It’s not been the easiest of starts to the new campaign for Derby County, but after four games, John Eustace will be pleased with the progress his side are making.
Two draws in the last two have ensured that the Rams enter the international break outside the relegation zone, although they are still searching for their first league win of the season.
Yet, there are still plenty of positives. Rhian Brewster has been excellent since arriving, while Carlton Morris has been the key addition at Pride Park.
However, there is one problem for Patrick Agyemang following his £5.8m arrival from Charlotte FC in July, and he will be keen to get back to full fitness sooner rather than later to fix the situation at Derby.
Patrick Agyemang has to find a way to get Carlton Morris out of the Derby County XI
Morris has scored four goals in his first four appearances for the Rams, and he has quickly established himself as Eustace’s number nine.
However, both Lars-Jorgen Salvesen and Agyemang will be nipping at his heels in the coming weeks and months as they get back to full fitness.
The best XI at Derby would see Morris start right now, but with the World Cup coming at the end of the season in Agyemang’s home nation of the USA, he will be keen to prove himself after his big money move with competition for the number nine position in regards to his national team.
Yet, he will only get that opportunity by taking the chances that he gets, and as a relatively unknown entity, it may take a little bit of time to uproot Morris from his current position.
John Eustace may seek a change of formation once Patrick Agyemang is fit
Derby have been in desperate need of a quality number nine for the last few years, and now it seems as though they have three at their disposal.
Eustace has regularly played a 3-5-2 formation, but it seems likely that he will return to a 4-2-3-1 once all of his squad are fit. Nevertheless, playing a two striker system may be the best way to make the Rams a threat on a consistent basis.
Agyemang and Morris would be a very physical pairing and could dominate defences together, while Salvesen must not be forgotten.
After spending such a significant fee on the striker, Derby will be keen to see the USA international in action sooner rather than later in the Championship, but it will be a huge challenge for him to uproot the Rams’ new number nine.
