Schmeichel - 7.5. Decent game and a couple of good saves.
De Laet - 7. Gets forward very well. Sometimes I worry a little about the defensive relationship between him and Knockers.
Morgan - 7.5. Couple of misplaced passes, but generally immense as usual.
Whitbread - 6.5. Good header and okay in defence, but he still seems to wander out of position or lose a player far too easily for me.
Konchesky - 5. An average game and hopefully he will get back to form soon, as I feel Schlupp will happily jump back in to this position.
Knockaert - 7. Good passing on the whole and is much improved at chasing down players. Just needs to consider when to tuck in a little when we are under the cosh.
King - 6. Some good movement as always going forward and does get back well to help out the defence. However...his box-to-box game is quite reliant upon having a midfielder who can break up play consistently (i.e. Wellens 2009).
Drinkwater - 6. Positive is that he looks better shooting around the edge of the box in general. However, his role in a midfield two (as mentioned above) is about breaking up play and hassling players throughout. Whether he isn't this type of player, whether he needs time to develop in to it, whether we need support from the wide men at times in the middle....I'm not sure of yet.
Dyer - 7.5. Is definitely in the form of his Leicester career and when he gets the ball in front of him on the run, I think he is unstoppable, in any league. Still needs to work on his composure a little (ultimately why he isn't in a different league). Good game though.
Waghorn - 8.5* Superb game; great finish, super delivery, good link up play and only the bar (5 times in 4 games) has prevented his goal tally accurately reflecting his efforts. Could have walked away with the match ball today.
Vardy - 6.5. His movement is improving, his touch for the Waghorn goal was great, his endeavour is there....but next to Waghorn and/or Nugent there is an obvious difference at the minute. I like him though, and believe he will progress (perhaps even more, without the pressure of having to lead the line)
Nugent - 8. In 25 minutes, could have had a hat-trick and would have been justified. His partnership with Waghorn looks better by the game - two strikers who could have perhaps should have had a hat-trick in the same game is very impressive.
James - 6. Did okay, although I think we had already begun to deal with the Derby attacks before he stepped on to the field.
Marshall - 7.5. Very good delivery and is actually improving his defensive cover and ability to tuck in a little to help out the midfield. Picking between him and Knockaert....flip a coin at the minute.
Derby match: Player ratings
posted on 2/12/12
Wes Morgan did a good job snuffing Samman (or Sammon is it) out of contention.
posted on 2/12/12
Was King playing?
posted on 2/12/12
I agree with most of that but since I can't abide .5s:
Schmeichel: 7 - Had some saves to make and was pretty decent.
De Laet: 6 - Threatening going forward but got done sometimes.
Morgan: 7 - A good game but given quite a test at times and did play Robinson onside for his goal.
Whitbread: 8 - Another good game, with a bonus point for a well-taken goal.
Konchesky: 5 - Poor performance, looked off the pace. I expected better considering he now has competition. Could easily have been sent off late on for a last-man foul although it probably wouldn't have affected the result.
Knockaert: 7 - Wanted to get involved and did very good work for the second goal, but needed to contribute more defensively in the second thirty minutes.
King: 6 - Covered well at times but couldn't influence the game when Derby were on top.
Drinkwater: 7 - Excellent when we were on top but was part of an exposed central midfield in the middle thirty.
Dyer: 5 - Some good runs as usual, but needed to get involved more when the rest of the midfield was under pressure.
Waghorn: 9 - Very good performance, effective throughout the game and ensured we still carried a threat when under pressure. Unlucky not to bag at least one more goal.
Vardy: 6 - Full of running if not confidence.
Nugent: 8 - Ended the match as a contest.
Marshall: 7 - Very good work for the third goal.
James: 7 - Helped to solidify, although Derby had indeed run out of steam a bit anyway.