Derby County are currently in a patchy bit of form, winning two of their last five games.
Their last game was a 2-2 draw with Crewe Alexandra in the first round of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon, with a late comeback securing a replay at Pride Park.
This form coupled with poor performances has put manager Paul Warne under intense pressure from the fan base, but it came out recently that the board will be backing Warne.
From Warne’s key problem to the form of star winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, here is all the latest news from Derby County.
Warne’s frustrating Derby problem
Warne has recently spoken of his ‘frustration’ with Derby not being able to put away a lot of the chances they create.
“We’re a good team and that’s where the frustration is when we don’t win because everyone can see what a good team we are,” Warne said following the draw at Crewe.
Goals have been a source of problems for Derby in recent times.
They do show that they can score plenty of goals when they do take their chances, like when they thrashed Northampton Town 4-0 last week.
Warne needs to make sure his side does this on a more consistent basis if they are to push up the League One table.
Mendez-Laing’s incredible form
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has been in incredible form for Derby recently, scoring four goals in his last four games.
The Guatemala international has recently spoken about his form, saying following the draw at Crewe:
“You always want to score goals and create goals, it’s what I’m here to do. As long as I can keep that up, I will be happy.”
Mendez-Laing is in brilliant form, carrying Derby in some games.
As aforementioned, his goal on Sunday was his fourth goal in his last four games.
With Derby having struggled to score goals as of late, the £4.9k-a-week star’s form is a shining light of hope that Derby can start to put the ball in the back of the next on a more regular basis.
Should Warne be manager?
Paul Warne’s status as manager has been a major talking point amongst Rams fans due to the aforementioned form and poor performances.
It has caused plenty of debate, with fellow managers coming to back Warne.
Former Southampton, Luton and Stoke manager Nathan Jones recently backed Warne as manager, saying:
“Invariably most managers unless you are Pep or maybe Klopp you have tough times, it’s how you come through them, it’s part and parcel.
“Fanbases are sometimes unhappy for a number of reasons, sometimes it’s results, sometimes it’s style. But Warney is experienced, he’s got promoted three times. He’s philosophical, he knows what it takes.”