Jack and Jan back with a good CDM in front of them plus more defensive minded full backs should improve things.
That person’s response sums up what I’m thinking. Martin is essentially saying he had **** spells at his previous clubs so it’s fine to have a **** spell here
What Martin fails to grasp is the levels of expectation are miles higher here than at Swansea or MK Dons.
"Courage" wasn't the reason we conceded yet another ridiculous goal. Funnily enough the reason we looked a little better when Charles moved to CDM wasn't anything to do with courage either. How he can say the issue is not tactics is beyond me, is he really that naive?
Our passing at the back carries too much risk for too little reward The stats dictate that will go wrong at some point You need to worry the opposition that you may go over or past them so they can’t over commit high up the pitch, and we don’t
I was going to say the same as Os. Slightly surprised the amount of people dumping on Smallbone, I'm not going to right him off just yet. Even KWP and Charly have looked poor with RM tactics and setup. I don't think Smallbone has been played in the right position with the right players around him yet either. He's plenty good enough for this division and to be a part of our squad. Amazing how much better we looked last night when he eventually moved Charles to DM. Who'd have thought it? Oh yeah, only EVERY Saints fans from about the second or third game in to the season... There was actually someone dropping deep to give the defenders someone to pass too AND a physical presence who immediately got stuck in with some solid tackles, and someone who was trying to link up with the other 'midfielders' who were all too often hiding next to Ipswhich players. I also wouldn't be bringing on Suelemana again in a hurry. I don't care how talented he is, he clearly thinks he's too good for us and this league. Maybe when you come on with 30 mins to go you should prove that and not just saunter around for most of it. Feel sorry for Amo-Ameyaw tbh, he may not be the finished article, but he looked exciting, fearless and positive every time he came off the bench early in the season, and now he can't get a look in despite our performances and form having plummeted. I also don't get why Edozie keeps being the first to make way when he has been our most positive and dangerous looking attacking player in the last few games.
Couldn’t agree more. Sulemana can **** off. His attitude was absolutely shocking yesterday. He’s achieved absolutely nothing in the game, same as Martin. Pricks
Last night felt like a Carling Cup game ... start with a bit of a mixed bag team to get them game time and then if losing, bring on the big-guns to try and retrieve it! Some simple observations: - No more Charles at CB. He's the only DM we have and showed his quality there when moved forward. - Bednarek showed his PL level when coming on. He led the defence and they looked so much more comfortable with him there. - Smallbone needs steal alongside him otherwise he falters badly. - Stuey must play. He's PL through and through. Link up play with KWP was one of those partnerships we need. - No more AA in midfield. - No more Aribo. Full Stop. Barring injuries, we should be starting the majority of the following players they are our PL quality players ... Bednarek, Stephens, KWP, Downes, Alcaraz, S.Armstrong, Adams, Fraser - I get they all can't start though as that would imbalance the side
I may be alone here but I get what he is saying. The amount of times we had the ball in promising areas/situations and slowed it right down to go back/sideways could be a tactical or coaching thing but I don’t think any manager would be telling players when on the halfway line with a potential 3 on 3 to just stop and pass backwards. This team is still mentally weak as **** and lacks belief. Martins style hasn’t helped things, and you’d think a manager would try and keep things solid and grind out some results relying on playing pretty risk free percentages football with a talented squad for this level to build up that confidence and belief before going full on with a style that requires ultimate belief and confidence in what they are doing. He is trying too much too soon in my view but clearly has a style that he won’t change
Agree with this. Smallbone was Stoke's player of the season and had promoted teams bidding for him. He is more than good enough for the Championship.... in the right position and system.
Hearing **** like ‘be brave’ and ‘have courage’ in response to getting dunked on tactically three games in a row is a planet sized red flag for me. There is a structural deficiency in the line ups selected and tactics played, this is a physical problem that opposition teams have picked up on and exploited and will continue to do so until it is addressed. Totally the wrong attitude on display, ‘just believe harder’ is how we continue to lose. The footballing equivalent of ‘thoughts and prayers’.
Blaming the players for not being brave enough when the only reason they keep losing the ball is because they are playing the way he has told them to play is a crock of ****. Just take the goal as an example. The full backs had pushed forward which made it easy for Ipswich to press Charles and cut off the gaps for a forward pass. Someone in front of Charles should have done more to give him the angle for a pass but they didn’t. Charles followed Martin’s instructions and was brave enough to try to keep possession instead of just launching the ball. End result back of our net. I think Martin is micromanaging the players and is effectively coaching them out of playing instinctively. Earlier in the season he criticised Alcaraz for his decision making around the edge of the penalty area. Next game Alcaraz works a good shooting position and passes to someone else and the opportunity is lost. One final comment on that game has to be the chance that came from Aribo being dispossessed. Why on earth did Bazunu, with the ball in his hands, roll the ball to Aribo who was surrounded by the opposition? It was a dreadful decision. Is this another example of Martin getting in the heads of the players to such an extent that they don’t have the confidence to slow the game down, and have a proper look around for better passing options?
I've given up on listening to press conferences, pre and post match, they just seem to enforce a growing feeling of exasperation. Results, only results are the matters of interest to me, not garbage, and currently they're not happening, so an inevitable event is getting nearer? We've had more garbage than most, and we're only discussing football!!!!
Just catching up on the thread. The one word that jumped out at me whilst walking back to the car last night was risk. Firstly, in the sense of risk v reward. This style of play is very high risk. Over time you would like to think we're improve, but we won't ever eliminate that risk; with this style, it will always be there. But that is OK, if the reward if worthwhile. However, one goal in three games is AWFUL. At any level, for any team, that is awful. The reward just isn't there. The balance needs to be corrected, and fast. Either improve the reward, or reduce the risk. Because right now, it just isn't worth it. Secondly, in the sense of trying to implement a completely different style from the word go. Surely someone made Martin aware of how bad these past two years have been for us. Relegation, Jones, barely any goals, no spine, barely any home wins, Aribo and Ely, barely a hint of enjoyment. Under that cloud, Martin (or whoever was appointed) was never likely to be afforded much time with us fans. And therefore it was always going to be a risk to implement a style that might take quite some to get right (if that even ever happens) and in the meantime leaves you very vulnerable. Might it have been better to bring that style in more gradually, with a greater initial focus on results? The best way to win over fans will always be results. Likewise, how about not making weird team selections? If you go down the more obvious and sensible route, at least initially, fans are far less likely to think that you're out of your depth. No-one is looking at that starting XI yesterday and is thinking that Martin really knows his stuff. Don't make things harder for yourself that they already are; no-one ever needs to see Aribo on the pitch.
Some observations from last nights game, no one has a divine right to easy victories and expecting to walk their league, your boys were decent for the first 15 minutes especially down the flanks but werent prepared to fight it out for 90 minutes, in fact some of them looked as though they didnt really want to be there, no one taking responsibility for taking a shot preferring instead to play tippy tappy passes until the ball is lost. Town dont have any stars and their egos but that doesnt mean that we dont have good players, they are well coached by McKenna and stick to the plan, we always play open and attacking football which means the opposition have the opportunity to do the same which can make for entertaining matches and we never park the bus. Every game is a step up for us and a learning curve which means a solid mid table finish would be an achievement after last season playing F G R, Accrington, etc in front of crowds of 2500 with largely the same team as we have now. Good luck for the rest of the season.
Absolutely! Win or draw ugly & it’s ok for us fans. Once you’ve got sufficient “credit” in the bank then it’s okish to start dicking with the system. SR seem to provide our managers with a carte blanche “do that “out of the box” stuff you spoke about in the interview.
