Dman

Probably, Micky boy is a known serial accounter having been banned under a number of previous accounts. Odd character, seems to follow a few about... needs to get outside a bit more imo.

you've gone all MLG. I dont like it.

really? 😂

Is our squad even that bad? Ramsdale - top 6 keeper, ridiculously lucky to have him. KWP / Suga - Both solid options at RB for a PL side outside the top 6. THB, Bednerak, Stephens - Yeah, not good enough. All are back ups (at best) at most PL sides. Taylor - Hmmm no thrills, 6or7/10 player. Would be a decent option for most promoted sides. Downes / Big Les - Both PL players, get into most bottom half sides as starters or regular squad options. Fernandes - Early doors, looks like hes going to be a player, defo gets into most bottom half prem sides. Lallana - incredibly, still a PL player for me. would get into most bottom half sides. Aribo - championship player Dibbling - Looks the real deal. On current form, would get into any PL side. Archer - Championship player. Stewart - Championship player Fraser - Championship player Armstrong - Championship player BBD - Championship player Then you have options not considered under the current management for 1 reason or another; Tall Paul - Hard to judge, scored whereever he's been. Under the right manager, could easily be a PL player. No worse than any of the other options. Sulemana - Again, not really seen enough to judge him. Been dissapointing but never had a real run. Doesn't suit the current system, under a new manager, could easily flourish. ABK - PL player. Shite attitude. So other than the CB's and attacking line, I'd argue we've got a more than strong enough squad to stay up (or at least give a good go) under the right management. If someone can get a tune out of ABK, TP and Sulemana - that's a side which is more than capable of staying up... imo.

I can't see him leaving the dutch national team for us but that's a man who'd get a tune out of Sulemana and TP, I'm absoultely sure of it.

I could give you a whole host of names I think would be interested - but its a pointless exercise as; 1. I'm not paid by the club to identify targets for that exact situation 2. I'm not the one having discussions, offering salaries, selling the club to agents / managers. Here's a list of managers currently out of contract, are you seriously sayin that on this list there isn't 1 who is better for the club (more likley to keep us up) and would be intersted in a foot in the door to the PL..? https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/trainer/verfuegbaretrainer/statistik Its the job of those who fit criteria number 1. to find the right man and for criteria number 2. to sell them the project. If you want names, Potter would be the obvious one high up the list. Low as a left field choice. Ambitious shout, someone like Sarri who'd fit the profile / style that the club seemingly want to play. That's without even considering someone in europe that's in management already.

We went from Hughes -> Ralph, which was a huge upgrade. Bournemouth have recently employed a better coach than they had. I don't buy this "we can't do better than a failing manager" nonsense and never have. If we do actively employ someone better is a different arguement, but there are plently out there who'd be interested in a steppong stone into the PL and improve us instantly.

Errrr I dunno m8, probably something to do with the fact we have 1 point after 6 games and look destined to smash the record low points total.

agree - I wanted Vieria as well. Probably missed the boat on that one somewhat, not sure his record has been great post Palace.

That's it though, right? We wanted Meresca (i've no doubt about that), he dind't fancy us so we saw Martin as the second (maybe 3rd, 4th, 5th) best choice?

Was Martin a SR choice or a Willocx choice? imo I think it was probably the latter...

Yep. If we fail to get anything at Bournemouth, give the new man a free hit at Arsenal and go to leicester with a realstic chance of picking up 3 points. Still believe under Martin in chagre, we'll fail to make the 12 point mark.

In fairness, I think he'll be a decent player. The step up from L1 to Prem (as shown by Bazunu) is just too great - especially for a team who are struggling. He'll beneift greatly when we're in the championship next season imo.

The only one I've been surprised with not being able to step up is THB. The rest, it was absolutely obvious wouldn't be good enough at this level. I actually find it pretty comical that we allowed MArtin to have a say on signing Wood. A bang average championship player was never going to be good enough to step up. It might only have been 4m, but that's 4m we could have put towards a number 9 (on top of what we paid for Archer). I'll give the board benefit of the doubt over BBD, he had a decent enough go at it last season.

TBH, I think he'll be here for the next 5 or 6, which are going to be piviotal to our survial chances this season. Bmouth, Arsenal, Leciester, City, Everton, Wolves. If hes still here come Wolves 9th Novemeber, we'd have either won a couple or that will be his last game. We have to be picking 7 or 8 points minimum from that lot (I don't think we will), or theres a chance we'll be down by Christmas.

So a bit like Martin then, just with a better track record and the possibility of keeping us up.

well the quality of football can't be any worse than 5 games, 1 point, 2 goals for and 9 against... can it.

All but last season, when we had the 3rd best side & budget (still finished 4th), has Martin come close to promotion from the championship. For reference, Corberan's record in the championship; 20-21 (first season in management) - Huddersfiled - 20th. 21-22 - Huddersfield - 3rd 22-23 (joined in october West Brom 2nd bottom after 16 games) - West Brom - 9th 23-24 - west brom - 5th. Compared to Martin; 20-21 - MK Dons - 13th L1 21-22 - Swansea - 15th 22-23 - Swansea - 10th Eustace a little harder to compare as he has a bit more of a scratchy record. But looking at it, he had a piss poor Birmingham side fighting for the play-offs until ridiculously sacked (who then went down) and looks to be doing something similar at Blackburn. Given the resources avalible to all 3, I'm not convinced Martin could achieve what the other 2 had at their respective clubs.

Eustace and Corberan would both, imo, be better appointments than Martin. However, both are championship appointments and not ones we should be looking at if we want to really give ourselves a chance of survival. I'd fancy our chances significantly higher next season to bounce back with the either of those in the dug out though.

Ipswich are exactly the sort of side who'll cause us big problems, a bit like Forest did. They're well orgainsed and will hit us on the counter with directness and pace. This could easily be the beginning of the end for Martin - A comprehensive defeat like the other 4 games and I can't see him lasting until Novemeber. I'm gonna go for 0-2.

if - and its a big if - his post is genuine and commited to the cause (until January at least), its a bit of a no brainer to try and integrate him back. Quality wise, he pisses all over every single other CB we have and would improve us. I have my doubts and was really hopeful that we'd shift him. As you said, only really those on the ground will know what gone / going on.

I'm not sure that's actually true. Martin and this style was clearly introduced and championed by Wilcox. He's now gone and SR have history of completley changing style in Ralph -> Jones -> Selles. I'm not saying it'd be sensible, but I wouldn't rule it out.

I don't disagree. As I said, staying up was always unlikley. However, we don't have the players to try and dominate the ball and games at this level, that is on the manager. We can't afford to ship 80+ odd goals this season, which, excessively conceeding, is the norm for a Martin team. A different style might give us a fighting chance. As good a chance as Leicester, Everton and Ipswich anyway.

one thing I would say, the fanzone(s) before and at half time are a great idea. In the 2 games they've been absolutely packed. I would expect that to dwindle as the winter draws in.

by drastically change, I mean the manager.. so you're agreeing with me. Perfect.