Marti Cifuentes appointed new manager

[murphy]

9 minutes ago, danny2997 said:

 

How about for a start virtually every team in the division has at least 1 striker (if not 2) who's contributed at least double the output of our entire set of strikers together. 

From winger perspective Fatawu the obvious standout with Monga being a standout youth lad but to say he's close to being the best option in the league would be premature. Mavididi's lost it for about a season and a half now. So again (Fatawu aside) there's a long line of wingers in the league that have a better output than ours.

Our starting midfield is reasonably strong tbf from a quality stand point (despite some motivation questions over Winks), but when you've got serial failures Soumare and Skipp at best to come off the bench, you're in trouble.

Only decent player in defence we've got is Ricardo, the rest are poor.

GK wise, Jakub again is ok but there's other keepers in the league performing better.

 

So I ask who exactly is it that makes our squad so be far above anyone else? We got absolutely slaughtered in the premier league for a reason and the team is much weaker now than even then.

You still haven't named a club with a stronger squad, just listed the shortcomings of our own.  Such is the standard of this division that our mob, for all its weaknesses is still the strongest in this league imo.

[Dahnsouff]

14 minutes ago, murphy said:

You could apply that kind of servile thinking to politics.  Donald Trump?  'He must be right because he's the president'.   If a decision seems counterintuitive it should be questioned.

 

Morning.

Good Morning Sunshine  

 

Of course, when did I say it should not be questioned? I said I preferred to not make a conclusion/judgment from a position of a lack of knowledge.

This is of course not helpful in terms of new posts or stoking fires, but it is my right  

 

Edit Please note I did not ignore that Trump comparison, just chose to treat it with the derision it deserved.

 

Edited 20 October 2025 by Dahnsouff

[funkyrobot]

5 minutes ago, murphy said:

You still haven't named a club with a stronger squad, just listed the shortcomings of our own.  Such is the standard of this division that our mob, for all its weaknesses is still the strongest in this league imo.

Ipswich have a stronger squad. Coventry and Boro aren’t that different to us and have a better mentality having not had a season of being absolutely battered in the prem week in week out. They also have better strikers, as do most of the division which means we are going to struggle to win games without that threat up front. 

[AKCJ]

I'm on Marti's side still when it comes to him vs this miserable squad but he's got to start doing himself a favour and dropping Faes and Vestergaard.

 

When he came here i'm sure he gave a quote about going for the 2nd and 3rd goals once we've taken the lead and i'm just yet to see any evidence of it.

 

We've only scored 2 goals in a game consecutively (as in one goal after the other unanswered by the opposition) on 3 occasions against Sheffield Wednesday (down to 10 men), Birmingham (about 90 minutes between goals) and Swansea.

 

I really need to see this team knuckle down and go after a team.  It's been about 18 months since those Southampton and PNE games.

[Stadt]

On 20/10/2025 at 07:45, shen said:

Ricardo v Oxford? Monga vs Sheff Wed? Ricardo vs Brum? Pretty good goals from a tactical point of view as well.

Ricardo’s goals were good but were from throwing caution to wind (well in the moderate Cifuentes way)while chasing the game and it’s pretty clear Cifuentes doesn’t actually want the RB in the box - despite looking better when we do.

 

Monga scored against Preston, it was the CBs that scored from set pieces against a knackered 10-man Wednesday. Even Monga’s goal was from a low quality change the keeper should probably have saved.

 

We’re fine in the middle third generally but the positional play is far too dogmatic, there’s so little fluidity because the wingers are tasked with staying too wide. The full backs mostly are rooted to the spot - Thomas’ chance only happens because we’re chasing the game again.

 

We need to increase the risk tolerance across the board as it’s not like the cautious approach at the minutes isn’t risky - we’ve thrown 4 points away against Wrexham and Portsmouth in a cowardly fashion. Just like the 2-2 at Palace last season.

Edited 21 October 2025 by Stadt

[LCFCJohn]

1 hour ago, murphy said:

You could apply that kind of servile thinking to politics.  Donald Trump?  'He must be right because he's the president'.   If a decision seems counterintuitive it should be questioned.

 

Morning.

🔔🔔🔔. Let the next round commence 

[murphy]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

Good Morning Sunshine  

 

Of course, when did I say it should not be questioned? I said I preferred to not make a conclusion/judgment from a position of a lack of knowledge.

This is of course not helpful in terms of new posts or stoking fires, but it is my right  

 

Edit Please note I did not ignore that Trump comparison, just chose to treat it with the derision it deserved.

 

Genuinely, you really need to stop taking things so personally.  

[murphy]

9 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

🔔🔔🔔. Let the next round commence 

 

It won't.  Promise.

[Dan]

Think emphasising on the league position atm is a bit silly. On the flip side Birmingham fans of a certain persuasion would say they're only 5 points off 4th - they're 17th, it's very tight. We could very easily be in midtable.

 

We're in the midst of a cluster of teams and just so happen to float high in it at the minute. That won't last if we don't fix our issues.

[Noahfence]

The lack of chances created and basically relying on moments of magic to score goals isn’t ideal 

[john ridley]

8 hours ago, Phenom said:

Can you name the sides in the division that have more talented squads than ours?

 

Also, can you list the improvements you’ve seen in our performances?

 

I’m not saying we can him yet but if you’re not concerned, you’re not paying attention.

Ive seen teams put more  effort in  than ours ,show commitment ,organized better and are  so called less talented.Nothing will change till these wasters are gone.

[Sharpe's Fox]

Happy with Marti at the moment. I've not learned anything about the squad I don't already know. Faes is a bombscare, Soumare's a dosser, Daka's a competition winner and the rest of our striking line up are geriatric. Half the squad needs binning. Takes time.

[pmcla26]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

Ricardo’s goal were good but were from throwing caution to wind (well in the moderate Cifuentes way)while chasing the game and it’s pretty clear Cifuentes doesn’t actually want the RB in the box - despite looking better when we do.

 

Monga scored against Preston, it was the CBs that scored form set pieces against a knackered 10 man Wednesday. Even Monga’s goal was from a low quality change the keeper should probably have saved.

 

We’re fine in the middle third generally but the positional play is far too dogmatic, there’s so little fluidity because the wingers are tasked with staying too wide. The full backs mostly are rooted to the spot - Thomas’ chance only happens because we’re chasing the game again.

 

We need to increase the risk tolerance across the board as it’s not like the cautious approach at the minutes isn’t risky - we’ve thrown 4 points away against Wrexham and Portsmouth in a cowardly fashion. Just like the 2-2 at Palace last season.

We need to create more overloads through the centre of the pitch to get the wingers left one v one. The problem is such a lack of presence up front and our full backs not having to be tracked (I'm struggling to work out where Cifuentes wants them to be on the pitch at times, not sure if this is intentional or they're just not carrying out his tactics properly) is meaning we are creating less space out wide. 

[fox_favourite]

One key ingredient we are missing is a strong and a threat as the striker. None have that presence at the club, shows how reliant we were on a certain striker for so many years. 

 

There is potential in this team, but we rely on wingers for attacking intent as our strikers are not up to it. When that happens your output becomes isolated and be stopped. 

 

We need Ramsey to step up as well in the 10. 

 

 

[Dahnsouff]

2 hours ago, murphy said:

Genuinely, you really need to stop taking things so personally.  

Turns out you were right, you have bored me into submission!

Edited 20 October 2025 by Dahnsouff

[Muzzy_no7]

For me, he’s got till the next international break to prove he can do it here. 
 

He needs to be a success here else he’s likely finished in England after a mixed bag at QPR, too. 
 

We were very lucky against Sheff Weds and Charlton, pathetic at Preston and have struggled against the likes of Wrexham, Pompey and Oxford. 

[iancognito]

11 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

We were very lucky against Sheff Weds and Charlton, pathetic at Preston and have struggled against the likes of Wrexham, Pompey and Oxford. 

Agree first 3, last 3 we just couldn't finish when we were dominating. Oxford with ten as well. Unless he finds a player that can bury chances or better still be in the right place to bury chances, the last 6 will be the story of our season. And again, how much chance does Cifuentes have with our recruitment?

 

There does seem to be this opinion that we're better than most other squads. Given that a few of ours have had loan spells at other Championship sides that doesn't hold up. We're not blessed with talent. Thomas, Kristiansen, Hamza, Skipp, Soumare, BDR, maybe even Stolarcyk are all fairly par for the course at this level. Those guys are being carried by a few solo displays by Ricardo, Winks, Fatawu and James so far. 

[CosbehFox]

25 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

For me, he’s got till the next international break to prove he can do it here. 
 

He needs to be a success here else he’s likely finished in England after a mixed bag at QPR, too. 
 

We were very lucky against Sheff Weds and Charlton, pathetic at Preston and have struggled against the likes of Wrexham, Pompey and Oxford. 

By which we will be 30% of the season in. 

 

People need to calm the **** down. 

 

I often thought the stuff about us being entitled was bollocks but I am starting to think otherwise. 

 

By the way there are concerning signs, I don't doubt that but the nature of the league or our squad, it needs time. We could afford to give him until February on this form, if promotion was an absolute must. 

Edited 20 October 2025 by CosbehFox

[ian__marshall]

I was pleased with the appointment at the time, and early on his comments seemed to fit with what us fans wanted to hear. For a moment it felt very much like a match made in heaven with Pearson vibes. However, as time has passed I'm getting rather irritated by him dropping soundbites and not taking any action. 

 

He is either making comments for effect to appease the fans and isn't really sure what is required or he knows what needs doing but isn't capable of doing it. 

 

I'm getting increasingly fed up with this obsession with 433 and inverted full backs. No idea why we keep playing it. Given the personnel at our disposal it feels like we're trying to fit square pegs in round holes and aren't getting the best from the players we have. Just feels like a lazy tactical approach to keep up with the jones', rather than finding ways to make us more clinical in the final third. 

[trooky]

5 hours ago, shen said:

I'm confused - do we have a talented squad that that a manager should easily put top of this division or do we have a poor squad full of failed players that any manager would struggle to get a tune out of?

 

 

Were currently in 4th, which IMO is about par for our squad.

 

Considering the players that weren't selected before the window shut and then the transition to our current line up I think so far he's doing what's expected. 

 

But without a consistent goalscorer we will struggle to win regardless of the manager 

 

 

[Dahnsouff]

Rohl is off to Rangers.

[murphy]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

Turns out you were right, you have bored me into submission!

Lol.  I notice you've changed your original playground insult to another.  You must have been thinking about that all day 

 

Your avatar is really starting to make sense to me now.

 

@LCFCJohn I do apologise.  It defo won't happen again.  This prickly so and so is going on 'ignore'

[murphy]

31 minutes ago, trooky said:

Were currently in 4th, which IMO is about par for our squad.

 

Considering the players that weren't selected before the window shut and then the transition to our current line up I think so far he's doing what's expected. 

 

But without a consistent goalscorer we will struggle to win regardless of the manager 

 

 

This is very true but we knew this when the window was open.  

[Long Eaton Fox]

I think most people would agree that the pompey team was the best we could put out. Played very well first half but faded badly in the second. Tired players apparently. The team has progressed since the start of the season with good wingers and a progressive midfield. With a cash shortage we were unable to improve the cf position. The defence is still unreliable with mistakes costing us points. I expect these problems will be addressed in January. Overall impressed with how things are going so far but think we will not challenge the top 4 until after January. 

[Fox92]

6 hours ago, danny2997 said:

 

How about for a start virtually every team in the division has at least 1 striker (if not 2) who's contributed at least double the output of our entire set of strikers together. 

From winger perspective Fatawu the obvious standout with Monga being a standout youth lad but to say he's close to being the best option in the league would be premature. Mavididi's lost it for about a season and a half now. So again (Fatawu aside) there's a long line of wingers in the league that have a better output than ours.

Our starting midfield is reasonably strong tbf from a quality stand point (despite some motivation questions over Winks), but when you've got serial failures Soumare and Skipp at best to come off the bench, you're in trouble.

Only decent player in defence we've got is Ricardo, the rest are poor.

GK wise, Jakub again is ok but there's other keepers in the league performing better.

 

So I ask who exactly is it that makes our squad so be far above anyone else? We got absolutely slaughtered in the premier league for a reason and the team is much weaker now than even then.

I asked which teams have a better squad than us? To which you didn't answer.

 

I'm not saying this squad is good enough for the Premier League. I said in my post the squad excuses would be justified if we were in the Premier League. But we're in the Championship and, while I don't rate some of these players, these players are still better than most of our opposition.

 

Our lack of strikers is our weakest area, I agree, but aside from that our wingers and our central midfield is stronger than a lot of opposition teams. Soumare and Skipp are failures for us, yes, but stronger than what Portsmouth, for example, to bring off from the bench. I don't think people understand my point here but compare our squad to our opposition each week and tell me who has the better squad. I don't rate Faes/Vestergaard but they would still get into most, if not all, the other squads in this division.

 

I'm sorry but people are excusing the manager for underperforming with this set of players. I expect us to beat Wrexham and Portsmouth at home. We relied on a late winner to beat Sheffield Wednesday's B team ffs. People point out individual errors, which again I agree with, but the manager keeps on picking these same players. I can accept he is new into the job, I'll always allow a new manager time, but it's the same thing over and over again that I am already frustrated with and if we don't get promoted then this season will be a failure.