Missing: Chris Martin and Tom Ince

[cannable]

1 hour ago, Alpha said:

People have always said we go through Martin. And we always have. 

But that doesn't mean to say we only have one way of using him. Do we not remember Forsyth's awesome low crosses when we actually used to use Martin as a striker. We often used to advance down the flanks and all different style of wing play was our danger. Dawkins coming inside to join the interplay crew. Ward advancing into the box along the actual byline. Ibe dribbling through the channel. Russell doing what him and Ince both do now. Bamford being a more static winger allowing a fullback to do the more traditional work. Christie and Wisdom at their best both had variation in their play. 

Martin often involved in all of it. But sometimes he'd play a traditional striker role more often. If the game forced us to use the flanks when we've always wanted to hit Martin with Forsyth, Thorne, Keogh etc. There was a lot more variation in how we found and where we found him. 

This. 

Even as far back as Clough there was the Brayford and Coutts partnership. Ward and Sammon and Bryson and Sammon also linked up well. Very little went through Martin. 

Under McClaren there were triangles all over the pitch. The combinations were ingrained into the side, it's possible to literally talk through them. Fozzy would make an early run on the outside, Bryson would make a run in behind and Dawks would drift inside. Either one player would get in behind, get to the by-line, have the time and space to cross or Dawkins would have space in and around the area. This also creates two triangles taking Martin into account.

Then over on the other side you had Ward, Wisdom and Will. Wisdom and Hughes wouldn't really look to get in behind, Wisdom would stay wide looking to cross from deep-ish, whilst Ward would look to get to the by-line. Hughes would drift into the channel and give the ball to the player in more space. 

When Prince George broke into the team he was given more of a licence to dictate and so Wisdom wouldn't bomb on as much as he was doing previous. Because George was running the show by himself there was no longer the onus on Will controlling. This allowed us to play one more runner in Hendrick. 

When Bamford played he was given a totally free role and you'd often see Jeff doing the dirty work on the right hand side for him.

It helped that we had the players to play it out of the back then as well. The centre-halves used to split and the holding midfielder would drop into the gap they created. The full-back would push up, in line with the halfway line. The opposition press us? No biggy, we'll just clip one out to Fozzy.

That team was full of ideas an options. Not everything went through Martin. 

[Jon_Grooves]

Can sell Martin and buy a replacement striker whos quick, has high work rate and can score goals.

 

[DCFCArmy]

37 minutes ago, cannable said:

That team was full of ideas an options. Not everything went through Martin. 

That was when we were fearless, something about getting to the summit changes that though, you become a target and the pressure of being the favorites changes teams/players, look at Jordon Spieth in the golf, no one knew who he was last year, he was under the radar so zero pressure and look what he achieved, this year he's falling apart, his games gone to pot, blew a 5 shot lead in the Masters and he's now finding out being the number 1 isn't all that much fun, expectations are a killer. 

I wish we were the underdogs again myself

[Sexydadbod]

4 minutes ago, Jon_Grooves said:

Can sell Martin and buy a replacement striker whos quick, has high work rate and can score goals.

 

Ross Mccormack would be my pick, an upgrade on Martin

[Lokidoki]

9 minutes ago, Jon_Grooves said:

buy a replacement striker whos quick, has high work rate and can score goals

I thought we had done this; not forgetting that Blackman was the second highest scorer in the championship, when we signed him.

This is bound to solicit  a mass of Blackman shooters but the lad has not been given the same chance that Wassall has had.

[Jon_Grooves]

I think Wassall left the majority of the new signings out because he thought going back to a line up as close to last seasons winning side would sort out all the problems.

 

[Ramarena]

19 minutes ago, Lokidoki said:

I thought we had done this; not forgetting that Blackman was the second highest scorer in the championship, when we signed him.

This is bound to solicit  a mass of Blackman shooters but the lad has not been given the same chance that Wassall has had.

Imagine how Camara feels. 

[Leicester Ram]

All this talk of how ******* good we were makes me want McClaren back.

[sage]

On 5/14/2016 at 14:51, McLovin said:

If you find them please let me know. In all seriousness I can count how many times both have played well in big games between them. Especially Martin! Both go missing when we need them both. Martin was absolutely useless today. He should be ashamed to wear our shirt. I get that players have off days but at least do something instead of moping around and feeling sorry for yourself blaming your teammates. We should stop building our team around Martin, lets be honest any of us lot on this forum would do well in  this team if it was built to suit our game. Instead we should build our team around those who want to win and dont go hiding like Will Hughes.

Oh and by the way, don't EVER underestimate a team again especially in the play offs. Just because we thrashed them in the league didn't mean we would thrash them again. The way some people played down Hull before the game was a joke.  I'd rather not talk about Wassall. I just hope he has the shame to resign. Rant over. Good to get off my chest

Utter  tripe but not surprising.

Martin was our best player in the first half. Won loads of headers, took it down on hs chest and laid of great passes for Ince and Russell who miscontrolled and fell over respectively. This being up against arguably the best two CBs in the league. Certainly the ones with the most Prem experience.

The piece highliighted is the biggest crock of shyte I have ever read on this forum and boy have I read some shyte.

 

 

[Bris Vegas]

I thought Martin was our best player against Hull. In the first half he was winning loads, his control was brilliant.

You can understand his frustrations though. We just kept hoofing it. I felt sorry for him, his teammates badly let him down and cost him a chance of Premier League football.

You can criticise Martin when we create a shed load and he's the culprit for c0cking up a number of attacks. I don't see how you can criticise him when we create nothing though.

Martin's job is not to drop into midfield and create multiple chances. Let's be realistic here.

[Lokidoki]

56 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

In the first half he was winning loads,

Sorry,first twenty minutes then what happened? The Hull CB's got the measure of him then he faded.

57 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

Martin's job is not to drop into midfield and create multiple chances.

He does neither a lot of the time and that is the issue (Actually read my other comments this is down to  the other teams' tactics/strategy) - and I've not got it in for him as I believe that when he's on his game he is unbeatable -  at his best, this is when he drops into midfield naturally then is waiting in space for the through ball on next pass. i.e. midfield - Martin - Midfield or Wide player - Martin - Shot.

[Sexydadbod]

See me and Bris don't agree on everything 

[Kernow]

29 minutes ago, McLovin said:

See me and Bris don't agree on everything 

Pig spotted flying somewhere over Derby.

[stoners]

Martin looks like a bloke who knows there's a striker on the bench that doesn't play but gets paid twice as much 

 

[uttoxram75]

21 minutes ago, stoners said:

Martin looks like a bloke who knows there's a striker on the bench that doesn't play but gets paid twice as much 

 

Martin looks like a bloke who knows how to get a team into the play offs. (Apart from last season when he was injured).

[Ahjames08]

On 14 May 2016 at 14:51, McLovin said:

If you find them please let me know. In all seriousness I can count how many times both have played well in big games between them. Especially Martin! Both go missing when we need them both. Martin was absolutely useless today. He should be ashamed to wear our shirt. I get that players have off days but at least do something instead of moping around and feeling sorry for yourself blaming your teammates. We should stop building our team around Martin, lets be honest any of us lot on this forum would do well in  this team if it was built to suit our game. Instead we should build our team around those who want to win and dont go hiding like Will Hughes.

Oh and by the way, don't EVER underestimate a team again especially in the play offs. Just because we thrashed them in the league didn't mean we would thrash them again. The way some people played down Hull before the game was a joke.  I'd rather not talk about Wassall. I just hope he has the shame to resign. Rant over. Good to get off my chest

Martin won't play in the premier league so keen not to go up.. Ince was last seen cutting inside from the left and having a wild shot bending past the keepers far post, ince was last seen cutting inside from the left and having a wild shot bending past the keepers far post.... So that's what once will do tonight and then say Dad I played well again and where can I get a new contract....

[Ahjames08]

Martin last seen at the Turkish barbers getting a new hair cut, and with Usian Bolt seeing if he can get another 200 yards of pace..