£20k-a-week Derby County star lauded after Norwich City display - 'we're lucky to have him' | OneFootball

Matt Clarke has seriously impressed so far this season, according to FLW's Rams expert

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…

Derby County’s season so far has been a study in fine margins: eleven games in, John Eustace’s side sit 18th in the Championship with just two wins, their campaign punctuated by narrow defeats and squandered leads.

A 1-0 win over Norwich City on Tuesday night at least provided some relief.

It was their first home win in nine attempts, and came less through invention than through survival - a performance built on stubbornness rather than style.

For all the talk of tactical tweaks and personnel changes, this was more about endurance than progress.

Norwich, without a win in seven and sliding towards the relegation zone themselves, were wasteful in the first half.

Derby hung on, rode their luck at times and capitalised when David Ozoh struck early in the second. It wasn’t convincing, but given the recent mood around Pride Park, it didn’t need to be.

Much of the post match conversation has centred on Sondre Langas, whose front-foot defending and composure in possession have made him something of a social media favourite in recent weeks.

Yet alongside him, quietly but no less impressively, Matt Clarke produced the kind of performance that underpins those around him. Eighteen clearances, three blocks, two recoveries and a 60 per cent ground duel success rate told only part of the story.

Matt Clarke's consistency stands out in Derby County's difficult Championship season

In many ways, Matt Clarke’s night against Norwich summed up Derby’s broader season: imperfect, occasionally disjointed but with flashes of control that suggest a base to build from.

Under Eustace, the Rams have not lacked effort, but they’ve struggled to find rhythm. Injuries, a changing tactical setup and inconsistency in both boxes have limited progress.

Yet through all of that, Clarke has been the constant - 11 starts, 990 minutes, and a level of consistency few others have matched.

Following Tuesday night’s win, Football League World asked resident Derby expert Shaun Woodward for his thoughts on Matt Clarke’s performance - and whether the centre back has become a key player for the Rams.

“I would say throughout the whole of this season I think Matt Clarke's been our standout player,” Woodward told FLW.

“I think the likes of Morris and Zetterstrom have both had their moments where they've been in great form - Zetterstrom as of late and Morris at the start of the season.

“But consistency throughout the season so far, in what's been a difficult season, and I think Matt Clarke's really stood out.

“You know what you're going to get from him. He gives it his all every single game, he wins his duels, he's strong in the air, strong in the tackle. He's actually quite decent on the ball as well. A very, very solid Championship defender, we're lucky to have him.

“I think he enjoys defending - he's also very good in both boxes, he's dangerous at set pieces.

“So yeah, I've been very impressed with him this season in what has been a tough, tough start to the year for us.

“He’s a key player for us and I think alongside Sanderson and Langas moving forward, I think we've got three very capable centre halves that will hopefully give us a good platform to build from.”

Centre-backs give Derby County reason for optimism amid relegation battle

Clarke’s importance to this Derby side goes beyond numbers. His calmness has allowed Eustace to persist with a back line that has looked increasingly steady, even if far from flawless.

Where Langas draws the eye with his aggression, £20k-a-week Clarke brings the structure - the sense that someone is quietly keeping things together while chaos flickers around him.

Alongside him, Dion Sanderson was equally impressive in weathering the Canaries’ pressure.

The Rams are still far from convincing. Norwich were poor, and Eustace’s side remain closer to the bottom three than the top half.

But performances like Clarke’s offer at least one reason for optimism: amid inconsistency, there is still reliability.