You not allowed to pick both , which one do you select for next 3 big games .
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You not allowed to pick both , which one do you select for next 3 big games .
My answer would be Ralls nine times out of ten, but I thought Pack played very well yesterday, so I'll go for him.Quote:
Originally Posted by life on mars
Ralls
Pack's a bit slow at times when in possession of the ball and was lucky to get fouled last night in the first half when dilly dallying, but he is always looking to attack and can thread a killer pass.
Ralls is what you might call "nice and tidy", breaks up play and tracks his man but when he has the ball, he too often takes the simple option backwards or sideways.
Not a great deal in it but at the moment it's Pack.
Pack impress me yesterday but still think Ralls has that little bit more qualityQuote:
Originally Posted by life on mars
In this current shape Pack, he’s more of a holding midfielder. I think the question should be Ralls or Vaulks. Ralls is the better footballer but Vaulks has more energy. I’m sure Ralls is morphing into Joe Ledley
I'm really not a fan of either.
Pack - Poor at so many things, good at passing and composure.
Ralls - Bang average at pretty much everything.
For me, pack as you can at least negate his flaws easier
Ralls? Who's he? I'd forgotten he was still here.
Which leads to the obvious question. Given that neither of these players are deemed suitable for the job, within reason who would you like to see replace them next season if we are are still in this division ?Quote:
Originally Posted by WJ99mobile
They're all morphing into Joe Ledley.Quote:
Originally Posted by Des Parrot
All but 3 of the starting 11 yesterday had the beard, and the whole squad is learning the Joe Ledley 2016 dance via Zoom classes.
Just as long as they don't adopt his goal celebration!
They're both bang average but I think Pack is slightly more comfortable in possession.
I think Pack is a better footballer. I don't think Ralls is as bad as people are making out though I just think he needs the right players around him.
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
I’ve got to admit my football knowledge doesn’t stretch much further than Cardiff but one player I’d love here that doesn’t seem to be starting much is Phillip Billing at BournemouthQuote:
Originally Posted by Moodybluebird
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by City123
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by 198bore
That said, he looks stronger than Ralls, whereas Ralls is better in possession.
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.
Sorry Bob but I do feel the need to bite.Quote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
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.
Ralls easy.
Although Pack isn't as awful with the back 3 behind him.
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....?
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.
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.
Completely agree and he gets named dropped by other managers and our own on how good he is.Quote:
Originally Posted by City123
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 recordQuote:
Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa
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-CardiffQuote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
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.
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?Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Corleone
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2b2bdoo
Don't think 2b2bdoo said the back 3 were awful....Quote:
Originally Posted by RichardM
He said "Although Pack isn't as awful with the back 3 behind him."Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee
I missed "with" and read it as "as".
Pack on the basis we are winning with him in the team. Ralls on the benchQuote:
Originally Posted by life on mars
I've read this thread and a few comments about Ralls being 'bang average'.
i'm sure there are any many professional footballers who'd give anything to be consistent enough to be described as 'bang average' in the top half of what's considered to be one of the hardest leagues in the world for 5 straight years. It's not a bad thing at all in the greater picture.
Is it only 5 years? It feels like Ralls has been "bang average" forever.Quote:
Originally Posted by xsnaggle
I think Ralls and Vaulks are too similar.
Although we have resorted to getting the ball forward quickly, we still need a passer in the middle of the park.
Pack was excellent last night and has been since he came back into the team.
He also worked really hard.
I would go for Pack.
He tends to become oblivious in most games, particularly the bigger ones.....Quote:
Originally Posted by tforturton
Ralls as the question is Ralls or Pack.