Russell Martin

[sotonjoe]

6 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

What fucks me off is that he’ll get his contract paid when he gets sacked for his obviously suicidal tactics and deluded post match interviews.

Won’t be long until the players start to turn on him.  I get the impression he’s lost KWP already.

Kwp isn't lost. He's just still trying to make it back from an inverted wing back offensive charge.

[woodsaint1]

4 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

This is the only thing that makes sense, BUT, we as fans can all see that with this squad you pay for some experience (Potter? don't care, anyone with actual top flight experience) and Saints go up. Carry on messing around with trying to find the next best gem, you get worse. 

Right now I honestly would be welcoming Hassenthuttl back.  Not even sure he should have been given the boot still - a few players moaned, I have a feeling those players are no longer here ... 

Kompany, Heckingbottom and Edwards were the three promoted managers last season. Top flight managerial experience between them? Next to nothing bar the Belgian league

Season before - Silva, Parker (yes Scott fucking Parker) and Cooper. Two managers who largely failed in the PL and the other with zero top flight experience.

Its really not that simple to just bring in an 'experienced' manager and that equals improvement or better still, promotion.

[Kermitzasaint]

8 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

Really don't think this is true at all. Playing out from the back is such a minor thing, it's not a style. Ralph was very heavily off the ball based, he had a playbook that he insisted all age groups worked to so they knew where they were supposed to be at all times. It led to players being under coached on the ball and when we lost a clinical striker we were dropped massively because we were clearly out of ideas. We recruited heavily based on peoples off the ball qualities, we dismissed the likes of Olise because we didn't trust his off the ball ability, just because he tried playing out of the back doesn't mean that was his style at all. 

Jones was a mess but was quite clearly trying to make us a more physical side. He alluded to that many times and he felt we weren't strong, tall or quick enough. He was quite obviously torn between what he wanted to do and what he thought/was told modern PL managers do so we had this weird thing of passing it out the back then lumping it into the box. Again poorly coached but a clear push to being more "aggressive" as he kept saying. He referenced power almost every interview during January and was eventually given a massive striker and a rapid winger. A week or two later he was sacked.

Selles recognised we had recruited heavily for Ralph and so tried going back to that whilst also clearly wanting to modernise the team and making us hard to beat and more organised in transitions. No transfer window obviously and this weird result of combination of styles followed.

Martin is completely different. It's clear he's taken us to the extreme other side of things, much more heavily coached in possession and it shows in our movement when on the ball and shows in the attacking player being better  but it's at the detriment of the transition so far. The recruitment is also completely different and much more focused on being better on the ball. We're really in a different style of playing completely right now and 6 games really isn't long enough to judge. At some point we'll have to stick with a manager for more than a few games by the way, why not stick with the one who is actively trying to do something different and more entertaining?

You consistently ignore that Martin has failed miserably at his previous clubs playing the exact same style. 

Whilst we seem to be getting worse, at best,  Martin's style and skill still doesn't achieve anything worth committing to.

 

[notnowcato]

7 hours ago, revolution saint said:

That’s a really fine distinction that doesn’t need “horseshit” prefixing it. You’re basically saying the same thing

Not really. Leicester were not “set up to take advantage” we failed to keep the ball, most formations would’ve been sufficient of that. 

[Professor]

Very pleased to see this thread.  Serious error appointing Martin. 
Evidence for SR is so obvious. A couple of results scraped from last minute goals; incompetent defence shipping massively. Even against Gillingham FGS. This CAN’T go on.  A manager who wants his mates working with him is one not prepared to risk being challenged. 
Waiting for another month before showing him the door will only make the job harder for his replacement. 
Not sure RH would come back but I’d snatch his hand off. 

Edited 17 September, 2023 by Professor

[Saint Fan CaM]

20 minutes ago, Professor said:

Very pleased to see this thread.  Serious error appointing Martin. 
Evidence for SR is so obvious. A couple of results scraped from last minute goals; incompetent defence shipping massively. Even against Gillingham FGS. This CAN’T go on.  A manager who wants his mates working with him is one not prepared to risk being challenged. 
Waiting for another month before showing him the door will only make the job harder for his replacement. 
Not sure RH would come back but I’d snatch his hand off. 

Agree with the sentiment, but Ralph could barely get a song out of a squad of players twice as good collectively twice as good as the current batch of misfits.

[Roo1976]

9 hours ago, woodsaint1 said:

Kompany, Heckingbottom and Edwards were the three promoted managers last season. Top flight managerial experience between them? Next to nothing bar the Belgian league

Season before - Silva, Parker (yes Scott fucking Parker) and Cooper. Two managers who largely failed in the PL and the other with zero top flight experience.

Its really not that simple to just bring in an 'experienced' manager and that equals improvement or better still, promotion.

Brighton have managed to.................................................................could we maybe tempt Potter to sort this mess out?

[FarehamSaintJames]

Tactically I think our problem is that if you want the full backs to push up then you need to cover the centre more.

For example, how many times did we say the full backs and the wingers in largely the same place in recent weeks?
If those full backs are expected to push up then you need to make sure the wingers tuck in a lot more.

At the moment we have a LB and a LW playing in the same area and the same on the right hand side; meaning that the midfielders have to push up outside the area to plug the gaps.

In the past if you have a holding midfielder they act as cover and defensively can drop between the two CB’s and offensively can provide space say in between the half way line and eighteen yard line.

At the moment those midfielders have having to push up to cover where our wingers should be.

I certainly noticed when Sulemana came on how he was effectively touching the sideline with Manning trying to under lap/overlap him within about five yards. Mad really.

The other two CMs are then able to roam a little more freely on the edge of the area.

That, plus players being played in the wrong positions and alongside the incompetence the other day allowed Leicester free counter attack time and time again. This is where we’re getting caught out at times.

[Sheaf Saint]

10 hours ago, notnowcato said:

Horseshit. We were the architects of our downfall, Leicester took advantage superbly. 

Yeah that's basically the point I'm trying to make.

Leicester's setup enabled them to absorb what we tried to do in attack and ruthlessly exploit our glaring weaknesses in midfield and defence. 

It highlights the difference between a competent manager who understands the basics of how to set up a team tactically, and a shite one who doesn't. 

[Sheaf Saint]

2 hours ago, notnowcato said:

Not really. Leicester were not “set up to take advantage” we failed to keep the ball, most formations would’ve been sufficient of that. 

We failed to keep the ball because they knew exactly where and when to press our players into making a mistake. The goal after 21 seconds highlights that.

and if most formations would have been sufficient then it just shows even more that our tactics are shit and can be out overcome by anyone with basic competence.

Edited 17 September, 2023 by Sheaf Saint

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

8 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Agree with the sentiment, but Ralph could barely get a song out of a squad of players twice as good collectively twice as good as the current batch of misfits.

I would honestly say that I believe we would still be in the premier league were Ralph still in charge. He oozed professionalism.

[sfc4prem]

6 minutes ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

I would honestly say that I believe we would still be in the premier league were Ralph still in charge. He oozed professionalism.

He was seemingly bone tired towards the end of his time with us. We'd drained out any enthusiasm he had for football.

[Crab Lungs]

If we're gonna play this insanely suicidal tactic then we need some form of cover, not powder puff tippy-tappers like Downes and Smallbone. It's got to be one of them and Charles. It worked best at Plymouth, so that should give RM the indicator that if he's going to do thrust ahead with this, then he needs the Belfast Wardrobe to sit in DM and try break up as many counters as possible.

[Wade Garrett]

4 minutes ago, Crab Lungs said:

If we're gonna play this insanely suicidal tactic then we need some form of cover, not powder puff tippy-tappers like Downes and Smallbone. It's got to be one of them and Charles. It worked best at Plymouth, so that should give RM the indicator that if he's going to do thrust ahead with this, then he needs the Belfast Wardrobe to sit in DM and try break up as many counters as possible.

The fact that he doesn’t seem to know this tells me he doesn’t know what he’s doing.

 Charles has to sit deep.  Martin is a fucking idiot for putting him CB against Leicester’s attack.  At times, he was having to cover the whole right half of the pitch because Russell Guardiola had KWP in no man’s land.

I had high hopes for this manager, but my hope has evaporated.  Stinks of someone who wants his contract paid up.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

Had everyone already forgotten that made a shit load of passes against Sheffield Wednesday?

[Long Shot]

If most on here can correctly suss out what we are doing so wrong how come the manager can’t? I am genuinely stumped how SR can get it so spectacularly wrong. Not once, not twice but it looks very much like three bad appointments on the trot. 
And some said Wilcox was the Mesiah? Why that was the belief beggars belief. 

[sadoldgit]

6 minutes ago, Long Shot said:

If most on here can correctly suss out what we are doing so wrong how come the manager can’t? I am genuinely stumped how SR can get it so spectacularly wrong. Not once, not twice but it looks very much like three bad appointments on the trot. 
And some said Wilcox was the Mesiah? Why that was the belief beggars belief. 

Has anyone actually called him the Messiah?

[Block41 Saint]

It's a really important run of games for RM now, good managers adapt. If we see the same gaps and set up over the next two games then I'm afraid he'll lose the match going support. 

I'm fine with us wanting to be a possession based team but there needs to be a plan B. We shouldn't be passing for the sake of passing when we're chasing a game. 

I know we all become wannabe experts but for me it's clear that we need two defensive minded CMs in the lineup to protect the backline and KWP/Manning need to stay in position and stop coming inside whenever we have the ball. 4-2-3-1 would bring a lot of balance to this side in my opinion. 

[Miltonaggro]

31 minutes ago, Long Shot said:

If most on here can correctly suss out what we are doing so wrong how come the manager can’t? I am genuinely stumped how SR can get it so spectacularly wrong. Not once, not twice but it looks very much like three bad appointments on the trot. 
And some said Wilcox was the Mesiah? Why that was the belief beggars belief. 

I think with Wilcox in the senior overseeing role it’s a case of actions speak louder than words. I like the cut of his jib so far, decent summer window for a punch-drunk relegated championship club, and think he buys into the realist football as a ‘results driven business’ ethic. He’s seeing what we are seeing and if it continues to the detriment of the club then he’s either going to intervene or double down - I think it will be the former when it happens. When RM was appointed it was a punt, not clear whether he’s the Board’s man or JW’s and doesn’t really matter now, here we are. At the time I thought they’d likely give Martin until December even if we were off pace. Jones had 14 games, Selles 17, Martin has had 7. Would be surprised at an intervention until the end of this year but heigh ho! 

Edited 17 September, 2023 by Miltonaggro

[stknowle]

21 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

Has anyone actually called him the Messiah?

No.
 

Now where did I put that hilarious Mont Python meme……

[Convict Colony]

someone pass this on to Russ and the players

https://www.coachesvoice.com/cv/inverted-full-backs-guardiola-cancelo-trent-alexander-arnold-lahm-football-tactics/

What is an inverted full-back?

Traditionally, full-backs are the widest players in a back four, and as a result they attack and defend mostly in the wide areas. However, full-backs who move inside into central spaces when their team has the ball are known as ‘inverted full-backs’. This movement adds an extra presence in the centre of the pitch (below).

On defensive transition, they may then remain central for a short period. But they will eventually recover into the back line and defend outside the two centre-backs, as full-backs usually do. Wing-backs who operate in a back five can also move inside in a similar fashion during build-up play.

Where does the name ‘inverted full-back’ originate?

Full-backs were originally the deepest players in the 2-3-5 formation. As the back four grew in popularity, however, they moved out to the sides of the defence. As the game developed, the full-backs began to push higher up the pitch to join attacks. They remained in the wide areas, however, usually overlapping the winger or wide midfielder on their side of the pitch.

In more recent years, some coaches have moved their full-backs inside during build-up. This has added extra players in the second line, slightly ahead of the centre-backs.

Although Pep Guardiola is the coach most associated with the inverted full-back, Johan Cruyff used them with Barcelona many years before. Then, he often converted the 4-3-3 into a 3-4-3 diamond, with one full-back inverting into central midfield. The single pivot in that particular diamond midfield was Guardiola himself.

What are the in-possession responsibilities of an inverted full-back?

The inverted full-back adds another body in central midfield, usually in an attempt to overload the opposition in this part of the pitch. Naturally, they are then involved in lots of short passing. They must have the vision and technical ability to play in crowded central areas.

Inverted full-backs have to create forward passing angles for the players in the back line, then receive the ball and progress play forwards. They should have positional awareness, and the ability to make forward passes or dribbles to break lines. They must also be able to switch play to the opposite side of the pitch. This is especially useful when only one full-back has inverted, while the other has pushed forward in a wide position on the other side of the pitch (below).

What are the out-of-possession responsibilities of an inverted full-back?

Without the ball, the inverted full-back will only remain in the centre of the pitch for a brief period. They will then return to their traditional defensive position in the back line. However, while still in the central spaces, they are responsible for breaking up and slowing down any opposition counter-attack.

As inverted full-backs are only used by teams that focus on dominating possession, the main method of attack for the opposition is counter-attacking from deep. Therefore, with the full-back central when in possession, they provide added presence in the central spaces immediately after the ball is lost. They can therefore contribute to central counter-pressing, while also duelling, tackling and making interceptions to break up any forward play from the opposition on transition. The inverted full-back may also be used to screen direct passes into the opposition’s centre-forward following a turnover.

Who are the best inverted full-backs?

Philipp Lahm

At Bayern Munich, Guardiola used Lahm as an inverted right-back. Although left-back David Alaba would also move inside when the single pivot dropped into the back line between the centre-backs (below), it was Lahm who moved infield more often. His ability to receive under pressure and create passing angles, and his overall awareness and vision from a central position, made him hugely effective in this position.

João Cancelo

Guardiola has again used inverted full-backs with Manchester City (below) – though slightly differently, with the right-footed Cancelo often playing on the left side of the back four. He provides exceptional vision and passing, meaning he can connect into the front line while also making forward runs, crossing from a narrow position and even taking shots from distance.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Having initially broken into Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool side as an overlapping right-back, Alexander-Arnold has gradually moved infield (below). From this position, his world-class passing range, ability to hit the spaces behind the opposing back line, crossing and switches of play are all extremely useful. His experience in central midfield as a youth player has helped this transition infield, and he rotates effectively with Jordan Henderson and Mo Salah on the Liverpool right.

Which other players are examples of inverted full-backs?

David Alaba for Bayern Munich under Guardiola.
Kyle Walker for Manchester City under Guardiola.
Oleksandr Zinchenko for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.
Josip Juranovic for Celtic under Ange Postecoglou.

What are the benefits of playing with inverted full-backs?

Inverted full-backs can provide a numerical overload in central midfield. They help their team to dominate possession, while also aiding deeper build-up play through the centre of the pitch. The extra central passing option helps a team work the ball away from pressure, as long as teammates are spaced out effectively.

With an additional player in central midfield, attacking midfielders – particularly number eights – can then push higher up the pitch. This means they receive passes closer to goal, get into the spaces between the lines more often, and even make more runs beyond the opposing back line.

Should an opposing winger track the full-back’s inverting movements infield, more space appears in wide areas for teammates to attack. This can help create 1v1 dribbling opportunities for dangerous attacking players.

When defending against counter-attacks, inverted full-backs can help screen, block and protect the central spaces, helping to force the ball wide and away from goal. Inverted full-backs also provide an extra player to counter-press in the centre of the pitch, helping the team maintain pressure on the opposition.

What are the disadvantages to playing with inverted full-backs?

The biggest disadvantage to using inverted full-backs is that it requires incredibly versatile players who can defend in wide areas, but then manage the ball and play like a central midfielder. It’s not very common for players to be so well versed in both of these particular roles.

On transition, the inverted full-back’s central position in the second line means one player fewer in the last line of defence. Should the opposition work the ball past the second line, the team has less defensive presence to protect the goal.

The inverted full-back can also occupy similar spaces to the pivot players in midfield, which can mean too many players doing the same jobs. The full-backs also need time to invert, so all other teammates must be able to manage the ball, potentially while under pressure, to allow the full-back time to move inside.

Edited 17 September, 2023 by Convict Colony
sod it thought i'd paste it as its old

[Convict Colony]

Reading all that article and seeing the screenshot of leiciesters 3rd goal I'd say manning and KWP are far too high and should be more around where smallbone was standing.

Too gungho 

[saintant]

8 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

someone pass this on to Russ and the players - worth a read honestly.

https://www.coachesvoice.com/cv/inverted-full-backs-guardiola-cancelo-trent-alexander-arnold-lahm-football-tactics/

An interesting read. I'm not convinced that RM, his coaches or our players fully understand the intricacies needed to make this work effectively. Meanwhile we leak like a sieve so let's hope they are quick learners.

[John B]

1 hour ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Agree with the sentiment, but Ralph could barely get a song out of a squad of players twice as good collectively twice as good as the current batch of misfits.

We have had four managers in the last year or so it seems completely unrealistic for any manager can get this group of players to be a team ready for the PL in nine months time,

 

It will take time for the team to evolve to  to challenge for promotion

 

It took four years to return in 1974 and even longer when Adkins took us back up the last time,

 

And those squads had far better players than we have today

[Holmes_and_Watson]

All right. Who edited Russ' playbook from

"Without the ball, the inverted full-back will only remain in the centre of the pitch for a brief period."

to

"Without the ball, both inverted full-backs will only remain as close to the opponent's goal for a period long enough to allow a non specialist defensive midfielder to pray he's fast enough to stop the three opposing forwards."

[Nordic Saint]

16 minutes ago, saintant said:

An interesting read. I'm not convinced that RM, his coaches or our players fully understand the intricacies needed to make this work effectively. Meanwhile we leak like a sieve so let's hope they are quick learners.

Not to worry. He's brought his mate Ryan Manning here to show the others how to do it.

#TheSwanseaWay #EmbraceFailure

[Miltonaggro]

11 hours ago, sotonjoe said:

Kwp isn't lost. He's just still trying to make it back from an inverted wing back offensive charge.

His mind seems elsewhere, may improve once the lawsuit against Tony & Guy is settled in his favour. 

[InvictaSaint]

19 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

All right. Who edited Russ' playbook from

"Without the ball, the inverted full-back will only remain in the centre of the pitch for a brief period."

to

"Without the ball, both inverted full-backs will only remain as close to the opponent's goal for a period long enough to allow a non specialist defensive midfielder to pray he's fast enough to stop the three opposing forwards."

Guilty. I was having a bad day. Soz. 

[Lord Duckhunter]

10 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

His mind seems elsewhere, may improve once the lawsuit against Tony & Guy is settled in his favour. 

Looking like Djneppo is one thing, but I draw the line at fucking playing like him. 

Edited 17 September, 2023 by Lord Duckhunter

[Miltonaggro]

22 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Looking like Djneppo is one thing, but I draw the line at fucking playing like him. 

More like Mrs Slocombe! 

[tdmickey3]

Just been wondering if the reason that we didn’t actually sign the 2 players (Grimes and Piroe)heavily linked with us from Swansea, perhaps they were unhappy with Martins suicidal tactics and didn’t want to be part of the mess again .

[Miltonaggro]

7 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Just been wondering if the reason that we didn’t actually sign the 2 players (Grimes and Piroe)heavily linked with us from Swansea, perhaps they were unhappy with Martins suicidal tactics and didn’t want to be part of the mess again .

Alternatively, if we are going down the Miss Marple route, maybe Wilcox and Board didn’t want to back his judgment beyond Manning - this season’s Bree? Guess is Piroe and Grimes would have put a big dent in the recoup! 

[FarehamSaintJames]

17 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Just been wondering if the reason that we didn’t actually sign the 2 players (Grimes and Piroe)heavily linked with us from Swansea, perhaps they were unhappy with Martins suicidal tactics and didn’t want to be part of the mess again .

Or that they were just rumours and no more than that? It's not compulsory that a manager has to buy his former players.

[Bad Wolf]

24 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Just been wondering if the reason that we didn’t actually sign the 2 players (Grimes and Piroe)heavily linked with us from Swansea, perhaps they were unhappy with Martins suicidal tactics and didn’t want to be part of the mess again .

Were we "heavily" linked with them? 

You also have to take into account that we DID sign two players from that previous set up. A CM and a striker, just like the two who possibly maybe didn't want to perhaps play for Martin allegedly.

[Bad Wolf]

8 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Or that they were just rumours and no more than that? It's not compulsory that a manager has to buy his former players.

Wish someone had told George Burley that.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

18 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

Alternatively, if we are going down the Miss Marple route, maybe Wilcox and Board didn’t want to back his judgment beyond Manning - this season’s Bree? Guess is Piroe and Grimes would have put a big dent in the recoup! 

Alternatively, Manning is at our club to watch Martin, while working with Piroe and Grimes.

Only they know the truth behind Martin's plastic hair! When Manning is murdered (by all opposing attackers), suspicion falls on Martin. Will Grimes and Piroe be safe? Will they reveal the secret before being signed in January? And then Saints draw Swansea in the cup...

On top of  St. Mary's during another famous light show, Martin's mask is torn off to reveal... Osvaldo Ardiles!

"A 0-0-10 formation with inverted false number 10s and no tracking back!" raged the villain on his way to the holding cell in the club shop.

Another case solved by Hercule Piroe!

 

Edited 17 September, 2023 by Holmes_and_Watson

[Midfield_General]

3 hours ago, Roo1976 said:

Brighton have managed to.................................................................could we maybe tempt Potter to sort this mess out?

Potter's already turned down Rangers and Lyon, both regular Champions League qualifiers. He ain't coming to the Championship, unfortunately. 

He'll wait it out for the Premier League sackings to start around November/ December time. My money would be on Everton if they suddenly get an injection of cash from the takeover. Perfect sort of club for him. 

Edited 17 September, 2023 by Midfield_General

[Bad Wolf]

26 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Potter's already turned down Rangers and Lyon, both regular Champions League qualifiers. He ain't coming to the Championship, unfortunately. 

He'll wait it out for the Premier League sackings to start around November/ December time. My money would be on Everton if they suddenly get an injection of cash from the takeover. Perfect sort of club for him. 

I can see him going to Brentford when Frank is poached.

[Forester]

2 hours ago, Block41 Saint said:

It's a really important run of games for RM now, good managers adapt. If we see the same gaps and set up over the next two games then I'm afraid he'll lose the match going support. 

I'm fine with us wanting to be a possession based team but there needs to be a plan B. We shouldn't be passing for the sake of passing when we're chasing a game. 

I know we all become wannabe experts but for me it's clear that we need two defensive minded CMs in the lineup to protect the backline and KWP/Manning need to stay in position and stop coming inside whenever we have the ball. 4-2-3-1 would bring a lot of balance to this side in my opinion. 

Spot on, exactly how I see it. 4213 or 4231, happy with with either

[CB Fry]

3 hours ago, Roo1976 said:

Brighton have managed to.................................................................

We should recruit Chris Hughton?

[SotonianWill]

With the quality we have, if we’d have picked a manager with a solid base then i’m confident we’d have a great chance of going up. I was happy with Martin, but with his kamikaze defending (I have no problem with the passing football, only the defensive structure) I can’t even see a clean sheet this season let alone a promotion. 

[Miltonaggro]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Alternatively, Manning is at our club to watch Martin, while working with Piroe and Grimes.

Only they know the truth behind Martin's plastic hair! When Manning is murdered (by all opposing attackers), suspicion falls on Martin. Will Grimes and Piroe be safe? Will they reveal the secret before being signed in January? And then Saints draw Swansea in the cup...

On top of  St. Mary's during another famous light show, Martin's mask is torn off to reveal... Osvaldo Ardiles!

"A 0-0-10 formation with inverted false number 10s and no tracking back!" raged the villain on his way to the holding cell in the club shop.

Another case solved by Hercule Piroe!

 

The plot thickens 😂

[JRM]

4 hours ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

I would honestly say that I believe we would still be in the premier league were Ralph still in charge. He oozed professionalism.

Ha not quite, crying at the final whistle etc 

[AlexLaw76]

[Bad Wolf]

4 minutes ago, JRM said:

Ha not quite, crying at the final whistle etc 

A very emotional guy and though that was a bit of an OTT reaction, why is it not professional?

[Bad Wolf]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

 

Well he would say that now the window's closed.

[Miltonaggro]

5 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

 

Martin’s renowned close control, primarily in terms of hairstyling, should provide inspiration for Walker-Peters who has lost his way recently. 

[Roo1976]

32 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

We should recruit Chris Hughton?

how long ago do you want to go back before you see the improvement?............nearly all of whom have failed for some reason or other,and in the context of my comment Brighton have indeed improved where as we aint. IMO

[Saint Fan CaM]

5 hours ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

I would honestly say that I believe we would still be in the premier league were Ralph still in charge. He oozed professionalism.

More like he gave it everything he had and came up short. It was only a matter of time before he relegated us - in fact it’s not untrue to say he set us up for relegation, but that’s only because the Board faffed around so long giving him a long stretch of rope to hang himself.

[Miltonaggro]

2 hours ago, CB Fry said:

We should recruit Chris Hughton?

If Sports Replublic go for an ex Brighton manager he’ll need the goldmine effect and to intellectually exist well outside the box, my money would be on Sami Hyypia (23%).