Norwich City vs Brentford (Away) Saturday 6th November.

[morty]

Couldn't get tickets for this, quite a small ground, so they were all sold out in group 2. Pity really, could be an interesting game, or a horribly disastrous one, take your pick.

Yet again, another very good chance for a win, Brentford are in the midst of a terrible injury crisis, and after a feisty start, have lost their last three at home. I believe their keeper is out long term, and also Ajer ( who they pipped us to the post for) is also injured.

Along come Norwich...

 

[morty]

The current form table makes interesting reading, no surprise to see us bottom, Newcastle and Villa in as poor form as we are though!

 

[Number 9]

So what straws will be clutched at in the team selection this weekend?

I'll start with Byram playing up front between Sargent and Kabak.

 

[morty]

So what straws will be clutched at in the team selection this weekend?

I'll start with Byram playing up front between Sargent and Kabak.

I don't feel you're taking this seriously

 

[Number 9]

I don't feel you're taking this seriously

The lineup against Leeds was 'surprising', who knows what he'll do this week.
Chopping and changing formation and tactics over the past few weeks smacks of desperation and clutching at straws.

 

[morty]

The lineup against Leeds was 'surprising', who knows what he'll do this week.
Chopping and changing formation and tactics over the past few weeks smacks of desperation and clutching at straws.

The lineup against Leeds actually worked, in the first half at least, I think it was a bit misrepresented that Rashica was playing as a left wingback, as it actually seemed to be big Andy that was looking after Raphinha. It was still, essentially, three at the back.

But you can spin things like that any way you like, if he changes things he is wrong, if he leaves it the same, he is wrong. Maybe if we win on Saturday it will just be luck...

 

[Number 9]

The lineup against Leeds actually worked, in the first half at least, I think it was a bit misrepresented that Rashica was playing as a left wingback, as it actually seemed to be big Andy that was looking after Raphinha. It was still, essentially, three at the back.

But you can spin things like that any way you like, if he changes things he is wrong, if he leaves it the same, he is wrong. Maybe if we win on Saturday it will just be luck...

You're right in that Andy was left back.
I thought he di incredibly well considering, but why put him in that position?
Hardly fair to have him, as an inexperienced centre back when there's a recognised left back on the bench (plus Williams),trying to contain Leeds best player and biggest threat.
Hanley coming across to double up on the left which left space in the middle?
McLean as left midfielder who couldn't defend to save his life? On just one occasion I saw Kenny put in a tackle in the left back position.
It was just a wrong call by Farke and the Brazilian was at the centre of most of few things which Leeds did well.
Rashica is a right footed player on the left of midfield, that's the Hughton school of wrecking the game with inverted wingers.
Don't get me started on flogging the dead horse that is Pukki and continuing to persist with the very blunt tool that is Sargent.
Don't ask me why Farke hasn't said to Kabak weeks ago not to wander off up the field with the ball.
Change isn't necessarily wrong, but the lineup and tactics on Sunday seemed to lack any clear logic.
I will read with interest any logical explanation of Farke's lineup and tactics from Sunday that you care to give us.

 

[morty]

So let me get this straight, do you honestly think Williams or Giannoulis would have dealt any better with Raphinho? We'll never know, but my guess is that they wouldn't have done much better. Yes he is THAT good a player that we had to double up on him. Why Andy? Why not?

Kenny is Kenny, he does most things okay, in an ideal world I'd rather have Dickson Etuhu or Damien Francis, but we have what we have.

Was Rashica playing as an out and out winger, or on the left side of midfield?

So drop Pukki and Sargent? And play who up front? Idah?

Kabak got caught out, Krul more at fault for the goal. Yet everybody was loving Kabak's foray upfield, a few weeks ago?

I'll just go and have a look in the Leeds match thread to see what team you suggested, before the team was announced...

 

[Gunvald Larsson]

How about this team against Brentford ..... whatever the situation is re Cantwell he must be worth a shout at this point.

 

[morty]

Wouldn't be against that.

I would say that Rashica maybe doesn't deserve to be dropped, and despite his lack of goals (lets face it nobody is scoring anyway) I like Sargent's overall contribution.

 

[GJP]

On the subject of Big Andy, I thought he did "ok". He just about coped with Raphinha though at times he had no idea where he was. But Raphinha is a cut above.

I thought he was often a bit slow to move the ball and I do remember one point when he blocked a path for Rashica through lack of awareness.

It does also appear me that he might lack a little bit of pace.

Overall I'm not sure I'd like to see him on the left of defence too many more times.

 

[Number 9]

So let me get this straight, do you honestly think Williams or Giannoulis would have dealt any better with Raphinho? We'll never know, but my guess is that they wouldn't have done much better. Yes he is THAT good a player that we had to double up on him. Why Andy? Why not?

Kenny is Kenny, he does most things okay, in an ideal world I'd rather have Dickson Etuhu or Damien Francis, but we have what we have.

Was Rashica playing as an out and out winger, or on the left side of midfield?

So drop Pukki and Sargent? And play who up front? Idah?

Kabak got caught out, Krul more at fault for the goal. Yet everybody was loving Kabak's foray upfield, a few weeks ago?

I'll just go and have a look in the Leeds match thread to see what team you suggested, before the team was announced...

I think at least it should have been someone who has been used at left back before, such as thd two on the bench.I didn't think it was fair to Andy when he's just starting to learn his own position. I mentioned McLean because he was the nearest player on the left who could have helped Andy, not alot of help there.
Plus just the concept of not playing a left back when their best player is on the right hand side?
Whether you call Rashica's position left wing or left midfield, fact remains that he doesn't appear to have a left foot he feels confident with, so would be more effective in the middle or on the right.
I wouldn't play Sargent or pukki, Tzolis has scored goals, so has Cantwell and the amount of crosses pumped over Teemu's head, and the hoof balls pumped up from the back, are we to say the Adam definitely wouldn't have made contact with one of them? It was certainly a strange way to feed Pukki.
As a side point, when you review the highlights, McLean was standing back.off the scorer for the second goal. He turned his back and stuck a leg out when the shot was made, but he could easily have closed it down before the shot.

 

[Number 9]

Apparently Todd is due to play U23 football on Friday night.
Bit of a no win situation for Farke.
If he doesn't play Todd in the first team, it's a stick to beat him with.
If he suddenly does play Todd, he'll look increasingly desperate after saying that he's not trained well and Dowell is ahead of him etc.
Yet Todd is one of our best players, one of a few with history of creating and scoring goals.

 

[morty]

If Todd is being an arsehole, then I completely back Daniel's stance here.

 

[Number 9]

If Todd is being an arsehole, then I completely back Daniel's stance here.

That scenario doesn't explain the messages coming from the club and player.

 

[morty]

That scenario doesn't explain the messages coming from the club and player.

Well Farke isn't going to call Todd out publicly. And Todd is unlikely to admit he is a bit of a knob.

From what I can gather Todd split up with his girlfriend, and he saw that as a reason to miss training, Farke rightly disagreed. So said "When I see a full week of training from Todd, then he will be considered for the team".

I also heard, from a not unreliable (though obviously unable to totally verify) source that Delia had said to someone "Todd's biggest issue is that he isn't quite as good as he thinks he is".

 

[Gunvald Larsson]

Wouldn't be against that.

I would say that Rashica maybe doesn't deserve to be dropped, and despite his lack of goals (lets face it nobody is scoring anyway) I like Sargent's overall contribution.

I debated the Rashica issue and went with TC 'cos we need to see where he's at and Rashica would be a better option than TC from the bench. I like Sargent too ..... he just looks devoid of confidence and perhaps needs a break from all the unwanted abuse he is getting.

 

[Gunvald Larsson]

I also heard, from a not unreliable (though obviously unable to totally verify) source that Delia had said to someone "Todd's biggest issue is that he isn't quite as good as he thinks he is".

I have heard that too from my 'inside source'. Also that Todd has allegedly been quite confrontational with Farke and others about not getting his move last summer. Again, both these stories are unverified and may be rubbish.

 

[Number 9]

Well Farke isn't going to call Todd out publicly. And Todd is unlikely to admit he is a bit of a knob.

From what I can gather Todd split up with his girlfriend, and he saw that as a reason to miss training, Farke rightly disagreed. So said "When I see a full week of training from Todd, then he will be considered for the team".

I also heard, from a not unreliable (though obviously unable to totally verify) source that Delia had said to someone "Todd's biggest issue is that he isn't quite as good as he thinks he is".

I've only heard that rumour from you on here, very difficult to prove these sort of things.
I can't help feeling that it's up to Farke to manage situations to get his best players on the pitch delivering their potential. What do I know?
Get the feeling that he'd cut off his own nose to spite his face.

 

[Number 9]

I debated the Rashica issue and went with TC 'cos we need to see where he's at and Rashica would be a better option than TC from the bench. I like Sargent too ..... he just looks devoid of confidence and perhaps needs a break from all the unwanted abuse he is getting.

It's not fair to abuse Josh, he's doing his best. It's just not within his skillset to create or score, we new that before he came here, it's not really fair to abuse him for it.
Farke has acknowledged publicly that situation and that they hope he might possibly be more productive in future times.
It's like asking McLean to be a centre back or Ginger Pele to be a center forward, it's not what they do.