Watching last nights game was fascinating, as we started with Martinez usual default style of passing it across the backline, little or no penetration, no pace, no wingers and no decent efforts on goal. The crowd starting getting extremely agitated and booing the sideways and backwards tiki taka. The atmosphere became poisonous. Cue the team start to move the ball forwards and not across the centre line, the passing the ball for passings sake went out the window and we started attacking with pace and power getting the ball forward early to Lukaku who could turn and go at their backline - hey presto - 1-1. Half time comes and they come out 2nd half and play in exactly the same way as they finished the first. Playing in a manner that was totally alien to anything we've seen under Bobby Brown Shoes. It was as if the crowds displeasure was seized by the players who thought ' **** this' and started playing their own game. Don't tell me that Martinez ditched his entire philosphy mid point in the first half, the players acted independantly imo. In which case where does that leave us moving forwards? Thoughts?
I dont think the players changed the way we played. During large parts of the second half we still retained posession/maintained pressure and looked for openings. The confidence of the players lifted after the goal and we never looked like losing the game, players were not showing for others in the first 20 mins and the crowd didn't help IMO. Alcaraz went from looking like he never kicked a ball before to having a decent game. If we can get a good 2-0 win at home on Sunday then I would expect more performaces like last night, it is how we played last season so maybe it is still the matinez way??
Really? Where you there last night? I wasn't so had the TV angle and believe me they played in a way like we've never played under Martinez. They were always looking forwards rather than inside and backwards, it wasn't a co-incidence and it happened before HT so it wasn't his doing either. Had we have started like that I'd have taken my hat off to him, but we didn't, we played in the same one paced tiki taka way for half an hour. Don't try and tell me he shouted "hit the front man" from the bench. That was player instigated, I've absolutely no doubt about it, and looking on other Blue forums neither have plenty of others, it was the complete antithesis of how he had us playing for the off.
Have to say It certainly looked like they made their mind up when the crowd got on their backs a few boo's when the sideways and backwards changed the style for sure... About bloody time too
It was just how we played last season, but as you say, Martinez had nothing to do with last night.......or last season. If player power took over then it will be him gone in the summer
Sorry mate, but it wasn't how we played last season fella, it was more like how we played the season before! I hope it's his 'Oxford' moment tbh, but I doubt he'll take heed of it and we'll be sat there tomorrow watching 'to me, to you' again ffs
Then if player power wins we should expect him gone in the summer. We played the ball quickly into te channels and Rom finally made the right runs. I guess my opinion and yours will differ so I will forget what you posted as quickly as you have with mine