Forsyth and to a lesser extent Ward gave Bruno the hardest work out that I can remember. If there was someone to get onto the excellent crosses we would have been dead and buried.
Resting Rohan Ince in midfield was hard to fathom. This gave Derby an edge in possession and we had to fall back...
Derby injuries give them excuses. I'd sooner they had a better team out.
Got to be a banker 1-1 draw. Time to go soon. Earlier train as I missed the start v Leeds?
Only Albion players from the play-off first game are
Greer and Calderon. Mackail-Smith and Lualua were on the bench and they could play. Forster-Caskey is still with us, but is out of favour. Solly March (latest injury was caused by a bad tackle by Lichaj putting him out for the season) is out...
Derby are missing Thorne, Hendricks, Bent, Martin and their team must be something like:
Grant
Christie Keogh Shotton Forsyth
Mascarell
Bryson Hughes
Ince Russell (or Lingard)
Dawkins
With their goalscorers missing, it sort of evens it up somewhat...
Stockdale/Walton has less saves at home at 30 than any other keepers in the Championship (whatever significance that has).
I've gone for Baldock because he is the nearest we have got to Buckley who run Derby ragged in the first half of the first play-off match. That was running at their defence.
Let us see how cautious CH really is. Poyet and OG may very well have left Tex out. Steve McLaren has the same dilemma with Will Hughes.
Derby are effective with counter attacks. Unlike the away match (at Derby) we will Kayal ready to pick up on this. Possession loss stats have to be matched...
Cause he loses the ball too easily and we might not get it back.
Currently, Derby are the best passing and possession side in the Championship. We have simply got to keep hold of the ball to be in with a chance.
Time to ring some changes?
With injuries in their team, Derby may include Will Hughes from the start. or dare they risk him being dispossessed too easily? The same applies to Teixeira who had a stinker at Derby earlier in the season? But we are at home.
If CH really is conservative we will...