Toussaint

I was there and didn't get that vibe. I agree he didn't look comfortable, but no manager in any business would look comfortable facing the stakeholders after sustained poor results. What I got, just my interpretation, was that there is recognition from the owner and the chairman that the league is improving and we are not, therefore we are falling behind, which is always the result of standing still. I think Ralph's "not good enough" quote bears this out. I also picked up a whiff of a big clear out, which is why I concluded that Ralph is staying but a number of the players are not. I could be 100% wrong of course. I don't think its fair to compare with the ladies, as I understand things they are very well funded in the sphere they operate in.

If it isn't that Ralph then please tell us what is behind the pathetic 5 points from the last 30 available?

Hope so, hope he's central to the rebuild.

First team players moving on this summer (pure speculation) Redmond, Stephens, McCarthy, Djneppo, AA, JWP (oh no!), Bednarek, Walcott (wishful thinking), Broja.

I’m not sure you can jump to the conclusion that he is proposing developing talent to sell, per se. Hopefully we can keep hold of some developed talent? Of course we know what happens to very good players who play for teams lower down the food chain, I wouldn’t hold that against him as that is out of his hands.

You were there too?

I have heard a number of things in the last few days that make me thing Ralph will be here next year but a significant number of the current the first team squad won't be, which may explain the massive performance drop off.

Goal of the season - JWP Players player of the season - JWP Fans player of the season - JWP Can't argue with any of that, in his own way he is the new MLT, take away his goals and assists and we'd be somewhere where Norwich and Villa are

I think that's part of it, but we also seem to have had a policy of recruiting "nice boys" for some time, when we could really do with a couple of shithouses in the team, but they would be inevitably harder to manage, and the club and management would not entertain that.

My opinion is not based on that article, it’s based on my observations. A few months ago there was a lot of talk about him wanting to stay, his family wanting him to stay and do on. That went very quiet and his form went off a cliff. Of course I can’t be “certain” but I don’t need to be as it just a football forum where on blows off a bit of steam now and then

Well not as stupid as it sounds, if he could make himself useful by mopping floors, unblocking toilets, opening up for evening functions etc I wouldn’t be so bitter about the money he gets paid, at least with the combined cheerleader / janitorial role he’d be showing willing.

Seems certain we no longer figure in his plans despite all the chatter before melt down part 3.

I don’t know if destroyed is the right word but what I mean is, we are really poor and he can’t get a look in, to the point that he put the woeful Redmond up front rather than give him a go yesterday. That would “destroy” me.

In my mind I’m beginning to see him and David Lee, (remember him) as the same person, brilliant in the championship, couldn’t get anywhere near Orem standard. Might be a bit unfair on AA, as I think he has been destroyed.

Ref really favouring Everton, he’s let them off with some nasty stuff

Kirk or Nemo for me.

I have no idea what point you are trying to make

That’s true, but if you took away the freakish win over Arsenal we’d be only 3 points ahead of Leeds and Burnley having played a game more, proper twitchy bum time. The ifs can go both ways.

Would he get in the Ralph team? Would he be played in his best position? Would the team be set up to get the best out of him? Would he run around like a loon trying to plug the midfield holes? Would he play a blinder then get dropped? I’m not sure Tadic is the sort of automaton that would thrive under Ralph.

Making no changes and continuing to attack Man U when we went down to ten was kamikaze stuff. Leicester was a freak, Man U was avoidable, Chelsea had the potential to be worse especially as we played the whole game with eleven, fortunately for us they settled at 6 with their focus being on the champions league game a few days later. Villa away was extremely poor also, when you consider their form either side if playing us.

The performance is worse, the fear of relegation is just an irrational, emotional and angry reaction to this season’s abject capitulation. Is it 5 points from 30?

No or yes, or I don’t know . Still crapola whichever way you look at it

Your probably right, I’m just a tad pissed at the mo, we were second best from about 30 minutes and didn’t react

Not my main gripe, just a gripe, one of many.So your main defence is he played Peraud and we didn’t win?

Looking at the table and the fixtures, 40 points maybe cutting it fine this season, assuming we don’t get any more points, which is possible