John Eustace faces Kenzo Goudmijn decision at Derby County ahead of next season
Derby County will be hoping that additional attacking intent can help the Rams progress up the league table next season.
Derby County dodged a return to League One at the first time of asking following a goalless draw with Stoke City on the final day of the season. DCFC had a remarkable mid-season transformation under John Eustace after he departed the then play-off chasing Blackburn Rovers for the relegation threatened side.
The Rams were eight points clear of the drop in 14th position on Boxing Day but rapidly found themselves seven points adrift at the bottom of the table with only ten games remaining before an upsurge in form helped them survive.
Eustace dropped last summer’s dutch recruit Kenzo Goudmijn in preference of Liam Thompson and Harrison Armstrong in the middle of the park.
Paul Warne vs John Eustace at Derby County
Goudmijn was ever-present in Derby County’s midfield under Paul Warne, registering two early goals in the championship campaign against Bristol City and Cardiff City. He mostly partnered Ebou Adams and was used as a technical and creative counterweight to the hard-working, ball-winning Adams.
The 23-year-old played in every game under Warne’s stewardship aside from a 1-1 draw at Deepdale against Preston North End in November and he then featured in both games managed by caretaker manager Matt Hamshaw following Warne’s sacking in February.
Though he played over 2,500 minutes for Derby County this past season, he only played 146 minutes in their final fourteen games under Eustace. Goudmijn was used more or less off the bench under the former Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers man.
Problems for the Dutchman at Derby County?
Noting Eustace’s preference for the 5-3-2 having initially used a 4-2-3-1 in Derby County’s Valentine’s Day massacre at QPR, Goudmijn’s lack of minutes is attributed to Eustace’s successful plan to get the Rams out of the mire. Preferring a more hard-working and impregnable style which required an emphasis on discipline and shape, this style didn’t suit Goudmijn in the situation his team found themselves in.
It is plausible that dropping Goudmijn was done for tactical rather than positional and preferential reasons. With the transfer window opening later this week, Eustace will be hoping to add to his attacking depth due to their reliance on set pieces last term.
With only Jerry Yates consistently firing for Derby County, it suggests Goudmijn may have been devoid of quality in front of him to increase those numbers and the Rams’ conservative attacking style which prevented them from overcommitting hindered his ability to statistically profit. This comes in addition to the absence of freedom afforded to Goudmijn in preference of preserving the team’s shape and lack of dominance on the ball.
