SNSUN

We have World Class free kick taker in the team - IMO we should be playing these quick, tricky players like Edozie and Mara to draw fouls around and, hopefully, in, the box. Yes he's young but all the players bar Aribo we signed in the summer were young... if they're old enough they're good enough. Protect them sure, but if the more senior players aren't doing much right now, I say, chuck them in.

Bold statement, I wish I was as confident as you. Even if you think we signed good players in the summer (Lavia and ABK showing that so far), we lack a striker that can regularly score goals (in addition hampered by our midfield not contributing either) and are still leaking goals and I think that could be our downfall. Add in that most other teams in the League that should be in or around us have strengthened well this summer and I'm very worried for our Premier League status. We're additionally hampered by Ralph playing the likes of Moi every game and seemingly not even knowing what his strongest team is, nor even what his strongest formation is. Yes we haven't been in a relegation battle with him before, but that's usually due to freakish short periods of form where we look unstoppable, before regressing to type. I genuinely think with our form the way it was at the tail end of last season had the season been 2 or 3 games longer we would have dropped. Yes, it wasn't and No, we weren't in a relegation battle, but it shows that we were damn close. All it takes this season is for us not to hit that freakish patch of form and we drop, especially as I think most teams are stronger than they were last season and even Fulham and Forest have, on paper at least, added well. The Everton game will have a huge say on where we are exactly. Everton added to their defence and midfield well in the summer but didn't do a lot with their attack bar Maupay, so they're in the same 'lack of goals' category as us. We need points on the board and we really need to be beating the likes of Everton if we want to stay up this season.

Aren't they the many, multi-named accounts of Glasgow Saint?

I like Che and I think he has a lot to offer as a "second" striker and wonder if he would form a decent partnership with Mara, but he was shockingly bad against Villa. I wonder if that handball that should have been the easiest goal he'd ever scored in his life had affected his game. That handball effectively cost us a point against Wolves and gave them all 3. He shouldn't be our main goal threat UNLESS we have very good, goal-scoring AMs. Which we don't... unless Aribo can find some form.

Agree, I don't think he's particularly defensive but he does seem to almost panic when we ship goals. He started the season playing 3 CBs because we were poor defensively, saying this was the formation he wanted to play long term, then picked Valery and Bednarek. Then he changed it because it wasn't really working. We now have Caleta-Car on the books and ABK showing how good he is so I personally don't think it'll be long before Ralph goes back to the 3 CB system. What worries me most is that after nearly 4 years of Ralph, we still don't really have an identity as such. As you say we were a pressing side in the early days and that worked for us but whether teams worked us out or personnel got crapper or Ralph simply panicked from those big losses, IDK but something has changed. I like Ralph as a person but he does seem a bit stubborn.

Keep, for now. I predicted we will be in a relegation battle before the season began despite the new signings and I still do. We made good signings despite their age but even so we needed to, our form at the end of last season was awful and had the season been two or three games longer we would have gone down - we had little quality but Ralph also showed he couldn't turn it around. This season we have picked up points against a poor Leeds and Leicester side and a Chelsea side that is in transition. We've been poor in the last two games against opposition that shouldn't have been tough to get at least a point from - especially Villa which was one of the worst performances I've seen in ages. Then you look at the selections - Moi is not good enough for the Premier League. He just isn't. He might work hard and be OK technically but he really doesn't do what an Attacking Midfielder should do, and that is create chances... or even score them. And yet Ralph continues to select him over Aribo, Stu and Edozie. We also have Adams up front as our main goal threat because we didn't bring in a properly good striker and currently have Diallo in midfield alongside JWP because, apparently, AMN isn't ready. Personally I'm conflicted about sacking him now. I wanted him gone in the summer and was surprised the powers that be kept faith in him (as it seems were some of the players) but with the new signings I was going to see how he did until Christmas. We've started...averagely. For me I would keep him for now and see how he does over the next few games... especially Everton who we REALLY should be trying to beat. If we can't beat Everton at home then I would be seriously concerned. Our saving grace this season is a long break for the WC and the January transfer window that we already know we will have spending money in (Gakpo money if that was ever serious). It is for this reason that I believe if we are going to bring in a new manager, it has to be done by then, to give the new manager a while to get used to (most of) the players during the break and decide where we need to strengthen in January (ATTACK!!!). We have Everton, West Ham, Bournemouth and Palace (alongside tougher fixtures... and possibly the rearranged Brentford game) between now and the WC - those will be the big decider as to whether to keep Ralph. If we're not on 15+ points by then he needs to go - and even then only 15 points going in to the second half of the season would leave a lot on for the new man.

Come on Hammers, sort it out.

On the plus side Larios looked good when he came on. Need to trust the youngsters more.

This is not how How date night is ending. Good night y’all.

No less than we deserved.

Our chance...

I’ve decided... every single one of our summer signings should be starting.

Could get a bit of injury time here. Just enough time for a completely undeserved equaliser.

Crud.

I actually thought Adam A worked hard tonight. Did more than Adams anyway. Moi still on? He definitely has nudes of Ralph doesn’t he.

Sounds like my date night.

She’s dropped off. I might wait until Norwich play to get some. Until then it could be a wank in a cold shower.

We got Attacking recruits. They’re bafflingly still on the fucking bench. Come on Ralph sort it out.

Caleta-Car must be wondering what he’s walked in to! Harrison Reed scores for Fulham. Moi injured?

I don’t mind our defence as it is, I think we lack the shield in front of them without Romeu or Lavia. Hopefully Lavia isntbout too long and AMN can eventually come in and do a job but we do seem weak through the middle. Aribo getting stuck in which is good. Adams and Moi off for me, both have done fuck all so far.

Brilliant from Larios, shit from Moi. I reverse what I said about my worries of signing youngsters, if you’re good enough you’re old enough. Get Edozie on.

I probably should have.