Please explain how he's meant to get his arm out of the way then? I accept that with some of the VAR decisions in the PL it could be given but would have been ridiculously harsh. And I'd say that if it happened at the other end of the pitch.
I really don't want to change manager again. Its still not been a year since Ralph went. I am longing for RM to do well. He is doing ok but for all our possession it is inexcusable that we have only kept one clean sheet all season and we are not threatening or clinical enough in the final third. We are too predictable. Would love us to mix it up a bit more, what is the worst that will happen. Show some urgency and intensity before the 90th minute. Optimistic and hopeful that there is still time for this to happen
Mate using these comparisons is always a bit tongue-in-cheek. The very notion that Guardiola's management style can be reduced to the name Pep-ball or whatever these days is really just laughable. You and I have very little understanding of what goes into coaching a successful football team. But we've seen our players be positive at times. KWP is constantly taking on players or playing through balls. So if he is doing it, why can't the others? Or has Martin said, "only Kyle is allowed to play positive, lads"? I doubt it very much. So maybe it's just that our players just aren't creative enough, or that the opposition plays so deep and defensive.
100%. He was a limited coach and never a PL manager but at least he tried to play to his teams strengths. I genuinely think Jones would be doing better in the championship
I think the truth is something I said during the game. It is about personality. Adam Armstrong is the second choice captain for this side. What does that tell you? They are a bunch of soft-bellied wimps. we got bullied today by a right back who gave it some lumps and a Montenegran who fell on the floor when he had his belly touched. We need players who want to win so much they dive and cheat like this lot today did.
The big difference is that with Adkins we had a settled team who had just been promoted. Now we have a new squad/manager, coming off a relegation.
Agree. Too many players not that fussed to be here still. Adams, Sulemana and a few more just don’t seem to have the mindset for winning games at the moment.
Mostly, we need players who are willing to make runs. With the ball, without the ball. Our best moments in the first half (which is all I could watch) came because someone decided to do the work of getting the ball forward through the middle of the park, and we got shooting opportunities from it before the defense gained its shape. The first few matches of the year, we were patient until we got within 35 yards, and then we played a lot of one-touch stuff, with plenty of movement off the ball, and it generated a tonne of chances. We need to do that again. But more than anything, we need to defend, because if we can't defend there isn't a manager in the world that can get enough goals to push us higher in the table than our current standing.
Yeah I get that. My point is about style rather than anything; you can like possession football but still dislike this particular brand of it and not all possession styles are the same. Martin's style of possession football is very different to others we've had recently and it doesn't mean those unhappy with it are calling for something vastly different.
In a way that is the same thing. We need to play with guts. More aggressive passing, defending and more ruthlessness all round.
Baz scored a last minute equaliser to the great delight of the travelling faithful and me to on my sofa. We ****ing smashed them 2-2.
It did happen at the other end of the pitch. They had a handball in the area too, which also wasn’t a penalty.
Quite. We got a point, ok things still need addressing, but move on, as you say this time last season felt a ton different for many negative reasons.
We should be more comfortable at this point than we look so there're a number of things not right at the moment. Chiefly, I think RM is massively over inflating the importance of possession. 78% possession and fewer shots and chances created should be a big flashing sign that things aren't working. His style is not working at the moment whether its this league or what, he needs to recognise it. The desire to have the ball is to stop the opposition scoring - isn't working and to create chances - didn't work tonight, has worked at other times. Keep ball should be with purpose but we dont show it at either end of the field at the moment. Taking too long to show the signs of improvement for me.
Like I said, I'm not ecstatic with our football at the moment either, but it's still early days, and I think the players need to take some of the criticism too, not just Russ. One or two key additions could make a big difference. Hopefully Stewart is one of those.
We got a point away from home at the last minute again, now is the time to be happy and not miserable moaning and complaining again. It was heading towards a **** show but watching saints is (for me) is just top fun rather than being slaughtered in EPL
