sydenhamssocks

Spot on 🎯

To be honest I can set my expectations where I like. It’ll be down to me to mange the outcome and outpouring of emotions either way ! But I’m not going to set the bar so low that celebrating mediocrity is success. That’s not what any football fan looks ahead too each hopeful summer. The wide range of budgets in the premier is probably what makes it what it is. If you don’t have the spending power then get a manager who can inspire and lift you to maybe over achieve. There’s not a lot to choose between our players and the Brighton squad. Individual price tags aren’t a guarantee. If so, then we have the most coveted of the lot in JWP. Since returning to the prem. we have finished 14th 8th 7th 6th 8th under Adkins Poch Koeman & Puel. then. 17th 16th 11th 15th & 15th-ish this season, under Pelligrino Hughes & Ralph I preferred the first 5 seasons listed, as the overachieving they produced was great fun and the managers were better. so my expectations may be tainted by that but it’s not that long ago to be another era. Your reasoning to keep Ralph is based on, he’s done well to keep us up with the money he had. Presumably you feel, given a big budget next season he’ll take us into the top ten with relative ease if he’s given the budget to buy a bigger engine for the car, he’ll certainly travel faster, but will that make him a better driver? not for me I wouldn’t worry about the new manager forum, I doubt the owners will look there for a replacement. But you knew that 😉

Absolutely correct! This ‘bottom half budget’ excuse is a statistical smokescreen that often doesn’t relate to the real situation and human elements that evolve. A club with a low budget might buy shrewdly/luckily and finish top half. Or. A club spending more, may blow it on overpriced rubbish and end up in trouble. The key to either of those scenarios standing or falling is the manager. It shouldn’t be unrealistic to expect to see us where Brighton are surely!

Same as Long !

Danny Röhl……….. he knew 🤫

Surely Ralph can’t be seen as ‘getting a tune’ out of our squad. His record is terrible. Over 80 points lost from winning positions since he took over. 20 odd of them in this season. 7 home draws this season in which we were ahead in every one. and you know all the other stats , poorest run in club history and 9 nils etc. as for the squad, of course it’s not the best but has shown a few positive performances. The manger has to shoulder the blame. if Ralph can’t get a tune out of this squad then he needs wholesale changes to a better more expensive squad. Which we can’t afford. He may well thrive if the quality of his players is better, but for now, it’s not. He’s cosied in with the fans and covered his back. Time to go. He gave his best I suppose.

I felt for a while he wasn’t fulfilling the potential stacked on him, or maybe he was a later developer. But I do think he has the inner ability to thrive at a top end club. The players around him would be of a better quality and that would allow him to express himself confidently. His creativity etc would have more chance of being realised because at that level, team mates make it more likely. They offer more in the way of options. Whereas, with us, he’s probably having to be a bit of an ‘everyman’ to cover the inadequacy of others. But in few recent outings with England, among international level players, he can look different, better even ! Including getting into the box and scoring, not something he does for us regularly. Maybe a tweak positionally also helps. If he is to play at the top, he best move soon (unfortunately), he’s not getting any younger and Mounts & Rices are already coming through well.

Time the club distanced itself from him and whatever ambassadorial role he’s had/has. Embarrassing,sadly.

Yep. Was there too. In 98. David Hirst scored our winner.

Yep. The training ground culture needs to change or freshen up. The familiarity of the old faces putting out the cones and having a laugh over breakfast is breeding contempt

Bang on !!! Time for change

Bingo! I’m definitely at the ‘can’t un-see it stage. He’s poor!

Absolutely agree. On his arrival he was hailed as the “Austrian Klopp” etc and soon endeared himself to fans and press alike. But apart from some ‘bounce’ early on, his time has been very average. With team selections and substitutions that can be described as erratic, at best and a supposed philosophy of football that changes when it suits him. The mythical 4-2-2-2 formation may work somewhere in the world with different personnel, but it’s not really shaken the premier league at St Marys that’s for sure. The huge defeats, the worst run of form we’ve had, are all well documented and the ‘we can’t afford to sack him’ overused. Hassenhutl and Semmens seem to be in comfortable positions. One deciding who the right type of new owner should be whilst keeping the other one informed of situation on a daily basis. I presume the ‘right type’ would either keep them on or have the money to pay them off ! No one with any real football acumen sits above Ralph and it very often looks like no one with any real football acumen sits around him on match days either. I think a different manager/coach could get a bit more out of this squad with just a better approach and proper distribution of the players talents where they work best. I’m sure Ralph is a lovely fella etc but it’s definitely time to take what might be a chance in the current climate and secure a replacement or ultimately find new owners very soon who will move him on. The situation with McCarthy was extremely poorly handled by Ralph and doesn’t help his cause. There are a lot who still believe in Ralph and that of course is their prerogative, but the fear of losing a bang average manager shouldn’t cloud his poor record and judgment. I was definitely a fan when he arrived, although the two poor previous incumbents may have clouded my desperation for change… so it’s easily done ! Happy now to see him find another challenge and let us kick on with someone new. Would be interesting to see how many current back room staff he would take with him, none I suspect, but that’s another story……...

He only played 10 mins or so and that was last Monday. He certainly didn’t finish the game injured. Training knock I’d reckon.

Lot of love for him up here in Scotland. Has fitted well into Steve Clarke’s plans,Stuey with the through ball topped off a good night for Saints in Scotland 🔴⚪️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Thanks.

Between August 26th and September 27th he scored 1 league goal v West Ham. 2 v Newcastle and 1 v QPR. plus 1 league cup goal at Millwall = 5 I was one out Apologies

Pelle scored a half dozen goals in his first month. Prem player of the month too. Think they were both on a different level at the point of signing, compared to this guy. feels like a ‘Championship Ready’ squad is being assembled

True, but Gerrard currently working at a club with no money and an average squad but a far bigger fan base. Albeit in a lesser level league. More of a transition move for him, with the Liverpool job looming at some point. Possibly the kind of move that may have benefitted Lampard, rather than jumping straight in at Chelsea and tarnishing his status with the club. A stepping stone really. but you’re right, sadly we’re not an attractive proposition right now and for me, Ralph is unfortunately making it worse.

Edit.

Get Steven Gerrard for a couple of seasons. Bed him into prem management en route to a certain return to Anfield. Bring Steven Davis back with him as assistant. Bingo !

Pretty much the same as Under Armour 18/19 one. At least it’s yellow !

Delaney’s price just went up a bit. Good header. Good player.

This is the correct and only assessment Ralph should get. His over inflated idea of his own skills have been laid bare. Time to go.

I’m almost a decade ahead of you so there’s no doubt that colours our thoughts. Tbh I’ve been fine many of the stripe variations over the years and liked the ‘keegan era’ reverse Ajax, recently re visited. But I’m done with the sash. Nice for the centenary, other than that a change would be as good as a rest, after this season !