Derby County are making a charge towards League One promotion, with Paul Warne’s methods making an impact.
Paul Warne‘s record in League One is impeccable, with promotion from the division with each full season he has had in charge of a club. Those came in his days at Rotherham, but Derby County will be hoping he can continue that streak this campaign.
The Rams are second in the table with a four-point gap to third, putting them in the driving seat for the remaining seven games. It offers a slight comfort in knowing they can afford perhaps one slip along the way.
There are plenty of twists and turns left in store though, with the Pride Park outfit still keen to get themselves over the line. The push so far has been characterised by grit and determination, as well as one other key facet of Warne-ball.
Derby County set-piece stats
One point that Warne has made throughout his tenure at Derby so far surrounds the importance of set-pieces at this level. This has already been on display several times this season, with Kane Wilson‘s winner against Bolton the latest example.
The stats appear to show exactly how impressive the Rams have been when it comes to their routines. According to Opta Analyst, the side sit around eighth for set-piece shots, but have racked up the second-most xG [Expected Goals] from them with 15.57 – only Portsmouth have more with 17.49.
It suggests that they create quality chances from crossing situations, but that is highlighted even more by their output. While the xG suggests the average team would score 15 or 16 goals from the chances created, Derby actually have a league-leading 20 goals from set-pieces this season.
That makes up roughly 29% of their goal output this season. It underlines the sheer importance of them for the promotion push.
League One promotion picture
With seven games to go, it’s in the hands of Derby to get themselves into the Championship at this stage. There’s still some big fixtures to come for themselves as well as the teams around them though, with plenty of twists and turns in store.
READ MORE: Derby County’s next five fixtures compared to League One rivals after huge Bolton victory
Next up for the Rams is a trip to Northampton, while all of their rivals will be away on international duty. It offers the chance to get some important points on the board, pushing even more pressure on their rivals.
A defeat, on the other hand, sets up a tough final six games that includes the likes of Portsmouth, Blackpool and Wycombe Wanderers.