Hopper

https://bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cgl28xezy29t Listen to his interview instead of making assumptions. He says the payers are doing what he's asking them to do and he conceeds that the setup and the detail isn't right. You can be opinionated that's your right, but don't talk nonsence. He accepts responsibility and isn't deflecting in the slightest.

I'd wholey disagree with this most interviews he accepts full responsibility even when it's not directly his fault.

Smallbone is absolutely the biggest culprit for this but I actually thought KWP was doing this excessively against brentford. There were a lot of times he had a fairly safe ball on to Downes but instead went to Jack Janny or THB. Even better he could have played forward to BBD who had space on a number of occasions.

Bang on mate. I think this is exactly it. It's a result of the players either not implementing or not being capable of implementing at this level. We saw it work well last season (for the most part) but this level of opposition are asking different questions of the defence and currently we don't have the answers. Honestly fascinated to see what gives first; The players, the system or the coach.

For me at least it’s not the idea. It’s the execution. I think it’s safe to say he’s not getting what he’s asking them to do. Him pulling THB off in consecutive matches shows that. The question now is do the players start to implement it properly (I’ve got fears that we may not have the personnel to do it at this level) or does he try to mitigate it tactically. One of the two needs to give. I think a return to a back 4 would be a good start. THB and Janny B built a strong partnership last season and right now the balance feels way off with Jack jammed in there. That would free us up to bring in a few of the fresher faces (Matty F, Dibling, Archer) and provide a few more options for the defence when playing out. 3 at the back just isn’t working and it’s a contrast to how we played most of last season.

In what world did you infer that? I simply used that as an example of what Martin wants to achieve regularly. Evidently it’s not where we are now especially against current opposition. But that is the template of an ideal performance. He wants to aim for that in every game. Not this slow paced constant back passing. He was frustrated at Newcastle because we took our foot off and sent it back unnecessarily. The issue at the moment as many have pointed out is that the level of opposition is much higher and we are paying the price for not moving the ball quickly enough through the lines. I’m sure he would much rather we shift it faster and forwards but it’s not happening. Be it the players, the system or the opposition and he’s going to need to find solutions to make a difference there. The point I was making is that an ideal performance for him doesn’t look like the ponderous back passing we’ve been seeing. It’s just a by-product of him not adapting his tactics quickly enough to nullify it.

I agree with a great deal of this. I’m not some unrelenting Martin apologist. I think we do need to be more pragmatic, I do also think his stubbornness can be a detriment. At our best last season we did break the lines well, played with tempo and I think that is how he probably wants than to play. I think the performance against Swansea in the first 60 minutes is the ‘perfect’ Martin performance. If we played like that each week I think we would all be chuffed. As I mentioned in my first reply I hope that the penny has dropped for a few things based on that last match and we see an improved setup when we are back from the international break. I just get frustrated at those throwing their hand up and wanting him out after 3 games. I hope we adapt as we did when needed last season and build some momentum.

I don’t disagree at all but I also don’t recall us creating this much in our last PL outing. despite the scoreline we weren’t blown away by Brentford. We were neck and neck in a lot of key areas but we were undone by individual errors and poor finishing. On another day this match could have finished very differently.

No of course you can. But just saying we need to play with more tempo and disregard the work that’s been done and the success found last season after 3 games without any construction is just moaning isn’t it.

I’ve openly asked for suggestions on who should replace him and how we should play but it’s eerily quiet. Could it be some just like to moan and not think critically? 🤔

So no suggestions on who should replace him or how we should play? Russ isn’t changing the way he works. That’s WHY he was brought in. It’s why a number of players have bought in. You hear the term ‘earn the right to play’ in football a lot. I think Russ has more than earned the right to manage us this season win lose or draw and that knee jerking 3 games in is hyperbolic.

Let me ask this, those who are so discontent. How are you solving the issue? Who are you bringing in? How are they set up to play? Genuinely curious what you have in mind.

They aren’t though are they? They made individual errors. 🤷‍♂️

Ramsdale joined knowing the score and knowing the project. We are trying to build the long term stability of the club that’s the project. SR are clearly invested. The players who have joined are invested. It’s just sad that a section of our fan base aren’t invested. We’re 3 games into a first premier league season. We are ONE POINT off 15th and TWO POINTS off 12th. And I for one remember the constant pressure we put ourselves under with Ralph, Nathan Jones and Seles. Live short in the memory huh? At least now there is a measure of control. How many points did we drop because we conceded late in games too knackered to maintain the press?

Yeah I am.

Because the players that have joined this season know the score. Ramsdale included. The last time we were relegated the squad was by and large a bunch of mercenaries. This is a team who have bought into the project. I think our retention would be much higher.

Yesterday was a good example of why we need to stay the course. We were on the wrong end of the result because of 2 individual errors. Brentford and Thomas Frank are the blueprint. They play in their way and they stuck by the manager who has developed his team over a number of seasons to suit the way he wants to play. Reading through X this morning I was pleasantly surprised at the optimism I saw. I think many of us agree that we’d rather fight and try to play and fail. Than resort to Dyche ball (Which is also spectacularly failing right now) In some regards yesterday was a blessing. It’s reinforced that MF, TB, AL and CA are a cut above JA, WS & AA. It also showed that the 5 at the back experiment isn’t working. Russ for all his stubbornness does have the humility to admit when he’s got it wrong and to his credit made the right changes early in the match… a penny drop moment? The individual errors will stop or the players will get dropped. Outside of those we have looked OK defensively and whilst people say stats can deceive which is obviously true to a degree I do believe that possession. Based play is helping to mitigate the number of chances teams are having against us. Our total shots and on target stats were not bad yesterday but we were undone by individual sloppiness and not being clinical enough. If Arma burries that chance before half time it’s a totally different game. I see this season as a gift and a free hit. I’m fully behind Russ and his team and I think it will come good. If it doesn’t we’re in a very good spot next season rather than the turmoil of our last relegation.

He’s made the changes needed now let’s see what they can do.

This game is crying out for Big Les and Fernandes to give a bit more bite and creativity.

It might be the same players but I don’t think we will be set up the same way. Russ conceded he had the attacker too wide against Forrest.

Diaz is 6’1” mate what are you yapping 😂

Man Mole-hill*

I'm not so sure. ABK I think will still fetch a decent fee £15M range. Onuachu is still appealling for a certain type of team and we obviously didn't want to sell for £7M or he'd be gone. Sulamana easily the most washed, lucky to get much over £5M there. But then who thought we'd get £10M for Seku? 😅

On the PSR issue. I think although we've got a bloated squad for right now we're in a pretty good position long term. ABK Onuachu Sulamana Gotta think there is 30-40M there. Wouldn't surprise me to see Edozie leaving in the next couple of windows.

Absolutely mate. We're all pulling for the same team. I was just trying to illustrate how hopefully it will be different to last time. 🤞