Match Day Thread Saints vs Everton - Sat Oct 1st 3pm

Aribo isn't shy of making a tackle, at least from what I saw. Seems to recover the ball enough times. Stronger in the tackle than, say, Stuie. If defensive play is not his strongest point, then maybe we should play him behind Che, rather than out wide.

 

Yes, definitely has that gangly uncomfortable style.

 

Aribo strikes me as exactly what the Rangers fans said. Has insanely good control, but goes missing a bit sometimes.

 

Yes he definitely has that gangly

A potential gem then with the right manager?

 

Does it make sense to say that I don’t *want* Ralph out, but I think we need a change?

 

Nothing makes sense any more.

 

You like the manager and feel bad that he is failing, but you recognise he has failed and needs changing.

I find the opinions over the past year funny on here, in that a minority could just tell things weren’t going to improve and wanted him gone, and the majority wanted to keep him. I seriously believe if Ralph was lets say, Mark Hughes, Puel, or MP2, based on performance/results - that majority who wanted to keep him would have been far, far less.

People wanted to keep Ralph more than was justified as he is a nice guy, loves the club and stuff. But that was never going to be enough.

In my hiatus from here over the past few months, I did check in a few times, and found it pretty hilarious when reading the response to us winning a couple of games - funny as **** (Chelsea one was priceless ), that people were deluded in still thinking he was the man to stay in charge. And now all of a sudden, the penny has dropped.

Seriously, if it were anyone else in charge most on here would have been vehement in their wishes for him to be sacked, and people have been blinded to the reality we haven’t been good enough. I get the debate around our squad ability, depth etc. but there were likely loads of alternatives who could have done just as well, and yes, maybe some who could have done worse.

For me, I like Ralph, but he has not over achieved at all in his time with us, and is long past his sell by date - I am fully expecting him to be gone by Monday pm.

 

The only thing with any sense right now would be to finally pull the trigger and get someone new in.

Can you imagine if the club keep him and bemoan the man they wanted just joined another EPL team, so we need to stick with Ralph.

I honestly cant see Ralph surviving this game, i if they are shy, I dont mind making the Zoom call to him and letting him down gently.

 

Maybe they’re waiting for Newcastle to pull the trigger, which they will eventually do & we finally pick up Howe? Just jesting btw.

 

He tackles but he doesn’t track back in the way needed to protect and help the FB.
Twice in the first 10-15 minutes Everton had the ball on our right for a cross and Larios, on the other side of the pitch had two attackers to mark. As soon as the first of those runners cut inside Larios had to go with him, leaving the other in acres of space. Aribo has to add that protection of the FB to his game, especially if Ralph tries to go back to the 4-2-2-2 formation, as he did yesterday.
Another time, in the first half, Everton were breaking, again Larios had two men against him and Aribo was literally just jogging back.
He might have got away with that in Scotland, but he needs to up his defensive commitment IMO.
Stuart isn’t the greatest defensively, but most of us forgive him for that because he is probably the best player in the squad, but the team can’t afford to have 2 attacking midfielders failing to get back and defend or the FBs will continually be overloaded.
I haven’t yet seen anyone query why the second Everton goal scorer was totally unmarked. Stuart not tracking back?

 

Good to have you back Billy, pointing out what a great source of derision and ridicule we are. I can’t say how much we have missed you.

 

You'll

Would take Potter when Chelsea inevitably sack him.

I'm not 'Ralph Out' yet though.

 

Ok, I understand.

 

Top post. We have been blindsided for a long time by his charm, charisma and passion.

I think there was more justification for sacking him in the summer than removing Puel, but the outcry from some would have been far greater than when puel left.

 

Was ABK or Caleta-Car, not sure which. KWP had to come in more centrally and challenge (foul) Maupay as he was unmarked from the cross, which meant he left McNeil free behind him. If McNeil hadn’t scored they probably would’ve got a pen anyway from KWPs challenge

 

Regretfully I'm moving to that position so that it wouldn't have been a total shock to just switch on and see the news of his departure. What concerns me is, who would be his replacement?

 

I thought both FBs were left hung out to dry, both offensively and defensively. It's not often that I've seen the 4-2-2-2 fail that badly, in that respect, for us.

I don't think it helped that we seemed scared to pass it to Larios. Until Perraud came on, we barely used our left side. (Yes the goal came from down there - but that was Everton passing it to Larios, not us!)

 

That's not the only reason. At times we have played some of the best football I have ever seen from Saints and that includes under Poch and Koeman. Admittedly, with those two we were better managed, well organised, played good football most of the time and would never have been beaten 9-0 but there has been the odd occasion under Ralph when we have been superb. Hughes, Puel and MP2 at their best wouldn't even get close to Ralph for entertainment.
Yes, he is liked for the reasons you've mentioned but that is only part of it. People are patient in the hope he can refind his way again.

 

Yes, fair point and we have played some lovely football that has ben a joy to watch.

We have also played possibly the worse one has watched also, and to me this is so too frequent that outweighs the good stuff.

Also, you mention we wouldn’t get beat 9-0 under Poch/Koeman - but say how no where near the other 3 were from being as good as Ralph - you are quite correct, as they wouldn’t have lost 9-0, twice, either.

But each to their own, and hope your patience pays off, like I said he is a nice guy, very likeable, but to me this aint gonna work.

 

For me, Ralph is like milk. Was great for a while, but it’s been open too long and has gone off now.