The fans are starting to realise that a defensive unit / formation is required to have a chance to get points from "better" teams. Nothing new this - exactly the same as last championship campaign.
The fans screamed that having low possession stat's was wrong and constantly called for the defencive formation / shape to break out - yet the key to defending this way is to keep the shape and NOT chase the ball - letting the opposition have it! The last campaign this was universally scorned as madness!
But we were creating chances so something was right!
Just one example?
Burnley beat Liverpool with just 19.4% possession... the lowest amount since Premier League records began
(By Luke Augustus for MailOnline)
Smiler wrote: " The missing ingredients are a bit of extra quality"
Which is why Izzy was brought in - as an out ball - he provided the "quality" to carry the ball and feed Ward who scored 1 - 2 which meant the system was working. Taylor was the other "outball" player brought in and that's why he played that role at Leeds nearly getting the first goal.
The fact that - such as Wood - wasn't good enough even then meant the defencive shape / discipline wasn't maintained so the defence was manipulated to find a good balance - we needed one "window" and ship out the dead 'Wood' and other high paid senior pro's that were the real cause of our last championship debacle - but PW consistantly playing Wood and open / expansive football - ( precisely the wrong thing to do ) during his 60% of the season brought on consistantly poor results.
Warne appears to have grown up at last although Wood is still too high in the pecking order and shouldn't even be at the club now - and certainly not given a two year contract !
The slow / old pro's were dropped and should have been replaced in the January window in our last championship campaign - young bright pro's ( to develop ) were brought in to form that new defencive unit - but PW froze them out in preference to Wood - sealing our fate!
But these senior pro's apparently undermined the then manager and he left - and Wood has had 3/4 additional seasons through it - and he's still too slow and still culpable to our defencive woes - static at Leeds watching the second goal go in without attacking the ball. His bessy mate PW will play him to the death but this makes you think who has the power in that dressing room. Ball was frozen out - of that there's no doubt - no wonder he's had a bad attitude - The team is built around Wood and the players that could push him out to pasture are pushed out. How will Wood be any benefit to this club in two years - coaching - questionable - but a 2 year playing contract - madness !
Watch this space - Wood in central defence will cause us imense problems in creating that defencive barrier needed to survive in this league - it has to be a wholistic approach and needs a manager who believes in this philosophy.
Sean Dyche took a long me to develop this philosophy at Burnley - even through a relegation - but look at them now!
Having 19.4% of possession is pathetic according to many Rotherham fans and can never work - perhaps the example above should open some eyes.
Warne has to do this to survive but his reliance / faith in Wood and his penchant to open football has to change - but has he the credentials to control / develop such a highly technical playing philosophy. Sending out two good young defenders and giving Wood a 2 year contract speaks volumes about PW's attitude. But is it the best for Rotherham United - long term.
This is not a requiem to the past - it is snapshot of where we are - ( now ) and what we are doing - ( now ) with examples of what does and does not work for underdogs like us.
There are serious questions about the managers capacity to take us forward and his loyalties / assessment of individual players in relation to the long term benefit of Rotherham United.
I hope he does the business but he needs to develop that technical defencive unit and that needs young pro's to mould into shape and not a slow old pro's that are evidently high in PW's plans?
All your favourite old subjects in one post. Without mentioning Stubbs too directly but still largely about him. Well done! I see where you are going with this. If Warne does well it will be because he finally did what you've been urging all along. Brilliant! Have you ever thought about offering your services to help him get there sooner?
Tentatively optimistic! We are obviously still a work in progress but with all the limitations we are under I am more than pleased with the effort made. I would agree - some of the richer clubs will wobble this season and our objective must be to finish at least one point above three of them. Keep the faith. Your hard work is appreciated.
Football isn't about about individuals - it's about choosing the right options. The better the footballer the more he makes the right decisions . As Liverpool used to say ( boot room chat ) ...."it's not the long ball - it's not the short ball - it's the right ball". Choosing the right tactics to suit the right situation ( and the players that can accomplish the system of play ) is a managers core objective. Making certain folks a taboo subject is the propagandists way to avoid the issues. Footballing giants of the game have played these systems -because they work! Simple's!
Well you do have a point Bornamiller and I would tend to agree with your last post. I would also accept your point about Wood, except that if you have a young squad, an older experienced player is usually a great asset. For instance, my favourite centre half, in my time, was Jimmy Mullen of the 80/81 3rd div Champions squad, ex Wednesday and an old head, read the game to a 'T' . Stancliffe's game came on leaps and bounds under his tutorage. A young Gerry Forrest on one flank and an older 'head' Breckin on the other. So I go some way to accepting your point but it doesn't always follow. The arrival of Hughes saw him dropped and replaced by Green and sometimes Hughes himself but it didn't last and is now history.
On the other hand theres that old saying that the best form of defence is attack.
Attack equates to controlled agression in a very controlled way - never overstretched - never over committed- whilst maintaining "shape". On the history of our defenders bit........alledgedly.......
Breckin reacted badly when crazy horse asked for all first team players to gather round him....Brecks - returning from injury / out of favour walked over to this gathering and was told the he was not 1st team in no uncertain way.....Brecks reacted and was at Bury within days. Crazy Horse was a Crazy MoFo. Mullen was a nice guy though - knowledgeable.
The Sean Dyche "system" hasn't reared it's head at Rotherham yet - well not in the form Burnley / Chelsea played it at Anfield. The capability of playing that way is a badge of honour and needs to be engraved onto the DNA of a team ( as an option ). That's all - as an option!
I wish we had it - I would feel "safer".
"an older experienced player is usually a great asset" ....Yes on the training ground but not while chasing 23 year old whippets who score with both feet. Then the "old guy" ends up on his arse watching the first goal go in v Leeds. Claiming he was pushed.
