Baird of the land

Yeah what we need is leadership at the back, not necessarily experience. Someone like Lascelles would seem to fit the bill.

Just hope we don't renew any of those ones that are expiring. Still shocked how long Stephens has to run, he obviously has a good agent. We seem to shift back on forth on it (too big/not enough quality), (too small, not enough depth) Personally i'm more on board with a smaller squad but better first 11 than a bigger bloated squad, especially as we're supposed to be a club that offers a pathway from our u23 team. I think reality is we are never going to get down to 20/21 this season (so it is pretty moot point) as we aren't going to find takers for all those players.

Every premier league club has a few players they can't get rid that they don't really want. Do think it reflects pretty badly imo on Ralph & the club that we've got another batch of 6/7..

That would be a relief. I’ve been fearing it to be more of the s.armstrong & aribo midfielder nonsense.

I don’t see how he survives if we lose to Leeds.

Am I the only one fearing Ralph won’t start a recognized striker?

If there’s any truth that’s not good. Agree completely about the cowering defensive mindset and the increasing positional bizarreness.

I thought he showed flashes early last season. Enough to persevere with given his age and what we invested (especially since he's now at best 4th choice) CM. Would we really get a fee back for him too or would it be another constant loan till his contract expires.

Didn’t We spend all summer trying to get rid of shitnarek. Now we’ve got to get rid of 2. Not sure I see that happening. Diallo one seems slightly odd. Didn’t have a great season but you’d think he’s young enough to persist with as cover to our first choice mids.

Lost lots of games playing 5 at the back too. I’d hardly consider arsenal display a ringing endorsement of the formation.

It’s clear Ralph is not happy with his adams contribution. If I had faith in the manager i’d Be more supportive of notion of moving on a player manager doesn’t fancy.

I believe they clearly want to control the narrative of how people read about it.

He never gave the slightest indication we'd switch back to it being first choice. All he said is might ocassionally use it but was pretty clear 5-3-2 is the default.

Harrison Reed

I find ralph's summer pronouncements insane. A 30yr old Stu Armstrong who has always been a midfielder is now a striker, a Dm is no longer an ideal DM but is now a roving AM.

But playing Lavia there meant we ended up with one of our most impressive players(in the first half of last season) Romeu looked like a fish up a tree in a bizarre role. Wingbacks get exposed in the formation, it's not just djenepo. In the 4 they get support. We were just as bad in a 5 getting humbled by Burnley at the end of last season. So I don't see any progress in the formation.

I guess the fact that we've got 4 AM in last year of their contract may mean there's more chance next season if they do well. Until we shockingly renew Walcott & Co.

We also won lots of games with those players playing 4-2-2-2 last season. We lost games playing 5 at the back last season too, one rather fortunate win against Arsenal aside.

If the players can pick up 5-3-2 so easily & effectively why did they fail abysmally to play it despite playing it all pre-season and the end of last season. Why not blood new players slowly if it takes time to adjust to 4-2-2-2

Tough games it is not as if we are playing Man City, Liverpool & chelsea in the next 3. We are playing a Leeds side that struggled last season, a leicester side that struggled last season(& have lost players), a Man U side that look to be struggling still under a new manager. Don't see why we should cower against them?

His answer made pretty clear 5-3-2 is now the default formation. Had a whole blather of a justification of why 5-3-2 was better and that new players couldn't really adopt 4-2-2-2. The mention of 4-2-2-2 was extremely throwaway.

We learned he's completely abandoned 4-2-2-2. I'd hoped this awful 5-3-2 was a temporary blip but Ralph has instead gone completely round the bend with nonsense logic about 5-3-2.

Think it just gave an easy out. I'd have preferred something more specific.

Unless we get someone else with real pace in that would concern me.

Maybe the u23's won 9-0 and that's why Ralph denied it happened during the fan forum