Head Coach Paul Warne has praised Lars-Jorgen Salvesen’s debut performance against Sunderland in midweek and admitted his Derby County side will need to show 'more bravery and aggression' when they face Cardiff City in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off).
The Rams fell to a 1-0 defeat against promotion chasers Sunderland at Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday night, but a substitute appearance from January addition Salvesen saw Derby come close to an equaliser on multiple occasions in the second half.
They will head to Cardiff on Saturday searching for a result to turn around their fortunes after a recent spell of results not going in their favour. Derby came out on top in the reverse fixture in September, with Kenzo Goudmijn on the scoresheet at Pride Park in a 1-0 win for Derby.
Warne spoke to RamsTV ahead of Saturday's trip to South Wales.
His reflections after Tuesday’s game against Sunderland…
Unfortunately, the lads didn’t get the elusive goal that their play, especially in the second half, deserved. Physically, I think they'll be okay but psychologically, they're going to need a bit of TLC because we’re on the run of bad results. You don't want to start thinking that there's a destiny to it.
We could have been a bit braver in the first 25 minutes but having given it some more thought, I do understand the lads' unintentional mentality to think: 'we've got a different back three, we don't normally play with this back three', although I thought they were excellent. They looked like the calmest cucumbers in the house! Going forward, we weren't as aggressive as I would like us to be. We’ve just got to try and forget the recent results. It is the same if you've won six on the spin, you can't go into the seventh game thinking you've got it cracked. Football's never like that. You just have to re-engage in the game when the whistle goes.
On Lars-Jorgen Salvesen making his debut on Tuesday night…
I am pleased I've got him to compete with Jerry Yates because it's something different and that's what I've been going on about in many an interview. I do love a big number nine. I've always had big nines in my career as a player and as a coach, so I do see what they bring. Different players bring different things. I just think that if you start with Lars and you bring on Jerry, it's difficult for the defenders and if you start with Jerry and bring on Lars, it’s also hard to play against.
Lars has a really good aerial threat, not only from crosses but also from open play. He's very mobile, so he wants to get in behind the defensive line. I like players that can stretch the line. If you always play in front of teams, you're easy to play against. He also has the energy to want to press all the time. I was pleased with him and even more so as a striker when you come into a team or to a new club, there's a real expectation and excitement.
On the importance of Saturday’s game on the rest of the season…
I do honestly think that there isn't a great deal between any of the teams in this league. I've got massive respect for Sunderland, and I didn't think that they were significantly better than us. You do have to beat the teams in and around you, that is obvious. I don't think it's easier or harder opposition than a Sunderland or a Watford away, it's just a different opposition, and they will see this game as one that they will pen down as a home win as well. It will be two teams needing a win and wanting a win going head-to-head. Both teams have got new players in their squad, so it will make it an interesting game. It is one that we have earmarked, and we want to come away with three points - but then we have been every game in the last six. It is an important fixture. We have played a lot of top teams and I think we have competed well in large parts of it. I've said that a few times now. We have to perform for the full match, and unfortunately for us the other night, we didn't perform at our best for the entirety.