Aaron has come into the side and grown immensely with each game that he has played. Apart from the one game in which the whole team played poorly he has done really well. With all of the talk of us needing another CB as cover I hope that doesn't mean him being pushed back down the pecking order. I would love to see him get enough time on the pitch to qualify for a champions title winning medal when we soar to glory at the end of the season. Even if mainly through coming on as a substitute he has earned it in my book.
He has been superb - dont forget he only made his debut 18months ago so he has come on leaps and bounds and if he keeps improving at the rate he is, he will be a top notch player I too hope we don't sign another CB as Martin is deserving of his chance
I think we could do with a CB on loan just in case of injuries but Martin should be ahead of the player that comes in
Not knowing how much longer Jos will be out the supposed incoming CB could simply be cover for Aaron and Jose. Guess the length of any loan if we do get one will tell us it's own story.
Nice post. I've been a bit gobsmacked by the criticism. He was awful against Leicester, but he hardly joined an exclusive club there. I thought he was awesome against Leeds at the start of the season and that he must have been putting pressure on the others from there on. And he's scored too! He does it for me.
Aaron is still learning and could be a great CB. Still reckon we need another CB (perhaps on loan) but also make sure we keep Aaron and bring him through for next season.
I am wondering whether we will have a reserve team next season if we make the jump. Or should I say when we make the jump. At least then we would be able to give our fringe players regular games.
agreed he has come on leaps and bounds, but we need cover at CB. A CB on loan until the end of the season makes sense
The second thread about him in 12 hours? Think TSS picked my words. I was really worried those first few games where he wasn't great at all. Has come on leaps and bounds. Still learning to read the game, but since that shaky start any doubts I had before have gone.
With us pushing for the prem.. and potenially getting there this season.. We need better than we have if we want to compete... Arron is way off the mark for that... But still has alot of time to grow.
Neither Fonte nor Martin are comfortable on the left side of the pair or have much of a left foot. NA likes to have one of each footedness, so you feel it's one or the other, although we won't have a choice tonight. Martin is doing really well with a prolonged spell in the side, which is something he really needed. With a bit more composure on the ball, he has the makings of a really good defender.
As I posted somewhere last week, we do have a reserve team, but it doesn't play in the reserve leagues and we call it the under-21s. That doesn't mean it's used exclusively for under-21 players as there is no rule on that like there is for the under-19s, it's just a name that the club has chosen to accentuate the focus on bringing through youth players. Reserve players who have played in our 'under-21' team include Forte, Barnard, Holmes, De Ridder, Bialkowski, Puncheon, and yes, Aaron Martin, so these players are getting reserve games.
Even if you are accepting Martin as an adequete defender its arguable we still need more cover with Hoover out, Jaidi prone to injury and uncertainty surrounding Seabornes return that still leaves us slightly short in my opinion.
Agree we definitely need more cover, 3 centre-backs (don't know if Jaidi is considered playable) is not enough.
Think playing against Premiership reserves will improve all of our fringe players so looking forward to the jump up to the Premiership. Will be more chances to play as well I would think.
Yeah it would be a step up in terms of quality, don't know if we will register though, quite a few teams have chosen to drop out of the reserve league, and just arrange their own games, as we have done this year.
