One Derby County star will be relied on to step up after a recent injury to a key man.
Derby County are gearing up for a home game against Hull City, where they will be hoping that they can continue what has been a brilliant start to the 2024/25 season in regards to their form at Pride Park.
The Rams have tallied five points in their previous three, despite two of the games being away from home, so Paul Warne’s side will likely come into the clash full of high spirits.
One thing that will make Derby County’s upcoming game difficult are the injuries dealt to Warne’s side, including full-back Ryan Nyambe, who is set for a spell on the sidelines alongside midfield signing David Ozoh, who suffered another set-back following his costly injury blow.
The Crystal Palace loanee will continue to be a big miss for the Rams, and it must certainly spark an improvement in one fellow midfielder.
Ben Osborn must step up after injury dealt to Derby County star David Ozoh
Ozoh proved to massively bolster Warne’s midfield after showing real aggression and physical ability in the centre-of-the-park by constantly breaking up play.
He worked incredibly well with fellow midfielders Ebou Adams and Kenzo Goudmijn, especially when playing at Pride Park, and his exceptional defensive abilities proved to give the Dutchman the licence to push slightly further forward and hand him freedom.
However, now that Ozoh’s absence has been extended, Ben Osborn must step up to fill the void more than ever, as whilst the former Sheffield United midfielder has looked somewhat consistent and comfortable in the centre-of-the-park, he has not quite managed to replicate the performances of the young midfielder.
- READ MORE: Paul Warne compares Derby County ace to Ryan Gravenberch, he could embarrass his transfer fee
Ben Osborn must improve in certain areas to replicate David Ozoh performances
Since his arrival, Osborn has without a doubt proven to be dependable and sometimes ‘tenacious’, and there is no doubt that his Premier League experience will have rubbed off on the players.
However, he has not quite lived up to the lofty expectations set of a Rams midfielder by his fellow teammates, notably Goudmijn and Ozoh, and there are areas that he could improve in order to reach that.
Per SofaScore, Osborn’s passing play has not quite been inch-perfect after notching a 75% passing accuracy per game, which has been accumulated from a fairly low average of 18.5 passes per match.
As for defending, he has averaged just two tackles, and as little as 0.5 interception per game.
It is clear that improvements could be made, particularly in regards to tackles, with Ozoh averaging 3.8 per game, and if he was able to, then the loss of the Crystal Palace loanee will not be as urgent.