing Jack Rodwell.
Derby County managed to play two games during the international break. Firstly the Rams beat Athletic Marbelli 2-0 on a threadbare pitch with a goal from Ben Pringle and a Gary Teale penalty.
Penalties were the name of the game for the Rams as a relatively strong looking reserve team lost 1-3 to Leicester City reserves in a behind-doors friendly at Moor Farm this week. Greg Mills scored from the penalty spot, but Pringle saw his spot kick saved. Senior players Saul Deeney, Shaun Barker, Dean Leacock, Jay McEveley, Lee Hendrie and Paul Dickov all started the game. Interestingly, Barker played the game at right-back…
With the international break over, Derby County have the opportunity to get the Brian Clough Trophy loss to Nottingham Forest well and truly out of their system with consecutive home games against Sheffield United and Barnsley.
 | Lee Hendrie makes his debut against his former employer |
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It never ceases to amaze me how many players get to make their debut for a new club against their old one. If selected, this will be the case for transfer deadline day signing Lee Hendrie, not to mention Jordan Stewart who went the other way up the M1 as he joined the Blades. And for added spice, I'm sure Rob Hulse (who reaffirmed his desire to stay at Derby County by turning down Middlesbrough for a second time) would love to repeat last season's feat of scoring at Pride Park stadium against his former employers.
I'd like to see three changes for the Sheffield United encounter. Firstly, reluctantly, I think it's time to give Jake Buxton a rest. Secondly, a little less reluctantly, I'd like to see Paul Connolly dropped to the bench. I'd bring in Leacock at centre-back alongside Miles Addison and give Barker his Rams debut. Surely if your best players are fit, you have to play them…don't you?
Finally, I think it's time to abandon the 4-5-1 system and go back to the tried and tested 4-4-2 that worked so effectively in the second half of last season with Commons playing a slightly withdrawn role behind Hulse.
Derby County take a 100% home record into these two games but the opponents couldn't be more contrasting. Sheffield United will be tough opponents as they are heavily fancied to be there or thereabouts for promotion and have started this season well. At the other end of the table, Barnsley find themselves at the bottom of the Coca-Cola Championship, but will have been buoyed this week by the arrival of new manager Mark Robins and his backroom team.
Home games at Pride Park are always exciting and I'm eagerly looking forward to them...
