This season was supposed to be the one when the Rams pushed for promotion.

When Eustace took over in February 2025, Derby were fourth-from-bottom in the Championship and questions were asked why he swapped a promotion challenge with Blackburn, who were fifth, for a relegation scrap.

Internal difficulties and restrictions at Ewood Park played a part but Eustace was sold a long-term plan which was survival, consolidation and then challenging for a top-flight return.

Yet this term's promotion assault was significantly hindered when Alalshikh pulled out of his planned takeover an hour before the deal was due to be completed in August, leaving Derby scrambling after a summer of work.

The collapse blindsided the club and transfer plans were affected despite owner David Clowes remaining committed to bankrolling the Rams.

Derby chief executive Stephen Pearce has denied the summer disruption impacted recruitment but it is undeniable plans suffered.

"From a transfer perspective we hadn't lost anything we wanted to do," he told BBC Radio Derby.

Eustace admitted, though, they had to understandably review targets following the takeover collapse.

"Obviously, we had our targets that we were looking at and who we wanted to bring in," he told the Derby Telegraph this month.

"When the takeover eventually didn't happen, we've lost a lot of momentum on players that we were looking at."

Eustace wanted Liam Millar only for Birmingham City to sign the Hull City forward on loan for the season and Derby moved for Fuseini - who was due to join Blues before they signed Millar - from Union Saint-Gilloise on deadline day.

Ben Brereton-Diaz scored eight goals in 41 games for Derby on loan last season but the Rams' situation meant they could not move quick enough to bring him back and, by the time they did, the Southampton forward had committed to going to Sheffield United.

Birmingham winger Patrick Roberts was another on the list but the 29-year-old's wages were a stumbling block.

None of the players on loan last season had options to buy meaning the Rams needed to renegotiate for those who returned, with Bobby Clark costing £6m from Red Bull Salzburg as the club were left open to market forces this summer.

That did at least help them re-sign midfielder David Ozoh for £4m on deadline day, when Crystal Palace valued him at £10m at the start of August.

Clark, Ozoh and Sammie Szmodics - who has already hit the requirements to make his £2.7m move from Ipswich permanent - were influential last term but their returns only ensure the squad has returned to the same level as last season, rather than significantly improving it.

Pisa striker Henrik Meister, who has scored just twice in a year, joined on loan and was seen as a good back-up to Carlton Morris and Patrick Agyemang but the 22-year-old Dane has needed to lead the line with that duo injured.

He then suffered a head injury against Birmingham this month while Agyemang has been out since April with a serious Achilles problem.

Injuries have formed part of the problems at Pride Park with reigning player of the season Matt Clarke unlikely to be back before December.

Goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom is also out for six weeks while Brighton loanee Eiran Cashin is sidelined and Derry Murkin, expected to be the Rams' first-choice left-back, is out until after Christmas.

It all means Eustace has been unable to field the same back four in successive games since August.

The head coach and Derby have been unlucky, with Eustace especially left powerless and having to continue to firefight 20 months after joining.

There was a clear intention not to be in the same position as this time last year, with a promotion challenge expected - and Derby resisted interest for players including Agyemang and Zetterstrom - but it is a frustrating mirror image.

With eighth place now enough for a play-off spot, it was viewed as an achievable target this year. Instead, their season is, so far, following a similar path after eight points from the opening 10 games of last term.

Yet last season, their form from the final 36 games - if averaged across the whole campaign - would have been enough to finish fifth rather than ending eighth, four points adrift of the top six.

It is proof Derby - who host Wrexham on Saturday - and Eustace can succeed despite their current position, but only adds to the frustration of another slow start.

His job is not under threat and it is recognised the former Rams midfielder is the best man to steer them away from trouble, with a track record to prove it.

He was sacked by Birmingham when they were sixth in 2023, with Blues going on to be relegated after appointing Wayne Rooney as his successor, while he saved Blackburn from the drop in 2023-24 before leaving them in the play-off places.

But, after the perfect storm which has enveloped Pride Park, Eustace needs the pieces to fall into place again.