Derby's goalscoring exploits earn praise from Head Coach Steve McClaren.

Derby County currently lead the way as the Sky Bet Championship’s leading goalscorers after 15 matches – and it’s a statistic that has delighted Head Coach Steve McClaren.

The Rams have scored 29 goals in their 15 league fixtures so far this season, averaging almost two goals per game.

Derby have also recorded a considerable amount of ‘team goals’ through their free-flowing football, particularly the second and third goals in last Saturday’s 3-0 success over Sheffield Wednesday that left McClaren purring post-match.

McClaren has also been pleased to see his side add a further string to their bow in their last two matches, by scoring from set pieces.

He said: “First and foremost the fact we are the top scorers in the league really pleases me.


“It’s very heartening knowing that we can go into any Championship game believing we can score goals.


“Some of our goals have been fantastic and we’re scoring a lot of them from good football.


“That is really pleasing; especially when things come off that you work on in training.


“On top of that in our last two games we’ve also scored of set plays so we’re improving in that area too.”

After earning the plaudits for their slick attacking play against Sheffield Wednesday, McClaren says the key to the win was the solid defensive base of the side.

Goalkeeper Lee Grant, the back four and defensive midfielder Kalifa Cisse earned praise from the Head Coach after keeping the Rams’ second league shut-out of the season against the Owls, which McClaren hopes is a sign of things to come.

He said: “The key to the performance and result against Sheffield Wednesday was the clean sheet.


“We were disciplined as a side and the defensive work by the back five in particular was superb.


“Just in front of them we had Kalifa Cisse as well who provided a platform for the likes of Bryson and Hughes to go forwards.


“The three forwards can do what they kind of want and that helps bring that flowing football to the side.


“The players are playing with freedom because they know behind them others are offering that sort of security.”

Watch Steve McClaren’s full interview on Rams Player.


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