coalman

How is he getting the best out of players? What have you seen or heard him do that has made our players better? If he inherited a squad that was recently in the Premier League I don't get why his ceiling was mid table in the Championship. Getting to the playoffs should've been a bare minimum - at which point it's a bit of a crapshoot.

Agree that there's been no stability in team selections. Our recruitment over the summer was scattergun. The question I'd ask is what lessons we've learned and how are we going to apply them to the Premier League. Right now the answer seems to be continue doing more of the same. So, on the basis that Martin seems to have no intention to change his approach it's not unreasonable to expect things to continue as they are. The same logic can be applied to Ankersen and selecting a manager to replace Martin. I don't see any lessons being learned from the Jones, Selles or Martin appointments. So again we can expect a similar future even if we do bite the bullet. Sacking Martin without addressing the Ankersen issue isn't going to solve any problems.

Christ dude, let's hope no one ever has to make that choice.

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13237089/russell-martin-someone-had-a-job-to-do-they-didnt-its-about-taking-responsibility Martin: "One person had one job to do but they didn't do it" Saintsweb: "Drill your team how to defend"

Today's game reminded me a lot of Jones' game against Wolves where we took the lead, they went down to 10 men and then we threw it away. It was the same feeling that Leicester weren't going to struggle scoring and that, once they did, we'd fold. Same feeling that surely that's it for Martin if he's unable to capitalise on such a strong start to a game at home against another team towards the bottom of the table.

Smallbone is fit again and Stephens isn't suspended. They say it's the darkest just before dawn but the stars are aligning before Man City next week.

The Ref had a shocker but, let's face it, Leicester could've scored 5 or 6 today quite comfortably.

The Saintsiest of Saints-y ways to lose the game. Martin has really put together a team capable of conceding goals from almost any situation.

The sooner we get the ball on our defensive D the sooner we can control the game so Russball can shine

Say what you like about the man. That interview is brave to say the least. Extra bonus points for his primary goal to remain as Saints manager at the end of the season rather than not getting relegated.

Touche

Name me another player who is as comfortable playing at quarterback? Go on, I dare you.

Never mind the striker free formation. I was particularly impressed by England's tendency to play suicidal football out from the back aided by a keeper flapping around like some kind of demented fish. Very Saints-y. Like a home away from home.

You're saying Stephens isn't going straight back in the team?

For me, I look at the fixture and don't see where our next point comes from. Not just that but we're close to being unwatchable at the moment. Any team playing us knows they simply need to press because we'll cough up 3-4 gilt edged chances a game and that they're safe to press because we play out so slowly from the back and carry nearly zero threat. We're in October and the manager not only doesn't know his best team but insists on playing his favourites. Net result is an endless shuffling of attacking and midfield options and no flow or stability.

I cannot think of one thing in our favour except, perhaps, Arsenal thinking they just need to turn up (spoiler alert: they just need to turn up). So obviously a comeback 2-1 win for Saints.

I want to vote No just because I'm sick of the manager merry go round but we're not getting better. He persists with things we know don't work and players we know aren't up to it at this level. The players don't seem to be playing for him. It's hard to see how he turns this around. We got away with his deficiencies last season because we scored lots. This year not do much. The scary thing is who on earth is Rasmus going to pick next?

A team that doesn't create anything and gives away soft goals in a league where that sort of thing gets punished. However, we have our first point now. Then again, the manager doesn't seem to know his best team. Hard to see anything beyond a 5-0 win to Saints.

Everton are going to be spooked by this. Nobody expects Saints to get a shot on target let alone score a goal.

That has to be a yellow, surely?

Looking at the positives from this. No Stephens for three games AND Ten Hag gets to say Man United have turned a corner to get another 5 games in charge.

Has Garnacho stopped rolling yet?

(Bruno) Fernandes gets his regulation yellow for kicking the ball away

Of the 5 we've conceded this season at least 3 have been self inflicted. We've dropped 2 points so far as a result. There is a time to put your foot through the ball and we need our midfielders to turn into space when it's there rather than passing back into the danger zone. A pre-requisite for any player in midfield has to be finding pockets of space and being able to play on the half turn.

8/10 Ramsdale took it from a 6 to an 8. We're stronger in every department. But still some doubts over who is going to score the goals to keep us up.