What a tremendous loss to the team.

Arguably more so than anyone else for no other reason than his fighting spirit and never say die attitude. Look at that run back he made against Leeds to prevent a certain goal. If only the other players had the same attitude as Oriel who play to the bitter end for the team. I would probably have made him the player of the season up to this point.

You begin to wonder when the fortunes will smile upon us as we are badly overdue some.

I really hope the rest of the team take Oriel's attitude. Plenty of fighting spirit, hard work and endeavour. They cannot afford to "give up" as they have done at times.

Romeu, Romeu, wherefore art thou Romeu??
As I recall it was a foul on our best (only?) player, waved on by the referee but called back when Oriol lost possession as Elland Road fell in.
I'm not going to try predict the team for Monday but will bet on Walcott not playing. For one thing he was useless in his last couple of games; plus - he's an Everton player on loan so can't play. Some bets are just so darned easy!
Might watch the first few minutes but think the Simpsons will be funnier!!! Just!!!

With Diallo out as well is this a chance for Jankowicz to redeem himself?

Don't know if RH will play Jankewitz in the Romeu position, but I suspect that we may see Jack Stephens or Salisu there.

To me Jack might just make a decent defensive midfielder given time.

I'm not sure if Digne will be playing but if he is we need someone with pace at RB, for me would rather have Kayne Ramsay or Djenepo rather than Bednarek.

For me play Vestegaard and Bednarek in the middle.

I doubt if RH will play Jankewitz and Ramsay again though after what happened at Man U.

Just a clarification on what I said above, he might play with Ramsay or Jankewitz but doubt if he will start both.

Stephens or Jankewitz for the CDM role. As Peterx says, please not Bedders at RB as he's not quick enough or comfortable on the ball in that position.

This injury crisis certainly isn’t something that loads of us fans predicted and said would happen if we didn’t get any signings as Gao wouldn’t invest! I mean it’s not like us sending them out on loan and Ralph being desperate for money in January was talked about loads and the fact that we were so low on players and such...

I mean as many have said before we could have a much worse owner that could be investing nothing leading to us being low on players and going into a relegation battle as I’ve said before... oh wait a second!

I mean this is now taking the piss! We basically have 11 non youth players available and only 2 others (tella and Nlundelu, who’ve played a few games!)! Our starting lineup has to now play youth at a fullback position, or Stephens and the only other experienced player we’ve got is Forster! I mean we basically have only 11! JUST 11 experienced players left to pick from and some of which are rubbish! Unless Gao seriously invests next season, then he needs to go or we’ll be relegated next season and that’s basically a fact!

We are at the point now where we can't take on any more injuries and the tactics against Everton need to reflect that. If that means parking the pressing game then so be it. I'm not sure I can bear to watch on Monday night. I didn't sleep properly after the Leeds game!

Unbelievable how things are conspiring against in the second half of the season.

I go along with peter x ...
Clearly Jack Stephens doesn't seem happy at CB , and lacks consistancy; one good game, one "not so good " and with JV and JB as first choices, Jack may flourish further upfield.
He brings more physical presence playing in midfield, a position he is not unfamiliar with in his Academy / U23 days, and he has 100+ games already.

There are few options at the moment with so many injuries, and although I'd like to see Jankewitz getting some real game time, playing against Everton maybe a big ask - even if he gets through the whole 90 without getting carded because after his disaster v. Man U . Everton are sure to put " some extra pressure" to try and provoke him into errors.

Disgraceful that Leeds will get away with that pitch. It wasn't much of a foul on him - it was the pitch that did it.

We are now in trouble - our season falling apart before we have reached safety. Those 8 or 9 points look more difficult by the day. I am sure we will be alright in the end but I bet it won't be by much. The number of injuries has been ridiculous and must, surely, be at in least some way down to the way Ralph does things. A thin(ner by the day) squad does not go with a type of game that leads to lots of injuries.

Wow - we cant catch a break. I like the idea of playing JS in midfield. Since he is more defense minded, you would think he would sit back more to protect the CBs. This might work as long as JWP is yelling at him and directing the midfield. Also, SA might be able to play the midfield and the JWP would have to sit back. I agree that we need to start this game parking the bus and being more defensive minded to see how Everton come at us. If we hold well for 20-30 minutes, then maybe press a little and see if we can cause EV to make some mistakes. I think we will squeak by this season as I think we will get at least 9 points form the remain games, but it will be a nail-bitter. We need some games to go our way this weekend. Until Monday, COYR.

The best place Jack Stephens could play is down the road at pompey.

a survey looking for opinions above covers almost everything ; The owner(s), the Board, lack of investment, Ralph, the standard of the playing staff we still have available BUT seems to miss some other factors than are highly relevant.
1) Primarily, we must live within our means and those deals that "didn't happen" in January have been well-documented and clearly when many clubs are seeking too few players in certain positions and the selling clubs can demand what they will.
There are limitations to what we can "sensibly " spend.
2) State of the art facilities at Staplewood are out-of-bounds (covid) to help injured players recover. Last season they had an excellent record for assisting recovery.
3) Clearly there has been a "glapp" in the stream of incoming talents from the Academy.
Whilst we can boast past successes; Lallana, Shaw etc, etc, it's obvious that not every player who makes the B team is automatically a candidate for our Prem. side and Ralph clearly thought that Targett and Reed weren't what he was looking for and also released Johnson, Seager, Barnes, Klarer and Alfie Jones as unsuitable.
We currently have a string of loan-outs to lower league clubs; Slattery, O'Connor, Sims, Hesketh, O'Driscoll, Valery and Vokins who (seemingly) don't meet " the Ralph standard " and I for one are willing to respect his opinion because we have to progress but simply "putting bodies inside shirts " is not the long-term answer.
3) In the post Koeman era, the better players were sold off / let go but releasing the likes of Jose Fonte (still playing CL football at age 37) , Gabbiadini and Dusan Tadic were momentary judgements made without thought for suitable replacements.
The responsibility for those "replacements" falls clearly of the shoulders of Les Reed and Ross Wilson whose recruitment of ; Boufal, Hoedt, Gunn, Lemina, Elyounoussi and (finally) Guido Carrillo showed a complete lack of any footballing "nous" and landed the club with a series of long-term contracts with huge salaries which despite loan-outs still land Saints with subsidized costs until those contracts eventually run out.
In the past few years we have lost the experience of; Jose Fonte, Steven Davis, Maya Yoshida, and Cedric (in part due to age / ambition), a group that may soon include; Shane Long, Ryan Bertrand and maybe even Danny Ings, but at present there seem to be few obvious replacements.
Clearly KWP, Diallo and Salisu looked good enough on first viewing, and Vestergaard was outstanding early season compared to his first season, but right now we need some VAR luck, and a lot of prayer to make it through the rest of the season without even more injuries and maintain our Prem. status - no matter what.
Quite simply, we have to ..get on with the job ...grin and bear it ...bite the bullet... or whatever expression you want to choose . COYR !

I don't know why some people don't fully support our successful manager. He knows what he's doing...................but he's just had about a dozen unlucky games, could happen to any team.

Devastated to hear about Romeus injury.
We have to regroup and fight with what e have until KWP and Diallo are back.
Bertrand as CM (why not?) along with JWP is an option that we should consider.
System: 3-5-2 please.
Goalie: McCarthy.
JB, Stephens and Vesty at the back.
Djenepo right wing back, Salisu left wing back.
JWP and Bertrand as CMs.
Stuey and Tella as 10s
Adams and Ings up front.
Bench: Forster, Janckewitz, Redmond, Chauke, N'Lundulu, Minamino and Will Ferry.
COYR.

Janckewitz in alongside JWP but move Armstrong into a number 10 role to provide a bit more protection. 4411 with ings on his own. Ramsey or stephens in at right back. The formation the other day didn’t work and only did against Chelsea as it mirrored what they were doing.

We all seem to agree that there are only a dozen, or so players to choose from, but simply where do we play them. Maybe a variation with a 3-5-2 for a while (?)
We must give Kayne Ramsay (extended contract) a few games at RB and keep JB, JV and Salisu as CB's . Without Romeu for the rest of the season need a bit more " muscle" in our hitherto " lightweight midfield", and there I would suggest Jack Stephens. It's a role he's not unfamiliar with from his Academy / U23 days.

Of course, Alex Jankewitz must come back into the picture at some stage, but none of us wants to have our heart in our mouth every time we see he goes into a tackle.
Not much else to choose from until we get Diallo and KWP back in the fold, because our bench will most likely be; two goalies, N'Lundulu plus a handful of U18 players.