One Derby County player performed incredibly well in the 1-0 win against Cardiff City.
Derby County managed to make it three consecutive home wins in the 2024/25 Championship campaign, with Paul Warne’s side comfortably seeing off Cardiff City.
Just like the 3-0 home victory against Bristol City, Kenzo Goudmijn was at the centre-of-the-show as he managed another goal in front of a packed out home crowd at Pride Park.
It was a well taken goal from the Dutch midfielder, who latched onto a brilliantly-placed cross courtesy of Callum Elder.
Warne has done incredibly well to get the best out of his midfielders, with David Ozoh and Ebou Adams yet again putting in another incredible performance to cement the Rams’ solid start to the 2024/25 Championship season.
However, there was one player within the Derby County ranks that certainly shone for Warne’s side and he will certainly prove to be a crucial figure in the side.
Callum Elder impressed for Derby County vs Cardiff City
There were many splendid performances across the pitch for Derby County, from Jacob Widell Zetterstrom in-between the sticks, to Jerry Yates leading the line, however Rams defender Elder is the player that most certainly deserves the plaudits.
The Australian full-back looked very assured defensively throughout the game, and he most certainly provided an attacking threat down the left flank, with some brilliant balls into the box as he looked to find the Derby County attackers.
There are many reasons as to why there is pressure on Elder to perform for the Rams, and he has certainly shown that he can make a difference at Championship level.
Callum Elder performance is crucial for Paul Warne’s plans
Elder is quite a rare case in the current Derby County side, with left-back being one of the few positions in the side that wasn’t improved across the summer transfer window.
There were several signings that Warne brought in, with him showing particular regard to both strikers and centre-midfielders, and as a result, it would not be too catastrophic to Warne’s plans if any of these arrivals didn’t quite work out.
However, if Elder was not up to scratch for the 2024/25 Championship campaign, Warne would only have 35-year-old Craig Forsyth as an alternative natural left-back, which would cause serious concerns, both defensively and offensively.
Pressure will no doubt have been on Elder to perform to the best of his abilities following the conclusion of the summer transfer window, and he has proven Warne’s faith in the full-back to be entirely justified after a brilliant performance.