Louie Sibley made his first start for Championship outfit Derby County as Phillip Cocu’s side were knocked out of the Carabao Cup.
In hindsight, maybe a cup clash away at bitter rivals Nottingham Forest wasn’t the right time for Phillip Cocu to experiment with his Derby County line-up.
It is now four games without a win for the former PSV and Fenerbahce boss after a humbling 3-0 reverse at the hand of their neighbours from down Brian Clough Way. Albert Adomah, Joe Lolley and Joao Carvalho were all on target for Forest as the Rams fell to their biggest defeat in the East Midlands derby since a Marlon Harewood-Darren Huckerby strike force tore them apart in 2003.
But at least 17-year-old Louie Sibley gave Derby fans something to cheer on a miserable night on the banks of the Trent.
The England U18 international started alongside fellow teenagers Morgan Whittaker and Lee Buchanan after a brief cameo in round one against Scunthorpe. Neat and tidy in possession and fond of a tackle, Sibley certainly didn’t shrink under the pressure like so many of his Derby team-mates on Tuesday night.
The Rams’ 2018 Academy Player of the Year should get more opportunities to prove his worth under a coach who turned Memphis Depay, Gini Wijnaldum and Hirving Lozano into stars over in Holland. At least there’s one positive to come out of a nightmare outing in Nottingham.
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