Ralph Hasenhuttl

[Wade Garrett]

I’m absolutely bored shitless of RalphBall.

Won’t be rushing to give the club any more of my hard-earned cash.

[badgerx16]

16 minutes ago, Østerrike said:

let the "hang Ralph" game start over again..  of course it was just Ralph who lost the game.. of course...

Nobody lost the game, it was a draw.

[SaveloyMush]

3 hours ago, TWar said:

True, I remember hearing from some source at the time we had a £15m price tag but they wouldn't go over £10m. Either way, his price tag has clearly over tripled since then thanks to Ralph completely reinventing him as a footballer and making him into our best and most important player.

This aged well.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

29 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Are we going to be top of the points conceded from winning positions table for the third running season? Honestly what the fuck does he say at half time.

Genuinely think we need some Strachan or Poch-esque fitness training as we are wank second half.

We need a new manager

[Teddeer]

Bored of his feeble attempts at game management and his inability to learn any lessons. This side should be drilled to see out games and, if they were, that would have been a straightforward victory and 3 welcome points. Instead we cede the initiative after half time in nearly every match and Ralph is incapable of doing anything about it. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Maybe Ralph's sanity is in question. 

[TWar]

2 minutes ago, SaveloyMush said:

This aged well.

One mistake doesn't break two and a half seasons of high quality play.

[SaveloyMush]

2 minutes ago, TWar said:

One mistake doesn't break two and a half seasons of high quality play.

I hope you are not counting this season in that, as he has been shit.

£50m+? Fuck off.

[TWar]

Just now, SaveloyMush said:

I hope you are not counting this season in that, as he has been shit.

£50m+? Fuck off.

I am. He hasn't been. And that's how much he would be worth. He had an excellent game until the last 3 mins or so.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

Just now, TWar said:

I am. He hasn't been. And that's how much he would be worth. He had an excellent game until the last 3 mins or so.

Saints would have won if, oh, they hadn't let a goal in. How are you today cultist?

[Streaky]

38 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Not sure what you can do with these players. They just have no ruthlessness and a massive panic switch.

He's signed at least half of them or decided to keep the ones he inherited, buck stops with him. He's had 3 years and we will be fighting relegation this year for sure.

[Dman]

3 hours ago, JustinSFC said:

The only ones of those who you could say have improved directly due to Ralph is Prowse.

As for Bednarek. He's got worse.

The others have been the same.

Agreed. This whole Improving players stuff is a bit of a myth.

[egg]

39 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Are we going to be top of the points conceded from winning positions table for the third running season? Honestly what the fuck does he say at half time.

Genuinely think we need some Strachan or Poch-esque fitness training as we are wank second half.

It's got nothing to do with fitness or what's said. It's as simple as the other manager making changes and us not reacting or adapting.

Shit game management / tactical competence. Nothing more, nothing less. 

[niceandfriendly]

3 minutes ago, egg said:

It's got nothing to do with fitness or what's said. It's as simple as the other manager making changes and us not reacting or adapting.

Shit game management / tactical competence. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Of course it's also down to what is said. Managers need to motivate their players, get them in the right frame of mind, prepare them for tough situations (against 10 men shouldn't be that tough though FFS). Ralph clearly is unable to do that (along with the other things you mentioned too).

Edited 4 December, 2021 by niceandfriendly

[Teddeer]

2 minutes ago, egg said:

It's got nothing to do with fitness or what's said. It's as simple as the other manager making changes and us not reacting or adapting.

Shit game management / tactical competence. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Exactly this. It's happening too many times to be considered bad luck - it is sheer incompetence. Time he started earning his huge salary.

[Østerrike]

34 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Nobody lost the game, it was a draw.

people react like it was a lost, just read the comments

[trousers]

27 minutes ago, Streaky said:

He's signed at least half of them or decided to keep the ones he inherited, buck stops with him. 

Isn't that a bit like blaming me for my car breaking down because I was only able to afford a Lada rather than a Rolls Royce?

Edited 4 December, 2021 by trousers

[Hodgey]

He needs a strong number 2 to say ‘sorry Ralph - but I disagree’, surrounded by inadequate yes men, I’d even go so far as to say he’s been given far too much power. We’re never going to fire him as we can’t afford to - also can’t see us attracting anyone better so we’ll continue to squander chances and tire/ get figured out 2nd half. Just got to hope we’re better than 3 others each season. Also aside from JWP I’m struggling to think of a player he has improved.

[Graffito]

Dunno about new manager, this lot needs a shrink.

[Sunglasses Ron]

1 hour ago, Roo1976 said:

Almost as bad as 2....9-0 defeats.....................................................................................how many of those games when points are lost were say in the last 10 mins or less?

The 9-0's are a millstone around his neck that will probably never go away (well, not unless he achieves something truly remarkable, like win a trophy or something). They will always be used as a stick to beat him with and it's only fair to be honest (no matter how unfair the second one was IMO).

I'm still in the camp that thinks we should persevere with him, but I often ask myself why. I guess the reason is that I honestly don't think either of us could do any better at this time and that the continuity is probably doing us more good than we can really appreciate.

The thing that frustrates / motivates me in equal measure is that we always seem 2-3 games away from either a decent / toxic position, but invariably we achieve neither.  If we'd won against Leicester and Brighton things would be looking rather good right now, but if we'd lost them then we'd probably all be calling for his head.  It was the same with the Norwich game, a real punch in the stomach after the promise beforehand.

In summary, we just seem to be plodding along in the most mediocre of fashions, but then that pretty much reflects the club as a whole really?

Edited 4 December, 2021 by Sunglasses Ron

[Yozzman]

50 minutes ago, egg said:

It's got nothing to do with fitness or what's said. It's as simple as the other manager making changes and us not reacting or adapting.

Shit game management / tactical competence. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Game management wise I thought we were pretty solid in second half. It wasn't the managers fault JWP gave the ball away and Romeu gave the foul away. 

[SaintSteve]

1 hour ago, TWar said:

I am. He hasn't been. And that's how much he would be worth. He had an excellent game until the last 3 mins or so.

You clearly weren’t at the match.. Ward-Prowse was average at best.

[SaintSteve]

Another two points thrown away.. Ralph spent the last 15 minutes gesticulating to all and sundry; pity he couldn’t get across the message to manage the game out with the extra man.

Sadly , the board may run out of patience soon.

[The Left Back]

We're on track to stay up, but not much more.  I suspect the board won't do anything while that's the case. Today we were 2 minutes from going 11th.

For those who want Ralph gone we are not doing badly enough to create momentum.  It still feels like the Ralph out movement (not cult) is on-line more than in the city or the stadium.

For those who want Ralph to stay he's not doing well enough to make it easy for us to defend him. I'm more in this camp, which is why I try to stay away from here on days like this.  But like a moth to a flame I've been drawn in.

As things stand I''m pretty certain he won't be going anywhere.  And that's alright with me. But we need to change the pattern soo.  Not scoring enough early, fading in the 2nd half and dropping points is so familiar we need to try something different.  And that's down to Ralph.  I thought he'd fixed it earlier but 3 of the last 4 games suggest it's still there.

[The Kraken]

4 minutes ago, The Left Back said:

We're on track to stay up, but not much more.  I suspect the board won't do anything while that's the case. Today we were 2 minutes from going 11th.

For those who want Ralph gone we are not doing badly enough to create momentum.  It still feels like the Ralph out movement (not cult) is on-line more than in the city or the stadium.

For those who want Ralph to stay he's not doing well enough to make it easy for us to defend him. I'm more in this camp, which is why I try to stay away from here on days like this.  But like a moth to a flame I've been drawn in.

As things stand I''m pretty certain he won't be going anywhere.  And that's alright with me. But we need to change the pattern soo.  Not scoring enough early, fading in the 2nd half and dropping points is so familiar we need to try something different.  And that's down to Ralph.  I thought he'd fixed it earlier but 3 of the last 4 games suggest it's still there.

Good summary, it’s where I’m at.

[Saint_lambden]

48 minutes ago, The Left Back said:

We're on track to stay up, but not much more.  I suspect the board won't do anything while that's the case. Today we were 2 minutes from going 11th.

For those who want Ralph gone we are not doing badly enough to create momentum.  It still feels like the Ralph out movement (not cult) is on-line more than in the city or the stadium.

For those who want Ralph to stay he's not doing well enough to make it easy for us to defend him. I'm more in this camp, which is why I try to stay away from here on days like this.  But like a moth to a flame I've been drawn in.

As things stand I''m pretty certain he won't be going anywhere.  And that's alright with me. But we need to change the pattern soo.  Not scoring enough early, fading in the 2nd half and dropping points is so familiar we need to try something different.  And that's down to Ralph.  I thought he'd fixed it earlier but 3 of the last 4 games suggest it's still there.

I suspect a lot are the missing 3,000 or so from the attendance every home game but that’s not to say there isn’t an anti Ralph sentiment in the ground - the boos at full-time were very much a reflection of seeing the same pattern for 3 years. 

[Ex Lion Tamer]

48 minutes ago, The Left Back said:

We're on track to stay up, but not much more.  I suspect the board won't do anything while that's the case. Today we were 2 minutes from going 11th.

For those who want Ralph gone we are not doing badly enough to create momentum.  It still feels like the Ralph out movement (not cult) is on-line more than in the city or the stadium.

For those who want Ralph to stay he's not doing well enough to make it easy for us to defend him. I'm more in this camp, which is why I try to stay away from here on days like this.  But like a moth to a flame I've been drawn in.

As things stand I''m pretty certain he won't be going anywhere.  And that's alright with me. But we need to change the pattern soo.  Not scoring enough early, fading in the 2nd half and dropping points is so familiar we need to try something different.  And that's down to Ralph.  I thought he'd fixed it earlier but 3 of the last 4 games suggest it's still there.

Grab an extra goal in the first half and we win this game. That's what's so tantalising - it feels like we're so close to being a good side. With a clinical striker and a better keeper we'd be a mid table team. As it is, it is hard to defend but I've certainly seen far worse Saints sides. Today doesn't bear comparison to the way the relegation side kept panicking and dropping points

[Micky]

2 hours ago, Østerrike said:

people react like it was a lost, just read the comments

It was a loss.  We lost 2 points,  again. 

[Whitey Grandad]

53 minutes ago, Micky said:

It was a loss.  We lost 2 points,  again. 

We won a point.

[There when Franny scored]

2 hours ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

The 9-0's are a millstone around his neck that will probably never go away (well, not unless he achieves something truly remarkable, like win a trophy or something). They will always be used as a stick to beat him with and it's only fair to be honest (no matter how unfair the second one was IMO).

I'm still in the camp that thinks we should persevere with him, but I often ask myself why. I guess the reason is that I honestly don't think either of us could do any better at this time and that the continuity is probably doing us more good than we can really appreciate.

The thing that frustrates / motivates me in equal measure is that we always seem 2-3 games away from either a decent / toxic position, but invariably we achieve neither.  If we'd won against Leicester and Brighton things would be looking rather good right now, but if we'd lost them then we'd probably all be calling for his head.  It was the same with the Norwich game, a real punch in the stomach after the promise beforehand.

In summary, we just seem to be plodding along in the most mediocre of fashions, but then that pretty much reflects the club as a whole really?

This is correct - well put. It’s also the best we can achieve without any serious investment.
 

The expectations on here are baffling bordering on moronic 

[Billy the Kidd]

1 minute ago, There when Franny scored said:

This is correct - well put. It’s also the best we can achieve without any serious investment.
 

The expectations on here are baffling bordering on moronic 

Just so we are clear, what expectations are on here? That we don’t capitulate in 2nd halves? That we player more consistently, that we make better subs more often. 

Im not sure these are so moronic. I’ve always been keen to keep Ralph, but im very confused about him, and likely not as confused as he is about how to change things. 

[There when Franny scored]

1 minute ago, Billy the Kidd said:

Just so we are clear, what expectations are on here? That we don’t capitulate in 2nd halves? That we player more consistently, that we make better subs more often. 

Im not sure these are so moronic. I’ve always been keen to keep Ralph, but im very confused about him, and likely not as confused as he is about how to change things. 

We’ve regularly capitulated from winning positions in my 40 years watching Saints. You can’t expect to play vaguely attacking, high tempo football like we do and not have spells later in the game where the other team are on top. He said when we he arrived it might be a roller coaster but it wouldn’t be boring. He’s true to his word. He obviously doesn’t tell them to capitulate second half but a team of mediocre players can’t play well the whole game. If they could they wouldn’t be playing for us. If they can, we sell them to better teams. 
 

The style we play has us doing fairly well for the players we have given the overall minimal net outlay over a prolonged period. Lots of other teams have spent more and been relegated. You have to accept the drawbacks in our approach. In the long term Ralph considers it pays off. So far I would say he’s basically right. We stay up and have had a couple of decent cup runs. 
 

The other obvious approach for a club like us is to do what Puel did. Organised with an emphasis on a defensive platform. He also kept us up and we had a decent cup run. 
 

Do you remember how his style of football went down on here!

[Lighthouse]

I really didn’t see this as a second half capitulation. They had one chance straight at McCarthy, used all three subs trying to change things but we contained them well, and had chances to make it a comfortable two or three - nil.

Today was on the players, our game plan was sound and the subs pretty much correct. I don’t know what Ralph is supposed to do about JWP playing a truly astonishing ball across the front of his own penalty box, without looking and with a massive space in front of him.

[Micky]

28 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

We won a point.

Probably the way the management and players are looking at it as well. Very, very sad.

[Billy the Kidd]

Just now, There when Franny scored said:

We’ve regularly capitulated from winning positions in my 40 years watching Saints. You can’t expect to play vaguely attacking, high tempo football like we do and not have spells later in the game where the other team are on top. He said when we he arrived it might be a roller coaster but it wouldn’t be boring. He’s true to his word. He obviously doesn’t tell them to capitulate second half but a team of mediocre players can’t play well the whole game. If they could they wouldn’t be playing for us. If they can, we sell them to better teams. 
 

The style we play has us doing fairly well for the players we have given the overall minimal net outlay over a prolonged period. Lots of other teams have spent more and been relegated. You have to accept the drawbacks in our approach. In the long term Ralph considers it pays off. So far I would say he’s basically right. We stay up and have had a couple of decent cup runs. 
 

The other obvious approach for a club like us is to do what Puel did. Organised with an emphasis on a defensive platform. He also kept us up and we had a decent cup run. 
 

Do you remember how his style of football went down on here!

Well I don’t think we need to play like Puels team to be more effective than now. 

Watching Saints do so for 40 years is irrelevant. Maybe we need to play to the strengths of the players we have. Rangnick was interviewed the other day and asked about Ronaldo. He said you have to play a way to suit the players. We are doing the exact opposite and have done for 4 years under Ralph. At times it has been ok and worked well, and others it has been a disaster. 

We have done ok and Ralph has kept us up, that doesn’t mean we can’t do better or worse, but Ralph for sure has an arrogance about him and doesn’t like saying he got it wrong. 

Not wanting to drag up the Puel shit, it wasn’t all bad, boring shit under him, maybe the last 6 weeks but I didn’t mind him personally, and it was never as bad as people made out. 

[saint michael]

I think the vast majority on here don’t just want to see managers go, but are sick of paying for and watching this repeated awful performance game in and game out. I’m a saints supporter it’s not about winning every game but my frustration at watching us make the same mistakes every game in the 2 nd half is really growing.  I’m not sure the players are as bad as the 2nd halves show but the tactical nouse certainly is. It’s like knowing you are going to crash and just not stopping it..  that’s Ralph’s job. Whether he is up to it or not can be debated, but it seems to me that he is not  as he just can’t stop it happening. 
 

 

[Micky]

21 minutes ago, There when Franny scored said:

 

The expectations on here are baffling bordering on moronic 

What is 'moronic' about expecting us to win a home game to a weakened Brighton side who are down to ten men?

[Billy the Kidd]

3 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I really didn’t see this as a second half capitulation. They had one chance straight at McCarthy, used all three subs trying to change things but we contained them well, and had chances to make it a comfortable two or three - nil.

Today was on the players, our game plan was sound and the subs pretty much correct. I don’t know what Ralph is supposed to do about JWP playing a truly astonishing ball across the front of his own penalty box, without looking and with a massive space in front of him.

You have a point about the 2nd half and I get you can’t always dominate the game for 90 mins, but Ralph rarely makes any attempt to change stuff when opposing teams and managers change stuff. 

I agree the players let him down, but that was mainly from 90 to 98 mins, what about the other 45 mins before where we didn’t really change stuff or try to play in a different way? JWP brain farting and using that as the excuse is papering over the cracks imo. 

As good as I think we were against a better Leicester side, Brighton we’re poor and we couldn’t beat them, and barely reacted to this in the second period. So correct not a capitulation but hardly a ringing endorsement for a tactical masterclass from Ralph either. Put simply, he barely blinked second half. 

[There when Franny scored]

7 minutes ago, Billy the Kidd said:

Well I don’t think we need to play like Puels team to be more effective than now. 

Watching Saints do so for 40 years is irrelevant. Maybe we need to play to the strengths of the players we have. Rangnick was interviewed the other day and asked about Ronaldo. He said you have to play a way to suit the players. We are doing the exact opposite and have done for 4 years under Ralph. At times it has been ok and worked well, and others it has been a disaster. 

We have done ok and Ralph has kept us up, that doesn’t mean we can’t do better or worse, but Ralph for sure has an arrogance about him and doesn’t like saying he got it wrong. 

Not wanting to drag up the Puel shit, it wasn’t all bad, boring shit under him, maybe the last 6 weeks but I didn’t mind him personally, and it was never as bad as people made out. 

I think that’s a fair view although I don’t agree. I think we play quite entertaining football given the players we have and get enough points in the process. We might be able to play a more boring style and get more points with these players but certainly not many more. They aren’t good players relative to the league. I think Brighton have better players and have certainly invested more. 
 

Completely agree about Puel though. I was simply pointing out how he was viewed on here. I also rated him. 

[Adkins' Bus]

Overall I would say we are on par for where we should be given squad and resources.

The nature of our results are very frustrating and I think people would be more accepting of these results if we had gone behind and come back to draw. 

Dare I say maybe the plan is to go out all guns blazing, try and get 1-2 ahead and then hold on for dear life in the 2nd half. If we were even slightly better at the 2nd half bit we would be top half and above our station so it's fine margins. 

Saying that, I thought the 2nd half was ok today and this one, along with Norwich really is down to very poor individual errors. Again, fine margins...

[Maggie May]

17 minutes ago, Micky said:

What is 'moronic' about expecting us to win a home game to a weakened Brighton side who are down to ten men?

‘Moronic’ = ‘Omicron’ 😮

 

[Whitey Grandad]

We had one substitute left at the end. That would have helped to break up their rhythm.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

44 minutes ago, Adkins' Bus said:

Overall I would say we are on par for where we should be given squad and resources.

The nature of our results are very frustrating and I think people would be more accepting of these results if we had gone behind and come back to draw. 

Dare I say maybe the plan is to go out all guns blazing, try and get 1-2 ahead and then hold on for dear life in the 2nd half. If we were even slightly better at the 2nd half bit we would be top half and above our station so it's fine margins. 

Saying that, I thought the 2nd half was ok today and this one, along with Norwich really is down to very poor individual errors. Again, fine margins...

Exactly

[Dr Who?]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

I really didn’t see this as a second half capitulation. They had one chance straight at McCarthy, used all three subs trying to change things but we contained them well, and had chances to make it a comfortable two or three - nil.

Today was on the players, our game plan was sound and the subs pretty much correct. I don’t know what Ralph is supposed to do about JWP playing a truly astonishing ball across the front of his own penalty box, without looking and with a massive space in front of him.

Drop him? 

[Chris cooper]

8 hours ago, Dr Who? said:

Drop him? 

Drop him off town quay !

[S-Clarke]

12 hours ago, Billy the Kidd said:

You have a point about the 2nd half and I get you can’t always dominate the game for 90 mins, but Ralph rarely makes any attempt to change stuff when opposing teams and managers change stuff. 

I agree the players let him down, but that was mainly from 90 to 98 mins, what about the other 45 mins before where we didn’t really change stuff or try to play in a different way? JWP brain farting and using that as the excuse is papering over the cracks imo. 

As good as I think we were against a better Leicester side, Brighton we’re poor and we couldn’t beat them, and barely reacted to this in the second period. So correct not a capitulation but hardly a ringing endorsement for a tactical masterclass from Ralph either. Put simply, he barely blinked second half. 

He has come out and stated why he left subs later, sometimes he does them earlier but it didn't make a difference I didn't feel. We were still in the game and controlling it to a certain degree. Brighton had the majority of the ball but they played in front of us, so it was fairly comfortable and we were managing it without much stress.

Without that brain fart we'd have seen that game out with relative ease, let's be honest. And I doubt his 'in game management' would have been questioned at all then. Not sure I can really throw the shit at Ralph for 'costing us' this one, as we really weren't in any trouble. The on field players caused it themselves.

[Billy the Kidd]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

He has come out and stated why he left subs later, sometimes he does them earlier but it didn't make a difference I didn't feel. We were still in the game and controlling it to a certain degree. Brighton had the majority of the ball but they played in front of us, so it was fairly comfortable and we were managing it without much stress.

Without that brain fart we'd have seen that game out with relative ease, let's be honest. And I doubt his 'in game management' would have been questioned at all then. Not sure I can really throw the shit at Ralph for 'costing us' this one, as we really weren't in any trouble. The on field players caused it themselves.

I was questioning his game management before the brain fart. I could understand if we rarely struggled in second halves of games, but it is rare if we don’t struggle. I think it is very relative to question Ralph’s game management, considering we have lost 71 points from winning positions  

That said, we weren’t as bad yesterday but we can’t keep dropping point against teams we need to be beating, it ends in relegation. 

It just seems all a little too predictable, if we don’t have the players to work in Ralph’s system, he needs to change the system until he has the players. 

I agree the players need to shoulder some of the blame for this, but so does Ralph, as the farce at the end he could have known about with the injury to Alex. 

[Disco Stu]

13 hours ago, Adkins' Bus said:

Overall I would say we are on par for where we should be given squad and resources.

The nature of our results are very frustrating and I think people would be more accepting of these results if we had gone behind and come back to draw. 

Dare I say maybe the plan is to go out all guns blazing, try and get 1-2 ahead and then hold on for dear life in the 2nd half. If we were even slightly better at the 2nd half bit we would be top half and above our station so it's fine margins. 

Saying that, I thought the 2nd half was ok today and this one, along with Norwich really is down to very poor individual errors. Again, fine margins...

If our strategy is to give our opponents the initiative in second halves sitting on one goal leads,that's a pretty bad strategy.

[Sarnia Cherie]

Ralph celebrates 3 years as Saints manager. The longest managerial stint in the Premier League for a Southampton boss. He has had his ups and downs but given the squad and money available I think he has done a decent job. There are most certainly worse managers and we have had most of those. 

[Whitey Grandad]

10 minutes ago, Sarnia Cherie said:

Ralph celebrates 3 years as Saints manager. The longest managerial stint in the Premier League for a Southampton boss. He has had his ups and downs but given the squad and money available I think he has done a decent job. There are most certainly worse managers and we have had most of those. 

I agree, and we have had a succession of poor ones before him, but that does not mean that we could not find better. Whether this is the best time for a change is another matter.

[Diabolus Ex Machina]

And so the Ralph conundrum continues…we hold on against Brighton and we currently would have been 11^th in the table on 18pts which I think most would be happy with. Instead it’s 2 more dropped points from a winning position and leaves us in 14^th with potential to drop further before the end of the game week.

It is still another point on the board however and with a 6 point gap to the relegation zone we shouldn’t be in panic mode yet. As that middle of the pack starts to stretch out we need to be nearer the top than the bottom though. Don’t hold out much hope against Arsenal but Palace and Brentford could be good chances to pick up more points.

Regardless of the individual errors that have cost us at times the stat about points lost from winning positions since Ralph arrived are pretty damning in the fact that it is a problem that has not been improved upon. Then again you can’t lose those points unless you’re in a position to win them – would that be happening under another coach?

The whole fiasco with McCarthy and not knowing/being told the extent of his injury is a little worrying as it seems to show a lack of communication between the bench and players. The players seem to all be with Ralph though so maybe a one-off rather than any cracks appearing in the players relationship with him. Will have to wait and see on that I think.

In the overall scheme of things this isn’t even the worst start we’ve had under Ralph – in 2019/20 we were only on 15 points after 15 games. We finished the season in 11^th on 52 points however so maybe some optimism there (though I don’t think we have anyone capable of matching Ings output that season to help us reach those heights this season).

On the other hand, if we matched our performance from last season from this point on we’d only finish on 33 points which would definitely have us as relegation candidates and is extremely concerning with our goalscoring issues and injuries to our 2 first team keepers.

Feels like it really could go any way currently, I’m just glad there appears to be at least 3 teams worse than us in the league.

One last comparison for fun (as you really can’t make a direct comparison), but in the much-maligned Pellegrino’s season with us he had managed 17 points in his first 15 games. His 16^th game – against Arsenal. We got a draw.