Rams suffer in the heat on the opening day fixture

Burley unhappy
By Ian Hayes
August 10 2003

The Rams went down without a fight 3-0 on the opening day of the first division season. The tempreture may have been a factor but it was the same for both teams but the Rams looked a very poor side, without shape or passion.

The Rams start the season a low note after Saturday’s uninspiring performance against last season’s relegation strugglers Stoke City.

On one of the warmest ever opening day afternoons the Rams recent run of good form against team of the calibre of Ajax and RCD Mallorca melted away quite literally.

From the kick-off Derby looked to have everything against them. The heat being only one problem. The referee also looked to be against the Rams as a reasonable penalty claim in the opening ten minutes was waved away and several questionable decisions on free kicks and corners didn’t go Derby’s way.

Stoke took full advantage of poor Derby defending and score two sloppy and easily avoidable goals in the first twenty minutes. A blow from which the Rams did not look likely to recover from.

The game was beyond Derby by half time and the second half did little to prove to the loyal Rams fans that either this game or the rest of the season would prove to be a success.

Stoke put the final nail in the Rams coffin in the second half and although they did not look any better than the Rams on the ball, they did have one difference, they took their chances. Derby County on the other hand couldn’t create those chances in the first place.

George Burley warned Rams fans it was not going to be a quick fix this season for a team that has been decimated to try and halt the flood of cash haemorrhaging from the club. He didn’t prepare us for the utter rubbish and lack lustre performance that was exhibited yesterday at Pride Park.