Danny Batth 'problem' raised as star faces Derby County battle | OneFootball

FLW's Derby County fan pundit has given his verdict on Danny Batth's role in the team

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Danny Batth has fallen down the pecking order at Derby County after initially starting the season in the team.

The defender made the switch to Pride Park from Blackburn Rovers in the summer, reuniting with John Eustace.

The centre-back started each of the first three games of the new season, with the Rams losing two and drawing one, conceding nine times.

Since then, he’s played just one minute as a substitute in their fourth fixture of the campaign, and he has not featured at all after that.

With players like Sondre Langas and Curtis Nelson coming back from injury soon, it remains to be seen whether the 35-year-old will be able to earn his place back in the team.

Danny Batth will struggle for minutes

When asked about Batth’s game time, FLW’s Derby fan pundit Shaun Woodward claimed that conceding three to Stoke City and five to Coventry City will always hurt the centre-backs involved.

He believes Batth didn’t do much wrong, and that there were other reasons for the poor defensive displays in those games.

“I don’t think Danny Batth did too much wrong,” Woodward told Football League World.

“I think we knew what we were getting with him, he’s an older, experienced centre-half that lacks a bit of pace.

“The problem he had was he came into the side alongside players that were new to the club, we were struggling with different formations, bringing different players into the team, so it was very disrupted and it wasn’t really in a settled backline, which didn’t help.

“And given the fact we conceded three late goals to Stoke and five at home to Coventry, I think, as a centre-half, you’re going to struggle to keep your place in the side if that happens.”

However, Woodward foresees that Batth will now have a hard time getting back into the side, suggesting he’s become fifth choice in the squad: “He brought in [Dion] Sanderson, we’ve got Langas soon to be back fit.

“He’s preferred Fozzy [Craig Forsyth] in that back three when needed ahead of him, and then we’ve also got Nelson to come back, so I do think he’ll probably be fifth choice centre-half.

“So I can’t see him getting any game time even if players do get injured.

“I think he will be down the bottom of the pecking order because he’s a good pro, but we really do need to be looking forward now.

“And players like Danny Batth, I don’t think they’re good enough to be getting in the side when everyone’s fit.”

Derby County’s difficult form

Derby have struggled so far this season to gain positive results, with Eustace’s side sitting 20th in the table after the opening nine fixtures.

The Rams have earned just eight points, and could find themselves in the relegation mix unless they’re able to turn around their form soon.

Next up for Derby is a trip to face a struggling Oxford United, who have lost two of their last three, with the sides set to meet after the international break on 18 October.

Danny Batth’s importance to Derby comes off the pitch now

Batth is a very experienced Championship defender, and knows what it takes to compete to a high level in this division.

While he may not have much of a role in the team at the moment, Eustace will still be relying on him for his leadership qualities.

Batth is 35, and is near the end of his playing days, so he must have made this switch to Pride Park with some understanding he wouldn’t be playing every week.

He’s reunited with Eustace at Pride Park, which speaks well to their relationship, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem that he’s down the pecking order.