Dman

Must be getting close to a must win for Still. Not convinced a draw will be acceptable at this stage. Fresh start after the internation break. Lets go 4231 and give it a right go on the front foot. McCarthy Jehert THB Wood Manning Jander Charles Fellows Azaz Scienza Armstrong

In the current system, correct. If we can somehow find a way to get the ball into the feet of Scienza, Azaz, Fellows - that gives us an opportunity for players like Archer or Armstrong to play on the shoulder.

He's not injured. He played against Liverpool and has been in the past few squads. Just not fancied.

McCarthy Jelert THB Wood Manning or Wellington (when fit) Jander Charles Fellows Azaz Scienza Armstronf / Archer would be my go to. On current form, Armstrong has to start. I don't like him through the middle but I also think Fellows and Scienza also need to start. we need to find a way to get the ball into the 3 behind them more often, so that we can play through balls rather than expecting him to hold the cball up.

We seem reluctant to play him on either. Very strange.

Exactly. Its an easy link, a bit like Rohl is to us. I'll be surprised if Mannging lasts much longer, he's out of a job and feels like the kind of appointment they'd make.

Maybe. However, to date, we've not really seen Downs given the right service to judge that one. FWIW, i'm not really defending him - the start has been poor, his confidence is clearly lower than a snakes belly and from the small cameo's we've seen, he looks like he's won a competition to play professional football. He needs to sharpen up with his back to goal and offer us more. That being said, I would like to see him in a side who are free-flowing and full of confidence.

A championship side will 100% snap him up. Probably Norwich. He has the desierable promotion on his CV to shout about and he clearly can talk a good game. His problem, he will never in the near future, get a side who (in theory) just need to turn up to be one of the top sides, like he did with us then Rangers.

He's another striker who can't play with his back to goal imo. He's essentially Cameron Archer, just a bit bigger.

Can you imagine this place if we had signed Carlton Morris ffs. Still came in with a view that we'd play front foot press, attacking football. Key to that is getting runners inbehind. Morris, is absolutley not suited to how we want to play. We've kind of stumbled across that hitting it long to a big man because his orginal system / intention didn't work. Downs, whilst has been disappointing, in the espanyol pre-season game, he showed what he can do when we play to his strengths.

This is what I really don't understand. We were promised, high intensty pressing, direct attacking football. 9 (leauge games) in and we look more like a russel martin side (just somehow worse) than we do something that would resemble what we were told we'd get. We have players like Fellows and Scienza look like they could beat anyone 1vs1 in this leauge. Azaz who is proven quality in the 10, playing between the defence and midfield and archer / amstrong who are best playing off the shoulder in the channels. In theory, if teams sit deep, we have the quality to unpick them by getting our wingers 1vs1 or getting Azaz some space. If they play a high-line, we have people like Archer or Armstrong who can play inbehind. Our problem is that our plan is clearly to get down the wings and get balls into the box, the problem is that we have no clear pattern of how we will do that, so have resorted to hit a big man and play off him. You can't even blame the players / Russell Martin legacy, as almost all of our midfield who've started the past few games didn't play under him.

Downes was obviously a risk, which hasn’t worked so far… however, Armstrong, Archer, Scienza, Azaz, Fellows are comfortably some of - if not the best - options in this league.

FWIW, I’d give him until the next international window, in November. It’s not been that poor we have no choice but to change, but it’s also not been good enough either. Limping on is the right word for IT. November gives Still enough time to turn the tide and enough time for us to properly weigh up options + an international window to work on the training ground for the new man. The problem is, there are no signs it’ll get better. Absolutely nothing to grip hold of to give hope. At least under Martin, you thought if we could get the balance and defence right we have a chance.

Is he shit, or is the manager killing him. All of our attacking players have looked a bit crap. Probably the former based on what we’ve seen, but I’d like to see him play for a manager who knows how to get players in behind.

It’s on the manager, for me. Azaz, Armstrong, Archer & Fellows are all proven at this level and all look lost and incredibly poor. No style, no clear patterns on play, no clue.

Has a Russell Martin side ever beat a team where its a genuine 50/50 or they're slight underdogs? Other than Leeds last season, whom he clearly had the better of, I genuinely cant recall any. Incredibly limited and arrogant manager and seemingly could say the same about him as a bloke as well.

There was a point in time where I thought Downes was a better player than JWP. But in reality they're both very similar players. Good a recycling the ball and that is about it. In hindsight, Of the 2, JWP is the better player however. Both suit a Russell Martin type of system.

Huge decsion for him to make. At 30, he's coming towards the back end of his career and will never earn that sort of money again. He'll never make the england squad again and his time in the PL is probably done. Unless he moves to a relegation battling side. Does he make hay whilst the sun is shining and sit on his contract, knowing he wont play or at best, move around on loan.. Or does he take the ££ hit and drop into the championship.

JWP is the last player we want imo. He's incredibly negative with the ball, slow and almost always 're-cycles' the ball sidewards and backwards. JWP coming back would mean that Charles is moved out. That being said, you know that he'll give his all and will generally speaking be fit almost 100% of the time. If someone comes in for Downes, maybe its something we should explore. Failing that, its a massive no from me.

They'll be without BBD, which is a real shame as that is an obvious weak link down 1 side. They're a realtively poor side. Should be a comfortable win if we can find our feet infront of goal. Has to click at some point... doesn't it? a win and the world certainly looks a lot healthier going into the international break.

In fairness, 6 if Cov win - who look a decent enough side. My biggest concern is that we look absoluely honking.

The thing is, we have tried that. We started with Jones then ended up with Juric. Our fanbase weren't having them and made a hard job even harder. Same with Puel.

One positive is that they'll likely take the game to us, which, in theory, should suit how still wants to play. I'd go as far as saying this is a must win if we hold any hope of the auto's - which are quickly becoming out of reach.

Yes, I saw this. Not a great look. However, my immediate thoughts were "we failed to beat these".

FWIW - I actually don't mind Juric. I think he was given an impossible job and I don't think it was on him (Other than playing Aribo at CB). That being said, he clearly wasn't our first choice. My point was more aimed towards Still - but appreciate that didn't come across in my comment.