Martin Centre Back

[simmo_2 6]

It looks as though we are going to go 4-3-3 tonight.

The new regime has now decided our woeful captain is better than the new signings in this position, player recruitment must be questioned if this is where we are 5 games in!

[lappinitup 629]

[Guest]

The highlights I saw of Zimmerman against Villa, then I think this might be a trial to see if this back four works. However, I would rather he stuck with it and gave them more games together. And I thought he might of tried three at the back against lower league opposition.

[kick it off 1,948]

We''ve made 6 changes so not sure that this is Farke''s bonafide first 11. 

Zimmerman and Franke were both woeful on Saturday, could have dropped either of them and they''d have had no cause for complaint (same goes for Martin as it happens).

This defence still looks better than Saturday though. Stiepermann can''t be worse than Husband and Pinto is our best RB by a mile. Doesn''t really matter which 2 of the other 3 were paired in the middle, although I would probably have dropped Martin or Franke because on the balance of all the games, I think Zimmermann has better than both so far.

[Jools 584]

Be interesting to see how Stiepermann performs at LB [Y]

[lake district canary 4,531]

I think of all the new players, Zimmermann has been under the most pressure, originally not expecting to play every game. A break will do him good. Husband too, probably.

[Essjayess 307]

Im sure Christoph needs a rest, hes probably played every preseason and Champs game since we signed him. All things considered, and how many injuries we have, the team is of reasonable strength. As for Russ, many of us may agree hes well past his best, but the guy plays and plays and plays, and hes chosen by manager after manager that comes to City. That is a mystery to  many fans, but its how it is.

[nu_matik 167]

Having watched the Villa ''lowlights''... is it me or os oir Captain fantastic weak in the tackle or to blame for 3 of the Villa goals? He ball watches all of them except the unfortunate deflected goal.

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

Martin had a decent game but league one is his level now

[kick it off 1,948]

[quote user="nu_matik"]Having watched the Villa ''lowlights''... is it me or os oir Captain fantastic weak in the tackle or to blame for 3 of the Villa goals? He ball watches all of them except the unfortunate deflected goal.[/quote]

He was trying to cover 3 positions by himself. Husband was constantly out of position, so Franke and Zimmermann were getting sucked out to the left to cover, which left Martin absolutely on his own for the first goal and the second too. Martin had a chance on the first but fluffed it, but he shouldn''t have been there, because that was the Centre Back''s job.

He had a part to play, but 1 and 2 were Husband''s fault in my opinion because he screwed the entire defensive shape. 4th goal similar, Martin and others should have done better, but Husband decided rather than playing to the whistle, he would start whinging about the shocking handball no-call and let the Villa player waltz past him in the process. He should have stopped that going centrally but he was too busy b**ching.

Look at them again, and you should see what I mean.

I''m not a Martin lover, by any stretch of the imagination, but I was at Villa Park and Husband was the weakest link in a weak defence and Villa targetted him relentlessly. Martin was pretty awful, but he was marginally better than the other 3.

[nu_matik 167]

Ive only seen highlights but trust your judgement on Husband. Serious weak link!

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Much better and more comfortable at centre back last night. I much prefer him there than fullback. For me right back is the position we most need cover for.

[Big Vince 318]

[quote user="simmo_2"]It looks as though we are going to go 4-3-3 tonight.

The new regime has now decided our woeful captain is better than the new signings in this position, player recruitment must be questioned if this is where we are 5 games in![/quote]

Not a new regime at all.

Delia & Wynnie pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Just different frontmen on the end of the strings.

[Jim Smith 2,314]

Their goal though and the header at 2-1 were both chances we can''t afford to keep giving away at champ level. predictably it was martin caught underneath the ball for the chance at 2-1.

Their goal was interesting in that it suggest to me we are playing some kind of zonal defence system which I really do not like. If you watch it again Franke gets drawn out to challenge for the header (which he should do better with) and the man Martin is marking then runs into the space Franke has vacated but rather than go with the man he was previously marking Martin stops and holds his position and it is left to Franke to (unsuccessfully) try and get back and make a tackle. Martin''s decision to stop rather than go with the man is so pronounced that I can only assume that this is some kind of zonal system. Don''t like it.

[Commando Canary 0]

I won''t let it rest, we need to move on from this clown, he is incapable of organising the defence, absolute shambles of a player!

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

You only post about Russ Martin. Saaaaaaddddddd

[Commando Canary 0]

Firstly... get your facts right!

Secondly, the only sad people on here are the likes of you who continually support our pathetic Captain. How will you dress him up this week as being such a great asset to our starting 11. You were so proud to have him in your team an hour before KO.

[Canary Wundaboy 1,358]

There is some merit looking solely at the stats, when RM has played this season we''ve conceded, when he hasn''t we''ve kept clean sheets.

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

He''s been awful today by all accounts. I''m not defending him.

Get your facts right.