Holmes_and_Watson

The like button wasn't really enough for the effort put into your post. Thanks for that.

On returning to FM a couple of years back, after years away, that was an early indicator that it wasn't quite what it was cracked up to be. Sadly no virtual equivalent to biting their hand off in the game either. 🙂

Hop

Jammy

Trust

Sponsored

Thanks for that. Nice to know it might not be connected to someone's health.

Subjective

I was just off to find the "there is no plan B, only making plan a better" quote, when I saw that specifically mentioning your scenario. 🙂 From what I've seen, he will absolutely stick to his plan. He'll work to finding solutions to problems within his system, rather than change it so much, that it's a different tactic. Which means coaching players to fit his goals. If they can't, they have to go. Rather than his tactics changing too much. And whatever Onuachu's strengths, if he can't also fit that tactic, then he's out too. Pluses are consistency, developing better solutions, to get better results. On the downside, some decent strengths (and some of these players did really well in RalphBall) may no longer fit, and persevering with the approach will seem like utter bloody mindedness in some games. I only hope that there's solutions to be found from his system that gets us promoted. Because being a slave to a tactic that gets found out, ends badly as Ralph discovered. Totally get where you're coming from.

Russell Martin's thoughts on lumping it up to big bloke as a plan B

Catbert

Russell Martin: My Part In His Downfall

I might as well retire the Holmes part of my username. 🙂

I did read "family issues" so hope everything works out on that side of things.

Cubicle

Director

Maker

Since he's one of our best players, it's obviously a shame that he's going. It would have been lovely if he led us straight back into the Premier League and kept us there, staying as a one club player. He'll be a big miss for us this season. Had SR not made a monumental balls up of practically everything they touched last season, we probably wouldn't have been in the situation where he's going at all. I can't begrudge him the move. He's been part of some excellent teams and put in some excellent performances (He's also been part of teams going through horrible slumps). His goals have made the difference on a number of occassions and it's been great to have one of the best free kick takers around as part of our team. He's been versatile, playing a number of roles in various tactics for several managers, getting his head down and not making a fuss. Often when those instructions didn't really get the best from him (or anyone around him). He's not the most creative central midfielder we've had. He's not been the best defensive one we've had either. We've even been blessed in having had a cracking free kick taker before. His skills are a mix, and has worked best when paired up another spcialist player, with him having license to link up further forward. He's been practically ever present, through his fitness and that reliability has been important as a lot of the better players left. A wage increase (probably on what we paid in the premier league, or at least back to those levels), some European football at the age where he will be getting into his prime. He may not have ruled out another call up, whether that's realistic or not. So, a thank you for all the service and effort. We'll have to move on, and we can show our current and future youth players that there is a clear path through to our first team, that brings a successful career.

You might end up with Bree on your fingers, and it's not even the cheese stall.

Hamlet

Anyone else's midfield I don't mind a bit. Ours? Not a chance, thanks. I get the thought behind it. But Martin, and others are looking for a skillset of control, possession, timed distribution and game management. A guy banging his chest and rushing in to do what he likes might not be the best fit.

Trifle

Martin had mentioned that they have such a large group, that there are two sessions. Yet, there are players who will have to be replaced if they leave. Shows the reall lack of quality and real depth we may have. Charles may have been a Lavia replacement. But we still need cover there, and have done since Romeu left. If JWP leaves, then Grimes may cover both. If KWP leaves, we'll need someone there. We already need more potency up front, and seemingly have to wait to shift people out for a suitable fee. It wouldn't be horrible to bring someone in anyway. The goal is promotion, so giving Martin the tools for that, as early as possible wouldn't hurt. And give others a push to move on. So lots to shift, but we could still need some key additions.

Caveat of not seeing this. Martin has held up his hands for picking the team. And his reactions were honest and showed the frustrations, and the reasons for doing as he did. We know from painful past experience that picking a back up team against anyone this side of a boy's brigade team is likely to get beaten. Playing players out of position in addition to that, is asking for more trouble. Martin does also instruct them on tactics. Where there's doubt on the ability for those tactics to be effective, then he always has the option of changing those. Not every game has to be the plan A. However, I get why he'd want to see what the back up team did with those tactics. Especially this early on. Because getting well beaten to a league 2 team, in his second game, is on his record. And it's a results business. So it's just a painful lesson. One that you could see coming from the team selection. But one that Martin probably had to see for himself, and that will motivate all parties to find solutions to moving players on. Perhaps that informed the players he didn't mention as doing well. From the reports above, they must be working on how they convert possession into opportunities. They must be as concerned as the rest of us, so we'll hopefully see that improve. The new set piece coach is also going to be busy.

Pickle