Paul Warne talks to www.themillers.co.uk...
Rotherham United manager Paul Warne has called on his side to carry more potency in attack as they travel to Wigan Athletic this weekend in the Sky Bet Championship.The Millers boss acknowledged in his pre-match press that the Latics are likely to adopt an all-out-attack approach themselves as they look to secure a result which will help them escape the relegation zone in the second tier.
However, whilst Warne has been encouraged by his side’s defensive displays in recent weeks, he insists his players will need to capitalise in front of goal if they are to record their first away win of the season this weekend.
“I appreciate that they are struggling, but I'm also aware that they will come out all guns blazing because they will feel that they have to win this game,” he told www.themillers.co.uk.
“It's whether we can be defensively resilient and over the last couple of games, I think we've been okay but we have to score.
“I don't think the game will end 0-0 by any stretch of the imagination, so if we want to come away with something, we have to have some fire in our bellies in the attacking box.”
The 43-year-old has placed a particular emphasis on heightening his side’s threat from set pieces ahead of the game in Lancashire, as he returns to one of his former clubs in search of a first win on the road as Millers’ boss.
“Any win is a vital win isn't it. It would be nice to get a win and obviously I started my playing career at Wigan and my coaching career, so that's a bit strange and poignant,” Warne explained.
“We'll be working a lot more on set pieces because I still don't think we get enough out of them. We had a lot of them against Wednesday but we didn't really threaten the goal enough for me.
“We do need to score and we're doing everything we can behind the scenes to make that happen.”
The Millers boss finished by conceding that his approach to future matches will not overly emphasise the need to have the ball, but is keen to ensure that the brand of football served up at AESSEAL New York Stadium is exciting and entertaining for supporters.
“I want to play attacking football and I'm not mad on it being possession-based,” Warne continued.
“I'm not one of those that needs 70% possession to win games and it's all about the attempts on goal and getting people off their seats. I hope that the players want to buy into that."