Russell Martin's after match comments after yet another defeat, this time to Aston Villa, saw him blame everyone but himself including the fans and the players, this was a game when the supporters finally snapped.

No one not even Russell Martin can say that the Southampton supporters have not been patient, although many last season expressed discontent at the type of game that Russell Martin was employing and they saw many games were points were thrown away due to soft goals conceded, they backed the manager.

They have continued to back him this season, despite the poor form although there has been criticism of Martin on social media, at the games themselves it has been muted, although at times fans have voted with their feet in the closing stages of yet another defeat, their has been little vocal criticism, or visual signs of discontent.

But that all changed slightly at Villa and although the travelling supporters did not turn on their team or manager during the game, the rumblings of discontent were out in the open.

But as the Red & White Army headed home, those on social media saw reports of Russell Martin's after match interviews and they did not like what they read.

Martin was scathing of the supporters regarding the goal conceded when speaking to the BBC:

"We played out and got pressed just before that- so then it makes Joe Lumley go long and it gets a cheer from our supporters and we concede within 10 seconds, so yeah it is what it is"

Adam Blackmore the BBC man who covers all Southampton matches had this to say on social media.

"RM shouldn’t have said it - #SaintsFc fans are allowed to be pissed off paying for and watching 12 losses in 15 games. "

"I get he’s frustrated - we all are - for me, it’s the sort of thing a manager says when he knows the P45 isn’t far away …................….... "

Russell Martin also openly criticised some of his players after the game, that is usually a no no for a manager:

"I love Taylor (Harwood-Bellis) and I don't want to criticise him, but what happened can't happen, so you either smooth the game out and pass or defend and clear it and we do neither.

"We don't have enough conviction or quality and decision-making in the final third at the moment.

"I don't know what more I can give the players to make them believe or that extra spark."

What the manager seems to be oblivious to, is that all of this is down to his own tactics, no one is claiming that possession football is not being played by most teams these days, but other teams play it to utilise their strengths and not their weaknesses and they know when to put their foot through the ball and clear it, too often we watch our team play it dangerously across our own box and we see the opposition holding back and waiting to pounce.

Joe Lumley was cheered because finally someone had done what was needed in a tight situation, so to have our own manager basically saying that we are getting what we deserve because we had dared to show dissent at his way of playing.

These were 3,000 Saints supporters who drpve through a major storm with roads shut down and a rail system were trains were cancelled and many on those trains were unable to get back to Southampton until the early hours of Sunday morning due to cancellations.

How dare he infer that the supporters were to blame for the goal, we have watched HIS team using HIS tactics repeatably play the same type of possession football and get the same results.

We have watched him do it with absolutely no leeway appearing to have been given to his players,

He says:

"I don't know what more I can give the players to make them believe or that extra spark."

If that is the case then that is telling both himself and the supporters something, it is telling me that it is time for him to go and as Adam Blackmore has said in his own mind he knows that himself.

If Russell martin cannot see something that most of those watching the games can see, then he has tunnel vision, he does not have the ability to assess his own shortcomings and address them, the problem is quite obvious we do not have the calibre of player in the squad to be able to play the possession football game to the level that he is insisting on.

That being the case something has to change and from his after match comments he has confirmed that he cannot see what is going wrong, if he is unable to change his tactics to suit his squad, then I am sorry but the manager has to be changed.

I think that this squad is not a great squad, but it is one that is good enough to stay up, stupid mistakes when trying to play out from the back and some lax defending has cost us dearly, I would estimate about 9-10 points and the table would look a lot different had we gained those points and not dropped them.

Russell Martin deserves to be feted at Southampton FC & by the supporters for his work in getting Saints promoted, Nigel Adkins the last manger to gain us promotion has that respect from the supporters, he too had criticisms that his squad should have done better, but the fans could see he was an honest man who used his squad well.

Russell Martin does not have that respect, I have been saying for several months, that to stay up the manager has to adapt to suit his squad, he has refused to budge even an inch, his only changes are the constant changing of players in and out of the squad, that shows desperation, why does Sulemana get game time ahead of Sam Amo-Ameyaw for instance.

It brings me no pleasure to say that I think surely this was Russell Martin's last match, perhaps it took Joe Lumley to do what everyone could see what was needed, put his foot through the ball sometimes, Lumley had nothing to lose he knows that when Aaron Ramsdale is fit he is out, he perhaps spoke for the squad, Russell Martin's comments showed that he now has nothing to lose, he is a dead man walking.

All Photos Via Reuters

cocklebreath added 09:51 - Dec 8 Total disrespect for our fans who travelled, the blokes arrogance is astonishing only topped by the bloke who won’t sack him, the clubs a mess.
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DorsetIan added 10:00 - Dec 8 Does anyone keep stats on how long a board will suffer a manager who constantly loses in the PL? It’s like SR really don’t care if we are relegated, finishing bottom. If he’s a ‘dead man walking’ - and agree that he is - ffs pull the plug. Yes it’s costly to change managers but SR have only got themselves to blame for appointing people who aren’t up to it. It’s also a lot more costly to leave the PL. And I suspect we wouldn’t come back so quickly next time. Saints have been in a downward trajectory since Gao took over. Getting back to the PL in the first season could have been the start of a turnaround. Martin and SR have blown that chance in 4 months. Idiots.

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kentsouthampton added 10:28 - Dec 8 This is what happens when you appoint a wannabee catalogue model as a manager.
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stmichael added 10:30 - Dec 8 A very dishonest headline. You normally do better Nick..
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Rossm2006 added 11:06 - Dec 8 We have left it too late to have any impact this season but his time is up. As you mentioned last week there is now an apathy and malaise about the performances, does anyone seem remotely concerned we are bottom of the league ? You certainly see none of the spirit, fight and determination of teams of old, even when individually there were no where near as good as the opposition. History says when the fans turn at Southampton there is no middle ground , the manager is gone shortly after. Martin did a great job bonding a new team when we were at a real low and deserves credit for that and of course the magnificent promotions. Sadly recruitment has been poor again , where is the experience and leadership needed to survive in the premier league ? The cynic in me thinks we are simply buying people we can make a profit on rather than build a team with.More than a thing the managers lack of experience has shone through. We have not learned and adapated, he can’t blame the players for the same thing when he has not learned from his own mistakes. What we do for the rest of the season is the issue , do we have a caretaker until we find the right man for the championship? I would think we have missed the boat on some managers now we have waited too long . Cooper or Potter would seem obvious targets.

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IanRC added 11:15 - Dec 8 Not sure what your issue is with Sulemana Nick, to my mind he's been given too little game time rather than too much as he is one of the few players who is Incisive and can put in a cross. Otherwise I largely agree with your comments although Sports Republic have sabotaged us by not signing a decent striker in the summer.
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IanRC added 11:17 - Dec 8 Incidentally it is close to blasphemous to be mentioning Nigel Atkins a decent man who was unfairly sacked in the same rrath as Russell Martin who should have gone long ago
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TripleNiemi added 11:20 - Dec 8 There really was no need for our horrific points return garnered thus far. I know people have rightly called out the quality in the squad, but they really (under a better coach) should not be adrift to the tally we are currently. He knows his time is coming to an end and good riddance.
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SanMarco added 11:42 - Dec 8 I think Blackmore's P45 comment is (hopefully) accurate. He will go now - for all the reasons stated by Nick and virtually everyone else. Reading various opinions I see a split over whether the squad was good enough to have a fighting chance of staying up (past tense because it is surely too late now) and those who feel we were doomed anyway. Sadly we will never know - the next manager (assuming he is not another SR dud) will have the main task of gaining 'respectability' i.e. beating Derby's total and perhaps challenging Ipswich for 19th. The point is that if our squad was good enough to come 17th at the start of the season it now needs to be good enough to come 10-12th for the rest of the season (points per game now needed). I don't see that so we actually need a manager prepared to go down with us and get us up the top next season. The anxiety of waiting for him to be sacked is about to be replaced by the anxiety about SR's choice of replacement. NB the loser of Wet Spam Wolves tomorrow will be looking very soon (if not already) so probably a good idea to ruin RM's Sunday - he's ruined enough of ours....

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bartley41 added 11:45 - Dec 8 Please send your excellent summary to SR, or are they not interested! If SR do the right thing, get Potter in before Monday's Wolves / West Ham game because on Monday one these Managers will get the sack.
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Bowlercow added 11:57 - Dec 8 He has made the same comment before when we gave an ironic cheer to a long clearance After which we had to defend for a longer spell It's certainly not the type of football I want to watch As for thinking he has lost the fans please explain to me why home games are sell outs
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JoeEgg added 12:14 - Dec 8 Well spoken Nick. Presumably the fans were also responsible for the fact that we managed ZERO shots on target all game If we do in fact possess a few decent players, other than the two or three obvious stars, this rigid tippy tappy system will never give them a chance to demonstrate any ability or creativity that they may just have.. Martin's reaction to Lumleys kick up field is proof, as if we needed it, that the players are scared stiff to use their own nitiative or risk crossing the manager. The man is obsessed with his own self-importance and should NEVER be in charge of a Southampton team ever again. With Martin gone - who knows we might even discover some hidden gems amongst our playing staff!

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wrathoftazz added 12:26 - Dec 8 Well said Nick... apart from Adkins... i actually liked that guy. As for the poster who said "explain why it is sold out each week then". Well that's simple, US real fans support our club despite all the sh#t and how bad we perform. I go in the wind and rain, week in and week out (as most supporters) my daughter loves going and has for the past 6 years (she's only 14)... so, if you don't understand why it sells out, maybe support Man City. As for RM! not much can be said that hasn't been said already.. if I'm honest, I don't blame him, I blame SR and what they have done and are doing... I can't think of one person who would turn down a job if that's worth £12m for getting sacked. SR and their investment has been the worst ever, this includes managers past or recruitment. They just seem to have no foresight... only hindsight and even then make the same mistakes. Have we seen the best from the players we have? I would say no and that is due to tippy tappy back passing and being made to play in positions not suited to the players. That's on RM and the sooner he is gone, the sooner we can replace with a manager who knows how to use strengths, although, I fully expect RM to be sacked in April and replaced with a T3 manager ready for the CH again!

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SaintPaulVW added 13:03 - Dec 8 I'm sorry but I don't read that comment as a criticism of the fans. It's a criticism of the perils of kicking it out ie opposition get the ball and put you straight back under pressure. Which sadly came true. There was a bit of anti RM shouting during the game from a few fans, a few v signs when he came over to clap and a rather choice adaption of the Jeff Beck song at the final whistle. Sports republic really need to come clean on what their plans are. Are we sticking with RM regardless of results, or is there a line in the sand that will trigger a change. This could get messy if there is no clarity. COYR

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king_sid added 13:13 - Dec 8 I very rarely post on here, and I have supported Russell Martin, even though I am not a fan of his football. He will go on to be a top manager, I am certain, but I think he has run out of road with us. And the reason is recruitment. I looked through the 31 players we have used this season so far, and I reckon there are just three genuine Premier League players who would get a start with most mid-table teams - Ramsdale, KWP & THB. Then we have couple of bright young lads who would get some game time, but probably not be starting, in Dibling and Fernandes, plus the veteran Lallana. After that, Downes and Archer would just about be squad players, which is what they were before they joined us, and all the rest without exception are decent Championship players at best. We have a huge squad of randomly acquired mid-table championship players who RM is expected to make a Premier League team out of, which is why he keeps switching them around, hoping something will work. We have six strikers with four goals between them. It's all very well spending money, but it's how you spend it that matters. Are any of Armstrong, Sulemana, Onuachu, Brereton Diaz, Archer, Stewart - £100 million's worth of wasted money - capable of scoring 10 - or even 5 - Premiership goals? Why did we not buy a proper left-back? Why did we let Charles leave on loan and replace him with someone younger and more inexperienced as back up to Downes. I could go on, but you get the idea. RM has his faults, but the players clearly back him, but they are not good enough for the level they are playing at, sadly. Recruitment is not solely down to the manager any more - but it is the root of our problems, and until that gets sorted out it won't matter who manages the team.

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Colburn added 13:15 - Dec 8 It’s irrelevant that we kicked it long, it doesn’t account for the following mistake which occurred for the same reason all the others have. And his style and tactics garnered zero shots on target yesterday. Braved the road trip, trudged around in a gale, got soaked after being turned away at the Wilton and Yew Tree as we were foreigners and then kept outside in an icy wind as the woefully inadequate Villa Park continued our miserable experience. What then followed was as painful to watch as the headache I’ve had all morning so to read Martin’s post match comments today has done for me completely with him. If SR don’t get rid of him tomorrow then it will just confirm that they haven’t got a clue what they’re doing. Ankersen has to go too for allowing this failed tactic to continue

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mattlegod added 13:44 - Dec 8 "I don't know what more I can give the players to make them believe or that extra spark." If that is the case it is an admission. Don't wait to be sacked, be the bigger man and walk away knowing you've done all you can. There is not a pundit in the land who isn't scratching their head at why you continue with the same principle. It's getting tiresome and embarrassing. In 48 years of being a saints fan I've seen many lows, I can take lows but not incessant embarrassment.

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bryanK added 14:14 - Dec 8 Agree with all the RM comments will not be attending until he goes. I am a longtime season ticket holder and supporter for 70 plus years but cannot endure this clown anymore. It really is a sad indictment of what SR and what they stand for. I realise this is a business and we do not matter. Just want our money which is small fry compared to the broadcasting revenue. Totally depressed.

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10i added 14:18 - Dec 8 All his Interview in the last weeks were full of drivel without an foundation... All that talk about being proud of the players and the process, and the ongoing improvement. After the Newcastle game RM referred to xG as proof we should have won. If you Look at the last ten games, we should have lost All of them, Everton's xG was 1,25 higher than ours. Brighton about the same. According to that for RM relevant statistic we should have lost 10 in a row now, but we get better? All in all xG would have as at 6 points, so the table Doesnt lie.. . Yesterday we had 4 shots, just a Single blocked shot after we Fell behind - so 1 shot for about 70 Minutes in a game that we were chasing, against an opponent resting players. More possession, with absolutely nothing to count for - yet Villa, who where Not impressive at All, had 18 shots... Is that down to the Fans too?

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davidargyll added 14:24 - Dec 8 God i hope you are right. Russell Martin is an apology of a manager. And if he goes this week, that won’t be a day too soon. And so far as a payoff is concerned if I was SR I would pay him until the end if the season and tell him to sue. But ultimately, whatever we think about his abilities or lack of, isn't the worst thing is that HIS STYLE IS SO UTTERLY BORING?
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kenchilds70 added 15:19 - Dec 8 I have read all of the above opinions and would like to offer my own. Someone mentioned the downward spiral of the club sine Gao was here. I believe it started when a certain Ms Liebherr thought she could do a better job than the CEO. Mr Cortese really did care about the club. He knew his decisions were unpopular but necessary. He sacked Mr Adkins as he felt Nigel could take us no further than promotion. So employed Mr Pochettino. Eleven years on SR could have done exactly the same thing. And now we are where we are. I wonder whether ABK doesn't want to play Mr Tippy Tappy style of football and is prepared to put actions to his words. I for one wouldn't blame him. Like the fans, the players maybe feel his arrogant..my way or the highway attitude is too much and have lost heart. One thing seems to be a home truth... its time to call it a day at Southampton and take his brand of football elsewhere

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davenbennett added 15:31 - Dec 8 SR have told Martin to play like Man City. They use statistics and data to buy. But, won't buy unless can sell for profit. That's just stupid. Woods at Forest and Jimenez at Fulham both 6ft 3 and in 30s. No resale value, but actually score goals. Jimenez on £100k pw. That's what we used to pay JWP. Don't mind buying Man City academy players to develop and sell. Lavia sold for a profit, even after his fee, AND all the others we got from MC. When sell H-B, Charles, Edozie, and Bazunu/Lavia if ever fit, pure profit. So, can afford to get 1 or 2 old hands in, with no resale value. It's having 'principles' V reality. Same as tippy tappy. Must be half way house. Not playing Onuachu due to some prejudice against long balls and traditional 'English' No.9 style, also brainless.

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kingolaf added 16:26 - Dec 8 They should have got rid after Bournemouth. Just been delaying the inevitable. Terrible manager.
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Bowlercow added 17:20 - Dec 8 Wratoftazz Do you seriously believe that you and your daughter,who like me are a bit fanatical about Saints,are joined every home game by 30000 like minded souls ? I would say that 20 or 21 thousand will be there week in week out The rest are newbie supporters every now and then To keep them coming the product has to be right A lot of fickle fans want RM gone but if he goes bare in mind that we will lose the little quality we do have THB,Downes Fernandez Ramsdale to start with will all leave because they are his players They enjoy working with him Read the Echo article by THB about the possession game I thought Cotese did a fabulous job as chairman but the timing of the sacking of St Nigel was IMO totally out of order Likewise for what he did last season RM has earned the right to have a season as a PL manager

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Jesus_02 added 20:13 - Dec 8 Nick you are a disgrace to be honest , he has defended players despite them simply not being good enough. Its not the 90s and we don't have a lump up front to smash it long to. Out of our best starting 11 give me 6 that would get into the starting 11 of any other PL team.
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