Derby County beat Championship opponents Queens Park Rangers 2-0 at Pride Park.
Some Derby County supporters have taken to Twitter to criticise midfielder Bradley Johnson, despite their side scoring twice in injury-time to secure a much-needed 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers.
With Middlesbrough and Bristol City losing on the road to Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday respectively, the Rams knew three points against QPR would lift them back into the play-offs.
For the large part against the Hoops, Frank Lampard’s side was laboured and poor on the ball, creating very little. They were really let off the hook when the referee awarded them a soft penalty in injury time.
Johnson, deployed as a holding midfielder, was one of the guilty parties. His slow build-up and poor decision-making throughout prompted supporters to single him out for criticism.
The former Norwich City man has made the holding midfield role his own over the past month or so. Johnson adds strength and experience in a youthful team, but his passing can often frustrate.
Frank Lampard has set his sights on getting Derby playing a possession-based game, but when it’s too slow, predictable and in Johnson’s case sloppy, it allows the opposition to sit deep and hit the Rams on the counter.
Derby were rescued in the end by Harry Wilson’s penalty in the fourth of nine minutes added on. The Liverpool loan star then grabbed another on the break in what was the last piece of action.
In the end manager Frank Lampard will know the playoffs are back in his side’s hands with three games to go, but he must be wary that they will need to play much better at Bristol City and Swansea City.
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