WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 28, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- Derby County couldn't last with Arsenal, trailing 2-1 at the half before getting blown out late.
English Premier League
Derby County 2 - Arsenal 6
Eddie Lewis started for Derby and Benny Feilhaber came on as a 60th minute substitute a minute after Emannuel Adebayor made the score 3-1 Arsenal. Derby would close that to 3-2 in the 77th, but gave up a goal in the 78th and two more to Adebayor in the 81st and 90th to lose their 27th game of the season.
"We need to move on because we are playing miles above our level at this present time," said Derby manager Paul Jewell. "It's not the first time we've conceded six and you don't have to be a brain surgeon to see we concede too many goals and don't score enough.... "It was a house of cards - the usual stuff - we were beaten by a great team but if you play like that you are going to be embarrassed."
Arsenal are still technically in the title race, four points behind Manchester United and Chelsea's lead with two games left to play. The late pile-on against Derby is important because it increases Arsenal's goal differential to +41, four better than Chelsea's but still 12 behind Manchester United.
That said, not even Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger sees some shock shuffle where Manchester United or Chelsea fail to keep that lead and Arsenal goes through as champion. "This team has a great future, Wenger said. "I believe we were really unlucky not to win something this year. It is always a problem not to win trophies but I love this team, love the way they behave and the way they play."
Derby are also looking for at least four points from their remaining two games if they want to be remembered as not having the worst season in Premier League history. Jewell is promising a different environment next season in The Championship.
"The club hopefully will be so different at the start of next season and hopefully this horrendous season won't affect us," he said. "I think in a couple of years we can maybe look back and see we have learned from our mistakes from this season and got stronger."
