‘Stoke Couldn’t Lay A Glove On Us’ – Former Derby Star Hails Display
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Former Derby County defender Mark O’Brien has lauded his former side’s complete performance against Stoke City, insisting the Potters were unable to lay a glove on the Rams.
Easter Monday’s clash at Pride Park ended in a 2-0 win over Stoke City for John Eustace’s side, lifting them to eighth after a former Rams star backed their playoff chances and called on the squad to maintain belief.
Derby County were clearly superior where it mattered against the Potters; despite near-even possession, the Rams created seven big chances to none from Mark Robins’ men and registered three shots on target, while the visitors had none.
Despite sitting two places outside the Championship‘s playoff spots, the gap to the top six is now just one point, with Wrexham and Southampton set to face off tonight, ensuring points will be dropped.
O’Brien praised Derby for their commanding and complete performance, highlighting how the Rams dictated proceedings from start to finish while keeping Stoke City at bay.
He underlined the gulf between the sides, noting that every player in a Derby shirt played a part in a cohesive team performance.
The 33-year-old also emphasised the wealth of standout contributions, noting that several players were worthy of man of the match, underlining both the quality of the performance and its importance as the season reaches its business end.
O’Brien said on Rams TV’s Derby Debrief (10:11): “Towards the end of the game, it looked the best we’ve seen for a long time.
“Dominant for 90 minutes.
“Stoke couldn’t lay a glove on us.
“Every single player, player for player, we were better.
“There was a choice of four or five different players to go for player of the match.
“It depends on your preference.
“When you’re talking about things like that, you know that we’ve played well and it’s exactly what we needed today.”
With just five games left, merely being in the playoff conversation represents a striking turnaround from last season’s 19th-place finish.
One former Championship star believes Derby County still have a route in, provided they find their edge in attack, though the loss of forward Patrick Agyemang to injury has dealt a timely setback.
This Saturday’s showdown with Southampton at St Mary’s now looms large, offering the Rams a chance to strike directly at playoff rivals and strengthen their push for a Premier League return.
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