Four matches down after returning from an extended international break, Derby are yet to find that elusive second win of the campaign.

Wrexham at home, QPR away, Stoke at home, and Sheffield United away; two draws, two losses.

It's been the same old story in many of those games, attacking wise not so bad, creating chances but perhaps not being clinical enough at times, causing us to come away from matches feeling like "we should've got more".

In a defensive sense, however, things have been pretty bleak and to put it bluntly, it has cost us.

The Rams now sit 23rd in the table, four points off Watford in 21st, and more importantly, safety.

I suppose Derby's poor defending has been a reflection of the personnel they have available to them.

In the Wrexham game, Joe Ward, Sondre Langas, Dion Sanderson and Ryan Hedges all started in a back four.

In the QPR game, the same back four start, but Langas is withdrawn after 12 minutes due to injury with Ryan Nyambe replacing him, and with no disrespect to the Namibian, perhaps only showcasing the lack of reinforcements Derby have at their disposal.

Is it just a coincidence that the Rams go on to fall apart after that change?

For Stoke and Sheffield United, the same back four that finished the QPR game started, and to be fair to them, looked ever so slightly more stable.

However with Sanderson now picking up a red card at the weekend, John Eustace will have to chop and change at the back once again ahead of Derby's visit to The Den on Saturday.

The sheer lack of preferred defensive options Eustace has had available to him has no doubt played a part in the bleak run of results for the Rams in recent weeks.

Perhaps the lack of trust Eustace has in the four defensive players he is currently having to select, was only backed up by Derby bringing in the experienced Jack Robinson on a short-term deal shortly after the QPR game.

The big question is will things improve for the Rams? Personally, I think so.

The reintroduction of Jacob Widell Zetterstrom against Sheffield United made a massive difference, with the Swedish shot-stopper being the main reason Derby came away with a share of the spoils in the end.

He is of course only one cog in the Rams' defensive structure.

Last campaign's player of the season, Matt Clarke, is still yet to make his way back from time out on the sidelines. Derry Murkin, who would be Derby's first choice left-back, is also yet to make his return from injury.

Eiran Cashin, Sondre Langas, Charlie Taylor and Craig Forsyth all remain out, with varied expected return dates.

Once Derby get towards Christmas, and most of these players are expected to be available for selection again, I think it's almost impossible to believe results won't improve.

The harsh reality of football is that despite being dealt a bad hand injury wise so far, and not being to play our best starting line-up even once yet this season, the games don't stop coming thick and fast.

Eustace is going to need to find a way to use the tools he has available to him to try and string some results together quickly, especially between now and January, to stop Derby being cut adrift at the bottom of the Championship table.