SWLondon Saint

Literally all the other clubs in the Champ are busy strengthening, loaning out, and we're busy doing....f*** all? SR decided since their last January window was shit they'd go for the same again by doing sweet FA? Just depressing....

Yep. I'm not unsympathetic to him, given the current slump it's more and more clear our toxic players are the problem, but that was the clear 'losing the plot' moment. Only explanation is he just panicked, thought maybe if he brings the chief shit stirrer on he can calm the pot - but obviously a total failure. I'd have had more respect for him if after he dropped THB and Stephens if he'd just bombed them, Downes, Manning and Baz out of the squad entirely, played 4-2-3-1 with youngsters on the bench and lived with the consequences, even if he'd gotten the sack after they all went crying to the board.

The only thing I can think of is extreme commitment bias on SRs part. They don't want to 'lose money' by shipping out players on the cheap / free. But it's a complete false economy as you end up with this toxic situation with the Martin FanClub undermining the manager and f***ing things up for both him and any new players. Trying to get back the money you spent is actually costing them money in the bigger picture but they can't see the wood for the trees.

Maybe, but that wasn't happening and he'd clearly lost the plot. In his defence I would say he did seem to know what the problem was but I guess he was undermined by 'good bloke' Cap'n Jack and his cronies who clearly WERE the players who went to the board and said we don't trust the manager as was leaked early in the season. He dropped them and they did him over by going on strike basically. And either he didn't know how to get rid of them or he wasn't allowed to exert authority and kick them down to the U21s. Can't see any other explanation.

We were actually lucky to win 1-2 at theirs under Still so am expecting a revenge win for them, especially as we're so f***ing predictable these days.

Err, absolutely not. Has Martin's stint at Rangers shown you nothing? He's a busted flush still playing his Pep tribute act best hits when even Pep has changed to have more direct options. Not saying he was the answer, but Juric at least saw the problem - unfit players, ridiculously slack training - and bombed out a couple of what now looks like the toxic mates club in Downes and Manning. You could see what he was trying to do when we beat Ipswich at theirs, but for whatever reason he couldn't make it stick.

😂 Pretty much sums it up. The disallowed goal and then penalty award looked absolutely nailed on dodgy as f*** though. The goal should never have been disallowed, they were both pushing each other only the Moroccan defender decided to dive rather than head the ball.

The game changes. We are currently playing Russball - the problem is towards the end of the last Champ season, teams had started to figure out how to play against it, in the Prem we got absolutely destroyed as all the managers knew how to play against it, and now we're back here and it doesn't take a genius to just look at how better teams have done it and everyone has a great template of how to beat us.

I can't believe Solak is happy with the former best asset of the group being run into the ground like this. Even Wankersen can't spin the fact that literally every decision made at Saints the last few years has been complete and utter shit. I live in hope he realises enough is enough and fires the twat and anyone else who has had any responsibility in the manager farce of the last 3 years.

Yep. I'm not sure we'll see any improvement until the toxic group of players is given the boot. I reckon we'd have been better off ditching THB, Wood, Stephens and Manning and keeping Bree, Charlie Taylor and Edwards tbh.

Did he say this?! They may FEEL more comfortable with 3 CB but surely anyone can see they are complete CRAP at actually playing it? The way 1 or 2 of them are always standing marking no-one? Everyone waiting for someone else to challenge for a header on a cross giving away any number of free headers? The way long balls to oppo strikers always seem to end with the 2nd ball dropping to one of their midfielders because our 2 other CBs are 10 yards deeper than the challenger? Sock puppet Tonda toy of a manager. FFS

Our club captain is so strong he got himself banned for 9 games last season for having shit for brains. Setting the standard.

This. In the first 5 minutes today he had me swearing at the screen, we're dicking around at the back, he receives the ball in space and plays it first time to Wood.... Who is in our penalty area with a man closer to him than Downes, who should have just turned upfield. WTF. Then second half he steams into a challenge just in their half, doesn't get the bounce and lets his momentum take him towards the oppo goal throwing his hands up in the air like a drama queen. Get back behind the ball you TWAT.

Reckon the RM fanclub are too used to their days off and don't give a crap anyway as they've managed to get all the managers who've tried to get them to put in a shift fired. Put the shit stirrers in a bomb squad, honestly, it might hurt their resale value but relegation is going to do that anyway. Just get rid however you can, cut the cancer out of the club FFS.

Just to spread the shit a little further, Armstrong was completely anonymous today, no presence, no threat, no effort to get the team going when we went behind, inspiration factor a big fat zero. Why the f*** is he captain?

Yep, that's my verdict too. Complete crap from those 3 all day. Downes is so completely predictable, always passes it backwards even if that puts a defender in the shit and he has no-one around him, he seems to have no awareness or ability to turn on the ball. Manning wandering all over the pitch in the second half, what the f*** is up with that, he just pushes Leo to hug the touchline when if anyone should be on the ball with a free role it's Leo. Wood seems to have zero presence in the box on crosses and corners. No idea what's going on at the club but it's obvious there's a ton of shit attitude and those 3 + Stephens & Armstrong would be my best guess. Fits with what Alfie House said about needing a clear out too. Cancerous.

Take off the CB who looked like he could win a duel and leave on the c*** who can't be arsed to jump defending corner in our box.

Manning, Downes, Wood, I'd be happy if I never saw them play for us again.

Who the actual f*** at the club believes 3 CBs helps us at all? Cross comes in to the back post and you can see every time they're waiting for someone else to head it away, usually poor Tom Fellows who must be wondering why he signed up to play as a full back. Then a corner and Wood thinks he can just back into someone instead of actually competing for the ball.

Why the f*** is Wood not even jumping there?

Compared to 2 years ago, I actually think the main problem is the managers / coaching have got better for the other teams but ours hasn't. They've all realised a) we piss around at the back and will cough it up for easy chances & b) we only have 2 central midfielders so if you make them chase they'll be knackered by half time c) Can't defend crosses or corners. Once they've seen one team do it they all just copy it.

Yes, but ironically Bree would also be one of the best candidates to play as one of a back 3 as most decent 3CB teams usually play with one player who can push up when in possession. Back 4 Vs 5 just depends whether you want to force your winger / wingback to defend more or attack more and all the evidence so far is they're happy to have one of the best attacking wide players in the league spending most of his time defending...

Pretty sure these are usually the conditions which guarantee we snatch defeat from the jaws of victory 🤔

Didn't watch the first hour of the Oxford game, was Scienza poor / knackered? Otherwise only thing I can think of is he's hoping to keep it tight then let Scienza run at a tired defence?

Been busy and could only watch the last 25 mins of the Oxford game which was obviously a bloody stupid decision on my part to waste that time! They have a great home record, we can't defend or stop crosses to save our lives. Reckon it'll be 3-1 to them unfortunately, but hopefully they'll prove me and the other pessimists (realists?) wrong.