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Former Derby County star Shaun Barker thinks that the Rams controlled the entire game against QPR at the weekend, which he believes is exactly the type of performance they wanted before going into the international break.
After three straight defeats in the league, Derby managed to bounce back to winning ways with a win against QPR on Saturday.
Curtis Nelson gave the Rams the lead in the 55th minute of the game and a minute later Ipswich Town loanee Marcus Harness doubled the lead to help them secure three points.
Barker admitted that Derby started the second half a bit sloppily against QPR and pointed out that the first goal from Nelson changed the complexion of the game.
The former Rams star also stressed that Derby controlled the game from the beginning to the end, which is exactly what they wanted before going into the international break.
“In the second half, strangely, I thought we started really slowly in the first few minutes with a little bit of sloppy [play], but as soon as we got that goal, everything changed and what a goal it was from Curtis Nelson”, Barker told Rams TV.
“60 seconds later you are looking at 2-0 and it is a completely different complexion of the game.
“QPR obviously had to come out; they made four changes; they started asking a few questions; they got further up the pitch, but they still allowed Derby to have a few chances.
“So thoroughly deserved performance, I thought we controlled from start to finish.
“I thought there were some exceptional performances and it is exactly what we wanted going into the international break.”
Paul Warne’s side are yet to register a point from their away games and after the international break Derby will travel to the Den to take on Millwall and look to change that.
