And this is what really cracks me up. I am fed up of reading that he should be doing better with this squad of players. And yet every week this squad gets slagged off on here for not being good enough Bazza, slagged off nearly every week Manning, slagged off every week Holgate slagged off every game Bedders, fair share of criticism Charles, fair share of criticism Smallbone, slagged off most weeks Edozie, no end product A Armstrong constant criticism Adams, his heart is not in it Mara, not good enough Aribo, should never play again Mccarthy slagged off every game he plays Downes,Fraser, Bree, not added anything to our squad. The list is endless So what is it? RM should be doing better with the excellent squad we have (see above) or actually these are brilliant players and RM is ****.
Its both. Squad is not good enough to win the champ outright, but definitely better than we are performing this season. We should be aiming for better not accepting mediocre results
Ha, and the complaints after this match are pretty much exactly the opposite. The system RM employs has been excellent in those moments we have totally ignored it, playing more directly and relying on the ability of individuals. It has been horrifyingly pedestrian when we have actually adhered to it. We were happy with Leeds when we ceded possession and played more direct. This meant we made the best use of players talents- particularly getting Sulemana quickly into the game. Against Stoke we created little and scored a freekick down to the brilliance of SA. Against Rotherham we started very direct and full of energy and that gradually dissipated into RM ball that went nowhere. When the players play football they look good. When they stick to the system they look dogshit.
Also, the first option in the vote is a total cop-out and makes it farcical. People can think RM needs to go right now, and also not believe he is another Nathan Jones.
Totally agree with this. So tired of watching this side to side and passing back. There were some great runs from our forwards as we advanced out of the back with the ball, and just needed a through pass, but we stopped and passed backwards. The reason Rotherham scored was due to Baz being so far off his line to receive another back pass which did not come and an open goal to shoot at. I am still Martin Out, I think the players have settled down and the ones who wanted away have decided to stay and work hard (until January), but this system they are playing is not sustainable to constantly get good results.
I'm not Martin out, but I am not Martin in either. Russ keeps going on about the scars from before, the biggest scar IMO is Nathan Bloody Jones. Every manager is tainted now by the doubt that he could be any good, simply because SR chose NJ.
Until watching Saints this season I did not believe that a game of football could send you to ****ing sleep. I do now.
Just this minute been talking to an Arsenal fan. He admitted he wanted Arteta out a couple of seasons ago. Fortunately for Arsenal fans, their owners had other ideas and gave the manager time. Might be a lesson there for us imo.
So you saying we should go recruit Arteta as RM replacement, or go support Arsenal? Guess kinda local for you. Bit unfair on the rest of us...
I can see the Emirates from where I’m standing now. I quite like to see the Goons doing well, but support them? Would be a lot easier than schlepping down to Southampton every other week, but no thanks.
I remember your neck of the woods well from what is now 20 years ago when we were doing an email migration from ccMail to MS Exchange for Islington Bororogh Council. I spent about 6 months commuting and sometimes staying up there. I was 'lucky' enough to be staying over and got hospitality for Arsenal v Saints...the evening 6-3 game. I remember there was a nice greasy cafe on Islington high street - is that still there? My train got me into Waterloo at 8:30 and that was always my pit stop before walking a few doors down to the council office for a 9:30 start.
Precious few greasy spoons or pie and mash shops left in Islington now mate. Easier to get smashed avocado on artisan bread than beans on toast, in that gentrified manor. I used to work at the big Royal Mail sorting office on Upper Street, almost opposite the Town Hall. The sorting office has gone now, and with it half the businesses - including pubs - the postal workers used to support. Don’t think I’ve ever seen Saints win at Highbury or the Emirates. I did witness Theo Walcott’s debut for them vs Villa there, which was almost a carbon copy of his debut for us vs Wolves at St Mary’s (loads of promise, no goals).
I loved my time there - as part of the email migration we visited most the council owned offices in the area, because as well as the backend, changes needed to be done to the actual desktops. Nowadays a site visit wouldn't be necessary, but back then it was (I am thinking Windows XP days and Microsoft server 2003). We got to migrate and visit I think 2500 users over the 6-7 months. I do remember the sorting office I think, as if I remember the town hall was also opposite the main council admin building that we were based out of? It is 20 years now though, so maybe my mind is playing tricks. I used to come in to Highbury & Islington tube and then walk about ¼ of the way down Upper Street (?) to the cafe, then about another 40-50 yards to the council office.
Shame to see Islington going downhill. Why do people like smashing Avocados? Bit like the morons who make that weird sound at the end of our matches when we don't win by 4 etc.
On Saints Stuff, there is a link to the upcoming 'tactical chat with RM' It will be interesting to see what comes of this. I think sometimes in the ground we give the players a hard time for the passing backwards and the side to side, but if it is used properly, I can see what we are trying to do and why. If the other team are 11 men behind the ball then the side to side is needed if there is movement - we can then create space to pass forwards. Sometimes maybe 30 seconds to a minute of this is ok if the midfield/forwards make some space and we move the ball quickly with urgency. Prime example of this is our winner v Sheff Weds - take a look, there is so much movement that they didn't know who to track so in the end Prowsie had a free Che Adams to pass to. Passing back to a player facing forward is not a bad idea - they can see what is happening in front of them. Likewise for passing back to Gav. He can see the whole pitch constantly and how the shape is forming. This is why I think he keeps his place - his ball distribution is very good. Just my thoughts, but I am no tactical genius
Move the ball around in front of the opposition’s defence and eventually you’ll pull someone out of position and create space to attack. That’s the theory anyway; works for Man City, don’t see why it shouldn’t work for us…
Mostly because our players didn’t cost billions of pounds, so we give it away before we can pull the opposition out. The main thing is that I don’t think we have the players to play Martin’s system. We would be more suited to going long and getting pace in down the channels on the counter.
