Fitness, Performance and Tactics

[brady1993]

So 5 league games into Warne's tenure and I think a pattern is emerging. The short version of this Warne isn't managing the fitness levels of the squad very well which when combined with a very narrow tactical outlook is leading to some of the mediocre performances we've been seeing. And there is reason to be concerned that if this isn't adjusted things will go downhill. 

Tactics

As everyone knows we've been setting up under Warne with a 352 with an attempt at pressing aggressively and attacking directly. With the two wingbacks being actually wingers. It's not hard to see how setting up like this asks a lot physically of any given player. With the wingbacks so aggressive there is often a lot of space to cover out wide meaning the midfield and the wider centre backs are often having to cover large swaths of ground just to plug gaps. I think a big reason why we've conceded so many penalties is because of how easily we can get stretched.

Also the midfield are all encouraged to press meaning there is no one to cover so they all have to keep moving or else again gaps appear. Then added on top of all of this is a seeming reluctance to try to keep the ball for any amount of time, even when we are up and even when we are looking gassed. I can remember times even when we've won that we were in a position just to slow the game down and keep the ball to take the sting out of the game only for players to be encouraged to go recklessly forwards.

What this leads to is almost an exhaustive amount of work than isn't entirely necessary and it's no wonder that frequently gaps starting really appearing in games for us after half time. I think the best example for this is in Warne's first game in charge we were one up and yet we are taking a long throw into the box with all the centre backs up field which is followed by a counter which all of them have to sprint back.

Fitness

Its worth noting that we had a short pre season meaning that the players didn't necessarily have the time to do the same amount of fitness work. Combined into this is several players carrying knocks at different stages in pre-season and most of the squad is either on one side or the other of where you'd expect them to be at their fittest from an age perspective. In short our squad isn't the fittest but that's not something you can solve in the short term. It's also exercabated by lack of depth in places. It's something as a manager you should be carefully managing both from a team selection stand point and from a tactical stand point. And yet Warne has often kept players playing well past the point they've looked knackered and players playing physically overdemanding positions are often getting started multiple times in a week. And I think you are seeing the effect this is having. Its no surprise that we've had now 4 injuries in 3 games and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

Performance

A more tired player is more likely to get injured. But also a player who is fatigued is going to be worse, they'll suddenly look a yard off the pace or their touch will desert them or they'll seemingly drift by in a game. Being tired affects you mentally as well as physically and I think so-so isn't doing enough can often be because they are knackered out. These things tend to spiral as well because if X is tiring, Y has to work harder to cover which leads to them tiring and so on.

Our best performances under Warne have come after an international and after a full week off. Whilst all of our performances where we've played Tuesday-Saturday have been mediocre at best. This isn't a coincidence, fatigue is leading to a drop off in performance levels. It's concerning that Warne is saying that we just aren't working hard enough because it means he's likely missing the forest for the trees. 

Going Forwards

We are currently in a very congested run of fixtures with another 5 games in the next 14 days. Thats a tough run physically on any squad. If things go they way they've been so far I think we will so another couple players pick up injuries and performances steadily get worse. The tactics and the management of players are just causing to much fatigue to build in a squad ill-equipped for it. And it's increasingly looking like Warne with his tactical rigidity and his focus on not working hard enough in his recent interview either doesn't seem where the issues is stemming from or doesn't have a solution.

After all if your only tool is a hammer every problem is a nail.

[YoxallRam]

I got to playing 3-5-2 is causing penalties and gave up

[Yani P]

I see no evidence of our midfield continually moving..

[brady1993]

22 hours ago, YoxallRam said:

I got to playing 3-5-2 is causing penalties and gave up

My point isn't that it's a 352 leading to penalties, my point is we are playing in a way that leaves us exposed with a bunch of slow defenders at the back. It leads to a lot of last ditch defending which is often where you get penalties.

[Blondest Goat]

2 minutes ago, brady1993 said:

My point isn't that it's a 352 leading to penalties, my point is we are playing in a way that leaves us exposed with a bunch of slow defenders at the back. It leads to a lot of last ditch defending which is often where you get penalties.

How does Hourihanes handball fit into this theory? And didn't McGoldricks tackle follow on from a corner or free kick?

[brady1993]

14 minutes ago, Blondest Goat said:

How does Hourihanes handball fit into this theory? And didn't McGoldricks tackle follow on from a corner or free kick?

I'm not saying every penalty we've conceded is a direct result of how we play. I'm saying with  how we play and with the players we have, it's not hard to imagine we we are more susceptible to it.

But if you want a slightly different argument; a tired player is far more likely to make a mistake.

[InstaRam]

Should maybe play younger players like Rooney and Thompson a bit more. But then fitness shouldn't really be an issue this time of the season. I expect professional footballers to manage 90 minutes of intensive football at least twice a week. They run maybe 10 km during a game and if that is to demanding then I really think Warne and his tactics might be the lesser issue.

[Rich84]

1 hour ago, brady1993 said:

My point isn't that it's a 352 leading to penalties, my point is we are playing in a way that leaves us exposed with a bunch of slow defenders at the back. It leads to a lot of last ditch defending which is often where you get penalties.

From recollection only 1 penalty conceded falls in this category.......

[May Contain Nuts]

2 hours ago, Rich84 said:

From recollection only 1 penalty conceded falls in this category.......

Whether it's last ditch or not, the more time the opposition spends in possession of the football inside of your box the more opportunity there will be for flashpoints, which may or may not lead to a penalty.

Playing with wingers as wing backs and no with dedicated central midfielder given a shielding role (Bird is being allowed forward more), you're always likely to face more of these situations.

We had a penalty given against us vs Ipswich, but there was a call to be made earlier in the game too with a tackle by NML. Thankfully on that occasion the referee got it right, but does NML strike you as a player with a natural affinity toward defending who should be put in that position to begin with?

Edited October 27, 2022 by Kokosnuss

[sage]

On 26/10/2022 at 20:47, brady1993 said:

So 5 league games into Warne's tenure and I think a pattern is emerging. The short version of this Warne isn't managing the fitness levels of the squad very well which when combined with a very narrow tactical outlook is leading to some of the mediocre performances we've been seeing. And there is reason to be concerned that if this isn't adjusted things will go downhill. 

Tactics

As everyone knows we've been setting up under Warne with a 352 with an attempt at pressing aggressively and attacking directly. With the two wingbacks being actually wingers. It's not hard to see how setting up like this asks a lot physically of any given player. With the wingbacks so aggressive there is often a lot of space to cover out wide meaning the midfield and the wider centre backs are often having to cover large swaths of ground just to plug gaps. I think a big reason why we've conceded so many penalties is because of how easily we can get stretched.

Also the midfield are all encouraged to press meaning there is no one to cover so they all have to keep moving or else again gaps appear. Then added on top of all of this is a seeming reluctance to try to keep the ball for any amount of time, even when we are up and even when we are looking gassed. I can remember times even when we've won that we were in a position just to slow the game down and keep the ball to take the sting out of the game only for players to be encouraged to go recklessly forwards.

What this leads to is almost an exhaustive amount of work than isn't entirely necessary and it's no wonder that frequently gaps starting really appearing in games for us after half time. I think the best example for this is in Warne's first game in charge we were one up and yet we are taking a long throw into the box with all the centre backs up field which is followed by a counter which all of them have to sprint back.

Fitness

Its worth noting that we had a short pre season meaning that the players didn't necessarily have the time to do the same amount of fitness work. Combined into this is several players carrying knocks at different stages in pre-season and most of the squad is either on one side or the other of where you'd expect them to be at their fittest from an age perspective. In short our squad isn't the fittest but that's not something you can solve in the short term. It's also exercabated by lack of depth in places. It's something as a manager you should be carefully managing both from a team selection stand point and from a tactical stand point. And yet Warne has often kept players playing well past the point they've looked knackered and players playing physically overdemanding positions are often getting started multiple times in a week. And I think you are seeing the effect this is having. Its no surprise that we've had now 4 injuries in 3 games and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

Performance

A more tired player is more likely to get injured. But also a player who is fatigued is going to be worse, they'll suddenly look a yard off the pace or their touch will desert them or they'll seemingly drift by in a game. Being tired affects you mentally as well as physically and I think so-so isn't doing enough can often be because they are knackered out. These things tend to spiral as well because if X is tiring, Y has to work harder to cover which leads to them tiring and so on.

Our best performances under Warne have come after an international and after a full week off. Whilst all of our performances where we've played Tuesday-Saturday have been mediocre at best. This isn't a coincidence, fatigue is leading to a drop off in performance levels. It's concerning that Warne is saying that we just aren't working hard enough because it means he's likely missing the forest for the trees. 

Going Forwards

We are currently in a very congested run of fixtures with another 5 games in the next 14 days. Thats a tough run physically on any squad. If things go they way they've been so far I think we will so another couple players pick up injuries and performances steadily get worse. The tactics and the management of players are just causing to much fatigue to build in a squad ill-equipped for it. And it's increasingly looking like Warne with his tactical rigidity and his focus on not working hard enough in his recent interview either doesn't seem where the issues is stemming from or doesn't have a solution.

After all if your only tool is a hammer every problem is a nail.

Very thorough and well thought out. I agree with pretty much all of it. 

Love the last sentence.