Thu 09 Nov - Posted in Breaking News
Time to read: 3mins
Derby County’s October winning run was the product of some superb team performances, but there were some key individual contributions as Gary Rowett’s side secured four wins from four games.
We put together the best facts and figures from some of the vital performances that led the Rams to a 100 per cent winning record last month…
Sam Winnall was kept on the bench as the Rams opened the month with two convincing home wins over Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday, but the 26-year-old striker proved his worth when Gary Rowett’s side took to the road.
He came off the bench to score a late winner against Norwich City, before being brought into the starting eleven to bag a match-winning brace under the lights at Elland Road against Leeds United.
Incredibly, Winnall scored three goals from three shots on target in just 102 minutes of football during October, averaging a goal every 34 minutes, a true reflection of his crucial contribution to the Rams’ superb run.
Everybody knows about the defensive capabilities of the Derby captain, but Richard Keogh has been showcasing another part of his game so far this season and he deservedly received a nomination for the Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month.
His incisive pass that led to David Nugent’s opener against Norwich was his second assist in the Championship this season, that’s more than any other centre-back in the league.
Keogh is an important part of the Rams’ build-up play, and this was in evidence during October as he completed 205 passes in four games; a figure that no other defender in the Championship could top.
The Rams’ strength in depth was a key element of their perfect month, as time after time, Rowett made the difference with a decisive substitution.
Winnall and Bradley Johnson both grabbed goals after being brought on in the second half of games, but another forward also made a decisive impact whenever he was called upon from the bench.
Chris Martin made seven key passes during October; more than any other Derby player, despite starting three of the four games as a substitute.
A by-product of Rowett’s effective changes was a flurry of late goals, as the Rams scored with time running out against Wednesday, Norwich and Leeds.
Johnson’s strike against the Owls was key to making the three points safe, whilst Winnall fired two late winners in the space of four days to carry Derby to six points out of six on the road.
No other Championship team scored more goals in the last 15 minutes of matches during October, a true reflection of the spirit and depth that Rowett has at his disposal.
When David Nugent is on the scoresheet for Derby, more often than not, the Rams will come away with the three points.
Derby are yet to lose a game when the 32-year-old striker has scored, and that record continued this month after his strikes in the victories against Forest and Norwich.
