Tag Archives: Ryan Shotton

27th January – Rams up to 2nd as Bent double downs Blackburn

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

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27th January

Derby County                         2                 Darren Bent 68, 90+2      

Blackburn Rovers                 0

This day may, in retrospect, turn out to be a pivotal one for the Rams in this important season.

Not only did we gather a crucial three points from this hard fought win over Blackburn to lift ourselves back up to 2nd, but George Thorne made his competitive comeback with 45 minutes for the U-21 side who thrashed Stoke City 7-1.

The continued return to fitness of the midfielder, who is so important to the way we play, is a boost to everyone involved with the club and while there is some way to go before he is orchestrating our play it is a relief to see him playing again after the crushing blow of that pre-season injury.

Compared to the team that started against Forest Ryan Shotton replaced Cyrus Christie, Simon Dawkins replaced the injured Johnny Russell and Jeff Hendrick replaced Craig Bryson.

After the experimentation against Chesterfield in the FA Cup it was back to plan A formation wise with the 4-3-3 facing up to Blackburn’s well organised and drilled two banks of four with Tom Cairney playing behind the nippy Josh King.

It was a surprise, though not a disappointment, to see Rovers lining up without either Jordan Rhodes or Rudy Gestede, both of them on the bench. Was this a bit of asset protection in advance of a sale by the Venky’s – difficult to say and unsuccessful, if so, as Gestede appeared before half time to replace the injured Tom Cairney but he himself had to be replaced when injured in the second half.

This was a gritty win for the Rams featuring some good performances from a number of players. Will Hughes was again excellent, always looking for the ball, always providing a threat with his skill and there were two particularly impressive examples of twinkle toed skill from him in the first half as he manoeuvred the ball away from defenders snapping around his heels.

Omar Mascarell had his best game of the season combining his usual ease on the ball with more bite and disruption of Blackburn’s play and looking the part as the defensive midfield pivot.

Richard Keogh was closer to his best than has been the case for a while, some excellent positioning and interceptions allied to a number of shuddering blocks with a few barnstorming charges forward thrown in for good measure. It has been suggested that he was benefitting from a more disciplined right back performance from Ryan Shotton and I think there is merit in that. Shotts was composed on his return to the team and exhibited more positional awareness than Cyrus Christie has done in recent games. And that long throw of his is quite an option for us.

We held the ball well in the first half without ever really carving out a clear chance. The good work of that first half was nearly lost when a misplaced pass from Jeff Hendrick just before the break almost led to a goal with Josh King, fortunately, blazing over.

While never in the brutal class of the Mark Hughes era Blackeye Rovers this generation of Rovers were physical and, more than any team I have seen for a while, looked to hit the long ball to try and exploit their pace up front.

The second half was proving to be more of the same, Jamie Ward and Simon Dawkins labouring on the flanks, both appearing to lack some sharpness and inevitably generating a few what might have beens were it not for the absence of Johnny Russell and Jordan Ibe.

The signing of Darren Bent, though, has given us another option and he had only been on the pitch for five minutes before bundling the ball into the net after another of Ryan Shotton’s long throws

The win was not seen out with ease. Blackburn threw Jordan Rhodes on and started launching the ball into our box and one superb tackle from Omar Mascarell and one even more superb save from Lee Grant were needed to keep us in front.

 It was good to see Mason Bennett appearing as a substitute late on and he was instrumental in the second goal that took the pressure off – breaking down the left wing and putting in an excellent cross for Chris Martin who saw his shot well saved by Jason Steele but there in the right place, at the right time was our new penalty area predator Darren Bent to put the game away.

 This was such an important three points against a good Championship side.

To be back up to second with 19 games to go means our fate is in our hands and if we can ensure that remains the case as the number of games dwindle away this season may yet have a very happy ending.

13th December – Boro add to Rams away day blues as Bamford proves a point

14 Sunday Dec 2014

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13th December – Boro add to Rams away day blues as Bamford proves a point

 

Middlesbrough             2                 Derby County               0

Patrick Bamford 6                             Ryan Shotton sent off 62

Grant Leadbitter 63 (pen)

Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka became the second manager in short order to praise Derby County as the best team in the league immediately after his own team had just easily beaten us 2-0.

Like Neil Redfearn after Leeds had turned us over Jose Mourinho’s former assistant praised the Rams while basking in a well deserved win that knocked us off the top of the league in a morning kick off that did not get the weekend off to a flying start.

We were poor in this game, poor in so many areas and got exactly what we deserved from a vigorous and committed Boro. Of the players in the white shirts only Lee Grant and Johnny Russell can come out with any credit at all.

The fit again skipper Richard Keogh returned to the team with Jake Buxton dropping to the bench. Bucko gave a confident performance against an admittedly poor Brighton team last week and was a little unlucky to step down. Whether he would have made any difference to this defeat is unlikely though as we were being outgunned in all areas of the pitch throughout.

Much of the media coverage in the lead up to this game featured Patrick Bamford. He is an interesting footballer and not apparently victim to periods of crushing self doubt.

It was illuminating to read some of his comments after this game, referring to wanting to prove to us that he was not a “softy”, comments that shed just a little more light on why he was suited up in a red shirt for this game rather than a white one.

Despite his goals for us last season Bamford was always a player that generated lukewarm affection at best. Maybe this was an understandable hangover from his Forest roots, maybe because sometimes he appeared less than truly committed to the team ethic, whatever the reason it was not a total surprise to see him rock up at Middlesbrough rather than back at Derby as the season began though this may have had as much to do with our unwillingness to play him in his preferred central striking position rather than out wide.

He was certainly on a mission, scoring while criminally unmarked in our penalty area after only 6 minutes and then drawing a foul from last man Ryan Shotton as he prepared to fire on goal in the 63rd minute, leading to the defender’s dismissal and Grant Leadbitter’s goal from the spot.

Were it not for some fine saves from Lee Grant we could have been hammered 3-0, 4-0 in this game and apart from a tame Jeff Hendrick effort after some good Johnny Russell work in the first half and an excellent save from a Craig Bryson shot as the game drew to a close we never really worried the hosts.

They surrendered the ball and pressed us keeping players behind the ball – this is something we do not seem to be able to cope with and teams will increasingly exploit this weakness if we do not solve it quick sharp.

 Steve McClaren rolled the dice at half time throwing on Leon Best as well as Jordan Ibe but the big loanee from Blackburn had minimal effect in the new formation as Boro continued to control and dominate us.

The last time we won at Boro, 15th January 2000 when Malcolm Christie scored twice in a 4-1 win. My abiding memory of that game is the Radio Derby interview with Jim Smith where he as much as admits that he had intended to select Marvin Robinson but picked Malcolm accidentally…..

Eight defeats and one solitary draw in our visits to the Riverside since that win make it one of the most miserable of away visits, curious considering that the Riverside and Pride Park are identical you would imagine we would at least feel at home.

Four defeats in our last eight games leaves an uneasy feeling, as does seeing us drop from top to third because of this defeat. A joust with the best team in the Premiership next as Chelsea come to town for the quarter final of the league cup and then a very important game (aren’t they all?) against Norwich City next Saturday lunchtime.

Not much time then for the coaching staff to try and put things right as the hectic Christmas schedule hoves into view, there is lots to play for and we have some thinking to do….

 

22nd November – Bryso’s blockbuster bags the points for table topping Rams

23 Sunday Nov 2014

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22nd November

Watford      1                           Derby County      2

Gianni Munari 67                       Jordan Ibe 39

                                                 Craig Bryson 81

It’s often said that the sign of a good team is that they find a way to win even against the tide. Well, this team of ours showed more signs of being a good team after Craig Bryson’s thundering effort into the top corner nine minutes from time sealed an excellent away win for the Rams.

Thanks to the international break it felt an age since “proper” football had been played. This international break, though, has been more interesting than many from a Derby fan’s point of view.

Will Hughes & Jack Butland played for England U-21, Chris Martin started his first game for Scotland against England, Johnny Russell made his debut in the same game creating Scotland’s goal, Jeff Hendrick, Richard Keogh & Cyrus Christie all played for the Republic of Ireland while Simon Dawkins played three games as Jamaica lifted the Caribbean Cup.

Dawkins return only on Friday from his travels led to the one change for the Rams from the wonderful performance against Wolves two weeks ago as Jordan Ibe took his place in the team.

Derby kept possession well at the start of the game and following early corners Jeff Hendrick came very close to putting us into the lead, a shot from the edge of the area being turned by Jonathan Bond’s fingertips onto the post and away.

Watford took a defensive, players behind the ball, approach probably mindful of the Rams threat as they played a deep and less aggressive game than typical from the Hornets at home. There was still danger in their play, though, and it took a terrific challenge by Ryan Shotton to prevent Fernando Forestieri breaking through, a fine save from Jack Butland to keep out a drive from Troy Deeney and on the half hour and a tremendous tackle from Craig Forsyth to deny Forestieri when he looked clean through.

Derby’s patience and persistence paid off with a wonderful goal from Jordan Ibe as the first half drew to a close, taking the ball on his chest from assist master supreme Johnny Russell on the corner of the area; he cut away and curled in a beautiful shot to give the Rams the lead

 Matys Vydra’s introduction at half time for Watford signalled a change of intent from the home team and Derby struggled to hold onto the ball as the game moved into the second half, Omar Mascarell unable to influence the game as he has shown he can do and Will Hughes being starved of the ball. There was, however, a great chance for Chris Martin to put the game beyond Watford’s reach when he found himself clear against the goalkeeper but was unable to fashion a clinical strike.

The increasing sense of the game shifting solidified in 67th minute when Watford equalised through a smart move that cut through the Rams back line and saw Gianni Munari fire into the roof of the net.

At this point the game had a similar feel to the Brentford match as we lost control of a winning situation and saw less and less of the ball as the game drew on, Watford piling on the pressure and Jack Butland being increasingly busy.

A different outcome today though. Sometimes you see a player shaping for an effort from way out and you think…..”naaah”…..but on this occasion with nine minutes to go sub Craig Bryson on for Will Hughes smashed in a terrific shot to grab the three points. Watford did put us under some pressure before the final whistle but we defended well and played out the last minute or so at the Watford end of the pitch which is always the best way to see out a win.

A terrific win then, inflicting Watford’s first home defeat of the season and moving us 3pts clear at the top. Good to see how increasingly at home and solid Ryan Shotton is looking at the back, providing a good mixture of pace and strength which bodes well. Next up that always eye catching game….Leeds United.