Derby County: Jacob Widell Zetterstrom must fix part of his game starting v Millwall - View | OneFootball

The Swedish goalkeeper has been fantastic since joining the Rams, but has shown one major drawback in his short-time in England.

Derby County have struggled on the road in 2024/25 so far, and will be hoping that their clash with Millwall on Saturday will bring them greater fortunes.

In their first four away matches of the season, the Rams are yet to pick up a point, losing out to Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield United, Sunderland and Watford in a tough run of fixtures away from the sanctuary of Pride Park Stadium.

Nevertheless, their opponents this weekend, while still dangerous, potentially offer Paul Warne's side a great opportunity to take something back with them to the East Midlands, with Millwall 18th in the league, six places behind Derby.

Despite this, those donning the Ram at The Den will have to be at their very best, and that includes goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.

The Swedish goalkeeper has been superb since making the switch from Djurgardens in the summer for £1.4 million, but he does need to quickly make one key improvement to his game, starting on Saturday.

Zetterstrom's distribution has been poor

Rams fans may have feared the worst in the summer when Joe Wildsmith's contract was not renewed, however, Zetterstrom has quickly allowed supporters to forget about last season's League One Golden Glove winner.

The 6ft 6in shot-stopper has already provided some vital saves that have led to victories for Warne's side, while also staying aware late on in matches even when the game is seemingly already won - including an excellent low save against QPR before the international break.

On the other hand, the Swede's distribution has been a cause for concern, and at times could have proven costly. On his debut, he was caught out by Watford's Vakoun Bayo on the ball just outside the box, and only just recovered in time to force the forward to fire high and wide.

It was perhaps a sign of things to come, as his passing accuracy has been less than impressive throughout his first seven matches as a Derby player. He currently ranks 22nd out of the 27 goalkeepers to have played in the league this season in terms of that statistic, completing just 56.2% of his passes so far.

It is something that must be fixed immediately, particularly as the Rams do like to recycle the ball at the back after defending.

Millwall could be dangerous from any loose passes

Although it has not come back to haunt Derby too badly yet, Saturday could prove a difficult day if Zetterstrom does not become more accurate with his passes and clearances.

Millwall's defence is tall, with the likes of Jake Cooper, Ryan Leonard, Japhet Tanganga and Murray Wallace all above the six-foot mark. It could prove to be a tough afternoon for Jerry Yates, in particular, if his goalkeeper's kicking is not on target, and constantly losing that battle up front could prove to be a disaster.

The Lions have been fantastic while counter-attacking this season, and if the Rams are wasteful with their passing from the back, they could allow themselves to be open to the counter.

Saturday is a huge opportunity for Derby. After playing four of the top eight away from home so far, they finally have the chance to play a side that is below them on the road. If they fail to take at least a point, then questions will start to be asked about their away tactics, and Zetterstrom must be a leader in ensuring a positive result.