Norwich City vs Cardiff (home) Saturday 14th April.

[GJP]

I don't think Leitner was at his very best today (match sharpness and all that) but he's just class. He is so switched on.

Also, a bit like against Villa, there were spells when Vrancic was just the best player on the pitch.

If we had both those two here next season I have no doubt they can feed the quality into the attack.

 

[hogesar]

Agree GJP. Leitner a little rusty and tired later on but there's some obvious class not just on the ball but reading the play. Yes Vrancic was very good in spells but again there has been some vocal criticism of him on social media again after the game. I genuinely dont know what he can do to turn some people's opinions.

Criticism of Farke today would be substitutions. Pinto was forced (who then proceeded to play people onside for their first goal by beinf half a yard behind our defensive line). But at that time in the game it was never calling for Wes and if it was it should have been for Maddison.

That and the Oliviera sub killed us. We were under some pressure and were having to play more direct ourselves and it doesn't stick with hands-on-hips Oliviera.

 

[GJP]

Subs were late when it was obvious in the 60-70 minute area tiredness had crept in. Sir Benny seems to get knackered at that point every game. Josh had run his race by the 70th. Maddison was playing very much in the comfort zone and offered little throughout. Vrancic and Leitner tired too.

So there's a lot that could have been changed but none of it was quick enough.

Having said that, I can see that DF thought his boys had done well so he might have been inclined to stick with them as long as he could.

It's easier to make those calls from the stands than it is the dugout.

 

[hogesar]

Maddison was taking up 'easy' positions all game which was frustrating.

Srbeny has always looked pretty much done by 65 minutes. Josh was done too but we have naff all options out wide.

Hopefully next season we will have more options from the bench as generally our bench options weaken the team.

 

[Fenway Frank]

“I genuinely dont know what he can do to turn some people's opinions.”

It’s the same with tippy tappy football. I feel we’re playing it across the back four less now, and when we do it then it seems to be with a bit more purpose pulling the other teams players out of position and creating space for the full back to move into. This gets us up the pitch and we’re then in the other teams half. Thing is, we only have to do it once and some people start moaning.

 

[Scott]

I thought we played quite well yesterday overall, I think some of the boos at the end were a little unjust, unless they were directly aimed at the referee who had a stinker!

I'm so pleased that Vrancic is finally looking like a proper player, I was guilty of slating him earlier in the season but again yesterday he had a very good game and was pulling strings in the midfield and picking out some very good passes. It was also good to see Leitner back who looked tidy, I would love it if we managed to get him in the summer, I'd be perfectly happy if we sold Maddison for a huge fee and signed Leitner in the summer, but I have a feeling he may want to go back to Germany and play there.

I was also pleased to see Srbeny improving, I remember watching his first game where there was little movement, not much fight and barely a shot on him, but it was good yesterday to see him putting himself about, bullying defenders, winning headers and holding the ball up, was unfortunate that he hit the post but he is improving, despite what people may say about him!

Now, this may be an unpopular opinion, and I am one of Maddison's admirers, but I think he's looked pretty average the last few games, considering what he has produced over the season, for me he just seems at the moment to be having okayish games and not really setting the world alight!

Fingers crossed we can build on what we had produced this season, as some of it has been very good, and we can kick on properly next season. Glad to see that after a lot of years (apart from moments yesterday!) that our defence is looking pretty solid.

 

[morty]

I thought we played quite well yesterday overall, I think some of the boos at the end were a little unjust, unless they were directly aimed at the referee who had a stinker!

I'm so pleased that Vrancic is finally looking like a proper player, I was guilty of slating him earlier in the season but again yesterday he had a very good game and was pulling strings in the midfield and picking out some very good passes. It was also good to see Leitner back who looked tidy, I would love it if we managed to get him in the summer, I'd be perfectly happy if we sold Maddison for a huge fee and signed Leitner in the summer, but I have a feeling he may want to go back to Germany and play there.

I was also pleased to see Srbeny improving, I remember watching his first game where there was little movement, not much fight and barely a shot on him, but it was good yesterday to see him putting himself about, bullying defenders, winning headers and holding the ball up, was unfortunate that he hit the post but he is improving, despite what people may say about him!

Now, this may be an unpopular opinion, and I am one of Maddison's admirers, but I think he's looked pretty average the last few games, considering what he has produced over the season, for me he just seems at the moment to be having okayish games and not really setting the world alight!

Fingers crossed we can build on what we had produced this season, as some of it has been very good, and we can kick on properly next season. Glad to see that after a lot of years (apart from moments yesterday!) that our defence is looking pretty solid.

I saw someone on twitter say he thought Maddison and Murphy both looked a bit jaded, I guess we have to remember that, for them both, this is their first full season playing at this level, I think Karke would have liked to have rester Maddison particularly, more than he has been able to.

 

[hogesar]

I think Murphy did tire but at least he put himself in positions. Was disappointing that Maddison took up easy positions on the field where there was little pressure on him. He doesn't effect the game in those areas. But like Morty says, they've played a lot of football at an unfamiliar level.

 

[morty]

I think Murphy did tire but at least he put himself in positions. Was disappointing that Maddison took up easy positions on the field where there was little pressure on him. He doesn't effect the game in those areas. But like Morty says, they've played a lot of football at an unfamiliar level.

Something that was also very telling was that none of our subs actually improved the game in any way.

 

[Scott]

Something that was also very telling was that none of our subs actually improved the game in any way.

Always will happen when you bring them on at around 80-85 mins! Wes in particular needs time to bed into a game. Yesterday's subs were so ineffective and should have been done earlier - Wes for Leitner on 83 mins, Pinto for Reed on 81 mins and Oliviera for Srbeny on 81 mins. This has also been a regular occurrence over the season, very late subs with little impact, Wes has been used a lot late on, and I can't help but thinking he would make a bigger impact coming on around 65-70 mins.

 

[morty]

Always will happen when you bring them on at around 80-85 mins! Wes in particular needs time to bed into a game. Yesterday's subs were so ineffective and should have been done earlier - Wes for Leitner on 83 mins, Pinto for Reed on 81 mins and Oliviera for Srbeny on 81 mins. This has also been a regular occurrence over the season, very late subs with little impact, Wes has been used a lot late on, and I can't help but thinking he would make a bigger impact coming on around 65-70 mins.

I can't help thinking it has been a long time since Wes made any impact at all....

 

[Scott]

Yeah poor old Wes has been getting some stick, I heard someone on canary call give him a grilling yesterday, such a shame as he is a club legend, can't see him being here next year but he does fit Farke's style, would love it if he was employed as a coach or something.

 

[Fenway Frank]

It’s a real shame we can’t keep this squad and add a couple to it

 

[hogesar]

Something that was also very telling was that none of our subs actually improved the game in any way.

No, the reality is they probably weakened us. If we're going to bring Wes on, for example, it's got to be for someone playing in, say, Maddisons role. Not just throw him on the pitch and hope. Especially at a time where we were struggling to get posession of the ball. And any player other than maybe an explosive winger needs longer than 10 minutes to influence a game.

 

[Canaryboy]

Yeah poor old Wes has been getting some stick, I heard someone on canary call give him a grilling yesterday, such a shame as he is a club legend, can't see him being here next year but he does fit Farke's style, would love it if he was employed as a coach or something.

Has said recently that he wants to play in the League of Ireland for Shelbourne again before he retires. I wonder whether he wants to settle back in Ireland?

Damien Duff did that by going to play for Shamrock Rovers for a bit and then becoming their first team coach.

 

[morty]

No, the reality is they probably weakened us. If we're going to bring Wes on, for example, it's got to be for someone playing in, say, Maddisons role. Not just throw him on the pitch and hope. Especially at a time where we were struggling to get posession of the ball. And any player other than maybe an explosive winger needs longer than 10 minutes to influence a game.

Any more excuses?

 

[Scott]

Yeah wouldn't surprise me if he did that, finish off where it all started for him. Always the chance of finishing off in the MLS as well! Would love to see him finish his career here properly though.

 

[OldRobert]

Yeah wouldn't surprise me if he did that, finish off where it all started for him. Always the chance of finishing off in the MLS as well! Would love to see him finish his career here properly though.

Not going to happen though is it? 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there does nothing to end his career here with a flourish, or even give him the opportunity to do so.

 

[morty]

Not going to happen though is it? 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there does nothing to end his career here with a flourish, or even give him the opportunity to do so.

He has started games recently though, has he not?

 

[GJP]

I don't really buy it about players in their early 20s being jaded because of their age or lack of experience.

But players do run out of steam.

Grant Holt did in the Lambert Champs season and Bradley Johnson did in the Alex Neil promotion season.