Roberto Martinez Discussion - Including Live Poll (Poll Reset 1st May)

[davek]

So are you agreeing that the reason are there for the board to sack him but they won't because they are too conservative?

Is this part of the almost unnoticable oil tanker speed U-turn you are trying to do in the hope no one remembers how much of a genius you hailed Bobby as?

No.

 

[stdomingo1878]

We've lost 6 PL games all season. Only six other teams have less losses.

But only won 6 as well - only the bottom three have won less. This stems mainly from an inability to see games out. Perhaps due to the whining about the officials etc, (I note Bobby wasn't heartbroken when City were denied a pen in the first leg and readily ignores City could easily have scored 5 last night), it seems to have been lost on most people that we let ANOTHER two goal cushion evaporate AGAIN! RM is in the business of winning football matches end of. And a win percentage in the last season and a half of less than 30% whilst conceding over 100 goals would see him lose his job anywhere else. There isn't even a hint that he has the desire let alone the ability to make the changes necessary to make a dent in those stats.

 

[SpurtingLesbian]

It don't work at all. We lost our counter attacking threat when Kone came on and the pressure we were under increased

we were 3-1 up, we traded our dwindling countering (Del's tiredness) for pushing up the pitch away from our goal 15-20 yards. That worked. It did reduce pressure but it also created gaps. They got a lucky goal which dropped us back a bit again, and then the Ref gave them a random free goal which bolstered City even further.

 

[chazzle_dazzle]

Good God. You're giving the ref and his officials a free pass after that disgrace last night.

Your hatred for the manger's just about got the better of you. You're not the only one.

No-one is giving them a free pass, it was a disgrace. However, there where 5 EFC players in our box, and we let that happen - you cannot say that the deficiencies in defence aren't down to a manager who sets the team up and admittedly "has no interest in clean sheets".

In his 9 years of management he has never plugged the massive gap in his skill set by bringing someone in who can, he is too stubborn in his approach to change, he has near enough said as much in some of his interviews.

The officials last night where disgraceful, the management of the team (last night and most of the season) and the substitutions where nothing to do with them though.

 

[MikeH72]

It still isn't. Just watch what happens in the next few weeks.

Ok, I'll watch. You actually think that wretched United team are capable of making up a 10 point gap on them? Or the RS who you regularly slate on here for being bang average? Sorry, but they're top of the league in February with Danny Drinkwater and Robert Huth in the team. How can you brush that off as luck after 2/3rds of the season?

 

[Whistlin' Dixie]

I'm not pointing to their torpor as a plus point. I'm pointing to it to show that even if Martinez was doing the terrible job you believe him to be doing (which he's not), there's no impulse whatsoever from that direction to act. They are very conservative and will only act and change if the cash cow is threatened. It isn't. Therefore wishful thinkers can wish on.

Martinez NOT doing a terrible job? He's hardly doing a wonderful one, is he?

This smacks to me of the board(And you) being happy just to be in the top flight.

If we want progress, we have to be in the top 6 (at least) year-on-year. Higher league position = more Tv games = more revenue+ bums on seats, and all the other fringe benefits (Players looking to join, not wanting out, etc etc)

Or will the Tv companies look for who's the most 'entertaining' next season, regardless of league finish?

 

[TheHumbleEgg]

We're shipping goals because we have a poor GK, by and large. The defence is a problem. IMO, we looked best this seaosn with a flatter back four early on in it with Galloway and Browning there - players who offered less going forward but are strong and competitive defenders. That gave us a better platform to attack. But that's redeemable and all of that is offset by our strength going forward.

All of which is to say that any problems we have are easily solved. Martinez is in the early stages of his career here and will iron all this out.

It's funny, you keep citing the goalkeeper....never the man that picks him. And picks him. And picks him...

And for record mate, he's NOT really in the early stages of his career is he?

 

[davek]

Tie yourself up in knots all you like mate, sometimes people back the wrong horse, sometimes things don't work out. No shame in admitting you were wrong and moving on.

The only stats that matter are the league placings and the trophies.

We're currently 12th in a season when sides like Leicester are challenging for the top 4. We've only beaten the 3 worst sides in the league all season. We've conceded an absurd amount of goals and yet the manager comes out and says he is not concerned as he just plays to win football matches, something which isn't happening very often. Maybe he should go down your route of championing the non losses.

There's no wrong horse backed here. You and others are flailing about trying to deny any progress has been made and when you look at the squad the evidence is palpable. Everyone sees the potential here.

If you think the orchestrator of that progress is going anywhere then you are badly mistaken.

 

[Tubey]

There's no wrong horse backed here. You and others are flailing about trying to deny any progress has been made and when you look at the squad the evidence is palpable. Everyone sees the potential here.

If you think the orchestrator of that progress is going anywhere then you are badly mistaken.

What would be the threshold of underachievement for you to change your mind, if there even is one?

Just relegation? Or not even then?

 

[Azza]

Yay davek is here!

 

[Smodger]

Yay davek is here!

I think it's Martinez mate.

 

[davek]

What would be the threshold of underachievement for you to change your mind, if there even is one?

Just relegation? Or not even then?

We're in rebuilding mode. As long as we do well this season in the cups (which we are) the league placing can pretty much stay where it was last season - not that it will, it'll be top half, imo.

Pretty sure that's the way the board will see it too.

 

[hktoffee]

From a top six team looking to finish midtable two seasons in a row and you call this as a progress. Sounds diplomatic.

 

[charlatan]

Can't believe anyone is still backing this fraud.

It's not a knee jerk after last night, it's 18 months of making the same glaring mistakes.

He should have had his P45 immediately after Soton away in December 2014.

 

[nsno-chris]

Well, money is a factor mate

If we managed to get new owners, then we may be able to attract who ever we want

Pellegrini will want a decent wedge to come in

Bare in mind we will also have to pay Martinez for ending his contract

We'll definitely be looking at cheaper options if Martinez does get the boot

I don't think we'd ever sack him, he'd have to walk

I doubt that very much, the financial planning at the start if the year will include contingency for worst case scenario so it will already be built in to the years budget, so there's no need to worry on that front.

I'd also guarantee that Martinez is on a lot more money than most managers abroad, don't fool yourself into thinking we pay Martinez peanuts because I'd bet he's on a very very good contract, especially after the renewal. That's why he won't walk, he'll lose his compensation