The Kraken

“Well,luv, they’re cunts, from the top down. Here’s why……” Fuck knows when you’d finish, mind.

I’ve only been watching bits and pieces but it seems like Bournemouth have got on it after a bright Forest start. Admittedly Forest going up is much less boring than the yo yo effect we have lately. Plus, class of PL 1992, Cloughie and all that. The Roy Collymore partnership was also decent. Frank Clark aka Forest Grump, less so.

What is very smart?

Me. I find the cherries fans to be a bit cringe but overall they’re harmless. It’s a south coast derby, it’s not the proper one but it still means a little bit more than other games. Plus I went to uni in Bournemouth and had a great laugh there, went to a few games at Dean court at the time when they were utterly dreadful but it was a good crack. And I don’t like forest, never have. Much like Derby I think a good proportion of their fans seem like cunts.

Exactly this. Our owners are hands off. They want continuity and security.

I’m very much doubting that there will be any significant cash injection from them. The club were keen to state after the takeover that the management team would stay in place, Sport Republic we’re hands off, and we would operate in line with how Semmens laid it out, buy cheap and aim to sell high. The only real benefit I can see is if there are any decent players that might come here from the other SR acquisitions, but it’s probably too early for that. Seems like a case of out with the old, in with the old to me. Hope I’m wrong.

I doubt very much his job is at risk. Despite his limitations he’s got us comfortably safe in the division in all his seasons with us. I also don’t see our new owners being very hands on to the extent that they’d push through a change right now. Plus we can’t really afford to get rid of him mid contract. In fact I think the owners will enjoy having Ralph as he’s on board with getting cheap youngsters as opposed to banging the door down for more transfer money. Nothing about our ownership suggests we’re going to do anything other than make up the numbers in this division, there’s no big pot of gold incoming IMO.

40 points has been enough to stay up for 19 of the past 20 years.

It will be a joke of a decision if Long is here next season, but I fully expect it to happen. I can’t see Adam Armstrong going anywhere. Most Championship clubs won’t be able to afford him, and Ralph has described him as a long term project. Something odd going on with him though, when the manager publicly says that Shane Long is a better option than you are, something is very wrong.

I think all of football thought the same. I get the feeling there was a good deal of player power involved in letting him go, it seemed like a bit of an acrimonious end.

Fair enough if you’re disappointed with wins against Spurs and Arsenal and going unbeaten against Man City, when we’re absolutely skint. Swings and roundabouts innit. Ralph has got his failings, of course he has, but he’s done a decent job with us considering.

I’m getting more worried that won’t actually happen.

Wouldn’t mind them going down, their fans are like zoo animals flinging shit at each other.

Yeah it’s no use him saying that when he’s got three outfield players that he signed for this season sat on the bench. If Tino wasn’t injured it would probably be four (Perraud, Lyanco, Broja, Armstrong) which would be what, nearly £40m of summer expenditure on the bench?

I doubt we can afford to pay him off.

Not sure. Seems a bit strange though as Pukki and AA seem quite similar.

Would the club just cut its losses on AA? It was a big outlay to get him, he’s done almost nothing while here, I can’t see a Championship side being able/willing to shell out on a big fee and big salary.

In any case it seems I’m wrong as media says his contract is up in 2024.

If you were a player and you knew Ralph was off in a year, would you commit to signing for that team if you don’t know what the long term strategy is?

It’s just such a crazy decision. I could maybe understand it if we were away, or playing a top side. Keep it tight etc. but it’s Palace at home, we were above them. Stupid decision and I can only think Long is in Ralph’s plans for next season, which would be barmy.

This is a major concern for me, both in terms of attracting players and then motivating them.

Rubbish from Saints. We’ve got Brentford (A), Liverpool (H) and Leicester (A) to finish the season. Can’t see any points from the last two tbf and Brentford won’t be easy.

5 points.

To be fair he’s been injured for most of that.

It seems likely, Adam Armstrong is clearly well down the pecking order.