Kermitzasaint

It's not the results. It's the manner of the defeat. If we played quick attacking football and lost I wouldn't mind because at least we tried to be positive. From everything we have seen of RM and what he has done in the past I don't think that he is capable of being what we need him to be. It's not about surviving, we may go down anyway but atm we are not even playing to win. Russell Martin would rather lose his way because of his slavish obsession with his style. It's maddening.

So you saw the benefit of giving up our midfield, playing backwards slowly, playing our forwards on the very edge of the pitch with no central striker? You see the benefit of sticking to a system that's not working, making bizarre substitutions etc? Please tell me what the secrets are because RM has coached this style and pace into the team. You're saying it works when it patently doesn't. He isn't telling them to move faster. He isn't setting us up to have an effective striker. And yes, I didn't like him last season either.

If you were offered a decent keeper, decent striker or a decent coach but you can only choose two of the three. What would you choose? Russell Martin lost us that game doing exactly what he is known for on his worst days. He is out of his depth and is completely unable to change a game. Once again the same subs, need a goal? Put on Edozie who carries zero threat. Only Dibling was dangerous purely because he isn't locked in to RM's cowardly football.

I think with our current squad we could scrape survival but only with a decent coach. Today was amateur hour, a weak squad made to look worse because it was utilised terribly. I've said it before that a skilled coach makes the best out of what he has. Russell Martin lacks the skill to do that. Everything that RM has shown in his time with us shows me that he isn't capable of doing what's required to make us an effective EPL team. A better keeper and striker won't keep us up unless RM changes absolutely everything about how he coaches us. His entire philosophy only works at a lower level when his squad is better than everyone else's. RM is the problem.

If only his previous playing record was easily available online. Then we could know what to expect

Newcastle didn't need to. We did. Yet we made sure we let them get everyone behind the ball before we attacked. We literally stopped and waited for them to line up.

Dominant yes, also completely ineffective. We dominate possession in areas with zero threat. They can let us have the ball because we won't do anything with it other than put ourselves under pressure. If Russell Martin doesn't want what we did in the second half, why didnt he change it? He nullified one of our attacking threats and watched us do the exact same thing over and over again, each time at a snails pace.

We look OK but only in areas where it doesn't matter. Newcastle were OK with us having the ball because we do the exact same thing over and over. Each corner was poor as were the free kicks. Suicidal passing in the box again, very little threat up front, lots of ponderous pointless passing in between. It's pretty much what RussBall is. I expect Martin to go on about how brave we were though, even though that's one thing we definitely were not. I don't blame McCarthy, he is doing what Martin demands of him

How am I wrong? We under performed under RM in my opinion. His tactics and strategies are often flawed and his complete inability to organise a defence is well known. Its easily argued that the players he 'improved' are playing to their expected level in a lower league. Implying that I'm desperate to hate him is odd. I hate his way of football and his obsession that his way is best. I'm not alone in that opinion. Today's game is exactly what RM is known for. Ponderous and slow possession football with little attacking threat and suicidal defending. No surprise when we've conceded against 10 men after Diaz cheating.

Who has Martin improved exactly?

You want RM go mental at the players for playing Russball? This suicidal football is what RM is known for.

Since when has RM chosen form over favourites?

Whilst we were mostly an attacking side we conceded pretty much at will. Our weakness was well known and often exploited by other poorer sides. Many fans try and cherry pick results to suit their narrative. Russell Martin has shown the exact same weakness at each side he has coached. To say he is suddenly capable of much better is to claim that our weakness was a coached choice. That argument is nonsensical. Can only judge Russell based on what he has shown so far. Whilst he may improve in time I can't see any sudden improvements especially in a significantly stronger league.

Considering Russell Martin's well known defensive frailties in a lower league, I think you're going to be horrified by what will happen.

Must remember that it's not just the squad. Russell Martin has never been able to organise/coach defence or midfield. Unless RM suddenly learns how to to do this, we will get hammered regardless of our squad

Why? Show me where I said I didn't want to get promoted? Financially it's a good thing. Just a shame it won't last.

How will recruitment help when it's Russell Martins style that causes us to concede at will. He demands suicidal back passing, he demands our wide players give the opposition room to cross in the box. Remember, we concede at will with mostly EPL players in a pitiful league. Why on earth do you think he will suddenly change? Your argument that much better players may negate RM's ridiculous style is even more reason to get rid.

If we go up RM will we take us straight down again. If we stay down our squad will be weakened and will have to start all over again with an even poorer midfield and defence. Where is the upside to Russell Martin again?

Win or lose, RM won't achieve anything. The longer he stays, the longer we will slowly drop down the league as money dries up. Whilst there is the occasional nice move, the inevitable RM style has us conceding at will. My hope is there is someone else dumb enough to poach him from us. RM is smart enough to know his time at any club is limited due to his style.

What's worse? The fact we play as if we are 3 goals up or the fact that either of two poor teams can get promoted?

Manning is up front??

Your use of the word 'incredible' is amusing. Even when we had our run we looked very shaky in lots of areas.

With a decent coach (not RM) I think he could be a hell of a player. RM hasn't improved a single player since arriving. I wished I was wrong about him but he is a nothing coach. Mediocre and average. It's soo very Saints to screw this up

Yet RM decimated the midfield through bizarre substitutions. He weakened the team bringing on further pressure that led to the loss. That's not his fault either?