Russ out?

[sainthelens]

Wether its lack of energy from the players I dunno, but they seem to have looked at the table and downed tools. Pick up the odd win here, a point there seems to be the mindset. And we keep getting e mails to renew ST. We dodged a bullet v Blackburn, could have been 4 defeats in 4 FFS. No mistake, he is chasing his tail now.

 

[monmouth]

I’m actually regretting renewing at this very moment. Wondering whether I can really be arsed to take out most of my Sunday as I’d planned to.

 

[CurtessECarr]

We've been told to trust the process. Could someone please explain to me in simple words what the process is. I'm finding difficulty in understanding it . Tonight 3 shots at goal 1 on target. Stoke 22 shots at goal. Am I missing something because there's a few on here that seem to understand it.

 

[Captain_Sham]

This is exactly what a large proportion of our fan base said they would be happy to endure if it meant the end of Cooper. A season of struggle with the long term aim of a more pleasing style. As I suspected then, talk is cheap.
I maintained then, and still do, that playing badly and winning is far better than playing badly and losing.
I think we would be stupid to get rid of Martin. He isn't the problem. Its the imbalance/skill level of our squad. Not saying we don't have some good players. I'm saying we don't have an adequate squad. Cant change anything until the summer now in terms of recruitment. Just gonna have to enjoy/endure the ride.

 

[Vetchonian]

This is exactly what a large proportion of our fan base said they would be happy to endure if it meant the end of Cooper. A season of struggle with the long term aim of a more pleasing style. As I suspected then, talk is cheap.
I maintained then, and still do, that playing badly and winning is far better than playing badly and losing.
I think we would be stupid to get rid of Martin. He isn't the problem. Its the imbalance/skill level of our squad. Not saying we don't have some good players. I'm saying we don't have an adequate squad. Cant change anything until the summer now in terms of recruitment. Just gonna have to enjoy/endure the ride.

Im sure many other managers could get a better tune out of this squad..Martin isnt the only problem but he is the core problem

 

[Bryanswan]

This is exactly what a large proportion of our fan base said they would be happy to endure if it meant the end of Cooper. A season of struggle with the long term aim of a more pleasing style. As I suspected then, talk is cheap.
I maintained then, and still do, that playing badly and winning is far better than playing badly and losing.
I think we would be stupid to get rid of Martin. He isn't the problem. Its the imbalance/skill level of our squad. Not saying we don't have some good players. I'm saying we don't have an adequate squad. Cant change anything until the summer now in terms of recruitment. Just gonna have to enjoy/endure the ride.

Im sure many other managers could get a better tune out of this squad..Martin isnt the only problem but he is the core problem

I'd be inclined to think our entitled fan base are probably a bigger problem. What was everyone expecting of this season? Our squad was decimated and in need of a complete rebuild. Why do you think precious Cooper was so desperate to jump ship, it was sinking.
We didnt get two of Martins targets in January because the board pulled the plug.
The 45 with 10 men on the weekend, plus suspension and injuries, this game was always going to be a write off.

 

[Darran]

Im sure many other managers could get a better tune out of this squad..Martin isnt the only problem but he is the core problem

I'd be inclined to think our entitled fan base are probably a bigger problem. What was everyone expecting of this season? Our squad was decimated and in need of a complete rebuild. Why do you think precious Cooper was so desperate to jump ship, it was sinking.
We didnt get two of Martins targets in January because the board pulled the plug.
The 45 with 10 men on the weekend, plus suspension and injuries, this game was always going to be a write off.

I completely agree about our fanbase and I’m certainly not an entitled fan but I do think we should be doing better than this.
We were 19th on Saturday and could be down to 18th tonight,RM started with six new players that he brought in last night so I’m not having that one.

 

[ARQS]

I'd be inclined to think our entitled fan base are probably a bigger problem. What was everyone expecting of this season? Our squad was decimated and in need of a complete rebuild. Why do you think precious Cooper was so desperate to jump ship, it was sinking.
We didnt get two of Martins targets in January because the board pulled the plug.
The 45 with 10 men on the weekend, plus suspension and injuries, this game was always going to be a write off.

Spot on.

Let's focus on the real issues at hand here.

All this time I thought our issues were a small squad, having to ship 2 or 3 players out just to bring one in, crap players, 3 goals in 7 games, players who can offer something being completely frozen out/under played, unbalanced starting line ups, expecting Korey Smith or Jay Fulton to produce some creativity, an inability to score from a set piece, players playing out of position and a total lack of pace in the team.

But the real issue is the fans expecting us to go to an average Stoke side and have more than one shot on target in the entire game.

Presumably the players went into last nights game thinking it was a 'write off' because they certainly played like it.

 

[Darran]

I'd be inclined to think our entitled fan base are probably a bigger problem. What was everyone expecting of this season? Our squad was decimated and in need of a complete rebuild. Why do you think precious Cooper was so desperate to jump ship, it was sinking.
We didnt get two of Martins targets in January because the board pulled the plug.
The 45 with 10 men on the weekend, plus suspension and injuries, this game was always going to be a write off.

I completely agree about our fanbase and I’m certainly not an entitled fan but I do think we should be doing better than this.
We were 19th on Saturday and could be down to 18th tonight,RM started with six new players that he brought in last night so I’m not having that one.

And four on the BBC bench.

 

[monmouth]

I'd be inclined to think our entitled fan base are probably a bigger problem. What was everyone expecting of this season? Our squad was decimated and in need of a complete rebuild. Why do you think precious Cooper was so desperate to jump ship, it was sinking.
We didnt get two of Martins targets in January because the board pulled the plug.
The 45 with 10 men on the weekend, plus suspension and injuries, this game was always going to be a write off.

Spot on.

Let's focus on the real issues at hand here.

All this time I thought our issues were a small squad, having to ship 2 or 3 players out just to bring one in, crap players, 3 goals in 7 games, players who can offer something being completely frozen out/under played, unbalanced starting line ups, expecting Korey Smith or Jay Fulton to produce some creativity, an inability to score from a set piece, players playing out of position and a total lack of pace in the team.

But the real issue is the fans expecting us to go to an average Stoke side and have more than one shot on target in the entire game.

Presumably the players went into last nights game thinking it was a 'write off' because they certainly played like it.

Stoke hadn’t won at home since November. How could we possibly expect to get anything ffs. Get a grip and stop being unrealistic and entitled. We may as well not bother going to Cardiff. No chance. Our entitled fan base are deluded if they think we have any chance of the first ever double against a totally shithouse Cardiff. And Peterborough and Barnsley…are they midweek? We’ll be too tired for them. Any other expectation would be ridiculous.

Martin was dealt a challenging hand, one that he’d seen before he placed his bet. He is not playing his cards as well as he could, and until he does, there is no point about whining about better cards or another deal.

 

[ARQS]

Stoke hadn’t won at home since November. How could we possibly expect to get anything ffs. Get a grip and stop being unrealistic and entitled. We may as well not bother going to Cardiff. No chance. Our entitled fan base are deluded if they think we have any chance of the first ever double against a totally shithouse Cardiff. And Peterborough and Barnsley…are they midweek? We’ll be too tired for them. Any other expectation would be ridiculous.

Martin was dealt a challenging hand, one that he’d seen before he placed his bet. He is not playing his cards as well as he could, and until he does, there is no point about whining about better cards or another deal.

The last paragraph sums things up for me.

I don't mind us going to Stoke (or anywhere really) and us losing, as long as we give it a bit of a go or failing that, if it is a blip in an otherwise decent/good season.

For all Martin's comments after the game last night, apologising to the fans, criticising the players, etc., the match hardly leaps out as being an anomaly this season - sloppy goals, conceding just after half time (7 within 5 minutes of the break this season), limp in attack - just standard really.

If going into a game expecting us to make more than a passing attempt to score a goal, not defend like we've been in the pub all afternoon, have some sort of semblance of a game plan and a basic level of concentration makes me entitled then so be it.

 

[sainthelens]

I'd be inclined to think our entitled fan base are probably a bigger problem. What was everyone expecting of this season? Our squad was decimated and in need of a complete rebuild. Why do you think precious Cooper was so desperate to jump ship, it was sinking.
We didnt get two of Martins targets in January because the board pulled the plug.
The 45 with 10 men on the weekend, plus suspension and injuries, this game was always going to be a write off.

Spot on.

Let's focus on the real issues at hand here.

All this time I thought our issues were a small squad, having to ship 2 or 3 players out just to bring one in, crap players, 3 goals in 7 games, players who can offer something being completely frozen out/under played, unbalanced starting line ups, expecting Korey Smith or Jay Fulton to produce some creativity, an inability to score from a set piece, players playing out of position and a total lack of pace in the team.

But the real issue is the fans expecting us to go to an average Stoke side and have more than one shot on target in the entire game.

Presumably the players went into last nights game thinking it was a 'write off' because they certainly played like it.

How can fans be an issue by expecting more than one shot ? Unless that's a tongue in cheek remark I think you have issues.

 

[jackjackjackjack]

I'd keep till the end of the season, and then evaluate.

Because: 1) Less Compensation to pay for Martin and all the backroom team he's bought in, 2) who are we going to get now? Wait and more options will become available.

 

[MrSwerve]

I'd be inclined to think our entitled fan base are probably a bigger problem. What was everyone expecting of this season? Our squad was decimated and in need of a complete rebuild. Why do you think precious Cooper was so desperate to jump ship, it was sinking.
We didnt get two of Martins targets in January because the board pulled the plug.
The 45 with 10 men on the weekend, plus suspension and injuries, this game was always going to be a write off.

I completely agree about our fanbase and I’m certainly not an entitled fan but I do think we should be doing better than this.
We were 19th on Saturday and could be down to 18th tonight,RM started with six new players that he brought in last night so I’m not having that one.

Yep, we should be doing better. I think that we have a decent squad and as individuals I think we have players that are capable of finishing higher than 19th in this league.

What worries me is the lack of progress. There were worries at the start of the season and I think most of us were showing patience...it then picked up after a month or so and we could see some progress. Since the start of December we now seem to be regressing - the team look more uncomfortable on the ball, the defence looks dodgier under pressure, our attacking intent has regressed (ok, the Pato situation will not have helped, but we can't just rely on him).

I still think that he should be given more time, but I think we're quickly approaching a precipice where sacking him has to be an option. Lose against Bristol this weekend at home and we have some tricky ones coming up - Sheff Utd away, B'mouth home, West Brom away, Coventry home, Fulham home. A very tricky set of games.

I know we beat Blackburn, but I don't think anyone could say that we were comfortable in that win - a draw or loss would have been entirely possible if they had taken their chances.

My confidence in Russell is waning very quickly.

 

[monmouth]

If we play like last night, watching Cardiff, they will thump us. Probably reverse that 3=0. Peterborough have started just like we did. Cardiff all over them pressuring and winning the ball all over the field. Benda went down in instalments an all.