This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
FLW’s Derby County fan pundit Liam Allwood has highlighted the player who has not quite lived up to expectations so far this season.
Allwood believes that Haydon Roberts has not quite fit the billing since arriving from Brighton on loan last summer.
Initial comparisons to Benjamin White have proven to be too big of a marker for Roberts to capture.
His early performances in the team have been highlighted as a concern, although the defender has received praise for his upturn in form since the appointment of Paul Warne.
This Rams supporter is hopeful that a more promising second half of the season will be in order based on how he has performed in recent weeks, but he has not quite lived up to expectations overall so far.
“I wouldn’t say any player has really disappointed me this season so far,” Allwood told Football League World.
“I think I’d probably say the player who has maybe lived up to expectation the least would be Haydon Roberts, on loan from Brighton.
“Him coming in, we heard he’d be the next Ben White and he’s done decent but I think people expected a lot more from him.
“And I think he’s probably just found his form a bit now in the past four or five games.
“However, at the beginning of the season he didn’t really seem comfortable playing our kind of football.
“However, I do think Paul Warne has definitely changed his style of play to one that kind of benefits Roberts.”
Roberts has featured 13 times in League One so far this season, making 11 starts.
The 20-year old has even contributed one goal and one assist, scoring his first goal for the club in the team’s recent 3-1 win over MK Dons.
Warne’s side are currently 8th in the third division table as we approach the halfway point of the campaign.
Up next for the Rams is the visit of Sheffield Wednesday on 3 December.
The Verdict
This is Roberts' chance to prove to Brighton that he has the potential to become a Premier League calibre player.
His senior level experience up to this point has been limited, having only previously played for Rochdale while still a teenager.
That his start was sluggish was not ideal, but his recent form suggests that he has the capacity to improve and become a much better player.
The second half of his season will be crucial, and if he can improve even further then he will cast away any doubts from Derby supporters over his ability.