Not that it's an excuse, but Martin has had barely any training time between Sunderland & Leicester. Sunderland was a horror show. But before they could settle,learn from and train on the mistakes, most of the squad went away on international duty. He only had 10 outfield players behind to work with. And by the time they come back, with the game moved to the Friday, only really a days worth of decent training with the entire squad. Again, not really enough time to right the wrongs of what went before, so not too surprised it was similar. Not that I think it's an excuse, but something worth pondering. Of course, if it carries on, my pondering will be bullshit
Yeah, it's still very early days but the way that we have handgifted away the amount of goals that we have is alarming and simply has to stop. I don't expect us to suddenly turn into a long ball team though and you have to hope and expect that things improve with more time on the training pitch in the future.
I’d imagine we had the same prep time as Leicester. More in fact as weren’t we the early Sat KO? Maybe we had more players away, not sure I care. We are just very bad right now. Still think we will beat Ipswich, but not convinced long-term with RM, by just how so bad we were/are.
It’s not like the Sunderland game was the first one we looked wide open defensively though. It’s just the first one we were truly punished for it. Well, except Norwich, but we scored 4 ourselves which detracted somewhat from the defensive deficiencies.
Adam Blackmore’s assessment: KWP's assessment might be honest but it also highlights a very disturbing problem. After the chaos of last season, it would appear we are no further, if anything...we have regressed. I think most of us are sick to the back teeth of a substandard and gutless defence. And this has been an issue since Fonte left. We lack leadership on the pitch and, especially in this division, we lack warhorses. I heard Jason Wilcox pontificating about " the project" at the forum. All very interesting Mr Wilcox, but it is not rocket science. Pardew and Adkins knew, for every artisan like Lallana you need a Fonte. For a Shaw, you need a Hammond. For a Schneiderlin, you need a Lambert. Where are the Marsdens, the Cases and the Steeles? SR presided over a disastrous first season and don't seem to have woken up. Whether RM is the right manager or not is not the issue...yet. Recruitment, again, is an issue. Coaching standards have been dubious for quite a few seasons now. Arrogance may well be an issue...again. Jason Wilcox and the gang now face intense scrutiny, rightly so. RM needs to be pragmatic and come up with a plan B. Looking at the upcoming fixtures, you do fear. Carry on like this and we shall be looking over our shoulder at the wrong end of the table. Conceding 9 goals in the last two games in the way we did should set alarm bells ringing. Loudly. It is early days...but, echoes of last season are there for all to see. On and off the pitch.
Totally fair assessment. The big worry is that we aren’t even doing the basics. Martins style may take time to bed in, but some things at a professional level are simply inexcusable. Last two games have been - and I don’t use this word lightly - a catastrophe. Every corner leads to an opposition shooting on our goal. Every free kick is given away or shanked out of play. No movement. No one can make 5 yard passes. No defence or midfield whatsoever. Full backs running in field into nowhere. No one tracking runs. We conceded 9 goals in 2 games but honestly probably should have been more. Bazunu has made some outstanding saves in both games. The team doesn’t have a spine at all.
I think the pressure will be plenty by mid November if the present curve of form and results continued. I was hoping that for at least this season I would look forward to matches and/or check our results. Can't believe my September 2022 mood is back already. Anyway time yet.
I'd like us to start the next game with: Attitude to win Attitude to prevent any goals in the first half at least Attitude that tells us, the fans, this match matters. Oh, and don't let us forget Attitude to score and defend, defend, defend our goal!!
I'm guessing Maresca had the same issue at Leicester, though, and seemed to adjust nicely. I'm not falling either way on this, though I was slightly wary of the appointment from the start, as I think you need to give anyone ten games at least, but I do wonder how much time Solak will give SR, given how much Nathan Jones screwed our season last year. If he gets a sense he's not the right guy, does he trust SR's instincts to give him time?
Personally, & I know it seems knee jerk but I just don’t think RM fits. A lots been said about his previous style (that worried me yes from outset) but even the SW 1st game, w/o the winning goal would have been a massive embarrassment (possession & shots). Here we are a few weeks on & the management style & tactics seem totally amateurish. We definitely aren’t getting top6 by conceding so many goals. Early days? Happy days! You sow what you seed & Swansea/MK data shouldn’t be swept away. Can he turn around? I’d like to think so but past history, present player’s performances/attitudes seem to differ. I’m astounded we’re in this **** show again. I’d much rather be in a real & fairly accepted “reset” with pretty much standard footballing principles that WILL bear fruit rather than this new age style that delivers FA. Hope I’m wrong but … Ps. RM is no Championship Pep & that’s for fcuking sure. And we’re no MC. Jeez!
Not sure I agree with all of that. Yes, we lack leaders. But it's hard to just buy a leader. Leaders are moulded, by staying at the club for a long time, earning the respect of the dressing room. We have plenty of seniors players now; Stephens, Bednarek, KWP, Manning, Downes, Che, Adarma, Fraser, Stuie. That's enough. The problem is that the most important leader - the manager - is just another nice guy, who is more likely to put an arm round an underperforming player than give him the hairdryer. He's another 'yes man' for SR. The summer recruitment was fine for me, maybe one more midfielder, but we all agreed it was a good window. The problem is quite clearly Russ. He has no significant managerial achievement to cling on to and say, "see, this is what I'm capable of. Give me time". He hasn't done anything. And I'm confident most other managers in this division would get better performances out of this squad. The system is making the players look bad. It's so obvious. THB looked bad, Downes looked bad, KWP even f*cking looks bad. What?! We all know how good KWP is. So if he is not playing well, there's clearly a bigger issue.
This football lark isn’t hard. Don’t piss around at the back so much and put the ball in the other net a bit more often. Oh and when you have the best right back in the league (and one of the best in the Premiership), don’t play him as a CM….
