Holmes_and_Watson

Excellent article. Thanks for linking.

People

Great news. Looking forward to it.

Duck

Yeah, could be a very late loan move, if no one's interested. Such a waste of potential.

And that's it working as intended. With the help of the opposition, whose system allows them to get moved about. Controlled, risk managed possession with a quick transition when it was right to do so. We've seen Saints knock it back and forth across the back three or four times, to get this and it can work. Martin's issue is that it's a lot tougher to move teams around who are setting themselves up to defend. In that clip you had 6, going to 5 as the ball is played forward, in the Rangers half, with the front three central and bypassed. Perfect for Martin's side to exploit, and credit to them. Against sides that aren't chasing a game, are solidly defending and won't budge moving it about doesn't work so well. It allows them to set more, and his side lose momentum and you can hear that from the fans.

Rook

As soon as there is, we'll know everything they say, thanks to SOGBot.

Je suis Spartacus!

Arrest

Pretty much everything is killed by a crossbow bolt to the back of the neck. I hope you've not being firing at visitors again, claiming there was a Sontaron invasion. 🙂

Roof

It's okay. No one knows about that. The secret war, on the other hand, is known to everyone and their gran. 🙂

Wouldn't see this level of blatant disclosure on the CoT, who know how to pass along information, while keeping it quiet.

When I said deliver on a key objective, I was meaning to the board. The rest of the post was Brand Martin. He could get sacked in October, but still come out with some pluses. The Rangers fans, on the other hand, aren't daft. They understand what he's like as well as we did. The reactions are going to be broadly the same plus all the additional expectations they have for being Rangers.

Although having that big perspex window in front of him, did make it easier for him to look decent. 🙂 His size and physicality reminded me a lot of Baz, really. He did fine with his stopping, but then I know I look at Baz's reactions a lot more, so I might be harsher on him, than a brief glance of Charles.

One thing I continue to like is how comfortable it feels when the ball is passed back to him. No one's perfect, and that includes those passing it back. But he remains super cool at it, and better than many other 'keepers I see. I'm generally already looking to see where he's going to put it, rather than any concerns about it going wrong.

On sale at only £18 in the club shop (toxins/isotopes extra) https://store.southamptonfc.com/souvenirs/souvenirs/matchday/3046_saints-tempest-umbrella.html

Stirring sentiments, Mr Holgate. But you're still dropped.

Ballet

Should they get through to the CL, he will have more than delivered on a key objective. They were unlikely to finish above Celtic this year, and the aim there is to see an improvement on last season, or the green shoots of a turnaround. Not getting beaten in Old Firm games will get him lots of pluses too. Should Europe go well, even if that's qualifying for CL, before league form does for him, Brand Martin can show off his European acumen to a whole host of new clubs. Which was one of the big draws for him, in joining the club.

Lap

Mentality

10 in, the majority already having first team appearances. 5 out from last year, including end of contracts. It's looking to be a bit of a bloated squad, as they go about the overhaul.

I saw more extended highlights. Sadly, they never seem to include all the build up play, which is so key to Martin's system. But you'd see some outcomes such as a dozen passes for his layers not to get anywhere, as Dundee reset. Like us, Martin will believe that we just don't understand what he's trying to do. In Rangers' case, it's simply that they were already dominating possession and wanted some decent signings to get closer to Celtic. They want to get back to attacking wins. Given their budget, they are well clear for second, but miles off Celtic. The studio said, comparing it with the European game, that Rangers were Jeckyll and Hyde. That's not the case at all. Martin sets his side out to do exactly the same things in his philosophy. Against higher pressing European sides, who expect a win themselves, he gets joy. Like we had coming up against Leeds and Swansea. Some set ups are better suited for Martin to do well against. To do it in Europe so early on, is very much to his credit. Martin himself said post match, that his side struggled to break down the low block teams that wouldn't be moved by his team shifting the ball from side to side. It's the same issue he's always had, and he's yet to come up with readily successful alternatives that fit his philosophy. The fans can see that long road ahead watching opponents not budge and Rangers bounce off them. Considering the chances Dundee had. I thought Martin's side would have had the space to transition more. Rangers did have some chances, and Martin will look to finishing (and Dessers allowing himself to get half a yard offside at the death, to have his winner ruled out). Dundee attacked when their shape allowed, while it's too early for Martin's quick passing through the gaps to have taken effect. Assuming they have the players to actually do it. He's got the likes of Rothwell dropping deep to help the defence, but it stalls further up. Much like it often does for him. The Rangers board, financial rules allowing, can help through recruitment. They've got another 3 to play in the first team yet, I think. Hopefully, they are the players to give him the rounded team Martin needs for this to work. The board should have known exactly what and who they were hiring. They've seen the benefits of it in Europe and will have to be patient in the league. Martin has to look at his system and get answers from it, in more difficult games when breaking teams down.