trousers

What's this 8x8 malarkey all about then? (apologies, I've not been on the forum as much as usual over the last few weeks so have probably missed a revelation or two!)

Aw... don't spoil the fun.... It's quite an amusing spectator sport... especially when they end up resorting to the stock denials... In 3....2....1....

And therein lies the problem.... Martin's way of playing inherently induces 'panic' in players which often results in them getting caught in two minds (i.e. what they would instinctively do versus what they have been told to do).

Russell Martin just said on MotD that he takes the blame for the first goal because of the way he asks his players to play...

My wife (who dislikes football.... yep, she's the smart one in this relationship!) remarked at that point that I must be happy with how the game is going... I stated that there's no point being pleased about taking the lead because we would still go on to lose... I think she was impressed with my ability to predict the future with such clarity and utter certainty!

Was keeping one eye on the match whilst doing an all day decorating stint (living the dream...) so haven't read anyone else's reactions yet, but if that game doesn't finally lay to rest the Saintsweb contrarian fallacy that a higher calibre manager couldn't get a better tune out of these players then I'm Fanny Craddock. If the likes of Koeman or Pochettino were in the home dugout with those same players against an off-the-boil Liverpool side then we get something out of the game. Playing Russ Martin's tactics, we don't. It really is as simple as that to my mind.

Like you've just done you mean...? (Oops... And me too...)

Internet supply issues in the Glasgow area due to high winds, I'm hearing...

If there was ever one observation that underlines how inept our recruitment team were over the summer, this is it... How can it ever be acceptable to end up in a situation where we only have 2 centre backs worthy of a place in a match day squad of 20 players? How these decision makers are still in a job beggars belief....

Anyone got the phone number for social services....?

If only all those that are good at 'hounding him out' from behind their keyboards also gave it a try at the stadium...

You've not looked up the Andorran Football League then...?

Psychedelic

...

Of all the tens of thousands of words posted on this thread, these five are possibly the only words that were ever needed...

IEEE 802.3

Some might say he's the team's coccyx...

Fair point, although I would venture that the amount of times this happens with Martin is open to debate / opinion. (It's often very subtle from what I've seen). And yes, of course, most other managers let the mask slip from time to time too... but I guess the "dislike" with Russ is amplified somewhat when you have the combination of attitude and tactics in play at the same time. In other words, if people like the football being played they are less likely to get narked by how a manager comes across in interviews, I would suggest.

Indeed. Me too. But that's probably why you and I aren't paid millions of pounds to sit in front of said microphone and act professionally at all times. It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it....

I'm guessing that the "dislike" is as much to do with the somewhat sardonic and haughty attitude that comes across in some of his interviews as it is to do with his dogmatic approach to the game, per se...?

Any chance you could remind us at least 3 times a day how on-the-ball you are with this PSR malarkey? I tend to lose track if its only mentioned every now and then. Much obliged....

Maybe I'm not thinking straight, or the sarcasm has gone over my head, but how can we miss someone who's had next to zero impact in the 14 months he's been here...?

Anyone else seeing the irony in a Scottish Nationalist citing nationalism as a bad idea...? At least it'll give Alanis Morrisette a new verse should she ever feel the need to write a sophomore version of her most renowned piece of work...

Blimey, didn't realise Hoddle was also a manager whilst still playing for Spurs...