May Contain Nuts

Compared to the Wrexham v Sheff Utd game yesterday, this fell flat as a spectacle.
I don’t think you can fault the effort, but we lacked some spark and some bravery. We didn’t ask West Ham enough questions. McGoldrick was a huge miss and Dobbin should have started.
We then didn’t help ourselves by switching off too easily and conceding two tame goals. But those are the margins when you face a Premier League side. You make a small mistake, you lose focus for a moment, and it can be thoroughly punished.
It’s disappointing to lose in the manner that we did, but fortunately we have a quick turnaround and can get back to winning ways right away with a favourable home game on Saturday.
What did we learn? McGoldrick is the glue that binds the team together and we need another option if his current injury or any future injuries are serious.

Alternatively: the same system with better (in some cases younger) players could work at a higher level very well. But with these players, against a decent Premier League team with a lot of pace and guile... it might be a struggle. 

I appreciate the frustration in that, but West Ham didn’t play poorly. They scored early in both halves and didn’t need to do anything more than that. They managed the game like a professional top level side and let us tire ourselves out by trying to get back in to the game. If we got the early goal, it would’ve been an entirely situation, unfortunately that’s the way it goes.
We beat teams in our league comfortably, today we got beaten comfortably. If that game was against someone like Sheffield Wednesday or Bolton, I’d be more concerned, but for now I’m not disheartened.

If I’m being critical, based on tonight I’m not sure ‘Warneball’ suits playing higher league opposition because you aren’t positionally disciplined enough. Not that I don’t like his ideas and how he sees football, I’m just not sure it works against a better opposition

Nope. That wasn't the Derby we've seen most of the season. We didn't play well. Nothing to do with them, they threatened very little but we threatened less. Poor from us, where was the pace the closing down them attacking? All of which is nothing to do with them.

That cost me twenty one pouuunds
And it was f****** w***
I wish I'd kept my money
Inside my piggy bank

That cost me twenty one pouuunds
And it was f****** w***
I wish I'd kept my money
Inside my piggy bank

It more that everything good about our own play this season was sorely lacking and they never had to get out of neutral let alone first gear.

That cost me twenty one pouuunds
And it was f****** w***
I wish I'd kept my money
Inside my piggy bank

That cost me twenty one pouuunds
And it was f****** w***
I wish I'd kept my money
Inside my piggy bank

Haha what a nightmare.
I've actually read your post thinking he posted it, been a bit distracted today 
 
Apologies both.
 
 

Haha what a nightmare.
I've actually read your post thinking he posted it, been a bit distracted today 
 
Apologies both.
 
 

Haha what a nightmare.
I've actually read your post thinking he posted it, been a bit distracted today 
 
Apologies both.
 
 

Hi Kokosnuss,
Think you may have quoted the wrong poster here ?
Im guessing from the content of your post its Jourdan you're looking for...

The key thing is a lot of out players are versatile so we can adapt in a short-term injury crisis.
RB - Smith, Rooney, Chester, Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen, Knight
LB - Sibley, Roberts, Springett, Forsyth, Barkhuizen, Mendez-Laing
CB - Forsyth, Cashin, Davies, Stearman, Chester, Rooney, Roberts
CM - Bird, Hourihane, Tommo, Knight, Sibley, Smith, Rooney
AM - Knight, McGoldrick, Sibley
RW/LW - Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen, Dobbin, Springett, Knight, Sibley
CF - Collins, McGoldrick, Dobbin, Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen
Any signings will have the squad versatility in mind, and the impact on the team as a whole if we're missing a couple of players who can play in a certain position. Therefore, there can only really be a maximum of 2 more signings unless there's an unexpected departure. They are a CF and RB. 
Getting a CF is very important and it would free up McGoldrick's availability to fill in at AM, in the event of Knight being needed elsewhere on the field. A CF who can also play on the wing would be an added bonus, as it would ease the impact of needing to drop a winger into the full back position.
We still don't have a recognised RB, but does it matter? Smith is doing a very good job in that role, but if he's injured it has a big impact on the team as a whole. We'd be forced in to fielding an inexperienced Rooney, hope Chester doesn't get injured (once he's back) or bring one of Knight/Mendez-Laing/Barkhuizen in to that position - a move which weakens our forward options. Getting someone in to be backup to Smith, would be difficult, so it would have to be someone who can also fill in at CB and/or LB.

Like the manager who himself said (paraphrasing) he'll bounce when we've actually achieved something, I'll get all giddy like a schoolgirl being within 50ft of a popstar once we're out of this league, and no sooner.
Maybe not even until Warne has us looking safe in the Championship, because that is the level we should be at. 
Don't mistake that however for not being on-board with what Warne is doing, not being happy with how things are going, or not being delighted when we come back to snatch a late win in a difficult game like we did the other night.
It's just that I'm not going to start making out like Warne is the second coming of Jim Smith or anyone else just because both managers have us on an (excellent) unbeaten run, especially when the current run is in the 3rd division with Championship level quality and experience.  
People can show their enjoyment of things (or not show it even if they feel it) in many different ways, but at times in here it feels like there is only one way which is allowed / accepted or else you're told to shut up!
Jamie Ward was on RD yesterday discussing us and said something along the lines of us always being likely to end up on a good run once the squad settled/gelled and we got our experienced players up to fitness.
If he'd have posted that as part of an argument on here, God help him

Like the manager who himself said (paraphrasing) he'll bounce when we've actually achieved something, I'll get all giddy like a schoolgirl being within 50ft of a popstar once we're out of this league, and no sooner.
Maybe not even until Warne has us looking safe in the Championship, because that is the level we should be at. 
Don't mistake that however for not being on-board with what Warne is doing, not being happy with how things are going, or not being delighted when we come back to snatch a late win in a difficult game like we did the other night.
It's just that I'm not going to start making out like Warne is the second coming of Jim Smith or anyone else just because both managers have us on an (excellent) unbeaten run, especially when the current run is in the 3rd division with Championship level quality and experience.  
People can show their enjoyment of things (or not show it even if they feel it) in many different ways, but at times in here it feels like there is only one way which is allowed / accepted or else you're told to shut up!
Jamie Ward was on RD yesterday discussing us and said something along the lines of us always being likely to end up on a good run once the squad settled/gelled and we got our experienced players up to fitness.
If he'd have posted that as part of an argument on here, God help him

Players aside, the best thing about the Rooney team was Liam, oh and Rooney’s PR adviser. Look at the club’s culture now and think what it would have been like under Kirchner and Rooney, with Stretford pulling the strings. Lucky escape, Mike Ashley would have been preferable imho.
 
For many you mention I think the proud support for Rooney was mostly proud support for a club under siege. And looking back I think many see Rooney as an abysmal managerial appointment and near the top of the list of major misjudgements by Mel Morris 
I’d far rather be in div 1 under Warne than in the championship under Rooney 

Please stop being silly....
Cocu came here under difficult circumstances after Lampard ( who you fail to mention in your list!! ) but someone who left us in the lurch with a small part of pre season left, Lampard went on to manage Chelsea and Everton which by your yardstick means he's a good desirable manager but look how thats turned out.
Rooney showed real leadership when we needed it most when everything seemed to be going wrong at our club and i remember thinking how demoralising it would've been had Rooney walked away when we all going through the hell of the latter part of the Morris tenure, but he stayed and with Rosenior gave us more chance than I thought possible yet both were rookies learning as they went and made mistakes as anyone learning on the job does.
You seem very self righteous now in your love for Warne and although I really like the bloke and am very pleased with how he's got us working hard it doesn't detract from the fact i was sceptical when appointed and there is nothing wrong with that.
We all have doubts with decisions regarding new managers as no one is guaranteed to be a success and people airing there views is why we all here and it makes what the forum is
In the past you have found negatives galore as anyone with a glass half empty will find if you see it that way, but please don't make silly comparisons like saying Cocu was out of work for 2 years blahdy blah when many good managers have done the same ...Dyche for example has been out of management a while doesnt make him a bad manager, Bielsa,Wilder,Pochettino, Zidane,Tuchel, Benitez i think are all out of jobs ?
I will always be thankful of the efforts and loyalty shown by Rooney when we needed him the most and Rosenior is a good young coach/manager who will do well IMO and Hull City was a good move for him and I hope he does well
I have said this in the past Jourdan and no offence intended but you always find negatives in everything and now all of a sudden you are Warnes biggest fan and say he was ideal for us due to his history in league1 but plenty of managers have had the pedigree and credentials and experience to succeed but doesn't mean they do.
Wilder knew how to get teams promoted from league1 and the Championship yet failed at Boro so give Rooney, Rosenior and Cocu some credit maybe for the jobs they did under difficult circumstances

He was in a no-lose situation.
He had a lengthy contract with the club. He was in a job at a very good level despite limited to no coaching experience.
I’ve never really understood the fawning over Rooney. He gave it a good go at keeping us up and created a siege mentality, as all managers would attempt to do.
I could understand the adulation if he had stayed with the club up to now and was leading the charge back into the Championship. But he left pretty sharpishly.
David Clowes was instrumental in keeping the club alive. Rooney was simply doing what was in his interests.
Perhaps I am wrong but that’s the way it seemed.

The truth. Pretty much all of the stuff I've said about Ince previously has been proven to be correct in the long run, which his not-so glittering post-Derby career is testament to. I'm not going to go over the whole thing again for your pleasure though. He's doing pretty well under Daddy at Reading, but still hardly setting the world alight.
Mendez-Laing is doing well because he's more your archetypal winger, but he has a little bit extra too. His speed and strength are game-changing at this level (and in he right circumstances possibly still in the Championship) but they also allow him to play almost as a striker, as his last 2 goals have shown.
Ince doesn't really have that pace, physicality and/or variety to his play; despite playing in the (relatively) the same position he's a completely different type of player.
For what we're building and the way we play NML & Barkhuizen are far better suited to us.

Cocu and Rooney both managed us in two of the most bizarre seasons in recent history. Rosenior was picking up the pieces of what was left.
Cocu had Keogh/Bennett/Lawrence, takeover collapses, embargoes, Covid, etc... Even in that season, he showed promise when we made an unsuccessful late push for the playoffs. 
Rooney had administration, 21 points deducted, started the season with just a handful of players, a squad ripped apart in January, failed exits from administration.
Even Rosenior started the season with just 5 contracted players. He had a steady start whilst players were starting to build up fitness (no pre season) and getting to know each other. We lost just 3 games in his 10 games in charge. Rosenior ceteinly showed a lot of potential, still does, and will forever be what Clough was to the 13/14 Mac season.

That didn't stop you from slagging off our previous management on here, though, did it? 
 

The truth. Pretty much all of the stuff I've said about Ince previously has been proven to be correct in the long run, which his not-so glittering post-Derby career is testament to. I'm not going to go over the whole thing again for your pleasure though. He's doing pretty well under Daddy at Reading, but still hardly setting the world alight.
Mendez-Laing is doing well because he's more your archetypal winger, but he has a little bit extra too. His speed and strength are game-changing at this level (and in he right circumstances possibly still in the Championship) but they also allow him to play almost as a striker, as his last 2 goals have shown.
Ince doesn't really have that pace, physicality and/or variety to his play; despite playing in the (relatively) the same position he's a completely different type of player.
For what we're building and the way we play NML & Barkhuizen are far better suited to us.

Was I far wrong?
"His highest finish was 22nd (relegated).
He's spent 6 seasons teaching his side to play an aggressive, direct, long ball game. Is he going to change his style to suit the player we have, who have a possession based game drilled into them for an even longer period of time? Are the players going to be able to adapt?"
It took a mini injury crisis in defence to force him away from his favoured 5 at the back. For what ever reason, it clearly wasn't working. We won 2, drew 1 and lost 4. We haven't lost a single game since he reluctantly switched to 4 at the back.
The quality of football for large periods of most games under Warne has been poor. Fortunately, there have been some excellent spells, and the frequency of those good spells continues to increase.
No need to dig up the Pearson posts. I have no shame in admitting to it. However, you may have ignored the context. At the time of my post, his record as manager was as bad as Pearson's.
A few games in to his reign, I also stated it was a stick or twist point. Warne wasn't getting the best out of the players in those early games. A lot of the players looked confused and gave statements suggesting they had no idea what Warne wanted them to do, or Warne had no idea how to use them to their potential. There was a significant risk this wouldn't improve with the currnet crop of player, hence "stick or twist". Stick, and see the long term project through and get the players in he needed, or twist and get amanager in who could get more out of them.
Credit to Warne turning it around and  getting a lot more out of the players than most could have imagined.