Wisdom: “We Need To Be Better”

Defender Andre Wisdom knows Derby County need to be better on the pitch following their recent defeats - but believes the strong togetherness in the camp will see them through.

The Rams suffered back-to-back defeats last week on the road against Cardiff City and Coventry City, and are without a win in their last three league games.

It has proven to be a frustrating period for the Rams, after gradually edging their way up the table under manager Wayne Rooney, and they continue to have one eye over their shoulder to ensure they are not sucked back into a fight to stay out of the bottom three.

Derby have a chance to put those defeats right on Wednesday night as they travel to Oakwell to face an in-form Barnsley side (7pm kick-off).

The Tykes are the team to beat right now after winning seven games in a row, which has moved them into the Sky Bet Championship’s play-off positions.

Whilst it is set to be a tough encounter in South Yorkshire, Wisdom is only concentrating on Derby and admits the side need to do better if they are to get a positive result.

“It is clear that it has been tricky,” he told RamsTV when assessing recent matches. “We haven’t been playing our best football and results haven’t gone for us. I speak for ourselves and only ourselves.

“We need to be better. We need to do more starting from training to the pitch, digest information better and try and make the practical work come to good use by getting three points by any means necessary. It has been tough, but we are all in it together.

“No one has got their head in their hands; everyone is fronting it up and I think the gaffer knows that.

“In my personal opinion the work-ethic has been there, the spirit has been there but again, it is a cliché, football is like that sometimes.

“We can’t look anywhere else except ourselves first and concentrate on what we have got to do and plan out how we are going to change this and put it onto the pitch.

“It is easy to panic, but the gaffer, as well in his persona and the way he gets the information across and the coaching staff, has put us a little bit more at ease.

“The gaffer and the coaches aren’t playing on the pitch, it is down to the people chosen to play and we need to try and make ourselves proud. Everybody loves to win and that is what we need to get back to. We are going to try and do that.”

Barnsley, managed by Valérien Ismaël, are the form side in the Championship. Their seven straight victories have lifted them into promotion contention and Wisdom knows the Rams will need to be at their best in order to end their winning streak.

“Starting today in training we have been focusing on that game and what we have to do to get the best performance out of ourselves and get three points,” he said.

“Tomorrow will be the same and come Wednesday, all the lads will be ready and we will give it the best shot we can.”