The Weston Report: Someone Must Keep Rams Switch Firmly 'On'
Tuesday, 1st Sep 2015 07:15 by Ryan Weston

All good things have to come to an end. A nice bottle of wine, your favourite TV series, One Direction and alas, the Rams’ home domination of Leeds.

After a first home loss in twelve years to The Damned - which also heaps the pressure on Paul Clement.

Maybe we should have just appointed Uwe Rosler, to secure a guaranteed 23 home wins in a campaign? For the third consecutive game, the German masterminded a success over the Rams on our own turf, as for the first time this year, fans frustrations threatened to boil over.

With Hendrick and Hanson restored to the line-up and with a reversion to 4-3-3, surely we would have enough to see off them Whites. Wrong. Immediately, you sensed that this Rosler-drilled Leeds side would prove more competitive than many that had travelled in recent times. Inside the first two minutes, a slick move saw our midfield static, with Wood shooting just over.

In truth, the first half as a whole was one of the worst I’ve seen from the Rams in a long while. No tempo, no urgency and no one willing to put their hand up to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. A shot of Will Hughes looking on glumly from the stands summed it up.

That said, Leeds looked neat and tidy in midfield, with Wood causing problems in the air. Martin was getting no change out of Sol Bamba in the attacking third, failing to do the most with his limited supply. On the rare occasion that we did get in behind, Russell’s cross was scrambled away first from Martin and then Ince.

When one of Martin’s many falls finally resulted in a free-kick, Russell’s delivery was met by the big man, who couldn’t divert his header in. At the other end, Dallas showed excellent basketball skills to control a long ball and even better persuasive skills to avoid a booking.

Noticeably, the Rams were affording Leeds ample time, particularly in the defensive third, with Silvestri taking every opportunity to kill the game. Just as it looked as if we would scrape into the interval scoreless, we conceded our first genuinely soft goal of the season.

Dallas and Ince competed on the byline, with the latter letting the ball go out of play, believing it was a goal kick. He was wrong. From the subsequent corner, the ball was crossed to the unmarked Adeyami, who had evaded Thorne and had the simple task of heading in from eight yards.

It immediately nearly got worse. Another sloppy passage of play from Derby allowed Leeds in down the right, with a low cross slipping out of Carson’s grasp before being cleared.

There followed an incident out on the right where Baird, having passed the ball backwards, seemed to take exception with some supporters wanting a forward ball. That he was booed so vehemently on his next touch spoke volumes, as did the much louder chorus for the whole team come half time.

It could have been this that sparked them. Or perhaps Clement slipped something into the oranges. Whatever it was, the Rams came out like a side possessed. It was as if someone had flicked on the ‘on’ switch as players and supporters alike found their best form.

First, Russell speculatively fired over, before Hendrick, pushed further forwards, tested Silvestri with a rasper from range.

Even in the opening minutes of the half, we had surpassed the effort shown in the first. Now Derby was harrying, forcing errors. Then we were back on terms.

Martin, who had a stinker in the preceding 45 minutes, received the ball following a slick move with his back to goal. With the defender thinking he was going onto his right foot, the big man turned instead onto his left and fired into the corner. Game on.

If there was a roof on the ground it would have come off, the same as if Leeds were a boxer, they would have been on the ropes and struggling to get off. Ince, innocuous in the first period, was brighter, as was Hendrick, who really should have given us the lead.

The first mistake of the game from Bamba saw him fail to cut out a Hanson through ball, which found the Irishman on the edge of the box. With plenty of time, Jeff gave the keeper the eyes before curling a shot inches wide of the far post.

A switch to a 4-2-3-1 had certainly galvanised the Rams, with Hendrick looking far more dangerous. With Leeds camped in their own half, this time Martin found himself free in the box. Having gone round Silvestri, he found himself too wide to force a shot in. Surely though, a second goal was coming?

Well actually, what came was someone turning the switch back to ‘off,’ as Thorne was forced off with injury. As such, Hendrick was forced back into the ‘2’ with Weimann his replacement. Immediately, the balance in midfield didn’t seem as fluid. However, we soon had another great chance to get in front.

Martin’s flick on found Russell free of the last defender. The ball fell beautifully for a right-footer, but Johnny instead tried to poke it into the corner left-footed, giving Silvestri an easy save as a result. Our pace though was causing real problems and soon after, a raking ball from Hanson found Weimann free and onside.

Breaking towards the area unchallenged, surely the Austrian would slide it into the corner and take the acclaim of the South Stand? Somehow, he delayed just enough to see his shot go over the goalkeeper but hit Cooper, on the arm, and evade Martin for a simple tap-in. Almost hilariously, the referee gave a goal-kick.

Let me take a moment to say that Mr. Bond in the middle was by far and away the worst official to have ‘graced’ the Pride Park grass in many a month. I can think of a few words to sum him up, but I’ll stick with incompetent…

As the contest entered its final knockings, Clement introduced Bent to try and nab the winner. In truth, we should have been behind soon after, with fellow sub Antenucci delivering a pinpoint cross onto the head of Wood, who glanced over. Any hopes that this may have been the slice of luck we needed were dispelled two minutes from time.

A hopeful ball forwards saw Shackell with a free header. He could have glanced back to Carson, gone wide to Forsyth or headed out for a throw. Instead, he headed straight back to a yellow shirt. A few passes later, the ball was fed into Wood, who took a touch before turning and smashing an unstoppable shot in off the post with Carson rooted.

Even with five added minutes, we never looked likely to equalize. As full-time was greeted by more jeers and a realisation that we hadn’t managed to beat Leeds, frustration was again the key word. Quite simply, if you don’t take your chances, you don’t win games. If you play to your best for 20-25 minutes, you don’t win games.

The international break has come at a good time. With a better rub of the green, we would have won a couple of games by now. That said, the first win has to come soon. Some of the natives are already restless.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think it is time to press the panic button. We have proved, albeit in fits and starts that the quality is there. It does not help changing midfield personnel in nearly every game, nor that by the end of yesterday’s game, the entire midfield that started the opener against Bolton were unavailable. I expect a signing before the window closes.

The bottom though is this; someone must keep the, ‘on’ switch firmly in that position.

Weston’s Player Ratings:

Scott Carson: No chance with either goal. Generally good - 6

Chris Baird: Interesting altercation with supporters. Needs to do more in attack - 6

Jason Shackell: Given a good game by Wood. Sloppy for last goal - 6

Richard Keogh: Terry Butcher headband and all, another good game - 7

Craig Forsyth: Solid enough defensively - 6

George Thorne: Showed glimpses but lost man for opener. Hope injury isn’t bad - 6

Jeff Hendrick: Frustrates me more each week. Has a brilliant spell then fades. Needs to do more defensively when asked - 6

Jamie Hanson: Another competent display - 7

Johnny Russell: Tried his nuts off as per usual - 6

Tom Ince: Too often in and out of the game - 6