captainchris

100% At last someone else has recognised there has been a change in style/tactics. Ralph even said himself our method was to play the ball forward early when we were getting results and now it is not our ‘method’ any more? Odd.... We often have too many players either hiding or playing too advanced for playing out from the back with not enough options. Either way the ball has to go forwards more often and far quicker as it was.... No I don’t mean long ball either !!!!! Though it has its place at times for any team. Ralph actually has admitted to changing the tactic to more ball retention and I expect the stats bear that out and certainly we often had games with a very low possession percentage when we were winning particularly last season ... Ralph does seem so stubborn about his various philosophies which come and go and is often guilty of changing things that work, or, is he slow picking up on how matches progress and what is not working?

It’s not the owners you should be blaming it’s the Chairman and Manager who have no ambition and thence no winning mentality. The club is run by losers which is evident in the way the players just go through the motions. The low success we aspire to across all areas of the business management drives a spirit of good losers - jolly well played chums - well done and hard luck... I am sure the owner will not be as pleased and rightly so.

How has a manager who has contrived to lose with two record score defeats and won one game in 12 playing diabolical football earned any rights......... Yes Ralph is a nice bloke but don’t let that cloud his questionable record, lack of motivational skills and tracking of tactics during games. We are in it to win it at all costs or you might as well stay in bed... We are are nowhere near where a manager should have us performing. The excuses trotted out are unbearable too. Don’t forget he even rested players ready for the ‘huge’ Brighton challenge and still we were embarrassing. Nice bloke yes but not cutting it....

Recruitment for the youth and reserve teams is not connected to ‘revenue streams’ It is everything to do with coaching and selection/recruitment all of which are appalling.

Starts with a complete lack of ambition and that starts with the chairman - not the owner ....

Completely agree. Ralph used to say get the ball forward quickly and win it back up the pitch. Now we are playing wildly different football - why? We never pass the ball forward quickly now.... Ralph used to say ‘we only need a small squad’ now he says we need a big squad ! Why? Ralph just can’t make his mind up.... Players are definitely not playing for him now. We get worse and worse with no winning attitude from the Manager or the players surprise surprise .... I wonder what the tactics will be next game ? Yes they will be identical. Slow, predictable, gutless and clueless..... Far too many square and backward passes which provide no threat or possibility of hurting our opponent. It would actually be funny if we marked up for a throw in even. Come on Ralph you are well off the pace, wake up and let’s see a change of tactics and philosophy next game or if not you should feel the consequences... Considering you have lost the players maybe though it is now too late....

No. He doesn’t have the ability to improve things. Christ, we don’t even mark up for throw ins!!!! It’s pathetic what Ralph is not noticing or appearing capable of recognising...

Ralph is now taking us backwards fast... so many glaring tactical and coaching mistakes. Poor.

All coming from losing procession at throw ins every time ...

My God ! The reality is not what you portray here. Ralph is not the God you seem to naively pray to. Please analyse the team, players, tactics and philosophy in just a little more depth. Yes every team would like more quality but some of Ralph’s decisions lately have been downright poor let alone the lack of flexible tactics which are suicidal far too often... The recent fondness of praising his team even after heavy defeats and the endless excuses of lack of time to prepare and lack of facilities etc etc etc is wearing very thin too.

Can he please teach players to be two footed first. In a football match if you can’t kick a ball you ain’t much use a fact we don’t seem to have addressed .... He better start with the first team actually ....

Hi Teddeer Certainly right there but it the defeatist attitude which many fans are guilty of and often this leaches into the team attitude and the whole club which does us no favours. I like your idea on the tactics for this game (one up top) we have a tendency to throw too many forward to far up the pitch in the press which is why I believe Ralph plays two up top and we have seen how dangerous that can be for us in this league. The press must be deeper, a loose two up front could possibly be ok then ?....

We have far too many defeatist fans.. We play every game to win. It’s a professional sporting competition not a picnic by a pond on a Sunday afternoon. We put our best team out we can and fight to win.

Simply because he only uses his left foot for standing on.... Obviously he is not being coached to use it for kicking a ball..

Agree... A few people wear rose tinted glasses after a win or a goal and lose perspective of the overall.... Chez missed two gilt edged chances today and that has been an issue for the team lately... Chez is one footed and dog average unless you are comparing with Shef Utd who were totally inept..

And a week for many others ....

Scored a very good instinctive goal. Missed two two golden chances ... The hype over the goal must not mask the overall, either today or in in his total contribution. We should aim high with two footed players.

Good win against a very very poor side. Really good performances from Minimino, Tella, Armstrong, Bertrand, KWP and Forster. Chez missed two great opportunities one because he is one footed, great goal but otherwise a bit meh .... When we press it is too high up the pitch with too many bodies which leaves a massive gap in midfield - Good teams will continue to murder us playing like that. The press needs to begin deeper nearer the centre circle so that we can conserve some energy and not leave ourselves exposed. Oh and throw ins... We lose the ball in 90% of them whether or not we have the throw or not. Why hasn’t this been addressed, it’s been an issue now for a long time....

It’s because he tried to flick it onto his right foot. One footed players should not be in the first team, wasted chance. Why does Ralph not keep him training all day until he is two footed ? maybe Ralph hadn’t noticed though...

Well said Sydney ......

Letting Target go was a poor Ralph decision. Not to say strange. In the Gabby category I’d put it ..... Still I suppose we have a ready made left full back replacement in errrrrrr Bednerek anyone ..... None of us saw that one, still that’s why Ralph is paid the millions I suppose !!!!

Definitely agree with one up front and stop the closing down so far up the pitch it needs to happen around the centre circle, particulates we are so fragile.

Hardly ‘Harsh’ sir .. That is quite an excuse list you have compiled.... If not ‘just yet’ the time is perilously close.... Before any new players or Manager are brought in one fundamental aspect of the club has to change. Ambition. If we are not aiming for the top then we are saying we accept mediocrity and that can lead to relegation. From the Chairman down it has to be a win at all costs mentality and I am not hearing or seeing that from our Chairman so the whole club is in a comfort zone as expectations are very low. In competitive sport that will not do.....

Recovery from ‘depths of despair ‘ is perhaps not a great basis to build a case for giving Ralph yet more opportunities to recover from.... Two 9-0 s and the rest of the records and evidence leads you to question the basis for persisting ... If it doesn’t then would another 6, 7, 8 or 9 - 0 ? There has to be a line in the sand ....