AFC Bournemouth will be hoping to bounce back from Saturday’s defeat by Luton Town when they face Championship rivals Derby County on Tuesday (6pm kick-off).
Jason Tindall’s team suffered just a fourth league reverse of the season as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall bagged the only goal for the Hatters in the second half at Vitality Stadium.
Tindall’s squad head to Pride Park for what will be Wayne Rooney’s second game as permanent manager of the Rams.
England’s record goalscorer had been in interim charge since Phillip Cocu parted company with the club in November, Rooney overseeing nine games, winning three and drawing four.
In his first game at the helm, Derby were beaten by Rotherham on Saturday with Jamie Lindsay’s late goal ruining Rooney’s big day.
Since drawing 1-1 at Vitality Stadium at the end of October when they were pegged back by Rodrigo Riquelme’s late leveller, the Rams have taken 13 points from 14 league games.
They have beaten Millwall (1-0), Swansea (2-0) and Birmingham (4-0) and drawn with Wycombe (1-1), Coventry (1-1), Brentford (0-0) and Stoke (0-0).
Goals from Colin Kazim-Richards and Kamil Jozwiak saw them sink the high-flying Swans at Pride Park on December 16, their only home league win of the season.
Ahead of the clash, afcb.co.uk caught up with Chris Coles who covers the fortunes of the Rams for BBC Radio Derby.
DERBY COUNTY IN PROFILE
Manager: Wayne Rooney (January 2021)
Club captain: David Marshall
Last game: Derby County 0-1 Rotherham United (Championship)
Leading league goalscorer 2020/21: Colin Kazim-Richards (three)
League position: 23rd
Past six league results: DWLWLL
afcb.co.uk: Summarise the season so far for Derby?
CC: Disastrous, in a word. It’s been nothing short of a disaster and you only have to look at the table to see that. Second bottom at the halfway point and they are in a relegation battle, no doubt about it.
The other side of it is all the off-field issues that Derby are going through at the moment. The proposed takeover by Sheikh Khaled Zayed Bin Saquer Zayed Al Nayhan has been dragging on and on.
We keep hearing about deadlines and keep hearing it’s going to be completed any time soon. Those deadlines come and go. There have been rumours of administration and other financial issues as well. It’s all a mess and it’s showing on the pitch. There is mass instability on and off the pitch.
Wayne Rooney has just taken the job on a permanent basis so there’s hope that maybe he can turn things around with a couple of additions in the transfer window. But with a couple of weeks of the window left, there is still no conclusion in sight with the takeover.
It’s pretty bleak for Derby at the moment and the turnaround, if there is to be one, needs to happen very quickly.
afcb.co.uk: How difficult a task is Wayne Rooney facing?
CC: It’s a colossal task. It would be a big task for a manager with lots of experience in the game, let alone someone who is only just starting his managerial career. He’s taken charge of a team in the relegation zone and of a group of players who are clearly shot on confidence.
He’s taken charge of a team which isn’t scoring enough goals and that’s why Derby are where they are.
Rooney is very confident and has always maintained his belief in his ability to do the job. During his interim spell in charge, he showed he had what it takes. Derby have undoubtedly improved their performances and have looked much better at the back. They still need to add goals.
For Rooney, it’s a huge task. He would be aided if he could bring in some of the players he wants. He always alludes to his wish-list and how he has players he wants. If he could get them in, he could move them out of trouble.
He knows it’s a massive task and, fortunately for Derby, he has the confidence that he can do the job. It’s just a question of whether he has the tools to operate and try to get them out of trouble.
afcb.co.uk: In your opinion, why have Derby had such a poor first half to the season?
CC: Goals have been a big problem. When they lost Chris Martin to Bristol City in the summer, it was anticipated and expected they would replace him with a striker to score the goals but it didn’t happen.
Colin Kazim-Richards came in quite late and on a free transfer. It’s safe to say he didn’t really set the pulses racing. He didn’t play for the first five or six weeks of the season but, now he’s in the side, he’s a bit of a cult hero. He’s a charismatic character.
But Derby’s lack of goals is why they are where they are. Defensively, they have been okay and recently they have been much better. But because they are not scoring enough goals, every little mistake is being punished and they are conceding so many late goals.
As they don’t score, they are losing games 1-0 and it’s simply not going to be a recipe to get you out of trouble. Goals are undoubtedly the problem and the main problem Wayne Rooney needs to address in this transfer window.
afcb.co.uk: One shining light has been Colin Kazim-Richards (pictured above) – give us a word on him?
CC: He’s becoming a cult hero because of the way he plays the game and because of the relationship he’s struck up with the fans which is so impressive given no fans have been to watch Derby.
When they see him play, they see someone who is giving absolutely everything to the cause. I think many people thought when he came in, he was a bit of a journeyman and was only here to keep the bills ticking over. Not a bit of it.
He is very vocal on the pitch and very encouraging to the youngsters. When he’s on the sidelines if he’s been subbed, he’s almost a de facto manager. He cajoles the players and really gets behind everyone.
The way he plays the game, fans have really bought into what he can bring and it’s those kind of characters Derby need to get themselves out of trouble.
He’s been a shining light, fans really appreciate the way he is and the way he plays. They are hoping he can stay fit and lead the line because he has been a key part of their recent upturn in form under Wayne Rooney, certainly the nine games he had in interim charge.
afcb.co.uk: Are any players either injured or suspended against the Cherries?
CC: Tom Lawrence is ruled out with an ankle injury and David Marshall missed the game on Saturday due to illness and remains a doubt.
afcb.co.uk: Who is Derby’s one to watch?
CC: The player that makes them tick and has done recently is Krystian Bielik (pictured above), the midfielder who arrived a couple of seasons ago from Arsenal. He came with a big price tag, around £10million.
He suffered an ACL injury that pretty much wiped him out of all of last season which was a big blow. Recently, he’s come back in and has proved his worth.
He’s very mobile, he’s got an excellent passing range and he moves Derby up the field so effortlessly. When he’s on form and ticking, Derby play well. He was instrumental in their 4-0 win at Birmingham and the 2-0 win over Swansea.
He’s the player who dictates their tempo. If Derby are to get a positive result against Bournemouth, they will need Bielik to be on song.
afcb.co.uk: What’s your score prediction?
CC: Based on current form, you would think it would be a Bournemouth win. But Derby play well against the better teams as Bournemouth discovered when Derby were there earlier this season.
I think there will be a response so I’m going for a 1-1 draw.
You can follow Chris on Twitter – @_chriscoles_
Officials: Oliver Langford (referee), James Wilson (assistant), Craig Taylor (assistant), Samuel Barrott (fourth official).
