The talking points from last night as the Rams secured a stunning 5-0 win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate
Lars-Jorgen Salvesen celebrates Derby County’s fifth goal against Bristol City.(Image: Will Cooper/Shutterstock)
Derby County roared into the Championship play-off positions as they romped to a 5-0 win at Bristol City in their best performance of the season.
City were booed off at the break and it was no surprise given they were swept aside by a Derby team who carried physicality, intelligence and ruthlessness in attack.
On a day when Derby fans had to suffer terrible traffic delays, Derby had taken the lead in the 13th minute when a cross from Callum Elder picked out Brewster.
The former Liverpool man showed his quality as he used the pace of the ball to cushion a wonderful side-foot volley past Radek VÃtek.
City barely had time to regain their senses before Derby went further in front when City struggled to play out from the back, and after the visitors regained possession, Clark slipped in Brereton Diaz to find the far corner of the net.
Derby were then in dreamland as they made it 3-0 with a goal of incredible quality in a move that went back to front. In four passes, Brereton Diaz had picked out Clark as he skipped through to slot through Vitek’s legs.
Derby then made it four in the second half as Patrick Agyemang got on the scoresheet with a towering header before Lars Jorgen Salvesen wrapped up the win from close range from Andi Weimann’s cross moments after Owen Eames had hit the bar.
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A devastating display
This was supposed to be a serious acid test for Derby against a side that was, prior to kick-off, on the fringes of the play-off positions.
But by half-time, John Eustace’s side were home and hosed on a night when they served up their best performance and result of the season that left Bristol City fans walking out long before the final whistle.
In what was a combination of physicality, intelligence and ruthlessness, they scored five, but it’s no exaggeration when we say it could have been a scoreline of a greater margin.
It was a foot-perfect performance from minute one in what was a chastening evening for ex-Derby midfielder Jason Knight who was left helpless amid the blur of black and white.
The manner of the victory underlined what this team is capable of, which, as Eustace said after the game, is a result of being able to field a settled team every week.
The third goal in particular was a coaches’ dream as they moved from back to front in four passes before Bobby Clark was shushing the home fans as Derby achieved first-half utopia.
The chemistry is improving, there is wonderful link-up play and it was a night when Derby put the teams on notice around them that they should be written off at your peril.
After roaring into the top six, talk is now focused on what this team can achieve. Eustace kept his feet firmly on the ground by insisting the team’s first objective was to reach 50 points, the margin which usually guarantees Championship safety.
They’re very close to achieving it, but looking at the table, the fans are dreaming. Nobody can really blame them.
Brewster’s brilliance
There were so many good performances last night that no player dipped below an eight out of 10. But for Rhian Brewster this was an important night as he served a timely reminder of the quality we know is wrapped up in that right foot of his.
The opening goal he scored was a masterful demonstration of technique as he connected with a superb Callum Elder cross to use the pace of the ball to volley in the opener.
We’ve already seen what he can do as his fabulous goal at Ipswich earlier in the season showed us all. Players seldom move for £20m as he has in his career without having something special.
Eustace said there is still a lot more to come with consistency being his biggest enemy. He also needs to stay fit because there’s no question that has he so much ability that he can be a hugely pivotal figure from now until the end of the campaign.
This goal will do him the power of good, he just has to make sure he follows it up against Ipswich next week because when he’s in this kind of form, he is a treat to watch.
Credit to the fans
The Sky TV deal may have put more cash in the coffers of clubs across the country, but with kick-off times moved here, there and everywhere, it hasn’t been ideal for fans.
While last night’s game was being broadcast to the nation, it meant the majority of Derby fans could watch from the comfort of their armchairs.
But spare a thought for the fans who decided to brave the journey in terrible conditions. An incident on the M5 meant for a five-and-a-half hour journey for some in what was a serious test of patience.
The team had their own problems as it took them two hours from their hotel to get to the ground. And yet despite all of this, the noise coming from the away end was incessant.
From minute one, they created a wonderful atmosphere in the visitors’ section as they sung and danced in the rain. Given Derby’s dominance, they even had the luxury of ole-ing their team after 18 minutes which certainly wound-up the natives.
All you can ask when you’ve endured such a journey is that the team deliver a performance and they certainly did that on a memorable night for those who made the trip.
Conspiracy theories shot down
When Sondre Langas and Jacon Widell Zetterstrom were not on the teamsheet before kick-off, that was the cue for social media to become a hotbed of conspiracy theories.
“They must be getting sold” was the general gist, but the truth was a lot more mundane in that Langas picked up a hamstring problem in the game against West Brom.
Zetterstrom was feeling poorly again and Eustace said afterwards that he perhaps shouldn’t have played against Albion last Friday.
Even after Eustace himself clarified their injuries before kick-off to Sky and again after the game, some people still did not believe it. Maybe that is the impact of social media on society, be it politics, news or sport.
The Twittersphere has a lot to answer for, in particular.
What was your verdict on the game? Have your say HERE.