QPR vs Derby - Further Previews....Ex-QPR John Delve Turns 55

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Derby Evening Telegraph - Carroll: We Need to Stay Sharp
ROY Carroll feels understanding at the back is growing for Derby County but the experienced goalkeeper knows the Rams must stay on their toes.
Derby have named the same defence and keeper in the past five matches, and results have improved. The Rams have won two, drawn two and lost one.
Victories have come against Preston in the Carling Cup and Sheffield United in the Championship. Draws were recorded against Swansea and Cardiff, and the defeat was at Barnsley in a match Derby controlled for 70 minutes until Iain Hume's cracker set the Tykes on their way to a 2-0 win.
Carroll is again set to line up behind full-backs Paul Connolly and Jordan Stewart, and centre-backs Martin Albrechtsen and Dean Leacock this afternoon as the Rams take on Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.
"You need that understanding at the back. We have got a settled back four and we have been playing well together but there are still things to work on," said Carroll.
"There are a few minutes in the game when you can switch off and it can prove costly. So we need to keep on our toes.
"Against Cardiff last Saturday, I don't think they had a shot on target in the whole game and then we gave a penalty away. That was disappointing but we got a point out of the game.
"As long as we don't lose and keep building on the points tally, that is the main thing."
Carroll joined Derby from Glasgow Rangers in January and suffered with the rest of the team in the nightmare Premier League campaign.
He made 14 appearances and was beaten six times on three different occasions as the Rams were thrashed by Chelsea, Aston Villa and Arsenal on their way to relegation.
Derby lost three of their first four Championship matches and slumped to the foot of the table before a win against Sheffield United sparked an unbeaten run of three games.
Carroll, the Northern Ireland international, says there is now a renewed confidence in the camp.
"Last season has gone. The manager brought in a lot of players in the summer and from the first day back, everybody was looking forward to doing well in the Championship. Since we beat Sheffield United we have pushed on," he added.
"Confidence is important. The victory over Sheffield United got that run without a win off our back. It is a good feeling when you get a win under your belt.
"The players know what they can do and they are now more relaxed but there is still a long way to go. It's a long season and a very hard season as well.
"We are unbeaten in three but we are not getting carried away."
We've got a big game at QPR but the lads are working really hard and hopefully we will go there and get a good result.
"QPR put Aston Villa out of the Carling Cup but they got beat at Coventry last weekend. We are going there unbeaten in three and we are looking to keep the run going.
"If we can, it will add to the belief in the camp." Derby Evening Telegraph


QPR Official Site THE FRIDAY PREVIEW: RAMS
What else is there to say about Derby County? A disastrous Premier League campaign last term has given Paul Jewell's side an unwelcome tag as the Premiership's worst ever team.
That tag is something that Jewell has taken steps to remove and the Club's first victory in the League for 10 months against Sheffield United recently, 'bodes well for the future,' according the Rams' gaffer.

That win however, has only provided half of the points so far this season, after an opening day defeat by new-boys Doncaster Rovers was followed by draws with Bristol City, Cardiff City and Swansea City. Defeats against Southampton and Barnsley in recent weeks have continued to leave the Rams faithful frustrated.
A probable cause for this indifferent start to the season is the huge revolving door at the entrance of Pride Park, that has seen no less than 14 new players arrive and eight leave this summer, in a remarkable show of wheeling and dealing from Jewell.

Amongst the new faces are experienced campaigners and intriguing foreign talent.
Rob Hulse, a £1.75 million acquisition from Sheffield United, is a man who will get amongst the goals; Nathan Ellington has arrived from Watford after excelling under Jewell at Wigan; and ex-West Bromwich Albion defender Martin Albrechtsen adds presence and versatility to the backline.

Youngsters Liam Dickinson, Steve Davies and Nacer Barazite - the latest Arsenal prospect - have also arrived looking for a higher level at which to prove themselves.
From overseas, Polish winger Przemyslaw Kazmierczak has arrived on loan from Porto, joining Andrejs Pereplotkins and Aleksander Prijovic, as unknown quantities within the Derby squad.
With a brand new set of players all needing time to gel, Derby will look to the next few games to really prove their credentials as promotion hopefuls and, perhaps -more importantly - to rebuild a somewhat tarnished reputation.
Team News
Derby will again be without star midfielder Kris Commons, who is nursing a hamstring injury, while goalkeeper Roy Carroll is expected to overcome a back strain. QPR

See Also:

- Earlier QPR vs Derby Preview

- QPRNet's Ron Norris & Simon Skinner Derby Match Preview


Former QPR defensive Midfielder, John Delve Turns 55:
Born September 27, 1953. A "Home grown" player, John Delve was given his debut by Gordon Jago in December 1972 at Luton. Delve was a defensive midfielder who along with another home-grown youngster, John Beck, seemed to be the perennial substitute for much of our 1972/1973 season. For the next couple of season, Delve and Beck were QPR midfield back ups -especially to Gerry Francis - either when Francis was injured, or if Francis played forward (as he did a couple of times when Stan Bowles was suspended!).
For QPR's opening game back in Division One, (August 25, 1973: QPR 1 Southampton 1)
under Gordon Jago/Bobby Campbell, Delve replaced the suspended Gerry Francis.
Parkes - Clement Mancini Hazell Watson - Venables Delve Leach - Thomas Bowles Givens
Delve joned Plymouth in July 1974. He subsequently played for Exeter and Hereford totalling almost 500 league games. See Delve Career Stats and also Delve/Wikipedia


Carling Cup Draw being made just after Noon Today (Saturday) - Club Numbers for Draw (QPR Number 9). Games will be played Week of November 10 - Draw Details