Toussaint

In that case the "actual" answer is yes, but I'd still caveat that with an expectation that he would change it, at a sensible stage of the game, if it was failing.

If the specific question is Tino at rm and kwp at rb, then I would unreservedly support it, even if it didn’t work. That support being conditional on Ralph changing it promptly if it became apparent it wasn’t working.

I have no idea, but trying a very pacey, attack minded, skillful RB as RM doesn't feel too much of a stretch to me. Ralph does have a history of playing players out of position, but more square pegs in round holes rather than in this instance taking the calculated risk of putting Tino further forward, which could easily be re shuffled if it wasn't working. I am not hung up on Tino playing mid, it would be good to see him and KWP on together, I am more concerned regarding his sentimental attachment to Walcott and at times Redmond.

Yes they can, but in either direction, that is when the avoidable loss to Wolves and the poor draw with Burnley could really start to hurt. Leeds will get players back and start climbing, Newcastle will have a January spree, Blackburn look OK and if Cornet gets a few goals that will help, Watford, hell, what a match Saturday, we need to get something. Norwich are the only dead cert to go down barring a miracle. It's a critical run of three games ahead of us (stating the bleedin' obvious).

If he does he'll probably choose a putter to tee off for having looked really good in the bag and boosting morale of the other clubs.

In sort of answer to your hypothetical question, no one can be certain that the outcomes would be different with the scenarios that you refer to. I'm still fuming with Ralph for the selection and game plan V Wolves, I feel that was three points for the taking. I also feel strongly we threw away 2 points on Saturday, we had our strongest bench in years, but somehow Theo not only gets picked, is predictably woeful, but manages to stay on for 75 minutes. I would hypothesise that had KWP not played at LB against Wolves and any number of options had been played ahead of Walcott Saturday we would be 5 points better off than we are now. So, as someone says below, Tino midfield with KWP behind him would surely have made a difference Saturday? Someone said in Saturday's match thread that there are 5 worse teams in the league than us, I'm struggling to think of anyone other than Norwich who are definitely worse than us, the rest are around our level, which is precisely why we should be picking up 3 points at home against them. On a slight tangent, I heard Dan Sheldon, on TSP today, say the only reason Theo was hooked on Saturday was to counter a Burnley tactical change, bewildering.

I wouldn’t want Fred or Pogba at Saints even on a free

Pogba is a liability

Worse than JWPs

Who’s first one to get a red?

Don’t get romantically involved with a rabbit is my advice

Shouldn’t that be red for McGuire?

Oh dear. Still think there’s a red or two in this game.

Similar “nice bloke” syndrome?

I’m half expecting a Man U player to lose it and get a red.

Rashcott

If it gets worse it could well be.

Just as well we didn’t win, watching him break down after the whistle would have set me off too. Fortunately, for dignities sake, we both managed to compose ourselves.

The answer to your question, I would say, could be found in the Semmens interview on TSP, whilst it sounded supportive of Ralph, last seasons injuries and squad depth were taken into account, he was very clear that all those issues are now fixed, which I read that as no more excuses. I think he is probably thinking the same as a lot of us here, let’s see what we get from the run against teams around us. I think Ralph was very fortunate to play a Leeds team with 50% of their first choice outfield players missing. Let’s see how we go over the next few.

But, and this is on Ralph, you do expect Walcott to miss pretty much every chance, the players who could and should have been picked ahead of him less so.

“Hindsight” He is absolutely finished, wtf was Ralph thinking starting him? I don’t even want to see him on the bench! It happens to everyone, one day your legs just don’t respond to the signals from your brain anymore, that day came some time last season for Theo.

You had to slide that in

I just can’t get a handle on it

No

He has gone against my specific instructions, (see above) ,be it on his head if it doesn’t work. I may well withdraw from providing my advice to him via this forum. He needs to seriously think about the implications!