Tactical Analysis: Wayne Rooney's Derby County

Many of you will remember a time in the not-so-distant past when Derby County was a club, to the point of social media ridicule, referred to as Frank Lampard's Derby County in wider football circles, and that mantle of a high-profile ex-player in management was soon passed over to Wayne Rooney when he took charge in November 2020.

One year on from Rooney's appointment, a club that briefly became characterised by the big name in the dugout has reclaimed its identity and stolen the hearts of the footballing world. But in typical Derby fashion, as their on-pitch antics feel more worthy of plaudits and pride than ever, their foundations and their future continue to collapse around them.

If the constant state of turmoil they find themselves in, which has resulted in a 21-point deduction this season, has taught us anything, it is that adversity can unite people like nothing else.

This is a team that finished in the Championship's top ten for eight consecutive seasons between 2013 and 2020, reaching the play-offs on four occasions, and yet the love between fans, players and the manager has never been stronger.