This is probably unfair, I'm not saying it's why we're losing, etc... but we should have stuck with Gunn.
Palace are a good team. We can't expect Saints to change from total **** to winning every game at home. There will be days Saints are beaten and play poorly. But Ralph has us going in the right direction atm
No one has looked particularly great, although Redders work rate has been useful. So, who's coming off for Long at HT?
The main difference between the teams is that they have three strikers who are equally comfortable running with the ball. When they hit us on the break it is almost 3v3 as our wingbacks are still up on the half way line. Their midfield runners are finding space outside our box, which is still a major concern. When we get the ball wide Targett isn’t quick enough to get a yard on his marker and the angle for a cross is lost. Valery has plenty of space, doesn’t always get the ball but when he does he doesn’t get crosses in. Lots for Ralph to think about
Yeah. We're better under Ralph, that much is clear. But better is some distance away from being consistently good. We don't have the players to be consistently good.
Transition from defence to attack is killing us at the moment more than anything else I think, thought we looked alright when we got into our shape and started moving the ball up and around halfway, but ball kept coming back too many times and Palace can exploit our shape. Intrigued to see what Ralph does here. Coming into the game I was curious if he'd change things up because Palace counter our approach pretty painfully, but can understand not wanting to change things up whilst we're still trying to sure up some form of consistency and familiarity. Bench doesn't particularly suit much of a change up, but we'll see if he does so anyway.
Ralph not looking like this is what he wanted at the start of the 2nd. Hopefully kicked some arse or they will all be working the shop on Friday.
Just because Gunn's the future, might as well get him going. But that's probably a #meltdown for another day.