Sheaf Saint

I'm very much against sacking him. Yes things have gone badly wrong since January, but people need to realise that a lot of reasons for that have been outside of Ralph's control... The horrific run of injuries compounded by our inability to use our recovery facilities and the condensed season making it impossible for him to rotate the starting 11 and rest what fit players we had. The ridiculous run of bad luck with refereeing/VAR decisions which robbed us of points and sapped confidence. If this had been a 'normal' season, I don't believe for a second that we would have had that terrible run of form, and we would be easily top half right now and not having this discussion.

We're football fans. We're not really well known for objective, rational thinking during a match. I'll hold my hands up and admit I got it very wrong yesterday, and I'm very happy to have my comments stuffed down my throat. Based on all the evidence so far in 2021, looking an utter shambles at the back and going 2-0 down within 20 odd minutes to a team that are usually very adept at parking the bus... Seriously, blind optimism aside, how many on here genuinely believed at that point we would go on to win? Not many I'm guessing. As it transpired, the difference was that we had the 2020 version of Ings on the pitch, along with a fit again Walcott and a newly rejuvenated Redmond. And that made all the difference to our attack. Suddenly we looked like the team that was taking opponents apart in the autumn, rather than the powder puff sideways and backwards passing that had become our MO since January. If we can maintain that until the end of the season then we should have a decent run in.

100% should have been a penalty. Would have had a tap in if he hadn't had his heels clipped by Maguire. Absurd that his decision was not overturned. Who was on VAR? Was it Mason again? We all know what the outcome would have been if it was at the other end - penalty and a red card.

It's a weird one with Walcott. He does make some awful decisions, and the way he wasted that break opportunity yesterday was shocking for a player with his experience. But strangely, despite his obvious shortcomings, we look a much better side overall with him in it. The attack just looks more balanced and coherent. Can't say the same about Minamino.

It will be a small price to pay if the alternative is they stay up at our expense. And yes, I realise there are numerous scenarios where we both stay up.

I seem to remember around 2003, we were 0-2 down to Fulham at SMS and went on to win 4-2. BT had a terrible game overall but still somehow managed to get a hattrick.

The way I saw it, they both had hands on each other but Pieters was just stronger. No ref is going to give a foul for that.

And again. From 1-0 to 1-2 in the time it took me to go for a shit!

So who would you have put on in Stu's place then?

I completely agree, but Stu was spent and needed to be subbed. So what other choice did we have? With Romeu out for the rest of the season, our midfield options are extremely limited.

I'm sure MLG will read between the lines.

Not sure but I seem to recall that one was the first in a long time as well.

Congratulations to all the Burnley fans who have collected on their cheeky insurance bets they placed at 0-2.

And on the few occasions recently where he managed a cool finish when given time to think, they were all disallowed.

It's a fair cop guv!

Oh Che!

Should have brought Tella on instead of Djenepo IMO. He's more likely to chase and win those long balls.

This doesn't bode well. We rarely seem to do well when we try and go all out defence to protect a lead. And we nearly concede straight away.

How was that not a foul on Ings?

See that's why people are rightfully critical of Walcott

Indeed he has 😉

He's been good lately, but I doubt he could play the roles of 2 players!

He had no right to save that FFS!

Oh my word that was close!

Wasn't a head injury.