Forester

16 unbeaten! Thoughts and prayers for the “possession football will get you nowhere” gang! We have just hit the magical two points per game level. Forget the league table and what happens tonight, history says 92 points will be top two. We just need to focus on us.

Strange lack of atmosphere yesterday I thought, and a very dull first half that only ignited when we scored. I didn’t feel we moved the ball quickly enough throughout the game and was a bit surprised to hear RM say how good he thought we were first half. Ultimately I think it is a good point because second half Udders had two massive headed chances and on another day we could have lost that. If you can’t win it, don’t lose it. Again thought centre backs were good, AA looks sharp but many under par. If we win these two home games coming up it will look an even better point, and ultimately we continue to close gap on Ipswich.

Not a convincing performance (after the first 30 mins) but a very good sign that we can win when not at our best. Thought Bazanu, THB, Holgate and Adam Armstrong all excellent. We are nearly at the 2 points per game threshold, forget everyone else and the league table. This is the only number that counts if you look at the history books over 46 games

It has its critics but this is the benefit of possession football. It is utterly draining being out of possession, endlessly having to watch runners etc. You have to concentrate without fail and hopefully the “good it forward” gang will reflect. As others have said we are looking very good defensively with a proper Centre Back partnership and midfield much more balanced than earlier this season. Shout out for Charlie who had his best game for a while

Been away from forum for a few weeks and having got back on today I seem to have entered a parallel universe to the one I experience at matches. Jus5 have a read on the Martin thread, good grief. We are one point off third spot and unbeaten in six! Anyway back to the thread. I would pick: Baz KWP, THB, Bednarek, Manning Smallbone, Downes, Armstrong (S) Armstrong (A), Alcaraz, Kamaldeen

You saying Parker getting promoted twice in three years with different clubs is a fluke?

Genuine options that I think could work for club and fans: Scott Parker. Has two promotions as manager from this division on his CV Chris Hughton. Again proven in this division with promotions Tony Mowbray. Ditto, would require us to pay compensation. Brother already works for the club None of these three play long ball football but all have more balance about them than RM kamikazee football

Puel was a decent defensive coach who conceded few goals, took us to a cup final and finished 8th in Premier League. I watched us win up here against Boro under Puel. Trust me that era was light years ahead of this

Firstly, and it’s hard because like others I am fuming, I don’t want us to become the next Watford that sacks managers every few weeks. He is currently our fourth manager in 12 months. Once you get that reputation it is hard to attract good people. He should be given at least until the next international break which means four more games and in total he will have had 11 by then. At that point it’s fair at the very least to judge whether he is beginning to address issues, and it looks like he and players are genuinely learning. If we pick up a couple of wins we will be on 16 points, five off of target and a sense of progress. If we are still not winning by then and not dominating games then it may be necessary to pull the trigger

Spot on, exactly how I see it. 4213 or 4231, happy with with either

Good post, this is how I see it

Firstly am not going to go OTT, ten points from six games is only two behind track and there is a long way to go. However….…. Genuinely concerned if Martin’s view is that we ALWAYS have to line up in that formation with one holding midfielder. Compounded with the flexibility he wants to give defenders to get forward (which I don’t dislike) we are too open. Often last night they had four v four on us waiting for something to go wrong. I don’t think we are far off it going forward, but rather than one holder and two attackers I would reverse that and play 4-2-1-3. When all fit probably Downes and Charles as the 2. The lack of tactical flexibility is an early concern for me. I like his philosophy but any style can become predictable if not changed.

This but only if Downes and Charles are both playing as holding midfielder not just one of them

Beginning the long journey home which started at 3am this morning. I think Martin has done a great job so far given all of the disruption, but he needs to learn quickly after today as in my opinion he played a part in that performance. It was a huge surprise to see Mara start, but I assumed that meant AA would play out wide. Mara offered nothing out there, and to be fair to him he is a Centre forward (albeit of limited quality). Second error was having seen first ten mins why stick with one holding midfielder? Clearly we were exposed on transition and it would have been easy to ask Smallbone to play alongside Downes to rebalance the team. Third error for me was leaving Smallbone and Mara on at halftime. Then fourth, fifth and sixth error was ending with Manning at Centre back, KWP left back and Charles right back. Why? Sure the players need to be held to account, several were very poor, but that was a shocker of a tactical and selection performance from Martin.

Of the outgoing rumours: - would be gutted to lose Adams, Bednarek or KWP - would be delighted to lose Tall Paul, Moos - am indifferent, and depends on replacements and fee, about losing Mara, McCarthy, Kamaldeen

Another enjoyable day in a, so far, enjoyable season. Loads of positives, both centre backs (I thought Charles handled physicality really well), good creativity from full backs and both Armstrongs and Edozie good. Only negatives were Stephens injury and always performance from Charlie. New signings started well, particularly Fraser. Would have bitten your hand off for ten points from August. We have our toughest month of fixtures in September, and I would be happy for ten points from those five games, seeing us at 20 from nine

No

I usually dismiss those who say “let’s hold on to player come what may” as deluded, and ignoring the negative impact of a disenchanted player kicking around causing problems, and then them leaving for free a year later. I thought that about Lavia, Salisu and still do about ABK for example. But I feel differently about Che. I may be wrong, but after disappointment hanging around for a couple of weeks I think scoring goals in a championship promotion bid is one hell of a good distraction. And a high scoring season for him, even if we then miss out on promotion, arguably increases his wage claim next summer for a Premier League club. So that, along with the fact that we will make many times more then £13 million by going up, would persuade me to keep him and if necessary let him run his contract down.

Probably because, uniquely, we have two strikers who when last in the championship scored over twenty goals each. I agree a back up would be nice in case of injury, but how you can say the attack is not fine with those stats is puzzling

Delagado must be a candidate here too. Different era with smaller fees

This

A few names to help you out here if this is a genuine question. Please attach name to club (and if they meet your criteria of not being better than mid table championship) they signed from: Hammond, Harding, Fox, Richardson, Butterfield, Chaplow, Cork, Lambert, Sharp, Puncheon

Think people need to calm down. Seen people questioning why we went down given marketable assets? The answer is we had some good promising players who were either too young or unfit to contribute in their first season in PL. Doesn’t mean they are crap, it means the strategy to blood them all at once was crap. I don’t believe we will have a fire sale but if some bids are big enough players will move only if replacements are identified. The owners want PL football big time

What an awful away game experience, the place is literally falling apart at the away end. On the football: - I don’t blame RM for making changes, and we need to give squad players time. I blame him for one selection, and that is using Perraud at centre back which was like a round peg in a square hole and was unfair to him and team mates - SAA is indeed very talented but needs to avoid “over playing” as on many occasions he had time and space to get a good cross in but chose to try and dribble all over again past full back. But a learning curve - It is indeed a shame as now he won’t get to give any squad players and/or new signings a run out in a fortnight

Let me help you then. It’s called “getting match practice in case needed”. Injuries and suspensions do happen!