where did it go wrong

[TheFinnFan]

Spurs away was when it first looked to me that something wasn't right. Mirallas scored a screamer to put us 1-0 up, then they get 2 goals by putting us under pressure in our own half as we try to play out from the back and lose posession.

Then we were horrific for months after that until around the time of the West Ham cup games and comments in the press from players about how they'd spoke to Martinez about changing how we play, obviously a compromise had been met then but the damage had been done and the majority of players were no longer fully behind the manager.

They were still professional in the most part and tried to get on with the job but professional sportsmen at the top level need to be as close to 100% as possible, and when you don't have belief in the manager, his methods and what he tells you to do you're never going to reach it.

You may very well be right, anyways I think the rot started way before this season.

 

[Toffeelover]

It went wrong on the 5th June 2013.

 

[TheAlmightyFloater]

Spurs away was when it first looked to me that something wasn't right. Mirallas scored a screamer to put us 1-0 up, then they get 2 goals by putting us under pressure in our own half as we try to play out from the back and lose posession.

Then we were horrific for months after that until around the time of the West Ham cup games and comments in the press from players about how they'd spoke to Martinez about changing how we play, obviously a compromise had been met then but the damage had been done and the majority of players were no longer fully behind the manager.

They were still professional in the most part and tried to get on with the job but professional sportsmen at the top level need to be as close to 100% as possible, and when you don't have belief in the manager, his methods and what he tells you to do you're never going to reach it.

Could be something in that tbh.

A football manager shouldn't be getting asked to change tactics. They should be able to fit players in their systems and adapt according to circumstance. It's their job to make sure players know their roles and can play them well.

The fact the players approached him, and then went to the press about it, suggest they don't have the confidence and trust in Martinez and haven't for some time.

 

[Zezti]

Thinking back, I think I know when it all started to crumble, and it was back in Daveks favourite season. Anyone happen to remember the points that season?...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27084883

Southampton 2 : 0 Everton

• Alcaraz (1'minutes og),
• Coleman (31'minutes og)

I remember watching that, hopeful that we would beat them and overtake Arsenal to 4th. Then, in that first half, the two own goals which we couldn't come back from and let S'ton control the rest of the game. At the time, I remember thinking how unlucky we were. Perhaps we were a bit unlucky, and they had a good team, but looking back now I can definitely see the signs of bad coordination, training and general in the defence which have persisted for 2 years now.

 

[royvernon39]

Not dropping Howard after that 2-3 Palace home defeat and then arguing that somehow Howard's dressing
room powers and experience trumped his inability to grab crosses, stop any deflected shot whatsoever, and concede
sunday morning pub league goals.

So for me team selection was his biggest failure. Then game mismanagement. How was it possible that he brought on Niasse against WHU when we were doing well with 10 men and changed the entire set-up for a bloke who he said three weeks later would not be ready until next season?

Then communication. He abused the superlatives. Then he claimed that we were playing well when we were piss poor.

For a good year he made me think that EFC was on the edge of top Fourdom but he failed to capitalise on the opportunity. Not as bad as Brendan Rogers who wasted millions more but a failure nonetheless.

 

[KevMirallas]

Losing Tashjian and Myers in the space of a month or so ripped everything good about that first season out.

The shambolic preseason afterwards, in hindsight, meant regression was inevitable.

And then a complete unwillingness to address or even acknowledge any of the problems in the club for two seasons meant there was no chance of recovery.