TBF the overhaul has been not happening for 4-6 windows now. Very disappointing game to watch. I think Ralph is the best manager we have had for years but I think he got this one wrong by putting too much faith in our defence and not changing quickly enough. Burnley for all their faults are always organised and resolute, we essentially played them exactly the same way we played them last year with exactly the same outcome. So the result shouldn't be a surprise. I expected Boufal to be absent so am disappointed that he wasn't on from the start. He's not the messiah but he's unpredictable and this game was crying out for someone like that. With hindsight I'm obviously right because the result couldn't be any worse really. That defensive 3.... ugh. If it wasn't Vestergaard it would have been Stephens. Trying to head a ball 3 feet above you and watching the striker run through on goal. Just awful. Their second and third though, very good goals. We were well beaten.
Well that was a bit pants, wasn't it? ****ing done in n can't be arsed with detail so a few points: - Where was Maya? Surely he's not 4th choice cb. - I told you all we'd get brought back to Earth - The collapse after Vesty's goal was as embarrassing as it was familiar, made all the more familiar by the fact we were dominating the second half until the moment. - Thought Che looked off the pace a bit but understandably so, will need to learn quickly that he won't get as many touches in the PL. Interested to see the early chance again as hard to see properly from the other end. - We didn't look all that different to a lot of games last season. - If you think our fans our ugly then you need to go to Burnley - **** off var.
The overhaul should have started in January. I think we have effectively had three seasons where the front line needed to be addressed and , being generous, perhaps re-jigged the defence after Puel left. It always staggered me the rate at which we accumulated midfielders but I think we have probably not needed such a radical change in our playing staff since we got promoted. We should have 3 decent central defenders at least - at present we have Bednarek who has potential and Yoshida who is useful back up. The other three are not up to scratch and we should have done more to replace with better quality. I expected more players to leave and had anticipated something like at least 10 going out of the door. I anticipated far greater change than we have seen although I am pleased with the additions. Worth recalling that Koeman was alleged to have been very sniffy about the status of the academy players. This has largely be borne out since he left. I am not surprised that they have largely been foisted on Championship sides. I think we should have looked for two more mature central defenders . I like the idea of bringing in youngsters like Danso but today has reminded everyone that the defensive situation was a priority. The squad has largely gone as far as it could. As I said previously, there are too many mediocre players in the squad. We should have addressed this over the summer and done the investigative work after January. The club has let Ralph down.
I think he got it wrong but what exactly do you expect him to do with Vestergaard and Stephens? They are still here, they are still the same players making the same mistakes and we don't have the quality players needed in those positions. Would I have started Maya - in hindsight probably. Would the result be different..probably not.
Coach them? He's supposed to be the greatest manager since Clough. If everyone else can see that they're ****, surely he can? Why did he sign attacking players in the window when it's been very clear where the issues are? What did he do tactically to change the game? Our football under Ralph is entirely predictable and he's been found out.
I'm not a doom prophet. However having witnessed the offering I can only comment on what I saw. We more than matched Burnley for an hour, then Vestergard made a basic mistake which was compounded by Gunn who's mistake made one think of Fraser wistfully. We then fell apart. As mentioned earlier, J.W.P. and Redmond were good. The rest were in varying degrees not good enough. Sadly Ings looks a spent force, Adams tried but failed, Romeo fought, but his distribution was average at best. Stephens did his best, Bednarek put in a shift. Vestergard was awful, Cork out jumped him in the first half. Both full backs were curate's eggs. Finally Gunn let in their first shot on target through his legs from 16 yards, most of us would have saved it. I read all this stuff about closing down and getting forward, today 2nd half, the opposite was true. I hate to say it but we were not very good. night night..
I feel sorry for him. The **** he has inherited. He is still in credit before I start blaming everything on him. What today will do, is give him a reason to drop someone, shake things up & let him ask for more.
Think there are some complicating factors re shifting some of the bloated squad. Also, complete sea change in personnel doesn't always yield quick results.
I know each to their own, and we are all different, but is most of this forum like Joe Btfsplk? Remind me if **** really hits the fan to not come on here for a calm reasoned judgement Life is too short to look always on the dark side. We lost, its game one, we move on. I keep saying it, but be more positive and more positive things happen to you. That’s my motto in life anyway.
Sheff Utd, Norwich, Palace (if Zaha sulks), Newcastle, Brighton, Villa. There's six names who I'd like to think that above XI could be better than. Although I wouldn't be putting any money on finishing above Bmouth and Burnley, given how comfortable those two teams are in their skin. Of course I'd rather be competing with the likes of Leicester and Everton, once again being the best of the rest. But we're some way off that I believe. Today doesn't change my belief that we're most likely looking at a 13th to 15th placed finish.
My only question re Ralph today is the lack of Maya, if there's not something else to that like a knock etc. then I do find that a really bizarre decision not having him as one of a 3. Not saying he would have prevented the collapse but I'd have fancied our chances a lot more.
Ssh!!!!!! You may be right but let´s wait and see. Personally, I believe an experienced PL club should not be shipping 3 goals to a rival.
You don't think one game is a bit soon for your last sentence? It was awful match in ****e conditions settled by a mistake, well two probably, and then a collapse which was undoubtedly us. The collapse was familiarly depressing but I don't think you can read too much into this going forward. Don't get me wrong though it was a ****ing hard one to take. Probably best it's just forgotten and never spoken of again. I've firmly filed it in my 'never need to see the highlights of that' category.
Thing is, us fans have our own views on players, we have our favourites and we find it hard to forgive others who make mistakes. That's all fine but we haven't seen these players for 3 months. Ralph has. He is in the best position to see who is in the best form, who is better in training, who would best carry out his game plan. As it happens, he may have got it wrong
@Libby and @RedandWhiteManofKent too many rational, logical replies (after one game of the season). We should let the masses back on the thread......
