3/1 To Win
Craig Forsyth believes TSG 1899 Hoffenheim will pose a true test to Derby County’s team discipline this weekend.
The Rams face the UEFA Champions League bound German outfit at Pride Park Stadium – their final pre-season fixture ahead of the new 2017/18 Sky Bet Championship season, kick-off: 3pm.
Without a doubt, it is also represents Derby’s toughest test.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side achieved their highest ever Bundesliga finish last season – finishing only behind Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund – and will venture into the Champions League for the first this coming campaign.
The Rams head into the match having won four and drawn one of their six pre-season games to date. Gary Rowett’s side have also kept four clean sheets and scored goals aplenty during that period.
Forsyth is expecting a very different challenge this weekend, though – one that will be a true test to the players’ discipline as a team.
He told RamsTV: “This weekend will definitely be a top test. Hoffenheim are obviously in the Champions League this coming year and it will be a massive step up in quality for us.
“It will be a good test at the same time.
“It will be a challenge for us to try and go out there and do what we want to do in a game against some top-quality opposition.
“Last year, against Benfica, we had the same situation where they had a lot of the ball and we had to be more disciplined.
“We had to stay in shape, not get frustrated and I imagine it will be the same sort of thing again this weekend.”
One of the biggest positives to come out of Derby’s fruitful pre-season campaign has been the return of Forsyth.
The 28-year-old left back, who has sustained two ACL injuries over the last two years, has played in four of the Rams’ pre-season outings and played the full 90 minutes in the Rams’ 1-1 draw at Doncaster Rovers.
In his first interview since returning for pre-season training at the end of June, Forsyth says he is feeling stronger with every passing game, but also revealed the measures he is taking to make sure that remains the case.
He added: “It’s been good to get back out on the pitch and doing what I want to do.
“It will take time to get properly fully up to speed, but I am getting there. With every passing game I am feeling better and stronger.
“The only thing I get before every game now is the thought ‘have I done everything right and is there anything else I can to make sure my knee is right?’
“The physios have been helping me out with that. There are a few little extra bits that I need to do to make sure that the knee is fully activated and all the muscles are working properly.
“I have been doing a lot of running over pre-season so that side of thing doesn’t feel too strange now.
“There are some of the other movements that I have and I think ‘here we go’ but everything has been fine. It’s been plain sailing so far.”
Remember, you can watch Gary Rowett’s side in action LIVE and for FREE on RamsTV. Full details can be found here.
