Thought Baines did ok in a midfield 3, but if you are going to change formation and the role of one of our key players - what an odd time to do it.
Not when we've had a full week of training to get used to it, but when we've been playing just 48 hours earlier.
This.
I couldn't agree more - and actually is the thing that worries me most. Yes, we have been poor, yes our tempo is slow, and yes we give away too many goals trying to play out of the back - with lets face it, a pair of donkeys . However, I always had faith in martinez, and that he would have a plan to change things when they clearly aren't working.
What worries me about the team set-up yesterday was that it didn't seem like it was thought through, there didn't seem to be a strategy and whats really concerning, it smacked of a bit of desperation to try and change things to come across a winning formula.
48 hours is not enough time to implement a new system - unless they have been trying it in training for weeks. Time will tell on this, and we'll see if Martinez continues to employ baines in that position - after all he did provide the best pass of the game from that position.
Souness and Neville summed up my entire thoughts on martinez on the post match analysis, almost word for word what I was saying to my mate.
Last season was built on
Moyes' defensive stability - yes we played more football, but Jags/Distin etc still played percentages and got rid when under pressure. After over a year of solid coaching to play out from the back at all times - the limitations of our players are being exposed. Teams know that if they press us high and put us under pressure we will make mistakes and present them with chances.
Think about this season - I can't really think of too many goals we have conceded through the oppositions good play - you know goals, were you just have to say 'fair play'. Chelsea being the obvious example - little you can do about Fabregas, Hazard and Costa. I would say that at least 60% have been through our terrible defensive set-up - i know 10 goals have been conceded directly from giving the ball away in poor areas.
The challenge Martinez has now, is that he has to realise that you can not impose a whole different style of playing football and get away with it in the premier league. Chelsea go long and play percentages, as do City - United have always been direct (I mean get the ball up to front players quickly, then play your football) and Wenger revolutionised football by getting Adams and Keown (two of the biggest donkeys ever in the premier league) to just defend and when you get the ball in space give it vieria and petit.
I will continue to back Martinez - because somewhere in there, there is a very good manager. However, he has to adapt his style now. If at the end of February we are still talking about McGeady getting caught in possession on the edge of our box - or Barkley trying to control a cross when a man is running beyond him through on goal - then I will calling for his head. People have to realise that these individual errors that are costing the team, are as a result of being instructed to play a certain way and the players we have not being good enough to do it.
Football is all about being able to adapt to the way other teams play against you, find the space and exploit it - thats why Mourinho is so good and Ferguson constantly changed his approach based on the opposition. Let's get behind Martinez and give him an opportunity to prove that he can do this.
