CanadaSaint

Ralph seems mentally paralysed again - waiting to me his predetermined 60-65 minute substitutions

The less the rumour detail, the more likely it is to be an exchange-listed company. There are serious penalties for leaking significant stuff. Or, for the skeptics, the less the rumour detail, the more likely it is to be bullshit. Me? I'm a glass half-full guy. 🤣

I’m not meaning to disrespect people’s views that are based on their own personal ideologies. We all have those - whether they’re about politics, religion, football or any other life stuff. I asked the question because I think it impacts how you see these debates - and the ways in which people express their views - if you’ve lost someone really important to you as a result of Covid. It can be frustrating (not really the right word) to see ideology overpowering painful personal reality that you wouldn’t wish on anyone. But I guess that’s what this forum is all about - for good and for bad. Very few, if any, of us have stood underneath a Premier League crossbar with gloves on, and very few of us have had a half chance in a professional six yard box, but we still stick our five eggs in every week. I suspect that we’d see things a bit differently if we’d had those experiences.

It’s not all in that direction though, Turkish. There are also instances in which people recovered from Covid but died from a cause it triggered. They would be here now but for Covid, but the cause of death on the death certificate wasn’t Covid. So they’re not in the stats.

Just as a matter of personal interest, has anyone in this debate lost somebody precious as a result of Covid?

Tie beteween Long, Djeneppo and Walcott - for the hope they give to little kids dreaming about becoming a pro footballer.

The football version of Tourrettes

Tactical switch - attacking threat for man bun. Interesting.

Run it at them, not hoof it at them.

Maybe because we’re trying to KEEP it rather than DO SOMETHING with it. As in, run it at them - they’re as bad back there as we are.

Taking on a familiar pattern, isn’t it?

Tella can snag one today if he keeps going at them, but I fear that Ralph decided before the game to take him off after 60-65, regardless of how he’s playing.

We’re quite innovative. Under Ralph we’ve invented a new concept called “pre-second half nerves”. All I want him to say in there is “Keep running it at them”, but it would be totally out of character.

Everything changed when we stopped the turning back and started going at them. They are piss poor backpeddlers and we’re good for a couple more as long as Ralph doesn’t change it.

Let Smallbone take it FFS

I must have missed it. Who went out there and gave them their shots for turnbackitis?

Still obstinately vulnerable on our left side with KWP playing there, which takes Salisu's game down 25% because he has to cover for it. On a more positive note, Smallbone's corners were much better than JWP's at Chelsea, and Lyanco and Salisu were getting on the end of them. Hopefully JWP will let him take them, and then hang around the "D" waiting for a half-clearance. And even more hopefully his shot will be reasonably accurate. Pushing it, I know. 😀

Could we just put this tedious spelling debate to bed by agreeing that it’s not a “one sise fits all” situation?

I hear you, but until today we’ve been able to maintain it until half time, even when we’ve given up some good chances. But today our belief in the system seemed to collapse like a cheap deckchair. Willy didn’t help, mind.

Something else struck me today. Arsenal’s first goal was an instant tide-turner. We went from a side pressing well and looking fairly dangerous to a side that looked like it didn’t believe in its own tactics. The logical extension of that, sadly and troublingly to say, is that we might be watching a side that is in the process of ceasing to believe in its manager. That’s a far bigger deal than another loss.

Yes, Bednarek didn't know whether to confront or drop back and cover, and ended up doing neither. And Yes, JWP was late getting back. But why no mention KWP's dreadful decision to attack a ball in Arsenal's half when they were in the process of playing it in behind him? That was the biggest clanger of all. This persistence in selecting KWP on the left is screwing our entire defensive shape. It's the fundamental reason why Salisu's game has gone downhill, and - like Bednarek - he's caught between his true defensive role and covering for KWP. KWP makes my team in a canter, but not on the left. Until Ralph changes that, little good will happen.

I’ve stood by Ralph all the way, but I’m close to done with him. Arrogance and obstinacy are traits that I dislike in anybody, so why should it be any different for him? But that’s what we get, week in week out. For months it has been abundantly clear that KWP on the left unbalances us both offensively and defensively. It has also been clear that Tino has a lot to learn defensively - he’s far behind KWP. Salisu and Romeu help to cover that up - at some cost to their own games. This side will not compete effectively until Ralph admits he’s wrong, and that’s where the arrogance and obstinacy will prove to be his - and our - undoing.

Trying, poorly, to cover the absence of KWP

I’m at the point where the only change I want Ralph to make at the half time whistle is to take himself out. I still want him to start, though. For now.

At one point the second half possession was 72% Brighton, with no changes made. That suggests the plan was to back off and hold, and hit on the break. I don’t know what the final number was. If that was the plan, it meets the unofficial definition of insanity. Ralph has a lot of qualities but his obstinacy and arrogance will be his undoing.