Lee On Solent Saint

Well

Whilst I agree that THB has had a shaky start to the season, I don't think that playing Stephens regularly as a centre back is the answer.

He hardly set the world alight when we were last in the PL.

Yeah, its been frustrating to watch. Against Forest there was a real sense of a wasted opportunity. They were pretty average and I come away with a feeling that we didn't really have a go at them. I think if we produce a similar display against Ipswich, it will start to get a little uncomfortable for Martin.

Not sure I would agree with that. I would say the Forest game was more than a disappointment. I think you'll see a discernable shift in the goodwill should we lose at home to Ipswich.

I think he leaves if we lose to both Ipswich and Bournemouth. Can't see him going beyond that. It will be getting into Jones territory with the crowd.

Have no fear, am sure his strongest side will still incude Stephens.

I see our old friend DCC is a sub tonight for Croatia.

I've no doubt we would sell out, even at those prices. I've got three others to buy for, so at £90 a ticket I would politely decline.

Would you? Because I sure as hell wouldn't.

It's a bit of a shame really. The squad as it stands are much more personable than when we were relegated. We seem to have guys like Stephens, Armstrong and Smallbone who seem to care about the club, but probably on quality shouldn't still be here.

Likeable guy, just like a few of our squad at the moment, the leap back to the promised land is a leap too far.

Could be a blessing in disguise

But by the same token we aren't giving ourselves a chance of doing so by playing like this. We got beat by ten men, a bang average Forest team and a Brentford team who knew exactly how to play against us.

They do have form for that. Handing our new contracts to Stephens, McCarthy and Armstrong.

The term happy clapper really was invented for you.

I don't have a narrative apart from wanting to see my club do well.

So, if the setup and detail isn't right, why persist playing like it for the past three games. I sat through the Forest game at St Mary's, it was clear to everyone that we were struggling and couldn't lay a glove on them, yet subs weren't introduced into we had gone one down. If you accept responsibility, aren't you then duty bound to try and rectify things at the next available opportunity?

Pretty sure he has form from doing it a few times last season.

He just said he doesn't know why the players are passing it around between themselves at the back. Far as I'm aware that's a plan we've acted out pretty much since day one of him being here. We keep the ball, playing these stupid passes between ourselves waiting for an opening that never presents itself. If they haven't been told not to do it, why are they doing it? Stephens and Bednarek aren't newcomers to the PL, they are experienced, might not be the best but they will know that passing it around as much as we do is going to lead to massive amounts of mistakes. The manager is absolutely telling them to play this way, so when he says he doesn't know why they are playing that way, it's absolute horseshit.

Deflecting the blame from himself. He seems to very good at that.

What's he saying?

We are at the elite end of pro sport. Buying into projects and all that shite that Martin speaks is great, as long as it works. If he's not prepared to compromise his footballing ideals for the sake of his own job, and ultimately our Premier League place, then he needs to take his project and let it work in the lower leagues. If this plays out as many of us think it will, and he ends up taking us down, does he ever think he'll get another chance to be a Premier League manager again? People will point to Kompany and the way he went with Burnley, but there is a world of difference between the two in what they have achieved in the game. And yes, I know that being a successful player does not equate to manager success, but having a name like Kompany will help him secure other decent jobs if it goes tits up in Munich.

Last season again. We aren't ever going to play like that again, unless we are back in the Championship playing absolute shite like Swansea every other week.

Couldn't agree more. This squad is capable of being competitive at this level.