Pre-Match Thoughts: "We Need A Positive Performance" - Warne

Derby County Head Coach Paul Warne says the team are eager for both a positive performance and result when they head to Burton Albion this weekend.

The Rams make the short trip to the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday and do so in search of their first victory of the 2023/24 campaign after a 2-1 home loss against Wigan Athletic in the season opener last Saturday and a 2-0 reverse to Blackpool in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

With the Brewers also winless from their opening two matches, Warne believes this will add an extra spice to the game.

The Head Coach sat down with RamsTV on Friday morning to preview the Rams' second league game of the season.

Reflections on Tuesday's Carabao Cup loss...

Our first half performance was hugely disappointing so we made tactical changes and we were better inn the second half. Blackpool were very good and I think it was a good eye opene. We've played two teams that have come down from the Championship and they have proved that no game will be easy.

We just weren't as smooth as I would like. I didn't use the game as a 'get fit' game but we did change a couple of things. We changed the two wing-backs and the goalkeeper.

We've done some good work with the lads over the last couple of days and hopefully the lads who play on Saturday are a bit clearer and we can perform at a level to come out with a positive result.

On getting a reaction on Saturday...

Me and my staff didn't leave the stadium until very late because we watched the game back afterwards on Tuesday. We picked up some good things but there would have been better things if the movements were right. We have to show the team where we see it.

There was too many off the cuff decisions which gave Blackpool a real confidence and after they scored it's sort of like we had a massive wobble.

The defenders, midfielders and forwards have had their own meetings. We've reinforced good clips on why we do things and obviously the lads take them in.

You're only as strong as your weakest link so if someone is out of position and you can't do the switch then it causes a problem. It's about showing the lads where we went wrong, and I'm part of it, and reaffirming the positives of the play.

On individual errors...

I'm disappointed because nobody wants to lose back-to-back games, that's an absolute no no. The Wigan game was palatable because I thought we played well and at 1-1 I thought there was only one team that was going to win it.

We don't coach the players to miss a one-on-one or make individual mistakes but it was more disappointing against Blackpool because for three or four minutes we didn't get a kick and at home that should never happen.

There will be times in the game where the opposition have the ball and you can't press, you can't have the ball every minute so when you do press you have to press from a good shape and only when you can affect the play.

I thought that we got a bit embarrassed in the first half. The players that came on at half-time did really well and had a positive affect.

In a very long answer, I was disappointed with the result and the performance in the firs thalf but the other three halves of play, I've not been disappointed with but I'd much rather score 10 goals and win comfortably.

On Burton Albion...

You just want the next game to put it right really so we just want a really good performance and a positive result.

They've recruited well this summer and they look organised and fit. They don't give up much of the ball and they defend really well so it's going to be a really tough game but League One is tough.

The reality is we're coming off the back of two defeats so we need a positive performance even more so. Both teams are up for it, both teams have lost both games.

On how different Burton look this season...

They've got a lot more strength in depth, a lot more experience.

The team should represent the manager and I think they represent him really well. Against arguably the best team in the Championship in Leicester City they reduced them to very few goalscoring opportunities.

I think they've recruited well and I think it will be as hard if not a harder game than last time we went there.

On squad fitness...

Tom Barkhuizen and Louie Sibley should be back in training on Monday and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing trained this week which is good.

I feel we just lack a bit of pace at the minute and Tom, Sibs and Nat are arguably are fastest players so it will be nice to have them back.