The Rise Of Vertical Football

[RabiDuck 89]

What wouldn't I give for a player like Lovenkrands right now (played the right way not stuck out on the wing!)

[Davie P 4]

While being thoroughly entertained in the early weeks by the above two points in particular, it was also a worry that we would not be able to maintain that level of intensity over the course of a season, especially with a small squad. For the same reasons as our opponents visibly tired late in games by our above tactics, it seems as though our front 6 no longer have the same energy as in the early weeks. We still look a lot fitter than our opponents, rightly so given the resources, but the intensity has most certainly dropped.

 

I think that MW is well aware of this, if you have a look at his team selections, the keeper and the back 4 have played in virtually every match, whereas the midfield and attack (other than Halliday and Waghorn) have been rotated or substituted on a regular basis. Other than those two, I cant think of too many others who have played the full 90 minutes on a regular basis. Personally, I believe that this is the danger of having a thin squad and can only hope that by the time we reach the heavy pitches, suspensions and injuries, that we have been able to bring in a couple of players in the Jan window or even free agents, such as Eustace or Assulin prior to that.

[colinstein 294]

Through balls from deep....Barry Ferguson was good at that

[boabie 230]

Through balls from deep....Barry Ferguson was good at that

 

Unfortunately Colin most teams now seem content to sit with 10 men across their own goal. Finding the space to thread a ball through is becoming more difficult for our players.

[Germinal 27]

Whatever way I slice it I keep coming back to a contradiction, because vertical football just can't be done without the necessary quality.

 

If Warburton is establishing a method of playing along the lines of the OP, then he better get ready to do it again in the summer as the team we have at the moment isn't good enough to do the business in the top league, and a good half dozen new, better players will be needed. The players we have now aren't good enough to pull off the system - they are trying but some just lack the ability, so if we don't change half the side for better players then the system will fail on grounds of talent.

 

I'm all for it and hope W&W are following Rousseau's lines, but it seems like a hell of a lot of work. Luckily no-one at Rangers seems afraid of that anymore!