Derby County’s Bradley Johnson has picked up an ankle injury.
Derby County boss Gary Rowett has told the club’s official website that midfielder Bradley Johnson will miss the upcoming clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers as he has suffered an infection on his ankle.
The former Norwich City man missed the two victories over Preston North End and Bolton Wanderers, sustaining his injury during the disappointing 4-1 defeat to bottom club Sunderland.
Derby face Championship leaders Wolves at Molineux on Wednesday knowing a point would be an excellent return, and Rowett admits his side will go there with the same squad which faced Bolton.
“We haven’t had any injuries since the last game, and nobody is ready to come back,” Rowett told dcfc.co.uk.
“It’s frustrating because we thought that Bradley Johnson would be back for the Preston game, but he has picked up an infection in his ankle, which has been very slow to clear.”
“It will be good to get him back in the 18 because he gives us different options, but apart from that, everybody is either still injured or available for selection.”
A blessing in disguise?
Johnson joined Derby on deadline day in the summer of 2015 for a then club record fee, yet on the whole he has disappointed in a Rams shirt and left supporters frustrated on several occasions.
Aside from a short run of games in 2015/16 and as a holding midfielder a year later in Steve McClaren’s second spell, the 30-year-old has failed to hit the heights he showed for Norwich at Carrow Road.
| Appearances | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points per game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Thorne | 20 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 2.05 |
| Joe Ledley | 23 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 2 |
| Tom Huddlestone | 38 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 1.71 |
| Bradley Johnson | 29 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 1.45 |
As show by the table provided by Opta Stats, Johnson actually boasts the worst points-per-game record at Derby, illustrating how his presence in the team actually has a negative impact compared to his midfield teammates.
With Tom Huddlestone a key player in the middle for Derby, fellow midfielders George Thorne and Joe Ledley are shown to be much better partners for the former Tottenham Hotspur man.
Derby will need to be dogged against Wolves, and the more defensive-minded Ledley provides better protection for the back four which will be imperative as the hosts look to move a step closer to the Premier League.
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