"Free agents for a reason" - Derby County told out-of-contract signing won't fill David Ozoh void | OneFootball

FLW's Derby County fan pundit believes John Eustace should stick with the in-house options he has to cover Ozoh's injury setback.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

John Eustace and Derby County have been handed a major injury blow, with central midfielder David Ozoh ruled out for the rest of the season.

The Crystal Palace loanee had to be stretchered off the Pride Park pitch in the final minutes of Derby's 1-0 defeat to Millwall on 22 February, and it has now been confirmed that he will miss the remainder of the campaign with a thigh injury.

Rams boss John Eustace has hinted that the club may dip into the free agent market to bolster his squad further following the arrival of Kemar Roofe, however, as County look to claw their way to Championship safety.

"Can't replace with a free agent" - Derby County told they won't fill David Ozoh void with out-of-contract signing

We asked our Derby County fan pundit Shaun Woodward: 'With David Ozoh out for the rest of the season, do Derby need to replace him with a free agent signing as hinted at? If so, which one player looks to be ideal and realistic to fill the void?'

Woodward said: "Losing Ozoh was a huge blow, and something I don't think we can replace with a free agent.

"I think, by the time a free agent gets fit, up to speed, used to the environment and their surroundings, and the players they're going to be playing with, I think you've wasted four or five games.

"There's nothing to say that they're going to come in and make us any better than what we've already got. Not that it would be hard."

John Eustace told to trust options he has at Derby instead of sourcing free agent help

Free agent signings often present as low-risk, high-reward gambles. In Derby's case, they are perhaps in a better position than many to take such a risk with an out-of-contract arrival given their perilous position in the Championship.

Woodward, however, believes Eustace's current batch of options would be better than making a free agent signing amid Ozoh's injury setback: "For me, I would just stick with what we've got. We've got Ebou Adams, we've got Harrison Armstrong who looked half decent in his first game. Probably the best of the bunch.

"You could even play Liam Thompson in there, if he's ever fit. Even Jake Rooney could probably play in a defensive midfield role. He's quite a tidy defender, and I think he'd probably fit in that role. I'm not sure it's something that Eustace has looked at, but it's something that I know some of the fans have suggested.

"Even Ben Osborn, as disappointing as his season has been, he can play in that defensive midfield role. Obviously, none of them are as good as Ozoh, but I think they're all still better than trying to bring in a free agent at this time of the season, with not many games left to try and save us.

"I just don't think it's going to work. I think they're free agents for a reason because nobody wants them, if I'm totally honest. It sounds bad, but it's the truth.

"I think we just need to stick with what we've got, and then reassess in the summer and go from there."