It seems we do not have the quality players we need to survive this league, nor the right manager. Sorry but to me it was obvious the quality wasn't there. So many time they just passed back when they had the time to look at other options.
Taylor is the one who should be sacked. He “saw” the shirt pulling on TP but “it came to no consequence”. Course it bloody didn’t cos the guy pulling his shirt for 3 seconds stopped there being any consequence! Then their pen doesn’t happen, we remain at 11 men and win the bloody game. No doubt RMs subs were bad and he simply has to be made to answer for lack of Lallana. He’d got away without starting him and fair play to the result in the first half but again with absolutely no hindsight as we were all demanding at the time - 60 mins, 2-0 up there is literally one sub to be made - Lallana for Aribo. So - those responsible for defeat - ref. Var and RM. If the ref bit doesn’t happen and we win the game this board would look very different.
Yep everyone around me calling for Lallana around the hour mark too. I'm convinced he's not fit. Makes no sense his lack of minutes since Ipswich otherwise.
It was the timing of the subs that I thought was wrong, at the second consecutive corner when we were having a good spell and Manning's corners were effective.
Why have him on the bench if he isn't even able to do 30 minutes? Think its Martin just not recognising what was needed.
Well that's the million dollar question and one I asked yesterday. But I find it hard to believe that a manager who plays the way he does could watch us struggling to retain the ball and lacking composure and not think to use the player who's most suited to help with that. Unless they've fallen out? It's not just yesterday, he's only played 20 minutes in 3 matches since coming off against Ipswich where he played well. I said on here after the Ipswich game that it was noticeable that Lallana was trying to push us forward quickly and was bollocking people when we slowed it down on the half way line and passed backwards. Maybe Russell didn't like that Half joking there but based on what I've seen I think it's infinitely more likely that he's either not fit or they've fallen out than the manager suddenly deciding not to use him.
Didn’t Crouchy too? 1 out of 1? Remember one right in front of me The crowd gasped as he took the ball Dispatched perfectly of course
Just seen the MoD take on it and it was a game changing decision, had it been given, the outcome would have been different. Early on in the game the majority of the 31,000 crowd were chanting "You don't know what you are doing" and "You are not fit to Referee" This may have influenced his decision making even more than the errors he had already made? We are getting used to it happening to us, but there is no doubt that this referee cost us the game, but he had a lot of help from RM's decision making and poor reactions from the players, who must also take their share of the blame.
The ref was ****e but I wouldn't go as far as him costing us the game. We're more than capable of doing that ourselves. You should always be able to see through being 2 up at home to a relegation rival at HT imo. No ifs no buts.
Why would they have fallen out? It was a tactical decision, not saying I agree with it though… 29 Sept - The boss is confident Lallana is willing to impart the knowledge he has gathered to Dibling during the early stages of his high-potential career. Martin told the Daily Echo: "It can only benefit Tyler - but only if he's willing to learn and be receptive to Adam, which he is. "Fortunately for us, all the young guys are. They are brilliant. We are fortunate to have Adam and we will use him in the best way we can, on and off the pitch
What infuriates me is that he admitted he had seen it, but as was said above "it was of no consequence" - which is fantastical bullshit.
Was just throwing out options. I think a lack of fitness is more likely. Given how much of an impact he had early on in the season I struggle to believe that he'd suddenly decide to stop using him. And that he couldn't see we were desperate for some composure in possession yesterday.