Joe Ralls.

[the other bob wilson]

Joe Ralls' contract situation was discussed at Steve Morison's pre Liverpool media briefing which can be seen on the club website. Morison says he rates Ralls as being in the top five for central midfielders in the Championship and that the stats back him up in that opinion.

Bearing in mind that you'd like to think that the club already have a figure in mind as the most they could pay a player next season, do you think they should make an exception with Ralls and make him the highest paid player at the club (bar Bacuna possibly) next season? My opinion, based on no inside info whatsoever, is that we probably will have to do that to keep him - I believe that, within reason, we should and I'd offer him the captaincy for next season as well.

[olderblue]

Re: Joe Ralls.

I watched him make his debut, away at Oxford in the League cup, he came on in extra time.i think
He has been great for us over the last 10+ years and is still good for a new 2-3 year contract.
Make him the Captain as well is a good shout

I always think Ralls is one of those players who doesn't get the full appreciation of what he does until he isn't playing!

Sunday we were superb against Forest
Wednesday night was the complete opposite

The major difference was Joe Ralls played on Sunday

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: Joe Ralls.

Morison says he rates Ralls as being in the top five for central midfielders in the Championship and that the stats back him up in that opinion.

This was an interesting claim by Morrison. What stats has he dug up that suggest Ralls is among the top five central midfielders in the division?

He’s a decent player by Championship standards, but one of the best five central midfielders in the division? I find that hard to swallow.

[City123]

Re: Joe Ralls.

This was an interesting claim by Morrison. What stats has he dug up that suggest Ralls is among the top five central midfielders in the division?

He’s a decent player by Championship standards, but one of the best five central midfielders in the division? I find that hard to swallow.

We all know how much Steve loves his stats so I'm going to take his word on this one

I think Ralls has been consistently undervalued/underappreciated by Cardiff fans, you don't make almost 300 appearances for a (usually) top end Championship club without having something about you

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Joe Ralls.

We all know how much Steve loves his stats so I'm going to take his word on this one

I think Ralls has been consistently undervalued/underappreciated by Cardiff fans, you don't make almost 300 appearances for a (usually) top end Championship club without having something about you

Agreed, the point above about us underestimating him until he’s not there is a very good one which has been very true this season, but is he worth City going that little bit further to try and keep him?

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: Joe Ralls.

This was an interesting claim by Morrison. What stats has he dug up that suggest Ralls is among the top five central midfielders in the division?

He’s a decent player by Championship standards, but one of the best five central midfielders in the division? I find that hard to swallow.

I agree with you. There's no way he's among the best five central midfielders in the division.
He was very good against Forest, but there have been many times this season that he's been anonymous during games.

As a club, we are going to have to cut our cloth accordingly, due to the lack of parachute payments and the impact of Covid. I think he'll be offered a two year contract, but that offer might very well fall short of his expectations.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Joe Ralls.

Just been having a look at Who Scored for just about the first time this season and, hardly surprisingly, it doesn’t make for good reading from a City perspective.

Aden Flint is rated our top player at 30th with Joe Ralls second best at 48th - for me, this backs up a feeling I’ve had for while that goals scored by non strikers are over rewarded (Ralls hasn’t scored this season).

The one which surprised me was how high Joel Bagan was in the City rankings - he’s eighth, suggesting that he’s done better than he’s given credit for by many.

On the team front, our decline is really apparent from the discipline stats - despite our physical style, our disciplinary figures have been surprisingly good down the years, but this season, we’re second in the yellow/red cards and the fouls committed charts, while we’re second worst in the successful tackles table. All of this is indicative of a declining, slowing down set of defenders and midfielders for me.

The stat I found most surprising in the whole division was that Blackburn are bottom of the possession table.

[Hilts]

Re: Joe Ralls.

Well there was a City fan on here claiming Matt Grimes was the divisions best. Joe has 5 more assists than him. Im pretty sure Joe would have won more tackles as well.

Hes not one of the 5 best but at the top of his game is better than a decent Championship player as well.

He does seem to be picking up more injuries though.

However he needs to be kept.

Since the Dave Jones era it wouldnt suprise me if Joe has the 2nd most assists for us from a midfielder. I think that shows how desparate our central midfield has been for consistent quality.

Obviously nobody is near Whitts.

[Nobody's Rep]

Re: Joe Ralls.

Joe Ralls' contract situation was discussed at Steve Morison's pre Liverpool media briefing which can be seen on the club website. Morison says he rates Ralls as being in the top five for central midfielders in the Championship and that the stats back him up in that opinion.

Bearing in mind that you'd like to think that the club already have a figure in mind as the most they could pay a player next season, do you think they should make an exception with Ralls and make him the highest paid player at the club (bar Bacuna possibly) next season? My opinion, based on no inside info whatsoever, is that we probably will have to do that to keep him - I believe that, within reason, we should and I'd offer him the captaincy for next season as well.

Simply yes and yes - also agree with a later post that a la joni Mitchell you don't what you've got til it's gone

[Rjk]

Re: Joe Ralls.

Agreed, the point above about us underestimating him until he’s not there is a very good one which has been very true this season, but is he worth City going that little bit further to try and keep him?

depends who else is available probably

[Rjk]

Re: Joe Ralls.

This was an interesting claim by Morrison. What stats has he dug up that suggest Ralls is among the top five central midfielders in the division?

He’s a decent player by Championship standards, but one of the best five central midfielders in the division? I find that hard to swallow.

the stats he's referring to are probably something like xT, or obv.

[dembethewarrior]

Re: Joe Ralls.

We all know how much Steve loves his stats so I'm going to take his word on this one

I think Ralls has been consistently undervalued/underappreciated by Cardiff fans, you don't make almost 300 appearances for a (usually) top end Championship club without having something about you

Frustrated at the way he's been asked to play for years, is what it is for some of us, who who to take that out on Ralls in hindsight.

[dembethewarrior]

Re: Joe Ralls.

Well there was a City fan on here claiming Matt Grimes was the divisions best. Joe has 5 more assists than him. Im pretty sure Joe would have won more tackles as well.

Hes not one of the 5 best but at the top of his game is better than a decent Championship player as well.

He does seem to be picking up more injuries though.

However he needs to be kept.

Since the Dave Jones era it wouldnt suprise me if Joe has the 2nd most assists for us from a midfielder. I think that shows how desparate our central midfield has been for consistent quality.

Obviously nobody is near Whitts.

Or how desperately wrong he's been used for years under clueless hoofball merchants.

[ccfcwelshlad]

Re: Joe Ralls.

Joe Ralls' contract situation was discussed at Steve Morison's pre Liverpool media briefing which can be seen on the club website. Morison says he rates Ralls as being in the top five for central midfielders in the Championship and that the stats back him up in that opinion.

Bearing in mind that you'd like to think that the club already have a figure in mind as the most they could pay a player next season, do you think they should make an exception with Ralls and make him the highest paid player at the club (bar Bacuna possibly) next season? My opinion, based on no inside info whatsoever, is that we probably will have to do that to keep him - I believe that, within reason, we should and I'd offer him the captaincy for next season as well.

If Morrison stays then he won't take the armband off him I wouldn't have thought; but he's absolutely the right guy going forward. Led to believe contact for Ralls is a priority and close though .

Also feel he's absolutely underrated by our fans and believe he can up his levels even more with the transition we're going through.

Injury is minor and hopefully be back after this weekend, really keen to see more of the middle three we had v Forest.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Joe Ralls.

If Morrison stays then he won't take the armband off him I wouldn't have thought; but he's absolutely the right guy going forward. Led to believe contact for Ralls is a priority and close though .

Also feel he's absolutely underrated by our fans and believe he can up his levels even more with the transition we're going through.

Injury is minor and hopefully be back after this weekend, really keen to see more of the middle three we had v Forest.

Thanks for that. I hope you’re right.