3/1 To Win
The 2018/19 season just got real and Derby County’s new Sky Bet Championship fixtures brought up numerous talking points for us to go through.
The outline of the campaign has become much clearer and here, dcfc.co.uk takes a look at what we have learned following the release of the Rams’ provisional fixture list as Lampard prepares to tackle his first season as a manager…
What’s Our Start Like?
In a word, intriguing.
The fixture list threw up not only a match up between Derby County and former boss Paul Clement, but ensured Lampard’s first competitive match in the dugout is against one of his former coaches.
The pair worked together at Chelsea between 2009 and 2011.
The first home match was also always going to be highly-anticipated and, again, the fixture list did not disappoint.
Lampard will get his first taste of the Rams’ historic rivalry with Leeds United in his first competitive game in charge at Pride Park and an opportunity to test himself against the high profile Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa, who was recently confirmed as the Whites’ new manager.
A trip to Millwall, who finished just shy of the play-offs last season, follows a week later, before back-to-back home games against Ipswich Town and Preston North End conclude the first month of the season.
With three home matches in the first five, Lampard will see that as a great opportunity to get some early points on the board.
What’s New?
In brief, not too much.
The three teams promoted from League 1 – Rotherham United, Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic – were all sides that had been relegated to the third tier at the end of the 2016/17 season, so the trio are familiar territory for the Rams.
It has, however, been a while since we faced the three sides that were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.
Derby have not faced Stoke since 2007, West Bromwich Albion since 2011 and Swansea City since 2010 in a league game.
When Do We Face Our Rivals?
As a Derby supporter, there were more than likely certain fixtures you were looking for.
Nottingham Forest is a given. And, as ever, they have fallen nicely with the Rams at home first against the Reds on Saturday 15th December, before they head down the A52 on Saturday 23rd February.
There are others, though.
Lampard has a number of local fixtures to look forward to. Derby face Aston Villa, last season’s beaten play-off finalists, at home on 10th November, before travelling to Villa Park 2nd March 2019.
West Bromwich Albion and a match up with former player Darren Moore fall in October and May – the first match being at the Hawthorns on Wednesday 24th October, with the home meeting falling as a sweet season finale.
Stoke City, for obvious reasons, caught the eye and the Rams will face the Potters on both occasions in midweek. Derby head to bet365 Stadium on Wednesday 28th November, before Stoke head to Pride Park on Wednesday 13th March.
How Does Our Festive Period Shape Up?
Again intriguing.
With two games at home and two away, the Rams will face three sides that, for a large majority of last season, were flirting with promotion – in Bristol City, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough.
Rams fans will be particularly pleased that they won’t have to travel too far for their Boxing Day football fix with Derby heading to Bramall Lane to face the Blades.
Likewise, I’m sure plenty of supporters are happy that this season’s New Year’s Day fixture, against Boro, is at home.
Those two are separated by a long trip to Norwich City, but hey, you can’t have it all roads.
What’s Our Run-In Like?
In football, a lot is made of ensuring you are in a strong position with 10 games to go. With that in mind, that’s exactly what we are going to focus on.
Notably, Derby will face all three sides relegated from the Premier League during that period. Lampard’s side will also face two of the teams promoted from League 1.
Derby will be pleased that three of those matches – Stoke, Rotherham and West Brom – will be played on home soil, whilst the other two to be played at Pride Park are against teams that the Rams have done well against in recent years, Queens Park Rangers and Bolton Wanderers.
The Rams will travel to face Swansea City, one of Lampard’s former clubs, Brentford, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City and Bristol City during that final 10-game period too.
That, however, is such a distance away that it is difficult to read too much into these games, but Derby will feel there are points to be won as the football calendar enters the final furlong.
