Russell Martin

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

What I find ironic is that Ryan Fraser was exactly that player at AFCB - Bellamy-like without the excesses. Why has he turned into a church mouse since joining SFC? Has to be the environment and culture is just so far off being competitive let alone winning. We will probably be told we’re lucky to be in the Championship next.

"it's hard playing in the Premier league, we are lucky to be here and shouldn't expect too much" 

"it's hard recovering from relegation. It's a process and we shouldn't expect too much so early on after all the upheaval and scar tissue". 

 

What's the next excuse? 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

There has been a lack of leadership on the pitch for years. People took the piss out of Duckhunter but he was right, a team of nice lads but none of them could grab the game by the scruff of the neck and turn it round. For years we've had teams who completely melt when the going gets tough. We're the team you want to play when you're out of form, either as a team or player because you know we wouldnt give you a hard time. Romeu had a bit of devil on him, other than that i'm struggling to think of a player we've had who the other team wouldn't want to face since Van Dijk and Fonte left. How hard can it be to find a couple of experienced players, in their early 30s who could give us a couple of years and help these young lads along with experience, leadership and game management? It really is incredible that year after year the club have ignored such obvious flaws in the squad and instead been obsessed with future resale value when we need a few players who can do a job now.

It all comes across as being much too much of a friendly environment. I can't imagine any real bollockings being handed out to players, manager or coaches even when things are so bad and major mistakes are being made every week. The impression I get is that it's probably all largely ignored and swept under the carpet with blind eyes being turned because nobody has the courage or the balls to stand up and say what is going wrong. Oh for a character like Stevie Williams who would have no issues with standing up, facing people and reeling off what was going wrong and the names of those who were the cause for not pulling their weight. All we hear is that the mood in the camp is good, we've had another fantastic week of training and everything will be ok in the end. Training is probably nothing too taxing or physically gruelling, nothing to upset the poor little lambs. Time to ditch the laid back attitude that consumes the club - no more Mr Nice Guy, let's get someone in with a bit of nous and balls of steel who won't be afraid to put a few noses out of joint - literally if needed!

[stevy777_x]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

"it's hard playing in the Premier league, we are lucky to be here and shouldn't expect too much" 

"it's hard recovering from relegation. It's a process and we shouldn't expect too much so early on after all the upheaval and scar tissue". 

 

What's the next excuse? 

When you lake that many changes you need to learn and form partnerships. This was always going to be a transisional year

[Badger]

6 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

We will probably be told we’re lucky to be in the Championship next.

As we’re playing Leeds on Saturday, perhaps the club should carry a feature on the website reflecting on Branfoot’s comment that we “can’t afford to live in the same street as Leeds Utd”.

Or Martin could use it in his pre or post match press conference. 

[Wade Garrett]

Martin is trying to drag Wilcox and Parsons down with him judging by his interview in The Echo.

He’s tightening his own noose.

[Wade Garrett]

2 minutes ago, saintant said:

It all comes across as being much too much of a friendly environment. I can't imagine any real bollockings being handed out to players, manager or coaches even when things are so bad and major mistakes are being made every week. The impression I get is that it's probably all largely ignored and swept under the carpet with blind eyes being turned because nobody has the courage or the balls to stand up and say what is going wrong. Oh for a character like Stevie Williams who would have no issues with standing up, facing people and reeling off what was going wrong and the names of those who were the cause for not pulling their weight. All we hear is that the mood in the camp is good, we've had another fantastic week of training and everything will be ok in the end. Training is probably nothing too taxing or physically gruelling, nothing to upset the poor little lambs. Time to ditch the laid back attitude that consumes the club - no more Mr Nice Guy, let's get someone in with a bit of nous and balls of steel who won't be afraid to put a few noses out of joint - literally if needed!

Fucking winds me up when the players cuddle each other before every game.  Soft as shite.

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, stevy777_x said:

When you lake that many changes you need to learn and form partnerships. This was always going to be a transisional year

Next year- "the second year after relegation was always going to be a challenge. Changing this many players in one summer after all our loan signings returned to their clubs would always mean a lot of upheaval. Trust the process."

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

10 minutes ago, stevy777_x said:

When you lake that many changes you need to learn and form partnerships. This was always going to be a transisional year

Has anybody told Leicester they are supposed to be in a transitional year?

[obelisk]

Amazing how quickly the new players have picked up the losing mentality at Saints.

[AlexLaw76]

Why was it always going to be a transitional year?

Will there not be lots of changes next summer? Will that mean next season is a transitional year?

When is it Leicester's transitional year?

[S-Clarke]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Why was it always going to be a transitional year?

Will there not be lots of changes next summer? Will that mean next season is a transitional year?

When is it Leicester's transitional year?

Exactly, we cannot afford a transitional year as nothing will be the same next year.

Adams, KWP, Bednarek, THB, Fraser, Holgate, Downes, Sulemana, Alcaraz - it's basically starting all over again, like we did this year, but with less $$ and a lower reputation as we won't be a recently relegated side.

Failure to go up this year, IMO, will confine us to the lower leagues for many, many, many years. Some of us may never see PL football again.

[Wade Garrett]

8 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Why was it always going to be a transitional year?

Will there not be lots of changes next summer? Will that mean next season is a transitional year?

When is it Leicester's transitional year?

Whoosh

[saintant]

8 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Why was it always going to be a transitional year?

Will there not be lots of changes next summer? Will that mean next season is a transitional year?

When is it Leicester's transitional year?

Transitional year...scar tissue.....fans unease transferring to players.....it's all just variations of a theme but in reality it's a load of excuses used by a manager who knows he is way out of his depth.

[S-Clarke]

35 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

"it's hard playing in the Premier league, we are lucky to be here and shouldn't expect too much" 

"it's hard recovering from relegation. It's a process and we shouldn't expect too much so early on after all the upheaval and scar tissue". 

 

What's the next excuse? 

Next season:

''The teams coming down from the PL have so much money these days, it's hard to compete. We will have to be perfect to be in amongst Burnley and Luton, but we will try''

[Toussaint]

31 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Martin is trying to drag Wilcox and Parsons down with him judging by his interview in The Echo.

He’s tightening his own noose.

That smacked of desperation when I saw it. I feel he knows he's a dead man walking. 

[SaintLondon]

I'm reminded of a certain lower league manager saying something about 'levels' 

[Doctoroncall]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

I'd have him in charge over Martin tbh even though I think it would be a horrible idea to have him. 

Prefer to scrape the barrel first rather than dig below it. 

[stevy777_x]

53 minutes ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

Has anybody told Leicester they are supposed to be in a transitional year?

A lot of that Leicester starting 11 was in the PL last season.

[Doctoroncall]

1 hour ago, Badger said:

Has to be up there with Nathan Jones theory of being harder to play against 10 men.

Good job Middlesbrough didn’t have a bloke sent off, we’d have been in real trouble.

 

Also, you can tell he didn’t have a clue how to change the game preferring to argue with the fourth official for 10 minutes about a possible red card than concentrating on the match and instructing the players. 

[Toadhall Saint]

Not sure if the validity 

[hypochondriac]

10 minutes ago, Doctoroncall said:

Prefer to scrape the barrel first rather than dig below it. 

To be fair, at this point it's like asking if you'd prefer a punch in the face or an eye gouge. 

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

Not sure if the validity 

Obvious bollocks. 

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Obvious bollocks. 

of course it is, Wankersen only breaks things that arent broken.

[notnowcato]

Seriously, some of the posts on here are horrific. Aligned very closely to an entitled, I want it now trait that will stifle most chances of this club being able to rebuild. 
JW and RM may or may not be the people to turn our club around but they are the ones currently with the opportunity to do so and I believe should and probably will be given the time to prove they are capable

. 
It’s still, just about, September, and we’re entering a couple of months where a team that is rebuilding and with (fingers crossed) injured players returning that we should start to see results and performances improving.
 

Football, as it is these days, will need this group of players to develop a trenches mentality, a fuck you attitude to those who are pouring scorn on their ability to operate as a team capable of hitting the top 6. I think the team are capable and genuinely hope JW and RM can lead them. 
 

Having said all that; I’ve got my SaintsWeb bingo card ready and waiting on for a full house: pony, Lego head, hipster, algorithm, claptrap, Janny B, called-it-when-he-was-appointed, deluded, over-complicate, emperors-new-clothes 

[Toadhall Saint]

18 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Obvious bollocks. 

Cool 

[revolution saint]

43 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Seriously, some of the posts on here are horrific. Aligned very closely to an entitled, I want it now trait that will stifle most chances of this club being able to rebuild. 
JW and RM may or may not be the people to turn our club around but they are the ones currently with the opportunity to do so and I believe should and probably will be given the time to prove they are capable

. 
It’s still, just about, September, and we’re entering a couple of months where a team that is rebuilding and with (fingers crossed) injured players returning that we should start to see results and performances improving.
 

Football, as it is these days, will need this group of players to develop a trenches mentality, a fuck you attitude to those who are pouring scorn on their ability to operate as a team capable of hitting the top 6. I think the team are capable and genuinely hope JW and RM can lead them. 
 

Having said all that; I’ve got my SaintsWeb bingo card ready and waiting on for a full house: pony, Lego head, hipster, algorithm, claptrap, Janny B, called-it-when-he-was-appointed, deluded, over-complicate, emperors-new-clothes 

Quite telling that you're not defending the results or performances but quite willing to criticise anyone that does.  So come on, what's been so great?  What's the excuses? And how long would you give Martin?  

As for entitled.  Yep, put me in that camp alongside Martin, Wilcox and Sports Republic.  They're the ones who have been talking about and expecting automatic promotion.  At the moment we're light years away from that.

[Mystic Force]

The one question I have is, If Pep Guardiola was suddenly parachuted in to our team, would he make them play the Man City way, or would he have them play a different way based on the players available strengths and weaknesses. I think Pep is a good manager, so would therefore attempt to maximize his chances rather than slavishly follow a 'system"

[SaintLondon]

46 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Seriously, some of the posts on here are horrific. Aligned very closely to an entitled, I want it now trait that will stifle most chances of this club being able to rebuild. 
JW and RM may or may not be the people to turn our club around but they are the ones currently with the opportunity to do so and I believe should and probably will be given the time to prove they are capable

This is all well and good but when the performances being churned out are so below par, it isn't unreasonable to question them. What do you want us to to do on a forum, where the sole purpose is to discuss the club, on a thread designed to discuss the manager? Talk about how we're fine with playing the way we are? Not to call out odd decision making? Not to vent our anger on the same mistakes happening week in week out? You're in the minority pal and you might want to go elsewhere if it irks you so much. He's clearly going to be given time so you needn't worry yourself. 

[badgerx16]

26 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

It’s still, just about, September, and we’re entering a couple of months where a team that is rebuilding and with (fingers crossed) injured players returning that we should start to see results and performances improving.
 

How many first team starters are currently injured ? I reckon 2, Stephens and Stewart.

How many first team "starters" does RM put on the bench each week ?

RM had most of this squad for pre-season, let alone 9 competitive matches so far. At what point do professional footballers start to understand his system ? You would expect a team bedding in a new 'system' to show improvement as the weeks go by, not get progressively worse. Some of the errors we are repeatedly making would not be tolerated at schoolboy level.

Yes we lost JWP and Tella - JWP played 1 game, Tella 3. They are all we lost from the squad that was available for match day #1.

 

When will Leicester and Leeds start their rebuilding phase ?

[Saint NL]

4 minutes ago, Mystic Force said:

The one question I have is, If Pep Guardiola was suddenly parachuted in to our team, would he make them play the Man City way, or would he have them play a different way based on the players available strengths and weaknesses. I think Pep is a good manager, so would therefore attempt to maximize his chances rather than slavishly follow a 'system"

He's not able to perform miracles. But, he commands such respect, that if he said to any of the players to play a certain way, you'd be sure they would.

With Martin, not so much 🤣

 

[notnowcato]

17 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

Quite telling that you're not defending the results or performances but quite willing to criticise anyone that does.  So come on, what's been so great?  What's the excuses? And how long would you give Martin?  

As for entitled.  Yep, put me in that camp alongside Martin, Wilcox and Sports Republic.  They're the ones who have been talking about and expecting automatic promotion.  At the moment we're light years away from that.

Suggest you re-read my post and have a cup of tea, decaffeinated.

[notnowcato]

15 minutes ago, SaintLondon said:

This is all well and good but when the performances being churned out are so below par, it isn't unreasonable to question them. What do you want us to to do on a forum, where the sole purpose is to discuss the club, on a thread designed to discuss the manager? Talk about how we're fine with playing the way we are? Not to call out odd decision making? Not to vent our anger on the same mistakes happening week in week out? You're in the minority pal and you might want to go elsewhere if it irks you so much. He's clearly going to be given time so you needn't worry yourself. 

If you expected things to be right from day 1, day 30 or day 130 then maybe that needs an adjustment, we've had a shit 2 years, most of it not JW or RM's fault.  Improvements won't happen without mistakes being made along the way.  Sure questioning / debating decisions is absolutely fine but maybe some on here need to consider if they would say the same to the faces of JW and RM that they are willing to type on here.  The personal stuff isn't really that funny and just a bit unnecessary.

It's healthy to have someone with an opposing view, doesn't mean I nor you are right, with that in mind please forgive me if decide not to go elsewhere.

[SaintLondon]

Just now, notnowcato said:

It's healthy to have someone with an opposing view, doesn't mean I nor you are right, with that in mind please forgive me if decide not to go elsewhere.

🤝 Indeed, we can disagree agreeably!

[coalman]

I'm torn here. The last month has been shocking but we really need some stability. Changing manager every 12 games or so isn't helping us. That being said there has to be a manager who can get a tune out of these players.

Ross Stewart can't be fit soon enough.

[notnowcato]

23 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

How many first team starters are currently injured ? I reckon 2, Stephens and Stewart.

How many first team "starters" does RM put on the bench each week ?

RM had most of this squad for pre-season, let alone 9 competitive matches so far. At what point do professional footballers start to understand his system ? You would expect a team bedding in a new 'system' to show improvement as the weeks go by, not get progressively worse. Some of the errors we are repeatedly making would not be tolerated at schoolboy level.

Yes we lost JWP and Tella - JWP played 1 game, Tella 3. They are all we lost from the squad that was available for match day #1.

 

When will Leicester and Leeds start their rebuilding phase ?

Think I wrote injured players but fair play to you, you've called out 2 very significant players for us.

Not "tolerating errors at schoolboy level" unfortunately for you doesn't reflect greatly on your character.  You seem mightily angry for a football forum or you're just a bit of a tool. 

 

[revolution saint]

6 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

 The personal stuff isn't really that funny and just a bit unnecessary.

 

2 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

You seem mightily angry for a football forum or you're just a bit of a tool. 

 

 

[notnowcato]

3 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

 

 

Yeah cos RM has just been called "a bit of a tool" rolley eyes. I assume you're one of those not "tolerating errors at schoolboy level" types - aka a bit of a tool - tut tut rolley eyes

Edited 25 September, 2023 by notnowcato

[revolution saint]

1 minute ago, notnowcato said:

Yeah cos RM has just been called "a bit of a tool" rolley eyes

You seem to be getting quite angry, maybe a cup of decaffeinated tea is in order?

[badgerx16]

10 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Think I wrote injured players but fair play to you, you've called out 2 very significant players for us.

Not "tolerating errors at schoolboy level" unfortunately for you doesn't reflect greatly on your character.  You seem mightily angry for a football forum or you're just a bit of a tool. 

 

Sharper tool than you chum.

You did indeed write 'injured players', which is why I named 2 of them.

Edited 25 September, 2023 by badgerx16
spelling

[notnowcato]

Just now, revolution saint said:

You seem to be getting quite angry, maybe a cup of decaffeinated tea is in order?

Yeah I'm all fired up.

[notnowcato]

1 minute ago, badgerx16 said:

Sharper tool then you chum.

Ouch, pass the Savlon

[Challenger]

3 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

So is Frank Lampard. Frank Lampard's Southampton has got a certain ring to it, don't you think?!

Had enough "rings" managing this club recently as it is.

[SW11_Saint]

3 hours ago, saintant said:

The problem we have is that the very clever Rasmus Ankersen believes if it aint broke it should be broken. Trouble is, we are broke and I've not heard what his solution for that is. I'm sure he'll have one and it'll be very left field.

It will no doubt involve a gear-less bike, a frappuccino and some blue sky thinking.
 

I hear there is a guy doing great things in the Moldovan third-tier (reserves league), who has done away with positional football altogether. Watch this space…

[Miltonaggro]

3 hours ago, Badger said:

As we’re playing Leeds on Saturday, perhaps the club should carry a feature on the website reflecting on Branfoot’s comment that we “can’t afford to live in the same street as Leeds Utd”.

Or Martin could use it in his pre or post match press conference. 

Scar Tissue Gardens or Transition Crescent?

[hypochondriac]

50 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

If you expected things to be right from day 1, day 30 or day 130 then maybe that needs an adjustment, we've had a shit 2 years, most of it not JW or RM's fault.  Improvements won't happen without mistakes being made along the way.  Sure questioning / debating decisions is absolutely fine but maybe some on here need to consider if they would say the same to the faces of JW and RM that they are willing to type on here.  The personal stuff isn't really that funny and just a bit unnecessary.

It's healthy to have someone with an opposing view, doesn't mean I nor you are right, with that in mind please forgive me if decide not to go elsewhere.

I didn't expect it to be right. If I'm honest, I expected about 8th or 9th at the moment with a bit of inconsistency. I certainly didn't expect us to look this awful, concede the most goals in the entire division and possibly in the entire football league (I haven't checked), to lose four games in a row and look confused and quite frankly terrible. Not much to ask to see us look OK, see some improvements and look like we are heading in the right direction. 

[FarehamSaintJames]

He’s too stubborn in his tactics.

He doesn’t know his best team.

He’s got the wrong captain (A. Armstrong currently in Stephens absence).

He isn’t setting up tactically to our players strengths, which I would argue is driving forward with pace and pressing.
Our team is a lot fitter than some of those in the EFL.

He isn’t filling me with confidence.

[notnowcato]

9 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I didn't expect it to be right. If I'm honest, I expected about 8th or 9th at the moment with a bit of inconsistency. I certainly didn't expect us to look this awful, concede the most goals in the entire division and possibly in the entire football league (I haven't checked), to lose four games in a row and look confused and quite frankly terrible. Not much to ask to see us look OK, see some improvements and look like we are heading in the right direction. 

Agreed, the road is a lot rockier than I'd hoped for but equally I'm not massively surprised.

Those comparing us with Leicester and Leeds have a point, even though we went down together we were down at Christmas (albeit not mathematically): Leeds and Leicester were fighting much longer than us and so I think the rebuild is greater with us than those 2 teams.  Leicester do look really good, I'm not convinced by Leeds, yet.

[Long Shot]

2 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Agreed, the road is a lot rockier than I'd hoped for but equally I'm not massively surprised.

Those comparing us with Leicester and Leeds have a point, even though we went down together we were down at Christmas (albeit not mathematically): Leeds and Leicester were fighting much longer than us and so I think the rebuild is greater with us than those 2 teams.  Leicester do look really good, I'm not convinced by Leeds, yet.

Didn’t we do the double over Leicester last year? I think you are WUM to be honest or are just bored and looking for a fight. 
Yes changing managers yet again is ridiculous but save your scorn for the idiots who have been doing the selecting. 

[notnowcato]

5 minutes ago, Long Shot said:

Didn’t we do the double over Leicester last year? I think you are WUM to be honest or are just bored and looking for a fight. 
Yes changing managers yet again is ridiculous but save your scorn for the idiots who have been doing the selecting. 

haha I hold a different perspective so I'm a WUM - give me a break.

Didn't we stop City from doing the quadruple?  Not sure you're making much of a point here.

Possibly a little bit bored but I'm a lover not a fighter.

[badgerx16]

7 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

haha I hold a different perspective so I'm a WUM -

I hold a different perspective to you, which apparently makes me "a bit of a tool".