Derby County is gearing up for their Championship opener against Blackburn Rovers. The team had a challenging pre-season, with losses to Chesterfield, Stockport, and Barnsley, although they ended with a 2-1 victory over Real Valladolid.

In addition to their mixed results, Derby is facing injury concerns. Jake Rooney’s injury from the Marbella trip has left their defense severely depleted. Additionally, wingers Corey Blackett-Taylor and Joe Ward will be unavailable for the first match.

Paul Warne, who faced numerous injury issues last season, now finds himself needing to bolster his squad to address the current challenges. In a recent pre-match press conference, journalist Dominic Dietrich confirmed that Ward is still dealing with a sore knee and will miss the game, and while Blackett-Taylor’s status wasn’t updated, Ebou Adams and Ryan Nyambe have missed a few days of training.

Despite these setbacks, there’s hope that Adams and Nyambe will be ready for Friday’s match, which should be reassuring for Derby fans. Warne, having added six new players to his squad, will need to manage these injuries carefully as he prepares for the season opener.

Derby’s strategy will involve their usual 3-4-1-2 formation, with wing-backs advancing up the pitch and the forwards stretching Blackburn’s defense. They will focus on counter-attacking and capitalizing on quick turnovers, using their pace to challenge Blackburn’s possession-based play. Warne will rely on Kenzo Goudmijn to create opportunities and deliver precise passes for Kayden Jackson and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, hoping to exploit any gaps left by Blackburn.