Chris Martin

[old_eastender]

Can anyone explain to me why Martin starts every game and is rarely subbed either. To me he gets worse and worse each passing game, rarely holds the ball up these days, cumbersome on the turn, so slow he offers no effective press, loses out more often than he wins aerial duels and even when he does get a flick on, it's rarely to a team mate. 

Defending starts from the front and with him lumbering about he offers no pressure on defenders.

We have Wells, Conway is back fit now too. Surely one of them could start a game instead of what seems to be the all-time slowest City player I have ever seen.

I just don't get it.

 

 

[Desso]

He must have something on Pearson.

[Gibbs]

He needs to be rested. Pretty sure we used to rotate him when we first bought him in. He must have played every game this season!

[BCFCadam]

Completely agree, he’s been dreadful for ages now but still gets 90 minutes every game? It makes no sense.

[Gazred]

His mobility or lack of, undermines the better player he is or once was.

In his defence, we do still continue to almost exclusively launch it long at him. That might be in part due to the aforementioned mobility, he's not going to break the line is he.

Still think if when he drops into recieve the ball, it went to his feet and you get people around or beyond him we'd be able to appreciate him more and would play more to his strengths.

If Pearson wants that kind of player in the team every week, we need to go out and get a younger or quicker verson.

[Carey 6]

Hope he gets released at the end of the season.

[RobintheRed Red]

1 hour ago, old_eastender said:

Can anyone explain to me why Martin starts every game and is rarely subbed either. To me he gets worse and worse each passing game, rarely holds the ball up these days, cumbersome on the turn, so slow he offers no effective press, loses out more often than he wins aerial duels and even when he does get a flick on, it's rarely to a team mate. 

Defending starts from the front and with him lumbering about he offers no pressure on defenders.

We have Wells, Conway is back fit now too. Surely one of them could start a game instead of what seems to be the all-time slowest City player I have ever seen.

I just don't get it.

 

 

Totally agree Bas savage would be a better bet :laugh:

[RedLionLad]

48 minutes ago, Carey 6 said:

Hope he gets released at the end of the season.

It’ll be more of a release for us…

[GrahamC]

I thought his general game was good today but aside from the penalty at Coventry he hasn’t scored in 12 games now & whilst I believe our defensive issues are a bigger concern, we have alternatives in Wells or pushing Weimann (who has 9 already) further forward & think one of those 2 options is worth a try.

Edited December 18, 2021 by GrahamC

[Super]

We were warned in fairness. A new striker needs to come in Jan.

[REDOXO]

6 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

I thought his general game was good today but aside from the penalty at Coventry he hasn’t scored in 12 games now & whilst I believe our defensive issues are a bigger concern, we have alternatives in Wells or pushing Weimann (who has 9 already) further forward & think one of those 2 options is worth a try.

Yes I agree. I just don’t get why Pearson won’t use Wells except for when we need a goal or two with eight minutes left. 
 

He was complaining about how thin we are post match. But he doesn’t maximize his options. 
 

My unpopular view is that we will ship goals when ever Massengo is playing a view I am told does have statistical support. So if Bakinson is not good enough then we are buggered until Williams is fit for more than one game. 2025 I’m told for that!

[GrahamC]

2 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

Yes I agree. I just don’t get why Pearson won’t use Wells except for when we need a goal or two with eight minutes left. 
 

He was complaining about how thin we are post match. But he doesn’t maximize his options. 
 

 

My hunch is he would like to move Wells on in January so is only using him sparingly so he doesn’t get the impression we want him to stay.

[REDOXO]

6 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

My hunch is he would like to move Wells on in January so is only using him sparingly so he doesn’t get the impression we want him to stay.

I was told QPR are monitoring, but who knows really. 
 

However you may well be right. Not worth anything , but worth less with a knock!!

[Redandproud]

1 hour ago, old_eastender said:

Can anyone explain to me why Martin starts every game and is rarely subbed either. To me he gets worse and worse each passing game, rarely holds the ball up these days, cumbersome on the turn, so slow he offers no effective press, loses out more often than he wins aerial duels and even when he does get a flick on, it's rarely to a team mate. 

Defending starts from the front and with him lumbering about he offers no pressure on defenders.

We have Wells, Conway is back fit now too. Surely one of them could start a game instead of what seems to be the all-time slowest City player I have ever seen.

I just don't get it.

 

 

I agree, for some reason,NP will not drop him or sub him, baffled

[Red-Robbo]

A washing machine can out jump Martin and he is one of our most wasteful forward players with his "clever" flicks on - which often go nowhere near where any red-shirted player could reach. 

Not our worst player today,but one of the reasons we do not capitalise when we are in possession.  

[shelts]

4 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

A washing machine can out jump Martin and he is one of our most wasteful forward players with his "clever" flicks on - which often go nowhere near where any red-shirted player could reach. 

Not our worst player today,but one of the reasons we do not capitalise when we are in possession.  

Where we are as a club . He’s truly awful but not the worst number 9 we’ve had !!

[Shuffle]

3 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

A washing machine can out jump Martin and he is one of our most wasteful forward players with his "clever" flicks on - which often go nowhere near where any red-shirted player could reach. 

Not our worst player today,but one of the reasons we do not capitalise when we are in possession.  

In fairness Martin wins a lot in the air but   Offers no threat in general & think I saw has 1 in 12 games which was a pen. We need to go 4-3-3 with Weimann central with Semenyo & O,Dowda as front 3. Personally think Martin is selected as much for his defending set plays  as he is for offensive ability 

[Red-Robbo]

1 minute ago, Shuffle said:

In fairness Martin wins a lot in the air but   Offers no threat in general & think I saw has 1 in 12 games which was a pen. We need to go 4-3-3 with Weimann central with Semenyo & O,Dowda as front 3. Personally think Martin is selected as much for his defending set plays  as he is for offensive ability 

I can't recall him winning a single set piece kick up field. Always out jumped.  

When he has no defender near him, he can connect with high balls. So can I!

[intercity]

2 hours ago, old_eastender said:

Can anyone explain to me why Martin starts every game and is rarely subbed either. To me he gets worse and worse each passing game, rarely holds the ball up these days, cumbersome on the turn, so slow he offers no effective press, loses out more often than he wins aerial duels and even when he does get a flick on, it's rarely to a team mate. 

Defending starts from the front and with him lumbering about he offers no pressure on defenders.

We have Wells, Conway is back fit now too. Surely one of them could start a game instead of what seems to be the all-time slowest City player I have ever seen.

I just don't get it.

 

 

No one will be able to explain it. It's inexplicable recently. Only Pearson can know why. Pearson need to be careful, since looking on today's tactics and decisions (including insistence with Martin), one might come to the conclusion that the root cause of our poor performance was not the players at all.

[BTRFTG]

Been banging on about him leading 'Cold Play' ( cf 'Hot' ) since he arrived but those near me suggest that whilst he's crap he's still the best we have, hence should start.

I remain to be convinced there isn't a part time player somewhere in non-league that couldn't outperform the uncompetitive drivel he serves up week in, week out.

I get he's old, and immobile, but his lack of ability to jump, compete and control the ball is beyond a joke.

[AshtonGreat]

2 hours ago, BCFCadam said:

Completely agree, he’s been dreadful for ages now but still gets 90 minutes every game? It makes no sense.

Another below average player stealing a wage

[Mad Cyril]

It may have taken a while, but yep, we have coached all effectiveness and impact out of him. Another player we have conditioned for the scrap heap. 

[Wilksi]

Steals a living. 

[pongo88]

1 hour ago, shelts said:

Where we are as a club . He’s truly awful but not the worst number 9 we’ve had !!

That’s not saying much as the club has been in existence for over 100 years. I remember Alf Ippititimus who played a couple of games in the 30s, and he was far worse. 
 

[BTRFTG]

1 hour ago, pongo88 said:

That’s not saying much as the club has been in existence for over 100 years. I remember Alf Ippititimus who played a couple of games in the 30s, and he was far worse. 
 

It's comparative. I thought Paul Williams technically the worst, others cite similar from  that era, but in their cases I have nothing but admiration for them. They knew they were playing out of their depth but they tried, making the best of their meagre talents whilst rewarded a pittance for so doing. They kept the club going.

Martin and Wells may have (marginally,) superior talent but given the utterly ludicrous salaries they earn and their apparent disinterest in applying the limited skills they have, they're truly rock bottom.

 

Edited December 18, 2021 by BTRFTG

[RedNachos]

Fairly obvious, Nige is so stuck up on having one of his strikers being a 'physical / aerial presence' ad even though the one contracted to the club wins about one header in every 20, he insists on playing with that ethos, and he simply has no alternatives to Martin

[pongo88]

5 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

It's comparative. I thought Paul Williams technically the worst, others cite similar from  that era, but in their cases I have nothing but admiration for them. They knew they were playing out of their depth but they tried, making the best of their meagre talents whilst rewarded a pittance for so doing. They kept the club going.

Martin and Wells may have (marginally,) superior talent but given the utterly ludicrous salaries they earn and their apparent disinterest in applying the limited skills they have, they're truly rock bottom.

 

If I remember correctly, Paul Williams came from the Western League to play for City in Division 4. As you say, he wasn't really good enough but at least he ran around a bit,  played  for next to nothing for a season or two, then went back to the Western League. He probably earned less in a season that either Martin or Wells earn in a week. Allowing for inflation his season’s salary was probably still less than two weeks salary of Martin or Wells. In those far off days I could accept players who weren’t very good as salary reflected talent. Now, it’s just a joke 

[BTRFTG]

2 minutes ago, pongo88 said:

If I remember correctly, Paul Williams came from the Western League to play for City in Division 4. As you say, he wasn't really good enough but at least he ran around a bit,  played  for next to nothing for a season or two, then went back to the Western League. He probably earned less in a season that either Martin or Wells earn in a week. Allowing for inflation his season’s salary was probably still less than two weeks salary of Martin or Wells. In those far off days I could accept players who weren’t very good as salary reflected talent. Now, it’s just a joke 

Exactly, came from Ottery St Mary and returned to Saltash United. He wasn't the only player of that type but what they lacked in talent they made up for effort and commitment.

It's lack of those qualities I despise with the current crop.

[pongo88]

25 minutes ago, RedNachos said:

Fairly obvious, Nige is so stuck up on having one of his strikers being a 'physical / aerial presence' ad even though the one contracted to the club wins about one header in every 20, he insists on playing with that ethos, and he simply has no alternatives to Martin

I’m sure you’re right about what Nigel wants. Unfortunately I don’t think Martin provides either a physical nor an aerial presence. Opposing central defenders keep him under control without much effort. Aiden Flint was a player who could add far more physical and aerial presence when playing as a forward but he was never a proper forward. If he was still at the club I’d prefer him playing instead of Martin which shows how bad things have become. It’s like a throwback to the 1960s 

[Red Shadow]

13 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

Exactly, came from Ottery St Mary and returned to Saltash United. He wasn't the only player of that type but what they lacked in talent they made up for effort and commitment.

It's lack of those qualities I despise with the current crop.

Graham Withey was another as I remember.