qwertyell

Even without self-destructive cocking about with the ball 10 yards from our own goal we conceded 3 and, but for Ramsdale, would've conceded 7 or 8. Even playing pretty decently for 30 minutes at the start of the game, United ended up with 8 shots on target in that half. Alarm bells should be ringing. This manager can't organise a defence. Never could. And as we've got no quality whatsoever going forward - beyond teenage cameos - there's not much in the way of solace to take from these defeats. Can't defend. No goal threat. This is not a combination that ends happily, no matter how pretty the occasional flurry of passing combinations. On a side note, I'm really disappointed that the signing of two journeymen wingers who have seen better days has resulted in Sam Amo-Ameyaw being pushed out of the squad. He was one of our few bright spots this season, and he'll probably not be seen much for the rest of the campaign now. And there's no way in the world, even at his young age, he is a worse option out wide than Brereton-Diaz, who looks like a pub player out there: a yard off the pace, heavy touch, can't beat anyone.

I'm sure the plan isn't to keep giving the ball away on the edge of our box. But that's what's happening. And keeps happening at every side he coaches. Either he's unable to coach players to successfully play to his tactical demands, or his tactical demands are unrealistic at our level and doomed to failure. Neither scenario is particularly comforting.

I've been messing around with this game for 40-odd years. I've seen hundreds of technical, passing sides. Some much better than others. But very few as incompetent as this Saints team. The teams who overpass to their detriment have tended to do so in the opposition's final third, messing up goalscoring chances with their indulgence, but ultimately causing little immediate self harm. We do all our overpassing 10 yards from our own goal. And when that breaks down, we lose a goal. It's not brave. It mostly defies logic - why are our least technically gifted players monopolising possession among themselves? If you're going to invite the press, deliberately putting your least press-resistant players under huge pressure is the mother of all hospital passes. It's not even useful - on the rare occasions we beat the press, we slowly walk the ball up the wings, turn around, and come back again. All that risk for absolutely no hint of a reward. Russell isn't reinventing football. He's not a visionary. He's just executing passing football poorly - and he hides his inability to properly set up a defence behind a shrugging "philosophy, innit?". In his four full seasons as a manager he's conceded 62, 68, 64, and 63 in the league. We're already on course for another 60+ concession orgy this season. I don't trust the process. It's not built on anything other than bollocks.

He's not going to fuck you. And if he was, it'd be all half-arsed foreplay in the wrong areas before he finishes on himself and blames you for not understanding how amazing the experience was. For him.

He and Armstrong aren't wingers at this level. They've not got the technical ability. They don't beat players. Running in behind is all they've got, and that's too basic for this league. They might be effective as a strike partnership, with Brereton-Diaz being a bit more of a physical presence and Armstrong working off him, but I just can't see the point of either of them out wide in a slow possession team.

Get this boy some shinpads, for goodness' sake. With his playing style, he's going to get fouled a lot. And some of those fouls will be spiteful.

That about sums it up. Sounds like this is a vanity project to promote all things Russell Martin: as long as he's happy, to hell with everything else. He probably masturbates to videos of himself masturbating.

I find him difficult to warm to. It's the unearned arrogance; that he's figured out THE football philosophy and everyone else is stupid. And when it fails, it's not his fault. The players weren't brave enough. Or the supporters weren't grateful enough. And don't worry, it'll be beautiful at some point. So, shut up. All the while, the only thing he's achieved in management came when he briefly abandoned his amazing philosophy and grimly ground out a couple of wins in the play offs. He'll take us back down, without a doubt. And expect to be thanked for it. But the club seems to have bought into his bullshit all the way, so this is how it's going to be.

17.

In the Championship. In the PL he's been as poor out wide as he has through the middle.

Again.

That aged well. How have we've collected so many goalkeepers who aren't actually any good at goalkeeping?

Sign him up. This is the best highlights reel I've seen since the Danny Welbeck one.

Charlie Taylor https://web.archive.org/web/20110526192621/https://www.leedsunited.com/news/20110523/academy-youngster-earns-pro-deal_2247585_2365303

Think we've weathered the storm. Leeds haven't looked anything special at all. Hard to believe there was so much hype around Dan James a few years ago. Pace and diving is all he has.

Diamond Edwards and Joshua Lett in the training photos. Think Abu is there as well. Nice to see a few different youngsters working with the first team. Edwards was on the brink of breaking in at the start of last season before he did his knee. (None of this relates to the Leeds game, though, as they won't be in the match squad.)

This is the part that most bothers me - either during or in the immediate aftermath of a defeat, Martin was thinking about himself and how he might be perceived. I don't think that's how you manage a side.

Yikes. Boro were shite as well - missed several absolute sitters to kill the game. Yikes.

Even game against the bottom club. Boro growing into it as the half wore on. Not sure it's very reassuring that we're holding our own against the worst team in the league, but here are. I think we'll nick it anyway in the second half. Not much quality on show, but what little there is is wearing white.

He said they went more pragmatic against Ipswich.

Nothing much of note: "bravery", "courage", "scar tissue" and all the greatest hits. Repeating that his teams have gone through the same rubbish spells at his previous clubs but have come through them to be "brilliant". Seems convinced he's been signed as a long term appointment, so it's all gravy. Downes is fit to play. Bednarek fit to start. Stewart not happening any time this side of the international break. Stephens a way off.

According to the Echo his name wasn't on the initial list due to lateness of the deal, but his name has since been submitted.

And another 109 goals to concede at the current rate.

To be fair, the EFL trophy is basically u21 football - and we already know Ballard is good at that level. He was sent to Reading to get experience in men's football. I didn't notice anyone starting a thread about him after the weekend in the senior side where he didn't get a kick for 50 minutes before being subbed. Let him develop away from this shit show. Frankly, everyone's already gotten worse since the beginning of the season - he's better off out of it.

I suppose the most concerning thing is, Ipswich are just standard championship slop. They haven't done anything remotely special beyond the basics. I think we can still turn this around and get a result - they're not out of sight and we're not entirely without threat. But we are not a team that's going to be anywhere near a promotion contender.