StrangelyBrown

I guess it's all about opinions - personally speaking I think tino just edges it, but there's not a lot in it. I agree with you 100% re KWP unbalancing the left side, but I'm not totally convinced perraud is the answer (Im not sure who is though). Somehow we've ended up with 2 very good right backs and an ok left back. I can see Ralph's dilemma - I'm not sure he is to blame for the problem itself though, just the symptom. Recruiting a 2nd starting right back ahead of other positions seems foolish to me.

Do you think KWP is a better right back than Livramento?

I'm not sure why Ralph is being singled out? We were always going to lose against Arsenal away with the number of players who were unavailable and with a strike force who struggle to find the net. I'm sure we'll stay up but not by much and that's probably all we can hope for. It's not as if we're much of an attractive proposition for an investor and nothing will change without serious investment.

What exactly have I made up? I think actually were largely in agreement but if you need to turn this into a pissing contest crack on...

It might not be a Head height Kung Fu kick but both feet are not in any way connected to the ground or in control of his body.

It really was a red card. Jwp had both feet off the floor and therefore was not in control = red card.

It was definitely a red, jwp went in with both feet and wasn't in control. It was a really stupid tackle. The VAR decision that deserves attention is the disallowed goal. We would have been fuming had that happened to us. KWP was barely touched and the foul wasnt part of the phase of play that led to the goal. We got what we deserved - nothing. The third goal highlighted a lot of what is wrong with McCarthy - his positioning was appalling, he didnt react to the first 2 shots and then only got hands to the goal because it was straight at him and even then he was too weak to stop it. I'm not sure who is at fault for our current predicament - hassenhutl has a lot to answer for, but our recruitment team have managed to put together a squad with absolutely no goalscorers...

Looks like we've set up to play on the break. Will be interesting to see how that goes... No djenepo though despite him being "the best defensive no 10"...

For those predicting that we'll score, where do you think the goals will come from? From what I've seen our only hope are penalties or a close range free kick. Anything else looks beyond us at the moment. We seem to have far too many players who are incapable of making quick decisions: It starts at the back with McCarthy and bednarek and permeates through most of the team with Redmond and Armstrong ensuring we miss out on any chances in the final third. For the entirety of 2021 we have been so slow to build chances which means we give the opposition time to organise and regroup and once the opposition are settled defensively we are completely incapable of creating chances as we have no creativity. Having said all that saints never cease to give me a glimmer of (false) hope when I think things can't get any worse so we'll probably win 1-0 via a jwp free kick

Reality check. We're in big trouble. We've got no goals in and still make mistakes at the back.

Shane long - we're throwing in the towel. Simply not enough shit players on the pitch

We really do have some bang average players: bednarek, McCarthy, Redmond, Armstrong, Adams have been no where near premier League quality today

Both games they got controversial key decisions in their favour. I seem to remember a foul in the build up to one of their goals the season before that let them back into the game.

Perhaps Moss wanted to make sure some Abu Dhabi dollars we're in his account before over ruling?

I'm hoping Ralph knows something I don't (to be fair I'm sure he does), but that is a set of strange changes to the line up. Salisu dropped??? Redmond??? Elynoussi????

Great stuff Minsk. Good to see a bit of objectivity. I looked at all our fixtures and tried to guess win lose or draw for each and came up with us finishing on 36 points - fortunately we're already 2 points better off than I thought we would be!

You've forgotten that ings was dreadful for a number of games last season - he looked like he couldn't be arsed and consequently it was like we were playing with 10 men. Yes he could win games for us when he was on form, but he also contributed nothing when his head wasn't in the right place (his shit spell started in January if I remember right). Ralph's way of playing suits players who are committed and a little less "special" more than someone who just doesn't turn up when they aren't in the mood.

The kid from forest goes to ground far too easily and will be a liability in the prem. He also didn't look that special on the ball. Personally speaking I think we've dodged a bullet.

I'd love to see if anyone can defend McCarthy for that. Absolute dogshit

The only good thing is that solsjkaer is an equally inept tactician to Ralph - unfortunately he's got so much talent on the bench he only has to change a couple of players and it will change the dynamic of the game. If Walcott comes out after half time Ralph needs to go - it's like playing with 10 men

Glad to see that cheating cunt giving us the ball for the goal

Given that Ralph won't change formation the best I'm hoping for is that he plays number 10s who will do the defensive work and help overload central midfield. Personally I'd gamble and play livramento ahead of kwp: Forster Kwp Stephens bednarek perraud jwp romeu Livramento S Armstrong Adams A Armstrong

I think you are right in part, but I'm certain it's a combination of Ralph having no ability to manage the game as it happens (subs are a part of this) and him having a blind spot for certain players who are simply not good enough. Every time an opposition manager makes a small change to address a problem Ralph fails to react - not even as much as a tactical change. He continually persists in selecting players who undermine what he is trying to achieve - McCarthy is a good example as our tactics require quick decision making and good distribution from our keeper - McCarthy just doesn't have these in his locker.

Only 37 games left to get 38 points... Doomed

We almost always lose the first game and again almost always lose away to the dugout pioneers. Not worried about the result... More worried about the same old problems. Poor in game management, jeckyll and Hyde halves and poor team selection in certain positions. Hopefully this is enough to convince Ralph to buy a new starting experienced centre back and not to play McCarthy again.