Richard Keogh believes Derby County are still evolving as a team - and he is convinced that their best is still to come.
Ahead of tonight’s Sky Bet Championship top-of-the-table clash against Bristol City at Pride Park Stadium (7:45pm), Derby occupy second place in the table.
Gary Rowett’s men have enjoyed a fine season to date and have firmly established themselves as automatic promotion contenders after a run of 12 wins from their last 20 league fixtures.
Keogh, the Rams’ skipper, is of the belief that the side are continuing to grow and evolve under Rowett’s management.
Rowett took charge last March and made subtle changes to his squad during the summer transfer window, as well as shifting away from the 4-3-3 formation and style of play implemented in previous seasons.
Keogh insists everyone in the Rams’ dressing room is determined to push themselves in their quest to improve and play their part in the final 19 games of the campaign.
Speaking to RamsTV, the defender said: “We have nineteen massive games to go now.
“Once we get to the turn of the year that’s when the games tick down and you get nearer to the run-in. It’s a period where we need to push ourselves even harder and try to be even better, which I know the manager has touched on.
“I still think there’s more to come from us as we continue to evolve. Some people may question that but I still believe we are growing as a team and evolving.
“It’s a nice position to be in and I hope we can get stronger and better for what the manager wants us to do.”
Derby tasted a heavy defeat to tonight’s opponents when they met earlier in the campaign.
Despite leading 1-0 at the break, courtesy of Matej Vydra’s penalty, the Rams fell to a 4-1 defeat – their last league loss on the road.
Keogh admits it was a loss that the Rams took a lot from but, like his manager, he believes the game wasn’t a turning point as such in Derby’s season despite their impressive form since.
He said: “That game at Ashton Gate is one we don’t really want to remember but we certainly took a lot from it. That game wasn’t a turning point as such but it gave us the chance to address a few things.
“We spoke in the dressing room and there was a lot of honesty from the players and the management staff about what we felt we needed to do going forward. I think it was good to do that and, since then, we’ve not looked back and gone from strength-to-strength.”
He added: “Bristol City have done fantastic this season. They are a young and energetic side; which they’ve shown in the Championship and the Carabao Cup.
“We will have to be right up for it and ready to go as if we are not, it’ll be a tough one.”
