Over Christmas we had the equivalent of a present that you don’t really want but all you can do is smile painfully in a kind of rictus and say... “thanks”.

That’s the Christmas present you always seem to get from Derby County – some tat fit for the charity shop, or you hide it away hoping you will eventually find a use for it. It’s never what we want.

And then we went away to Newcastle and gained a point – something very few teams will this season.  And we went to Millwall and got a draw – again something not many teams do as their ground is never very welcoming.

So we lurch from an unbeaten run to two successive home defeats and then two draws away.  Plus we are now in the January transfer window, so of course, the message boards are humming with rumours, accusations, despair, blind-faith, wrist-slashing, and some cautionary texts.  

One thing that strikes me is that very few people are actually taking on board what Nigel said at the beginning of the season and has reiterated again last week.

He has said all along that he wants a compact squad that will grow together but if people get injured, loans would be used to as cover.

Reading between the lines, he does not see loans as a long-term measure.  Nor will he have much patience with people who are constantly injured and can’t contribute to the squad.  He also wants a squad that will fight and be mentally strong.

The other interesting point that emerged last week was when he stated that the "injuries had set back the team building by six months”.  He is right – we have not had a settled first-choice back four this season, nor have we had regular performances from the most skilled players. 

Such disruption does not just affect the team on the pitch, it also affects training.  How can you plan set-pieces if half of your team are in the treatment room, or just about every week, there’s a new face coming or leaving?

This is akin to the days of Tommy Docherty – when he instituted a revolving door regime leading to players having jokes and betting pools on who was out next. There has been no stability this season in terms of personnel.

So it is hardly surprising that some of the football has been dreadful – but the spirit is good – unlike that of the last days of BD and throughout all of PJ’s tenure.

Although I was unconvinced by his appointment, I still think he needs to be given time – we have not really seen what a settled squad looks like under him. 

We had a glimpse of some of the football played when he first arrived.  And I believe that he needs time – certainly until the end of next season when we will have seen some signings and a more settled squad and we can then judge the football.

I think we have to write this season off. There have been too many injuries to offer much hope, and so, we can expect to see more of this Jekyll and Hyde pattern – some wins, some dreadful performances and no real consistency.

Photo: Action Images

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