This Derby County star should look to force a move if he remains on the bench - Opinion | OneFootball

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Derby County have experienced a mixed start to the new season in League One.

Having played four league games, the Rams have won two and lost two which currently has them in tenth in the standings.

Paul Warne has a dearth of talent at his disposal up and down the pitch, particularly in the attacking third.

As a result, some players aren’t going to be as happy as others with competition being rife.

James Collins is currently the man being left out. If that continues, he should look to move on elsewhere as he remains a very consistent threat in front of goal.

Collins started the opening game, a 2-1 loss at the hands of Wigan Athletic at Pride Park - Charlie Wyke’s brace was enough to secure three points for Wigan.

The Irish international was in the XI once again with Burton Albion up next, and he opened the scoring in a 3-0 victory. Since then, he was subbed off in the defeat to Oxford United and then started on the bench against Fleetwood Town before making a cameo appearance.

The fact remains that he is a player of immense quality. Derby being able to snap Collins up and have him play League One football after a hugely successful spell with Luton Town at a higher level is enough of a coup as it is.

Martyn Waghorn and Conor Washington are the two other strikers in Warne’s arsenal and, as their partnership strengthens at the top end of the field, Collins’ playing time will become less and less unless something changes. The last three Derby goals have been scored by those two with the sole goal against Fleetwood assisted by Washington and scored by Waghorn.

This striking trio of Collins, Waghorn and Washington are all the wrong side of 30, so immediate playing time is fairly essential at this stage in their careers.

The situation has recently worsened for Collins at Pride Park, though, with another striker being brought in as well. Arsenal's Tyreece John-Jules has arrived on loan for the season having featured briefly for Ipswich Town last season, adding more depth in the final third.

Collins' best campaign to date saw him contribute 14 goals and three assists in the 2019/20 Championship season - he's proven he's got capabilities beyond League One, and he should look to move on from Derby if he is unable to regain his starting spot. There are a number of EFL teams who would love to add him to their squad.

Who could look to sign James Collins?

As previously mentioned, Collins wouldn’t be without his potential destinations, but which clubs would make the most sense?

From a Championship point of view, newly promoted Plymouth Argyle are on the hunt for attacking reinforcements with Ryan Hardie and Ben Waine as the only two senior strikers. The 32-year-old would add some much-needed experience at that level and would be sure to make an instant impact.

Dropping to League One and Blackpool could be an ideal landing spot for Collins given the void left behind from Jerry Yates’ departure. Yates was snapped up by Swansea City and amongst the forwards still at Bloomfield Road, the likes of CJ Hamilton and Shayne Lavery can be versatile and play all along the frontline; the signing of Jordan Rhodes on loan from Huddersfield Town, though, does strengthen their options.

Jake Beesley remains a solid player for Neil Critchley, meanwhile, but Collins would be an upgrade on the unit currently in place.

If recent weeks are a sign of what is to come for Collins, it might be that he's got eyes on what's out there for him late in the window.