This. However, this could be the game that sees Sam Gallagher get a start at last. I agree with those who say he's not shown much yet but I don't think he's been a starter yet either.. Time for him to deliver!
Don't get the sense that Hasenhuttl rates him; since Gallagher arrived, he's played 1 minute of PL football and 17 minutes in the cup. Would imagine it'll be the Long and Austin show until Ings is fit.
Hardly short on numbers with Ings, Long, Austin, Barnes & Obafemi. Plus Gallagher. Redmond too can play centrally. Short on quality maybe, but hardly short on numbers.
I’m mortified that we have to go into yet another crucial game with Shane Long starting. Simply not good enough decision making at the club for far too long.
It is what it is though...but mustn't forget the Ralph factor. He seems to be able to make a silk purse out of a....not very good silk purse (pig's ear is too harsh as there is talent in the team). Ralph and the board are trying to sort things out, but it won't be easy or quick.....the manager seems to want a small vital squad and would rather wait to get the right person than a gap filler. At least we are less reliant on pure strikers under Ralph's tutelage. However, I agree....having so few strikers does make us hostages to fortune and Ralph has been unlucky with injuries. He does seem to be a man with a plan though but there are no guarantees Under Hughes I expected nothing and was comfortably without hope...Ralph makes me think we can win every game and that is destroying me.
We must be careful managing our hopes. Ralph can set us up tactically correct, dominate a match, then have our strikers miss all the gilt edged chances & make one mistake in defence and we lose. He's good, but not god. And our squad looks patched together at the moment. I'd rather us being playing a top six team than Cardiff next in all honesty.
Not a God....blasphemy I'm not expecting miracles, but at least we have hope now. I think we were underperforming and Ralph has added that extra 10% that will (probably) help us avoid relegation. Stay up this season and give Ralph the right players in the summer and see where that takes us. I'm desperate for a win on Saturday as I can't bear to have even a temporary visit to the bottom three.
Much, much better. But as history repeating said, it's a lot to ask from RH to get this squad winning games. I'm very scared about this Sat. Big game. I'd back us to win it if Ings was fit. I think Id fancy a draw or Cardiff win without him.
