The Rams team for last Saturday’s cup match at The Hawthorns against West Bromwich Albion had a somewhat unexpected look about it.

Centre-back Jason Shackell, on-loan defensive midfielder Julien de Sart and winger Abdoul Camara were not players we would have expected to see starting just a couple of days earlier.

The marvellous result achieved against Premier League residents West Brom, plus the arrival on a permanent transfer of striker David Nugent the following Monday, leaves us wondering; to what extent these changes are permanent, and also whether we might expect to see more coming this month?

The big surprise for me was seeing Jason Shackell recalled in place of Alex Pearce. After a wasted first season at Derby, Pearce was brought in to replace Shackell for the match against Ipswich in September and had kept his place ever since, becoming a key player in a much more effective Rams team.

There was always a feeling that as long as such a talented and experienced player as Shackell remained with the club, Pearce’s place would never be entirely secure; and following the lamentable performance at Norwich in the previous match, Shackell was brought back into the team.

Is this change likely to be permanent, or was Pearce simply being rested? Given Shackell’s age — he will turn 34 in September — Pearce seems to offer the better prospect of a long term future with the Rams. But while it seems hard on Pearce, it looks to me as though Shackell will keep his place until he gives the coaching staff a good reason for him not to be.

The arrival of defensive midfielder Julien de Sart from Middlesboro for the rest of the season seems to tell us two things: we should not expect to see a return of George Thorne anytime soon, and Steve McClaren is perhaps not entirely convinced by the performances of Bradley Johnson in that position.

The fact that the Rams had a well-documented bid for Nottingham Forest midfielder Henri Lansbury turned down earlier this month suggests also that McClaren is unhappy about more than just the defensive midfield spot; either that, or he expects at least one Rams central midfield player to be moving on during the January transfer window.

Certainly, with the arrival of de Sart plus perhaps one other central midfielder the Rams look to have far more bodies than places to play them.

Another surprise on Saturday was a start for winger Abdoul Camara. During his rare appearances for the Rams, Camara has always looked a fast and talented player, so his presence in the starting line-up was welcome.

Camara’s start also meant there was no place in the starting eleven for either Johnny Russell or Andreas Weimann; something I was happy to see after their ineffective recent performances. It may well be that Steve Mac is getting tired of their act; certainly Camara did his chances of keeping his place no harm at all.

With Charles Vernam getting a short run-out off the bench, there was not even a substitute appearance for Russell or Weimann; it seems likely that Steve Mac recognizes the Rams need goals from more players than Tom Ince, and is trying to find someone who is more likely to score.

The emergence of Camara looks to give Weimann even less of a future with the Rams; he has years left on his contract, so a loan move might be on the cards.

That suspicion received a boost on Monday when the Rams signed David Nugent from Middlesbrough. Since Chris Martin left, the lone striker duties this season have pretty much been split between Darren Bent, who is out of contract at the end of the season but has been occasionally effective, and Matej Vydra who cost an enormous amount of money, but mostly looks lost.

Nugent should provide a welcome relief from these two, and should provide more goals; but his signing also causes us to wonder what the future holds for Nick Blackman. Good news has been in short supply for Blackman since he joined the Rams, and this is not it. While he is under contract for a lot more years, a loan move looks increasingly likely.

The team the Rams select for Friday’s match at Leeds will be interesting, since it might give some more pointers for the rest of the season.

It will not be an easy game, but after the result the Rams produced in the Cup on Saturday, the Rams will fear nobody in this division.

Photo: Action Images

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