"Unrecognisable" - Derby County player praised for shock Championship impact | OneFootball

FLW's Rams fan pundit has been positively surprised at Callum Elder's impact so far this term

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...

Football League World's Derby County fan pundit has expressed his surprise at the positive impact that left-back Callum Elder has had on the Rams so far this season, following his tough 2023/24 campaign.

Elder joined Derby as a free agent last summer after he had left Hull City at the end of the previous season, and he struggled with injuries and poor form throughout his debut season at Pride Park, despite the Rams achieving promotion out of the third-tier into the Championship for this term.

He was presumably set to be a bit-part figure in Paul Warne's squad this season as a result, but has instead been a regular starter at left-back ahead of club legend Craig Forsyth in what has been a decent return to the second-tier for the club so far.

The 29-year-old has a wealth of EFL, and particularly Championship experience from numerous loan spells at the likes of Wigan Athletic, Ipswich Town and Brentford in the past, as well as being a relatively consistent starter across four seasons with the Tigers, and looks to have now battled back from some early adversity in the East Midlands to be a mainstay in Warne's starting eleven.

Fan pundit offers verdict on "brilliant" Callum Elder

One-time Australian international Elder has started seven league games so far this term, and would likely have been included in every Championship starting eleven to date had he not picked up a groin injury last month that saw him ruled out for three games.

He has also provided one assist to date this season, with the cross for Kenzo Goudmijn's winner against Cardiff City on September 14, and is back fit now, but sat out of the Rams' 1-1 draw against Hull City last time out.

As a result of his strong form, Derby fan pundit Shaun Woodward identified Elder when we asked him for a player at the club who has surprised him so far this season with their performance levels, either positively or negatively.

"Someone who surprised me in a positive way, before his injury, was Callum Elder," Shaun told FLW.

"He’s unrecognisable from the player we signed, who struggled in League One last season.

"He looks at home in the Championship, and his levels have been upped unbelievably.

"Elder really does look comfortable at left-back against the challenges that this league brings, and was someone that I honestly thought we might have gotten rid of in the summer.

"I thought we might have brought in a new left-back, but he really has been brilliant.

"It’s a shame he got injured when he did, because he was looking so good. Hopefully he gets back into the team soon.

"I love Fozzy (Craig Forsyth), but Elder should really be the one that is nailing down that left-back spot now. He deserves it after the start he had.

"He’s had an amazing start to the season, and that has really shocked me to be totally honest, because it did not look like that was going to be the case after watching him last season."

Elder's recent form has come as a shock after his struggles last season

Derby handed the 29-year-old a three-year deal when he joined the club last summer, which was a big contract to give a player of his age and position at that point in time, but looked a fair one given his past exploits at other clubs.

Elder had previously won the League One title with Wigan in 2017/18, and Hull in 2020/21, and was also included in both the PFA and EFL Team of the Year for the latter season, and while the Rams achieved a similar result with him in the squad in May, he was much less effective than many would have hoped.

He initially appeared off the bench at left-wing back early in the campaign, but then suffered a myriad of injury issues that saw him miss three months of action from September to December, and then make just three substitute appearances in the final 12 games of the campaign as the Rams battled for the top two.

The Australian finished last season with just 12 starts to his name in all competitions, and so his impressive performances this term, that have seen him shoot up in the estimations of both Warne and Derby fans alike, have been testament to his character to bounce back from continuous setbacks.

It remains to be seen whether he will win his place back for the trip to Stoke City this weekend, but he will surely now be ready to be called upon again consistently as the Rams aim to steady themselves back in the second-tier.