Ralph Hasenhuttl

[Smirking_Saint]

6 hours ago, spyinthesky said:

I heard from a normally reliable source that Ralph has 6 games to pull us out of this dire run of form.

If unsuccessful his new No 2 will take over.

He has until November and his replacement won’t come from within, we also have a January kitty

[Saint Fan CaM]

Interesting to hear from the happy flappy denial brigade - it’s all ok because we’ve only played one game.

WARNING! Wake up call incoming - we’re sat bottom of the league after a tonking by Spurs. Not a surprise, especially given that we ended last season looking equally as bad. What IS a surprise is the failure by the coaching team to address the reasons for the lack of goals and inept defensive errors AND the Boards inability to bring in the required quality players to replace the departed etc. and raise result expectations.

[Gingeletiss]

The problem  I have with RH, is his weird selections. Take Saturday for example, if we count Valery as a CB, then he has to be 6th choice, yet there he was front and centre in our defence, along with a winger playing LWB, when we have a left back sat on the bench. Chuck in AA playing up front, with Adams on the bench, and you have one of the most baffling team selections going.

For me, he has run his course, and must go. Never known a manager like it, for playing people out of position.

[Whitey Grandad]

8 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Interesting to hear from the happy flappy denial brigade - it’s all ok because we’ve only played one game.

WARNING! Wake up call incoming - we’re sat bottom of the league after a tonking by Spurs. Not a surprise, especially given that we ended last season looking equally as bad. What IS a surprise is the failure by the coaching team to address the reasons for the lack of goals and inept defensive errors AND the Boards inability to bring in the required quality players to replace the departed etc. and raise result expectations.

But we’re only three points off being top of the league???
 

Any league table is meaningless when only one game has been played. It’s not just the Spurs game though. We are merely carrying on where last season ended.

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, Gingeletiss said:

The problem  I have with RH, is his weird selections. Take Saturday for example, if we count Valery as a CB, then he has to be 6th choice, yet there he was front and centre in our defence, along with a winger playing LWB, when we have a left back sat on the bench. Chuck in AA playing up front, with Adams on the bench, and you have one of the most baffling team selections going.

For me, he has run his course, and must go. Never known a manager like it, for playing people out of position.

It’s all one big ego trip to him.

[niceandfriendly]

2 hours ago, Gingeletiss said:

Never known a manager like it, for playing people out of position.

Burley was highly skilled in that department. Ralph seems to be following suit.

[Pilchards]

2 hours ago, Gingeletiss said:

The problem  I have with RH, is his weird selections. Take Saturday for example, if we count Valery as a CB, then he has to be 6th choice, yet there he was front and centre in our defence, along with a winger playing LWB, when we have a left back sat on the bench. Chuck in AA playing up front, with Adams on the bench, and you have one of the most baffling team selections going.

For me, he has run his course, and must go. Never known a manager like it, for playing people out of position.

Take any game in the last 4/5 months.

The guy has lost it and I personally think he is too involved these days with the whole club setup following his tactics book he brought out. He’s a fraud and outdated.

PS we don’t squeeze opposition anymore as we’ve lost our identity AGAIN.

[Sunglasses Ron]

8 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Interesting to hear from the happy flappy denial brigade - it’s all ok because we’ve only played one game.

WARNING! Wake up call incoming - we’re sat bottom of the league after a tonking by Spurs. Not a surprise, especially given that we ended last season looking equally as bad. What IS a surprise is the failure by the coaching team to address the reasons for the lack of goals and inept defensive errors AND the Boards inability to bring in the required quality players to replace the departed etc. and raise result expectations.

I'm proper deflated after the opening game BUT I'm prepared to give Ralph until the end of the month before I go nuclear on him.

What I need to understand is whether the text highlighted in bold might have been addressed through the new signings / signings yet to come.  I admit it's probably unlikely, and that they were probably signed without Ralph actually identifying them, but what's to say that Bazunu, Bella-Kotchap, Lavia, Aribo and Mara aren't all amazing and transform the spine of our team over the coming weeks? 

What would really help is if he kept things simple and actually played the best people in the right positions!

[sfc4prem]

8 minutes ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

I'm proper deflated after the opening game BUT I'm prepared to give Ralph until the end of the month before I go nuclear on him.

What I need to understand is whether the text highlighted in bold might have been addressed through the new signings / signings yet to come.  I admit it's probably unlikely, and that they were probably signed without Ralph actually identifying them, but what's to say that Bazunu, Bella-Kotchap, Lavia, Aribo and Mara aren't all amazing and transform the spine of our team over the coming weeks? 

What would really help is if he kept things simple and actually played the best people in the right positions!

That we're even requesting this of Ralph is a damning indictment. 

[Smirking_Saint]

2 hours ago, Gingeletiss said:

The problem  I have with RH, is his weird selections. Take Saturday for example, if we count Valery as a CB, then he has to be 6th choice, yet there he was front and centre in our defence, along with a winger playing LWB, when we have a left back sat on the bench. Chuck in AA playing up front, with Adams on the bench, and you have one of the most baffling team selections going.

For me, he has run his course, and must go. Never known a manager like it, for playing people out of position.

I can go along with this, was happy to give RH the benefit of the doubt and a bit of time this season, new coaching team and players… but we just reverted to type on Saturday, capitulating too easily and again Ralph plays players out of their positions.. its baffling and Ive had enough of it

Ive been consistently Ralph in but Im just tired by it all

Edited 9 August, 2022 by Smirking_Saint

[Sunglasses Ron]

55 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

That we're even requesting this of Ralph is a damning indictment. 

Yes, I really do think it is.  I guess what he calls pragmatism, we call stupidity, so he has to live or die with the consequences.

[Toussaint]

Gao didn't do us a lot of good, but he didn't do us any harm either. I have the same feeling now as I had when Lowe was the main man, someone / people in control that "know better".  Ralph should have gone last season, but I'm not even sure that is going to solve that much right now. We have bought poorly so far, it seems from the outside that Ralph is now working within a rigid framework and he has less control. Of the managers that get talked about here  aren't going to work or flourish under those conditions, or even accept a job. 

[Daft Kerplunk]

What is absolutely crazy from Ralph is this idea that players need time to understand how to play ‘our’ way. Each of these players has come through an academy, and first team football in some cases where they’ve learned how to play football. Needing a long time to understand how we play is all complete bollocks, and the fact that he is trying to overcomplicate it shows that he isn’t clear enough to players, and players will see through the nonsense. The chopping and changing of players and playing players out of position is a nonsense. Semmens and the other board members will think Ralph is a top man because they think their own efforts are too complex for the little people to understand, and that Ralph is like them and nobody else understands the difficulty in their work. 
 

All the players we’ve signed should be able to play for a well organised team by a man who provides clear and straightforward instructions, and who motivates players to play to the best of their abilities consistently. Football is most definitely not rocket science.

 

[John B]

17 minutes ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

What is absolutely crazy from Ralph is this idea that players need time to understand how to play ‘our’ way. Each of these players has come through an academy, and first team football in some cases where they’ve learned how to play football. Needing a long time to understand how we play is all complete bollocks, and the fact that he is trying to overcomplicate it shows that he isn’t clear enough to players, and players will see through the nonsense. The chopping and changing of players and playing players out of position is a nonsense. Semmens and the other board members will think Ralph is a top man because they think their own efforts are too complex for the little people to understand, and that Ralph is like them and nobody else understands the difficulty in their work. 
 

All the players we’ve signed should be able to play for a well organised team by a man who provides clear and straightforward instructions, and who motivates players to play to the best of their abilities consistently. Football is most definitely not rocket science.

 

Do you really think that many of the new players would have got into Koeman's Saints team

 

They are young and inexperienced and make mistakes

 

We have no stand out strikers and limited creative players

 

WE have two full backs who are not match fit

 

Only KWP JWP Romeu  would get into other PL teams plus S Armstrong who appears to have fitness issues

 

 

[Toussaint]

23 minutes ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

What is absolutely crazy from Ralph is this idea that players need time to understand how to play ‘our’ way. Each of these players has come through an academy, and first team football in some cases where they’ve learned how to play football. Needing a long time to understand how we play is all complete bollocks, and the fact that he is trying to overcomplicate it shows that he isn’t clear enough to players, and players will see through the nonsense. The chopping and changing of players and playing players out of position is a nonsense. Semmens and the other board members will think Ralph is a top man because they think their own efforts are too complex for the little people to understand, and that Ralph is like them and nobody else understands the difficulty in their work. 
 

All the players we’ve signed should be able to play for a well organised team by a man who provides clear and straightforward instructions, and who motivates players to play to the best of their abilities consistently. Football is most definitely not rocket science.

 

Understanding is one thing, I'm just not sure it is actually possible to play Ralph's way for anything other than fleeting moments,  It isn't sustainable, and when it breaks down it generally does so catastrophically.  When we were 2 - 1 down Saturday, we were throwing so many players forward, Djenepo was committed in the right wing position, I said to my daughter we were going to turn it over and concede a goal, then pass pass goal to spurs. The massive spaces we leave would make VVD look a clown at CB  

[Jeremy Corbyn]

1 hour ago, Toussaint said:

Understanding is one thing, I'm just not sure it is actually possible to play Ralph's way for anything other than fleeting moments,  It isn't sustainable, and when it breaks down it generally does so catastrophically.  When we were 2 - 1 down Saturday, we were throwing so many players forward, Djenepo was committed in the right wing position, I said to my daughter we were going to turn it over and concede a goal, then pass pass goal to spurs. The massive spaces we leave would make VVD look a clown at CB  

It might be possible with very good players, we don't have very good players.  It's a high end style being played by a low end team.

[Toussaint]

2 minutes ago, Jeremy Corbyn said:

It might be possible with very good players, we don't have very good players.  It's a high end style being played by a low end team.

It is, i did think that, and immediately thought of City and Liverpool, but as you say, we don't have that calibre of player, which makes Ralph foolish / pig headed, trying to get players doing things they are not capable of doing. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

Apologies for stating the obvious, but lets set out some basics - Ralph (and his team) determine the ‘playbook’ (tactics, strategy) that the playing staff work with. He determines which of his fit squad members are to be selected. He motivates and enthuses the squad. He prepares the team for matches in terms of research done on the opposition and the strengths and weaknesses.  He makes decisions during a match with regards substitutions and of course re-instructs players in tactical play if things are not working (or at least he has the opportunity to).

Let’s be clear, even this squad of players has been capable of some great wins - even after losing Ings. There appears to be a particular point when results just tumbled away. Why is this? Lack of consistency obviously, but in what element(s) of the above and what is stopping Ralph from reversing the decline? I don’t believe it’s solely down to the players - I think it’s a combination of…

1. Ralph’s inability to motivate in the shadow of his premature retirement announcement and a lack of trust in his coaching staff to provide him with advice. Incoming staff can get infected by the same mentality.

2. A lack of mental and physical stamina in the team with exception of 3-4 players such as JWP.

3. A lack of tactical experience and variety of play, which of course leads to bewildering decision making by Ralph.

4. A recruitment philosophy that is out of step with the demands of a group of players trying to enact a playbook that suits a more expensive and capable squad.

Yes, we definitely need two new capable strikers, but if Ralph can’t find a system that works for this group of players then it’s regrettable but inevitable that he must be moved on. Yes it’s only one game into the season, but there is scant evidence in the performances we’ve seen that anything has changed since the end of last season.  The ultimate concern is that the squad is damaged beyond repair and a new Manager will still fail, so there cannot be too much time spent deciding whether Ralph is the man to arrest this alarming decline.

[Rebel]

I am still convinced that if Ralph didn't have 2 years left of £6/7 million a year contract we would have sacked him.

I am also pretty convinced Ralph is a one trick pony manager - he can only play and coach 4-2-2-2 high pressing football -which can succeed brilliantly at times but can also fail spectacularly at times.

If it doesn't work he has no idea.  Look at how we dealt with the direct teams like Burnley in the past - he had no idea what to do.

Also look at how we played 3 at the back on Saturday compared to Spurs or Brighton over the weekend.  

It was kind of a 3 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 1  with one defensive midfielder, 3 box-to-box midfielders, 2 wingbacks , 1 AM and 1 CF (not too mention playing Djneppo on the left as a wing back when he is right footed, Adarma as lone striker despite his stature, Valery as a centreback and Romeu as a box-to-box midfielder when he doesn't have the engine for it)

if you are going to play 3 at the back for defensive solidity you need to play 2 holding midfielders in front of them to cover the gaps and then you can allow your wingbacks to get forward and provide width and play 1-2 or 2-1 up front

playing 3 AM up front at the end of the game and no striker just added insult to injury

Brighton played 3-3-3-1 or 3-2-2-2-1 - whichever way it was they provided more cover and protection for the back 3 than we did

was Ralph being too clever for his own good or was he just being clueless?  I am not sure which to be honest

he is not helped by the fact we don't have enough players who are really good enough for the premier league and the squad is short in key areas (CB/FB/AM/CF) - but the real question is does he get the best out of the players / team we have? 

I am not sure he does

 

 

[Alan Sugarfree]

5 minutes ago, Rebel said:

I am still convinced that if Ralph didn't have 2 years left of £6/7 million a year contract we would have sacked him.

I am also pretty convinced Ralph is a one trick pony manager - he can only play and coach 4-2-2-2 high pressing football -which can succeed brilliantly at times but can also fail spectacularly at times.

If it doesn't work he has no idea.  Look at how we dealt with the direct teams like Burnley in the past - he had no idea what to do.

Also look at how we played 3 at the back on Saturday compared to Spurs or Brighton over the weekend.  

It was kind of a 3 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 1  with one defensive midfielder, 3 box-to-box midfielders, 2 wingbacks , 1 AM and 1 CF (not too mention playing Djneppo on the left as a wing back when he is right footed, Adarma as lone striker despite his stature, Valery as a centreback and Romeu as a box-to-box midfielder when he doesn't have the engine for it)

if you are going to play 3 at the back for defensive solidity you need to play 2 holding midfielders in front of them to cover the gaps and then you can allow your wingbacks to get forward and provide width and play 1-2 or 2-1 up front

playing 3 AM up front at the end of the game and no striker just added insult to injury

Brighton played 3-3-3-1 or 3-2-2-2-1 - whichever way it was they provided more cover and protection for the back 3 than we did

was Ralph being too clever for his own good or was he just being clueless?  I am not sure which to be honest

he is not helped by the fact we don't have enough players who are really good enough for the premier league and the squad is short in key areas (CB/FB/AM/CF) - but the real question is does he get the best out of the players / team we have? 

I am not sure he does

 

 

I’ve never understood this idea that if you sack the manager he gets the entirety of his contract settled. There will be break clauses and compensation penalties stipulated. 

[macca155]

3 hours ago, Toussaint said:

Understanding is one thing, I'm just not sure it is actually possible to play Ralph's way for anything other than fleeting moments,  It isn't sustainable, and when it breaks down it generally does so catastrophically.  When we were 2 - 1 down Saturday, we were throwing so many players forward, Djenepo was committed in the right wing position, I said to my daughter we were going to turn it over and concede a goal, then pass pass goal to spurs. The massive spaces we leave would make VVD look a clown at CB  

When it works its brilliant but that is rare these days. Opposition managers seem to find it easy these days to neuter Saints.

I think the clue is that nobody else tries to play this way.

[saintant]

13 hours ago, Smirking_Saint said:

He has until November and his replacement won’t come from within, we also have a January kitty

Shouldn't we be spending the January kitty now? Why wait until January when we need some serious signings right now? January could be too late.

[saintant]

5 hours ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

I'm proper deflated after the opening game BUT I'm prepared to give Ralph until the end of the month before I go nuclear on him.

What I need to understand is whether the text highlighted in bold might have been addressed through the new signings / signings yet to come.  I admit it's probably unlikely, and that they were probably signed without Ralph actually identifying them, but what's to say that Bazunu, Bella-Kotchap, Lavia, Aribo and Mara aren't all amazing and transform the spine of our team over the coming weeks? 

What would really help is if he kept things simple and actually played the best people in the right positions!

You've identified one of the main problems there....'if he kept things simple'. Unfortunately he tries to be too clever for his own good hence the weird formations, selections and strategies. 

[chuz]

33 minutes ago, Alan Sugarfree said:

I’ve never understood this idea that if you sack the manager he gets the entirety of his contract settled. There will be break clauses and compensation penalties stipulated. 

This idea of paying up a contract in full is an utter myth.  Either the manager will continue to be paid monthly until they get another job or a settlement is agreed.  The settlement is unlikely to be the entire contract apart from in very unusual circumstances (such as Lampard at Chelsea)....

[Charlie Wayman]

4 hours ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

What is absolutely crazy from Ralph is this idea that players need time to understand how to play ‘our’ way. Each of these players has come through an academy, and first team football in some cases where they’ve learned how to play football. Needing a long time to understand how we play is all complete bollocks, and the fact that he is trying to overcomplicate it shows that he isn’t clear enough to players, and players will see through the nonsense. The chopping and changing of players and playing players out of position is a nonsense.

All the players we’ve signed should be able to play for a well organised team by a man who provides clear and straightforward instructions, and who motivates players to play to the best of their abilities consistently. Football is most definitely not rocket science.

 

Of course the rot starts at the top, Semmens is an arrogant fraud and should have been booted out along with Hasenhüttl long ago. They're all bloody 'yes' men up there with itchy backs.

[aintforever]

48 minutes ago, Rebel said:

I am also pretty convinced Ralph is a one trick pony manager - he can only play and coach 4-2-2-2 high pressing football -which can succeed brilliantly at times but can also fail spectacularly at times.

If it doesn't work he has no idea.

 

This.  

[OttawaSaint]

Still here is he?

Jesus!

Hopefully on very thin ice. Hopefully one more out of a hat selection, comedy formation and dire result and he's gone!

SR need to protect their investment.

[StrangelyBrown]

9 hours ago, Gingeletiss said:

The problem  I have with RH, is his weird selections. Take Saturday for example, if we count Valery as a CB, then he has to be 6th choice, yet there he was front and centre in our defence, along with a winger playing LWB, when we have a left back sat on the bench. Chuck in AA playing up front, with Adams on the bench, and you have one of the most baffling team selections going.

For me, he has run his course, and must go. Never known a manager like it, for playing people out of position.

For me I've no problem with players being played out of position - plenty of good managers do this well. Valery may just be getting game time because Ralph has lost faith in Lyanco and Stephens - and who could blame him? What frustrates the hell out of me is the inability to see what isn't working and change it or the rigid sticking to the plan no matter what. For example how many times can we all see that a particular player is having a stinker and yet that player is the one who stays on the pitch and then stays in the starting 11 the next game or how many times have we looked exposed playing 4-2-2-2 and yet there's been no tactical changes.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

3 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Apologies for stating the obvious, but lets set out some basics - Ralph (and his team) determine the ‘playbook’ (tactics, strategy) that the playing staff work with. He determines which of his fit squad members are to be selected. He motivates and enthuses the squad. He prepares the team for matches in terms of research done on the opposition and the strengths and weaknesses.  He makes decisions during a match with regards substitutions and of course re-instructs players in tactical play if things are not working (or at least he has the opportunity to).

Let’s be clear, even this squad of players has been capable of some great wins - even after losing Ings. There appears to be a particular point when results just tumbled away. Why is this? Lack of consistency obviously, but in what element(s) of the above and what is stopping Ralph from reversing the decline? I don’t believe it’s solely down to the players - I think it’s a combination of…

1. Ralph’s inability to motivate in the shadow of his premature retirement announcement and a lack of trust in his coaching staff to provide him with advice. Incoming staff can get infected by the same mentality.

2. A lack of mental and physical stamina in the team with exception of 3-4 players such as JWP.

3. A lack of tactical experience and variety of play, which of course leads to bewildering decision making by Ralph.

4. A recruitment philosophy that is out of step with the demands of a group of players trying to enact a playbook that suits a more expensive and capable squad.

Yes, we definitely need two new capable strikers, but if Ralph can’t find a system that works for this group of players then it’s regrettable but inevitable that he must be moved on. Yes it’s only one game into the season, but there is scant evidence in the performances we’ve seen that anything has changed since the end of last season.  The ultimate concern is that the squad is damaged beyond repair and a new Manager will still fail, so there cannot be too much time spent deciding whether Ralph is the man to arrest this alarming decline.

Good well expressed post and one I agree with. The rubicon has been passed with Ralph and his continued presence harms us more with each day. 

[aintforever]

3 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Yes, we definitely need two new capable strikers 

This. face it, until this is sorted out we will be shite regardless of who is manager.

[stevy777_x]

16 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Interesting to hear from the happy flappy denial brigade - it’s all ok because we’ve only played one game.

WARNING! Wake up call incoming - we’re sat bottom of the league after a tonking by Spurs. Not a surprise, especially given that we ended last season looking equally as bad. What IS a surprise is the failure by the coaching team to address the reasons for the lack of goals and inept defensive errors AND the Boards inability to bring in the required quality players to replace the departed etc. and raise result expectations.

This thread is going to be comical when we beat Leeds this weekend

[LaptopSaint]

It’s already comical FFS.
 

Mara’s been binned off/written off after 45 minutes… Lavia and Bazunu wouldn’t get into any other PL team… Ralph’s deliberately throwing matches…

What a load of old pony. 

One thing I do agree with - we need at least one striker in who’s better than anyone we have. Without that, even a Klopp/Pep dream team would struggle. 

[Toussaint]

23 minutes ago, aintforever said:

This. face it, until this is sorted out we will be shite regardless of who is manager.

We could be much harder to beat though, that is one thing a new manager could do while the striker and other issues are being addressed. We have enough good players to grind out a few results.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

9 minutes ago, LaptopSaint said:

It’s already comical FFS.
 

Mara’s been binned off/written off after 45 minutes… Lavia and Bazunu wouldn’t get into any other PL team… Ralph’s deliberately throwing matches…

What a load of old pony. 

One thing I do agree with - we need at least one striker in who’s better than anyone we have. Without that, even a Klopp/Pep dream team would struggle. 

I agree a lot of that is Pony. Regarding Ralph - I don't think for one minute he is deliberately throwing matches. I think he is so lost and clueless how to turn things round that it just appears that way. Personally, I think part of the problem stems from all the drubbings and sizeable losses he has had during his tenure. He's now scared to deploy full Ralphball any more and we end up with a halfway house of ralphball paired with Southgateball. Difference being, England have far better players to play 3 at the back etc

[M271]

I think that a key time to make a decision about Ralph will be after 8 matches when the International Break happens mid September. By then we will have played likely Top 4 or 6 teams, likely mid table and lower table sides. We also need to be competing more effectively in games and not shipping goals in the quantity that we have been (any hammerings before then and that decision point could be brought forward). If we are as abject by then that we have been at the back end of last season I think that SP will look to replace him.

[revolution saint]

16 minutes ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

I agree a lot of that is Pony. Regarding Ralph - I don't think for one minute he is deliberately throwing matches. I think he is so lost and clueless how to turn things round that it just appears that way. Personally, I think part of the problem stems from all the drubbings and sizeable losses he has had during his tenure. He's now scared to deploy full Ralphball any more and we end up with a halfway house of ralphball paired with Southgateball. Difference being, England have far better players to play 3 at the back etc

If Alan Ball was manager would we play Ballball?

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

18 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

If Alan Ball was manager would we play Ballball?

ballball was some of the best football I ever saw saints play...at least when Alan was on th field playing it 🙂

[FarehamSaintJames]

Ralph just needs to go back to absolute basics. 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 - personally I'd prefer the latter. More bodies in midfield and then from that we could break forward.

From what I've seen on other threads, I think most on here have listed the following players as our strongest in the squad:
Bazanu;
KWP, ABK, Salisu, Perraud;
Lavia, Romeu, JWP, S. Armstrong, Redmond, Aribo, Elyounoussi,
Adams, A. Armstrong
(14 players). The rest of the squad I haven't really seen listed anywhere as being in fans "ideal starting line-up", so would also say to me that most of them are disposable i.e. McCarthy, Stephens, Bednarek, Djenepo etc. It also highlights how thin our squad actually is when you remove said deadwood.

With the above players you could easily make a decent 4-4-2 formation or 4-3-3 formation that could challenge and put up a bit more of a fight.

I think Ralph needs to do this, go back to basics. Not shoehorn the likes of Valery into CB, or try and turn Djenepo into a WB, or persist with playing Bednarek - who's head was obviously elsewhere when it came to Man City at home last season, we don't want players like that in a team that are scared to put in a tackle. Some of these things were tried and tested last season and through pre-season (Side note: Pre-season is not an accurate reflection of player/tactical ability). It doesn't work.

This is where Ralph lets himself down, and will continue to do so. 👍

Edited 9 August, 2022 by FarehamSaintJames

[Matthew Le God]

35 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

If Alan Ball was manager would we play Ballball?

 

16 minutes ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

ballball was some of the best football I ever saw saints play...at least when Alan was on th field playing it 🙂

BallBall was was essentially get the ball and pass it to Le Tissier 

[Turkish]

5 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Ralph just needs to go back to absolute basics. 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 - personally I'd prefer the latter. More bodies in midfield and then from that we could break forward.

From what I've seen on other threads, I think most on here have listed the following players as our strongest in the squad:
Bazanu;
KWP, ABK, Salisu, Perraud;
Lavia, Romeu, JWP, S. Armstrong, Redmond, Aribo, Elyounoussi,
Adams, A. Armstrong
(14 players). The rest of the squad I haven't really seen listed anywhere as being in fans "ideal starting line-up", so would also say to me that most of them are disposable i.e. McCarthy, Stephens, Bednarek, Djenepo etc. It also highlights how thin our squad actually is when you remove said deadwood.

With the above players you could easily make a decent 4-4-2 formation or 4-3-3 formation that could challenge and put up a bit more of a fight.

I think Ralph needs to do this, go back to basics. Not shoehorn the likes of Valery into CB, or try and turn Djenepo into a WB, or persist with playing Bednarek - who's head was obviously elsewhere when it came to Man City at home last season, we don't want players like that in a team that are scared to put in a tackle. Some of these things were tried and tested last season and through pre-season (Side note: Pre-season is not an accurate reflection of player/tactical ability). It doesn't work.

This is where Ralph lets himself down, and will continue to do so. 👍

He just needs to make us hard to beat FFS. We've conceded 67, 68 & 60 goals in his 3 full season. Consistently in the worst 3-4 defences in the league, It's much easier and cheaper to make us more solid with a good pair good centre back and concede 15-20 goals less a season than trying to find a 15-20 a season goalscorer who we can afford and would come here.

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

BallBall was was essentially get the ball and pass it to Le Tissier 

Matthew Le Tisser nave played a first team game when Ball was a saints player.

[Matthew Le God]

4 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Matthew Le Tisser nave played a first team game when Ball was a saints player.

🙄

Read my post in the context of what it was responding to.

It was responding to a post that said...

'If Alan Ball was manager would we play Ballball?'

Edited 9 August, 2022 by Matthew Le God

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Matthew Le God said:

🙄

Read my post in the context of what it was responding to.

It was responding to a post that said...

'If Alan Ball was manager would we play Ballball?'

and you quoted someone else who said 

 

8 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

ballball was some of the best football I ever saw saints play...at least when Alan was on th field playing it 🙂

Ball and Le Tissier never played in the same team, so how could Ballball be to give it to Le Tissier? Your post is deeply flawed.

[egg]

9 minutes ago, Turkish said:

He just needs to make us hard to beat FFS. We've conceded 67, 68 & 60 goals in his 3 full season. Consistently in the worst 3-4 defences in the league, It's much easier and cheaper to make us more solid with a good pair good centre back and concede 15-20 goals less a season than trying to find a 15-20 a season goalscorer who we can afford and would come here.

Yep. In Ralph ball, attack is the best form of defence. It'd be a good plan if we had an attack. We haven't, yet he still doesn't realise that his focus should be on our defence. 

[Matthew Le God]

7 minutes ago, Turkish said:

and you quoted someone else who said 

 

Ball and Le Tissier never played in the same team, so how could Ballball be to give it to Le Tissier? Your post is deeply flawed.

I quoted both as they were talking about the same topic. My post however was a direct response to the first one I quoted.

[egg]

3 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

I quoted both as they were talking about the same topic. My post however was a direct response to the first one I quoted.

Are you trying to make an actual point? If so, what's it's relevance to Ralph? Or anything that matters?

 

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

I quoted both as they were talking about the same topic. My post however was a direct response to the first one I quoted.

You should have made that clear, you quoted both posts but were only actually replying to one, this makes no sense. 

[Turkish]

13 minutes ago, egg said:

Yep. In Ralph ball, attack is the best form of defence. It'd be a good plan if we had an attack. We haven't, yet he still doesn't realise that his focus should be on our defence. 

Attack being the best form of defence is alright as well as long as we have defenders who can defend when they need to do their jobs. 

[Baird of the land]

1 hour ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

I agree a lot of that is Pony. Regarding Ralph - I don't think for one minute he is deliberately throwing matches. I think he is so lost and clueless how to turn things round that it just appears that way. Personally, I think part of the problem stems from all the drubbings and sizeable losses he has had during his tenure. He's now scared to deploy full Ralphball any more and we end up with a halfway house of ralphball paired with Southgateball. Difference being, England have far better players to play 3 at the back etc

I'd have more time for Ralph if we he was still trying to play his aggressive 4-2-2-2. This cower and hope approach is worthless.

[egg]

16 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Attack being the best form of defence is alright as well as long as we have defenders who can defend when they need to do their jobs. 

Indeed...it requires an attack and defence...we have neither.