{"id":1440008,"date":"2026-03-21T17:21:53","date_gmt":"2026-03-21T17:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&p=1440008"},"modified":"2026-03-21T17:21:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T17:21:54","slug":"tactical-analysis-derby-county-fun-fight-championship-play-off-contention-2026","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-derby-county-fun-fight-championship-play-off-contention-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Derby County analysis: All about Rams’ entertaining fight for Championship play-off contention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Derby County are finding form yet again just in time for the Championship play-offs and are very much in the mix.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hull City are not the only near relegated team last year who are among the teams contending for the play-offs in the current season. Derby’s <\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Eustace kept the Rams up in 2024-25 and followed it up with an even more impressive campaign in 2025-26. While there is a chance they end up not making it to the top-6 come final day, nobody had them around these parts of the table on opening weekend back in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matchweek 39 is set to end with Derby in 8th. But considering that Wrexham have been in and around the play-off spots for a few months, they are not considered true outsiders. The Rams, on the other hand, have spent just one MW in the top-6 all year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#<\/th>Team<\/th>Games Played<\/th>Points won<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1<\/td>Coventry City<\/td>38<\/td>77<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td>Middlesbrough<\/td>39<\/td>71<\/td><\/tr>
3<\/td>Ipswich Town<\/td>38<\/td>69<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/td>Millwall<\/td>39<\/td>69<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/td>Hull City<\/td>39<\/td>66<\/td><\/tr>
6<\/td>Southampton<\/td>39<\/td>63<\/td><\/tr>
7<\/td>Wrexham<\/td>39<\/td>63<\/td><\/tr>
8<\/td>Derby County<\/td>39<\/td>60<\/td><\/tr>
9<\/td>Watford<\/td>39<\/td>56<\/td><\/tr>
10<\/td>Norwich City<\/td>39<\/td>54<\/td><\/tr>
11<\/td>Birmingham<\/td>39<\/td>53<\/td><\/tr>
12<\/td>QPR<\/td>39<\/td>53<\/td><\/tr>
13<\/td>Swansea<\/td>38<\/td>52<\/td><\/tr>
14<\/td>Preston<\/td>39<\/td>52<\/td><\/tr>
15<\/td>Stoke City<\/td>39<\/td>51<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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They do look a level below other play-off contenders – and even Norwich, who are behind them. But John Eustace has done an amazing job and their campaign so far deserves its own piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are Derby County still dreaming about the play-offs?<\/h2>