When Derby County takes on play-off contender Blackpool this afternoon at Pride Park, they hope to regain momentum in their bid for automatic promotion.
Paul Warne’s team enters the match fresh off a 1-0 loss to Northampton the previous Saturday, when they were unable to overtake Bolton in third place by seven points. With six games remaining and a four-point lead over Ian Evatt’s team, Derby faces a thrilling season finale with little margin for mistake.
Football editors Brian Dick and Leigh Curtis answered all of the Rams’ Facebook Live inquiries about injuries, Dajaune Brown, and who has the advantage in the promotion battle prior to this afternoon’s matchup with Neil Critchley’s team.
BD:Can you first update us on the injury situation in advance of tomorrow’s game, as there is another important one coming up on Tuesday?What information do you have on Collins and Mendez-Laing?
LC: I think it’s amazing that Collins is back today. Like everyone else, I believed that after Exeter, his season was over. I guess you naturally assume the worst when you hear the term knee ligament damage. It was said that we would be fortunate to see him by the end of April and that it would take 12 weeks. I am aware that they have treated him differently than usual because they extracted part of his blood and spun it.
It’s called platelet therapy, I believe, and it works wonders for ligaments and tendons since the spun blood is then put back into the wounded area. That helped reattach the ligament to the bone when it was injected back into his knee. It’s certainly helped, in my opinion, that he was able to return so quickly and that he takes excellent care of himself off the field.
He leads the line really well and has scored 18 goals this season, so it’s a huge boost to have him back. Better still, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is in good physical condition. The scans revealed no issues, so I suppose Paul’s main concern is whether he puts them both at risk right away. I guess Paul needs to consider the risks and rewards. They will definitely contribute in some way, but we’ll have to wait and see if that comes from the starting lineup or the bench of substitutes.
There is the Portsmouth match to consider, but at this juncture in the season, when you need results, it wouldn’t shock me if Paul chose to start them in order to get three points. They’ll undoubtedly confer with the medical personnel and physiotherapists to determine the best course of action.
BD: Does Sonny Bradley’s absence suggest a shift in form?
LC: It’s going to have to be him. Craig Forsyth won’t likely be playing this season, in my opinion. Considering that Sonny Bradley is currently suspended, he would have been a viable option to play there.
BD: Is there any sense in bringing Dajaune Brown back from Gateshead? Is that even possible?
LC: That’s a really good question, and I’ve been thinking about it for the past 48 hours. He really is flying. His actions at Gateshead are exactly what Derby intended him to do: play football with the first team, score goals, gain confidence, return in the summer to evaluate his progress, and then decide what steps to take next.
Paul mentioned this subject lately at the fan forum, specifically discussing Dajaune and what will occur in the summer. I believe that a League Two team would be a better place for him to advance in his growth, and we’ll see how he does there.
That being said, you cannot discount the fact that he is scoring goals and is fully fit. He must be incredibly self-assured. He wouldn’t fit in with this squad when everyone is healthy, but if you were trailing in a game and needed something in the final ten minutes, you would definitely toss him on because of his quickness and sharpness. It’s challenging. But considering he’s playing frequently and might end up at Wembley for his own growth, I’m kind of leaning towards retaining him at Gateshead.
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