3/1 To Win
Frank Lampard was disappointed not to get all three points in the 0-0 draw against Stoke City following a 'fantastic performance' by Derby County.
The Rams’ manager was delighted with his side’s effort in and out of possession as they dominated the Potters throughout - but they were left frustrated by the visitors.
Derby finished with 19 shots to Stoke’s five, with four on target, while the Potters failed to test Kelle Roos in the the Rams' goal.
One-time Derby loanee Jack Butland made three brilliant first-half saves to prevent the Rams from taking a deserved lead. First a long-range volley by Tom Huddlestone, while he also denied Duane Holmes and Harry Wilson.
Whilst the manager praised the opposition goalkeeper, he said the component lacking from his side’s performance was being clinical in the final third and he said it is something the Rams will need to work on for the final stretch of the season.
“Jack Butland is a top-class goalkeeper, we know that, the wood work and ourselves denied us the three points,” Lampard told RamsTV following the game.
“We have got to be clinical. We played like a real top team today, that was a fantastic performance without the ball, with the ball, we created so many chances and dominated possession.
“We were the only team trying to win the game, constantly and throughout. We have to say to ourselves, can we be more clinical? And I think we can, but Butland was very good.”
“They hit the post on the breakaway and we offered them a chance in the first-half for Ince on the counter-attack which was our own sloppiness, but the rest of the game was ours, completely ours.”
He added: “I am disappointed because it was a performance of a top team, but in football the fact remains you have to put the ball in the back of the net, we have to look at ourselves for that, we have to be more clinical in the box, strikers have to score goals.”
The Rams have 18 days before they are next in action in the Sky Bet Championship with their weekend fixture against Swansea City postponed due to the Swans' involvement in the FA Cup before the two-week international break.
Rotherham United at home in a fortnight's time will kick-start the final nine games of the season and after a mix of rest and hard-work on the training ground, Lampard hopes his team will retain the performance levels they showed against Stoke while adding the finishing touches.
He said: “If we play like that for the rest of the season, and score the goals, then we will be alright.
“The break comes at a good time now and we have to attack the last nine games like we did today.
“There will be a mixture of rest and there will be a mixture with training, we can work as a team on bigger areas, work on a few tactical shifts that can hopefully help us and be really fresh and ready for Rotherham.
“They are frustrated because we should have won again comfortably, and that fact will remain now that every game is a final, has to be played on the edge with every drop of energy and urgency and desire that we have. If we do that then we will give it a really good go.”
