More Misery For Cocu At Derby County.

Dejected Phillip Cocu, source

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Time is running out for Derby County Manager Phillip Cocu as his reign at the elms of the club's affair has taken a somewhat downward turn since the season's opening win at Huddersfield. The Rams, on Friday night, were held to a 1-1 draw by fellow stragglers Cardiff City at the Pride Park Stadium. The draw means Derby have now failed to win in their last 6 championship matches, and are lingering in the bottom half of championship table with 7 points, just 4 places above the relegation spot(18th position).

Cocu's task couldn't be more straight forward, to return the Rams(who came agonizingly close to gaining promotion last season) back to the EPL, but after matchday 7, Cocu's task seems to be a huge mountain to climb. Derby started the 2019/20 league season started quite well with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Huddersfield Town but followed it up with a disappointing back-to-back draws against Swansea City and Stoke City respectively. Coupled with the 2nd round exit from the EFL Cup(a 0-3 defeat to Nottingham Forest), Derby has gone on a 6-league-match-winless run, drawn 4 and lost 2. In a championship race where the trio of Swansea City, Charlton Athletic and West Brom are still unbeaten are setting the pace in the league, playing catch up wasn't what Derby owner Mel Morris signed Cocu up for and might be growing thin on patience.

Bielik pulled on Cardiff goalscorer Glatzel, source

Unlike the poor showing in matchday 6 0-3 loss to Brentford in which Derby registered an absolute zero shot on target, they put up a better performance, dominating proceedings against Cardiff but weren't clinical enough in front of the opposition goal. They registered 13 total shots but managed just 5 on target. The match sparked into life in the 6th minute of kick-off when Jack Marriott, Tom Huddlestone and Martyn Waghorn had their efforts blocked or saved in quick successions, however, former Cardiff defender Scott Malone was on hand to finally fire home from close range, to give the home side the lead. The lead lasted only 13 minutes as Cardiff drew level from the spot-kick after Robert Glatzel dusted himself up to convert from 12 yards. Derby huffed and puffed for a winner but was repeatedly saw their efforts either blocked by Cardiff defenders or saved by Alex Smithies in Cardiff's goal. It finished 1-1 to the disappointment of Derby manager Cocu who felt his team was denied a blatant spot-kick when Martyn Waghorn was brought down in the box.

Phillip Cocu might just be hanging on to his job at the moment, he needs to focus his attention on his team's poor finishing and not on the spot-kick the referee failed to give. His team has not been decisive enough in the opposition final 3rd, likewise, has not been clinical in front of the opposition goal, 7 goals in 7 matches are unapt of the Derby under Frank Lampard and even worse was the 10 goals conceded in those 7 matches. Seems like Lampard's shoe is proving to be too big to fit Cocu.

It is hard to understand if the off the pitch crisis(Derby under evaluation for selling Pride Park Stadium to owner Mel Morris) is responsible for Derby's underperformance, nevertheless, Cocu needs to put in a string of results to remain on the job. He understandably needs time but unfortunately, time is not what club owners have any more in modern football.

Blog originally posted to @Scorum

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