S-Clarke

Stephens is an odd one, as individually he's done absolutely nothing wrong and I feel a bit sorry for him. The issue we all have is the 'shoe-horning' and overcomplicating of his role. He's a CB, or a full back at a push/in an emergency. Martin seems to be imagining that he's some sort of Pirlo/Iniesta in how he can use the ball in the middle, but it's bollocks. He's perfectly decent on the ball, but so is Downes, Charles, Smallbone, Aribo - you know, players who are actual midfielders. I don't know what problem he is trying to solve with this weird floating role.

I think both he and ABK have had a bit of a wakeup call, they both wanted out as they thought they were better/PL quality, but neither have played at PSV or Nice respectivly. (Granted, ABK has had injuries, but he's only played 9 times for PSV and that's a shit league). The only thing dictating them staying with us are the wages - we will have to cut our wage bill enormously next year, if ABK/Perraud are on shit loads then we'll probably have to beg someone to take them again.

Yep, exactly. So they'll end up being 6 points clear of Ipswich going into the final 2 games.

I wouldn't go celebrating a clean sheet against Blackburn too much. They're not great at all and we did then 5-0 at home only a few months back. We didn't need to defend amazingly as it was such a piss poor game from both sides. If we'd have come under any form of concerted pressure today I can almost guarantee we'd have let at least one in. Blackburn hardly huffed.

Good summary, that's exactly how I see us since Feb. We've tried to fix issues that weren't issues in the first place. I like Brooks as a player, but he doesn't suit us and does not fit into the team. I think someone more direct and quick would have been a better fit. We don't seem to know where to play Rothwell either, he's rubbish as a deeper CM - absolute shite. We benefit more when he's in that driving role in and around the 10, but for some reason we like him to play deeper. Like you say though, we didn't need him and I'm not sure what problem he was supposed to solve. We could have put Rothwells wages down on a centre forward and it would have been more fruitful. A really odd January where we ignored our main issues and added players to fix the issues we didn't have.

What a huge weekend it was for Leicester, they took full advantage when it looked like they were about to slip up too. From them wobbling badly, they have stabilised themselves a bit and put themselves right back up there, with a game in hand (win that and they're 6 points clear of Ipswich). It's going to be interesting to watch from afar, I 'think' it'll be Leeds and Leicester but I couldn't tell you what order. They're fortunate they both have to play us, so they can count on those 3 points in the bag.

Perraud played in pre-season and also the cup loss to Gillingham, Manning was signed weeks before. It was Perraud who wanted out, he was one of those who saw himself as having a 'PL Market' but actually didn't have a PL market. Salisu was another.

I think we were brave as supporters for watching it. Took some bravery to sit through that shit-fest that's for sure.

Brooks is such an odd one, clearly very talented but it seems as if we've brought him in because he's 'talented', rather than having an actual fit into our team. He looks so disjointed in our side, can't get into the game, roaming everywhere. Only Southampton could make a player like Brooks look bad at this level. Only us. Rothwell isn't even worth a place on the bench. Hope he stays at Bournemouth in the summer and we don't do something daft like buy him.

There was nothing to cling onto even if we won.

That was a really, really, really terrible performance. No energy, no quality on the ball, no real chances created. Played safe in the middle third and between the back 4. Blackburn defended well, kept it tight, but we didn't make them think or work. It was truly abysmal. Way too predictable, way too slow, way too one-dimensional. One of the worst Championship games of the season for any side without a doubt. This is why I always feared for our 'prolonged' break, it has absolutely killed us dead because it allowed the coaches to over think.

Not really much to purr about, lots of mis placed passes, really slow build up, isolated front 3. I don't see much to shout about from that first half, it's been turgid. I know some people will proclaim control, but a better quality side against our lacklustre display today and we're dead.

I don't think you can generally put that at Frasers door, he has done that a lot this year and has been our best wide option imo. Both wide players have been below par today, but I believe the issue is that there is no link between the midfield and attack as Joe Rothwell has been quite simply horrific. Bar a couple of home goals, he has been a disaster for us.

I think ''Potential does not win promotion. Outstanding consistent attacking players and strikers do, but we don't have any''.

That's how I see it. Norwich v Ipswich (6th v 3rd) WBA v Saints (5th v 4th) Final of Saints v Ipswich, just a feeling.

I guess your whole post is tounge in cheek? The poster was the one who stayed at the hotel, not Rotherham's keeper.

We'll end the season stranded in 4th, I'm pretty confident on that one.

I've always stood by the feeling that we'll end up high 80's, low 90's points wise. As SNSUN said above, in most seasons enough for 2nd no worries. We just couldn't maintain the pace of the top 3, we did for a little bit which allowed us back in there (we needed a 26 game unbeaten run to do it though), but then we just fell through the floor before we could even start to create any breathing space. Pretty relentless up their this year, we just haven't been good enough to sustain it which is disappointing given the quality we have.

Someone quoted the black and white table to Martin as above (i.e. the worst XG keeper in the league). Martin's response as I expected to be honest. "I don't really understand that stat, but speak to Dean (Thornton) or the other goalies - there have been numerous games where he's been outstanding this season.

I reckon he'd consider staying if we broached it, but financially we won't be able to go for players like him if we remain down (WHU would want £15m, he'd want 40-50k). Leeds picked up a really good player from a European league in the summer that not many had heard of, Gruev. Cost them 2-3m. Coventry found Hamer when they were a l1 club for around £1m. Players are out there of equal footing if we have good enough scouting, but that's where the issue starts with us. Our perm signings have been horrendous for far too long. As a Championship club we spent £20m on two players this summer, 1 was injured and still is so has never kicked a ball, and the other is bit-part at best and isn't trusted to play when we don't have a CM available.

First confirmed outcome from this years Championship - the inevitable Rotherham relegation. Lost at home to Plymouth tonight meaning that they are mathematically gone. (big result for Plymouth though)

I'm down for that, I'd only accept 1k a week as well.

I did find that odd, Armstrong is usually blowing after 60 mins anyway and that's been the case for many years now. He should not have been on the pitch at 80mins.

That is true, they can also be spikey - but they have history to backup them being spikey, I personally don't think Martin is good enough (yet) or has achieved enough (yet) to be as defensive he is about his 'way'. Fair enough if he'd won the Champions League with Bayern, Barca and the league with City whilst playing that way, you'd allow him to be a bit defensive to protect his style, but with Martin it's a bit different as he's never achieved anything to be as defensive as he is.

It's not a great look when they go defensive like that, Jones was very much the same. That's what you get with Martin though, when things aren't going well he gets spikey and very, very defensive of everything he does. Adam Blackmore has been given the brunt of that. He's no where near as spikey as Jones (yet), but it's in his makeup for sure. The best managers won't even bring that up or feel the need to address it as they let themselves do the talking, but the constant need to defend himself comes across as a a lack of confidence and a potential nerve being hit. I'm sure he knows.