24 Feb 2024 17:01:04
Our possession game just isn't working. 80% possession against a mediocre side like Millwall and we lose again.

1.) 24 Feb 2024
24 Feb 2024 21:41:00
RM system was always going to be limited in time and efficiency especially when analysed by good quality coaches. The team play in a repetitive manner that has taken championship quality coaches 20 odd matches to work out but premiership coaches would take 2/3 matches! The sad thing is that the pace and guile we have in wide positions is exceptional, Stu and Downes are premier league quality but none of our central strikers are. AA and Adams miss way to many chances and Mara needs a 12 month loan in the championship to hone his skills allowing Saints to make a final decision about him. The team needs to be rotated and some of the really important players rested in preparation for the playoffs, our system might well work against tired and battle-scarred squads at the end of 46 games. ?

2.) 26 Feb 2024
26 Feb 2024 17:03:20
I don’t think it even needed good coaches to see through his ways.
He is obsessed with possession football, but he doesn’t care where on the pitch that is.
When you watch good teams play possession football, it can be a joy to watch. its speed, its cleverness, all the time working that opening. It only takes one opponent to be moved/coerced out of position, and suddenly the killer pass, the switch up a gear play.
suddenly it’s 2 on 1, 3 on 2 .

With us, we just seem to keep the ball for the sake of it. and as for the passing across the box, passing back to the goalkeeper when he’s marked, the goalkeeper trying to play as a sweeper while surrounded by the opponents .

When the opponent sits back, it makes us look good!
When they don’t, we are outplayed, out! thought.

I knew we had the best teams to come, but crikey . I now realise we aren’t in their league. Correction ; maybe the players are, but the puppet master is an amateur!
I’m not actually sure now we will make the playoffs, if we do it will be because of our head start.
Gone has the psychological win over opponents before the game started.
Teams will watch the videos back and absolutely relish playing us.
With Fraser on one wing and Stuey on the other (as per 2408s post) .
we have two players that love to run at the opponents .
how frustrating to be waiting around for the ball, while Buffoona messes around with it!

But even when we aren’t winning, even when we are losing, Martin never changes tactics. he just changes players!

There is a reason he has never succeeded as a manager. there is a reason every team he’s managed has gone backwards