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Where has all the Pride gone at Pride Park?

Last updated : 11 November 2007 By Editor

Is the gulf in class too much for the Rams to compete against in the Premiership?
Sitting in Pride Park yesterday before the game I had a cautious optimism of at least a further point to add to the miserable total the Rams have accrued from the season so far.

The optimism was short lived however as the concourse screens showed yet again that Robert Earnshaw had been omitted from a line up with only one striker and an injured one at that.

Injuries we were told had depleted the Rams side but I don't think anyone buys the statement that Earnshaw is not yet fit after an injury last season.

As the game started, hope had already faded for me and the fact that the Rams hadn't created a shooting opportunity in the first 40 minutes was no surprise. West Ham and the universally hated Ian Bowyer had escaped punishment for two yellow card offences and it was now only a matter of time before he scored. He duly obliged with a little help from a hand ball that the referee had a clear view of. The Rams walked off at half time with boos for the referee ringing loud and clear but were they capable of turning this game around?

Billy Davies
Billy Davies shows his feelings
The second half was only a few minutes old when we had the answer to the previous question. Another West Ham attack ending with only the crossbar saving the Rams.

The ease with which the Hammers carved open the Derby defence was frightening and it makes one wonder just what the score will be when Chelsea hit town on the 24th November, our next home game.

As West Ham hit their second a few supporters left to beat the traffic and there was only 51 minutes on the clock. Then Eddie Lewis contrived to score an own goal and was substituted for his efforts, with Rob Earnshaw entering the fray when the game had yet again escaped the Rams. Derby at this time now had three strikers on the field, as Davies clutched at straws in a vain effort to claw back the three goals.

So much expectation is now slowly turning to desperation for Rams fans
The tactical planning was seriously flawed and Bowyer netting his second and West Hams fourth goal with still half an hour of the game left to play. The final nail or the fifth goal was sheer class by a player I have admired for years. A free kick on the edge of the Rams penalty area saw Nobby Solano send an inch perfect shot over and around Bywater and into the top right hand corner of the goal. Solano showed the gulf in class that is becoming so plainly evident in the Rams side. Will millions be made available in January to try and correct this? I doubt it and by that time it may be too late for the Rams to avoid relegation back to the Championship.

My only hope is that we can show some Pride at Pride Park and stop these hidings that seem to be only happening to the Rams. I find it hard to believe that exactly a year ago today the Rams were in 5th place in the Championship and ready to embark on a run that would see them at one point nine points clear of at the top of the league. At the same time a year ago Sunderland were in 19th place and looking far from a Premiership outfit. Why then is it only Derby County that has been on the end of a four , two five and a six nil drubbing with the season only 13 games old? In that time 31 goals have passed Stephen Bywater and his defence with a meagre five goals scored.

It looks like being a long hard winter for Rams fans, with only relegation to look forward to. Chin up as Mourinho would say, it's only Chelsea next! ...