Nuwtfly

Perhaps stats can back this up, perhaps not, but I would say that since the end of November there has been a visible difference in how we're playing. The ball is on the pitch a lot more, we pass more and more accurately, we move the ball forward with more pace and actively try to play through the lines more rather than lump it over the top to Collins over and over. There's still a lot of pumping it down the lines and crossing the ball in. Like...a lot. But we seem to be getting better at making the most of that tactic. Nobody would complain about it if we scored a goal every other time we crossed it in, that's for sure! "Warneball" has been better ever since the club came out and backed him. Or it has seemed that way to my eye.

Say it quietly but I thought we played some pretty attractive football (in spells) today! We just seem to keep running out of gas. Think recruitment is going to be so, so vital this month.

He was - but again i should reiterate that i don't believe that's because Warne is a bad manager or anything like that. Bird is just playing in a system that doesn't suit him now. It's a bit like watching a player go from playing under Sarri to Conte. Same player, different system, different results. Napoli are a good example of this, if you're partial to a bit of Italian football.

Wouldn't put it quite like this but I do agree with Roy here. Max looked fantastic under Cocu, Rooney, Rosenior - he flourished in technical sides where he's going to have time with the ball. Warneball does not suit him at all. Feels a little bit like Rowett/Hughes again. That's not necessarily a criticism of Warne's style. It benefits some players over others. Sadly, Max isn't one of them.

If I'm honest Roy I wasn't even thinking of you when I made that comment. I was thinking more of those more commonly found on Twitter. Perhaps the fact that you saw that, and thought it was about you, should give you pause for reflection, though?

Is it possible to actually voice a negative, pessimistic or even really any alternative opinion to the (for want of a better word) "pro-Warne" narrative without "contributing to the negative dialogue"? I agree that there are those who simply don't like him and will jump on any bad moment to use against him. But it also really concerns me when reasonable criticisms are just shouted down as "moaning", "wrist slashing" and other such terms. If we are not given a space to criticise and debate managers/players/owners you can end up with a situation where they are essentially allowed to get away with murder and anyone trying to criticise them just gets shouted down. See: Mel Morris.

Unproven? Think he has had a few cracks at it before and it’s not going particularly well a lot of the time. Saying that, I think he has Rotherham in the top 6 when he left them for us?

Absolutely agree - I hope it does!

Fair comments! But to @Crewtoni would just say that, for whatever reason, I just don’t like it - like I said, I hope he does well, but just can’t seem to warm to him.

We are playing some good stuff at the minute and are in good form, but that doesn't suddenly mean that the first half of the season didn't happen. Perhaps i'm just somewhat pessimistic but I can't help but feel like we've been here before with this club at this point of the season. It's usually followed by a sub-par January window and then...the dip... Let's hope we've learnt our lesson(s). Also; on Warne himself - glad the team, and therefore he, is doing well, but there's just something about his Brentian interviews, his constant digs at supporters and his general communication style that just rubs me the wrong way. Sorry!