S-Clarke

Yep, I saw that. Absolute load of waffle. Why is everyone intent on re-engineering the game? ''Let Celtic and Rangers in''. What happens to the Championship and his former club such as PNE? Absolute nonsense and would again create another them and us. Let's be honest, they wouldn't be guaranteed 'PL1' themselves. The approach to the review should be simple - a review of the ownership model at all clubs, and more governance of that waffle of a Fit and Proper persons test - it shouldn't be as easy as tim and bob to take over a PL club without clear intentions. Granted, that will probably harm us in terms of an immediate takeover, but I'd rather than than be saddled with more non-entities. I keep going back to what happened with Wigan - those guys passed the fit and proper test, then stuck the club in admin just weeks later, which plunged Wigan into L1 and now L1 strugglers. Shambles.

I think they were referring to the Semi Final they play next week, rather than getting there in the league. They've got no chance in the league, and to be fair...very small chance of getting Europe via winning that comp. The squad is so poor for a club of Arsenals size, that's the overriding reason as to why they've regressed so much. Just nothing really there.

I think he was fairly close to joining us at one point, but we chose Redmond instead. I think it was a case of one or the other at the time, but truth be told they're both fairly similar players to be honest. Average with a capital A. Capable of a couple of purple moments but not worth the outlay he'd want.

I forgot about Long, I honestly thought he was on loan at Bournemouth to play out his contract. But he's still got a f**ing year left! Great. He should have been given a 12 month deal with a 1 year option at the most. So he's another one I'd let go by whatever means, as he's on a fairly decent wage and taking up a position which could be used for a player who could actually contribute.

I rate Martin to be honest. I know a lot of people generalise it by saying ''the board are rubbish/the board need to back him'' - but it's not the board per-say, the problem lies with the ownership. In my opinion, what Martin has done with the club in light of no support from the owner has been mightily impressive - especially in the current climate as well. It would be pretty typical for us to lose one of the few good things in the running of the club, but retain what we want rid of.

I still think there's more chance of Diana awakening from the dead 😉 Maybe I've just been too confident, but i've never really felt 'too' worried to be honest. I can't remember exactly, but I think we had an 18 point gap from the bottom 3 at one point this season - so that was always going to be a tall order to overhaul. Honestly, we are so fortunate we had that start - and we never usually start seasons well, so god help us next year.

It's a shame it has to be like that to be honest, but I see where you're coming from re: the selling those 3. It's probably our only real option to take if we want to add some real starting quality to the side, but it just seems counterproductive that we have to sell our starting quality to sign starting quality. Just hope we can get sold soon and be able to operate a tiny bit more flexibly. I have a bit more confidence in the scouting now at least.

I think the general consensus is that the quality isn't really there, that's the problem. If you look at it Mane was a similar style of player to Tella/Moussa etc - but he's just light years ahead of them. Tadic was a similarish type of player to Minamino and maybe Armstrong, but again...light years ahead in quality. That's the main difference for me, the squad doesn't have the quality we had under Koeman and I don't think we should be expecting similar results, to be honest. Now, if Ralph had been given £200m over his 5 transfer windows to shape this side then I'd have massive questions right now, but he hasn't had that...and for that reason that's why I'm with you in that it's hard to throw the lack of a plan at him.

Plan A, B, C, D etc is overcooked in football. Whenever something doesn't work, you're then often labelled as not having a Plan B. I think we have lots of plans to be honest, we shuffle things around during games and in different matches, but we have one philosophy - that's the key, our philosophy is clear in the approach we play. And you're not going to get clubs with two philosophy's as that won't work. People will rightly argue that the philosophy isn't working at all, and they'd be right - but there's evidence to suggest that it did and does work, as long as you have the squad to deliver it - whether that's quality, depth or luck with injuries etc. I'd say a lack of 'Plan B' probably translates to having a lack of depth and quality in the depth to make those positive changes.

If you think about it though, the core of this team is still the same team who have struggled under Pellegrino and Hughes - and to a certain extent with some of them, Puel. So, Ings, Redmond, JWP, Romeu, Bednarek, Bertrand, McCarthy, Armstrong, Vestergaard. I wouldn't say any of the core players are his signings, apart from KWP - and he has significantly improved us in that position. I think with a fairer crack of the whip and more ability to build his own squad more suited to his way, it would be a different story. Certain players will always have flaws and I've seen these flaws in this core group across 3 different managers now. Decent technically in part, but the wrong mix and certainly not deep enough squad wise to play this way over a season. As I've said before - the club either back him, because this is the way he plays and that's it. Or they let him go and we bring a new manager in, maybe someone more conservative and less gung ho. But the reality is we'll probably finish in similar positions, just less extremes.

Fair enough mate, our results aren't helping but I just feel that our start gave us that cushion. If you look over the weeks that cushion hasn't really disappeared, that's been our saving grace really. We've won 2 in 16 games or something and we're still well away from it, and that included Fulham winning 2 out of 3 and WBA winning 2 on the trot (and beating us). It's going to be incredibly tricky for either of those two to overtake Brighton, Burnley and Newcastle to then land a punch on us. Just too much for them to do, in my opinion. Next season - totally different story!

I don't disagree with the views, I probably factored in the '10' role into the wide players to be honest. I think any wide player we sign (I hope we do) needs to be able to operate across the entire front 3 and drop back to a 10 in my opinion. I'd dump Moussa to raise funds, certainly - but i guess you have to weigh up on which one creates more value, Redmond or Moussa? I wouldn't be fussed if either went really. Theo, not been great, i agree. I'm torn really, I keep flipping. He's a player who can look good in bursts, but overall he has been nothing but average - as well as a big injury thrown into the mix. The only reason for me keeping him is the fact that you'll struggle to find similar PL/CL and International experience for free. For free, it's probably worth the risk to keep him around for 1 year with an option. I'm just thinking from the money point of view, we won't have the money to buy anyone with his equal experience...so we might as well take him.

I'd definitely agree with that, if it's the approach we're taking. There's no question we need a right back, but my feeling is that the RB will also end up being someone who can cover left back - and we'll also sign a first choice left back.. Can't see Bertrand hanging around, no real value in keeping him apart from experience. I'd like another midfielder as well, if we're letting Jankewitz go (and Smallbone is long term).

And to add to that, we also have a game in hand against Palace (plus we play Fulham at home). Personally, I don't see Fulham getting anymore than 34 points. Not really sure why this thread has been bumped again to be honest. There's more chance of Diana coming back to life.

God forbid a player has a poor run of form. He's shown us what he can offer, just struggling at the minute - like most of the team.

Being honest, I think we need a rebuild of the lot. But I know we can't do that, so we have to try and polish the turd a bit. GK: McCarthy - Keep - decent backup, but pretty average truth be told. I think we will sign a new goal keeper next summer, not something for this window. Forster - Keep - no one is going to buy him, so we might as well use him given what he's being paid. Lewis - Leave. Not good enough, needs to leave for his sake. RB: KWP - Keep, no questions there. Valery - Sell/release/free - whatever it is, no where near to the level required. LB: Bertrand - Release. Thank him for his service, he's been a great long-standing player for us. It's clear his legs have gone though and this is one position we 110% need to add to and improve on. Vokins - Loan. I don't think he'll ever be good enough for us, but another loan won't do him any harm. He's not yet good enough to be backup for the PL though. CB: Bednarek - Keep. Solid, average PL defender. No more, no less Vestergaard - Keep. Solid, decent ball playing PL defender. If a big bid comes in, upwards of £25m, then I'd be tempted. Otherwise, keep. Salisu - Keep. Certainly has ability, needs to grow into the team. I just hope we don't try and shoehorn him in at LB just so he gets game time Stephens - Keep - Squad player, decent to keep around. CB is probably our most covered area, so I'd be reluctant to reduce that. RM: Moussa - Sell. Not great, he's been here 2 seasons now and hasn't ever done anything. Looks too lightweight and we need better than him IMO. Armstrong - Keep. One of our best players, just needs to work on his fitness. He can't seem to last more than 40mins. LM: Redmond - Keep, but as a squad player. I'd be keen to either give Tella the birth or buy better in this position. Tella - Keep - more game time I hope, I think he's one of the better 'winger' options we have to be honest. Minamino - Let go. Doesn't look suited to this league, certainly wouldn't pay any fee for him. CM: JWP - Keep, nothing more to say there. Diallo - Keep, again pretty decent young player Romeu - Keep, no arguments. Jankewitz - Keep - I'd keep him, but I think we'll see him sold to be honest. Smallbone - Loan. I like him, but after a bad injury I think he needs football so a loan will make sense. ST: Adams - Keep, good player. Handful for CB's. Needs to work on his finishing though, it lets the rest of his game down massively. Ings - Keep, no question. The best attacker we have, when on song, we are on song. If we lose him and try to be clever with a replacement we are pretty much gone. He's our only source of goals really. Theo - Keep. It's a tough one, if you look at his performances overall I think he's been no more than average. But when you think of what you're getting for free (plus wages)...it kind of feels like a no brainer in terms of adding some experienced depth to the squad. N'Lundulu - Loan. Needs some regular games in my opinion in a lower league Obafemi - Loan. See how he does with a season on loan, see if he can overcome these injuries and get a run of games. Players on loan: Elyonoussi - Keep/potential to sell if the money is right. I think the club will keep him as a squad player, adds another option in those front 3 positions and wide areas. I don't think he's particularly suited to the league, but we might as well keep him as we're not going to be buying anyone else, as we'd only be able to loan him out again. Lemina - Sell - to anyone. Hoedt - Sell - to anyone Gunn - Sell - if we get a bid, but continue the loan at Stoke otherwise. What we need: For me, the priorities are clear. A new starting left back and a new squad full back, someone who can cover both left and right. An additional striker up top, if we loan out Obafemi and N'Lundulu I feel we need another 'powerful' option to play through the middle. I'd also be tempted to buy a new central midfielder, someone who is a different profile to what we have at the moment - a box to box style all action CM, we don't really have that. Lots of nice pivot players, but no one powerful who can go box to box. We need another attacking wide player too, Elyounoussi may well come back and provide more depth but we need a better winger than Moussa imo. So, 4 or 5 additions (whilst retaining the core players of what we have) ..can we do that?

Any chance of a new owner actually happening by the summer? It feels like a very slim hope.

Yeah, it's all a thoroughly depressing state of affairs to be honest. In 2020 this club gave us all some life after a horrible few months being stuck in doors, football was great again and it all gave us something to enjoy and celebrate. Now I just want it all to end. Who knows what happens next season, but let's be honest this bunch of players have always struggled at this level, that's never changed bar a few purple patches here and there (Ralph is the only manager who has managed to get any sort of purple patch out of them to be fair)….but generally this group have been struggling under different managers for years.

Good point, in the whole reaction I forgot he got injured. Great. He's had an absolute season to forget hasn't he. I think he'd be foolish not to take up the contract offer here to be honest.

I think he's quite a tidy player, Diallo. He's on a bad patch of form now though, there's no doubt in that. Let's no re-write him as a player on the back these games, he's shown some real ability in previous matches - in a two with JWP as well. Players go through poor form in a season, every player does. Our squad cannot absorb that though, so we have to carry out of form players when they get those runs.

Probably because Stephens can cover RB if required. Jankewitz is there for the worst case.

Leeds have a better squad than us, I'd say anyway. Much more depth and players more suited to that way of playing. They were able to go and throw £25m at Diego Llorente, 30m at Rodrigo (albiet, he hasn't done much), £25m at Raphinia and it took them above us in quality during the summer. I don't rate our players as much as some do.

This is the problem, none of those names are anywhere near realistic. That's what some fans aren't realising. If we get rid of Ralph, we are not attracting people like Steven Gerrard or Lampard to us. Not a chance. Maybe Sam Allardyce if he doesn't stay at West Brom? That's probably the level we'll be aiming at. They'll all be out of clubs too, you won't see us appointing a new manager who is currently employed such as Frank, as we don't have the funds for that.

It needs to be said, 100%. You can't ignore that run of form, that is what we've all seen and why I'm a massive fan of Ralph and his approach. You have to caveat it slightly though - that year was bookended by two breaks, so we had a lot of recovery time during 2020 and quite a weird/unknown situation to come back to in June which we seemed to adjust to better. The problem is over a full season I don't think the squad has the legs for this type of football, that seems to be showing it's self clearer by the week at the moment.

I'd say in the end it does boil down to fitness issues, probably like you said a lot of self inflicted fatigue through our poor control of games. But we do empty out of energy as the game goes on. To counter that, we're not going to get better players, so is the only other way here another approach? I like the approach of the counter press/high energy football, but if this squad doesn't suit that and we don't have the funds to build a squad to suit that, then....do we go and get a manager who fits this squad better? I'm fully behind Ralph and the philosophy, but if the club aren't willing to back that philosophy with the right players then we're kind of at a complete dead end and it's going to hurt the club.