An opening week to forget for the Rams

Derby's start to the season has not been as positive as John Eustace would have planned.

Two defeats in two Championship matches have left Derby 22nd, just above both Sheffield clubs who have had equally rocky starts to the campaign.

As much as the league table at this stage of the season counts for hardly anything, the goal difference bracket certainly does not make for good reading and the biggest problems in both league matches for the Rams have come at the back.

Schoolboy errors, rash decision making and a lack of understanding between individual players has led to two very disjointed looking defensive displays to kick off the campaign.

Perhaps the most notable issue at Pride Park on Saturday was that a minimum of three of the goals Derby conceded were preventable.

A clumsy challenge leading to a penalty, switching off from a set-piece - paired with a goalkeeping error - failing to defend crosses coming into the box and not picking up second balls were all factors in Derby's downfall.

The biggest frustration amongst Rams fans has come from the side failing to hold onto a lead, both away from home at Stoke last weekend and at home this weekend.

For me, Derby need to be a little more streetwise and execute the 'dark arts' better to see games out and pick up results, particularly during a tough start to the season where the squad is struggling from a lack of strength in depth.

It's hard to understand how a team can score three goals at home and still not manage to get at least a point from the game.

Conceding five goals on your own patch is pretty disastrous, but it ultimately shows where Derby are at right now, and where we will continue to be until players begin to regain full fitness after the international break.

By the time the Rams visit The Hawthorns on 13 September, you would like to hope Eustace is able to field a much-improved and favoured starting XI.

Players such as Sondre Langas, Kane Wilson and Patrick Agyemang all look likely to return from the sidelines by mid-to-late September, which you can imagine will only boost the morale of fans, players, and staff.

It will also be interesting to see how much more business there is to be done in the remainder of the transfer window.

A winger, a central midfielder, and a full-back appear to be at the top of the fanbase's shopping list, and you would expect Eustace to want to bring at least two more players through the door between now and deadline day.

It's not all been doom and gloom despite results showing otherwise. The positive to take from both league matches for the Rams has been their attacking intent.

Derby now have a solid out-and-out number nine in Carlton Morris, who has produced two very strong performances in his first matches for the club and reminded many of previous Rams number nine Chris Martin.

His hold-up play, aggressiveness to get on the end of crosses, ability to bring his team-mates in to the game, and his natural finishing capabilities have all been bright sparks for the team in an otherwise lacklustre beginning to the season.

Two difficult league games remain before the first international break.

Should Derby tighten up defensively and cut out silly errors, there is no reason why they can't pick up their first points of the season - but they will need to be much more resolute and professional when coming up against teams that possess dangerous attacking quality in Bristol City and Ipswich Town.

You can often catch Amelia Warren as a guest on BBC Radio Derby.