Pre-season is drawing to an end and for Derby County, it’s been a tough summer of building fitness back up for the campaign ahead.
The latest test for Paul Warne and his squad was a trip to Oakwell, taking on League One outfit Barnsley on Wednesday night.
A Nathaniel Mendez-Laing double was backed up by a comfortable James Collins goal to flex the Rams and their attacking side of the game.
However, with four goals shipped the other way, there are clearly a few issues that need ironing out before the Championship gets underway.
So with that said, here’s a look at some winners and losers from Derby’s performance against the Tykes in pre-season.
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Derby County winners from Barnsley clash
There were a few Derby players that stood out enough to put them in good stead heading into the final pre-season match and the season as a whole.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
A Derby talisman, Mendez-Laing finally found his attacking stride during pre-season as he bagged two goals for the Rams.
The forward has previously struggled, like the rest of the team, with some end product in the final third in recent weeks.
His two goals came from some neat build-up and with calm finishes to follow, coming as a huge boost for him.
Jerry Yates
Derby fans quite possibly got a glimpse of exactly what Jerry Yates is capable of at Oakwell as he became a livewire in the attack.
The on-loan Swansea striker combined well with Mendez-Laing for his second goal, while his overall link play was impressive.
Yates took up plenty of good positions in the box too, though the Rams weren’t quite able to deliver many crosses with quality.
Kayden Jackson
Another bright spark in the side, Kayden Jackson provided plenty of threat by playing on the right wing throughout the match.
The former Ipswich Town star caused plenty of problems with his pace on the flanks, while he was unfortunate not to walk away with a goal or a few assists.
Kane Wilson
Playing in a back four at Barnsley, Kane Wilson was able to make his usual lung-busting runs down the touchline.
It’s the greatest attribute of the right-back when he’s firing and he showed once again that he is capable of causing plenty of problems.
David Ozoh
Pride Park could bear witness to the rise of the next big star as loanee David Ozoh looks to make his mark.
The Crystal Palace youngster showed signs of his quality at Barnsley, able to recover well in the midfield or on the flanks when the full-backs pushed up.
There may be some slight concerns about his passing, with a few stray attempts and one or two that were not in the ideal area.
However, with every minute he is playing, the youngster appears to be growing more confident.
Derby County losers from Barnsley clash
Some players perhaps didn’t show their best display for Derby when they took on Barnsley, though it shows where some improvements may have to come when the season gets underway.
Josh Vickers
With the exit of Joe Wildsmith in the summer, Josh Vickers has become the number one for the pre-season campaign.
The Derby goalkeeper didn’t have the most convincing display at Oakwell, not least because four goals were conceded.
Some of those attempts could’ve been handled better by the former Arsenal man, though some efforts did take an unfortunate knick off of a defender on the way to the goal.
However, it was the control of the box that would be a major concern as Vickers was caught in areas he wouldn’t want to be when coming to claim for the ball.
It wasn’t the most convincing display and perhaps lays bare the concerns over a transfer for a new goalkeeper.
Kenzo Goudmijn
Kenzo Goudmijn has been one of the bright sparks of pre-season for Derby so far, with his quality on the ball very clear to see.
However, against Barnsley, he was pushed further up the pitch to become an attacking midfielder, something that didn’t quite suit his strengths.
The Dutchman has often looked at his best in pre-season when receiving the ball from the centre-backs in a deeper role, progressing it from deeper areas for his teammates.
His struggles to get into the match on Wednesday may indicate a rethink when it comes to the midfield structure.
Ebou Adams
Another of the midfield contingent that struggled was Ebou Adams, who made his stunning return to Derby this summer.
The former Cardiff City man struggled at times in the match, getting caught in possession a few too many times.
There were his usual recovery periods off the ball, which looks as impressive as ever, but Adams can’t afford the same time on the ball in the Championship as in League One.