Russell Martin

[The Kraken]

17 minutes ago, Turkish said:

When can we expect the next sermon from @gio1saints telling us we aren’ grateful for having our identity back and at least it isn’t as bad as last season not all failure is bad. You sad fucks

Stop being a sad fuck. Twar knows his onions.

[Miltonaggro]

2 hours ago, CB Fry said:

And we're definitely sure that this is so much better than the 100 years of mediocrity Saints fans have had to suffer up to the appointment of Russell Martin?

Sad fucks, on the right side of history methinks…

[Miltonaggro]

On 28/03/2024 at 14:06, Miltonaggro said:

Good traditional centre back pairing:

Mike Pickering and Reuben Agboola, strength in depth in those McMenemy sides…

Edited March 29 by Miltonaggro

[Tauro]

He made some poor decisions today, pulling Sulemana and Small one was a couple. Potentially hooking the wasteful Adams. He still made more happend than Mara or Armstrong through the middle.  

 

Defence was shit for their equaliser..

[captainchris]

1 hour ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

One thing I said to my mates the other day is that RM’s team selections sometimes feel like he’s managing an U14 game in Sunday League.

All these kids have paid their subs for the season, therefore he has to equally share out the minutes etc.

Whatever happened to playing on merit? I don’t see how Sulemana makes that team with no contribution all season. Stephens inclusion in recent weeks is very questionable (albeit I get international duty for JB). Che Adams is another one, good for a cameo but he squanders more chances than he scores.

He needs to stop being their mates and be ruthless.

I want to back RM but he really doesn’t help himself sometimes.

You have to say RM does appear to be slightly off the pace on average.

Too often he picks a team that includes a player or two that doesn’t justify inclusion in the starting line up.

For sure he does have his favourites which is never healthy, wise or productive.
 

Martin is generally slow to see tactical changes from the opposition and sits on his hands until the obligatory 60mins plus before making subs who are often again suspect.

I am seeing a pressing of the repeat button now and considering the squad he has I’m less and less convinced that RM is quite up to the mark…

In general we are conceding far too many goals often even though we dominate the number of passes. He certainly is dithering with team selection and obviously has no idea of his best team even at this late stage in the season.

Rothwell has dug him out of the mire twice now and without those points we really would be well short of where we should be.

If we don’t get promotion I really think he won’t improve next year particularly with a potentially much weaker squad so therefor it’s now or never for him…. 
 

The other thing is I don’t see him improving players so have to say on balance he is running out of leeway in the bank. I can see Wilcox coming under pressure to lean on him again. I expect to see his next presser with him rather more sheepish again as he was last time he got a rollicking…

 

 

[Lighthouse]

14 minutes ago, Tauro said:

He made some poor decisions today, pulling Sulemana and Small one was a couple. Potentially hooking the wasteful Adams. He still made more happend than Mara or Armstrong through the middle.  

 

Defence was shit for their equaliser..

Pulling your small one is never a poor decision, IMO.

[Galway saint]

21 minutes ago, captainchris said:

You have to say RM does appear to be slightly off the pace on average.

Too often he picks a team that includes a player or two that doesn’t justify inclusion in the starting line up.

For sure he does have his favourites which is never healthy, wise or productive.
 

Martin is generally slow to see tactical changes from the opposition and sits on his hands until the obligatory 60mins plus before making subs who are often again suspect.

I am seeing a pressing of the repeat button now and considering the squad he has I’m less and less convinced that RM is quite up to the mark…

In general we are conceding far too many goals often even though we dominate the number of passes. He certainly is dithering with team selection and obviously has no idea of his best team even at this late stage in the season.

Rothwell has dug him out of the mire twice now and without those points we really would be well short of where we should be.

If we don’t get promotion I really think he won’t improve next year particularly with a potentially much weaker squad so therefor it’s now or never for him…. 
 

The other thing is I don’t see him improving players so have to say on balance he is running out of leeway in the bank. I can see Wilcox coming under pressure to lean on him again. I expect to see his next presser with him rather more sheepish again as he was last time he got a rollicking…

 

 

I agree with a lot this.

He‘s far too dogmatic 

if we go up his approach will see us getting walloped and if we don’t go up I can’t see him doing better next year with a weaker squad 

his sides concede too many goals and don’t capitalise on the enormous possession they enjoy 

[Give it to Ron]

38 minutes ago, captainchris said:

You have to say RM does appear to be slightly off the pace on average.

Too often he picks a team that includes a player or two that doesn’t justify inclusion in the starting line up.

For sure he does have his favourites which is never healthy, wise or productive.
 

Martin is generally slow to see tactical changes from the opposition and sits on his hands until the obligatory 60mins plus before making subs who are often again suspect.

I am seeing a pressing of the repeat button now and considering the squad he has I’m less and less convinced that RM is quite up to the mark…

In general we are conceding far too many goals often even though we dominate the number of passes. He certainly is dithering with team selection and obviously has no idea of his best team even at this late stage in the season.

Rothwell has dug him out of the mire twice now and without those points we really would be well short of where we should be.

If we don’t get promotion I really think he won’t improve next year particularly with a potentially much weaker squad so therefor it’s now or never for him…. 
 

The other thing is I don’t see him improving players so have to say on balance he is running out of leeway in the bank. I can see Wilcox coming under pressure to lean on him again. I expect to see his next presser with him rather more sheepish again as he was last time he got a rollicking…

 

 

Rothwell scores 2 in last home game yet doesn’t get a minute today!

[Saint_clark]

55 minutes ago, Tauro said:

He made some poor decisions today, pulling Sulemana and Small one was a couple. Potentially hooking the wasteful Adams. He still made more happend than Mara or Armstrong through the middle.  

 

Defence was shit for their equaliser..

He was clearly thinking about monday when today wasn't even won yet. Amateur mistake. 

[Saint_clark]

41 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Pulling your small one is never a poor decision, IMO.

In front of 30,000 people it is. 

[Bakovnetski]

Not such a good performance was RM and one of his bench cronies shouting “fuck off” to supporters who had dared to leave seats on 96 minutes when the foul for Boro was given away.

[Wade Garrett]

Another head-scratcher today when it comes to substitutions.  

At 1-0 up with a few minutes to go, and Boro throwing men forward, why didn’t we protect the lead.  Bednarek could have come into a back 5.

 

 

 

[FarehamSaintJames]

I did find it funny how he brought on Aribo and Edozie immediately after the equaliser.

Both of which should have started in my opinion. What good is that in the 91st minute?

The only change that should’ve been made, reluctantly I might add is Stephens for Bednarek, solely because of the internationals.

Edozie is far more effective than Sulemana. Aribo hadn’t done much wrong either.

Tactical decisions and starting teams cost us in February. Simple as.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

I did find it funny how he brought on Aribo and Edozie immediately after the equaliser.

Both of which should have started in my opinion. What good is that in the 91st minute?

The only change that should’ve been made, reluctantly I might add is Stephens for Bednarek, solely because of the internationals.

Edozie is far more effective than Sulemana. Aribo hadn’t done much wrong either.

Tactical decisions and starting teams cost us in February. Simple as.

The substitutions should have been made much earlier, around 75 minutes or so. Aribo for Smallbone was an obvious one to make. 
 

Sulemana was his usual expensive ineffective performance and should never have started. 

[coalman]

1 hour ago, Whitey Grandad said:

The substitutions should have been made much earlier, around 75 minutes or so. Aribo for Smallbone was an obvious one to make. 
 

Sulemana was his usual expensive ineffective performance and should never have started. 

I don't get why he persists with Sulemana. There are 3 wingers that are more effective at the club (possibly 4 depending on where you stand on Sam A-A). It's like he's 2/3 or a really excellent footballer. Right up to the point where he has to do something with the ball.

[Toussaint]

He was alway  a risky choice for us in our situation, that is for a club trying to bounce back at the first go. 

[Whitey Grandad]

16 minutes ago, coalman said:

I don't get why he persists with Sulemana. There are 3 wingers that are more effective at the club (possibly 4 depending on where you stand on Sam A-A). It's like he's 2/3 or a really excellent footballer. Right up to the point where he has to do something with the ball.

It was that wild slash at the ball in the first half that finally settled it for me. Either hammer it low across goal or at least get a shot on target but that effort was woefully amateurish.

[AlexLaw76]

21 minutes ago, coalman said:

I don't get why he persists with Sulemana. There are 3 wingers that are more effective at the club (possibly 4 depending on where you stand on Sam A-A). It's like he's 2/3 or a really excellent footballer. Right up to the point where he has to do something with the ball.

Be he is "brave" and "deserves" to be on the pitch?

[Midfield_General]

1 hour ago, coalman said:

I don't get why he persists with Sulemana. There are 3 wingers that are more effective at the club (possibly 4 depending on where you stand on Sam A-A). It's like he's 2/3 or a really excellent footballer. Right up to the point where he has to do something with the ball.

He’s a last 15 mins player. Throw him on as a Hail Mary if we’re losing and getting desperate. Get him to run at tired legs and just try to win a foul/ pen or put them on the back foot to create space for others. He’s had over a year now and plenty of opportunities to show that he’s worth a starting place, and all he’s done is show that he isn’t. Injuries aside he should never in a million years be starting ahead of Fraser, Brooks or Edozie. He’s an expensive mistake who management can’t accept simply isn’t worth anywhere near what they paid for him. 

[S-Clarke]

13 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

He’s a last 15 mins player. Throw him on as a Hail Mary if we’re losing and getting desperate. Get him to run at tired legs and just try to win a foul/ pen or put them on the back foot to create space for others. He’s had over a year now and plenty of opportunities to show that he’s worth a starting place, and all he’s done is show that he isn’t. Injuries aside he should never in a million years be starting ahead of Fraser, Brooks or Edozie. He’s an expensive mistake who management can’t accept simply isn’t worth anywhere near what they paid for him. 

Add him to the list of atrocious and unceccecary signings over the last so many windows. We really need to sort our shit out as these mistakes aren't going to be recoverable from without PL money.

Our recruitment is bordering on criminal negligence. We even spent £10m at this level on an injured striker in August when we needed a striker, and he's still injured.

[Professor]

In his post match comments, Martin said we should have won 3-0.  That's not really honest, as it ignores the fact that 'Boro were unlucky not to score earlier in the second half with a shot that hit the post.  Their equaliser was a well worked goal with the ball lofted over the defenders in the box to an unmarked player on the far side of the penalty area. I'd prefer the manager to be honest with us fans instead of making comments that just like excuses.

On paper, we have a strong group of players for this division, which does look likely to have us in the Play-offs, even if we drop more points in the tough games ahead. I'm not sure we're ready for promotion. 

[Whitey Grandad]

8 minutes ago, Professor said:

In his post match comments, Martin said we should have won 3-0.  That's not really honest, as it ignores the fact that 'Boro were unlucky not to score earlier in the second half with a shot that hit the post.  Their equaliser was a well worked goal with the ball lofted over the defenders in the box to an unmarked player on the far side of the penalty area. I'd prefer the manager to be honest with us fans instead of making comments that just like excuses.

On paper, we have a strong group of players for this division, which does look likely to have us in the Play-offs, even if we drop more points in the tough games ahead. I'm not sure we're ready for promotion. 

In the centre of the penalty area. Right on the penalty spot.

[Wade Garrett]

Fuck knows how Dragan became a billionaire, because his tenure at the club has been one shit decision after another.  Choice of managers included.

Edited March 30 by Wade Garrett

[Maggie May]

Should we have stuck with Selles? 

[EssEffCee]

2 minutes ago, Maggie May said:

Should we have stuck with Selles? 

Absolutely not 

[saintant]

2 hours ago, Professor said:

In his post match comments, Martin said we should have won 3-0.  That's not really honest, as it ignores the fact that 'Boro were unlucky not to score earlier in the second half with a shot that hit the post.  Their equaliser was a well worked goal with the ball lofted over the defenders in the box to an unmarked player on the far side of the penalty area. I'd prefer the manager to be honest with us fans instead of making comments that just like excuses.

On paper, we have a strong group of players for this division, which does look likely to have us in the Play-offs, even if we drop more points in the tough games ahead. I'm not sure we're ready for promotion. 

Did Boro hit the post twice? I know they hit post in first half but don't remember seeing them hit it in second half. Probably an exaggeration for RM to claim we should have won 3-0 but we certainly should have won but for the missed chances.

[Galway saint]

5 hours ago, coalman said:

I don't get why he persists with Sulemana. There are 3 wingers that are more effective at the club (possibly 4 depending on where you stand on Sam A-A). It's like he's 2/3 or a really excellent footballer. Right up to the point where he has to do something with the ball.

he persists because he cost us £20million plus and we are hoping at some point he will come good so we don’t have to write off the investment. 

its the same reason he persists with Bazunu despite his failings 

we really have bought some mediocre players; it’s the loans that have saved us  but they won’t be here next year if we don’t go up, albeit am optimistic Fraser will stay regardless.

 

 

[Dark Munster]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

Fuck knows how Dragan became a billionaire, because his tenure at the club has been one shit decision after another.  Choice of managers included.

He wasn't involved in those shit decisions, like the choice of managers and our appalling transfer record. That's on Ankersen and the rest of the SR clown show.

That being said, Dragan is responsible for having them in charge, and letting those incompetent muppets keep get away with their gross mismanagement since he bought the club. Heads should've rolled the day after we got relegated.

Dragan knows f*ck all how to run a football club, which is ok as he's just the owner. The problem is neither do Ankersen and SR, and Dragan doesn't seem to realise that.

Edited March 30 by Dark Munster

[Wade Garrett]

2 hours ago, Dark Munster said:

He wasn't involved in those shit decisions, like the choice of managers and our appalling transfer record. That's on Ankersen and the rest of the SR clown show.

That being said, Dragan is responsible for having them in charge, and letting those incompetent muppets keep get away with their gross mismanagement since he bought the club. Heads should've rolled the day after we got relegated.

Dragan knows f*ck all how to run a football club, which is ok as he's just the owner. The problem is neither do Ankersen and SR, and Dragan doesn't seem to realise that.

He has the power to hire and fire.  As far as I’m concerned it’s down to him.  Any one of us could tell that Ankersen was an arrogant test who knows Jack shit.  He should have known as well.

[Raging Bull]

3 hours ago, Maggie May said:

Should we have stuck with Selles? 

[AlexLaw76]

Good point made on the TSP..

8 of the last 10 playoff winners have kept a clean sheet at Wembley...Keeping a clean sheet is something we are unable to do, sadly

[CB Fry]

I think Russell Martin is by far the best manager we have ever had in our entire history.

Edited April 1 by CB Fry

[Toussaint]

26 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

I think Russell Martin is bar far the best manager we have ever had in our entire history.

Longer than that. So humble as well. It’s only a few of us who are enlightened enough to see it. 

[Long Shot]

For me the most important consideration is will Wilcox’s replacement be chosen because he is an advocate of the tip tappy hipster Pep style football and Russell is backed or will they consider someone who thinks the club should play another way. 
If we do go up I can see RM’s style of football being ripped apart by the Premiership attack dogs. 

[manji]

On 29/03/2024 at 21:33, Galway saint said:

I agree with a lot this.

He‘s far too dogmatic 

if we go up his approach will see us getting walloped and if we don’t go up I can’t see him doing better next year with a weaker squad 

his sides concede too many goals and don’t capitalise on the enormous possession they enjoy 

I like Marin but I have a feeling whatever happens ( except for a miraculous run from now until the end of the season ) I can’t be bothered to look it up but SR sacked the Goztepe manager when they were doing well. Bit of a shock but the new guy improved things even more. 
Dont want to start a SR argument but they have put a lot of effort into Southampton. Not sure they will tolerate this if the poor results continue.

Really like Martin but in the PL not so sure. SR aren’t going to dump us and I’m damn sure they’ve been following European managers. 

[Saint_clark]

4 minutes ago, manji said:

I like Marin but I have a feeling whatever happens ( except for a miraculous run from now until the end of the season ) I can’t be bothered to look it up but SR sacked the Goztepe manager when they were doing well. Bit of a shock but the new guy improved things even more. 
Dont want to start a SR argument but they have put a lot of effort into Southampton. Not sure they will tolerate this if the poor results continue.

Really like Martin but in the PL not so sure. SR aren’t going to dump us and I’m damn sure they’ve been following European managers. 

Ah, the old Cortese approach. I like it. 

Unfortunately I don't agree. I think they see this style of football under Martin as the one that will have us "successful" in the Prem, by whatever metric they measure success. 

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, Saint_clark said:

Ah, the old Cortese approach. I like it. 

Unfortunately I don't agree. I think they see this style of football under Martin as the one that will have us "successful" in the Prem, by whatever metric they measure success. 

If they believe that then they are deluded.

[Saint_clark]

Just now, Whitey Grandad said:

If they believe that then they are deluded.

I agree. If we had City or Newcastles millions to buy the best young ball playing players all over the park then sure, but we were regularly outspent by Brighton, Bournemouth, Fulham etc even when we'd been in the Prem longer than them. It's a recipe for suicide. 

[Midfield_General]

‘Blind, obsessive devotion to a system that is fundamentally flawed as it leaks goals and has a track record of only ever delivering mid-table obscurity? Yes, that sounds guaranteed to get us promotion, let’s do it!’ 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

28 minutes ago, manji said:

I like Marin but I have a feeling whatever happens ( except for a miraculous run from now until the end of the season ) I can’t be bothered to look it up but SR sacked the Goztepe manager when they were doing well. Bit of a shock but the new guy improved things even more. 
Dont want to start a SR argument but they have put a lot of effort into Southampton. Not sure they will tolerate this if the poor results continue.

Really like Martin but in the PL not so sure. SR aren’t going to dump us and I’m damn sure they’ve been following European managers. 

Would they see where we are as "poor results continuing"

I can see arguments for there being some acknowledgment of some rebuild required; the unbeaten run; the lack of getting in a fit striker or a Tella replacement; RM is clearly in line with the system they feel will deliver success in the longer term.

Sure, there are then arguments to go the other way again. But just wanted to point out that failure to get through the playoffs could well give RM another season.

22 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Ah, the old Cortese approach. I like it. 

Unfortunately I don't agree. I think they see this style of football under Martin as the one that will have us "successful" in the Prem, by whatever metric they measure success. 

I think this is exactly how they see it. A reliance on system to augment the difference in skill levels to keep us up. Which is what we got, to a fair degree, from Poch and Ralph. Just with different approaches.

They also fancy themselves as a left field, budget Man City. Hoover up enough of their young talent, play a possession game and outsmart other clubs to success and riches, when players move on.

When I last mentioned Man City, someone pointed out Burnley's fortunes. I've not really seen them. But possibly worth a look.

[ecuk268]

31 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

I agree. If we had City or Newcastles millions to buy the best young ball playing players all over the park then sure, but we were regularly outspent by Brighton, Bournemouth, Fulham etc even when we'd been in the Prem longer than them. It's a recipe for suicide. 

Last season we had a net spend of £121m. Brighton spent £74m, Bournemouth £73m and Fulham £42m. 

The problem was that the first lot of expenditure in the September window was spent on mainly poor players, presumably on the advice of Mr Ankersen.

[Daft Kerplunk]

On 30/03/2024 at 16:25, Wade Garrett said:

Fuck knows how Dragan became a billionaire, because his tenure at the club has been one shit decision after another.  Choice of managers included.

Probably because sport is quite different from business. 

[Turkish]

57 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

‘Blind, obsessive devotion to a system that is fundamentally flawed as it leaks goals and has a track record of only ever delivering mid-table obscurity? Yes, that sounds guaranteed to get us promotion, let’s do it!’ 

But it is a system that gives us an identity. It’s not as bad as last season. Conceding lots of goals is it a failure if you’re scoring lots you sad fuck. 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Turkish said:

But it is a system that gives us an identity. It’s not as bad as last season. Conceding lots of goals is it a failure if you’re scoring lots you sad fuck. 

The system makes us 'brave'. Being 'brave' on the pitch gives Russell the tingles, which is nice.

[S-Clarke]

33 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Would they see where we are as "poor results continuing"

I can see arguments for there being some acknowledgment of some rebuild required; the unbeaten run; the lack of getting in a fit striker or a Tella replacement; RM is clearly in line with the system they feel will deliver success in the longer term.

Sure, there are then arguments to go the other way again. But just wanted to point out that failure to get through the playoffs could well give RM another season.

I think this is exactly how they see it. A reliance on system to augment the difference in skill levels to keep us up. Which is what we got, to a fair degree, from Poch and Ralph. Just with different approaches.

They also fancy themselves as a left field, budget Man City. Hoover up enough of their young talent, play a possession game and outsmart other clubs to success and riches, when players move on.

When I last mentioned Man City, someone pointed out Burnley's fortunes. I've not really seen them. But possibly worth a look.

Burnley are an interesting comparison for sure. Kompany as their manager would have brought a Man City-lite approach with him, i.e their pass, pass pass last season in the Champ.

They used this summer to hoover up talented young players from around Europe, including rather oddly....another £15m young keeper from Man City, who their fans don't rate but has kept his place no matter what. Some interesting parallels for sure.

They've spent a lot of money, £130m ish, but are too inexperienced and the style they are trying to implement in the PL has left them too exposed. And this is a team who stormed to 105 points last year.

[Wade Garrett]

34 minutes ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

Probably because sport is quite different from business. 

They are one and the same these days.

[Wade Garrett]

23 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Burnley are an interesting comparison for sure. Kompany as their manager would have brought a Man City-lite approach with him, i.e their pass, pass pass last season in the Champ.

They used this summer to hoover up talented young players from around Europe, including rather oddly....another £15m young keeper from Man City, who their fans don't rate but has kept his place no matter what. Some interesting parallels for sure.

They've spent a lot of money, £130m ish, but are too inexperienced and the style they are trying to implement in the PL has left them too exposed. And this is a team who stormed to 105 points last year.

Trafford has been dropped for the last few games.

[S-Clarke]

6 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Trafford has been dropped for the last few games.

Ah didn't realise they'd dropped him, that'll please their fans.

He's a decent young keeper to be fair, but similar to what we did to Bazunu we just threw him into the lions den too soon.

[lambtiss]

58 minutes ago, Turkish said:

But it is a system that gives us an identity. It’s not as bad as last season. Conceding lots of goals is it a failure if you’re scoring lots you sad fuck. 

Why the need to swear at a fellow supporter, it doesn't enhance your argument. We are all Saints fans and having a different opinion is normal

[Turkish]

Just now, lambtiss said:

Why the need to swear at a fellow supporter, it doesn't enhance your argument. We are all Saints fans and having a different opinion is normal