Russell Martin

[derry]

The thing that annoys me is his obsession with slow possession in our own final third. At this level we are turning ourselves into cannon fodder for the other teams who play at a much higher tempo. If he dropped that we would improve instantly, play more direct from the back therefore the tempo would be higher and the forwards would have more chance to attack on the break. More importantly we wouldn't be giving the ball away in our own last third and conceding goals that way in every match. For me it's change the manager or the way we are playing and if necessary both.

[Whitey Grandad]

4 hours ago, Oldandtired said:

That's the whole point. The PL is a cutthroat, merciless place and time is one thing you don't get.

Get it right pretty much straight away, and that's from the top to the bottom, board decisions to manager decisions to player decisions, or you're adrift at the bottom.

Yep. To the rest of the League we're fresh meat.

[Whitey Grandad]

25 minutes ago, OldNick said:

I can understand the fans being unhappy, but surely you all must have known we were going to have a poor season with the squad we have?

I was very sceptical from the first games of the season but still enjoyed the 25 game unbeaten run. I really only got more on board with RM right at the end of the season when he changed and seemed to be more pragmatic. He went a bit against his football ideology and mixed it u a bit, that encouraged me a tad.

It does seem to me that the fans crave the fix of a new manager every 10 games or so, one minute they are eating out of his hands and lapping him up the next acting like a woman scorned! Id love to have the time to read back from all the naysayers posts after Wembley, not a peep then of course.

Unbeaten is a long long way from winning. Nothing exciting about that run at all.

[ErwinK1961]

Just now, Whitey Grandad said:

Unbeaten is a long long way from winning. Nothing exciting about that run at all.

Sorry but that’s just utter nonsense. 

[Whitey Grandad]

Just now, ErwinK1961 said:

Sorry but that’s just utter nonsense. 

Utterly isn't. 

[ErwinK1961]

5 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Utterly isn't. 

I know you’re determined to hate everything about last season, but that statement is hilarious.

[Osvaldorama]

3 hours ago, OldNick said:

So they would walk into all the other PL teams in your opinion I assume?

Do you only operate in binary or something?

[Give it to Ron]

37 minutes ago, OldNick said:

I can understand the fans being unhappy, but surely you all must have known we were going to have a poor season with the squad we have?

I was very sceptical from the first games of the season but still enjoyed the 25 game unbeaten run. I really only got more on board with RM right at the end of the season when he changed and seemed to be more pragmatic. He went a bit against his football ideology and mixed it u a bit, that encouraged me a tad.

It does seem to me that the fans crave the fix of a new manager every 10 games or so, one minute they are eating out of his hands and lapping him up the next acting like a woman scorned! Id love to have the time to read back from all the naysayers posts after Wembley, not a peep then of course.

How many times did we play the U shape or have 5 attackers on bench and no forwards last season?

If he can stop trying to be the new Poundland Pep and get a few wins then all changes but tactically I refuse to believe someone like Carrick wouldn’t be a better option than Mad Russball 

[Wade Garrett]

3 hours ago, Wsaint said:

There is absolutely zero chance Potter comes here. If people are banging on about changing the manager please at least be realistic.

You may be right, but why wouldn’t Potter come here.  He’s not getting the Man U job or England.  A premier league club is a good move for him. 
Apparently, he messed Leicester about a bit so they went and got Cooper.

Im not so sure he is out of our reach, he’s hardly Ancellotti.

[verlaine1979]

4 hours ago, gio1saints said:

(4) Do NOT collect £10M by selling him to Al Hillal or Inter Miami or some such in seven months time when we are relegated. Bonkers move paying someone to take your motor away when Webuyanycar will give you up to £10m for it in 7mths time…
 

No one is taking RM off our hands for that kind of money if we get relegated. Leaving aside that Kompany's reputation as player and captain is probably at least 50% of the logic behind Bayern taking him, his record as a Championship manager shits all over RM's. Burnley blitzed the league and went up as record-breaking champions. We... didn't.

[ErwinK1961]

2 hours ago, Dark Munster said:

In your opinion. 

I’m confused, I thought we were a complete joke with Rasmus and Co in charge? Why would he put himself through that?

[notnowcato]

1 hour ago, derry said:

The thing that annoys me is his obsession with slow possession in our own final third. At this level we are turning ourselves into cannon fodder for the other teams who play at a much higher tempo. If he dropped that we would improve instantly, play more direct from the back therefore the tempo would be higher and the forwards would have more chance to attack on the break. More importantly we wouldn't be giving the ball away in our own last third and conceding goals that way in every match. For me it's change the manager or the way we are playing and if necessary both.

Or play through the 1/3s like the beautiful Archer goal against the Arse. 

[The Kraken]

2 hours ago, OldNick said:

I can understand the fans being unhappy, but surely you all must have known we were going to have a poor season with the squad we have?

I was very sceptical from the first games of the season but still enjoyed the 25 game unbeaten run. I really only got more on board with RM right at the end of the season when he changed and seemed to be more pragmatic. He went a bit against his football ideology and mixed it u a bit, that encouraged me a tad.

It does seem to me that the fans crave the fix of a new manager every 10 games or so, one minute they are eating out of his hands and lapping him up the next acting like a woman scorned! Id love to have the time to read back from all the naysayers posts after Wembley, not a peep then of course.

Out of interest what level of “poor season” are you expecting this squad to have? Let’s not forget, the manager in charge is the one who has overseen this squad being put together, spending in the area of £200m doing so since he arrived here.

As for the lack of naysayers, there were loads, it’s rubbish to suggest there weren’t.  Certainly the pervading feeling was one of “great season, really enjoyed it, but if we don’t tighten up a lot at the back we’ll get mullered in the Premier League”.

[derry]

6 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Or play through the 1/3s like the beautiful Archer goal against the Arse. 

That is nonsense, we tried playing out but lost the ball to Arsenal, Fernandes won the ball back with a tackle just inside our half and hit a thirty yard ball to Archer on the left wing who cut inside and shot into the far corner. There was no multiple pass play out, a proper break away goal, one tackle, one pass and a shot. Playing it out is wrecking our season.

[Tommy Mulgrew]

2 minutes ago, derry said:

That is nonsense, we tried playing out but lost the ball to Arsenal, Fernandes won the ball back with a tackle just inside our half and hit a thirty yard ball to Archer on the left wing who cut inside and shot into the far corner. There was no multiple pass play out, a proper break away goal, one tackle, one pass and a shot. Playing it out is wrecking our season.

Ralphball at its best. 😉

[Farmer Saint]

1 hour ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Unbeaten is a long long way from winning. Nothing exciting about that run at all.

Statements like this just erode any credibility for your other posts I'm afraid. 

[Farmer Saint]

58 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

You may be right, but why wouldn’t Potter come here.  He’s not getting the Man U job or England.  A premier league club is a good move for him. 
Apparently, he messed Leicester about a bit so they went and got Cooper.

Im not so sure he is out of our reach, he’s hardly Ancellotti.

Rightly or wrongly, he's not interested. Neither is Moyes. 

[badgerx16]

After their first 7 games of last season Luton Town had scored 6, conceded 14, and had acquired 4 points. That is the measure of how well we are doing.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

4 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

After their first 7 games of last season Luton Town had scored 6, conceded 14, and had acquired 4 points. That is the measure of how well we are doing.

We shouldn't rule out going for a Luton manager from the last few seasons, considering how well they...oh... 🙂

[gio1saints]

42 minutes ago, verlaine1979 said:

No one is taking RM off our hands for that kind of money if we get relegated. Leaving aside that Kompany's reputation as player and captain is probably at least 50% of the logic behind Bayern taking him, his record as a Championship manager shits all over RM's. Burnley blitzed the league and went up as record-breaking champions. We... didn't.

Yup I agree. Make it £4m then. Or whatever number you like. It’s a number though for sure. Whatever it is - it’s money could be spent on better players not the bloke who watches them play. 

[Tommy Mulgrew]

He watches them play only when he ought to bring on a substitute or two or to tell them to play differently.  He is the one who before every match tells them how to play; and look how that turned out so far this season.

[Midfield_General]

21 minutes ago, derry said:

That is nonsense, we tried playing out but lost the ball to Arsenal, Fernandes won the ball back with a tackle just inside our half and hit a thirty yard ball to Archer on the left wing who cut inside and shot into the far corner. There was no multiple pass play out, a proper break away goal, one tackle, one pass and a shot. Playing it out is wrecking our season.

Yeah, Archer's goal was the absolute opposite of what they usually appear to be coached to do.  

It was basically an example of how much more effective the players we have at our disposal could be if they were set up and encouraged to play more directly, more often. 

Spotting space in behind a high line that hasn't had time to set, and playing a quick, long pass in behind for a rapid forward to run onto and slot. We hardly ever see that, even though Archer, Dibling, Cornet, Armstrong, Fraser (and maybe even Sulemana when he's fit) could thrive on that sort of approach, and Fernandes and Lallana are more than capable of supplying those sorts of passes. 

Btw, how good was Fernandes in that moment? Working hard to track back, a great tackle to win the ball from behind his man without a foul, and then an absolutely perfectly spotted and weighted pass to exactly where Archer wanted it. Beautiful. Great control, run and finish from Archer too. A really lovely goal all round. Feels like a glimpse of how much more dangerous we could be if we played on the counter-attack more. 

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, Farmer Saint said:

Rightly or wrongly, he's not interested. Neither is Moyes. 

I would rather Ethel the fucking tea lady picked the side rather than that arrogant prick Martin.

[Farmer Saint]

2 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

I would rather Ethel the fucking tea lady picked the side rather than that arrogant prick Martin.

But I think this is the problem with society nowadays - people are problem makers not problem solvers - so who should we bring in? I don't think I've seen a realistic good option (a top division Manager, or at least one with some PL experience). 

[Dark Munster]

1 hour ago, ErwinK1961 said:

I’m confused, I thought we were a complete joke with Rasmus and Co in charge? Why would he put himself through that?

He’s not Klopp or Pep. A decent manager with  Brighton and sacked by Chelsea. Saying he’s not interested in us is your opinion, not a fact.

Unless you heard it from the horse’s mouth. 

[Farmer Saint]

2 minutes ago, Dark Munster said:

He’s not Klopp or Pep. A decent manager with  Brighton and sacked by Chelsea. Saying he’s not interested in us is your opinion, not a fact.

Unless you heard it from the horse’s mouth. 

It's a fact - I heard from my best man who happens to work for Wassermans (hence why I know about Moyes as well). 

[Wade Garrett]

2 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

But I think this is the problem with society nowadays - people are problem makers not problem solvers - so who should we bring in? I don't think I've seen a realistic good option (a top division Manager, or at least one with some PL experience). 

Problem is Russell is a shit manager who has one way of playing that is totally unsuitable for his squad and simple to play against.

The solution is to relieve him of his duties.  It’s not fucking rocket science.  
You can’t leave a failing manager who is tactically inept in place.

[Toussaint]

7 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

It's a fact - I heard from my best man who happens to work for Wassermans (hence why I know about Moyes as well). 

Are you suggesting they have been sounded out by us?

[Farmer Saint]

2 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

Are you suggesting they have been sounded out by us?

No. 

[ErwinK1961]

24 minutes ago, Dark Munster said:

He’s not Klopp or Pep. A decent manager with  Brighton and sacked by Chelsea. Saying he’s not interested in us is your opinion, not a fact.

Unless you heard it from the horse’s mouth. 

Not this time, Farmer Saints turn.

It is my opinion, the bloke was literally on TV the other day trying to tout himself for the Utd and England job. His stock is still relatively high, he’s not going to jeopardise that by coming here to very likely get relegated. 

I’m looking forward to when we don’t appoint him though, it’ll give you another chance to blame Rasmus 👌

[Oldandtired]

1 hour ago, Farmer Saint said:

Statements like this just erode any credibility for your other posts I'm afraid. 

You do realise that this being a forum other opinions than yours are available and equally valid. You pluck shit out of the air, you need to give others the pleasure of doing so as well.

[ally_uk]

Bet we will end up with someone like. Kjetil Knutsen or Bo Svensson 

[verlaine1979]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

Yup I agree. Make it £4m then. Or whatever number you like. It’s a number though for sure. Whatever it is - it’s money could be spent on better players not the bloke who watches them play. 

Nope. Nobody is paying anything at all if Russell Martin staggers into the PL via the playoffs and then flames out in relegation right away. He's got no reputation to trade on. He'll just be another small time failure.

[danjosaint]

2 hours ago, notnowcato said:

Or play through the 1/3s like the beautiful Archer goal against the Arse. 

Jeez got his Martin blinkers on again 

[Daft Kerplunk]

11 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

Bet we will end up with someone like. Kjetil Knutsen or Bo Svensson 

Probably Bo Diddly Squat instead

[Harry_SFC]

1 hour ago, Midfield_General said:

Yeah, Archer's goal was the absolute opposite of what they usually appear to be coached to do.  

It was basically an example of how much more effective the players we have at our disposal could be if they were set up and encouraged to play more directly, more often. 

Spotting space in behind a high line that hasn't had time to set, and playing a quick, long pass in behind for a rapid forward to run onto and slot. We hardly ever see that, even though Archer, Dibling, Cornet, Armstrong, Fraser (and maybe even Sulemana when he's fit) could thrive on that sort of approach, and Fernandes and Lallana are more than capable of supplying those sorts of passes. 

Btw, how good was Fernandes in that moment? Working hard to track back, a great tackle to win the ball from behind his man without a foul, and then an absolutely perfectly spotted and weighted pass to exactly where Archer wanted it. Beautiful. Great control, run and finish from Archer too. A really lovely goal all round. Feels like a glimpse of how much more dangerous we could be if we played on the counter-attack more. 

100% this. 

[derry]

Danny Rohl ?

[Farmer Saint]

3 minutes ago, derry said:

Danny Rohl ?

May be worth a go, but feels a bit too much a risk considering he's never managed in a top division. We've already got a Championship quality manager, not sure it's worth risking another one. 

[notnowcato]

2 hours ago, derry said:

That is nonsense, we tried playing out but lost the ball to Arsenal, Fernandes won the ball back with a tackle just inside our half and hit a thirty yard ball to Archer on the left wing who cut inside and shot into the far corner. There was no multiple pass play out, a proper break away goal, one tackle, one pass and a shot. Playing it out is wrecking our season.

You missed the slow possession in the final 1/3, as per your point… oh wait, naughty Cameron went against what we all know to be specific instructions from the boss.

[SWLondon Saint]

I think most managers would be wary of taking over a team in such a bad position, unless you have something else to offer like a greater amount of control or a project to sell them. If I recall, that was part of the pitch to Ralph when he took over, that we'd play his way through all the age groups. That doesn't seem to be the case / plan anymore? But perhaps we could tempt someone like Edin Terzic who apparently fell out with the club leadership over control issues I think.

[Roo1976]

3 hours ago, Farmer Saint said:

Statements like this just erode any credibility for your other posts I'm afraid. 

not really, how lucky were we to have kept that run going considering we either equalized very late on or conceded very late on in games we were so very dominant, and still playing boring ponderous pedestrian football, a fair few spring to mind luckily or unlucky. So that run could have ended sooner than fans begin to realise.

[Scully]

I think this situation was very predictable based upon the results last year. Yet the management continued on this course anyway. Quite baffling

[Toussaint]

7 hours ago, Scully said:

I think this situation was very predictable based upon the results last year. Yet the management continued on this course anyway. Quite baffling

I keep saying it, but I don’t think there is any football knowledge at board level, or above Martin. Theoretically Rasmus does, but it wouldn’t seem that way given his managerial appointments and transfer dealings in January 23. I appreciate this must have been recognised as they appointed two directors of football, unfortunately neither stayed the course.
 

My perception is we are a bit rudderless in the strategic footballing side at the moment.

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/meet-the-saints-leadership-team

[m4]

11 hours ago, ally_uk said:

Bet we will end up with someone like. Kjetil Knutsen or Bo Svensson 

Would happily take either of them

[Dusic]

13 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

Yeah, Archer's goal was the absolute opposite of what they usually appear to be coached to do.  

It was basically an example of how much more effective the players we have at our disposal could be if they were set up and encouraged to play more directly, more often. 

Spotting space in behind a high line that hasn't had time to set, and playing a quick, long pass in behind for a rapid forward to run onto and slot. We hardly ever see that, even though Archer, Dibling, Cornet, Armstrong, Fraser (and maybe even Sulemana when he's fit) could thrive on that sort of approach, and Fernandes and Lallana are more than capable of supplying those sorts of passes. 

Btw, how good was Fernandes in that moment? Working hard to track back, a great tackle to win the ball from behind his man without a foul, and then an absolutely perfectly spotted and weighted pass to exactly where Archer wanted it. Beautiful. Great control, run and finish from Archer too. A really lovely goal all round. Feels like a glimpse of how much more dangerous we could be if we played on the counter-attack more. 

We did that for both of Archers chances vs Ipswich too to be fair. Different type of passes but the same principle and intent.

[notnowcato]

23 minutes ago, Dusic said:

We did that for both of Archers chances vs Ipswich too to be fair. Different type of passes but the same principle and intent.

Come on… stick to the narrative that the goal and chances were despite what the management are instructing the players to do. 

[Farmer Saint]

13 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

Problem is Russell is a shit manager who has one way of playing that is totally unsuitable for his squad and simple to play against.

The solution is to relieve him of his duties.  It’s not fucking rocket science.  
You can’t leave a failing manager who is tactically inept in place.

I get that, I'm not disagreeing, but come up with a solution - unless you're proposing having no manager for the remainder of the season. 

[lambtiss]

16 hours ago, OldNick said:

I can understand the fans being unhappy, but surely you all must have known we were going to have a poor season with the squad we have?

I was very sceptical from the first games of the season but still enjoyed the 25 game unbeaten run. I really only got more on board with RM right at the end of the season when he changed and seemed to be more pragmatic. He went a bit against his football ideology and mixed it u a bit, that encouraged me a tad.

It does seem to me that the fans crave the fix of a new manager every 10 games or so, one minute they are eating out of his hands and lapping him up the next acting like a woman scorned! Id love to have the time to read back from all the naysayers posts after Wembley, not a peep then of course.

I doubt that anyone anticipated anything other than a tough season and, as you say, most of us were very happy when the approach became more pragmatic at the end of the season with a commensurate uplift in performance and results. However, I don't believe this was intentional pragmatism, it was simply fortuitous after Bazunu's injury forced RM's hand. 

What has frustrated me this season is, as you say, knowing how difficult this season would be and having seen the benefits of pragmatism at the end of last season, RM seemed completely oblivious and reverted to type with the same risky, slow, possession-based football against better opponents with better players. This is why I have flipped my support for RM, he doesn't seem to have learned and is not setting the team up to have the best opportunity to get results in the toughest league of all. They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, and based upon that definition this club is currently insane.

Your depiction of Saints fans as fickle is unfair. The reason that the majority has lost belief in RM is not the mistakes that he makes but the lack of willingness to learn from them, indeed, to repeat them over and over again. Personally, I feel his approach has definitely cost us points this season. The opening day fixture is an obvious example, conceding a ridiculous goal from risky possession at the back leading to a mistake and a gifted goal against a team with 10 men on the pitch. Do I think RM could have avoided some of those losses if he had been more pragmatic, as at the end of last season, yes I do. But his failure to do so leaves me frustrated, time and time again. If he is unwilling to try a different approach then we need a manager who will. 

[Farmer Saint]

Who's this @tdmickey3 character? Seems to be following me around the forum like a bad smell? Is he the same person as @Kermitzasaint as they both seem to be following me, but we all know Kermit cos his wife's been shagging RM. 

[Kermitzasaint]

47 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Who's this @tdmickey3 character? Seems to be following me around the forum like a bad smell? Is he the same person as @Kermitzasaint as they both seem to be following me, but we all know Kermit cos his wife's been shagging RM. 

You really are desperate for attention aren't you. Each post is 'look at me, look at me'!

Its tedious in the extreme. I also don't follow you. Considering how often you post, that would be a full time job. I ignore most of your posts because you have nothing to offer. 

Keep persisting about comments about my wife, we all know the state of what sturdy lump you must have at home.