“We’re still a work in progress” – 13 months on

[A4Jack]

Russell Martin still says his Swansea City team are still a work in progress as he prepares his squad to take on Blackpool after a winless start. Martin says his team need to show “more risk and aggressiveness in the final third” in a bid to secure the first win of the season after defeats […]

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[Pontyjack]

Just meaningless words.

Every team manager would say they are a work in progress. Not even Man City or Liverpool would ever claim to be the finished article.

 

[Pegojack]

The understatement of the season. We've gone backwards in losing wingbacks Christie and Wolff and not replacing them adequately, when they are essential to our style of play. We've also lost a quality midfielder, it remains to be seen if Allen will be a satisfactory replacement.

 

[Risc]

I was fuming after the Oxford game, but let’s be honest who are we going to bring in?

The wage bill is being slashed every season, he’s not been given the chance to replace Christie, he has with Wolf granted but with a lot less resource in Sorinola. It’s not going well at the moment but we need to give it time.

 

[EagleEye]

The understatement of the season. We've gone backwards in losing wingbacks Christie and Wolff and not replacing them adequately, when they are essential to our style of play. We've also lost a quality midfielder, it remains to be seen if Allen will be a satisfactory replacement.

Indeed, backward at a rate of knots. We brought in 3 centre halves, another goalkeeper & a full back on loan. So many of our fans felt that bringing back Joe & selling Downes was ‘good business’. How we missed Downes on Saturday. We are so lacking in pace it has become a chore to even turn up for home games

It seems as though Martin is happy to try & get our own signings rather than dip in to the loan market. The fans are restless, the pressure is building & the clock is ticking for Russy boy

 

[Risc]

The understatement of the season. We've gone backwards in losing wingbacks Christie and Wolff and not replacing them adequately, when they are essential to our style of play. We've also lost a quality midfielder, it remains to be seen if Allen will be a satisfactory replacement.

Indeed, backward at a rate of knots. We brought in 3 centre halves, another goalkeeper & a full back on loan. So many of our fans felt that bringing back Joe & selling Downes was ‘good business’. How we missed Downes on Saturday. We are so lacking in pace it has become a chore to even turn up for home games

It seems as though Martin is happy to try & get our own signings rather than dip in to the loan market. The fans are restless, the pressure is building & the clock is ticking for Russy boy

Yeah the lack of pace I agree is a complete shambles, surely the loan thing is the club not wanting to shell out on temp deals though? Which is bad news as loan deals are massive for us in this league as they are every other club.

 

[BlasterJack]

Pretty sure I’m not the only one who is sick of his rhetoric but we are where we are.

Joe Allen papered over the cracks of a poor summer transfer window (and if Piroe goes before the end of the month it will look a hell of a lot worse).

We’ve not got a pot to piss in.

If RM goes:-
1. who the hell else is going to want to come here?
2. are they going to be any better with the squad we currently have?

 

[Manselton Jack]

Most managers would do better with the squad we've got, yes we're lacking in pace but the playing style & formation is a major reason for our poor form.

 

[Risc]

Pretty sure I’m not the only one who is sick of his rhetoric but we are where we are.

Joe Allen papered over the cracks of a poor summer transfer window (and if Piroe goes before the end of the month it will look a hell of a lot worse).

We’ve not got a pot to piss in.

If RM goes:-
1. who the hell else is going to want to come here?
2. are they going to be any better with the squad we currently have?

This ^

He said in his press conference he wants us to be more selfish in final third, let’s put that into practice Saturday and see where it gets us.

If he’s lost the dressing room though then that would obviously change things.

 

[CurtessECarr]

Most clubs with limited resources would surely try and get the best out the players they have. I don't see that here. We are not trying to develop players we are trying to develop a system which as the OP states has been 13 months down the road and as results show has been everything but successful.

 

[BlasterJack]

Most managers would do better with the squad we've got, yes we're lacking in pace but the playing style & formation is a major reason for our poor form.

When it did ‘click’ last season (rarely) it was fine.
The trouble is any manager worth their salt susses us out easily and we have no plan b.

Probably why we battered Cardiff twice last year

 

[Nocountryforoldjack]

I was fuming after the Oxford game, but let’s be honest who are we going to bring in?

The wage bill is being slashed every season, he’s not been given the chance to replace Christie, he has with Wolf granted but with a lot less resource in Sorinola. It’s not going well at the moment but we need to give it time.

Why will time make any difference with what you've stated above.

He is a poor manager but he's not being helped by the owners who won't invest any of their own money.

 

[Nocountryforoldjack]

Our problems lie squarely at the feet of our owners that promised much but have delivered very little in terms of success.

 

[EagleEye]

Indeed, backward at a rate of knots. We brought in 3 centre halves, another goalkeeper & a full back on loan. So many of our fans felt that bringing back Joe & selling Downes was ‘good business’. How we missed Downes on Saturday. We are so lacking in pace it has become a chore to even turn up for home games

It seems as though Martin is happy to try & get our own signings rather than dip in to the loan market. The fans are restless, the pressure is building & the clock is ticking for Russy boy

Yeah the lack of pace I agree is a complete shambles, surely the loan thing is the club not wanting to shell out on temp deals though? Which is bad news as loan deals are massive for us in this league as they are every other club.

Fully agree, loan deals could be the difference between top half & bottom half. Forest wouldn’t have been promoted without them & we would never have made the playoffs without them. Now that Joseph, Garrick & Whittaker are out on loan there may some wage budget available to get someone in, we can hope

 

[Risc]

Yeah the lack of pace I agree is a complete shambles, surely the loan thing is the club not wanting to shell out on temp deals though? Which is bad news as loan deals are massive for us in this league as they are every other club.

Fully agree, loan deals could be the difference between top half & bottom half. Forest wouldn’t have been promoted without them & we would never have made the playoffs without them. Now that Joseph, Garrick & Whittaker are out on loan there may some wage budget available to get someone in, we can hope

Cooper did well with loans, and due to his background he would have better contacts in getting them in, but apart from Brewster who we apparently didn’t pay a fee for, I’m certain large amounts of wages and fees were spent. The loan targets then compared to now are chalk and cheese.