Final game requires bottle and plenty of toughness

I've been trying to look ahead to this Derby game but I've been muttering to myself all week because it all felt like a missed opportunity.

- By Mike Pejic

Those two matches last week, with the Leeds United defeat to bear in mind too, haven't half shown us what we've got or haven't got as a squad right now.

Well, once more unto the breach, dear friends.

It's going to be hard today. It's going to be high intensity. I'm tempted to start Gibson to help Phillips and Wilmot with the physicality like he was able to in that second-half at Elland Road.

Derby are going to go for it and play with a tempo that gets the crowd behind them.

Wouter Burger will be key to Robins’ plan. He’s Stoke's best player in my book, even if he didn't pick up the player of the year award, and you can see his quality even though the midfield has been messy around him at times.