I think that he has used the start of the season to experiment with his options and Bertie has only just become match fit. I had thought that Vokins would be the Targett replacement but it looks like Ralph doesn't trust him yet. We have got away with the experimentation up until now but I would think that we will see players in their more orthodox position from now on. I do think that Cedric has been getting the nod over Valery because he can also fill in on the left.
awful result clearly. if we'd won though its like a mastermind manager well done / inspired decision making etc. but if we lose its like - see told you so we should have put nah nah nah at left back and monty tonty and centre back and billy ballbag in mid field and blah blah bumbercluts
Bad day at the office all round is my view. Now, just don't screw up on Tuesday, then take advantage of Spurs current odd form and we'll all be smiling.
To be clear, he really does know what he's doing IMO but I can't see it myself at the moment. It smacks of issues in the dressing room to me and Ralph needing to stamp some authority on the team.
Nah. We won at Sheffield with a similarly atrocious approach in the first half where we were terribly exposed on the left but Sheff were terrible going forward. This is the result of two consecutive games with poor team selection. And the fact that he has fixed it both times at the break to show everyone how bad the decisions really were.
He actually started trying to fix it during the half. He moved Danso to CB and Bednarek to RB for the end of the first half. He knew what he’d done wasn’t working and at least tried to change it early. Sadly, damage was already done.
The real issue is that the club never replaced Matty on the defensive left side and it has left us short with Bertie only just getting back to match fitness. Whether Ralph was on board with the decision not to replace him we might never know and maybe he was ok with Kev being brought in as a defensive utility player to back up all positions. Cedric playing instead of Valery is more straighforward I think as I have previously stated, I think Ralph saw it as useful that he can play on the left too. I fully expect Bertie to be starting on the left moving forward.
Unless I've missed it Bertrand hasn't just returned from injury or fitness. He's been available throughout this period where Ralph has gone maverick and started picking names out of a hat to play FB? I don't think Ralph has even pretended otherwise and has straight up said he is picking other players to play there to confuse the opposition and other such nonsense. I too expect Ralph to play Bertrand at LB from now on though, because its so obvious that we are much better when he does.
Having just read this, maybe I'm not so confident he will stop messing around with the defence... https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/1...Fwrhbxph3P-dVsIBFuaBHO_IDQp9EMIJGH06sKYgagr4c
Bertrand was injured for the Fulham, Brighton & Man Utd games, whereas Sheff Utd & Bompey he was fit.