Derby County Championship Odds: Relegation on the cards for Paul Warne?

Derby County are back in the second tier after two League 1 seasons, and they come up with hopes of surviving in the Championship. It’s something manager Paul Warne has failed to do so with Rotherham in his last three seasons at this level, but perhaps things will be different as he has a go with the Rams this time around.

Below you can find Derby County Championship odds, as well as a season preview and prediction on how they will fare this term. 

Last Season: 2nd (League 1)

Top Scorer: James Collins (14)

Transfers In: Ebou Adams - Cardiff (£800k), Kenzo Goudmijn (£500k), Ben Osborn - Sheff Utd (free), Corey Blackett-Taylor - Charlton (free), Kayden Jackson - Ipswich (free), Jerry Yates - Swansea (free), David Ozoh - Crystal Palace (free).

Transfers Out: Louis Sibley - Oxford (free), Joe Wildsmith - WBA (free), Korey Smith - Cambridge United (free), Conor Hourihane - Barnsley (free).

First Game: Blackburn (A) 

Prediction: 23rd

Championship Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Championship Odds page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices.

I didn’t fancy Derby’s chances too much heading into this summer. They did well to finish second in League 1 thanks to a mixture of guile, experience and quality, but the gap between the two divisions is massive, as Rotherham have found out to brutal effect recently. 

A sensible transfer window was needed this summer, and to the credit of owner David Clowes, they have made signings with Championship experience. Kayden Jackson and Jerry Yates are two decent enough Championship forwards, while Ben Osborn brings huge experience from Sheffield United. 

If we add Ebou Adams and Kenzo Goudmijn to those experienced heads, you have to say there’s been a decent amount of movement through the doors of Pride Park. But I’m not sure it will be enough to survive. 

This time around they are going to play a Championship season without the future of the club at stake, so that has to be seen as a major progression from three years ago. Wayne Rooney almost pulled off a miracle to keep them up as Mel Morris’ ownership came to a near-disastrous end, but now they are back in the second tier, and looking like a proper football club again. 

Their system to get out of League 1 was to sign hugely experienced players who had played at this level before. While that was enough to get them up, when you now compare their squads to others in the second tier, it feels slightly weak. Their strikers are experienced rather than exciting and James Collins is unlikely to get enough goals to drag them to safety.

Football Odds

There are positives to be had, mainly in the form of  wide men Corey Blackett-Taylor and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. They are pacey and direct, while I think Kane Wilson certainly has what it takes, as does highly-rated centre-back Eiran Cashin. Goudmijn has a lot of playmaking responsibility on his shoulders heading into this season, but I’m just not sure overall that this squad is of high enough calibre to escape. 

Unfortunately, Warne doesn’t fill me with confidence either. Derby fans are still not convinced about him despite promotion, and it feels like he is never more than three consecutive losses away from the sack. He’s not done it before in the Championship, and although he’s a lovely bloke, I don’t know if he will last the season. 

Their counter-attacking style may suit facing superior teams, but they will need one of those strikers to step up and find 10 to 15 goals this season. I’m not sure that it will happen, and can see them going down by the skin of their teeth in 22nd. There's value to be had at 5/1 in my eyes. 

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