Roberto Martinez discussion

Librarian · November 1, 2015

THAT WUZ OK I SUPPOSE, CONGRATS MIKE WALKER markII

eyeeyepopeye · November 1, 2015

It's a good job Sunderland are vvank,

jinkyali · November 1, 2015

5th highest scorers
10th best defence
Top opposition all played
Five points off 4th
Nine off top

Chill ffs.

banno · November 1, 2015

eyeeyepopeye said:
It's a good job Sunderland are vvank,

Like Soton, Chelsea and West Brom

Dithering Dougie · November 1, 2015

banno said:
This has been a problem for a good while. We don't work hard enough without the ball and tend just to cover spaces without closing down enough. If we can get that right then we would be a team to be reckoned with.

I don't think we've got the fitness for it myself.

Dexter · November 1, 2015

jinkyali said:
5th highest scorers
10th best defence
Top opposition all played
Five points off 4th
Nine off top

Chill ffs.

We've got to keep the confidence and form going and work hard on a few things in training, a good opportunty for 4th place is available this season

banno · November 1, 2015

Dithering Dougie said:
I don't think we've got the fitness for it myself.

Probably not. It just seems to be a flaw in our play that we will get everyone behind the ball and let the opposition keep the ball and let them probe us with allowable time to do so. It looks like we stay zonal marking allowing there forwards run across our line and then dart through. We also defend quite narrowly allowing more options for wide play hence the crosses. I just don't think we have it quite right and should be pushing on there players more often rushing them into mistakes. It won't work if only the odd man closes down as it has to be uniformed for it to work. Have seen us do it before with great effect but it has gone missing from our game in more recent times.

jinkyali · November 1, 2015

Dexter said:
We've got to keep the confidence and form going and work hard on a few things in training, a good opportunty for 4th place is available this season

Five of bottom seven to come now too.

Dexter · November 1, 2015

jinkyali said:
Five of bottom seven to come now too.

I'm feeling a lot more optomistic about the coming fixtures cause it looks like we're able to take advantage of out of form teams

Aar_the_Toffees · November 1, 2015

Good performance, although the 6 yard box and aerial threats continue to haunt us. Their second goal should not have happened. Robles needs to be back in net for West Ham.

Caolam · November 1, 2015

I am hoping today's football is an example of what Martinez has been working up to. I hope we are getting near the squad he wants and he feels comfortable playing like this. I say hope because I am yet to be convinced but I very much want to be convinced

summerisle · November 1, 2015

Bobby' s interview. I wonder if he's so positive at home - tremendous piece of toast that, OK it was slightly burned but all in all crisp and tasty. We'll work on the timings this week, it's always difficult with a new loaf but given time I'm sure it will be tremendous in the coming weeks.
http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/10052224/martinez-praises-ruthless-display

LAToffee · November 1, 2015

So Sunderland were awful for long periods, but our football was pure sex for long periods.

davek · November 1, 2015

banno said:
Probably not. It just seems to be a flaw in our play that we will get everyone behind the ball and let the opposition keep the ball and let them probe us with allowable time to do so. It looks like we stay zonal marking allowing there forwards run across our line and then dart through. We also defend quite narrowly allowing more options for wide play hence the crosses. I just don't think we have it quite right and should be pushing on there players more often rushing them into mistakes. It won't work if only the odd man closes down as it has to be uniformed for it to work. Have seen us do it before with great effect but it has gone missing from our game in more recent times.

Good points. However, as you rightly say, it's a way of setting up that requires the team to act in unison. Do you think we have the type of players further up the pitch that can play in this way? For the life of me I can't see Lukaku, Kone, Deulofeu playing this way. It'd necessitate having a different front four than we'd all prefer to see.

RMs view appears to be to sit deep and allow opponents to make their probing pass of the move and press at that point, then exploiting space with mobile players in attack.