3/1 To Win
Liam Rosenior says there’s complete belief and confidence in Derby County’s players that they can do the business on the pitch to turn their form around.
Derby’s start to the 2020/21 Sky Bet Championship season has been disappointing, with the side picking up one win from their opening ten games.
The Rams tasted a 1-0 home defeat to Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday night, following a run of three successive 1-1 draws, with the visitors scoring late on at Pride Park Stadium.
Manager Phillip Cocu has pulled no punches in admitting his side’s start to the season has not been on par with their expectations, but 36 games remain in the campaign for the Rams to climb the table.
Derby face Barnsley at Pride Park on Saturday afternoon in their final game before the November international break (3pm kick-off) as they aim to record their first home win of the campaign.
Rosenior, who holds the position of Specialist First Team Coach on Cocu’s coaching staff, firmly believes the Rams have the experience and quality within the squad to turn their form around quickly.
“We just need to keep working and give the players belief and confidence that things will turn for them,” Rosenior told RamsTV.
“It is difficult when you go through a tough period. I looked in the players’ eyes after the game on Wednesday and they know that the levels were not up to it in the first half, but we were better after half-time.
“You can’t guarantee that you will play really well every week, you can’t guarantee that you are going to score goals from 30 yards. What you can guarantee is that you can come off the pitch and say ‘I gave that everything’ in terms of going for tackles, headers and passion for the game.
“We need to do that for 90 minutes, and with the quality of players we have at this football club, if we do that then results will turn for us. I have no doubt about that.
“We have got a lot of experience in that dressing room and a lot of quality as well. Sometimes it just takes a moment of brilliance, a lucky deflection or a referee’s decision to go your way and then suddenly, the whole atmosphere around the football club changes.
“We just need to make sure we have got patience and time to make sure we are moving in the right direction.”
He added: “It is just tipping that confidence and making sure that the players, if they do go a goal up, don’t feel like they can take a step back from the game. We want them to go and get a second goal, to play on the front foot and be dominant.
“They are playing football in a time in the world where not many people are even able to work. The lads need to remember that; they are doing a job that is an absolute pleasure and joy to do. We want them to go and enjoy the moment and give everything to see where it takes us.”
Cocu will be unable to attend Saturday’s game against Barnsley under UK Government and club protocol in relation to COVID-19.
Derby’s Chief Executive Officer Stephen Pearce tested positive for the virus on Thursday evening and, after being in individual meetings with the Derby boss and Executive Chairman Mel Morris CBE, the pair must self-isolate for 14 days.
Cocu’s coaching staff will oversee Saturday’s game in person, while the Derby boss will watch on from home via a live feed and provide instructions to his staff as the game unfolds.
Rosenior says that a positive result for the trio would be well timed and a welcome boost.
He said: “First and foremost, the manager is absolutely fine. He is in self-isolation, along with Mel Morris. It is a really difficult time for everybody at the moment all over the world and the most important thing is people’s health.
“We have seen that our Chief Executive, Stephen Pearce, has tested positive for COVID-19 so he is also in isolation and we hope he gets better as quickly as possible.
“We have seen at other clubs this type of thing has happened and teams have been successful.
“As coaches, it is down to us to work together as a team and show support. I think the best way we can pay back those guys is to make sure we get three points tomorrow.”
Rosenior added: “Phillip is the manager of the football club and he will pick the team.
“As for how we work on Saturday, nothing really changes. The only difference for us is that Phillip is not there in person.”
