Analysis: Plenty of pluses for Shrewsbury in impressive Derby showing

With a fortnight until the big League One kick off, Town impressed the home crowd as 3,000 saw the Championship new-boys struggle in a 2-1 defeat.

Tommi O’Reilly and Tom Bloxham netted in either half for the hosts, the latter with what proved to be the winner after Shrewsbury old boy, former favourite James Collins, equalised for the Rams.

Tireless trialist

Midfielder Jordan Rossiter, the former Liverpool youngster and Rangers man, was Town’s latest trialist given the chance to earn a deal.

He could hardly have done any more. The 27-year-old, last at Bristol Rovers until this summer, was quieter but assured in the first half but all-action after the break.

As Hurst summarised afterwards, the Liverpudlian does the dirty work excellently and with little fuss. He is happy to break up play and get stuck into challenges. He showed his use with the ball on more than one occasion, too.

Rossiter played on through the pain barrier until his withdrawal with 20 minutes left. It gave the impression Hurst and Chris Doig would approve. He is likely to feature against Telford tomorrow before a decision is made.

New-boys impress

Some of Town’s newly-contracted players also caught the eye against Paul Warne’s visitors, continuing the theme from a decent display in defeat to Leicester last Tuesday.

O’Reilly was a standout performer. It is already clear the highly-regarded Villa youngster is a serious talent and oozes technical quality. He will be the creative force in Town’s side this season.

Attacking midfielder Harrison Biggins was another who put in a consistent display in showing powerful athleticism as well as an eye for a pass. Right-back Luca Hoole was also a strong runner and showed a desire to attack.

It was good to see goalkeeper Toby Savin start after injury. He wasn’t overly tested in his 45 minutes but beaten easily by Collins’ header. Fellow keeper Joe Young, the former trialist signed on a one-year deal on Saturday, did well with Derby’s second-half pressure.

Clear style

It’s very early, as Hurst continues to remind, and the head coach also made the point that a style of football is perhaps easier to use in pre-season than in league action where every point counts.

But onlookers who have watched Town for a number of years remarked that the football on show from Hurst’s side is the easiest on the eye for some time and a number of managers.

There is a very clear plot for the goalkeeper and central defenders to play short in Town’s own third, to entice a press and then look for an out-ball. It won’t always be the case, Hurst said, and it will be fluent. But it looked good on Saturday.

There are already signs that players are comfortable at it, too. Salop won’t be afraid to go long or to hit channels, either, when the likes of John Marquis and Josh Kayode, who can win a header, are up there, with O’Reilly and Bloxham as wide options, too.

Meadow mood

It was a reduced attendance, but cries of “Paul Hurst’s Barmy Army” and the huge applause those in the ground gave players and the head coach at full-time was telling.

Any Shrewsbury fan who has watched the friendlies against Leicester and Derby has left in positive spirits that it may not be a season of struggle once again at the Meadow this term.

It is early days and tough to deduce too much from friendlies, but there is encouragement and optimism within the fanbase and it is refreshing – and all before the recruitment is complete, with another few additions to come.