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Like I said we've looked like a team on the verge of getting it together for 18 months. I honestly think that either martinez will finally get us gelling and playing like we all know that team can in the next few months or we have to accept that he's not capable of doing it.
2 years is a long slump. He has til this summer, in my eyes, but then you have to accept that the job is beyond him.
Agree, it's okay giving teams space, and letting them pass the ball around if they're going nowhere, problem is we're giving teams too much space in and around our box, we need to be closing teams down as soon as they cross the half way line.
He has until the summer in my eyes too, if he doesn't win a cup.
There's a hell of a long way to go yet in this season. But, once more, the 'instant clamour for success or it's the end of the world' attitude of some fans and pundits is applying more pressure than needs be to a young (albeit underachieving) squad - though there should be some pressure, obviously.
I think we need to press more in general to be honest
It's the core reason teams like Barcelona made the high possession game work. If they weren't holding on to the ball they were chasing the opposition down to get it back
I think we agree entirely mate. It's too early for post mortum.
I mean if we win every game we have yet to play this season, we'll finish top 4 with two trophies, if we lose every game we have left, we'll be relegated with no trophies. That's two very different seasons.
Little Ralphy
Player Valuation: £15m
It's been 18 months now though mate and nothing is changing. We're wide open every game because of the system he plays. I think if he was going to change it he'd have done so already.
Sure we'll look better more solid against sides who have a lot of possession because we can't play ourselves in to trouble and because we'll have players back as we don't have the ball. This is also why we look better away from home. But against the sides when we are expected to control possession which seems to be what he likes doing, we just play ourselves in to trouble and/or leave ourselves wide open because we don't have any defensive shape in the right areas.
I can see why people are taken in and think we're going to do well but if you look at the bigger picture and know what you're watching, it's nowhere near as close as people think. There are some serious issues with the way he sets up the side and what he asks them to do in certain situations and that isn't changing.
But both are highly unlikely. I see us finishing around were we are now. I can't see anyone below us apart from Chelsea going on any sort of run and there are too many teams above us that would need to cave.
I also think it's worth noting that 'project Martinez' is as much about building for the future as well - form the club's P.O.V.
The players he's bringing in - even though as a team may be underperforming - are clearly being brought in to build something sustainable that a new manager can come in and build on.
It's that Barca model of every player being able to fit a style, which makes replacing players who leave a lot easier.
Tarashaj looks to be a perfect example of a player who can come in and grow into a system of playing the game.
Same with Foulds, with Besic, with Holgate etc.
The players he's bringing in - even though as a team may be underperforming - are clearly being brought in to build something sustainable that a new manager can come in and build on.
It's that Barca model of every player being able to fit a style, which makes replacing players who leave a lot easier.
Tarashaj looks to be a perfect example of a player who can come in and grow into a system of playing the game.
Same with Foulds, with Besic, with Holgate etc.
Eh, 5 points doesn't require caving. It just requires us to be better than we have been.
Well that's what I hope he can change, mate. And we actually did look to have turned a corner in that respect around November when we hammered Sunderland and Villa - two sides who we laboured against last season at home. Unfortunately, teams like Stoke and Leicester really have improved a lot - and that's down to an increase in money, while Swansea were boosted by the new manager who is obviously very astute defensively - and we still created loads of chances!
The turning point for me was Bournemouth, ironically on the same weekend as last season's turning point vs Spurs away. On both occasions we threw away leads and got a key player injured. McCarthy has been a huge miss for us, and we'd looked so much better when Besic came in as he adds that same energy into the midfield - which is what is key to making Martinez' system work effectively against any side.
I feel like you vastly overestimate our board, tbh.
Agree completely. I said it in his first season and I still feel the same. The system is flawed and will not work. I hope I'm wrong but my concerns have nothing to do with patience and everything to do with an understanding of what I'm seeing every week.
You thought this system wasn't working in his first season here? Really?
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