Collins goals like ketchup, Captain Cashin?, Identity improving

Four competitive games into Derby's new era, what has stood out and what needs improvement?

Finally, on the pitch matters of Derby County can be discussed without the backdrop of some ugly off the field matter. This is nice. I think we could all get used to this.

This new Era of Derby County is four competitive games old and, so far, it’s been largely positive stuff. Could they be more clinical in front of goal? Sure. Does the tempo drop from time to time? Yeah, but not often. And is there some sloppiness still in the team? Of course. But, as a member of Derby’s coaching staff told Conway Conversations after the opening day victory over Oxford United “we’ll only get better, we’re still not quite there physically yet.” So the sloppiness will dissipate with sharpness.

But, with three wins out of four in all competitions, there is not much to grumble about - again, this is nice.

So let’s get some early impressions on the team shall we?

Eiran Cashin is *very good*

So this is not the hot take of the season. Anybody with two working eyes can see that Cashin is a very promising young player. But the maturity he plays with is well beyond his years. Even his look is a total throwback - shirt tucked in and all black boots. He is undoubtedly about that action.

The young Irish defender showed plenty of promise when thrown into the fire last season and he continues to excel to far this term - one could argue he has been the Rams’ best player through four games. His ability to carry out emergency defending without a mistake is wonderful to watch. The timing of the interventions, blocks, tackles is something which young defenders may struggle with - not this one.

That the team have only registered one clean sheet this season will be something Rosenior and his coaching staff are keen to amend, but they would have conceded more than the three goals they have this season had it not been for his defending. He has certainly impressed the senior defenders at the club with all of them remarking at his “excellent” start to the season.

That he gets to have at least one more season around the likes of Curtis Davies, Craig Forsyth and Richard Stearman can only be a boost for him - we could very well be watching a future Derby captain. Though Max Bird will rightly toss his name into that conversation, too.

The attacking players look dangerous….if a little wasteful

It is a sight that will probably have most of you shaking your head and looking at this group of attacking players with the same fear as the last three seasons. It has been said too may times about Derby attacks of late - all sizzle, very little steak.

While five goals through four games does not make for a prequel of a team about to batter their opposition off the park - there are plenty of encouraging signs.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is a tricky and exciting wide man. His final delivery in the first couple of games was very reminiscent of Florian Jozefzoon and Kamil Jozwiak - you know what I mean, beat a man, get in a good crossing position and then not deliver a quality final ball. Well, in back to back games he has now produced the goods with an assist for the winner against Mansfield Town in the Carabao Cup first round and the winner against Barnsley in the league. The former Cardiff City man will stress full backs this year with his brand of direct attacking and fleet feet, forcing defenders to get into a foot race with him down the line.

James Collins is the unluckiest man in Derby so far. The Irishman has taken 10 shots and failed to score with all of them. A frustration, obviously, and nobody will be more irritated than the man himself BUT, as Ruud van Nistelrooy once said, sometimes it is like trying to get ketchup from a bottle. You shake, and shake, and shake, and eventually it all comes at once. Collins has been putting himself in plenty of good goalscoring positions - a pair of headers against Oxford United, the early chance against Charlton Athletic - he will eventually break his duck and his goals could fire Derby into playoff contention.

Tom Barkhuizen is an exceptionally clever footballer. The runs he makes are very sharp and already he has a solid connection with another summer arrival - Conor Hourihane - with the pair often rotating positions out on the right and creating space for each other. His winner against Mansfield was a classic example of being in the right place at the right time - ghosting in between a pair of defenders to nod home a well stood up Mendez-Laing cross. Expect him to get a lot of goals this season by way of very smart movement. I would advise anybody to just watch him for five or 10 minutes and see how he makes his runs, when he times them and how he can have defenders fighting for their lives as he drags them into waters which are too deep for them.

Midfield will be creative, but may need combat

This midfield of Bird, Hourihane and one extra, be it Louie Sibley, Korey Smith or Liam Thompson, will cause problems for any team. There is plenty to like about them and they all blend together well.

One concern is the lack of a true ball winner outside of Thompson who may not start as many games as the others. Bird is developing into a true box to box midfielder wonderfully, but his strengths lie in with the ball at his feet, not nicking it back from the opposition. Other teams have had success with such a model - but it may be something which catches Derby out here and there. That is, unless, Thompson becomes a mainstay in the side as the teams’ water carrier - which you cannot rule out.

The identity is there - but time is required

Right okay, I know….I know. You have heard it too many times before. We hear it with every new manager and when every new player comes to any club. The phrase almost doesn’t register anymore but let me ask a simple question: Is it reasonable to expect a new manager and 12 (is it 12?) new players to all gel, click and start battering teams from the word go? No, it is not.

Is it reasonable to expect them to be better by October? Yes, very much so.

The lack of sharpness up front, the sloppiness at times, the new manager getting his identity across to a bunch of new players, the at times pedestrian pace - which does not happen nearly as much as it did under Phillip Cocu - are all going to happen until they click.

And because of everything the playing squad and staff have been through over the last couple of months alone, it is unfair to judge this squad, in any way, to previous ones in the last three seasons - just yet. Four games is not enough time to put assessments in stone.

There is a germ there of what this team can be - and it is *very* exciting. A team is going to get their backside beat by Derby this season. A few might. But we may have to wait ten or so games for that very convincing 3-0 win to come. But it’ll be worth it.

[photo: @dcfcofficial]