Millenniumram

I mean to be fair he’s been flip flopping around formations like mad this season, so there definitely have been lots of tactical changes in there. However, the style of play remains the same - a focus on athleticism over football, with runners preferred to those with technical ability.
Now, whilst I’m well known not to be a fan of this (or Warne himself for that matter), this is fine so long as it delivers results. My concern is that there remain 2 main limitations with this idea of simply “out working” the opposition:
1. You run the risk of becoming “flat track bullies” - able to batter the poorer teams in the league, but come unstuck against those who simply outplay you in possession. We saw this quite clearly last season, and there is some evidence of it this time around too - with the game against Peterborough on Monday a fine example of when we simply can’t compete with an opponent who focuses on passing the ball well. That said, the league is weaker this season so it’s not quite as evident (and it also feels like we’ve dropped more silly points this season compared with last year).
2. This is my main concern - it kind of lends itself to a pattern of starting slowly while players build up fitness, hitting form and going on a massive run mid season, the running out of steam and collapsing at the end. This is exactly what happened last season, and seems to also be pattern with Warne’s teams in general. Our squad depth is better this season, but we are still an aging team overall, so I do still worry this will come to the fore in the coming months. 
The acid test for me will be how we contend with the next couple of months. We have a run of games against quite lowly opposition which we absolutely MUST capitalise on - can we deal with the relentless winter schedule and avoid our annual New Year collapse? We really need to establish ourselves a commanding position at the summit of the table - COYR

I think this idea that Warne doesn’t like technical players is a myth, to be honest.
Over his time here, he has shown he will play players who earn his trust and the more technical players have usually been the ones to do that.
He plays Bird and Hourihane in midfield at every opportunity for starters and neither player could ever be considered a ‘runner’. Players like Mendez Laing and Wilson are favoured over less technical players like Ward and Barkhuizen. Forsyth and Nelson are preferred to Elder and Bradley because they are better technically.
McGoldrick was our best player last season and played at every opportunity under Warne too.
Warne values pressing, running and the fitness of his players, absolutely. But clearly he also appreciates that you need good, technical footballers to reap the rewards of that.

TV
Vickers 5
Nelson 7
Bradley 6
Cashin 7
Wilson 8
Bird 9 MOM
Hourihane 8
Fornah 6
Forsyth 6
Elder 7
John-Jules 5
Barkhuizen 7
Mendez-Laing 8
Collins 7
Thompson 6

I mean to be fair he’s been flip flopping around formations like mad this season, so there definitely have been lots of tactical changes in there. However, the style of play remains the same - a focus on athleticism over football, with runners preferred to those with technical ability.
Now, whilst I’m well known not to be a fan of this (or Warne himself for that matter), this is fine so long as it delivers results. My concern is that there remain 2 main limitations with this idea of simply “out working” the opposition:
1. You run the risk of becoming “flat track bullies” - able to batter the poorer teams in the league, but come unstuck against those who simply outplay you in possession. We saw this quite clearly last season, and there is some evidence of it this time around too - with the game against Peterborough on Monday a fine example of when we simply can’t compete with an opponent who focuses on passing the ball well. That said, the league is weaker this season so it’s not quite as evident (and it also feels like we’ve dropped more silly points this season compared with last year).
2. This is my main concern - it kind of lends itself to a pattern of starting slowly while players build up fitness, hitting form and going on a massive run mid season, the running out of steam and collapsing at the end. This is exactly what happened last season, and seems to also be pattern with Warne’s teams in general. Our squad depth is better this season, but we are still an aging team overall, so I do still worry this will come to the fore in the coming months. 
The acid test for me will be how we contend with the next couple of months. We have a run of games against quite lowly opposition which we absolutely MUST capitalise on - can we deal with the relentless winter schedule and avoid our annual New Year collapse? We really need to establish ourselves a commanding position at the summit of the table - COYR

Bird, and Hourihane to a degree, both have too much quality for this league. Both are capable of brilliance in their own ways. But you're right, they are so easy to get at, as well as too easy to have runners going past them when we're being countered. 
But then we don't concede many goals. I think we can cope against anyone outside the top 8 with those 2 in there, but against the other 7, we do get properly overrun in midfield- and concede a disproportionate amount of goals. 

Agree that doesn’t help either - Bird and Hourihane as a midfield two is too one paced. Bradley still scares me though when the ball goes near him.

Made hard work of that, which seems a recurring pattern. Glad we got over the line though. A very good spell towards the end of the first half sealed it for us really - we looked pretty incisive and strong going forward, but that three at the back remains extremely shaky.

Mendez-Laing has bounced back from a poor game against Peterborough to have a superb game today. He’s everywhere 

Made hard work of that, which seems a recurring pattern. Glad we got over the line though. A very good spell towards the end of the first half sealed it for us really - we looked pretty incisive and strong going forward, but that three at the back remains extremely shaky.

Made hard work of that, which seems a recurring pattern. Glad we got over the line though. A very good spell towards the end of the first half sealed it for us really - we looked pretty incisive and strong going forward, but that three at the back remains extremely shaky.

Thank god for that. Wonderful play by Bird

Thank god for that. Wonderful play by Bird

How many times do you see it from sooo many teams, always baffling.

You get punished for sitting back. It’s what we always do and we always f*** it up 

We’ve been asking for that. Been dreadful this half

Elder on for Fozzy at half time 

Mendez-Laing has bounced back from a poor game against Peterborough to have a superb game today. He’s everywhere 

Mendez-Laing has bounced back from a poor game against Peterborough to have a superb game today. He’s everywhere 

Mendez-Laing has bounced back from a poor game against Peterborough to have a superb game today. He’s everywhere 

Mendez-Laing has bounced back from a poor game against Peterborough to have a superb game today. He’s everywhere 

Mendez-Laing has bounced back from a poor game against Peterborough to have a superb game today. He’s everywhere 

GET IN COLLINS

Mendez-Laing has bounced back from a poor game against Peterborough to have a superb game today. He’s everywhere 

Mendez-Laing has bounced back from a poor game against Peterborough to have a superb game today. He’s everywhere 

Forsyth is getting roasted by Rooney down this near side. May need to get Elder on at half time