Derby moved a step closer to automatic promotion on Saturday with an important 1-0 away win at Cambridge United.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing scored for the Rams in the first half after receiving a fantastic Louie Sibley ball.
Paul Warne’s team had to stand firm in the second half and rely on their solid back three, and one individual stood out.
Journalist praises Eiran Cashin.
Eiran Cashin only turned 22 in November, but his performance yesterday reflected a tremendous deal of maturity.
In his player ratings for DerbyshireLive, Leigh Curtis praised Cashin and gave him an eight-match rating. No player received a higher score.
The centre-back was nearly flawless defensively. There was one time when he and Bonne were in a foot race, and he handled him effortlessly,” Curtis wrote.
The Rams academy graduate has had a fantastic season at the back, and yesterday his team kept their 21st clean sheet of the season, which is very extraordinary.
No team in League One can match that accomplishment, with Lincoln City coming in second with 19, according to FootyStats.
The 2001-born defender delivered a fantastic performance, winning a remarkable ten aerial duels despite his relatively modest height for a defender (6ft).
Cashin confessed to Sky Sports earlier this year that he had to change his style to deal with physical limitations.
I probably wouldn’t be a typical centre-half, if you cut one out,” the Derby County defender stated.
I’m not the biggest, tallest, or strongest, but I’ve figured out a way to make it work. I work on all of my talents and shortcomings, and I make sure that my deficiencies aren’t too serious.
Cashin went on to say, “Part of my development is learning how to deal with that physicality, because you can’t just go shoulder to shoulder with some of them.” You have to box cleverly, as they say.
