Match Preview: Derby County v Plymouth Argyle Saturday, 22nd Aug 2009 04:10
In their first three games Derby have collected the full set of a win, loss and draw. They return home hoping to build on a much improved mid-week performance.
Derby County v Plymouth Argyle Coca Cola Championship Pride Park Derby Saturday 22nd August 2009, 3:00pm Plymouth Argyle:
Current League Position: 18th Leading Scorer: Krisztian Timar, Alan Gow, Jamie Mackie (all 1) Manager: Paul Sturrock Kit home: Green with white stripe shirts/White shorts Kit away: White with green stripe shirts/Green shorts Last game: 1 – 3 Cardiff City Quotes from the manager:
From BT Yahoo Sport; Commenting on the loss against Cardiff:
"In the first half our central defenders weren't with it and against players like Chopra and Boothroyd, you can't afford to give them anything. You saw what happen when we did. Cardiff are a quality team and deserved to win the game."
Summing up the Pilgrim’s prospects before the game against the Rams, Sturrock told BBC Devon: "Of course there's less pressure away from home and the players loosen up.”Last year we had a torrid season with the worst home record in the league so there is an apprehension at times."
Plymouth drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace in their only away fixture this season and Sturrock believes a repeat of that performance will stand them in good stead at Pride Park. Added Sturrock: "People are chucking a lot of money at their teams now and Derby are no different."
Current Argyle Squad:
No. Position. Player 1 Keeper Romain Larrieu 2 Midfielder Karl Duguid 3 Midfielder Jim Paterson 4 Midfielder Carl Fletcher 5 Defender Krisztian Timar 6 Midfielder Chris Clark 8 Midfielder Jamie Mackie 9 Striker Steve MacLean 10 Striker Bradley Wright-Phillips 11 Midfielder Kari Arnason 14 Striker Rory Fallon 15 Defender Chris Barker 16 Defender David McNamee 17 Defender Craig Noone 18 Defender Gary Sawyer 19 Defender Marcel Seip 20 Midfielder Luke Summerfield 21 Striker Cillian Sheridan (loan from Celtic) 22 Defender Reda Johnson 23 Keeper Kyle Letheren 24 Striker Ashley Barnes 25 Midfielder Alan Judge (loan from Blackburn) 26 Striker Alan Gow 27 Keeper Lloyd Saxton 28 Striker George Donnelly 29 Midfielder Damien McCrory 30 Midfielder Simon Walton 31 Midfielder Yoann Folly 32 Striker Joe Mason 33 Defender Ben Gerring 34 Striker Liam Head 35 Defender Ryan Brett
The Rams: Quotes from the manager: From DET:
“We were pleased with the point at Blackpool and want a lot more clean sheets," said Clough, who hopes what happened at Blackpool sets Derby up to take full advantage of the home game against Plymouth Argyle".
"We are looking forward to being at home in front of 30,000, we hope, and we want to be back on it and scoring goals," he added. But we also want the defending and the team ethic we saw at Blackpool. We are trying to get the balance between those two things."
Current Rams Squad: No. Position. Player. 1 Keeper Stephen Bywater 2 Defender Paul Connolly 3 Defender James McEveley 4 Midfield Paul Green 5 Defender Miles Addison (vice-captain) 6 Defender Dean Leacock 7 Midfield Lee Croft 8 Midfield Robbie Savage (captain) 9 Striker Rob Hulse 10 Midfield Kris Commons 11 Midfield Gary Teale 12 Striker Chris Porter - Injured 13 Keeper Saul Deeney 14 Defender Shaun Barker 15 Striker Luke Varney - Loaned to Sheff Weds 16 Midfield Stephen Pearson 17 Defender Jake Buxton 18 Midfield Ben Pringle 19 Midfield Giles Barnes - Injured 20 Midfield Steve Davies - Injured 21 Midfield Dean Moxey 22 Midfield Arnaud Mendy N/K Midfield Jake Livermore (loan from Spurs)
What the Bookies think: Home Win: 8/11 Draw: 13/5 Away win: 4/1 First Scorer: Rob Hulse 11/2 (Hat-trick 40/1) Information for travelling fans: Driving: It’s about 248 miles to Derby (and your carbon footprint is 73kg). Take the A38 to the M5 and keep going until you hit the M42/A42 until you reach M1 junction 24. Follow A50 towards Derby City Centre, and then follow signs to Pride Park Stadium. Parking: Mick says you can die of old age waiting to get out of the parking areas around the ground, and there aren’t that many either. A better place to park is the Cattle Market car park at the end of the A52 by the Pentagon Island. This is about 10 minutes from the ground. You can park near the Navigation Pub on London Rd if you follow the parking signs but again, don’t plan to get away quickly. But hey, with a four hour driving trip each way, you’ve probably not fitted yourself up with a hot date in the evening… Drinking: There are a few pubs very close to the ground but if you come by train, the locale around the station is fairly inviting. The Crown and Cushion at the junction of London Rd always seems to be full of away supporters.
The Brunswick is a must for any real ale fans and the Alexandra next door is my personal favorite. Fans tend to mingle in these pubs and as long as you’re not being aggressive, the atmosphere is good. The Waterfall opposite the station is okay as well if a little on the expensive side. If you are driving, the Navigation Pub on London Rd opposite the parking area is your best bet. Around the ground there's a Frankie & Bennie's, Harvester and the Pride Park but these tend to be very busy. Paul’s Prediction: The omens look good for the Rams, we did the double over Argyle last season and we are chasing a fourth consecutive victory, while they have not picked up a single point since 1985 in six visits.
But with a bad start and Sturrock likely to ring the changes calling up Johnson and Arnason, the Pilgrims may well decide that it’s time to buck the trend and win at Pride Park. Certainly Alan Gow is likely to start and he did score against us last season, albeit for Blackpool. The fans are in two camps as regards Sturrock – one wanting him to leave NOW, and the other wanting him to have a bit more time - and as one poster said: “Stupid thread IMO. Typical over the top kneejerk reaction from so called "fans". Nothing's won or lost in August, let alone after only three games!”
The bookies have Derby as firm favorites and after the dogged rearguard action at Bloomfield Road, with Hulse back along with a promise that his eyes aren’t wistfully looking towards Teeside, and Commons fit again, Rams fans should be going home happy while Argyle fans face a long dispiriting trip back. Hopefully a hungry Hulse with his eyes on his goal century (he needs three more) will go one better (he scored two last time) and secure an emphatic win. Steve Davies is also knocking on the door for a place after being out, and of course, many fans will be wanting to see something of Barker, Leacock and Livermore, all of whom have yet to make at appearance at Pride Park. Probable Derby team: Bywater, Connolly, Buxton, Addison, Moxey, Pearson, Savage, Green, Teale, Hulse, Commons Probable Subs: Deeney, Barker, Livermore, Leacock, Davies, McEveley, Croft Score Prediction:
Derby 3-1 Argyle
Photo: Action Images
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