I would say from what I’ve read on here that most people have both Nathan and Pierre as the two best. Not really a lot of point moaning about Nathan if there’s nobody you think better to bring in. There are however lots of other players who could be replaced by someone who may do better (or may not). As for the reasons as to why people think that about Nathan, they’ve been listed in several posts over the last few pages and sort of backed up by your admission that we don’t have a better option (thus he must be better than others currently and hence people’s opinion). Nobody is denying that we aren’t very good at the moment and it would be better if we were all moaning that Nathan’s current level of performance was way behind most of the team. Sadly that’s not the case.
IIRC, a fairly dire 1-0 away to Boro, towards the back end of Puel's reign, was the last time we did beat a newly promoted side. To then be followed by these nine games - including all six overseen by MP last season.
Can only have two loanees from other PL clubs, I believe. And we already have one in Ings. That said, there's probably no reason for Chelsea to loan out Cahill. His contract is up at the end of the year (and it's quite clear that he isn't getting it renewed), so it would be in Chelsea's interest to sell rather than loan.
**** me Schad, no one is saying there can’t be urgency and for him to be given time. The time thing is really for the fans to stay off the managers back. The urgency is bollocks cos it isn’t as though we’re not trying to win!
Not to add mate that it really isn’t about Nathan not being good, but more our other players being a bit ****, that makes him looks far worse. I think we will be happier come Xmas- there are a couple or three games we will win, with at least one surprise. Starting Sunday where I just don’t believe we will lose.
I agree, the fans shouldn't be getting on his back. But that's much different than what I was responding to, which was the notion that it might take Ralph 2-3 months to turn it around, but that we'll be fine. That would have been true if he was hired at the outset of the season, but we've burned through our buffer already. We don't have 2-3 months; we don't even have 2-3 weeks. A loss to Huddersfield on the back of a loss to Cardiff would be enormously damaging; I don't blame him for the Cardiff result, and I likely wouldn't blame him for a bad result at Huddersfield. That doesn't change the fact that we desperately need a result there.
I’ll see if I can find some time later tonight...: if nobody else steps up. No light sabres - I promise* *with fingers crossed
Depends on how things go in that month. We need at least one real win to go along with the moral victories, because otherwise we'll need something approaching a 50% win rate over the final four months, and that's a huge ask. I wouldn't find fault with Pep or Klopp of the Actual Klopps if they failed to win half their games with this side.
Also depends on how the transfer window goes, I would suggest. The better the window, the bigger the gap which we could be capable of closing thereafter. But if it's anything like the last two January transfer windows, we basically need there to be no gap. And I think that's too much to ask.
I recon we can get at them..Sokratis and Mustafi both picked their 5th bookings so will be missing, also unfortunately for the lad Holding is out for 9 months, we just need to step up.
Are most of us of the opinion that we would like to see Jan Bednarek start again next match ? Personally, I would, as I think the guy is capable. He may have made one error yesterday, but luckily it didnt prove costly, and prior to that, Jan had already made a couple of good interceptions. I would be pleased if Ralph kept faith with him, as part of the start of continuity and confidence building to start sorting things out. Please do not slate me for this, but it would not be impossible to think that Vest might even get another chance to start, as, how would confidence building happen, if just benched or not even chosen for a considerable amount of time ? No doubt it will all depend on what Ralph observes this coming week in training and hopefully he will be able to talk and work with all the defenders on a one to one basis, I do not think it would serve any purpose at all in keep chopping and changing the defence around, we have seen enough of that already. So come next Sunday's line-up being announced, if it WAS to be Bed and Vest paired together again, I would accept that as Ralph's choice. As it is, there is enough work to be done between now and next Sunday, full-back wise...
Also depends on when in January it happens. If we make moves at the start of the window, such that it has some material impact starting with the Leicester match on the 12th, that will help. If we wait until the end, we'll only have those players up to speed for perhaps the final 13 league matches, at which point it'd need to be quite the window to give us a chance.
I can't stretch to that one. A defender stuffs up and we concede a goal, everyone unanimously agrees that he's **** and we should never have signed him. A forward plays half a season without a goal or an assist and he's player of the season? Why not blame the rest of the team for not protecting the defence or giving the ball away, make an argument for player of the season from all the hundreds of tackles and interceptions the defenders have successfully made. You're arguing the same thing for Redmond. We will never win a game without goals or assists after all. Only the midfield is looking worthy or any kind of praise this season for me.
Oh that's interesting. Knew about Holding (poor bloke) but didn't know about the suspensions. Serious centre back shortage there.
Koscielny is back for them though. He was on the bench yesterday, and will apparently start their EL match in midweek. Presumably if comes through that fine, he'll start on Sunday. I also noticed that Monreal was back yesterday too.
