20 Feb 2024 23:28:47
While we all cringed and winced at Russell Martin's tactic of playing out from the back,
It all seem to be going so well with our run of games.
Well, all it took was one decent manager to think, we are not going to sit back and watch this pretty football, messing around with it at the back, we're going to go for them.
And then Hull tonight, a classy football team, moving the ball round superbly.
But best of all, they weren't putting up with our absolute nonsense of playing out from the back at every opportunity!
So Mr Martin, your tactic has been found out.
So what's next on offer from you?

1.) 21 Feb 2024
21 Feb 2024 05:43:17
Unfortunately this is not unexpected.Russell Martin has been usurped by another impressive young Manager’s tactics yet again.There are probably 4/5 Championship Managers capable of holding their own in the Premier League but Martin is not one of of them.He’s done Ok but in my opinion lacks the skill to advance much further.Hull City with only one recogniseable name (Carvallo) but a well drilled outfit under astute young Manager Liam Rosenior.I would be delighted to be proved wrong it’s likely our chances of automatic promotion have just been scuppered and through Play Offs quite unlikely on this showing.A Home win next Saturday won’t encourage any flags to be raised just yet!

{Ed001's Note - did Morton not play for Hull? He is also there on loan from Liverpool and is a very good young midfielder.}

2.) 21 Feb 2024
21 Feb 2024 08:27:09
Yes EDS Morton is a good player and did emerge from their bench but my point was were these two players plus their team mates expected to trump the plethora of full and young internationals at Saints disposal (probably as many as all other Championship sides combined) tells a story!

{Ed001's Note - sorry mate I was just wondering as I don't get to see a lot of him out on loan.}

3.) 21 Feb 2024
21 Feb 2024 10:05:58
Morton was superb.
It was a clever, fluid, dynamic manger manager versus Martin
While our run was very impressive, we did have an amazing run of playing lower teams.
I honestly think that teams had started to give us too much respect, allowing us space and time to play the slow and very predictable way.
WBA was a perfect example. they just sat back and watched us play around with the ball, moving it freely, back to the goalkeeper, across the box passes!

Hill we’re having none of it. by stopping us play, we were lost. We still had higher possession first half but I think Hulk had 10 shots versus our 2. because the possession was as usual in our half.

The time that Martin has to earn his money,
Now we’ve lost twice in three games, no team will show us that respect. I honestly think teams had them mentality that they weren’t going to beat us.
Allowing us to control the game.
Those days have gone!
What I can’t believe is that he didn’t change anything in the first half when we were clearly totally being outplayed.
Even more bizarre to be playing, the same possession, football with minutes to go and losing!

{Ed001's Note - thank you for that.

I never understand managers that can't even adjust for a final flurry with minutes left in a match. It shows a lack of flexibility that is beyond being merely stubborn. You have to react to circumstances.}

4.) 21 Feb 2024
21 Feb 2024 22:41:15
Call me old fashioned, but it might help if he picks our strongest team from the start.

Just saying

5.) 22 Feb 2024
22 Feb 2024 12:14:12
Millertime .
Stop posting silly comments .
pick our best team?
Have you been drinking?
Next you’ll be asking why he keeps picking AA, why he ever picks stephens and why he changes a winning and settled team!
On the subject of AA .
Absolutely back to the greedy old self, shooting at every opportunity, never passing to a team mate in a much better position .

6.) 22 Feb 2024
22 Feb 2024 21:06:51
Haha South Hants Rich, personally I think AA is invaluable (I’m talking about Alcoholics Anonymous obviously) although drink is the only remedy to get us through this, I’m sure.

Seriously though AA doesn’t have a sharp footballing brain even though he does occasionally find himself in the right place at the right time. He is thoughtless rather than selfish because most of the great strikers are the latter, but if you are able to combine awareness of team mates around you who are in a better scoring position then you become a top striker.

And that is what we lack presently, we never did replace Danny Ings.