BotleySaint

We've obviously been working on mixing them up this week. Paying off so far..

Bournemouth just need to sit tight until we give it back to them or make a mistake. Just got away with one there.

Not his natural position though.

VAR totally inconclusive from what I saw of it. Really beginning to ruin the game now. Quite ridiculous.

Great passing Bednarek and super run from Walker Peters

On the plus side at least we are shooting and not just passing it backwards.

That must be our new corner kick routine.. looks great...

Do we have that many internationals? I'll be honest, I didn't check but just assumed not.

For some reason I have only just clocked the fact after the cup game this weekend we have over 2 weeks break until the Burnley game. After that, another week till a Monday night kick off against West Brom. That break is Ralph's chance to prove himself. How we perform against Burnley should decide what happens next with him. At that point he'll have had several days training, getting across his ideas, having players back from injury (as we have barely any internationals) and there really will be no excuse for not seeing an improvement. If we still play with heads down, wide open at the back, and no clue going forward, then that'll be me done with him. As, regardless of his potential as a manager, it will be clear he cannot raise this group.

Great news for Che. Since Ings got injured he's taken his chance and delivered.

I dont think so. The issue is that the players are no longer on-board with Ralph "vision" and they are all just going through the motions expecting someone else to fix it. For a while that was Ings, sometimes it's Armstrong or JWP. But ultimately even they have given up most games due to a lack of collective will. Think we'll be embarrassed this weekend.

Can we give them special permission to play Shane Long?

Yes, I think that's the problem. Even if he feels we don't have enough quality to change the players, there is always little things that can be improved upon such as your example. He needs to start taking the blame upon himself too. But perhaps just thinks it is nothing he is doing wrong.. troubling if so. It does mean we need a new person to come in and change the "vision". But can't see it happening unless things get a lot worse and we slip into the bottom 3. Even then I reckon they'll stick with Ralph and hope he can get us back up again.

As people have said, Ralph's assessment is right. But it's the same every week and he often sees the game as we do.. the lack of energy and a sense of foregone conclusion about when the other team goes in front. Does he simply feel he does not have the resources to change that?

Can't see us getting anything from the next 3 games. Burnley have way too much fight for us. West brom will be keen to improve and will see us as a winnable game. Palace also have players with pace and energy. I fear the worst for next week against the Cherries. Could be humiliation.

No team spirit at all. No communication. All playing for themselves. Surely it's down to Ralph to develop in a better direction?

Problem is, all the teams below us are showing fight and picking up points. We can barely muster a shot on goal. Ralph may not be a bad manager. But would a new face at least shake things up?

Same as the last 12 games really. Pass it sideways, backwards, sideways, backwards. Wide open at the back every time the opposition come forward. Players need to get over themselves.

Who's going to sack him? I think they'll wait till we are in the bottom 3. Even then, it's hard to see him going. They could argue he's the best man to get us back up.

Bertrand twice there was offered no option but to go backwards. The front players are obviously all standing still. Why have they given up?

Totally pinned in our own half by the team formerly in 17th.

And Steve Bruce.

Someone need to tell the players are are a goal down? Playing like we have all the time in the world.

...

Not sure it's all his fault. Players need to get over themselves. Play like they are already defeated most of the time.