Saint86

In fairness, newly relegated championship teams rarely get the best young manager coming through in the Spanish top flight who has been praised by Pep... I have serious concerns about our football under Martin, we have a far better team than a lot of sides we're facing and yet we're gifting goals, wasting possession/chances, and dropping points. Against that i acknowledge we've had huge churn off/on the field this summer and we are rebooting the entire tactical setup. The reality is, i think we're being carried by the strength of the playing squad rather than the tactics atm - although, that combination might get us promoted either way. I also do think that as this team grows together they will get more fluid and more dominating in games, and that we'll stop making the same mistakes etc at the back... the second half vs hull was at least promising in that we just took control and really did look like getting the winner - but against that, it was the same old frailties at the back which were clear for all to see. The concept of us playing like this in the premier league (assuming we get back) is horrifying. Long story short, the recent games have saved him from the sack, but they're yet to really convince me. With our squad and resources there really is no excuse not to be finishing top 3 or 4 this season - and if we don't i'll be laying that blame on Martin and SR as it stands. For me, we need to spend some money in January and actually strengthen the wing backs and get a proper CF. We're an injury to KWP away from being properly stuffed, and we've needed to be more clinical since Ings left.

He's deserved one for a while tbh, consistently one of our better players since he's been here. Sad reality is that i think he'll be gone in January if any serious bid comes in, or failing that in the summer. I guess its possible he might stick around if playoffs are on the cards given he knows he can exit for free in the summer regardless if we don't get promoted. Enjoy him whilst he's here at anyrate. I'm dreading the game where he gets suspended / injured and we have Holgate or bree to look forward to - feels like such a downgrade that we'll likely drop points.

Is there actually a working stream for this one?

I'd slam the door in her face and warn him he's about to be disowned. Can't even begin to imagine having that in the family.... 🤮

I suspect Levi Colwill is going to be a contender by the time he retires.

Agreed. It is an absolute joke.

Rotherham a very direct side then...

Ross Stewart will be a good option for us tbf. I don't have any issues selling tella (with 2 years left) and keeping Sulemana and Alcaraz.

Adkins is loving life since he stepped in down there. Great to see!

Won ugly today. Good result but not a great performance tactically given the relative quality of the teams and their injuries. A one off free kick and no var gave us those points. Should be good for team spirit though!! Does feel like the attackers are starting to gel as a team at least. Good performances by TBH, Baz, KWP, Downes, Stu, and Adam tonight. Gritty and shone when they needed to. Alcaraz made a couple of very nice passes. Sulemana threatened but needs to deliver more and no tracking back.

Question over what Mara adds?

Stoke are a really shit side. Play act and complain for absolutely everything and then leave their boots in and kick off with our players off the ball. I sincerely hope we don't drop points here.

And now he's been booked, although he should never have been there tbf. bad rerfereeing 🤣

Don't want to Jinx him, but Downes has had a cracking game today.

Mara been spending too much time in training with che?

Not sure why we switched Sulemana over earlier, he was having a field day prior to that. Unusually bad kick by Baz there.

Thank god there is no VAR in this game! 🤣 I'm sure the puritans amongst the stoke fans must be loving it!

It should have been a free kick and final warning as a minimum! How on earth did the referee think the ball went backwards 😕

Stick him in the number 8 shirt and write Stuart - Armstrong on the back... will be like he never left as far as tv camera views are concerned... Was a sublime free kick - fair play to him.

That was a second foul on sulemana by the booked Hoover just before half time. Ref bottled that big time.

Stoke fans calling "Wanker" for possibly the most blatant yellow (shirt pull on sulemana) you'll see in the efl tonight... 🤣

Feels like stoke will score if we carry on like this. We don't look like scoring and its only a matter of time before we gift them a goal.

Gone back to the same shit as before. Also, some of our passing back to the defence is exactly what was punished by teams like Ipswich and Leicester, too slow and predictable and easy to close down in the final 3rd - thankfully stoke have so far shown no real inclination or ability to press us when we're doing our "candy from a baby" football at the back.

Baz goes a bit longer and we get a good chance... on the back of Martin implying pre match that the players ignored his instructions to do that vs leeds 😕

Well played KWP - recovery wise anyway.