Jack Marriott can replace Matej Vydra’s goals at Derby County

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Derby County have completed the signing of Jack Marriott from Peterborough United and he becomes their fourth summer signing. The Rams have captured the imagination with their recruitment this summer and they will be hoping that the 23-year-old striker can score the goals to fire them to promotion.

Marriott is another example of a player that has benefitted from a spell with Peterborough. He was at Luton Town before last season, but he made the move and his reputation soared as a result. The striker scored 27 goals in League One and he will take that momentum into the Championship full of confidence.

At the age of 23, Marriott has already played for seven clubs and he will be hoping that Derby can become his permanent home. Despite playing twice in the Championship for Ipswich Town, he couldn’t break into the first team and had to drop down the leagues to prove himself. Last season, it became clear that he is a clinical goal-scorer and he deserves another chance to prove himself in the second tier.

His biggest strength is his reading of the game in the final third. Marriott has good instincts and regularly makes dangerous runs to cause problems for opposition defences. The 23-year-old has good pace and is a cool finisher when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

During his time at Peterborough, he grew in confidence in front of goal and he is now able to take chances with both feet. Although his movement and anticipation allow him to thrive as a striker, he is capable of beating defenders on the dribble. In the final third, this allows him to effectively create space to get a shot away.

 “When you hear about a club the size of Derby being interested then you can’t help but take it as a compliment. With a new manager coming in and how close you have been over previous years to promotion, that’s something that you want to take in to consideration. You know it’s another chance to go again and get the club back to where it should be.

– Jack Marriott on his transfer to Derby County.

This is an exciting signing for Derby and one that sends a statement to the rest of the league that they are looking to win promotion under Frank Lampard. Marriott isn’t the finished article, but he will benefit from the improved standard and the coaching of the new Rams’ boss.

There were few better finishers in English football than Lampard and he will have a lot to teach Marriott. The move to Derby allows him to play in front of some excellent creative players. Mason Mount and Harry Wilson have both joined the club on loan, which means the supply will be there for the 23-year-old striker.

Last season, Derby were reliant on the goals of Matej Vydra, who was the main reason behind their play-off finish. His future is uncertain, but the prospect of losing him now looks less daunting after the arrival of Marriott.

Although he hasn’t got the goal-scoring record in the Championship to match Vydra, he stood out in an average Peterborough team. It was clear that he had the ability to score goals at a higher level and he has now been given the platform to prove that.

If Frank Lampard can get the best out of Mount and Wilson, while establishing an attacking style of play, there is no reason why Marriott can’t take the Championship by storm in a similar fashion to League One. He can score the goals to fire Derby to a promotion challenge.