Dman

Some more spreadsheet bollox I expect. They wanted that bloke at Leicester, but he reected us - martin was second choice and a terrible one at that.

He's a terrible manager, his tactics are all over the place. He talks a good game but just tries to copy Pep. We marked man for man tonight and just left a big gaping whole for them to play into the striker then run off him. At no point did we try and plug it. The same mistakes week in week out and we have a very very strong playing squad who should not be shipping 3-4 goals a game. He wont change, so we need to if we have any asperation of going up (which I don't think we do tbh).

tdmickey

Player for player, in terms of ability, all 3 relegated sides are a cut above. That doesn't mean all 3 will finish first, second and third though. You always tend to get a side who work hard and play a system really well at the top. Last season Luton / Cov, this season looks to be someone like Ipswich.

Incredible we're seemingly getting a fee for him. I thought he was destined to be one of those who are loaned out every season until their contract ends. Who on earth signed off a new deal for him in the first place?

We're not getting another keeper. We're stuck with Baz at the very least until McCarthy leaves the club.

I can understand why he started, Che was likely expecting to not be here come Saturday and we've likely trained / prepped without him. I've absolutely no idea why he played him RW with AA through the middle. That made no sense at all. Especially against Clarke who was their best player, he offered little to no protection to the full backs at all. Its actually painful that Martin isn't learning that AA cannot play through the middle alone.

Player for player Leicester and Leeds have the strongest sides in the division, us probably 3rd.

I think that is the concern. We've been pretty lucky to win the games we have. Saturdays result has been coming, it could have been QPR if they had a bit more cutting edge. Out of possession we are dreadful, our pressing is ridiculously poor, we stupidly easy to play through and the full backs get too high up the pitch leaving CB's exposed. I really like Martin, I think he speaks well and is a great figure head for the club. However, I do think he's very limited as a manager though. I thought at the time of his appointment we wouldn't go up under him and 5 games in, I still think the same. It's probably for the best we don't to be completely honest. We'd see results like Saturday every single week in the PL playing in the way that we do.

If Larios is fit I'd start him. Probably the strongest side we'll play this season. I think they'll have too much for us. Bazunu KWP THB Bednerak Larios Downes Charles AA Sulamana Adams Fraser

He was really shite today and doesn't look match fit. I wont blame any of our CBs though - Martin's gungho system leaves them all way too exposed.

Is Gnoto still there? he's the game changer imo

ABK doesn't mark that Armstrong out of the game lik eBednerak (other than 1 misake) did Saurday. He'd have been bullied and ran all over the park. Bednerak is / has been one of our better performers since his return in January.

I don't think he is our best CB. He looked weak as piss in many games last season. Half hearted and couldn't be arsed. Who knows what type of crap he'll throw in, in the championship with even less motvation.

Read my posts and please point to where I've moaned that we are / were selling ABK. Spolier, you wont be able to. We have 4 CB's already at the club who'll expect to start - We do not have room for ABK as well. I'm sure everyone at the club was expecting him to leave and have signed Holgate or THB as a replacement.

What do you think? "Southammpton might sign someone, I don't know who, they might not, they might"

Lets be honest, we don't have room for ABK in our squad now. We're heavy at CB anyway, let alone another who'll expect to be a starter. If he sticks around, I hope he's made to train with the kids. HE absolutely jacked it in at the slightest sign of it being tough last season

You've been telling us for the past 4 weeks we have someone better than Piroe and Adams coming in. Almost like you we're completely making it up.. who'd have thought it aye.

I'm going to start to measure inflation by the cost of a James Blunt ticket. £85 each, blimey.. makes the fee paid for Tall Paul look a bargain

yep - It'll be interesting to see how Martin manages that. We've kinda shot ourselves in the foot giving Stephens the captaincy... I'm not sure he should even be starting.

Day 55 of OldNick mentioning the CoT

Not something I was expecting to hear this window... something has either gone really really wrong at Atletico or we're chasing unrealistic targets again.... (or, most likely, its complete rubbish made up by agents / press)

I can only assume other targets aren't achievable in that case. I think there is a player in Mara - we just haven't seen it yet. Will we ever is the big question. Really needs to work for him and us.

No one is forgetting him - He's isn't a number 9. We've seen that.

Its a bit of a tricky one. It'd be a huge risk to rely on him for any period of time so we need 2 seasoned professionals ahead of him and we only play 1 up top, so he's relying on a long term injury to get some game time realistically. I think sending him to Reading (with a recall clause) is sensible for us and him.