Teddeer

Against Man Utd I'd go for; FF KWP Bednarek (or New Centre Back) Salisu Peraud Tino JWP Romeu Dialo S.Armstrong A.Armstrong

Good point - we have wasted a not unsubstantial wage on Walcott that could have gone towards paying a half competent goalkeeper. That made lots of sense because Walcott is far more likely to be instrumental in keeping us out of a relegation scrap than a decent goalie isn't he.

Have you forgotten the run last season after we beat Liverpool?

Spot on.

If that was at the other end Pickford would have come and cleaned everybody out and rightly so.

You'd like to assume that if Salisu heard the call 'AWAY!' he would have reacted differently.

Not sure Utd would be happy with that.

Looks even worse for McCarthy in this photo because the ball is fairly high which suggests he had enough time to take a step or two and hurl himself, arms spread, to at least make Richarlson's job more difficult. He looked caught in two minds.

Well I'd take one new centre back but agree with the rest.

I think FF would have at least got himself forward and in Richarlson's face and made himself big to make the forward's job more difficult. AM just waved his arms above his head as though surrendering.

Yet he somehow continues to cling to the belief that AM is a better option than FF. Ok, we're talking the lesser of two evils here but at least pick the right one.

Won't solve much without bringing in a decent goalkeeper as well.

Time for some book burning - every copy of Ralph's playing bible needs to go on the fire. Rip it up and start again.

Shame he fails to admit his part in two of the goals. Head in the sand Jack.

We only scored one or are you saying he enjoyed a vital goal scored against us? If so there is something seriously troubling about his thought process.

Well, Stephens is competent back up as long as you are prepared to gloss over the fact that he played a huge part in the first and third goals conceded. Swung wildly at an attempted fairly routine clearance and conceded a needless corner and then completely ignored Calvert-Lewin and allowed him a stooping header under no pressure. I''m afraid he is nowhere near the level needed.

Agree. Thought we should have brought on KWP at full back and shifted Livramento to play in front of him. That would have been a far stronger pairing than having Walcott there because he had barely any influence on the game. I think KWP and Tino would have been more effective defensively and offensively

Yeah, just watched the highlights and Stephens is far too casual and allows Calvert-Lewin to score. He makes no attempt to mark him or apply any pressure. You can't have your centre backs doing that at this level. Trouble is, it seems Ralph and the coaches let things like that go so there will never be any improvement.

I think he is too indecisive for his own good. My take is that he sits on his hands - he probably knows the game is getting away, the tide is turning and he should bring on a sub or two but has a mental block and a little voice in his head tells him things might get better on their own so don't make a change. Then, bang, it's too late and his hand is forced and he has no option but to bring on a sub. He is rarely first to the punch so is forever being reactive rather than proactive. I think that's in his DNA.

But isn't one of the problems with his system that we expend too much energy in the first half and haven't enough left in the tank for the second half? These collapses are a recurring theme and that cannot be a coincidence. His methods are not sustainable for much more than 45 minutes.

A fair summary of how I view the situation with Ralph in charge.

Do whatever it takes to get Sam Johnstone. I accept we are paying FF and AM big money but we have to bite the bullet or we risk losing far more by the very real prospect of relegation if we rely on these two who are not even close to the level required. Goalkeeper is such a key position - a good one can save you many points and a bad one saps confidence in his defenders and costs points.

Ralph seems very stubborn and set in his ways but I wonder if it's time for him to try out a different formation. The definition of insanity is to keep trying the same thing and expect something to change. Or is he a one-trick pony with very limited vision?

Fans to blame rather than the very highly paid manager, coaches and players. Interesting spin.

Yeah, give him the service and he'll bang in the goals. Trouble is, we have very little creativity.