Martinball

[Baron Goblet]

Tate played full back at Wembley, forgot he was on the left. It was over ten years ago and the comparison doesn't really matter. A good win today and big games for Ntcham and Obafemi.

 

[Manselton Jack]

Tate only played because Taylor got sent off against Florist

 

[Dr. Winston]

I think the footballing landscape has changed since then. For example we were able to keep Ashley Williams, who was outstanding in the Championship (and also very accomplished in the Prem) for the 3 seasons we were there. There seems to be a lot more danger of losing your best players
now than there was back then which means more likely that player turnover is higher, which brings challenges when trying to build a team over time. Brentford have proved it can be done though.

Fair, although I suspect Covid has hit the market quite badly. Most people expected Piroe to be gone last summer but there wasn't an awful lot of interest at the price we would have wanted. I think the Brentford model is one that we're actively trying to emulate. One big sale per season to cover the operating costs and invest what's left as well as possible.

 

[JackSomething]

I think the footballing landscape has changed since then. For example we were able to keep Ashley Williams, who was outstanding in the Championship (and also very accomplished in the Prem) for the 3 seasons we were there. There seems to be a lot more danger of losing your best players
now than there was back then which means more likely that player turnover is higher, which brings challenges when trying to build a team over time. Brentford have proved it can be done though.

Fair, although I suspect Covid has hit the market quite badly. Most people expected Piroe to be gone last summer but there wasn't an awful lot of interest at the price we would have wanted. I think the Brentford model is one that we're actively trying to emulate. One big sale per season to cover the operating costs and invest what's left as well as possible.

Agreed.

Not looking good for Darling to be our next big sale at the moment, while Piroe will only have 1 year left on his deal. Need to either convince Piroe to sign a new contract (with agreement to accept all offers over a set amount) or hope that Obafemi tops last season to make that one big sale next summer.

 

[Dr. Winston]

Not looking good for Darling to be our next big sale at the moment, while Piroe will only have 1 year left on his deal. Need to either convince Piroe to sign a new contract (with agreement to accept all offers over a set amount) or hope that Obafemi tops last season to make that one big sale next summer.

The Darling situation is downright weird. Naughton was clearly struggling yesterday and probably should have gone off but didn't. HD would have been an ideal replacement. Can't think of any major howlers he's committed prior to his banishment to the bench.


We've paid MKD nearly £2m in recent seasons for two players who can't get a game.

 

[K23]

Tate only played because Taylor got sent off against Florist

But then he captained the side in the 1st league game after Wembley, away at Man City!

 

[Manselton Jack]

Tate only played because Taylor got sent off against Florist

But then he captained the side in the 1st league game after Wembley, away at Man City!

True but that's because Taylor was still suspended!

 

[Jak365]

Back on topic.....

The thing is Martinball died some weeks ago with pressure from above and below to ditch that suicidal losing brand of 70%+ possession / 700+ passes nonsense like we had vs Blackburn, Luton etc - AND play to our strengths like all successfull clubs do.  Out went Fish and Darling (not sure why Darling went other than protecting Naughts, his proper darling).

We're now playing sensible ~55% possession, and in the right places. Playing with zippier triangles and go-fwd drive. And winning. 

Ain't rocket science is it. And it ain't Martinball any longer.  

We have an abundance of rich latent talent champing at the bit. Let's hope the new non-Martinball way forward is given more room to flourish, before Martinball worms itself back in, like it tried it's best to do when we reverted to nonsense suicidal football in the second half, after the usual Martinball half-time team waffle. 

We could be top 6 should we be unleashed from the nonsense shackles of spin.

 

[Swanjaxs]

Back on topic.....

The thing is Martinball died some weeks ago with pressure from above and below to ditch that suicidal losing brand of 70%+ possession / 700+ passes nonsense like we had vs Blackburn, Luton etc - AND play to our strengths like all successfull clubs do.  Out went Fish and Darling (not sure why Darling went other than protecting Naughts, his proper darling).

We're now playing sensible ~55% possession, and in the right places. Playing with zippier triangles and go-fwd drive. And winning. 

Ain't rocket science is it. And it ain't Martinball any longer.  

We have an abundance of rich latent talent champing at the bit. Let's hope the new non-Martinball way forward is given more room to flourish, before Martinball worms itself back in, like it tried it's best to do when we reverted to nonsense suicidal football in the second half, after the usual Martinball half-time team waffle. 

We could be top 6 should we be unleashed from the nonsense shackles of spin.

In fairness we could be top 6 at the end of the season regardless, basically the championship is an even bigger pile of wànk than usual.
Also, is "zippier" even a word...


edit
Many apologies...

zippy
/ˈzɪpi/
adjectiveINFORMAL
comparative adjective: zippier
bright, fresh, or lively.
"a wine with a zippy, zingy, almost citrusy tang"
fast or speedy.
"the car is zippy around town"

 

[DJack]

Back on topic.....

The thing is Martinball died some weeks ago with pressure from above and below to ditch that suicidal losing brand of 70%+ possession / 700+ passes nonsense like we had vs Blackburn, Luton etc - AND play to our strengths like all successfull clubs do.  Out went Fish and Darling (not sure why Darling went other than protecting Naughts, his proper darling).

We're now playing sensible ~55% possession, and in the right places. Playing with zippier triangles and go-fwd drive. And winning. 

Ain't rocket science is it. And it ain't Martinball any longer.  

We have an abundance of rich latent talent champing at the bit. Let's hope the new non-Martinball way forward is given more room to flourish, before Martinball worms itself back in, like it tried it's best to do when we reverted to nonsense suicidal football in the second half, after the usual Martinball half-time team waffle. 

We could be top 6 should we be unleashed from the nonsense shackles of spin.

In fairness we could be top 6 at the end of the season regardless, basically the championship is an even bigger pile of wànk than usual.
Also, is "zippier" even a word...


edit
Many apologies...

zippy
/ˈzɪpi/
adjectiveINFORMAL
comparative adjective: zippier
bright, fresh, or lively.
"a wine with a zippy, zingy, almost citrusy tang"
fast or speedy.
"the car is zippy around town"

It's Andy Cole from the other site.

 

[jackjackjackjack]

Now in the top 6

 

[phact0rri]

it does feel that the championship has collectively decided its a rebuild season.

 

[Risc]

Reading bits and bobs today, social media, forums, seeing fans who were saying Martin “needs to go” now denying they ever said it, fair dos more front than Brighton pier.

Not having a go at anyone who had doubts, or even called for his head, I thought after Boro away he was done myself, just some people seem to consistently spectacularly wrong on pretty much every subject.

 

[Glyn1]

2 wins on the spin is great and we are all delighted. However let's just look at the table and see where those two teams are. Win our next two and we can sit up and be more confident.

:?:
Are you now more confident?

 

[CurtessECarr]

2 wins on the spin is great and we are all delighted. However let's just look at the table and see where those two teams are. Win our next two and we can sit up and be more confident.

:?:
Are you now more confident?

We all think we know how to be a football manager. Fair play to RM it's taken over a season for him to realise that his total football ideology cannot work if you haven't got the players. His statements of ''process'' and ''fans can see what we are trying to do'' have been discarded. I'm still concerned about overplaying at the back. On two occasions yesterday we tried playing short triangles 2nd half by the East corner and caught out twice.
If you wanted a short answer yes I'm more confident.