Part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, this piece offers our FLW Fan Pundits their personal thoughts on the newest breaking news, teams, players, managers, possible additions, and more.
Joe Ward, a full-back from Derby County, has been playing well for the Rams lately, contributing three assists in his previous three starts.
There aren’t many teams you’d prefer cheer on than Derby County in the last month. The Rams are now winning five straight games in the Championship, which has undoubtedly made Pride Par feel good.
To the amazement of many second-tier supporters, Derby manager John Eustace has discovered a winning recipe that has taken them to 10th position, just two points outside of the play-off spots, despite injury setbacks. This comes after a sluggish start to the 2025–26 season.
It would be an injustice to overlook Carlton Morris’ excellent play this season; after 15 games, the former Luton Town striker has already scored ten goals in the league. Joe Ward, who has pushed his way back into Eustace’s plans as a result of Owen Beck and Max Johnston’s injuries, is one man who hasn’t received the recognition he deserves.
The wideman, who has been given three consecutive starts, has undoubtedly seized the opportunity by contributing in each of those games. He appears to be a very strong weapon that Derby may not have fully utilized, particularly given his demonstrated crossing skills and their strong forward targets in Morris and Patrick Agyemang.
Under John Eustace, Derby County’s 3-4-3 system has given Joe Ward fresh life.
Due to a number of injuries sustained by the Rams this season, Eustace has experimented with the 3-4-3 system for the last three games, which has been quite successful as evidenced by the team’s nine points.
Ward, who has mostly been a supporting cast member thus far this season, appears to have settled into the Rams’ right-hand side position in that scheme, which has played to his abilities. When he is brought back, Ward might even challenge the soon-to-be returning Johnston. For the manager, it can be a case of “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
According to Shaun, a Derby County fan pundit for Football League World, Ward appears to be a different player in Derby’s current system and, even if he is aware of his skills, he can now provide genuine competition for spots and present Eustace with a constructive challenge moving ahead.
“I’m not surprised at all by his [Joe Ward’s] performances,” Shaun stated. I believe everyone at Derby is aware of his incredible cross, his deadly set-piece ability, and his accurate passing; it’s just that he hasn’t been consistent over the past year or so due to injuries and the system we’ve used.
He occasionally played right-back under Paul Warne, but he appeared to be totally lost. He appeared to be lacking confidence back there as he threw away penalties. He isn’t inherently good at defending.
“With three large center-halves protecting him and allowing him the freedom to move forward, this 3-4-3 that we’re playing is perfect for him. And now that we have two truly large target men, it’s ideal for him because, as demonstrated by his three assists in three games, he can put a ball on a sixpenny. His set-pieces are lethal.
Callum Elder and Joe Ward, wing-backs for Derby County, have been enjoying their new positions.
Derby County has seen a significant improvement in results since making the small adjustment to switch from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-3, with the team all working together to consistently produce success. The Rams’ strong defense was demonstrated by their narrow victories over Hull City and Blackburn, and they have only allowed three goals in their previous five games.
Callum Elder, Ward’s full-back partner, has also benefited from the change of formation and has contributed to several assists. Eustace, whose personnel changes have paid off, enjoyed watching his whipped inswinging corner onto Morris’s head against Blackburn.
Shaun, a Derby County fan analyst for FLW, believes that if the two continue to play well together, it won’t be shocking if they stay in the starting lineup when injury concerns subside.
“On the opposite side, you have [Callum] Elder, who has come into his own as well. As a result, our two full-backs/wing-backs are probably our second choice, but if Beck and Johnston were healthy, they might not even be on the team,” Shaun stated. It’s amusing since they are likely the two players who are most likely to lose their spots in the starting lineup despite their excellent play and abundance of assists.”
“It’s great for competition, it’s great for Eustace to have this headache when everyone is fit, and long may it continue.”
“Joe Ward, I’ve always thought is a good player, he just needs to be in the right system.”
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