G.M's Match Preview: Can Rams Roll Rovers & Return To Top Of Table?
Tuesday, 27th Jan 2015 13:13 by George Martin

Derby will face a confident Blackburn Rovers side after both teams won their respective FA Cup ties at the weekend.

Blackburn's televised game caught the headlines as they beat Premier League side Swansea 3-1, but the away side did have a player sent off after seven minutes. Derby did enough to beat Chesterfield after tinkering with the formation and personnel.

Derby should revert to a back four after Saturdays' back three 45 minute experiment. Keogh and Buxton will play centrally with Forsyth and Christie in the full back positions. Russell is out with a reoccurrence of his hamstring strain.

If Derby play a central three it should be Mascarell, Hughes and Bryson, with Ward on the right and Dawkins on the left.

The main selection point will be whether Derby starts with Darren Bent after he scored in his first start against Chesterfield in the FA cup. If he does start, Derby could drop Martin back at the top of a diamond, but who would miss out is anyone's guess. Possibly Bryson as he does not seem totally fit and in form at the moment.

The threat of Martin, Bent, Ward and Hughes would surely trouble any defence in what could be a 4-1-3-1-1 formation if Mascarell plays in the CDM role, with Martin playing just off Bent up front.

Blackburn rested Rhodes and Gestede at the weekend with the latter coming onto score. Both players have been linked to the likes of Palace, Swansea and Hull City in recent weeks and should start, although Josh King's pace caused problems at the weekend. He will be pushing for a start.

At the back - Rovers need to choose between Kilgallon, Duffy and Hanley for their central defensive partnership. All three have been playing well in recent weeks and are vying for places. Lee Williamson is available for selection after an eye injury at the weekend, but the experienced David Dunn misses out with a slight calf strain.

Blackburn have a good shot stopper in Eastwood with Taylor and Olsson being more than competent in midfield. Coupled with the height and power of Gestede and natural goal threat of Rhodes, this will be a difficult game and thought test for The Rams.

The Derby defence will have to be tight and focused, in particular at set pieces, including long throw ins from parallel with the penalty box. Gestede is huge and towers above Buxton and Keogh. However, Buxton has played well against him in the past and he will not be daunted.

Despite gaining confidence from the weekend, Rovers have only won one of their last eight league games. This was against Charlton at home on December 20th. On top of that they have only managed a clean sheet on the road this season.

It is likely to be a tight game with only one goal in it.

I am finding it difficult to choose between a score draw and a 2-1 Derby win.

Going to play safe on this occasion and go for a score draw.

COYR!

League Form / Match Stats:

Derby — 5th (D, W, W, W, L):

The Rams won the last meeting between the two teams 3-2, back in September at Ewood Park, which was the first time Derby had beaten Rovers in 8 matches.

Derby has not managed victory over Blackburn at home, since they scored a 2-1 result in August of 2001, when they defeated them in the Premier League.

The Rams have scored more goals in the first 45 than any other team this season with 24 to date.

Blackburn — 10th (W, L, D, L, D):

Blackburn have scored in all of their last 8 meetings against the Rams.

Blackburn have kept the second lowest amount of clean sheets in the Championship this campaign with only 1 to date, Only Leeds have been worse with a grand total of 0. Our hearts bleed!