No midfield control again…

[Gabby'sThighs]

11 hours ago, i-Ram said:

Sorry, only just got round to seeing this. I don’t think many of our players are suited to playing Warne’s style of football in truth. Bird is technically our best footballer and could play fast football with those on the same wavelength. After that I am struggling.  CBT and NML are match winners in this league, and benefit from fast delivery but both are hit and miss in terms of performance, and in front of goal, and you certainly can’t rely on them to retain the ball. Collins and Sibley neither. If you bypass midfield to get it forward quickly to those 4 more often than not it will be coming back just as quick. 

Warne said something to this effect, in the promo for the Lincoln game. Along the lines of "Mendez can take a player on 10 times and lose it 3 times, that's fine. Same with Tom, same with Birdy"

So he accepts the limitations of the tactic, and that our front 4 will lose the ball quite a bit, but what is he doing about counter-attacks? In the same interview he laments the lack of control the team often has. Well, yeah. He's not asking those players to retain the ball, and they don't.
 

 

[Caerphilly Ram]

9 minutes ago, TomTom92 said:

I still think Bradley was brought in to captain, then PW clearly saw enough in pre season to think that maybe that wasn't the greatest of ideas so chickened out and let the players decide.

Admittedly there isn't an abundance of leaders; maybe Fozzy could've done the job? 

Great shout, not sure how I forgot Fozzy, he’d be the natural choice for me if I was picking. Him or Nelson

[Gabby'sThighs]

10 hours ago, BaaLocks said:

• We've taken one point in two games against two teams that have managed a combined 7 points out of 24 before they played us
• We've failed to score in three of our last four games, we didn't even manage a shot on goal in our last match
• We've lost leading positions in two of the last nine games, ones where we had points on the board until the 94th and 98th minute

As for Hourihane creating chances, besides jumping on one late one against Burton he is a complete liability. Not since Gary Teale have I seen a Derby player so unable to justify his position in a starting line up. Not sure what pay off that means Warne has agreed to, but it isn't one I feel comfortable accepting without comment.

Hourihane has 5 goals and 7 assists so far this season, 7 and 10 last season...
His set pieces are very inconsistent though, terrible corners in the last few games.

[May Contain Nuts]

50 minutes ago, Gabby'sThighs said:

Warne said something to this effect, in the promo for the Lincoln game. Along the lines of "Mendez can take a player on 10 times and lose it 3 times, that's fine. Same with Tom, same with Birdy"

So he accepts the limitations of the tactic, and that our front 4 will lose the ball quite a bit, but what is he doing about counter-attacks? In the same interview he laments the lack of control the team often has. Well, yeah. He's not asking those players to retain the ball, and they don't.
 

 

Precisely why I haven't watched or listened to any interviews from him since he had a mardy after being challenged on RD post Stevenage. I don't want to be that person who overanalyses his every word, so instead I choose not to pay them much mind.

He just says so. many. things, often contradictory things, that set the alarm bells off. Reeled out at such speed that it makes my head spin, so it's better all round if I pay his words no attention and just look at what's offered up on the pitch instead.

Edited January 25 by May Contain Nuts

[McMuffin]

1 hour ago, Dcfcsr92 said:

Cant say that about max bird hes the best thing since sliced bread! Thats going to have people turning in there graves 🤣 

It’s always been a weird one. Everyone I speak to in person agrees he’s s****. But on here it’s ridiculous the amount of 💩 performance is met with a Liverpool style it’s someone else’s fault! 
All his relatives and mates must be on here under cover it’s the only thing that makes sense! 

 

 

 

 

[Dcfcsr92]

1 minute ago, McMuffin said:

It’s always been a weird one. Everyone I speak to in person agrees he’s s****. But on here it’s ridiculous the amount of 💩 performance is met with a Liverpool style it’s someone else’s fault! 
All his relatives and mates must be on here under cover it’s the only thing that makes sense! 

 

 

 

 

Or max bird just has loads of different accounts on here and bulls himself up as like warne said max bird sees himself as a championship player😂

[BaaLocks]

1 hour ago, Jram said:

I’m going to be honest- the statistics you’ve used there are absolute nonsense. You could probably take any team in the world and pluck specific statistics like that which paint the team in a positive or negative light.  It’s silly

In spite of that, there has been a drop in form in the last few games but that’s fine 🤷‍♂️ there’s no need to overreact, it’s football. We were inevitably going to have bad periods in the season, like every team. Like Warne repeatedly says, football is random, sometimes things go for you, sometimes they don’t. 
 

I happen to agree about Hourihane, I probably wouldn’t have him in the team. But I think it’s fair to say 5 goals and 6 assists in the league is a good return for a deep lying midfield player. Warne has said a few times that he wants to win every game so presumably he’s willing to take the risk of Hourihane being a defensive weakness 

They're nonsense and silly? Damn them facts eh, always making points you might not agree with.

As for Hourihane getting six assists, even five goals, for a player that takes many of the corners and set pieces for a club at the top end of the table I'd say that is hardly an astounding return. 

In conclusion, I hope it all gets turned around, I certainly don't want us firing Warne and would be delighted to see him take us up and then consolidate in the Championship. For a club of our size, our support and our resource it really is the least he can be expected to do.

[Caerphilly Ram]

7 minutes ago, McMuffin said:

It’s always been a weird one. Everyone I speak to in person agrees he’s s****. But on here it’s ridiculous the amount of 💩 performance is met with a Liverpool style it’s someone else’s fault! 
All his relatives and mates must be on here under cover it’s the only thing that makes sense! 

 

 

 

 

What’s weird is how relentless you are in pushing this one opinion and agenda over and over again.
We know you don’t rate Bird, others do and are entitled to that opinion, just like you’re entitled to yours….you don’t need to beat everyone over the head with it though. 

[RoyMac5]

9 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

What’s weird is how relentless you are in pushing this one opinion and agenda over and over again.
We know you don’t rate Bird, others do and are entitled to that opinion, just like you’re entitled to yours….you don’t need to beat everyone over the head with it though. 

I'm worried that Birdy is going the same 'way' Knighty went. Towards the end of his time here there were lots not rating him at all.

[Caerphilly Ram]

4 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

I'm worried that Birdy is going the same 'way' Knighty went. Towards the end of his time here there were lots not rating him at all.

It’s another one of those conversations that feel pointless having, those that don’t rate Bird have set their stall and won’t change their minds, fair enough, that’s their right.

I always rated Knight and though I felt it was sad he left in the summer I understood the move for him and the club in terms of the money involved. Where I was wrong in hindsight was how I felt his attributes would still be present in the team, not wrapped up in one cheery Irish bundle, but I thought we’d still have that tenacity and forward momentum shared about. Now I reckon I was wrong and can hold my hands up to that. 

[May Contain Nuts]

26 minutes ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

What’s weird is how relentless you are in pushing this one opinion and agenda over and over again.

Seen said poster on here across multiple years, managers, players etc. I'm not saying it hasn't happened, but can't remember a single good thing he's ever had to say about anyone or anything associated with the club. Lots and lots of posts similar to the ones you're replying to though!

[DavesaRam]

17 hours ago, Duracell said:

Does anyone have any midfield control at this level? I feel like I’ve not watched enough other teams to answer that question.

I get little satisfaction from watching this team play and if we go up and want to stay up, we’re going to need to change a lot about the way we play.

But the fact we’re in contention to go up automatically speaks volumes about both the quality and style of play at this level. 

Most goals seem to come from turnovers in possession from unforced errors. Patterns of play are much less structured and it’s rarer to see teams put lots of passes together. I’m not old enough to have seen us play in the third tier and I’ve had a hard time recalibrating what “good” looks like.

 

All you have to do is watch the teams we are playing. They seem to control the midfield pretty well!

[jimtastic56]

14 hours ago, McMuffin said:

No player has a “Divine Right” to his place in the team . Max has had 2 decent games against The Cobblers &The Cods , but must be close to having a rest v Cheltenham . Why not give Fornah a chance to see what he can do v a Bottom 5 team?

[valakari]

Bird, like Hourihane struggle to play in a Warne set up. They are both quite creative and technical, yet he asks them to get rid after 2 touches.

Also neither is defensively minded so there is always a gaping hole straight down the middle..which need a cdm player in the mould of a Bielik or Shinnie type!..

Either Warne goes, Bird & Hourihane go or Warne changes his style to fit our players!

[Chris_Martin]

13 hours ago, McMuffin said:

It’s always been a weird one. Everyone I speak to in person agrees he’s s****.

Max Bird is our best footballer. End of.

[Chris_Martin]

On 24/01/2024 at 18:09, Jram said:

I do rate Warne tbf. Nice bloke, seems to have put together a squad with decent quality for this level and good character.

 

the majority of the squad was put together by rosenior though. 

the only good signings Warne has added to the club so far have been Nelson and Wilson

[S8TY]

15 hours ago, Gabby'sThighs said:

Hourihane has 5 goals and 7 assists so far this season, 7 and 10 last season...
His set pieces are very inconsistent though, terrible corners in the last few games.

But some want him out of the team and prefer Bird ....we lack goals from midfield as it is and Max doesn't score and never looks like scoring , yes that sounds sensible replace goals and assists with ?????

The only reason I'd select Bird is if we signed a proper CM who can dictate the game and put a foot and head in where it hurts in a 3 man midfield  then young Max might learn and flourish otherwise he tends to look like  a passenger at times even though he does also show some neat touches 

I'd like our midfield to run through brick walls and they don't and to be honest don't think Hourihane has that in him now but Max does so lets see it ...who is the ball winner in midfield?? we might not play enough through the midfield because of Warne i get that but we still need tacklers and strong players in there when we lose the ball or the other team break  because the middle of the pitch is important and we don't have any steel in there we definitely need a strong winner in the centre of the park...100%

[sunnyhill60]

52 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

the majority of the squad was put together by rosenior though. 

the only good signings Warne has added to the club so far have been Nelson and Wilson

Nyambe??????

[Archied]

No doubt midfield is our weakest area , personally if I was a manger I would prefer 4 5 1 which is fluid to 4 3 3 when attacking but that’s just me 🤷🏻‍♂️ With our back four ( without injuries ) we would be hard to beat but needs a solid middle of the park energy filled player who can win the ball and do the simple things well

Edited January 26 by Archied

[Ghost of Clough]

On 24/01/2024 at 07:31, G STAR RAM said:

I did make it up, its probably closer to 95%.

There were numerous times last night when simple passes were put straight out of play, nothing to do with fast forward play, just a lack of care with the ball, thats not on the manager.

Which of our players are not capable of playing fast football in your opinion?

Of Bird's 35 passes agaisnt Reading, 20 (57%) went forwards, 8 (23%) went sideways or didn't go far enough forward for it to be worthwhile callign forwards, with just 7 (20%) going backwards.
Hourihane's pasing figures will be similar, if not slightly better due to playing slightly deeper and taking free-kicks.