trousers

Paul Allen's yacht is here... Make of that what you will... Mlini? First impressions... Cracking place!

Cheers, that's my intention 🙂🍻

Yep, that's their stock reply to any website issue. We used to have to make computer systems work correctly when I was a programmer (back in the day). Bit of an old fashioned approach these days.

"A guaranteed way of not being wrong is not to come to a conclusion in the first place" (Bobby Davro, Skegness Palladium, May 1983) But, of course, the only problem with the pragmatic approach is that you don't get to play your "ner, ner, ner ner, ner... told you so" card if it does all end up going tits up...

And Ralph was supposedly a stand-offish disciplinarian... Which can also be a dangerous thing... I guess the really good managers are somewhere in-between

P.s. BA's 'manage your booking' website is utter shite! How these IT systems pass the 'go live' gateways is baffing... Maybe one for the 'things that get on your tits' thread!

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks! Thanks again all for the insights, tips, etc. Flying out at stupid o'clock tomorrow morning so see you on the other side 👍

His memories of The Dell don't seem to suggest he was a player or manager 'back in the day'... if that's what you're alluding to...? https://www.saintsweb.co.uk/topic/544-top-10-memories-of-the-dell/#comment-17717 P.s. has he met Jonathan Fulthorpe recently...? #throwback

Football is too results driven apparently... 🤦

Source? Versus who? Ross Stewart playing too? What's the capital of Peru? #toomanyquestions

Isn't the fact that Martin has been 'doing it for while' the very reason why SR/Wilcox employed him in the first place? i.e. If Martin's approach didn't fit the way SR/Wilcox want to play then they wouldn't have employed him? #chicken #egg

Someone posted this the other day, which may answer some of your questions? https://www.skysports.com/football/news/15126/10549782/does-pep-guardiola-have-the-formula-for-stopping-the-counter-attack And also found this: https://www.coachesvoice.com/cv/counter-pressing-gegenpressing-football-tactics-explained-klopp-guardiola-bielsa-hasenhuttl/#:~:text=Pep Guardiola&text=The use of full-backs,press following a defensive transition.

I've got a WH Smiths book token if that's any good?

Isn't this 'possession football' malarkey more about how SR/Wilcox want the team/club to play and Martin is simply a means-to-an-end manager that fits their strategy? In other words, I don't think it's a case of laying any blame on Martin for the way we play, he's just fitting in with what the owners & director of football want?

*Should have

Midfield too light I think?

Ah, fair point... I take it back... Sell, sell, sell!

If we end up selling this fella before the remaining windows close I'm going to cry... If any player is likely to compensate for our defensive frailties then surely it's him?

Yep... Along with "ATM machine" and "LCD display"... Cretins

As Lady Trousers will testify to, there's lots of things that I threaten to do on a daily basis but never get around to doing..... (sorry, that's the best analogy you're going to get from me!)

You'll need to get used to it because that's the way we'll be playing for the foreseeable future. Hoofing the ball clear isn't an option (under the SR/Wilcox/Martin philosophy)

Great overall post @chiknsmack but I'm inclined to disagree with the point you make above... To me, it's essential, not just "ideal" that a keeper in a team the way we play needs to be a good shot-stopper too. Possession football is naturally high risk and it's therefore inevitable that we'll give the ball away in our final third much more than our opponents... as such, we will have much more 1-on-1s with our keeper than other less possession-obsessed teams will, in addition to more speculative shots from outside the box. It's therefore imperitive that our keeper is a good shot-stopper, otherwise the goals against tally ends up outweighing the benefits of keeping possession of the ball in the first place.

This is what I don't get with SR's / Wilcox's strategy... I understand the rewards that a high-possession strategy can potentially reap, but given the inherent risks of such a philosophy - i.e. that we will have much more counter-attacks against us compared to a 'normal' team - surely the highest priority of such a system is that you get the best possible shot-stopping keeper you can in order to defend said counter-attacks? It's pointless going for a keeper who is "good with the ball and fits our play-out-from-the-back approach" if he's not much cop without the ball....

I scored it 4/10 so I'm delighted with my rating so far...

Because the majority of footballers aren't blessed with the highest of IQs...?