Russell Martin

[Dark Munster]

4 hours ago, ErwinK1961 said:

It was so on the line, he didn’t get sacked until January. Not after 4 games.

Back to back automatic promotions. It was a difficult start but definitely better performances as we got used to the level of the PL.

In fairness NC wouldn’t sack RM if he was in charge now. Because he wouldn’t have hired him in the first place.

Ankersen and SR are costing Dragan a fortune. If I were him I’d take action now. 

[SaintsBarry74]

Our possession has dipped to 62%, putting us tied for 2nd with Man City, but just behind Tottenham.

On the bright side, though, Jan Bednarek is now leading the Premier League with the highest individual possession. Small wins!

[swannymere]

16 hours ago, Saint in Paradise said:

Well to an old man ( me ) RM is looking more and more like he is a type of Narcissist.

As in their mind they are never wrong they refuse to admit that they are and so they

never act on any advice that they are offered.

H.G.Tudor on YT explains about such people, he is well worth a look at.

Criticising the players publicly achieves nothing. 

[derry]

I personally don't think we are a basket case yet. Martin has been here a year and looks wedded to 4-3-3 or 5-3-2. I think one of our problems is that we don't get strikers into the box. I thought that Archer was a peripheral figure yesterday, running up and down on his own doesn't cut it. We have to get two strikers close together into the box. If he doesn't want to play 4-4-2 then adjust the 4-3-3. Play Dibling on the right, then put two strikers into the middle. The left of the middle three could support and cover KWP on the left. Dibling looks really aware and looks to play on the 45 as he did with his shot yesterday. KWP or the Left midfielder could do the same. Defensively we should hold one full back to support the two centre backs with Downes curbing his forward play and playing more defensively. Yesterday KWP was drifting inside so his winger was causing us problems. Stephens moving into midfield was compounding KWP's problems. He was sent off for a tackle well up the field.

The Centre Backs have to hold their positions and if one full back is attacking the other one has to hold. We then have four defenders if the line is broken with others looking to get back in numbers. All the while the tempo has to be high. It's not symmetrical but it gives us width and two strikers. We've now got Archer, Armstrong, BBD, Onuachu and Stewart to give us options. We have to find out what they can do and which is the best pair. 

[BARCELONASAINT]

I try not to post straight after a game because of emotions running high and a somewhat clouded view, so i wait until my anger and frustrations have subsided and then look at things again.

I get everyones frustrations, it's been mostly horrible watching us this season with the suicidal football we have been playing but yesterday for 30 minutes we were really good and that gives me hope this side can gel and get that first win that will give them so much belief.

I really do think it is a massive over reaction to be calling for the managers head already. Give him 10 games to get this squad gelled and time to work on the mistakes being made. We have signed an awful lot of players that need time to settle and gel.

We now know that Tall paul and Bella Kotcha are going nowhere and imho both need to be intergrated into the squad. Bella Kotcha for me needs to come in alongside Bednarek.

Dibbling has to start games and we need to be giving him the ball as much as possible, a bit like Alan Ball used to shout to his team "give it to Matty"

I still think this team are playing for RM and they need to be given time.

[gio1saints]

3 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

It makes no sense at all. How long do you give him? Another 6 games? 10 games? If we are favourites for relegation, I'd like to see us at least be competitive and have a go at avoiding the drop. If this continues any longer we will be cut adrift before we know it. There is no in game management from Martin. We are weak as a team. The penalty yesterday was farcical. Absolutely no way should Archer have been given the kick. Penalty takers need to be decided pre match, not during the game. Looked to me like nobody really wanted the responsibility of taking it. What's the point of playing well for 30 minutes if your still getting dicked three nil? 

It was better than the Brentford and forest games. Yiu clearly don’t agree.
 

There was improvement.  You clearly don’t agree. Or more likely in your understandable upset at a bad loss you are just plain angry at everything. Most of us are as well.
 

BUT - Team performance, player selection and formation tactics ARE heading in the right direction. Too slow? All that was really missing was the ball in the net from the penalty a 1-0 home win likely. But was not to be. 

As for pens- Come on man - our #1 pen taker off the pitch and you giving it large because his direct replacement took it and missed? It happens. 

Edited September 15 by gio1saints

[Maggie May]

Realistically, how many points were we expecting after these four games? 

I would have gone with one point at this stage before the season started.

[obelisk]

13 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

BUT - Team performance, player selection and formation tactics ARE heading in the right direction.

There's still no points for artistic interpretation. Results are heading in the wrong direction and that's all that counts in the end.

[Fabrice29]

29 minutes ago, obelisk said:

There's still no points for artistic interpretation. Results are heading in the wrong direction and that's all that counts in the end.

Did people expect us to be racking up points in this league or something? Worst team in it last time we were here and worst team to come up last season. Not sure what people think has drastically changed to think this year wouldn't be a struggle. The good news is the season is long, we're competitive and would be closer to picking up points if we could score massive chances we've got in every game bar one so far and you really don't need to start well in this league to stand a chance of staying in it (as proven quite a lot by other teams/seasons and us before).

[Badger]

3 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Did people expect us to be racking up points in this league or something? Worst team in it last time we were here and worst team to come up last season. Not sure what people think has drastically changed to think this year wouldn't be a struggle. The good news is the season is long, we're competitive and would be closer to picking up points if we could score massive chances we've got in every game bar one so far and you really don't need to start well in this league to stand a chance of staying in it (as proven quite a lot by other teams/seasons and us before).

Pity our Recruitment team didn't realise or act on this this before the window closed.

Say it quickly enough and it glosses over the problem as if it will all fall into place one Saturday and we'll be prolific scorers again.

[AlexLaw76]

6 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Did people expect us to be racking up points in this league or something? Worst team in it last time we were here and worst team to come up last season. Not sure what people think has drastically changed to think this year wouldn't be a struggle. The good news is the season is long, we're competitive and would be closer to picking up points if we could score massive chances we've got in every game bar one so far and you really don't need to start well in this league to stand a chance of staying in it (as proven quite a lot by other teams/seasons and us before).

Expect saints to have a point already? We must be mental!!!

[Lee On Solent Saint]

47 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

It was better than the Brentford and forest games. Yiu clearly don’t agree.
 

There was improvement.  You clearly don’t agree. Or more likely in your understandable upset at a bad loss you are just plain angry at everything. Most of us are as well.
 

BUT - Team performance, player selection and formation tactics ARE heading in the right direction. Too slow? All that was really missing was the ball in the net from the penalty a 1-0 home win likely. But was not to be. 

As for pens- Come on man - our #1 pen taker off the pitch and you giving it large because his direct replacement took it and missed? It happens. 

Do you really think Archer was the nominated penalty taker? He looked terrified taking that penalty. As for your assumption that we would win the game 1-0, am sorry but that is absolute bollocks. Yes, it was an improvement, but even though we played well for thirty minutes, we still had nothing to show for it. 

[Harry_SFC]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Expect saints to have a point already? We must be mental!!!

And whose fault is it that we can't score the few chances we are creating? The club have known for 4-5 years that we need a decent striker yet we still don't have one. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

11 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Did people expect us to be racking up points in this league or something? Worst team in it last time we were here and worst team to come up last season. Not sure what people think has drastically changed to think this year wouldn't be a struggle. The good news is the season is long, we're competitive and would be closer to picking up points if we could score massive chances we've got in every game bar one so far and you really don't need to start well in this league to stand a chance of staying in it (as proven quite a lot by other teams/seasons and us before).

I'd question that, being competitive does not mean the odd twenty to thirty minutes each match, and that was only in two of the four matches played so far. 

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, Maggie May said:

Realistically, how many points were we expecting after these four games? 

I would have gone with one point at this stage before the season started.

I don’t think the owner spent all that money in the Summer hoping for one point from the first 4 games.

[tdmickey3]

It’s Is going to be an embarrassingly low points total with a utterly dreadful goal difference, more unwanted records for us

Edited September 15 by tdmickey3

[pingpong]

Goal difference has been OK, especially before yesterday.

If you'd have offered -7 gd and above Everton by this stage, most of us would have bitten your hand off, surely?

Not sure anyone should be expecting more, losing to man utd is zero surprise to anyone.

 

[obelisk]

5 minutes ago, pingpong said:

Not sure anyone should be expecting more

I expect the owner will be expecting a return on investment even if some fans are happy enough with losing every week.

[Chris cooper]

6 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

It’s Is going to be an embarrassingly low points total with a utterly dreadful goal difference, more unwanted records for us

Rusty Has to somehow swallow his pride & intergrate Abk in the squad .. starting Tuesday night at goodison.

he is our best centre back .. along with bednerak in a back 4 of suga....Abk ..bedders & Taylor for me .. get Kwp infront of suga further up the pitch going foward ! 
 

Cornet .. Archer  &. Dibling up top 

downes Fernandes & Kwp .. across the middle.

we won’t break that derby record but we will be relegated if we stay with rusty .

[Wiggles31]

Sacking our Martin now would be like Palace sacking theirs. A complete overreaction and far too early in the season. Expectations need to be managed. Win next week and we’ll likely be out the bottom 3. If the players were clearly not playing for the manager like we saw in the last PL campaign then I would agree but that isn’t what is happening. This team looks far more capable of that previous team. 
 

[StrangelyBrown]

1 hour ago, Maggie May said:

Realistically, how many points were we expecting after these four games? 

I would have gone with one point at this stage before the season started.

Absolutely this. I thought we'd only get a point against Forest, but I hadn't really given them credit for their front 3 so with hindsight we were always going to struggle.

The next few games should give us a few points, but let's see what happens....

[derry]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

It was better than the Brentford and forest games. Yiu clearly don’t agree.
 

There was improvement.  You clearly don’t agree. Or more likely in your understandable upset at a bad loss you are just plain angry at everything. Most of us are as well.
 

BUT - Team performance, player selection and formation tactics ARE heading in the right direction. Too slow? All that was really missing was the ball in the net from the penalty a 1-0 home win likely. But was not to be. 

As for pens- Come on man - our #1 pen taker off the pitch and you giving it large because his direct replacement took it and missed? It happens. 

Archer looked full of tension and a rabbit in the headlights. In the event it was an awful penalty. He froze. Handing him the ball was a player with a perfect 100% 7 goals from 7 penalties. An awful decision for a player to take his first penalty at 0-0 against MU in his first start in the Premier League for us. BBD was a no brainer. A proper captain which Stephens isn't would have stepped in. With the delay so could the manager having ducked the decision in the first place. If this is an indication of our decision making we are in deep trouble.

Edited September 15 by derry

[Lighthouse]

36 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

I don’t think the owner spent all that money in the Summer hoping for one point from the first 4 games.

I don't think owner make judgements on such short term, volatile outcomes. They will have spent the money they did hoping we can stay up, knowing that the odds are ultimately against us.

[gio1saints]

46 minutes ago, obelisk said:

I expect the owner will be expecting a return on investment even if some fans are happy enough with losing every week.

I’m not happy with losing every week @obelisk though if it’s me you are referencing - though I guess your comment was rhetorical.

I do think first 30 was very good. First time this season I thought we are getting somewhere. If you think it was as shit as the other matches because ultimately we lost - youve got a fairly Uber pragmatic but rather one dimensional pov - ignore the perf just look at the points is pretty simple way to bash people like me up after that game -  but in my eyes it’s more nuanced than that and this performance , set up, style, showed what’s still possible. 

Get rid of RM and it’s a fucking circus.. 

[Dark Munster]

39 minutes ago, Wiggles31 said:

Sacking our Martin now would be like Palace sacking theirs. A complete overreaction and far too early in the season. Expectations need to be managed. Win next week and we’ll likely be out the bottom 3. If the players were clearly not playing for the manager like we saw in the last PL campaign then I would agree but that isn’t what is happening. This team looks far more capable of that previous team. 
 

You mean like they did a few years ago with de Boer after 4 matches? They ended up finishing 11th.

[aintforever]

50 minutes ago, derry said:

Archer looked full of tension and a rabbit in the headlights. In the event it was an awful penalty. He froze. Handing him the ball was a player with a perfect 100% 7 goals from 7 penalties. An awful decision for a player to take his first penalty at 0-0 against MU in his first start in the Premier League for us. BBD was a no brainer. A proper captain which Stephens isn't would have stepped in. With the delay so could the manager having ducked the decision in the first place. If this is an indication of our decision making we are in deep trouble.

That’s a bit OTT. In hindsight it was obviously the wrong decision but I thought the reasoning behind it was sound. If Archer was slotting them in in training and wanted to take them, it makes some sense to give your no9 the chance to get off the mark. 

[gio1saints]

59 minutes ago, derry said:

Archer looked full of tension and a rabbit in the headlights. In the event it was an awful penalty. He froze. Handing him the ball was a player with a perfect 100% 7 goals from 7 penalties. An awful decision for a player to take his first penalty at 0-0 against MU in his first start in the Premier League for us. BBD was a no brainer. A proper captain which Stephens isn't would have stepped in. With the delay so could the manager having ducked the decision in the first place. If this is an indication of our decision making we are in deep trouble.

Think you’re making too much out of it. One missed penalty and we can draw any number of bad conclusions- none necessarily correct - but most very liable to be interpreted through the dark prism that defeat always endows. 

It was not ridiculous to give our in form goal scorer the opportunity to take the pen. He missed - and RM has taken the blame like the man he is - but to draw conclusions about our future performances and RM “ management” from a missed pen is tenuous frankly. Would people be praising his excellent management if Archer scored? Of course not.

[CB Fry]

3 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

Would people be praising his excellent management if Archer scored? Of course not.

Would people be praising the bus drivers excellent driving ability if he hadn't crashed into that orphanage?

[Lee On Solent Saint]

6 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

Think you’re making too much out of it. One missed penalty and we can draw any number of bad conclusions- none necessarily correct - but most very liable to be interpreted through the dark prism that defeat always endows. 

It was not ridiculous to give our in form goal scorer the opportunity to take the pen. He missed - and RM has taken the blame like the man he is - but to draw conclusions about our future performances and RM “ management” from a missed pen is tenuous frankly. Would people be praising his excellent management if Archer scored? Of course not.

In form goal scorer? 

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

I don't think owner make judgements on such short term, volatile outcomes. They will have spent the money they did hoping we can stay up, knowing that the odds are ultimately against us.

You may be right.  Who knows what they’re thinking.  

[Badger]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

 

Get rid of RM and it’s a fucking circus.. 

I’d share your concern as to what might unfold, but if we don’t start picking up points then it’s a case of damned if we do or damned if we don’t. 
 

Always a risk involved, could be an inspired appointment to change things, or might be like 2022/3 and a free fall. I know which I think is more likely with SR record of appointments. 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

4 hours ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I get everyones frustrations, it's been mostly horrible watching us this season with the suicidal football we have been playing but yesterday for 30 minutes we were really good and that gives me hope this side can gel and get that first win that will give them so much belief.

I really do think it is a massive over reaction to be calling for the managers head already.

RM went up in my estimation yesterday. RM showed that he can adapt and try different tactics. Most agreed with the team he selected. Not too sure he should sub half the team in one go, but he recognised he needed to change things and brought off the people who were either not making an impact or running on empty.

The next games are minus Jack S. If the team can do well without him, I'm hoping RM will finally realise the guy is a liability. 

[Whitey Grandad]

4 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

RM went up in my estimation yesterday. RM showed that he can adapt and try different tactics. Most agreed with the team he selected. Not too sure he should sub half the team in one go, but he recognised he needed to change things and brought off the people who were either not making an impact or running on empty.

The next games are minus Jack S. If the team can do well without him, I'm hoping RM will finally realise the guy is a liability. 

What brings you to that conclusion? I don’t think many would have selected Stephens.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

3 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

What brings you to that conclusion? I don’t think many would have selected Stephens.

I looked at the thread when I got back from the game. Most people were happy with yesterday's team selection even if there was the resignation that Jack S would inevitably be included.

[saintant]

RM needs to handle questions at the after match press conference following defeats with a lot more humility. Lots of people say how nice a guy he is yet he treats the press, who are only doing their job, like something he's just trodden in. He was particularly harsh on Alfie House and tried to belittle him presumably so he himself felt better after another defeat. Hopefully he'll improve because if he doesn't, with all the defeats coming his way, he's going to develop into a very angry manager.

Edited September 15 by saintant

[derry]

1 hour ago, aintforever said:

That’s a bit OTT. In hindsight it was obviously the wrong decision but I thought the reasoning behind it was sound. If Archer was slotting them in in training and wanted to take them, it makes some sense to give your no9 the chance to get off the mark. 

I was watching live, I couldn't understand why he was taking it. During the delay the camera panned into his face as he stood holding the ball. I've seen that face many times during shoot outs and it mostly meant a miss. I felt then there was going to be a doubt and sure enough he froze, his penalty was awful. I knew BBD was a competent penalty taker 7/7. It was a no brainer that he took the penalties if AA wasn't available. Archer wasn't even a good choice he was a gamble and we paid the price. It was a massive downer when he missed it. Maybe another example of RM's stupidity. The biggest moment in the game.

[saintant]

4 minutes ago, derry said:

I was watching live, I couldn't understand why he was taking it. During the delay the camera panned into his face as he stood holding the ball. I've seen that face many times during shoot outs and it mostly meant a miss. I felt then there was going to be a doubt and sure enough he froze, his penalty was awful. I knew BBD was a competent penalty taker 7/7. It was a no brainer that he took the penalties if AA wasn't available. Archer wasn't even a good choice he was a gamble and we paid the price. It was a massive downer when he missed it. Maybe another example of RM's stupidity. The biggest moment in the game.

This was one of Alfie House's questions and RM belittled him by waffling about BD having played many more games which was presumably his way of justifying why he's scored 7 from 7 and we shouldn't expect the same from Archer because he's played less games. A complete nonsense of an answer.

[derry]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

Think you’re making too much out of it. One missed penalty and we can draw any number of bad conclusions- none necessarily correct - but most very liable to be interpreted through the dark prism that defeat always endows. 

It was not ridiculous to give our in form goal scorer the opportunity to take the pen. He missed - and RM has taken the blame like the man he is - but to draw conclusions about our future performances and RM “ management” from a missed pen is tenuous frankly. Would people be praising his excellent management if Archer scored? Of course not.

I saw it live and the close up of his face before he took the penalty was full of tension. I've seen it many times during penalties and shoot outs and invariably resulted in a miss. It was a stupid decision with a experienced competent penalty taker on the field. Nobody could predict the outcome but it should have been more difficult for Utd unless we did our usual backing off once in front and gave up the game to Utd.

[derry]

3 minutes ago, saintant said:

This was one of Alfie House's questions and RM belittled him by waffling about BD having played many more games which was presumably his way of justifying why he's scored 7 from 7 and we shouldn't expect the same from Archer because he's played less games. A complete nonsense of an answer.

Martin was in denial, he'd messed up and knew it and only made himself look like a bigger prat than he is. BBD should have taken it. Archer was frozen with nerves it wasn't Cardiff's second team in a nearly empty stadium it was MU in a sell out stadium and it was his first penalty FFS on his club debut.

[SWLondon Saint]

16 minutes ago, saintant said:

This was one of Alfie House's questions and RM belittled him by waffling about BD having played many more games which was presumably his way of justifying why he's scored 7 from 7 and we shouldn't expect the same from Archer because he's played less games. A complete nonsense of an answer.

Either he didn't establish penalty takers, or he chose Archer - doesn't matter which really, they both reflect badly on him, he knows that, that's why he's being mega-defensive and angry about it.

Palace got criticised for sacking DeBoer after 4 games a few years back, but it was clearly absolutely the right decision in hindsight. The big question here is: do we think RM will actually improve?

The biggest problem all his teams have, including us last season and this season, is conceding a ton of goals. There is clearly something not right with his approach to defensive transition as his teams get cut apart after losing the ball. He thinks he's Pep, but Pep teams are drilled to death in how to stop teams getting at them when they lose the ball. Sure, they have better players too, but we had players at the top of the league ability range last season and we still conceded a ton of goals.

I hoped something would have clicked over the summer, or the club would've found a coach to deal with this issue, but neither has happened. Nothing in his career to date has indicated he knows how to fix his team's defensive issues, so why are people still hoping there'll be a change?

[The Kraken]

3 minutes ago, SWLondon Saint said:

Palace got criticised for sacking DeBoer after 4 games a few years back, but it was clearly absolutely the right decision in hindsight. The big question here is: do we think RM will actually improve?

Do Boer is a bit of a different situation, he was a brand new manager while Martin has a promotion in the bank. I listened on the radio a week or two ago to Joel Ward who was talking about the de Boer debacle, and whilst he was being quite cautious in what he said, it doesn’t sound like it was a surprise that de a Boer got binned when he did.

I can’t see SR jettisoning Russ. Artin so quickly. They may well pull the trigger but personally I reckon he’s got at least another month or two.

[Dark Munster]

4 hours ago, The Kraken said:

Do Boer is a bit of a different situation, he was a brand new manager while Martin has a promotion in the bank. I listened on the radio a week or two ago to Joel Ward who was talking about the de Boer debacle, and whilst he was being quite cautious in what he said, it doesn’t sound like it was a surprise that de a Boer got binned when he did.

I can’t see SR jettisoning Russ. Artin so quickly. They may well pull the trigger but personally I reckon he’s got at least another month or two.

If we lose the next two league matches against Ipswich and Bournemouth I would say his position would be untenable.

[Dman]

With each week that passes, we're less appealing to a manager who's capable at this level. If (when) we fail to beat Ipswich and Bmouth, we simply have to pull the trigger if we're serious about giving ourselves a chance of survival this season. 

[BARCELONASAINT]

I'm sorry everyone is entitled to their own opinion but calling for the managers head after only 4 games is madness. It is a learning curve for RM and a huge part of the current squad. They need to be given at least 10 games to see if they can adapt to the Premier league.

I also don't agree with this opinion that with each week passing we become less appealing to a manager who's capable at this level. I'm sorry but money talks! If we were already looking like a lost cause then there is little reputational damage for any manager taking us over, BUT should any new manager come in and save a side looking odds on favourites for the drop then their stock rises massively! Add to that a nice 3/4 year contract on very decent money and its a win/win for any new manager!

Edited September 16 by BARCELONASAINT

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Dman said:

With each week that passes, we're less appealing to a manager who's capable at this level. If (when) we fail to beat Ipswich and Bmouth, we simply have to pull the trigger if we're serious about giving ourselves a chance of survival this season. 

Money talks.

[Lord Duckhunter]

19 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

we're competitive

You’re deluded man. 
 

We  lost 3-0 & 3-1 (only getting the 1 in injury time), that’s not “competitive”. We played 10 men for an hour, pretty hard not to be competitive in those circumstances, and we never looked like beating  Forest. If that’s “competitive “ my cocks a carrot. 
 

 

Edited September 16 by Lord Duckhunter

[Mr X]

20 hours ago, Wiggles31 said:

Sacking our Martin now would be like Palace sacking theirs. A complete overreaction and far too early in the season. Expectations need to be managed. Win next week and we’ll likely be out the bottom 3. If the players were clearly not playing for the manager like we saw in the last PL campaign then I would agree but that isn’t what is happening. This team looks far more capable of that previous team. 
 

So how many games is fair with no points on the board? 10? 15? When do you say this isn't good enough.

To me he should be given the next three games nothing from those and he has to be on his way surely? 

[Midfield_General]

Just watched the Man Utd post-match press conference in full and the very last line was interesting. 

RM was giving an answer about the size of the squad, talking about how they were handling it and how there would need to be a reassessment in January, and at the end he signed off with "I'll have to stay in the job for that long first". He didn't say it with much of a smile either. 

Even if it was just a throwaway line, it shows he's clearly feeling the pressure. There was some talk that the contract extension meant that he may have been given assurances that he'd be allowed to stay in the job if we went down, to bring us back up, but I don't think someone who has had that sort of reassurance makes a comment like that. 

He comes across as quite bolshy sometimes (although, in my opinion, nothing he said in that press conference was particularly aggressive or out of order), but I don't think he's under any illusions as to the expectations and the likely consequences of falling short of them, even this early on. He knows his job's at risk already. 

Edited September 16 by Midfield_General

[Mr X]

4 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Just watched the Man Utd post-match press conference in full and the very last line was interesting. 

RM was giving an answer about the size of the squad, talking about how they were handling it and how there would need to be a reassessment in January, and at the end he signed off with "I'll have to stay in the job for that long first". He didn't say it with much of a smile either. 

Even if it was just a throwaway line, it shows he's clearly feeling the pressure. There was some talk that the contract extension meant that he may have been given assurances that he'd be allowed to stay in the job if we went down, to bring us back up, but I don't think someone who has had that sort of reassurance makes a comment like that. 

He comes across as quite bolshy sometimes (although, in my opinion, nothing he said in that press conference was particularly aggressive or out of order), but I don't think he's under any illusions as to the expectations and the likely consequences of falling short of them, even this early on. He knows his job's at risk already. 

Not sure it is at risk when the club have committed so fully to him not sure they will take any action before Xmas 

[saintant]

16 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Not sure it is at risk when the club have committed so fully to him not sure they will take any action before Xmas 

Whatever may have been said in private to RM matters not a jot. If he cannot get some wins on the board it is just a matter of time before the fan base will make their feelings known in no uncertain terms. If it reaches that stage his position will be untenable. This would be the same at any major club in the country.