Rotherham United manager Matt Taylor and the two little words that prompted a Roundwood reset

Whether they play well or badly, win or lose, you never expect the Millers to be either of those.

This is not a manager raging minutes after the final whistle, these are the calm reflections of a man in his office seven days later.

No wonder Taylor says there has been a Roundwood "reset" ahead of the Boxing Day visit of Stoke City.

Whenever a new manager joins a club, even following a successful one, they always want to "add layers" in Taylor's words, but the run-up to Christmas has been about reminding the squad what is already there.

"We just feel we've been a little bit timid in some aspects of our play, a little bit soft in some defensive aspects in the last couple of games, too easy to be beat without the opposition really forcing the moment and creating outstanding attacking opportunities," says Taylor of resumption Rotherham.

"There's been a predictable nature about the goals we've conceded –you could possibly hold that against all six goals – but we've also not scored enough and threatened enough at the other end."

Before the Hawthorns defeat came a home loss to Bristol City in the first game back after the World Cup break. The positivity built up with a win at Bramall Lane and draw with Luton Town to sign off – and even two very good performances in defeat to Burnley and Norwich City immediately before that – has gone.

"For their first goal from our goalkick, we didn't compete well enough on the first and second contact and the ball through our backline," he says of the West Brom defeat.

"They're the moments we've got to be tougher and compete and be a bit more physical. When the ball's in transition it's up for a fight.

"The six goals we've conceded, we've been bumped a few times, barged out the way and we've been a bit switched off a couple of times. And we've been done with balls which have travelled a long distance.

"Long balls give you chance to go up against an opposition player and put your head or foot into the ball.

"It's maybe been a constant previously, it was a natural instinct. That's something I feel we might just have come away from but if those moments didn't materialise into a goal would we still be talking about it?

"It's something I think I'd have still identified because it's something we pride ourselves on as a coaching group but we all know what Rotherham are as a football club and the fans will expect every ball in a big, long transition to be competed for.

"We might not always win them, but we've certainly got to fight for them.

"I just feel it's not been our first thought in the last couple of games and that might be me and what we've done in possession aspects of our coaching work.

"We have to know what we are first and foremost before we get the added layers on top of it."

Paul Warne's Rotherham were about as far from a soft touch as it is possible to be but over time he worked to refine them in possession, which Taylor is looking to accelerate. He hopes players have not misunderstood him in the process.

"Competing is what I'm about," he insists, "being quick to the ball, putting the opposition under pressure and going up against them with your bodies first, and then your game.

"Generally it's sill happened, it's just in those moments for whatever reason it's exposed us.

"Sometimes if you're thinking about the next pass or the next time you receive the ball, naturally your value drops off the other aspects.

"We've had a little bit of a reset week, to say what we value is no different to what the previous manager valued, no different to what any manager values.

"It's an old saying but you've got to win the battles first, win the right to use that ball."

The transition from a manager in charge for five years was always going to be difficult, but right now it feels like one step forward, two steps back.

“We had 50 per cent possession at West Brom – that was unheard of – but we got beaten 3-0 without really packing a punch," Taylor points out.

"Some aspects we're getting closer, we're not just defending constantly for minute after minute at Championship level, but we have to attack the opposition goal and when that ball's in a position to be won, we have to put our bodies on the line first."

Never mind new year's resolution, Rotherham's players should be determined that as of today they never hear the manager use that most insulting word again: "soft".