In the eleventh of a series of pre-season reports, HarryfromBath assesses the mood around the Championship clubs by delving into their forums, looking here at how things have progressed for the Rams under Gary Rowett. A report on Burton will follow later today with all of the teams in the division covered by the start of the season.

“Dare I dream this is our season?”, “The summer has been too long, roll on this season”, “There has been some beautiful stuff on display this summer. I enjoy the football we’re playing”, “In my view we have a side good enough for the top six, with five weeks of the transfer window still to run.”

“It’s very, very open this year.” Rams believe that their first pre-season under boss Gary Rowett, who took charge of the club in March, has gone well. The balance of the squad has improved and there is steel to go with the team’s flair. Nobody is taking success for granted after many recent near misses.

“We are not there yet but there are some good signs”, “Expectations aren’t too high, which can’t be a bad thing”, “At the moment for us, probably top eight. Add a decent creative midfielder or winger and that could push us top six”, “This team looks a solid unit and you have to give Rowett credit.”

Gary Rowett

“Rowett knows exactly what he is doing in the market”, “Gary is putting together a very impressive team already and I’m optimistic for the coming season”, “We are starting to look like a Rowett side. We are well organised and work very hard. Everyone puts a shift in and nobody shirks or hides.”

Gary Rowett

“Lat year we had a manager giving strikers to rivals, upsetting fans and players and nobody had a clue what was going on. In stark contrast, everything this year is calm, sensible players signed for sensible prices”, “This sensible management is exactly what we need. I reckon it will all pay off.”

Four High-Profile Departures

Derby released one first-team squad player, winger Abdoul Camara who is currently a free agent. Full-back Cyrus Christie has joined Middlesbrough, but the two highest profile movers are winger Tom Ince who has joined Huddersfield and midfielder Will Hughes, who has switched to Watford.

Tom Ince scores for Derby against Town

“This squad is in a better shape than last season despite Tom Ince and Will Hughes leaving. It is more balanced and if people are patient and allow Rowett to add width for the right price, we will have a great chance”, “Goalscoring should not be a problem with Chris Martin and David Nugent still here.”

Rams are happy that there is enough creativity in the squad to compensate for the loss of Hughes. “He is a very entertaining player to watch. I will miss his mazy dribbles and how he used to link play constantly from defence to attack seamlessly. As it stands I think we will feel the loss of Ince more.”

An Excellent Hat-Trick of Purchases

“We have more steel in the side so we should be stronger.” Rowett has brought in two defenders in the shape of 24-year-old right-back from Liverpool Andre Wisdom and centre-half Curtis Davies, 32, from Hull. It has been the arrival of 30-year-old fellow Tiger Tom Huddlestone which has ignited Rams’ summer.

Curtis Davies

“Huddlestone can ping one though, can’t he?”, “His signing has been massive for our midfield play. Now our forwards can concentrate on making space for themselves”, “He drops deep when he has the ball to make himself effectively a third centre-back, giving him good time to make his passes.”

“Let’s play hoofball all this season. I can watch Huddlestone play those long balls all day”, “He is bloody class, isn’t he?”, “Tom stands out so much. He is a class above everyone, an absolute beast who will be our key player”, “We haven’t had that midfield balance since George Thorne was fit.”

Tom Huddlestone

“The right-wing spot is the position I’m most worried about. Andreas Weimann seems to be forming a nice partnership on the left-hand side with Craig Forsyth as also a good understanding with Martin. I think Tom Lawrence on the right wing and at the right price may give us several more options.”

“Hopefully we can Tom Lawrence which would make a huge difference out wide.” There are two key targets on many Rams’ wish-lists. “I can see why Rowett wants Leicester’s Matty James. We seriously need another central midfielder that won’t run around like a headless chicken or slow up play.”

Pre-Season Formations

Derby began their pre-season with wins over Kidderminster (4-0) and Macclesfield (2-0). They split their squad and played two teams in the same evening, winning 1-0 at Port Vale and drawing 1-1 at Doncaster. A 2-0 win at 2.Bundesliga side Kaiserslautern was followed by a 1-0 loss at Northampton.

The starting line-up (above) for the Kaiserslautern game is the side most Rams expect to start the season, with the only switch being centre-back Curtis Davies (who was excused the Germany trip) for Alex Pearce. The only other discussion is around Johnny Russell or Mason Bennett on the right flank.

“Clearly a first-choice starting XI is beginning to emerge.” The largely second-string XI (above) which played poorly in the defeat at Northampton gives an idea of the wider Rams squad, although few of the side did themselves any favours in what by all reports was a very disjointed and listless display.

“It’s good to have the option of 4-2-3-1 and this new 4-3-3 through the season.” Rowett has altered occasionally to the system he used at Birmingham and many Rams wouldn’t be surprised to see this line-up (above) happen. One player who has blossomed has been former Canary Bradley Johnson.

“Bradley Johnson is in fine goalscoring form this season. It’s madness how he can’t trap a bag of cement and yet pulls great goals out of the bag”, “Rowett rates him as a goalscoring midfielder who gets into the box and we have seen glimpses of it this pre-season with him being pushed forward.”

Bradley Johnson

“I’m not sure 4-3-3 works without Chris Martin.” Rams have been quick to welcome back another one-time Canary to the fold after a loan spell at Fulham. “It’s brilliant to see Martin back”, “Good to see him back leading the line. He has great football intelligence and the technical ability to match.”

Changing Style and Emphasis

“Although we are playing the same formation as we did under Steve McClaren, it seems different”, “The way we move the ball is different, passes from deep and long balls instead of running it forward”, “I can see us owning midfield rather than praying that we can race the ball like it is going on a slalom.”

“We have more steel in the side so we should be much stronger”, “I am happy with the much more solid, almost agricultural look to our play and the greater organisation. I miss the flair and class of our previous style but don’t miss the nail-biting ‘are we about to chuck it all away again’ agony.”

Websites

The busiest Rams’ message board is the knowledgeable and well-informed DCFCFans.uk.

Other Previews

@HarryFromBath

Photo: Action Images

Steve_M added 12:09 - Jul 28 I'm looking froward to the annual mid-season collapse and the panicked sacking of Rowett to be replaced with Steve McLaren again.
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LankHenners added 12:30 - Jul 28 "Dare I dream this is our season?" They've been thinking it's their season every bloody year for a while now! Thanks again Harry, Rowett is clearly a good manager but can see their fans getting stroppy with him if it doesn't all go 100% swimmingly form start to finish. Still have a very strong midfield and with Nugent there they're guaranteed goals against us this season. Hopefully they'll just miss out on the playoffs again this year.

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Blandford added 13:36 - Jul 28 Thanks for the series so far, always enjoy reading the reports. The common theme seems to be one of uncertainty - relegated clubs, (surposedly) big clubs and even Derby fans are far from certain that their teams will be top six come May. Perhaps, just perhaps this is the year to aim high, let's face it no-one will expect us to provide a threat to the top end of the table after last seasons failings. Summer has been positive, long may that feeling continue.

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runningout added 19:48 - Jul 28 Tom Lawrence could be set for the Rams.. Has he had his best season when with us. Don't think so, and Leicester may be kicking themselves should he leave
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