Roberto Martinez discussion

[ianefc]

What kind of stat is that?? We have only conceded in 2 out of 3 games is not a great argument for defensive improvement lol
We are getting better at the back though, its costing us a little up front to get there, first time we havn't scored since United drubbed us 3-0 in October.
Nice to know we are capable of a clean sheet though, and if we can do it at City, we can do it anywhere. We won't.. but we could if we wanted to

Ease up lad. She is one of the most reasonable posters on here, she didn't mention clean sheets she mentioned only conceding 2 in 3 against 3 good teams. No complaint in that for me, finding the attacking balance is the issue.

 

[maccavennie]

We went through a 'easy run of games and only managed to beat the League's bottom 3. To me he can't find the balance. Certainly not on the regular, I hope I'm proved wrong but 18 wins in 59 is abysmal, that has been and will continue to be my stance until he improves.

Your spot on with the 18 wins from 59,it's abysmal and there's no two ways about it. You've said that's your stance until he improves which is what I'm trying to say to you in my point, he's trying to change it the last few games so let's cut him a bit of slack because tonight isn't a game where a win is a given it was a good point. Let's see of we can string a couple of wins together with the new bit of balance we seem to have.

If not, Martinez out and Ian in

 

[LinekersLegs]

We went through a 'easy run of games and only managed to beat the League's bottom 3. To me he can't find the balance. Certainly not on the regular, I hope I'm proved wrong but 18 wins in 59 is abysmal, that has been and will continue to be my stance until he improves.

How about we get to our next run of easier fixtures before you come to that conclusion? Most people seem to see a difference in our defending, that might be temporary or might be a change in tactics but why not be cautiously optimistic and wait to find out?

Realistically no manager can make dramatic changes with this number of matches and quality of opponents.

 

[dannyboy]

We went through a 'easy run of games and only managed to beat the League's bottom 3. To me he can't find the balance. Certainly not on the regular, I hope I'm proved wrong but 18 wins in 59 is abysmal, that has been and will continue to be my stance until he improves.

Only 5 teams have won less matches than us this season, it's awful to look at that league table and think about the missed opportunity.

I'm in the same camp as you that we won't be moving to far away from the current position we occupy. If anything West Brom, Southampton and Chelsea will probably overtake us due to our inability to win games.

 

[nsno-chris]

The biggest test will be to see if he can keep this defensive shape and tightness against the easier opposition. These are the games when we go at them, leaving ourselves exposed at the back to the counter attack and loss of possession (i.e. when we are being pressed and have committed).

This is where we will need to see this shape being implemented and this is where he needs to get the balance right.

IMO he's tried to do what Rogers did at the RS in that season they had, really go for the throat and get 2 or 3 up quite quick then play the game at our pace, dictating the game. The problem is we haven't converted has many as we should and we've been punished; you can go through the majoirty of the games and we should have been out of sight at half time

 

[ianefc]

Well I guess we will have to see mate long term but if I take the games where I've mentioned the balance is better that would be Spurs, City, Daggers (don't count no offence any Daggers fans reading this ) and City today.

We've let teams have the ball but not chased it and lost shape on the games above and the had large periods where we've turned the screw on the opposition, mixed it up and still not left ourselves as open as normal.

So......If it carries on like it has then yes we will be sound Ian because when you've got the likes of Del, Ross, Rom up top your always going to create something. It's the defence he needed to fix and if he shows signs of sorting it then the rest will take care of itself.

It could all go tits up and he goes more attacking against Chelsea and we get webbed but I tell you something Ian, of we won tonight 1-0 that would have been a pearl of an away performance and I don't think you would be thinking it wasn't good enough.

Just on the last bit, tonight's point was fine, although, Martinez has been praised to the Hilt about our attacking play yet City comfortably managed to keep their first clean sheet at home in 5 1/2 months.

Different strokes for different folks.

I have always maintained initially that I didn't think Martinez would win enough games, now that's clear for everyone to see, I'll take the stance that I hope he can now start to win more games from now...but only his stats are gonna make me ease up on him. No poster has a chance of changing my mind.

 

[ianefc]

Only 5 teams have won less matches than us this season, it's awful to look at that league table and think about the missed opportunity.

I'm in the same camp as you that we won't be moving to far away from the current position we occupy. If anything West Brom, Southampton and Chelsea will probably overtake us due to our inability to win games.

Hahaha misread that at first thought you were telling me only 5 teams had lost less than us. Was about to unleash a stat bomb.

 

[LinekersLegs]

What kind of stat is that?? We have only conceded in 2 out of 3 games is not a great argument for defensive improvement lol
We are getting better at the back though, its costing us a little up front to get there, first time we havn't scored since United drubbed us 3-0 in October.
Nice to know we are capable of a clean sheet though, and if we can do it at City, we can do it anywhere. We won't.. but we could if we wanted to

For most opposition I'd agree but City and Spurs are pretty high scorers being 1st and 5th in the league respectively.

If we'd been playing Villa I wouldn't have mentioned it!

 

[ianefc]

How about we get to our next run of easier fixtures before you come to that conclusion? Most people seem to see a difference in our defending, that might be temporary or might be a change in tactics but why not be cautiously optimistic and wait to find out?

Realistically no manager can make dramatic changes with this number of matches and quality of opponents.

I see the difference in our defending, but is that to the detriment of our attacking? It will be argued that we have to be more pragmatic against the better teams. Fair enough. Maybe we should wait for Swansea and Newcastle at home back to back at the end of the month. But even 2 wins by then will probably mean 8 wins in 24 this season, which pulls up a familiar Martinez stat 1 in 3. Let's hope we do to city what we did tonight in 2 weeks. But even Stoke who started the season with 5 defeats in 5 and Liverpool who were so bad they sacked their manager are comfortably ahead of us.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Far better defensively. A draw at City is never bad even though I never thought we looked like we'd even nick it. Balance issues again. Draws like this just make me more annoyed about poor performances in easier fixtures.

Only gripe is the continued marginalisation of Mirallas and Lennon. When we were under the cosh Pienaar and Kone came on. No pace at all and we didn't even have a threat on the counter to try and nick it.

 

[VentureBrosEFC]

I see the difference in our defending, but is that to the detriment of our attacking? It will be argued that we have to be more pragmatic against the better teams. Fair enough. Maybe we should wait for Swansea and Newcastle at home back to back at the end of the month. But even 2 wins by then will probably mean 8 wins in 24 this season, which pulls up a familiar Martinez stat 1 in 3. Let's hope we do to city what we did tonight in 2 weeks. But even Stoke who started the season with 5 defeats in 5 and Liverpool who were so bad they sacked their manager are comfortably ahead of us.

3 points ahead and a crap goal difference is "comfortable" lollollol haha jaysus Christ

 

[dannyboy]

3 points ahead and a crap goal difference is "comfortable" lollollol haha jaysus Christ

It is when we're on a run of 1 win in 8 games.

 

[ianefc]

3 points ahead and a crap goal difference is "comfortable" lollollol haha jaysus Christ

3 points ahead, despite their recent results. If you find that funny fair enough. They've recently lost to Newcastle, West Ham and Watford whilst they celebrated a Draw at home to WBA, all this post being so bad they sacked their managed and had more injuries than you can shake a Leg at.

But still funny though, I suppose.

 

[VentureBrosEFC]

It is when we're on a run of 1 win in 8 games.

Oh come on, I know you've already established your "camp" but try and look at it objectively

 

[VentureBrosEFC]

3 points ahead, despite their recent results. If you find that funny fair enough. They've recently lost to Newcastle, West Ham and Watford whilst they celebrated a Draw at home to WBA, all this post being so bad they sacked their managed and had more injuries than you can shake a Leg at.

But still funny though, I suppose.

Hard headed doesn't even begin to cover it