At one point yesterday we had around 30% possession at home

Similar to scouting players etc, Stats only tell part of the story. With my naked eye, I have seen spells where we have played good football this season. Jones in particular has looked direct and threatening. Admittedly these spells just haven't been sustained for long enough.
I couldn't give a monkeys if we were attaining 1% possession, if we came away with 3 points. In fact that's exactly what we're missing right now. A proper battling, backs against the wall one - nil where the only time we get out of our half is to score a 97th minute winner that goes in off somebody's backside. That'll do me nicely on Saturday.

However, with us having players of the nature of Siliki, Payero etc, I do feel that we need to retain the ball a lot better to give us any chance of a sustained run at the play offs.
 
changingman said:
Yep, dangerous to read too much into possession stats. As mentioned above, our possession is low by design (not accident). Numerous managers have achieved success this way, Jose for one. It's about having a style of play which gives you the edge over your opponent (admittedly this hasn't happened this season).

My main gripe is that some of the newer players are probably not accustomed to playing this way and we may actually benefit from a style of play centred on ball retention. I'm not sure if Warnock has this in his play book?
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I doubt it. He's had the success he's had playing a very specific way. It's in your face, low risk and very direct.

When it works and he has the right players for it, I imagine it's a nightmare to play against. Players and managers comment on it quite a lot. Teams aren't used to facing man to man marking all over the pitch these days.

The problem is it doesn't seem to be working right now, and we don't seem to have the players for it. I suspect it's also hard work to sustain for 90 mins and probably not that enjoyable to play.

Whatever you think of him he's been around enough. He'll know these players are better suited to a different. I suspect he's caught in two minds a bit between playing to players strengths and doing what he knows and what has worked before.

Or maybe we've just been crap because the lads kept skipping breakfast.
 
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