Martin Out

[Mike1983]

1 hour ago, Saints Fan In Peace said:

I see your 65% and raise you to 68% - this was another one from the same season: 

It‘s all stat-padding. Most of the possession comes from tippy tappy at the back between GK and CBs - also why his sides gift away so many goals from errors.

[CornwallFox]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

 

This isn't really true. I'd call it revisionism but, in fairness, people were saying it at the time and it was wrong then. 

 

We played the same shape, the same personnel, the same tactics against Southampton as we did, say, Rotherham. 

 

What was different was the opponent. 

 

Against every team in the league, Enzo had us press from the front and work hard and close teams down and try play fast on the transition to get in behind. 

 

In fact, attacking fast through the lines was always Plan A with Enzo, that's why we passed it around between Vestergaard, Winks and Hermansen so much. It wasn't to build up slow and keep the ball in defence, it was to try and bait the opposition forward out of their low blocks so we could beat the press and then counter up the pitch quickly. 

 

Enzo gets dismissed as a Pep clone by people with a one dimensional view of football but the sport is more nuanced than that. Enzo at his best is a bit like De Zerbi, just a bit more versatile. Baiting the opponent to manufacture counters. 

 

But we didn't have to do that against teams like West Brom, Norwich, Southampton and - most hilariously - Plymouth at home. Because those teams all stepped to us and played a high line and didn't sit in their own low block. That gave us the space to move faster and get in behind. 

 

And in Southampton's case, because Martin DOES want to build slowly and DOES want to control from the back and is slower moving up the pitch, Enzo's high press had us absolutely swarming them all over their own half and we completely mugged them. That's not something we changed, he had us pressing against everyone it's just 90% of the league surrendered possession to us and didn't let us take risks. 

 

If he'd stuck around and done a season in the Prem with us, you'd have seen a lot of high pressing and counter attacking from Enzo. We were always set up for that we just didn't get the opportunity. 

 

Yeah, at the time I recall reading lots of comments on here about how the team had ignored Enzo and just played counter attack as Enzo's football was incredibly slow. While I doubt the ignoring Enzo thing, it was Southampton allowing us free reign to break through quickly that was the difference with other games, as you say.

[jonthefox]

41 minutes ago, harpendenfox said:

Any talk of an in-ground protest this Saturday? Simple cardboard signs with MARTIN OUT on them? Held up, in concert, at 3.01, 3.45 and Full Time? In between support the team as best we can. Granted that will be difficult if we play like we did on Saturday.

In time with every Donny goal. Like it. 

[lcfcbluearmy]

20 + pages since I last looked anything happened any chance he’s gone yet?

[Wymsey]

 

[fox_favourite]

3 hours ago, Happy Fox said:

https://www.teamtalk.com/leicester-city/russell-martin-sack-position-leicester-hanging-by-a-thread-alternatives-examined

 

Remains to be seen... but fingers crossed.

There is a major error in this article...they claim we are sounding out potential replacements! Yeah, that isn't the Leicester way at all!

[kingfox]

Just looking at Opta’s stats after the weekend, a few things standout for me…

 

Most goals conceded from fast breaks - Leicester City(6)

Errors leading to shots - Leicester City(11) - Joint 1st with MK Dons

 

We are an error strewn side who are just so vulnerable at getting dicked on fast breaks/counter attacks. Just yet more evidence of our vulnerability from playing out from the back, and how Russell Martin can’t set up a defence. 
 

Another interesting trend is how numerous teams have been getting joy from pressing and high turnovers. 
 

Plymouth, Bradford, Cambridge, Stockport and Huddersfield all rank in the top 6 for pressed sequences, they happen to be the top five sides in the division atm. Leicester City when it comes to that stat - 22nd. 
 

In terms of high turnovers, the top three in that statistic - Plymouth, Bradford, Stockport. Leicester City rank 23rd in that statistic. 
 

And finally, with numerous posters mentioning about our lack of pace, we rank joint bottom for fast breaks with Burton Albion. Very similar statistics when we were in the Premier League under Steve Cooper, we know how that went.

[StevieH]

Everyone seems to think the reason for our demise is solely that we play out from the back. This is a contributing factor but not the only one. Teams have realised we are weak in the fullback areas so pump the ball over the top. Thomas and Aluko were bullied on Saturday and no where near physical enough. Our wingers in contrast are pretty small in stature and not physical. Alves, Cullen, Watson and Burns don't frighten the opposition or they check back all the time. 

 

[Saint1983]

8 hours ago, CrazyKopCorner said:

I'm sure McCarthy was in goal when slabhead scored the winner that went through him too. 

 

Southampton are a good club but this level of obsession and taking their dross is beyond weird 

It was another of the many holographic  goalkeepers we’ve had, Angus Gunn.

[MaidstoneFox]

54 minutes ago, StevieH said:

Everyone seems to think the reason for our demise is solely that we play out from the back. This is a contributing factor but not the only one. Teams have realised we are weak in the fullback areas so pump the ball over the top. Thomas and Aluko were bullied on Saturday and no where near physical enough. Our wingers in contrast are pretty small in stature and not physical. Alves, Cullen, Watson and Burns don't frighten the opposition or they check back all the time. 

 

Recruitment is random, not as a result of detailed planning and research. When I saw all these umpa lumpas coming through the door I knew we were in trouble.

 

Mcfarlane is more physical and athletic, but he's raw and inexperienced. Joseph is a better profile on the right but injured unfortunately.

 

Ideally you need to sign players with pace, athleticism and technique, but we've been signing players with none of those attributes.

[Tielemans63]

[Stavros81]

1 hour ago, StevieH said:

Everyone seems to think the reason for our demise is solely that we play out from the back. This is a contributing factor but not the only one. Teams have realised we are weak in the fullback areas so pump the ball over the top. Thomas and Aluko were bullied on Saturday and no where near physical enough. Our wingers in contrast are pretty small in stature and not physical. Alves, Cullen, Watson and Burns don't frighten the opposition or they check back all the time. 

 

Teams have also realised that we are a sinking ship,lame horse that is slowly dying a depressing death. All Savage had to say at the weekend was get at these lot score the first goal and the fans will turn. We are well and truly done unless change happens imminently 

[StinckleyFox]

4 hours ago, CornwallFox said:

Yeah, at the time I recall reading lots of comments on here about how the team had ignored Enzo and just played counter attack as Enzo's football was incredibly slow. While I doubt the ignoring Enzo thing, it was Southampton allowing us free reign to break through quickly that was the difference with other games, as you say.

This is a classic foxestalk comment when they decide they don’t like a manager and something actually goes well, seen it many many a time throughout the years

[FoxTimmy2]

On 07/06/2026 at 23:47, FoxTimmy2 said:

This club is run by absolute idiots. I'd take literally anyone over Russell Martin.

Possession for possession’s sake is the worst kind of football.

 

Didn't Southampton break the record for most defensive errors leading to a goal? From memory they did it in less than half a season.

 

Shit, shit manager.

Been worse than I expected. Please for the love of God sack him asap. 

[STUHILL]

10 minutes ago, FoxTimmy2 said:

Been worse than I expected

Agreed. I actually thought the players we had and the lack of quality in League 1, would make even Russell Martin cobble together a Promotion, but then giving us serious problems in the Championship and then he'd be sacked off. I am still kind of in shock how truly crap he has made us. He will be lucky to ever work again after this, especially with his ego. 

[Legend_in_blue]

His style of football is sufficient when you're cruising at 3-0, but when you're actively trying to gain a foothold in the game or looking to get back into it, it's a complete disaster.

 

Either he changes his philosophy of how he goes about it or he's done.  Preferably he's done before we are, but the longer it's left, the more likely we will be too.

[Foxdiamond]

10 minutes ago, Legend_in_blue said:

His style of football is sufficient when you're cruising at 3-0, but when you're actively trying to gain a foothold in the game or looking to get back into it, it's a complete disaster.

 

Either he changes his philosophy of how he goes about it or he's done.  Preferably he's done before we are, but the longer it's left, the more likely we will be too.

Even 4-1 up at Stockport they nearly cocked it up. Cruise control is never an option with Martin