Chrissy Martin did incredibly well yesterday when he came on.

[InLambertWeTrust! 0]

However the fact that he was sub means that a) Lambert agreed with those who wanted him dropped, he needed a rest and b) that he hasnt been up to it recently.Those of you who didnt think Martin wasnt off form are now not justified just because he did well yesterday. He has been off form recently in the opinions of certain people and the people who dont agree should shout and criticise them.Dont get me wrong, I want Martin and ALL of our players to do well but ffs people shouldnt be shot down if they think players are off form. Constructive criticism and all that jazz.OTBC [Y]

[InLambertWeTrust! 0]

[quote user="Title chasing CT "]However the fact that he was sub means that a) Lambert agreed with those who wanted him dropped, he needed a rest and b) that he hasnt been up to it recently.Those of you who didnt think Martin wasnt off form are now not justified just because he did well yesterday. He has been off form recently in the opinions of certain people and the people who dont agree shouldNT shout and criticise them.Dont get me wrong, I want Martin and ALL of our players to do well but ffs people shouldnt be shot down if they think players are off form. Constructive criticism and all that jazz.OTBC [Y][/quote]

[AJ 1,377]

I think Lambert was spot on yesterday, with his substitutions tooSuper Chrissy has been off the boil in the last few games, and resting him  seemed to get the impact Lambert wanted, a priceless goal!

[AndyCanary 0]

I think it means nothing of the sort... were you at the game?I think Lambert thought we could get the better of the 2 older, slower centre halves and used Elliots pace to expose this. It was clear that the game plan in the first half was to play the ball for Elliot to run onto. Elliot is much faster and better suited to this tactic so I''m pretty sure that''s why he played Elliot over Martin.

[shefcanary 3,081]

But Elliot did nothing to convince me he has more of a work ethic than Martin.  I think what yesterday proved is that although he is not here, there and everywhere, Martin does keep the opposition defenders occupied with his physical presence.  Elliot didn''t seem to be able to do that, as proven by the difference Martin made.  Martin helps soften the opposition up.

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,072]

Chris Martin has played a major part in getting us to where we are now, and deserves to be part of the team that sees the job through.

I didn''t agree with him being dropped yesterday as I didnt think it was the right match to start with a new strike partnership, but if it has taken this one match to recharge his batteries for the rest of the season then I suppose it will have been worth it.

I would hope that it is Martin that scores the goal that wins promotion to silence all of his doubters once and for all!

[Evil Monkey 52]

Whatever Lambert''s intentions for switching Martin for Elliott yesterday, it worked.  For my money, Martin has been somewhat off the boil recently, but hasn''t justified the criticism he''s been getting from some.  Don''t forget that Martin is still barely out of short trousers, in footballing terms, and he''s played in the vast majority of our games this season.  Just as Korey looked in need of a rest before justifying his place in the team when he came off the bench against, erm, whoever it was (I forget), Lambo appears to have done the same with Martin.  Elliott''s goals in recent games gave him the excuse to put Martin on the bench and ensure that when he did come on he''d have that hunger and desire and fire in his belly.  Once again, it worked wonders...

[When Saturday Comes 0]

[quote user="AndyCanary"]I think it means nothing of the sort... were you at the game?

I think Lambert thought we could get the better of the 2 older, slower centre halves and used Elliots pace to expose this. It was clear that the game plan in the first half was to play the ball for Elliot to run onto. Elliot is much faster and better suited to this tactic so I''m pretty sure that''s why he played Elliot over Martin.
[/quote]

Lambert did actually say he dropped Martin because he was tired/fatigued.

Not sure what you''re gloating about CT, everyone could see Martin has not been as productive over the last few weeks and he responded in the perfect way.

All this crap about him being lazy is just ridiculous, just look at his movement & vision for the goal - that''s what it''s all about when you play up top.

I fully expect him to be back in the starting XI at Tranmere.

[city-till-i-die 7]

[quote user="Title chasing CT "]However the fact that he was sub means that a) Lambert agreed with those who wanted him dropped, he needed a rest and b) that he hasnt been up to it recently.

Those of you who didnt think Martin wasnt off form are now not justified just because he did well yesterday. He has been off form recently in the opinions of certain people and the people who dont agree should shout and criticise them.

Dont get me wrong, I want Martin and ALL of our players to do well but ffs people shouldnt be shot down if they think players are off form. Constructive criticism and all that jazz.

OTBC [Y]
[/quote]yet another master stroke from GOD(PAUL LAMBERT)

Martin had looked a little jaded and may have needed a kick up the arse...PL done it his way...it worked a treat dont ya think???[Y]

[BroadstairsR 0]

You can hardly call being on the bench and then being brought on towards the end of a game a "rest."

He is young and apparently slightly full of himself. Being on the subs bench on Saturday was a jolt more than a rest and it worked.

[pete_norw 0]

[quote user="BroadstairsR"]

You can hardly call being on the bench and then being brought on towards the end of a game a "rest."

He is young and apparently slightly full of himself. Being on the subs bench on Saturday was a jolt more than a rest and it worked.

[/quote]

And the way he got to that ball at waist height and with that power behind it, I think it''s got to go down as a contender for goal of the month

[Yobocop 1,474]

[quote user="When Saturday Comes"]

[quote user="AndyCanary"]I think it means nothing of the sort... were you at the game?

I think Lambert thought we could get the better of the 2 older, slower centre halves and used Elliots pace to expose this. It was clear that the game plan in the first half was to play the ball for Elliot to run onto. Elliot is much faster and better suited to this tactic so I''m pretty sure that''s why he played Elliot over Martin.
[/quote]

Lambert did actually say he dropped Martin because he was tired/fatigued.

Not sure what you''re gloating about CT, everyone could see Martin has not been as productive over the last few weeks and he responded in the perfect way.

All this crap about him being lazy is just ridiculous, just look at his movement & vision for the goal - that''s what it''s all about when you play up top.

I fully expect him to be back in the starting XI at Tranmere.

[/quote]

I don''t think CT is gloating, I think he''s wary of others (people who don''t believe C Martin should''ve been dropped) gloating.

I think Elliot starting yesterday would''ve given C Martin the kick up the backside he needed, he hasn''t been on form for the last few games and perhaps needed a rest too but this will make sure he knows his place isn''t assured under Lambert and he''ll have to up his efforts next week.

[Guest]

[quote user="pete_norw"][quote user="BroadstairsR"]

You can hardly call being on the bench and then being brought on towards the end of a game a "rest."

He is young and apparently slightly full of himself. Being on the subs bench on Saturday was a jolt more than a rest and it worked.

[/quote]

And the way he got to that ball at waist height and with that power behind it, I think it''s got to go down as a contender for goal of the month

[/quote]Top quality finish - very difficult to pull a header like that off, especially when you''ve only been on the pitch 20 minutes or so.The sort of finishing you see in the upper Championship and Premiership IMO.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Chris Martin has the aggression of a fan.

He is built like a brick out-house.

He''s good on the ball and uses it well, he certainly brings Holt into the game.

He has a footballing brain.

He is younger than Cody and Oli and people forget that. He is younger than any of my children so perhaps I have a clear perception of just how young 21 really is.

The lad will easily cut it in the Championship next season.

[Empty Mirror 0]

I don''t think it was a case of dropping Martin because he was out of form. 

As has been said, it looked like the game plan was to use Elliot''s pace to get in behind two old and slow centre backs.   Martin doesn''t have the pace for that plan.   Holty seemed to spend most of his time out on the wing, presumably to try to drag one of the centre backs with him to give Eliot a one on one with the other.     It didn''t work.   Leeds crowded the central area, so our diamond was crowded out, Wes never got any time on the ball, and the balls we kept trying to play to Elliot were having to be hurried and hit in the air, and kept being cut out, and coming straight back, which meant we were never able to clear our lines and push up, hence the fact that we were under pressure for most of the first half (not that Leeds ever looked like doing much with the pressure).    The first stage to rectifying that game plan gone wrong, was to swop Elliot for Martin, who is better at holding it up, which made a difference, because with Martin on and Holty coming more central again we were able to hold the ball up and give our defence time to push out and hold a higher line.  The second stage was to take Wes off and revert to 4-4-2, which was the key.  With Leeds flooding the centre with bodies to match our diamond there was space on the wings, and both MacNamee and Drury had good raids down the wings before Hughes'' run set up Martin.

Less a case of Elliot being thought better than Martin, and then deciding that Martin was better than Eliot, more a case of our manager trying what seemed like a reasonable plan, seeing it wasn''t working, and thinking of a plan that did work, and adapting his personnel accordingly.   Which has been a feature this season, and not something we''ve been used to in previous years.

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

Top class goal by a young lad that has a great future. I do think he needed a rest though of late his performances have been somewhat subdued

[Snoots 0]

[quote user="I.S."][quote user="pete_norw"][quote user="BroadstairsR"]

You can hardly call being on the bench and then being brought on towards the end of a game a "rest."

He is young and apparently slightly full of himself. Being on the subs bench on Saturday was a jolt more than a rest and it worked.

[/quote]

And the way he got to that ball at waist height and with that power behind it, I think it''s got to go down as a contender for goal of the month

[/quote]

Top quality finish - very difficult to pull a header like that off, especially when you''ve only been on the pitch 20 minutes or so.

The sort of finishing you see in the upper Championship and Premiership IMO.
[/quote]

Great movement by both Hughes and Martin finished off by a really excellent glancing header. But what do you mean by "especially when you have been on the pitch for only 20 minutes or so" ? How much time do you think a professional player needs to warm up ? 22 minutes ? 25, 30 ? Mind you, on the evidence of  the last 6/8 matches our players need the first 45 minutes plus a half time team talk to really get going !

[macdougalls perm 0]

[quote user="Alf Tupper"]

Mind you, on the evidence of  the last 6/8 matches our players need the first 45 minutes plus a half time team talk to really get going !

[/quote]

Yes, either that or they have to weather the increased efforts of teams throwing everything at us for the first two thirds of the game because of our reputation before their superior fitness/confidence allows them to take it up a notch and put the game to bed. It''s happened too many times recently to be a coincidence in my opinion. We were on the receiving end of exactly this during our recent Prem season. 

[Barclaybred 0]

CHRISSY MARTIN was SUPERB! ..we and lambert already know he can strike a ball as good as anyone form all sorts of distances and angles, but his intuitive positioning on sat to time his move to step in front of collins was class at any level! ...And with options of the huff n puff of elliot and the willinginness to run at defenders of ollie,who also seems to read the game well and position himself for crosses,like southend match.and the cody who can play out wide and cross a mean ball and score goals from his pacing out defenders,Lambert has superb options in the 2nd half!

[TheGoogler 614]

[quote user="Barclaybred"]CHRISSY MARTIN was SUPERB! ..we and lambert already know he can strike a ball as good as anyone form all sorts of distances and angles, but his intuitive positioning on sat to time his move to step in front of collins was class at any level! ...And with options of the huff n puff of elliot and the willinginness to run at defenders of ollie,who also seems to read the game well and position himself for crosses,like southend match.and the cody who can play out wide and cross a mean ball and score goals from his pacing out defenders,Lambert has superb options in the 2nd half![/quote]

You forgot Mr Holt! :)

[Eadienhucks 0]

I think bb meant tactical substituting,but now you have mentionend it,i wonder how great HOLTY would be if brought on in the 65the minute? .Might throw a few teams and probably could score just as much as CF`s tire! :)

[Eadienhucks 0]

Not CF`s CB`s lol