All hail Russell Martin

[a1canary 0]

The guy hasn''t got enough credit for his recent performances in my view.

He is one of the team''s stalwarts and it''s only thanks to him that we haven''t been beaten out of sight during this tough period with key players missing.

He is that rare breed of player who leads by example, takes responsibility and stands up to be counted when things aren''t going for us. We don''t have too many players who will do that. Holt certainly can, Hoolahan on occasion. I''m just gutted for Martin that despite his recent efforts we still have nothing to show for them. We need captains out on the pitch, and Russell is one of them, eventhough his place on the team is not always guaranteed. Keep it up Russ!

[GJP 79]

[quote user="a1canary"]

He is that rare breed of player who leads by example, takes responsibility and stands up to be counted when things aren''t going for us. We don''t have too many players who will do that. Holt certainly can, Hoolahan on occasion. [/quote]

I disagree with that. I think most of our players are the type that take responsibility and get stuck in. I don''t think we''d have enjoyed the success we have in recent seasons if we didn''t have a lot of players like it.

 

The only one of the regulars who is prone to going "missing" perhaps is Pilkington (and you could probably argue that Morison doesn''t appear to be there 100% for the cause).

[star_manic 0]

totally agree with the whole post. he is a player who rises above his real abilities by sheer willpower, a great example to more gifted players, C. Martin for instance who has more natural ability but is never going to be as good a player as Russ.

[a1canary 0]

[quote user="GJP"][quote user="a1canary"]

He is that rare breed of player who leads by example, takes responsibility and stands up to be counted when things aren''t going for us. We don''t have too many players who will do that. Holt certainly can, Hoolahan on occasion. [/quote]

I disagree with that. I think most of our players are the type that take responsibility and get stuck in. I don''t think we''d have enjoyed the success we have in recent seasons if we didn''t have a lot of players like it.

The only one of the regulars who is prone to going "missing" perhaps is Pilkington (and you could probably argue that Morison doesn''t appear to be there 100% for the cause).

[/quote]

There''s a difference between "getting stuck in" and actually making things happen. I don''t deny we have a good honest bunch who do get stuck in but when things aren''t going for us you need players who keep their heads and have the authority to really grab the game by the scruff of the neck and make things happen. Just getting more stuck in isn''t going to turn things around. In recent games Martin has taken it upon himself to move us up the pitch, to get in the box, get on the end of things and really make a difference. And all while playing at full back. I think it''s something that comes with experience and from the players who are more established squad members at the club - they inevitably feel a greater sense of responsibility. I think in time Snodgrass will be another who does this but it''s hard for new players to the club to immediately assert their authority. It''s something that has to be earnt and Holt, Martin, Hoolahan are players who have all done that and who you expect to lead while out on the pitch.

 

[GJP 79]

[quote user="a1canary"][quote user="GJP"][quote user="a1canary"]

He is that rare breed of player who leads by example, takes responsibility and stands up to be counted when things aren''t going for us. We don''t have too many players who will do that. Holt certainly can, Hoolahan on occasion. [/quote]

I disagree with that. I think most of our players are the type that take responsibility and get stuck in. I don''t think we''d have enjoyed the success we have in recent seasons if we didn''t have a lot of players like it.

The only one of the regulars who is prone to going "missing" perhaps is Pilkington (and you could probably argue that Morison doesn''t appear to be there 100% for the cause).

[/quote]

There''s a difference between "getting stuck in" and actually making things happen. I don''t deny we have a good honest bunch who do get stuck in but when things aren''t going for us you need players who keep their heads and have the authority to really grab the game by the scruff of the neck and make things happen. Just getting more stuck in isn''t going to turn things around. In recent games Martin has taken it upon himself to move us up the pitch, to get in the box, get on the end of things and really make a difference. And all while playing at full back. I think it''s something that comes with experience and from the players who are more established squad members at the club - they inevitably feel a greater sense of responsibility. I think in time Snodgrass will be another who does this but it''s hard for new players to the club to immediately assert their authority. It''s something that has to be earnt and Holt, Martin, Hoolahan are players who have all done that and who you expect to lead while out on the pitch.

 

[/quote]

But I did also say that most of the players take responsibility.

 

Look at the Man City game, nobody did more for the cause in that game than Bradley Johnson. Yeah it was Russell Martin who grabbed the headlines (as such) because he scored a couple of goals but it was Johnson who really raised his game and took control.

[priceyrice 124]

Have to disagree OP, i actually think Martin has been a little out of his depth in recent games, but this has been overshadowed by his three goals.

Now i like Martin, he wears his heart on his sleeve and i love that, but the last few games he has been poor at the back, as has Bassong and Garrido, we need our back 4 to step up again to get us back to clean sheet ways

[Gingerpele 0]

How exactly has Martin been poor? What does he do that Whittaker doesn''t? I personally have only ever noticed Martin being so much better at holding up wingers and putting in good last dot h tackles than Whittaker...

[Salopian 1]

Ginger Pele - I agree. I think that Martin has been unlucky to be kept out. He is better in the air than Whitt, about the same in pace and, as his last game showed has a good controlled shot on him. I think that they are about equal in crossing the ball and reading a game.

 

The differencce between them is marginal, at most.

[a1canary 0]

[quote user="GJP"][quote user="a1canary"][quote user="GJP"][quote user="a1canary"]

He is that rare breed of player who leads by example, takes responsibility and stands up to be counted when things aren''t going for us. We don''t have too many players who will do that. Holt certainly can, Hoolahan on occasion. [/quote]

I disagree with that. I think most of our players are the type that take responsibility and get stuck in. I don''t think we''d have enjoyed the success we have in recent seasons if we didn''t have a lot of players like it.

The only one of the regulars who is prone to going "missing" perhaps is Pilkington (and you could probably argue that Morison doesn''t appear to be there 100% for the cause).

[/quote]

There''s a difference between "getting stuck in" and actually making things happen. I don''t deny we have a good honest bunch who do get stuck in but when things aren''t going for us you need players who keep their heads and have the authority to really grab the game by the scruff of the neck and make things happen. Just getting more stuck in isn''t going to turn things around. In recent games Martin has taken it upon himself to move us up the pitch, to get in the box, get on the end of things and really make a difference. And all while playing at full back. I think it''s something that comes with experience and from the players who are more established squad members at the club - they inevitably feel a greater sense of responsibility. I think in time Snodgrass will be another who does this but it''s hard for new players to the club to immediately assert their authority. It''s something that has to be earnt and Holt, Martin, Hoolahan are players who have all done that and who you expect to lead while out on the pitch.

[/quote]

But I did also say that most of the players take responsibility.

Look at the Man City game, nobody did more for the cause in that game than Bradley Johnson. Yeah it was Russell Martin who grabbed the headlines (as such) because he scored a couple of goals but it was Johnson who really raised his game and took control.

[/quote]

I don''t disagree that generally our players stand up for themselves but i am making a distinction between those that simply get stuck in and those who can singlehandedly up the performance of the team through their own performance. I didn''t see the City game so i''ll take you word for it that Johnson helped to do that and i can believe he has it in him to do it. But he is a bit hot headed in the way that Martin isn''t. I''ve noticed recently that he seems to have taken over from Holt as Ref "berator-in-chief" when he''d do better to just get on with it.

We do have good characters in the team who have it in them to pick up the performance of the team when we''re playing badly or getting beaten and that is very much to our advantage in the fight with our rivals. I don''t see too many like that in the Reading, Villa, Wigan or QPR teams for example. Interesting that the first thing Redknapp did was bring back players who do have a bit more about them like Mackie and Derry. For us, in the past, in the bad old days pre Lambert, you were often looking out on the pitch for someone who could turn a game or make something happen and there was no-one. Except Huckerby of course but he was fighting against the tide of the club''s demise once we''d gone down last time.

I just think recently, in the absence of Holt and Ruddy, Martin is one who has clearly stood out during this tricky period and i think he''s probably just as important in the dressing room.

[The Judge 0]

Arr - Ginger we cross swords again. You are clearly Russell Martins love child...

No doubting Martin''s desire but that doesn''t make him a good player by default.. If I went on the pitch I would run my socks off (not very fast or for very long I must say..) but you couldn''t say I didn''t have the desire. ..

A1 we agreed on Holt defending from the front the other day and as said above you can''t knock Russell''s desire and you are right that he has popped up with a few goals in the last few games - but those last ditch challenges you refer to in you OP are generally because he is totally out of position (ie looking to bomb forward to get those goals rather taking a good defensive position) and those ''leadership'' qualities are generally him shouting / pointing at other players (primarily Snodgrass as the player in front of him) to cover him because he is out of position or doesn''t want to take responsibility for tackling and stopping crosses coming in from his side of the pitch.

Appreciate this is sounding like a character assassination of Russell which isn''t intended to be the case as like you said in your original post you can''t fault his desire for the Norwich cause but just because he has scored a couple of goals doesn''t mean he deserves to be in the side - We are a better defensive unit with Whittaker in the side so as soon as he is fit he has to come in to the starting 11 straight away.

[canaryfan68 0]

Have to agree that Martin has done well recently and his goal return in the last few games has been inspiring.

I feel that several points made are fair, he is not the best gifted player but he more than makes up with this by the effort and responsibility he takes when in the team. His passion for NCFC is above question and you could see his urgency to score goals and take more than his fair share to get us back into games when we are losing.

I wish a few more of our team showed his spirit we would be fairing better!