Pack v Ralls

[B. Oddie]

Re: Pack v Ralls

They're both bang average but I think Pack is slightly more comfortable in possession.

See, I think he's struggles. Watch closely over the next few matches and look how teams press him so that he panics and either boots it away randomly or passes backwards, thus breaking down the attack.

That said, he looks stronger than Ralls, whereas Ralls is better in possession.

[surge]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Picking Pack for this means backing him to play on the 13th, the 16th, the 20th, the 24th and the 27th.

Picking Ralls means bringing in a player who dropped out of the squad due to injury and asking him to play on the 20th, the 24th and the 27th.

The boring answer is that we surely need to rotate. Playing the game though, I think Ralls and Vaulks are the better combination despite yesterday's showing which is actually the first 90 minutes I think Pack/Vaulks have played well together.

[WJ99mobile]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Exactly, i don’t think Ralls is having the best of seasons and, as mentioned earlier, I would go with Pack at the moment, but I’m wondering if what I understood the term “bang average” to mean is right reading this thread. I’ve been very critical of our midfield this season, but have always thought individually they’re all pretty good by Championship standards, it’s just that the blend is wrong.

Sorry Bob but I do feel the need to bite.

He’s not particularly proficient at dribbling and controlling the ball but not the worst - average.

He’s OK at tackling and marking but can lunge in and get caught because of his pace - average

His shooting is pretty lacklustre, and about as powerful as a slug but tends to get it on target - average

He’s relatively slow, awful acceleration but not as slow as Pack or Flint - average

Ralls is a bang average player. What he has going for his positioning is pretty good, not a dreadful passer, he gives 100% every game and he rarely gets injured. He is dependable and that’s as good as it gets.

Would he get in any team in the top 6? Maybe. Maybe not.

[2b2bdoo]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Ralls easy.

Although Pack isn't as awful with the back 3 behind him.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Pack is a better passer of the ball. I would imagine in his earlier career (you'd have to assume he had a bit more pace about him back then, surely?) he was quite effective. However, his moments of sublime passing (there were one or two such moments against Luton) get undone by the almost inevitable under-hit/misdirected pass, that can often cost us dearly.
He also has a tendency to dilly-dally with the ball (as someone pointed out, he got lucky against Luton when the ref blew for a foul).

Ralls has a good 'engine' on him, but is just so one-paced. I tend to agree with WJ99mobile, that he's very average in most aspects of his game. He lacks finesse and composure when in possession. There are quite a few players like that in the Championship, however, they tend to have one aspect of their game that can make up for their shortcomings... savvy, bit of dog about them, leadership skills or whatever - Ralls....?

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: Pack v Ralls

I think whatever your opinion, this thread has shown that neither player gets a great deal of endorsement. We need a big overhaul in the summer of our midfield, that's for sure.
I'd say thanks to both of them, but it's time to move on.

[Trigger]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Thought Pack had a good game yesterday. They are different players, Pack on his day is capable of Hollywood balls and generally better passing but Ralls has generally worked harder off the ball and is more combative, without looking stats I'm inclined to say Ralls probably has more of an eye for goal also.

I think on yesterday's performance I'd have someone like Pack in the team, played some good passes, as much looking forward as I've seen him and late on he sprinted back into position also.

Ralls will get the nod more often though as he is reliable and probably quite underrated at times.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Ralls. I'm always baffled by the stick Ralls gets, if he was an average footballer he wouldn't have made almost 250 league appearances for a club that has been competing in the top half of the league for the whole time he's been here

Completely agree and he gets named dropped by other managers and our own on how good he is.

[Don Corleone]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Completely agree and he gets named dropped by other managers and our own on how good he is.

Ralls is a good competent top end Championship midfielder, I believe he would get in most of the sides in the Championship. He has been promoted twice and been involved in the play offs, it’s a very good Championship record

[City123]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Exactly, i don’t think Ralls is having the best of seasons and, as mentioned earlier, I would go with Pack at the moment, but I’m wondering if what I understood the term “bang average” to mean is right reading this thread. I’ve been very critical of our midfield this season, but have always thought individually they’re all pretty good by Championship standards, it’s just that the blend is wrong.

I agree its not his best season, but despite that WhoScored has him down as our 5th best player to play 20+ games this season: https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/188/Show/Wales-Cardiff

For all the talk of players coming through the ranks being favoured by fans and given more leeway, I think the opposite may be true. Ralls has been here for over a decade and was the closest thing we had to an academy product for a while but he gets a lot of unfair stick whilst inferior signings are praised ahead of the "bang average" midfielder who started 37 games for our promotion winning side.

[RichardM]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Ralls is a good competent top end Championship midfielder, I believe he would get in most of the sides in the Championship. He has been promoted twice and been involved in the play offs, it’s a very good Championship record

Can't disagree with that, but why changing a winning team. Would dropping Pack and bringing Ralls back make the team better than it has been in the last few games without him?

[surge]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Completely agree and he gets named dropped by other managers and our own on how good he is.

Thinking about the comment that the blend of midfield is wrong, it's good we have one who is likely to drum up interest if we're looking at selling to fund changes/free up squad space in this area of the pitch.

[RichardM]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Ralls easy.

Although Pack isn't as awful with the back 3 behind him.

Have you been watching the last few games when City have played with a back three and conceded very few goals? I have and it didn't look like an awful back three.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Have you been watching the last few games when City have played with a back three and conceded very few goals? I have and it didn't look like an awful back three.

Don't think 2b2bdoo said the back 3 were awful....

[RichardM]

Re: Pack v Ralls

Don't think 2b2bdoo said the back 3 were awful....

He said "Although Pack isn't as awful with the back 3 behind him."
I missed "with" and read it as "as".