Saint86

Its certainly notable that we might tweak things and get on top for 5-10min... but then the opposition manager makes a slight change and we're nullified until say half time... then we'll change things for 5-10min... and then we're nullified again. Too easy for other managers to counter out setups and then he seems unable to figure that out or realise the danger. First half vs Bournemouth it was obvious it needed changing urgently at 2-0, we did nothing and the game was totally gone with the 3rd goal.

Have reflected on that awful performance over night. I do feel sorry for him tbh. Was always going to be a tough ask keeping us up, but feels like he's totally lost his way the last few games. I don't think the transfer window has been as brilliant as some (we could have loaned someone like Kepa for example and signed a better striker with the extra £25M. He did give us a great season last year (albeit we did almost fail to get over the line), and Wembley was a fantastic day out for the whole fanbase! It was also notable that he did have his dark times last year (Leicester post match interview in particular - and he seemed to used that as a motivation to change up, seemingly with a Neil Warnock intervention occurring behind the scenes... Strikes me he seems to fluctuate between extremes when the pressure is on, which isn't good, but he is a young manager at the end of the day... and who knows, if he stays on maybe he'll push on again - and he did i think prove those particular doubts wrong last year in that he did show he could change for the final run in and playoffs. Ultimately though, I don't think he's going to keep us up. At times we've played well, but we're not good enough to score the goals we need, and the players are making bad mistakes to cost us (and that isn't just on Martin): Bournemouth yesterday: The free kick was pure naivety, and then its compounded by the players very poor / limp reaction to go behind - I also think that ball was likely still moving and i wouldn't be at all surprised if it had been disallowed had we scored it - i.e., it was a good goal that you don't often see come off, and we've just been ruthlessly punished for that error. Deflected second goal Ipswich's deflected goal last week, bad positioning for the defence sure... but again ruthlessly punished - straight into the top corner - keeper no chance Penalty Miss vs united - that's just down to the players... simply not good enough!! Newcastle we outplayed even with 11men, players made one mistake and again punished. And sure, teams make their own luck by being better, but does feel like we're being punished for everything atm. And saying all that, i'm not actually sure anyone else will keep us up either... So if SR have decided that Martin is our man and are committed to him long term, that they think he will continue to grow and develop etc., and they're going to stick with him regardless of relegation - then frankly they need to say it... Because otherwise he's basically being hung out to dry, facing the music every week with all and sundry waiting for him to get sacked... Which is a grim level of pressure for anyone to be under and won't help the team or the fans. Equally, if we're going to sack him soon, then for goodness sake get it over and done with - we're using up winnable games and he needs putting out of his misery, he's a nice enough bloke who gave us some good times and no one wants to watch it all fall apart for him in a long drawn out slow motion car crash...

PSR. Basically stops relegation by default. We were just unlucky enough to go down as it came in. Clubs that get relegated get wrecked by the turmoil it causes, then get promoted and can't spend the same as the worst surviving prem club. And clubs coming up from lower leagues (that avoid that mess) don't have the infastructure to really threaten because it takes years of funding to establish squad depth, commercial revenues, and quality training / academy setups. PSR is one foot into the world of removing relegation.

"Finally leaning" ... "towards thinking". Mate. Do you want any paint to go with that fence.

I think that's going to be it for our favourite vegan tbh. First half was absolutely dire. Looks like hes lost, no idea what line up or tactics to pick, totally scattergun and all over the place. Feel for him, but I just can't see how he can continue. Getting worse if anything.

They should sack him after this shit fest and just go and get potter. Relegation will cost far more.

But but but... we have standing, fanzones, and pens... We're awesome now?!?!

Both 9-0s were Mike Dean / fatty boy mason infested. That is the most hopeless half I've ever seen a saints side play I think. Bournemouth could score at will every attack of they had better players. We should be 6-0 down, not 3-0.

The thing is, whatever comes out in the second half, we've just thrown away another game against supposedly weaker opposition. It's just not good enough. Really does look like he's completely out of his depth and if that is the case we may as well sack him now - don't waste Leicester at home as well.

Yes.

There is a parallel universe where your namesake was never undermined and sacked and we're an established top 10 club looking towards Europe with our best academy talents still at the club, as well as tino and lavia... Oh well ey?

He appears woefully out of his depth by allowing this to continue. The game is now gone. Shocking.

Martin has just sat here. Watched this formation be appalling. Watched them score 2. Watched them attack more and more, stroked his beard nervously a number of times, changed nothing and allowed it to continue.... And sure enough they've scored a 3rd. Entirely on Martin that goal, inexcusable.

And now a deflection. We ain't playing well, but we're getting bent over. And all of that from fernandes recieving a two handed push right in front of Oliver and nothing being given.

Feels harsh there. Ball maybe moving and lesley (I think) should have just kicked it away slightly to prevent the quick kick... Basics... And we've been punished with a really good goal. Harsh.

Loving all the fans that didn't want to sign Delap 😂

There needs to be more urgency/fire/ruthlessness etc. Bournemouth have just had a poor result, will be fired up for sure, and no we're soft as anything - they'll come into this game looking to bury us. At the moment, i feel like Martin seems to be treating the premier league as a bit of a novelty/jolly to be enjoyed... Its not enough. And okay, maybe the club feel they've sorted the finances/squad out and feel much safer re the impacts of another relegation... but it would still be grim for the club and the staff, and the players as well. As it is though, the manager and players seem more relaxed than i would like over how we've started. Maybe that is credit to Martin and his team.... But equally, we're staring the shit right in the face already. And for whatever reason, there still doesn't seem to be enough fight/urgency (for their premier league lives) amongst the players as yet - and we are absolutely at that stage already this season. A win is needed ASAP..... And they're going to need to raise their game for this Bournemouth game. And after this game its Arsenal Away, Leicester home (regularly a bogey fixture for us and a 6pointer - if we're lucky😂), and then City Away. After that its Everton (who are going to start picking up points at some points no question). So for me, we absolutely have to get 2 wins and a draw out of Leicester/Everton/Bournemouth) or we're pretty cooked IMO. That would put us on 8 for 9. And after that, we'll have already played most of the weakest teams in the league and things will only get harder - The next 4 games will be Brighton/Liverpool/Chelsea/Villa.

This can never happen again... Absolutely suicidal, let alone when defending a lead. WTF... Edit... Just coming back to this image. I don't think i've ever witnessed a defensive setup this appalling from a corner - I am almost speechless at it. They are premier league players ffs... That is our entire team almost camped in our own 6 yard box. And still the player in the centre of the 6yard box is unmarked, and the guy at the back post... let alone the 3 outside the box. We've basically used our 10 outfield players to effectively mark 4 (maybe 5) Ipswich players - leaving the other 4-5 to do whatever they want. Its shocking.

Agree. He was unlucky with both his big chances. The first one he does so well to take it round the keeper and defence. And the second one it takes a bad bounce and he does all he can to get his toe on it with power. Just wasn't to be. He looks alright in a 4-2-3-1 with Fernandes, Lallana, and dibbling controlling the play and feeding him. There were at least signs of progress in this game. Put a 2nd chance away and we win - As per last season, we were better than Ipswich and have again lost to pure fluke from them, its becoming a bad joke - Let alone having them singing "its happened again" at the end 🤮

Just watched MoTD. Not only did he give away the stupid free kick that started that entire period of late Ipswich pressure on our box. He also missed his header to let Hirst in behind him (despite a massive height advantage), which resulted in Ramsdale knocking it over for the corner... which resulted directly in the goal. A bad day at the office for Stewart all round. Although ironically, he was perfectly placed to block the shot on goal until the deflection. In fact MoTD have covered the prior header in detail... Lack of pressing after we had cleared well let Ipswich back in... and then Stewart misses the header.. Hirst has to be the smallest player in that area ffs. A real shame. Hopefully though they can take the positives from that game - it was ultimately a much better performance. No excuse really for Stewart missing that header. He's a big CF and he's under no pressure...

Reality is that we played well, but we didn't take our chances and Martin bottled it at the end with the subs and changes. That an Ipswich once again are the luckiest team i've ever seen us play. 3 times now. absolute joke. Out strikers are just not good enough for this level, which may well send us down. As an aside, how many millions have SR spent now to still not replace danny ings... Who i think is outscoring (or at least matching) our current strikers, despite playing in a struggling Spam side.

Tall Paul is miles better than Ross Stewart.

At the end of the season, how many teams do you think will get worse result at home against Ipswich?

Ross Stewart should never have been on the pitch. All that pressure from his needless foul/free kick. Added nothing at all.

Currently top of Serie A.