saintant

Jason Wilcox looked pissed off sat in the stands watching his team get dismantled in an embarrassing fashion by Liverpool.

This is an international break that we certainly need. It allows RM the chance to reflect on our first three games and come up with a strategy and line-up to improve us. He then has a couple of weeks to work on that with the players who are not away on international break. I hope he uses the time wisely.

Yes, it's a joke which is why I posted a smiley face - obviously lost on you.

Not if we match the way they set up 🙂

Unlikely but we live in hope. It's what most good sides do.

Watching Liverpool they are set up how we should be 4 2 3 1 with Archer up top. The pivot would be Downes and Big Les with the 3 in front of them Dibbling, Cornet and Fernandes. Obviously I'm not suggesting we'd play anywhere as good as Liverpool but I reckon if we cut out the overplaying from the back and some of the sideways backwards stuff we'd look a reasonable team, give away less soft goals and create/score more.

Ok, I'd play a double pivot of Downes and Big Les with Fernandes in front of them and a 433 system. Up front I'd play Cornet and Dibbling either side of Archer. Back four KWP Sagawara Bednarek and THB (I know he's looked poor but I think he is better in a back 4 rather than 3 at the back with wing backs). I'd encourage us to play from the back only when reasonably safe to do so and not be afraid to hit longer balls over opposition press. I'd ask the midfield to play on the half turn and transition the ball far more quickly than we do. I'd give Adam Lallana as much playing time as he can manage off the bench. I'd ask the front 3 to press the opposition hard when they are playing out. May not all work or be sensible but just some of my own ideas as you asked for.

RA wasn't the brains behind Brentford. I think it was Phil Giles.

Not sure why you can't make any critical comments unless you can come up with an alternative system/coach.

Wow, this lad looks a prospect. Didn't know we'd signed him.

Agree with this. Downes and Big Les could be the two to play the double pivot and arguably we should have started them there yesterday.

Some brilliant points here.

You rarely, if ever, hear a player say anything remotely critical of his own manager and there's a fairly obvious reason for that.

And those wearing red and white tinted glasses are going to continue looking through them.

So it's perfectly fine for you to express criticism of the performance of those at the club but not for others. Interesting.

Well let's wait and see shall we. In case you haven't been reading this forum closely enough more and more people are of the same opinion. Bury your head in the sand if it makes the noise go away.

As I suspected - pretty much what lots of us are saying.

So you're saying, despite RM continually telling anyone who'll listen that he will never change his play out from the back philosophy, he will do exactly that? I'm not holding my breath.

Nail on head. He really is a very limited coach/manager who hides behind this foolhardy mantra that he is going to turn the team into one that can comfortably play out from the back and then work the ball through midfield into attack to score beautiful goals. Admittedly we scored a few goals like that last season but against far inferior opponents.

What did Murphy say? I think I could probably hazard a guess.

Just RM copying Pep again.

Far too sensible an approach for Russ who is determined to reinvent the way teams with less talent play the game. He'll be found out eventually and his support will dwindle away as more fans realise the damage he's doing to our club and players.

He was wasted sat on the bench when he should have been in the starting line up.

I think a lot of the anger on here today is due to disappointment and frustration at the team selection and the tactics. Having been really pleased at the incomings during the transfer window we expected to see a stronger and braver team selection. When we saw the team many of us suspected it would be a continuation of the abject display against Forest - we could see it coming and RM didn't disappoint. That is what has fueled a lot of the anger directed at Martin. I don't blame the players because they were used as cannon fodder today and it needn't have been like that. RM owns today's debacle.

This all day.