West end Saints

This run is looking pretty good. Any fan, on the back of those defeats, and with our squad, would have said if a manager could turn those defeats into this run he would be doing an excellent job. Tbh, although he clearly isn't perfect, and there are still some frustrations, and I get that the skillful short passing game isn't to everyone's taste, I am a bit cynical, and wonder if the small, but very vocal posters who still give him 5 out of 10, are trolling. Enjoyed my afternoon, and seeing this run build

Piroe was trending on twitter this week with Leeds fans slating him. I thought it was obvious signing but RM said too similar to AA and not as good - maybe he was right

This is sort of thread that other fans would take the piss out of.. A manager who had 4 defeats in a row early in his time at a club immediately turns that into W W D W D W W W D W W D D and fans are talking about whether he should be sacked, or giving him 4 out of 10! He is not pep, and we want to be higher but how entitled does this thread look! Success isn't guaranteed in football. If any of you were offered a manager who was, after those 4 defeats, capable of turning form around, into this sort of run, you would have bitten their hand off! He is not perfect, not great, makes mistakes, we are not scoring enough or killing games off, but chances are that most of your pre appointment suggestions wouldn't have achieved this run.

If he meant in style - It's not a silly comparison, if you regularly watch both sides you will see that some of our shape passing / transitions is a clear Man City copy. And the replies are unfair. If he meant not far removed in quality and effectiveness, then I would strongly disagree, and support some of the sarcasm!

Agree, winning play offs is the best way to go up, but not the most relaxing! Last year after 20 games Burnley 38 Blackburn 36 Sheff U 35 Norwich 32 Watford 32 QPR 31 Lower down, Luton 29 On that basis, I find it hard to believe that anyone, at the start of the season, knowing the disruption in the changing room, low morale, new manager etc, would have thought our 38 points would be anything but a very good start for Russell.

Obviously more goals would have meant more points, but the point I was trying to make (in response to someone saying we were dropping off) is that you are not doing much wrong, or need to change a lot if our results are recently the best in the division, which they have been since 23rd September when we last lost. But yes, a free scoring centre forward, or Charlie / Stu would have gained more points to help recover from that bad spell, but the key thing is that spell is the problem, not so much where we are now. It's going to depend on how consistent teams can continue to be through the winter, with injuries etc.

We are not starting to fall away, over last 6 games we have gained points on the top two.(4 on Leicester, one on ipswich). We are on a very good run, no-one is unbeaten for as long as us, or had more points than us since we started that run 12 games ago. We have two problems, which make automatic promotion hard, but not yet impossible, 1) our poor start 2) the freakish season with 4 teams doing great

Not confident we will be promoted. Think got fair chance of top two, but others clearly more likely. Very confident we will be top 6, but then it is cup football so who knows. Play offs are stressful but winning them would be better than automatic for me.

As we are currently bookies favourites to win the play offs, if you are this confident you can make decent money. Unless of course you don't really think that...

The key this season is who can deal with the pressure and grind out consistency over the season. The argument about whether he can manage at this level is clearly over in the short-term. This season's table is bizarre with so many teams starting so well. Our start, compared with last season's table at the same stage, would have had us clear in 2nd, only a point behind Burnley. The positive is over the last 10 games we are in the best form, and hopefully have potentially more squad depth than some of our competitors.

Of course it is. You stick with your early writing off as it looks more and more short sighted

Last year after 17 games Burnley had 32 Sheff Uni 29 Luton 25 So, know how shit we were last season, players that left, complete overall of style, the manager being given Ryan Fraser (unfit) Fraser downs ill) Sulemana (injured) 3 injured / unfit CBS, Steward injured etc etc, players leaving late. Any, absolutely anyone would have said, when asked how Martin was doing after 17, that he would be 1 point of burnelys great season, unbeaten in 9, and top of current form, everyone would say impressive start, without fail. Some are enjoying changing their expectations to have a moan and look edgy

Of course the manager should take the blame for bad form, he took personal responsibility when we had 4 defeats, spoke about things he got wrong. Just as he should take credit for 9 games unbeaten and top of the current form table. I suspect that those slagging him off would not have predicted we would get 31 points from first 17, and if that was suggested at the start of the season would have thought that was a good start and beyond him!

Disappointed with Downes, he only managed 79 passes in that half, not able to match Huddersfield's 80 between them

Something I'm looking to implement... To do that the first port of call was to get the manager. That clearly means he wanted it a certain way and the first thing he wanted to get sorted was his manager. Loads of other reporting saying it was his choice but without direct quotes. Looks like Wilcox knows what he is doing!

After 16 games last season: Burnley 29 points Sheff U 26 Luton 24 Middlesborough 17 Coventry 20 Sunderland 20 Us this season 30 points after 16. 8 games unbeaten, best for 10 years. Top of current form. Going to be a long season, but looks great appointment and nice guy. (and if you want to have a laugh read the assessments of him on this thread)

Where I personally disagree with your assessment is over what the expectations were for the first third of the season. Without going over old points in detail, we were awful for a long time before relegation and showed a total lack of character and spirit during the last three managers, we then had disruptive departures and for whatever reason signed players late who were unfit or unwell. So with that knowledge what would be a reasonable aim? After 15 games last season: Burnley 26 points Sheff U 25 Luton 24 Middlesborough 16 Coventry 17 Sunderland 20 So if you set a target at the beginning of the season then 26 points would have been seen as very ambitious. We have 27. I fully appreciate we have to better this seasons competitors but it is ridiculous to suggest that 27 points from 15, with the mess he inherited, with increasing good form is anything other than an excellent start. Find it bizarre reading people on this thread writing him off as a crap manager and out of his depth. A personal subjective view is that I also love the style, the one touch passing into tight gaps etc is the pure football I enjoy.

I genuinely didn't know your views as first visit, I think to this thread. However, having read your reply, I think I could have safely stopped at the first bit in bold. After that, I think it is best that I leave it with, as long as you are happy in your views and you are not harming then you carry on. I won't waste your or my time pointing out rational points as it will probably only wind us both up and you won't suddenly see the light. Take care X

Two things, firstly that is wrong. The increase is due to inflation, so a negative issue. The inflation adjusted figures show a decrease. Secondly, I don't know how politically aware you are, so don't want to patronise, but IEA is not a source of any credibility. Their recent credits include backing Liz Truss and denying climate change.

He had more successful passes yesterday than any Millwall player! His passing and confidence receiving the ball is vital for our style of play. (I appreciate saves important too!)

Maybe it was less that he addressed it, more that he was right, that if the players trusted him and his methods they would learn, improve and it would work. Of course there have been changes, but rather than a negative that he was wrong, it shows him making his principals work - the possession based football. It was fair, and reasonable for people to have doubts, or to still have doubts, but those writing him off, or saying he is crap, put of his depth etc, were perhaps being blinkered and not accepting that he knows a fair bit more than they do! I would be very surprised if we don't make top 6. The top two will, of course be hard, but we are performing well enough and are improving (as shown as being ahead of where Burnley were at this stage plus our last 7 game form). It will also depend on whether those around us keep up their form. There is no arguing that it is a good start, perhaps overshadowed by two teams have amazing starts.

Having a disruptive transfer window, and trying to change completely the style and mentality, and signing several players who were unfit due to injury, sickness or lack of preseason, injury to Sulemana etc, how has his start been.... After 15 games we have 27 points. Last year's three promoted teams had 26, 25 and 24. The team spirit is the best in years. 5 wins, 2 draws in last 7. Those 7 Including beating Leeds who are above us and in good form. Two clean sheets. Two wins by two goals. Players adapted to his possession football. Making key effective substitutions. Subjective one, but attractive entertaining football. Style breaking teams down as they struggle to chase the ball. A long, long, way to go but clearly, despite what several repetitively said on here, not crap, not out of his depth, not trying to implement a style that won't work. Overall, a good start and looking promising appointment.

Was it much different from Pope on Djenepo last season? Like most I have double standards on this, often moan that other keepers get away with too much and are too protected but happy to benefit when it is in our favour. That was my view yesterday. Having seen the replay, I think it was even less likely to be given - the forward had knocked the ball on, then Bazunu clattered him - ball already lost, GB had every right to go for it, then heavy coming together.

I don't think he needs to 'change his spots'. Just keep improving the consistency, the players are learning his way of playing a d it good to watch. He adapts and players change positioning regularly during the game so it is not a fixed pattern, but the 'Russball' that some use as a criticism looks like it is working.

Entertaining Playing with style and identity 6 games unbeaten Crowd singing his name Clearly good team spirit Still not sure how we will do over the season but pretty clear he will be at least ok/decent, and may do well. Those how on here who think he is crap are completely entitled to their view, but although repeated frequently by the group, I don't think what I see from fans at the ground.