Sunderland 5-0 Southampton

[HarvSFC]

Think Martin has to take a fair amount of the blame today, him and Angus... Sorry Bazunu in goal.

When the line-up came out it looked iffy. First things to notice was that Charles had dropped out of the team despite looking good in his recent appearances and giving us some form of solidity in the midfield. As with Norwich, him being dropped for Smallbone saw us surrender the midfield.

Then you look up the pitch and think Sky have got it wrong. Surely it's S. Armstrong out wide, A. Armstrong in the midfield and Mara upfront as that's where the two latter ones have looked most effective this season. Nope, we carried on trying to see if A. Armstrong can come good as a number nine when he's looked pretty hopeless every single minute he's played up there this season, while he is actually an asset in the midfield. Keep him in midfield. Then you go to Mara, who I don't rate as a striker and out wide he's even worse. He just doesn't do anything, like Aribo, who replaced him. It should've been Adams up top for me. Yes, he's had a lot going on in the last few days, but he's been professional in the other early games this season and he ended up playing 45 minutes anyway because the selection was wrong.

Then you go to a lack of a plan b. At 2-0, 3-0, 4-0 we were still playing the same way. Passing it around our midfield, defence, not really creating anything and getting caught out by one ball over the top from Sunderland. We have the attacking quality to maintain pressure and overload in this league. At 2-0 down I wanted to see a bit more forward running and risks being taken, but we just continued with the ponderous stuff which Sunderland were soaking up easily. A top manager needs some flexibility and a need for adapting to the opposition, the game is what's required in football. Stubbornness sees you get thrashed and outplayed when the opposition have worked you out.

[vectraman]

49 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

if the other team does not have the ball, they dont score...right?

Equally possession is nothing without purpose…

[Vancouver Saint]

So just watched the goals on YouTube. If you're an opposition manager your brief is: 'Shoot on that goalkeeper from anywhere'.

Bazunu has to do better on both those shots from distance - he didn't even get a glove on them!

It probably isn't so bad reduced to 3 mins of highlights, but in those I saw a definite penalty for us not given and Edozie hit the post when we were 2-0 down...could it have been a different game if either of those resulted in a goal for us? 2-1 at half-time is very different from 3-0.

Doesn't excuse us losing the second half 2-0 as well I know.

[S-Clarke]

A really worrying performance, yeah you can lose games at this level - but to lose a game 5-0 is not a good look on a team.

Again, a lack of grit and leadership throughout. Someone to stamp their mark and stop it getting ugly, fair enough we might not win - but sometimes you have to take a 2-0 and get the fuck out of there, but we seem very dozy. This was reiminicent of games last season and the season before, at a lower level. Different players, but same basic braindead game management.

Holgate was on Alan Bennett levels, he's demoted himself to 4th choice CB on that showing. THB in every week after that.

Manning was horrendous I have to say, for his role in an attacking sense he lets it all go to shit defensively as christ alive it was bad. I know they're not helped by being left exposed somewhat, but he doesn't seem to have a defensive bone in his body - or have I missed something? He looks like he could play left mid, sure - but since when has he ever been able to defend?

Stu was awful, sadly a consistent rating over the last few years. Since 'lockdown', he looks shot. I think we needed to cut ties in the summer if I'm honest, doesn't look like he can deal with the pace of any decent level of football anymore.

The key will be how we react to this. Leicester will be saying the same - so it's an absolute game and a half in a couple of weeks. We can't let this result define our season, we'll learn a lot about this team during this month.

[Fan The Flames]

VAR gives that penalty 

[Pilchards]

Second worse goals against in all 4 divisions.

Always believed you build from the back. Honestly today was shambolic and even against QPR we had warnings that the manager can’t set us up to defend.

Problem is we can’t fix it as Russel Martin don’t have a clue plus we dont have the players to sort it either.

[Tauro]

Shocking line up from the off cost us today. I fear that with all the options available, RM won't be able to consistently pick the best team. 

 

Quite clearly there are shoe ins each week... KWP, Bednarek, THB (based on previous experience), Charles, Downers, Alcatraz, Fraser, Adams.

That spine week in week out should be more than enough to get us out of the division. My biggest concern is at LB it's such an obvious weak spot along with Bazunu in goal. 

 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

In fairness the warning signs were there against QPR and Norwich. Norwich looked like scoring every time they attacked. Probably a valuable wake up call.

[Streaky]

55 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

Think Martin has to take a fair amount of the blame today, him and Angus... Sorry Bazunu in goal.

When the line-up came out it looked iffy. First things to notice was that Charles had dropped out of the team despite looking good in his recent appearances and giving us some form of solidity in the midfield. As with Norwich, him being dropped for Smallbone saw us surrender the midfield.

Then you look up the pitch and think Sky have got it wrong. Surely it's S. Armstrong out wide, A. Armstrong in the midfield and Mara upfront as that's where the two latter ones have looked most effective this season. Nope, we carried on trying to see if A. Armstrong can come good as a number nine when he's looked pretty hopeless every single minute he's played up there this season, while he is actually an asset in the midfield. Keep him in midfield. Then you go to Mara, who I don't rate as a striker and out wide he's even worse. He just doesn't do anything, like Aribo, who replaced him. It should've been Adams up top for me. Yes, he's had a lot going on in the last few days, but he's been professional in the other early games this season and he ended up playing 45 minutes anyway because the selection was wrong.

Then you go to a lack of a plan b. At 2-0, 3-0, 4-0 we were still playing the same way. Passing it around our midfield, defence, not really creating anything and getting caught out by one ball over the top from Sunderland. We have the attacking quality to maintain pressure and overload in this league. At 2-0 down I wanted to see a bit more forward running and risks being taken, but we just continued with the ponderous stuff which Sunderland were soaking up easily. A top manager needs some flexibility and a need for adapting to the opposition, the game is what's required in football. Stubbornness sees you get thrashed and outplayed when the opposition have worked you out.

Best post of the day!!

[Kenilworthy]

Other teams we would have an apology from the players and a whip round to cover the costs of the travelling fans.

[derry]

3 minutes ago, Pilchards said:

Second worse goals against in all 4 divisions.

Always believed you build from the back. Honestly today was shambolic and even against QPR we had warnings that the manager can’t set us up to defend.

Problem is we can’t fix it as Russel Martin don’t have a clue plus we dont have the players to sort it either.

It's easy to fix. KWP and Manning play like full backs instead of charging upfield and leaving our centre backs exposed. Charles holding in front of the centre backs and form a disciplined unit. Frazer and Sulemana to hug the touchline and track the runners. It's no longer possible to play long. 

[JRM]

7 minutes ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

In fairness the warning signs were there against QPR and Norwich. Norwich looked like scoring every time they attacked. Probably a valuable wake up call.

Just been saying the same thing, definitely got away with it v QPR. Need a more competent defender than Manning. Hopefully we won't see Holgate again, get THB in. 

[Convict Colony]

10 minutes ago, Tauro said:

Shocking line up from the off cost us today. I fear that with all the options available, RM won't be able to consistently pick the best team. 

 

Quite clearly there are shoe ins each week... KWP, Bednarek, THB (based on previous experience), Charles, Downers, Alcatraz, Fraser, Adams.

That spine week in week out should be more than enough to get us out of the division. My biggest concern is at LB it's such an obvious weak spot along with Bazunu in goal. 

 

Am gonna say these 3 shouldn't think they are

[West end Saints]

Russell Martin said he learnt from today, hopefully he has learnt that Stu and Holgate should not be anywhere near the starting 11.

Stu has been woeful for years, weak, lazy, no positional sense, a total passenger. He is not good enough for this level. 

On highlights he maybe sometimes look passable, as he does do a couple of driving runs, which sometimes work. Often by luck as he doesn't look up and loses possession so easily and so often. And when he does lose it he does nothing. 

Sorry for the rant but I'm fed up of the emperor's new clothes style praise he gets. Watching games, home and often away you see how little effort he puts in. 

He should never be considered for a non-attacking midfield role. Perhaps behind a forward or wide, but even then surely Edozie, Fraser, Sam AA, Sulemana, Alcarez, Smallbone, Adam Armstrong, Doyle, Aribo, me can offer more and try a bit. 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, HarvSFC said:

Think Martin has to take a fair amount of the blame today, him and Angus... Sorry Bazunu in goal.

When the line-up came out it looked iffy. First things to notice was that Charles had dropped out of the team despite looking good in his recent appearances and giving us some form of solidity in the midfield. As with Norwich, him being dropped for Smallbone saw us surrender the midfield.

Then you look up the pitch and think Sky have got it wrong. Surely it's S. Armstrong out wide, A. Armstrong in the midfield and Mara upfront as that's where the two latter ones have looked most effective this season. Nope, we carried on trying to see if A. Armstrong can come good as a number nine when he's looked pretty hopeless every single minute he's played up there this season, while he is actually an asset in the midfield. Keep him in midfield. Then you go to Mara, who I don't rate as a striker and out wide he's even worse. He just doesn't do anything, like Aribo, who replaced him. It should've been Adams up top for me. Yes, he's had a lot going on in the last few days, but he's been professional in the other early games this season and he ended up playing 45 minutes anyway because the selection was wrong.

Then you go to a lack of a plan b. At 2-0, 3-0, 4-0 we were still playing the same way. Passing it around our midfield, defence, not really creating anything and getting caught out by one ball over the top from Sunderland. We have the attacking quality to maintain pressure and overload in this league. At 2-0 down I wanted to see a bit more forward running and risks being taken, but we just continued with the ponderous stuff which Sunderland were soaking up easily. A top manager needs some flexibility and a need for adapting to the opposition, the game is what's required in football. Stubbornness sees you get thrashed and outplayed when the opposition have worked you out.

Some worryingly accurate points made here. 

[saintant]

59 minutes ago, Vancouver Saint said:

So just watched the goals on YouTube. If you're an opposition manager your brief is: 'Shoot on that goalkeeper from anywhere'.

Bazunu has to do better on both those shots from distance - he didn't even get a glove on them!

It probably isn't so bad reduced to 3 mins of highlights, but in those I saw a definite penalty for us not given and Edozie hit the post when we were 2-0 down...could it have been a different game if either of those resulted in a goal for us? 2-1 at half-time is very different from 3-0.

Doesn't excuse us losing the second half 2-0 as well I know.

Don't remember Edozie hitting the post?

[Convict Colony]

9 minutes ago, derry said:

It's easy to fix. KWP and Manning play like full backs instead of charging upfield and leaving our centre backs exposed. Charles holding in front of the centre backs and form a disciplined unit. Frazer and Sulemana to hug the touchline and track the runners. It's no longer possible to play long. 

I think the problem is that as soon as the ball is past them offensively they are meant to tuck into the midfield ahead of the CB's and clear the first ball as it comes back.What seems to happen is they don't really commit and are half in half out and the oppo gets the ball and is played out wide from the CBs into the space.

Saw a nice vid on Pepe which said this is your position, for this part of the pitch if you don't follow it you are subbed, Henry didn't follow it , scored a goal but was subbed at half time for not following orders.

Also I saw KWP do a lot of lateral runs today, not sure why but he went no where everytime.

Edited 2 September, 2023 by Convict Colony

[Convict Colony]

2 minutes ago, West end Saints said:

Russell Martin said he learnt from today, hopefully he has learnt that Stu and Holgate should not be anywhere near the starting 11.

Stu has been woeful for years, weak, lazy, no positional sense, a total passenger. He is not good enough for this level. 

On highlights he maybe sometimes look passable, as he does do a couple of driving runs, which sometimes work. Often by luck as he doesn't look up and loses possession so easily and so often. And when he does lose it he does nothing. 

Sorry for the rant but I'm fed up of the emperor's new clothes style praise he gets. Watching games, home and often away you see how little effort he puts in. 

He should never be considered for a non-attacking midfield role. Perhaps behind a forward or wide, but even then surely Edozie, Fraser, Sam AA, Sulemana, Alcarez, Smallbone, Adam Armstrong, Doyle, Aribo, me can offer more and try a bit. 

This and a turnover machine cos he runs down blind alleys.

He's a winger in this system nothing else, he can do less damage there.

 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

A really worrying performance, yeah you can lose games at this level - but to lose a game 5-0 is not a good look on a team.

Again, a lack of grit and leadership throughout. Someone to stamp their mark and stop it getting ugly, fair enough we might not win - but sometimes you have to take a 2-0 and get the fuck out of there, but we seem very dozy. This was reiminicent of games last season and the season before, at a lower level. Different players, but same basic braindead game management.

Holgate was on Alan Bennett levels, he's demoted himself to 4th choice CB on that showing. THB in every week after that.

Manning was horrendous I have to say, for his role in an attacking sense he lets it all go to shit defensively as christ alive it was bad. I know they're not helped by being left exposed somewhat, but he doesn't seem to have a defensive bone in his body - or have I missed something? He looks like he could play left mid, sure - but since when has he ever been able to defend?

Stu was awful, sadly a consistent rating over the last few years. Since 'lockdown', he looks shot. I think we needed to cut ties in the summer if I'm honest, doesn't look like he can deal with the pace of any decent level of football anymore.

The key will be how we react to this. Leicester will be saying the same - so it's an absolute game and a half in a couple of weeks. We can't let this result define our season, we'll learn a lot about this team during this month.

Agree, a really worrying performance for far too many reasons.  Any team serious about a tilt at promotion cannot afford to lose many games let alone a defeat as comprehensive as this one. A young and fairly average Sunderland side put us to the sword and it could easily have been worse. There can be no weak links in the side and we have a couple I can think of which weren't fixed in the business we did in the transfer window and were exposed again today. I remember how relentless it was last time we won promotion - we had a great side playing really good football consistently but it was still a slog - week in, week out our promotion rivals would invariably win. RM will need to be more flexible and be more relaxed about his obsession with possession football in my opinion because we are not, and never will be, Man City. Mix it up and make us less predictable or we could slide down the table pretty quickly. I fear he is too set in his ways and teams will quickly have a plan to beat his favoured style.

[saintant]

20 minutes ago, derry said:

It's easy to fix. KWP and Manning play like full backs instead of charging upfield and leaving our centre backs exposed. Charles holding in front of the centre backs and form a disciplined unit. Frazer and Sulemana to hug the touchline and track the runners. It's no longer possible to play long. 

Sunderland would beg to differ.

[gallaghert366@yahoo.com]

"On 2 March 2021, Martin's side scored after a 56-pass move, a new British record at the time.^[47] At the culmination of the 2020–21 season, only Manchester City and Barcelona had a higher average possession percentage in Europe than Martin's MK Dons.^[47][48] His team also had the most touches in the opposition box in League One,^[49] despite mixed results throughout the season which saw the club finishing 13th in the league."

So f.....g what.

His highest placed finish in his managerial career was 10th. at Swansea.

Time to fasten seat belts!

[Sheaf Saint]

23 minutes ago, saintant said:

Don't remember Edozie hitting the post?

It looked like that from one angle, but he actually hit the net-stand post when he had acres of space and time to get a shot on target.

[Convict Colony]

3 minutes ago, gallaghert366@yahoo.com said:

"On 2 March 2021, Martin's side scored after a 56-pass move, a new British record at the time.^[47] At the culmination of the 2020–21 season, only Manchester City and Barcelona had a higher average possession percentage in Europe than Martin's MK Dons.^[47][48] His team also had the most touches in the opposition box in League One,^[49] despite mixed results throughout the season which saw the club finishing 13th in the league."

So f.....g what.

His highest placed finish in his managerial career was 10th. at Swansea.

Time to fasten seat belts!

Ah welcome to the future, this was discussed in June when he signed to us.

I can tell you our first 4 league games we went undefeated so if I was you I'd put 1000 on a accumulator and then for the 5th game predict Sunderland to beat us 5-0.

[derry]

8 minutes ago, saintant said:

Sunderland would beg to differ.

Sunderland planned and exploited our non existent full backs we helped them by passing or losing the ball to them. They wouldn't have been able to use the non existent space because their wide men would be pinned.

[Saint86]

We seem to be living in this cloud cuckoo land where some people think we've had the best transfer window ever and the team is stronger than last year... Hopefully that nonsense has been put to bed after today. Shocking defensively and has to be an absolute klaxon of a wake up call. Honeymoon over. 

Edited 2 September, 2023 by Saint86

[Challenger]

Team selection and individual errors played their part, but the underlying frailty is the way somebody at this club insisting on this ponderous style of play.

Edited 2 September, 2023 by Challenger

[adrian lord]

15 minutes ago, gallaghert366@yahoo.com said:

 

His highest placed finish in his managerial career was 10th. at Swansea.

Time to fasten seat belts!

This is the key fact. What did SR see in this chap beyond the smoke and mirrors philosophy?

[badgerx16]

It seems I was lucky to miss watching that fiasco.

( Just about kick off time we got a phone call from our son who was taking part in a long distance bike ride in Cheshire. Just over half way through the ride he started to feel ill and rang to ask us to go and pick him up in Nantwich- a round trip of 170 miles !!! ).

[Bad Wolf]

38 minutes ago, adrian lord said:

This is the key fact. What did SR see in this chap beyond the smoke and mirrors philosophy?

We finally turned on (not in that way) the manager?! After 5 league games? Quite the record for our patient and loyal fanbase.

[John Boy Saint]

My mate who I posted earlier about leaving  home at 2:30 to get the coach to Sunderland from St Mary’s, just told me they had made the first drop off at Chievely Services Newbury…………poor buggers!

[Dr Who?]

1 hour ago, Streaky said:

Best post of the day!!

Rude! 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

I feel deeply uncomfortable about this possession football. We had 68% of the play yet lost 5-0. If we did get promoted we would be murdered in the premier league. The defence looks so vulnerable and yet we failed to score any goals. I think this is not about the quality of the defenders but more the strategy. 

[Chez]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

A really worrying performance, yeah you can lose games at this level - but to lose a game 5-0 is not a good look on a team.

I wonder if any of the teams finishing in the top two over the last few years have been smashed 5-0 early on in the season? Perhaps slightly knee jerk, but we didn't look like a promotion candidate to me. You can lose games, be a little flat, a tad unlucky, but to just get murdered with few signs that we are a decent side is a worry.

[InvictaSaint]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

I wonder if any of the teams finishing in the top two over the last few years have been smashed 5-0 early on in the season? Perhaps slightly knee jerk, but we didn't look like a promotion candidate to me. You can lose games, be a little flat, a tad unlucky, but to just get murdered with few signs that we are a decent side is a worry.

Burnley lost 5-2 in one of their first 5 games last season. Not 5-0 but still….

Edited 2 September, 2023 by InvictaSaint

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

I wonder if any of the teams finishing in the top two over the last few years have been smashed 5-0 early on in the season? Perhaps slightly knee jerk, but we didn't look like a promotion candidate to me. You can lose games, be a little flat, a tad unlucky, but to just get murdered with few signs that we are a decent side is a worry.

Someone reminded me of the Norwich 1 - 7 Colchester L1 game from all those years back, they won the league that year.

So there are reasons to believe it's just a blip, but the goals we have conceded generally in all games suggest it is a more ingrained issue.

[woodsaint1]

Mad to think that RM used to be a CB. 

Also reminding myself of Holgates welcome interview where he talks about one of his strengths being the fact he's a "ball playing CB" 😂😂 a debut to forget

Absolutely zero positives to take from the game, however there are some positives today;

Most of our promotion rivals failed to win

We've been poor defensively for most of the season (Sheff Wed excluded) but its good to have it embarassingly exposed in one hammering, as opposed to a number of 3-2, 3-1 defeats and the cumulative effect of the points dropped (despite feeling we're still in the game). RM needs to address this glaring problem now otherwise it will derail our season.

THB will start the next game

Yes, I'm clutching at straws, but its been a dismal day and I need some positivity

[Chez]

1 hour ago, derry said:

It's easy to fix. KWP and Manning play like full backs instead of charging upfield and leaving our centre backs exposed. Charles holding in front of the centre backs and form a disciplined unit. Frazer and Sulemana to hug the touchline and track the runners. It's no longer possible to play long. 

I was going to post, that, although prehistoric, maybe us just playing 4-4-1-1 might give a bit more defensive structure. Having Mara playing right wing but be expected to chase runners all the way back to his own byline seems like madness to me.

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Someone reminded me of the Norwich 1 - 7 Colchester L1 game from all those years back, they won the league that year.

So there are reasons to believe it's just a blip, but the goals we have conceded generally in all games suggest it is a more ingrained issue.

 

3 minutes ago, InvictaSaint said:

Burnley lost 5-2 in one of their first 5 games last season. Not 5-0 but still….

makes me feel a bit better.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

5 minutes ago, Chez said:

I wonder if any of the teams finishing in the top two over the last few years have been smashed 5-0 early on in the season? Perhaps slightly knee jerk, but we didn't look like a promotion candidate to me. You can lose games, be a little flat, a tad unlucky, but to just get murdered with few signs that we are a decent side is a worry.

shipped 5 v sunderland and 4 v norwich. Shipped goals in every game this season. Even 3 v gillingham which got blamed totally on the players, but the manager is still responsible for results whatever team he chooses to put out. There is a big big problem here. Sunderland are a solid team but not the best we will encounter.

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

RM needs to address this glaring problem now otherwise it will derail our season.

 

I suspect he will continue to work on bringing it out from the back, and positions of players to try and work the free man and get between the lines...over and over again. Defensive shape, not so much.

[Chez]

Just now, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

shipped 5 v sunderland and 4 v norwich. Shipped goals in every game this season. Even 3 v gillingham which got blamed totally on the players, but the manager is still responsible for results whatever team he chooses to put out. There is a big big problem here. Sunderland are a solid team but not the best we will encounter.

Agreed. We look very easy to score against. Pretty similar to last season to be honest. We are just a woeful Man City impersonator.

...although don't underestimate Sunderland. They finished 6th last season and may have improved.

[OttawaSaint]

What I don't get is that we are just a bunch of dudes (and dudettes and non-binaries, and perhaps some furries) on a message board and we got information and warnings about Martin's "system". Even the thickest amongst us recognized that this system coupled with the mental weakness around this club would be a disaster. 

So how come, supposed footballing people and those who hold the purse strings were not a party to this information or were and couldn't put 2 and 2 together?

 

Edited 2 September, 2023 by OttawaSaint

[Dr Who?]

6 minutes ago, Chez said:

 

makes me feel a bit better.

Villa lost 1-4 at Bramble Lane on September 1st in their promotion season back to top flight. I think September is worse than the start of the season because of all the changes. It’s going to take time to get the team to completely gel. I will take notice of the table come the end of October. 

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

3 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

What I don't get is that we are just a bunch of dudes (and dudettes and non-binaries, and perhaps some furries) on a message board and we got information and warnings about Martin's "system". Even the thickest amongst us recognized that this system coupled with the mental weakness around this club would be a disaster. 

So how come, supposed footballing people and those who hold the purse strings were not a party to this information or were and couldn't put 2 and 2 together?

 

Yes, this . Wondered exactly the same thing myself when we were pursuing him as manager

[JohnS]

It was just a matter of time until a result like today’s happened - we’ve been riding our luck in prior games this season & our results have flattered.  Much more of this to come if nothing changes - which very surprisingly it never does! 

RM got soo much wrong today from the off - which is very worrying.   I still don’t see any improvement’s anywhere on the pitch being honest - same pathetic defending!  Boring, Slow, Negative,  predictable play all over the pitch - must be an opposition managers dream!  I’m bored of watching the same possessional shit now - sidewards - backwards - forwards - repeat - clueless is final 3rd - no penetration - no fight - no spirit - maybe only from KWP & AA 

Any decent manager worth his salt - would come into this club & make our Defence their absolute priority & solid.  3-4 seasons gone by - 3-4 managers down the line & it’s nothing less than Ground Hog day! 
Still the likes of Bednarek & Stephens & some of the new dross 1st on the team sheet & captain

Drastic changes needed 

[OttawaSaint]

Watching some of the Prem highlights and most goals scored by moving the ball quickly and decisively before the other team can recover. 

We're the polar opposite. 

[CB Fry]

15 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said:

What I don't get is that we are just a bunch of dudes (and dudettes and non-binaries, and perhaps some furries) on a message board and we got information and warnings about Martin's "system". Even the thickest amongst us recognized that this system coupled with the mental weakness around this club would be a disaster. 

So how come, supposed footballing people and those who hold the purse strings were not a party to this information or were and couldn't put 2 and 2 together?

 

Listening to Tony Mowbray's post match interview, and the chat they had with MoTM Clarke after the game showed that managers and players can easily work out a game plan to beat us.

We will win sometimes because we have good players, but we ain't going to be top 2 (maybe not even top 6) when we are incapable of keeping clean sheets and our style of play is piss easy to predict and counter.

Martin talks a lot about the time it will take for people to "learn" the system, but the system resulted in Swansea having the second worst defensive record in the Championship last year. So is it worth learning?

 

[revolution saint]

A lot of talk about formations and I can understand that but I think you could have arranged those players in any formation you like and if they turn up with the same attitude they did today then I think the result would have been similar.  They were second to every ball, didn't play with any pace and looked as if they didn't care.  I'm not sure that's so much a tactical issue.

FWIW I don't think Martin coaches them to be deliberately slow and ponderous apart from the messing around at the back which I admit is bloody frustrating.  

Anyway, hopefully Martin gets them back on the training pitch and reminds them they've got to fight for the right to play the type of football he wants to implement.

[Kermitzasaint]

There are thousands of Swansea and Mk Don's fans saying 'we told you so' around the world tonight. 

Could see this coming and got abused for it. 

[sfc4prem]

1 minute ago, Kermitzasaint said:

There are thousands of Swansea and Mk Don's fans saying 'we told you so' around the world tonight. 

Could see this coming and got abused for it. 

So, what should the club do now?