Toussaint

They are still extremely strong without those players, still much stronger than most of the teams we have lost or drawn to over recent weeks. If we do raise our game to get something out of this, that in itself raises questions given our run of abject performances.

Our final league position isn't the issue for most people who have lost patience with Ralph, as is well documented above and just about every game thread so I won't bother repeating them.

I would say his stock maybe and aspirations are too high for us, although I would be in favour if we could get him. I guess it would depend on our level of investment, he wouldn't want his career to regress which it could well do without the necessary investment.

Given it’s a significant game for you I hope we win, with the proviso I don’t have to watch Ralph either cry or celebrate like we actually have one the champions league. Do we have a deal?

Why, are they stranded in Benidorm?

Whilst trying not to spill their cocktails

One thing that gives me hope is Saints are always excellent after a week off. If they are anything like me they’ll have put on a stone in their holidays, so they should have adequate fat reserves to bolster their stamina. im not sure of the formation and selection for this one, but Ralph has had a long time to consider his damage limitation strategy, which historically has proved invaluable. So I expect to see 11 players, some of whom will be chasing shadows whilst others will try to make themselves invisible. The score will be whatever Liverpool decide to settle for. nb . those readers sensitive to cynicism and sarcasm should not read the above text.

He may be, but what I have noticed is he has lost the initial burst of pace, which is what happens when you get older. In his case too old to be effective at his game, he doesn’t have much else in his locker to be of value in any other role. And no to coaching, we owe him absolutely nothing, that would be yet another sentimental decision.

Therein lies a big part of the Problem, no one else would have been cut the slack Ralph has if we hadn’t had a succession of duds prior to him. We could do worse and have done, worse seems to be a common theme.

I have my suspicions, someone had been equally prolific recently, but with a modified persona

They fiddle with all sorts they shouldn't! That's why they are the way they are.

It’s nauseating listening Alan “interesting” Smith pleasure himself over Lukaku’s current form.

After Burnley and Leeds respective results on the weekend I no longer think there is much possibility of us going down, but, I had no idea how important it would turn out when we secured the absolutely freakish win against Arsenal.

I hope we never lose 9 - 0 in my lifetime, oh, wait...

I missed that, maybe he’s balancing it out to avoid the retribution of the scouse cosa nostra

John Moss is being extremely lenient with Liverpool

No ambition!

And having their best players available which hasn’t been the case this season

In not suggesting he will go, I just don't think he will be pushed. Or it could be a mutual agreement arrangement, whereby he is compensated.

I think he will only leave if it's his decision.

I generally like listening to DM, but he shows he's a bit out of touch when he cites Bertrand as Vestagard as factors in our demise. Ings , yes, he was the difference last season.

There are other possibilities, notably that Ralph has been very fortunate to manage JWP during his (JWP's) prime development years, we can never know if JWP would have improved equally well or better under another manager. JWP is such an intelligent rational guy I think it's more likely he took control over his own development. I tend to think that Ralph, being so rigid, is more likely to strangle development. Who know how Djneppo may have developed under a different style of manager?

I didn't like all the "on the bus" crap when he joined, in my experience in life in general, higher achievers are harder to manage, surrounding yourself with "yes men" will ultimately reduce team performance.

I find the "net spend" defence quite misleading really. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't account for the market value of Broja and Livramento for example. It also doesn't account for the market value of players we have developed or improved, which is after all our model. If anyone could provide an objective list of squad / team transfer value it would give a more realistic picture of where we sit in the scheme of things, if that is what you want to judge Ralph on. However, none of that explains his kamikaze tactics, daft team selections and illogical substitutions. It also doesn't explain the sustained massive drops in form and the occasional humiliation.

I'm all too happy for a mass clear out, but naively I assumed it would be the dross going, I am now worried that it maybe some of the more marketable players.