Can the Rams make it two in a row at home and stop the Baggies prolific scoring machine?

Derby County v West Bromwich Albion
Coca Cola Championship
Pride Park Derby
Saturday 5th December 2009 - 3:00 pm

WBA:

Current League Position: 2/24
Leading scorer: Chris Brunt – 6 (league)
Manager: Robert DiMatteo
Kit home: Blue & White Stripes
Kit away:  Red with blue stripe on sides under arms.
Last game: Sheffield Wednesday 0 – 4 West Bromwich Albion

Quotes from the manager:

Robert DiMatteo speaking after their second successive 4-0 victory which put WBA 6 points clear in second place and only two behind top of the table Newcastle United.

“I’m very pleased today, we were looking for three points and I believe if you play well over the long term you get results. We put in another great performance, controlled the game and dictated the tempo".

"It was a really mature display.”

Current Baggies squad:

No. - Position - Player
1 Keeper Dean Kiely
2 Defender Joe Mattock
3 Defender Jonas Olsson (vice-captain)[104]
4 Defender Marek Cech
6 Defender Neil Clement
7 Midfield Robert Koren
9 Striker Roman Bednár
10 Striker Ishmael Miller
11 Midfield Chris Brunt
14 Midfield Jerome Thomas
15 Striker Chris Wood
16 Striker Luke Moore
17 Midfield Graham Dorrans
18 Striker Reuben Reid
19 Keeper Scott Carson (club captain)[104]
20 Midfield Filipe Teixeira
21 Midfield Youssuf Mulumbu
22 Defender Gianni Zuiverloon
23 Defender Abdoulaye Méïté
24 Defender Shelton Martis
27 Midfield James Morrison
29 Midfield David Worrall
30 Defender Paul Downing
31 Striker Simon Cox
32 Midfield Lateef Elford-Alliyu
33 Defender Dwayne Samuels
34 Midfield Josh Knight
35 Midfield Romaine Sawyers
36 Defender Gonzalo Jara
37 Midfield George Thorne
 

The Rams:

Quotes from the manager:

Nigel Clough speaking after the come from behind victory over Reading.

"We showed character but we have to because we make it so difficult for ourselves at times but to come back again from a goal down at home is encouraging and once we equalised. I think everyone in the ground believed we would go on and win”.

"When they scored first, it was important we responded positively and that's what we did."

"It is something we have been stressing to the players – smash the ball across the six-yard box and we will get a striker or midfielder on the end of it. Those sort of crosses are almost impossible to defend".

Current Rams Squad:

1 Keeper Stephen Bywater
2 Defender Paul Connolly
3 Defender James McEveley
4 midfield Paul Green
5 Defender Miles Addison D
6 Defender Dean Leacock
7 Midfield Lee Croft
8 Midfield Robbie Savage (captain)
9 Striker Rob Hulse
10 Striker Kris Commons
11 Midfield Gary Teale
12 Striker Chris Porter INJURED
13 Keeper Saul Deeney INJURED
14 Defender Shaun Barker
16 Midfield Stephen Pearson
17 Defender Jake Buxton
18 Midfield Ben Pringle
19 Striker Giles Barnes INJURED
20 Striker Steve Davies
21 Midfield Dean Moxey
22 Midfield Arnaud Mendy
23 Defender Mark O'Brien INJURED
24 Midfield Jake Livermore (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
25 Striker Paul Dickov (on loan from Leicester City)
26 Midfield Lee Hendrie
27 Defender Fredrik Stoor (on loan from Fulham)
-- Midfield Reuben Zadkovich INJURED
29 Striker Greg Mills 
32 Striker DJ Campbell (on loan from Leicester)

What the Bookies think:

Home Win: 13/5
Draw: 23/10
Away win: 5/6

First Scorer: Campbell, Dickov, Hulse 7/1, Bedner, Cox 5/1

Information for travelling fans:
 
Driving: It's about 50 miles from the Hawthorns to Pride Park. Take the M5 north to the M6. Tale the toll road and pick up the A38 north to Derby. As you enter Derby you will see brown signs directing you to Pride Park. Essentially follow directions for Nottingham & pick up the A52 Brian Clough way. Pridre Park is on the right - after the Pentagon Island.
 
Parking: Away fans should park at Catalyst on London Rd opposite the Navigation pub. It’s about 10-15 minutes from the ground. Don’t be tempted to park at Pride Park shopping centre unless you fancy being clamped.

You can also park for a £5 at the hospital further up London Rd near the hospital and the Railway station. Another alternative is Pentagon Island. Take the first exit and turn left and after a few hundred yards you will come to The Cattle Market Car Park. It’s about 10 minutes walk to the ground from here.
 
Drinking: There are a few pubs very close to the ground but if you come by train, the locale around the station is fairly inviting. The Crown and Cushion at the junction of London Rd always seems to be full of away supporters. The Brunswick is a must for any real ale fans and the Alexandra next door is my personal favourite.

Fans tend to mingle in these pubs and as long as you’re not being aggressive, the atmosphere is good. The Waterfall opposite the station is okay as well. If you are driving, the Navigation Pub on London Rd opposite the parking area is your best bet. Around the ground there's a Frankie & Bennie's, Harvester and the Pride Park but these tend to be very busy.

Mick's Team:

Bywater, Stoor, Barker, Leacock, McEveley, Savage, Livermore, Green, Pearson, Hulse, Dickov Subs: Teale, Croft, Campbell, Porter, Addison, Moxey, Deeney.

Mick’s Prediction:

The Rams form at home has been encouraging even if at times they manage to pick up points no matter how bad their performance. The squad must rise to the challenge against a team that are in red hot form and will be looking to keep the pressure on Newcastle.

With key players beginning to return to the squad and get game time, there will never be a better time for Clough and his chargers to prove that they are ready to turn the corner.

Score Prediction: I'm going for the win, 2-0 to the Rams.

Photo: Action Images

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