The 'Martin Effect' on MK Dons and Swansea

Swansea City and Milton Keynes Dons have both averaged 65% possession this season - with only Barcelona dominating more ball than the Championship and League One sides across Europe’s top five leagues and the EFL.

The two teams share a philosophy that has been largely developed and implemented by current Swans boss, and ex-MK Dons manager, Russell Martin. 

This Playmaker piece will seek to analyse and understand the extent, and importance, of Martin’s influence and the direction of travel going forward for these two sides.

⚖ Best average possession %s this season (Uefa 'Top 5' leagues + #EFL):

6⃣9⃣%: Barcelona
6⃣5⃣%: Swansea, MK Dons
6⃣4⃣%: Man City, Sheff U, Bayern Munich, Sevilla
6⃣3⃣%: PSG
6⃣2⃣%: Borussia Dortmund
6⃣1⃣%: Man Utd, Marseille
6⃣0⃣%: Monaco, Swindon#EFL #Swans #MKDons #UTB #STFC pic.twitter.com/kT1hshXA9t

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) October 12, 2021

Martin at MK 

In 2019, Russell Martin was appointed as the manager of Milton Keynes Dons after he finished his career at Stadium: MK earlier in the year. The philosophy was simple: to create a possession-based style of football that would entertain and be effective.

The first season saw them finish in the middle-of-the-table when the COVID-19 enforced curtailment of the campaign took effect in March 2020. In his first full season in charge, alongside assistant manager Luke Williams, Martin led MK Dons to a 13th place finish and an FA Cup run into the Third Round.

MK Dons scored 64 goals in that season, which was more than anybody in the bottom-half of the table - and only one team outside of the top six, Portsmouth, bettered that tally.

The style of football had already been implemented with a group of players that hadn’t played that way before. They had the most touches inside the opposition box in League One and put together a British record 56-pass move for a goal in March 2021. Only Manchester City and Barcelona averaged more possession than the Dons. 

They controlled the play so much to the point that defender Zak Jules suggested they ‘demoralise’ teams with their amount of possession. 

©Getty /

The summer transfer window of 2021 was an extremely impressive one and a statement that showed the backing of Martin by owner Peter Winkleman. The principles of play that would see them challenge for the top six, at least, were in place. Now it just needed the extra level of player. 

Scott Twine, Max Watters, Mo Eisa, Troy Parrott and Ethan Robson were all eye-catching signings expected to raise the level of results to match the performances of the previous season. This was an already well-built and well-coached side ready to genuinely challenge for a return to the second division. 

And then on the eve of the season…

On the 31st of July 2021, Martin was granted permission to speak to Swansea City. It was the same day as MK Dons’ first competitive match of the season; an EFL Cup first round tie at AFC Bournemouth which, without their manager on the sidelines, they would lose 5-0. 

On the 1st of August 2021, Russell Martin was announced as Swansea City’s new Head Coach on a three-year deal. 

Swansea had been at the heart of a tumultuous summer whereby their previous manager Steve Cooper had left the club in the middle of July with speculation suggesting it was due to Cooper being unconvinced with the ambitions of the club and the direction it was heading.

Cooper had continued Swansea’s tradition of instilling a passing style of play that would lead to a high ceiling with limited players and a small squad for the Welsh club. Graham Potter was their previous boss in the years since the Swans’ were relegated from the Premier League.

Under Martin, Swansea's control and dominance of games has been very evident. With 65% possession on average, no team in England has had the ball more often so far this season.

This is either a testament to Martin’s coaching ability that he has been able to implement what is presumably a complex style of play, or a testament to the work done before his arrival and the level of intelligence and ability of Swansea's players.

©Getty / Athena Pictures

Martin said: “I know the fanbase and what they expect in terms of the modern Swansea way, that started under Roberto Martinez and continued under Brendan Rodgers and Michael Laudrup. We, as a coaching team, are very much aligned with that. It excites me.”

Despite joining before the season, it would be fair for Martin to be judged as a mid-season appointment given how late he joined the club in the summer and the knock-on effects on plans and preparations. With just two wins in their opening 11 games, Martin will be thankful for that leniency. 

The philosophy

Martin’s philosophy, on the face of it, is not necessarily an original one. To be intent on dominating the play and dominating the possession is as old as time. However, there are some quirks that have piqued fascination.

An example of this would be the use of the goalkeeper at MK Dons. Martin would often suggest that the ‘keeper should act as an out-fielder, as any progressive manager with a modern day style would do. However, the ‘keeper would be encouraged to play in the full-back area in order to shift the play from one way to another in asymmetrical fashion reminiscent of Zdenek Zeman’s Lazio or the Foggia sides of the mid-90s.

There is, paradoxically, perhaps an overly cautious element to Swansea's impressive possession stats - with a lack of thrust being a key issue so far this season. The balance between incisive risk and desired dominance is one that has not yet been addressed - with some impressive performances yielding some less than impressive results.

MK Dons’ new boss, Liam Manning, is managing to produce results with a similar style of play, albeit with better players, than what Martin had managed at MK Dons. Manning won the EFL manager of the month award in September.

Could it be a case of the former Norwich defender producing fairly ineffective but attractive football that flatters to deceive? Time will tell. 

What is clear is that Martin's influence has been felt at both sides in the early stages of this season.

The two sides are the control freaks of English domestic football at the moment and that theme looks set to continue...into the near future at least.

❓ #Playmaker QUIZ | Domestic football is back, and here's some titanic Friday trivia to tackle...

Can you name the 1⃣9⃣ players, to gain #PL gametime this season, who are their country's sole #PremierLeague representative?

👇https://t.co/wLaG3ZZaZ0

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) October 15, 2021