How Derby could line up under Frank Lampard next season with a splash of Premier League talent

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Frank Lampard has got his managerial career underway in the Championship with East Midlands side, Derby County.

Some great players, such as Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola, make great managers. Some great players simply cannot make the transition from the pitch to the bench – just ask Diego Maradona and Gary Neville how their forays into management went.

 

It is unclear how Frank Lampard’s first attempt will go, but his brief is simple – get Derby County back into the Premier League.

The 106-time England international made a good first impression with a 4-1 friendly win over Notts County on Saturday and with the new signings of Mason Mount and Harry Wilson on loan from Chelsea and Liverpool respectively, he is building the platform for a strong, vibrant side.

So, as Lampard looks to replicate his extensive success as a player into that of a manager, here are the potential ways his Rams side could line up next season:

Goalkeeper:

Kelle Roos started the game against Notts County, but experienced shot-stopper Scott Carson is still expected to take up the gloves again for Derby this season.

Carson played every single league game for the Rams last year as they made it to the Championship playoff before being beaten by Fulham in the semi-final.

His 49 games in all competitions last season bring his total appearances Derby to 138 since he joined from Wigan Athletic in 2015 and he has become one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the division.

Defence:

Lampard is yet to make any defensive signings for Derby but they already have a wealth of experience at the back and, in captain Curtis Davies, one of the most seasoned centre-halves in the Championship.

Once touted as a potential England star, Davies’ career never quite hit those heights. Nevertheless, he has still enjoyed a hugely consistent career and will be important in organising the Derby back-line this season.

Alongside Davies, Lampard can pick from 18-time Republic of Ireland international, Richard Keogh, Alex Pearce – another Irish international, or four-time Scotland international, Craig Forsyth – who’s time at Derby has been blighted by injury.

At right-back, Andre Wisdom provides defensive stability, averaging three clearances per-game last season. The former Liverpool defender played 34 times in all competitions for Derby in 2017/18 and is expected to hold down his position again this time around, especially with veteran Chris Baird being released.

At left-back, there is a little more competition. Marcus Olsson and Craig Forsyth battled for the left-back spot last season – Olsson offering an attacking threat, Forsyth offering more solidity. Much depends on which system Lampard decides on as to whether Forsyth will be operating from full-back or centre-half – this will, in turn, have an effect on Olsson’s role in the side.

The extremely versatile Scotland international, Ikechi Anya, can also offer cover across the defence.

Midfield

With Tom Huddlestone, Joe Ledley, George Thorne, Bradley Johnson, Craig Bryson, Jacob Butterfield and Jamie Hanson already in the ranks, Lampard is more than well stacked in midfield.

With the signing of Mount also on the horizon, Lampard will have to balance his squad carefully to make sure there is cohesion.

However, that is a nice problem to have for Lampard and, with this being where Lampard wreaked havoc as a player, is in the midfield where he could have the greatest effect at Derby.

Vastly experienced and with an expert eye for a pass, Tom Huddlestone did a great job helping to anchor the Derby midfield last season. His lack of mobility can sometimes hinder him, but he is most likely to line up with either Joe Ledley or George Thorne who could easily cover the ground that Huddlestone struggles to.

Lampard will be hoping the incoming Mount can add a few more goals to the Derby midfield this season – Bradley Johnson’s four made him the highest scoring midfielder last season.

Chelsea’s all-time top scorer will know Mount – who scored 14 goals in 39 games on loan at Vitesse Arnhem last season – well because of his Stamford Bridge connections and, with much debate around whether Johnson is actually an attacking midfielder or defensive midfielder, he could add the spark in the middle for Lampard’s side.

Attack

Derby were the joint-fourth highest goalscorers in the Championship last season – only league winners Wolves, playoff winners Fulham and playoff runners-up Aston Villa scored more.

Talented Czech Republic international, Matej Vydra, was the league’s top scorer with 21 goals and, with two of the Championship’s most experienced goalscorers in David Nugent and Cameron Jerome providing the back-up, there is no shortage of central attacking threat – provided Lampard can fend off interest in Vydra from Leeds United and some Premier League clubs.

Harry Wilson impressed during his loan spell at Hull in the second half of last season, bagging seven goals in just 13 league games whilst operating both on the right and left wing.

Wales’ youngest ever debutant, he has just signed a new five-year deal at Liverpool but will be hoping that another strong spell in the Championship can put his foot firmly through Jurgen Klopp’s door – expect him to provide a lot of goals and assists this season.

Derby have sold the talented Andreas Weimann, but with the likes of Tom Lawrence and Ikechi Anya in the squad, Derby do have options.

Despite this, and even with Wilson’s signing, Lampard will likely want to add another wide-player to the ranks who can chip in with goals to take the pressure of the centre-forwards.

Two ways Derby County can set up in 2018/19

4-2-3-1

This would become a 4-3-3 when Derby are on the attack – with Wilson and Lawrence pressing further forward, supporting Matej Vydra, and looking to cut inside for a shot at goal.

Tom Huddlestone and Joe Ledley will anchor the midfield, providing a robust platform that has an eye for a pass.  They will also give Mason Mount licence to roam across the midfield, looking to find gaps in the opposition defence, as well as making runs into the box to pick up a few goals himself.

League stats in 2017/18:

  • Mason Mount: 14 goals, 9 assists
  • Tom Lawrence: 6 goals, 7 assists
  • Harry Wilson: 7 goals, 3 assists
  • Matej Vydra: 21 goals, 4 assists

At the back, Forsyth and Wisdom will move forward when they can, but it is an ultimately solid back-four – that is marshalled by Curtis Davies – and will look to provide good cover for Scott Carson between the sticks.

3-4-2-1

When Derby are out of possession and in defensive zones, this could be turned into a 5-4-1 with the wing-backs dropping into full-back positions and Tom Lawrence and Harry Wilson dropping to cover them.

Huddlestone and Ledley will again be the midfield anchors, giving the players in front of them licence to roam.

The back three will give Derby a shape where they can build out from the back, should they wish, but with wing-backs pushing forward in possession and Lawrence and Wilson tucking in when that happens, this system would see Derby trying to overload the opposition in advanced areas.

The absence of Mount may reduce that attacking threat, but the Chelsea loanee could equally replace either centre-midfielder of one of the two wingers should Lampard want to field a more attacking lineup in this more defensively-minded shape.

The post How Derby could line up under Frank Lampard next season with a splash of Premier League talent appeared first on Squawka News.



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