I followed football for many years, seen many successful and unsuccessful teams. When I played football I told my team mates I want one to run up either side alongside me so I had an option to pass to on both sides, as having 3 to defend against instead of just one made it hard for oppositions to break up the attack. But I hadnt connected that a whole team needs to provide options all over the pitch to work effectively, and only fully realised that in the first half against Ebbsfleet, when they had the best 45 minutes of any team against us, as they had so much movement off the ball, moving into great positions for a pass. I had watched carefully to work out what it was they did that made them so successful that season.

Our players professional pride was hurt by the rubbish 6 months of constant failure and underperformance October to March, so in the last 8 matches they decided to roll their socks up and play to their strengths, attacking as a team, rather than irresponsibly leaving it to other players to make those runs, and then seeing no one made them. The result of us suddenly playing to have lots of options was we played some of the best football in the league, as our high press and intelligent movement made us dangerous in attack and miles better defensively as we kept them away from our area.

It is a simple message for the players, move into positions to help support your team mates.  Last season too often we made defensive mistakes as too often the defenders had no one to clear the ball to. Attack was the same sad story, poor Ade stuck up on his own, often half a pitch away from his nearest team mates, unreasonably expected to singlehandedly beat 3 or 4 player defences.

If Warren has accidentally finally stumbled at the end of last season that a team needs to have options, and learned that lesson and sets the team out to play with lots of options, we will be well worth watching.