One Derby County star’s place in the side might be in jeopardy after a recent poor performance.
Derby County gained a solid point at Pride Park at the weekend after they came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Hull City.
The Rams managed to get back on level terms through young gem Dajaune Brown, who successfully managed to take one of the few chances he has been handed in regards to Championship football until he was cruelly brought off injured in the final minutes.
Defensively, Curtis Nelson was also on top form as usual alongside Eiran Cashin at centre-back, making it that much more difficult for Liverpool loanee Nat Phillips to stake his claim for game time in the side.
However, there was one surprise poor performer in the centre-of-the-park for the Rams, and it could easily call Paul Warne to make changes ahead of the upcoming game away at Stoke City.
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Paul Warne could drop Kenzo Goudmijn after poor showing for Derby County vs Hull City
Rams fans have got accustomed to a brilliant performance by Dutch midfielder Kenzo Goudmijn, who has shown an abundance of quality in the centre-of-the-park alongside the likes of David Ozoh and Ebou Adams.
However, there was something not quite right with his showing at the weekend and he most certainly ‘didn’t look right’, as per DerbyshireLive.
The midfielder was brought off on the 60th minute after struggling to make an impact against Hull City, and he was replaced by Ben Osborn, who was able to come on and notch an assist from a well-taken set-piece for Brown’s finish.
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Kenzo Goudmijn stats vs Hull City suggest he should be handed rest in upcoming games
It is likely that Goudmijn was potentially carrying a ‘minor injury’ in the draw against Hull City that he potentially picked up earlier against Oxford, and that clearly impacted his game.
Per SofaScore, the Rams man only managed 23 touches, as well as just 10 accurate passes. He lost possession eight times.
As for the defensive side, he didn’t show much more after just one tackle, zero interceptions and being dribbled past once.
The fact that Osborn was able to come on and make much more of an impact suggests that he was much sharper in the game, and that a rest in the next games could be massively beneficial for Goudmijn, who has started every single game so far this season.
It may be difficult for Warne’s side to have the same bite in the midfield without Goudmijn, but he is clearly in need of a rest in the next gameweek, and it is certainly not worth taking a chance over.