I looked at the league table the other day and was shocked to find that the Rams had played fifteen games; could the season really be a third over already.

And what a third it’s been!

Who would have predicted back in August that by this time we would have a new manager already comfortably installed and that we wouldn't be playing at Pride Park any more? Who would have thought that a quarter of our starting line-up would be named Wisdom, Dawkins and Cisse?

So things have changed far more than most of us expected; but for all that change, how are we doing? On the whole, I think I would say that things are going better than expected.

We are in ninth place, two points behind the sixth placed team, and our 29 goals are more than any other team in the division. That, to me anyway, is a genuine surprise, and a reason for real optimism. We are playing some extremely attractive football, and have been all season.

But there are also causes for concern. We are once more letting in too many goals; only four teams have conceded more than our 23 goals against. We are ten points behind the third-placed team; a gap which must be narrowed if we are not to remain also-rans.

But here is my major worry: we are not competing when we play the best teams in the division. Certainly, we beat Watford when they were handily placed, but they currently lie seventh.

Against the current top six - Burnley, Leicester, QPR, Blackpool, Forest and Reading - our record is as follows.

Played: 5

Won: 0

Lost: 5

Goals For: 2

Goals Against: 10

No matter how you look at those stats — it isn’t pretty!

If we want to get in among the top six, then we have to start beating the top six. If we continue with results like this, then we will be leaving ourselves with too much to do against the lesser teams.

If the table remains as it is for a while, then our next opportunity to beat a top six team will be Blackpool on 7th December; the first game to be played at the newly named ‘iPro stadium’.

Between now and then, we have games at Bournemouth and Wigan, and at home to Middlesbrough.

The results of these games will be very important, as if the Rams can collect points in all three, this would leave us still well-placed to challenge for a top six spot.

So it seems things are looking good after a third of the season.

I look forward to the next third being less eventful off the pitch, and even more successful on it.

Photo: Action Images

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