Pearson Suspended

This is the first post I have published in a few weeks as there were very few positives to report.

It's no great secret that the team have struggled to adapt to a 4-4-2 formation after playing a 4-3-3 successfully. It's not wrong to change a system that has fallen short, but I suppose in order to play it effectively you need a team of players and that's eleven, to make it work properly. The transfer window provided an opportunity to do just that, but it seemingly was missed. We did bring in Matej Vydra a striker, ikechi Anya who is usually deployed down the left wing and of course James Wilson a young striker on a seasons loan from Manchester United.

Either our players couldn't or wouldn't adapt to 4-4-2. Nigel Pearson has been suspended and the sack beckons though not down to results according to reports. Well unless there had been a dramatic turnaround the axe was going to be hovering over him week on week.

I thought that he was the right appointment at the time it was made. His success with Leicester City looked very good on his CV. I felt that we needed a more tough, no nonsense style of manager and Pearson appeared to tick the boxes.

However, the football we have witnessed since opening day has been nothing short of dire. Lacking creativity and a killer instinct in front of goal has seen the fans lose patience in record time.

I still believe that we must build a squad capable of playing 4-4-2 as an option, but perhaps we need to wait until the right additions have been made to the squad in order to do so.

Whoever takes over on a permanent basis (Chris Powell has been appointed caretaker boss) certain players have a need to prove that they have the commitment and ability to have a future at Derby County.

Scott Carson has made a couple of errors in goal, Cyrus Christie is inconsistent. Jason Shackell has surprised many with his poor performances of late and Marcus Olsson hasn't impressed me at all in the left back position. The latter of those players could see his outings in the first team limited should Max Lowe continue to show the promise that he displayed at Cardiff. Players like Olsson are experienced enough to know that whilst players like Craig Forsyth are injured that they need to up it and stake a real claim to become first choice.

Last January's window saw the most disappointing return from a group of players signed in a transfer window. Big money was spent on bringing Jacob Butterfield, Bradley Johnson and Nick Blackman to the i pro Stadium. They have thus far disappointed greatly.

These signings were made just before Paul Clement got the elbow and need to move up a gear very soon before they are confined into the latest volume of big money signings to flop at Derby.

Our Chairman Mel Morris has a very big decision to make in the coming days or weeks on who to appoint to replace Nigel Pearson. His last two appointments have ended with the issuing of a P45. His own reputation being damaged amongst fans, he desperately needs to make the next choice a good one.

Several names have been linked with the job. Steve Bruce who is no stranger to promotion or Derby County having dumped us out of the the play offs before leading Hull to victory st Wembley in May has been mentioned.

Neil Warnock the master of many promotions is yet again linked with a job. He wouldn't have inherited a squad like this one before.

Steve McClaren has been tipped for a return to finish the job he started last time. We all know about so called unfinished business in the East Midlands and hopefully this route is avoided.

Chris Powell himself will be in with a shout. Despite his experience at Huddersfield, he did initially do a very good job at Charlton in different circumstances to what he would have here at Derby.

What we as fans must do is continue to turn up in numbers. Attendances have slipped a little in the last few weeks but we need to keep supporting our team and our players need to get on with delivering the goods on the field too!

When Needs Must!

After a few more lacklustre performances, a few tweaks have been made to the squad. 

The early games have seen some dull performances without posing much pressure on our opponents goal. I agree with those who point the inability for the squad to adapt to 4-4-2. We had lacked natural wide men to make that system work. 

Chris Martin didn't look like the goal scorer he has been in it and it came as no surprise to me that he has been allowed to move on to Fulham. 

We've had three very good seasons out of him overall, but in the last thirty games or so he just hasn't looked the same. This goes back before Nigel Pearson was appointed manager too!

Likewise I'm not surprised at all that Jeff Hendrick has been allowed to leave once a club met Derby's asking price. 

Jeff like Martin will leave with my and most fans best wishes as he leaves us with some very good memories. Two of his best performances came against Forest. In the 5-0 win he totally bossed that midfield!

What is funny is the fact that he wasn't an automatic first team pick and we are receiving £10.5m for him and there are add-ons too!

Matej Vydra joins us as a new record signing and if he can return to the firm he showed at Watford two seasons ago he will prove to be a very good signing indeed. He joins our collection of strikers who also include James Wilson who is on a seasons loan from Manchester United and comes very highly rated. 

Ikechi Anya became the second signing from Watford on deadline day. A pacy wide man is what we have been crying out for, for months now and is essential in a 4-4-2 line up. Chatting to a few Hornets fans, he is very fast, hard working and should do very well at this level. 

So that's our incomings at least til January! Pearson can now start to shape the team in the way in which he believes will do best! It's early days so let's give the new lads and the gaffer time to make the changes work and get behind the lads!