Is Derby County boss Paul Warne finally abandoning his 3-5-2 system?

Paul Warne has been very vocal about ‘his’ system and his way of playing since he joined Derby.

It’s not a system that he was able to introduce last season as the players weren’t suited, but he brought in a number of new names over the summer with a view to implementing his 3-5-2 system at Pride Park.

However, it did not get off to the best of starts with the Rams playing some very lacklustre football and not looking like a side that should be challenging for promotion.

Warne’s system worked for him well at Rotherham where he earnt his side three promotions to the Championship over an eight year span.

However, it has not gelled for the Rams and it seems as though Warne has begun to recognise that.

In the first seven games of the season in all competitions, Warne played a 3-5-2 formation. In those games the Rams won three, but most fans would agree that in those three, there was only one game you would describe as a good performance (the 4-2 away win against Peterborough United).

However, since then, Warne has played a more conventional 4-2-3-1 formation in which time the Rams remain unbeaten with a draw against top of the league Portsmouth and 2-0 victories against Lincoln in the EFL Trophy and Carlisle in the league.

Derby’s performances have looked a lot better under the 4-2-3-1 system and they have looked a lot less vunerable to opposing teams.

So has Warne comitted to the switch? Well there are a number of key players that are currently injured, including key wing player Joe Ward who Warne brought in to play ‘his’ system; so his team selections are more limited.

However, there is no denying that the Rams look better under the 4-2-3-1 formation and Paul Warne will have recognised that.

His side face a solid Cambridge United team on Saturday 30 September and it will be intruiging to see whether Warne reverts back to his preferred 3-5-2 or sticks with what has been working in recent weeks.