Derby County were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening, as Burnley left it late at Turf Moor to see themselves past the Championship side.
It was the home side who took the lead in the early stages of the contest thanks to a goal from Aaron Ramsey, but the Rams fought back.
In what was easily their best performance of the season so far, John Eustace’s team fought back and scored a superb equaliser through Bobby Clark, who recently arrived on loan from RB Salzburg.
Nevertheless, despite pushing for a winner, it was Burnley who progressed as once again Derby were found to be lacking defensively, allowing Oliver Sonne to get in behind and put the ball past Josh Vickers in the 91st minute.
John Eustace berates his Derby County team after late defeat to Burnley
After the Rams avoided relegation to League One in May, many expected their defensive solidity to carry forward into the new season. However, they have lacked that discipline at the back in the opening weeks of the campaign.
John Eustace, Manager of Derby County, applauds the fans after the team's defeat in the Carabao Cup Second Round match between Burnley and Derby County alongside Dajaune Brown (C), Lennon Wheeldon (R)
Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images
Dion Sanderson is quickly improving, but as a unit, the team must do better. Sonne was able to find a gap between Matt Clarke and Craig Forsyth as he went on to score the winner and Eustace has told Derby that they must improve.
Following the defeat, he said to the media: “We played really well, but again it was a soft goal at the end. We’ve got to defend better, and I am really disappointed in losing the game.
“I thought we came here to a Premier League team, played some fantastic football, and we shouldn’t be losing. The decision-making to step in with the attacker. If we’re going to go in with him, we have to go all the way, or we stand off. We didn’t do either, and I was really disappointed to concede.
“I was really disappointed with the first goal as well. It is basics from a throw-in, losing shape and positions. This is costing us, and this is costing us games. We’re doing really well for large periods of games, but the basics we’re just not doing well enough.
Derby County players against Bristol City
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
“We’ve got character, but we’ve got to win games. The attitude of the group is fantastic. I love them to bits, but we’ve got to see games through.
“It’s about winning and making sure that we’re hard to play against. At the moment, for the first four and five games, we’ve done it in large spells, but we haven’t been able to go through for the full 95 minutes.”
The Rams are conceding goals far too easily this season
In the 14 games that Eustace oversaw at Derby in the 2024/25 campaign, his side conceded just 14 goals. This season, they have already shipped the same number in just five games.
Eight of those came in the first two matches of the campaign, with the Rams conceding six times after being in the lead against Stoke City and Coventry City.
Defensive lapses are happening far too frequently and if Derby are to end their dismal run against Ipswich Town, they must be better.
Carlton Morris is doing his job by scoring frequently, but he needs to be supported by those trying to keep the ball out of the back of the Rams’ net if the team are to have any sort of success this season.