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LEEDS UNITED: Whites target cup upset
The term annus horribilis seemed tailor-made for Derby County's most recent year in the Premier League. For the players and staff employed at Pride Park last season, that description may not have been explicit enough.
Paul Jewell has reached admirable heights as a professional manager and registered achievements which outweigh by some margins his more testing hours, but Jewell's first six months as Derby's boss were torturous on an a record-breaking scale.
Every statistic drawn from the 2007-08 season paints County in an unflattering light.
Their final points tally of 11 is – and will be for some time – the lowest total recorded by a Premier League club, and their single victory from 38 matches was nothing more than a useless light in the impenetrable dark.
The club conceded 69 goals more than the 20 they scored, and Jewell did not achieve a league win before the end of last season. By the time his first victory arrived, at home to Sheffield United on September 13, his tenure had entered its 10th month.
But if their season was purgatory then Gary McAllister, Leeds United's boss, is one man who thinks the cleansing process at Pride Park is already under way.
Jewell, he argues, will be a stronger and more capable manager with last season and relegation behind him, and the team he watched against Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago possessed the spark that left them in the Premier League. McAllister is in no doubt that Derby possess a healthier mindset than they did when Jewell first replaced Billy Davies at the end of 2007.
The curious possibility is that tonight's Carling Cup fourth-round tie at Pride Park might prove to be as difficult a game for Leeds as it would have been 12 months ago, when Derby were members of the Premier League and struggling to measure up to the Jones'.
"There's been a bit of a resurgence at Derby after a very difficult period, and Paul has managed to get a few results together," said McAllister.
"Knowing Paul, he'll have come out of it a better man. Anyone who comes through the end of a year like that is going to be a better man. He was brought up at Liverpool and he always was a 100 per cent player. He's that type as a manager as well.
"You can see that they've turned the corner and are starting to move forward again. But looking at them man-for-man, I'm telling my players that we should go there with nothing to fear.
"We haven't had many occasions this season when we've gone in as underdogs because no matter where we're playing – home or away – we're usually strong favourites. But the tables are turned a little bit and the pressure is on Derby.
"There are clubs in our division who are capable of getting results against teams in the Championship, and we've proved that in previous rounds. Our performance against Crystal Palace showed that it can happen."
Palace were eliminated by Leeds in round two of the Carling Cup, at the end of a 4-0 defeat and one of United's most complete performances of the season.
The level of respect shown by McAllister's players towards their Championship opponents was perfect – enough to maintain their concentration and focus, but not so much to leave their players in awe of Palace – and it is that balance that United's manager will appeal for again this evening.
An away game at Derby was not the most appealing tie on offer in the fourth-round draw, but McAllister was happy to see County paired with Leeds.
His memories of games involving United and Derby are numerous – the clubs have met in competitive circumstances on more than 100 occasions and are both former Division One champions – and he recently stumbled across a television replay of the infamously fractious game at the Baseball Ground in 1975 when Norman Hunter and Francis Lee punched each other to a standstill, or at least until they reached the sanctuary of their respective dressing rooms.
"A tie of Derby County versus Leeds United has a nice ring to it," said McAllister.
"There's a lot of history there and a bit of tradition. Both clubs are past league winners, and it's a proper game.
"I saw (the fight between Hunter and Francis) recently on Sky, and it's riveting stuff. People remember that game for the square go in the middle of the pitch but there were some great players on show as well and some great football.
"We do want to get back into those sort of fixtures on a league basis, but whilst we are where we are just now, we're looking for some good ties in the cups.
"It pushes us back into the forefront of people's minds. On occasions we get forgotten about, now that we're in the third tier of English football, but if we can push through against Derby then there's a chance of us having a really good finish."
Jewell's squad have, at long last, uncovered a consistent vein of form, and their most recent home defeat came in August.
McAllister would not deny that Leeds are second favourites in a two-horse race tonight but, as his striker Robert Snodgrass was keen to stress, the same was said before Palace's visit to Elland Road on August 26.
"Crystal Palace are a good outfit," said Snodgrass. "We made them look average, in my opinion.
"That win lifted everybody – the fans, the backroom staff and the players – and it showed what we're all about. We then went on a run of wins after that and it was up there with a few good performances this season.
"We don't fear anybody. We're always on the attack and we create so many chances, so Derby will be fearing us as well. We've got a good strike line, a good midfield and a good defence – everything is positive.
"We played well (against Northampton on Friday) and if Derby were watching that, I think they'll be a bit worried."
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Weather for Leeds
Sunday 12 February 2012
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