John Eustace's Derby County challenge laid bare as quality free transfer leaps out
Derby County climbed out of the Championship bottom three with a point against Oxford United as they also closed in on appointing John Eustace as their new head coach.
In what was a dour game, the first half was a cagey affair and Oxford, in-form under Gary Rowett, were well organised and disciplined, as Derby fans might have expected from their former manager.
The onus was on the home side to attack, but Derby could not maintain any real momentum and the visitors looked entirely comfortable, much to the disappointment of Pride Park.
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Derby tried to summon a response and Nat Phillips did lift an effort over the bar from a set-piece before Nathaniel Mendez-Laing drove a shot straight at Jamie Cumming in the Oxford goal.
After the break, Derby tried to up the tempo in order to create chances, and their best one of the night fell to Lars-Jorgen Salvesen, who met a Callum Elder corner but saw Cumming make a save.
Substitute Marcus Harness then headed over the bar as the Rams attempted to find a chink in Oxford's armour. But Greg Leigh gave them a real scare when he drilled wide of the far post when well placed.
The point was enough to take Derby out of the bottom three on goals scored but other sides around them have two games in hand. In the meantime, the club is close to announcing Eustace as manager with the finer details of the deal left to do.
Eustace challenge laid bare
John Eustace's impending arrival as Derby County's head coach will give everybody a lift at Pride Park, but the challenge facing him was clear last night.
He hasn't got much to worry about in terms of the defence because Nat Phillips is a Premier League player with Liverpool, Sondre Langas has been superb in his opening two games and Matt Clarke is Championship-ready.
But this team's problems lie heavily in the final third and it's been a major problem for some time. Be it decision-making or carving out chances in open play, this team is not just struggling for goals, but also lacks confidence in the final third.
Derby's best chance came from a set-piece last night and finding a way of giving them back some attacking spark is undeniably going to be Eustace's biggest challenge.
While they enjoyed the bulk of the possession, there were just 17 touches in the opposition box. In fact, much of the work Derby did with the ball was safe. You never got the sense that Oxford were truly unsettled, even with the power of Pride Park behind them.
Free agent boost?
Before Paul Warne's exit ahead of the Norwich game, the club was exploring the free-agent market after failing to add to their frontline on deadline day. With Corey Blackett-Taylor out for the foreseeable future and the other attacking players struggling for form, they could do with some help.
While the list is hardly full of sparkling names, there is one that leaps from the page. Ryan Kent is still available after leaving Fenerbache, although there had been some bizarre reports about him moving to Iran because they allow you to keep pet crocodiles and it has been claimed the former Liverpool winger has a few.
But you sense he has the quality that could enhance the Rams' attack. The wages might be an issue, but if he is available, surely a short-term deal until the end of the season would work for both him and Derby.
Langas has the edge
Has there ever been a player in recent years who has made such a big impression so quickly after signing? Sondre Langas turned in another man-of-the-match performance following his commanding display at Norwich at the weekend - and the fans have quickly taken to a player who has only made two appearances since his arrival from Viking FK last month.
It's a major win for the recruitment department, but it also demonstrates that you invariably get what you pay for. While spending £4m on a centre-back is a considerable amount of money, he already looks like a fine investment. He is incredibly quick, he's strong, and he's good in possession, but last night, we also witnessed that he carries plenty of edge.
There was a moment in the first half when he triumphed in a one-on-one duel and then had a few words for the unfortunate soul who came off second best.
That won him even more plaudits from the adoring South Stand, and while it's early days, the first impressions are that he looks like he will go on to have a fabulous career.
Out of the drop zone - but for how long?
Derby moved out of the relegation zone on goals scored last night and if there was one positive to take from the night, that was it.
But, and it's a big but, the teams below them - Hull, Plymouth, and Luton - have two games in hand. Looking at the table as it stands, a mini-league is starting to form.
It wasn't so long ago that teams up to 14th were in danger of being sucked towards the bottom but Swansea in 17th are now eight points clear.
There may well be 14 games to go, but they soon tick by, and Derby need to find form incredibly fast while also hoping for a few favours along the way.
Derby have games against Stoke and Luton to come at home while they also have to travel to Plymouth, Potsmouth and Hull. They are five games that you sense will have a huge bearing on the club's bid for survival.
