Norwich City vs Stoke City (Away) Tuesday 1st September.

[morty]

Stoke bottom of the league after losing every game so far, then along come Norwich...

It will be interesting to see how Phil approaches this, will he keep the same team, or tinker with it for a more pragmatic approach away from home? Hopefully he has learned his lesson in the engine room and there will be no more of this dropping Mattsson nonsense.

I would maybe lean towards Kvistgaarden, as he works hard and can stretch a defence, but how could you drop Toure?

Interesting problems to have.

 

[Fenway Frank]

Yeah, I think he'll leave out Musaba and bring someone else in

 

[morty]

 

[morty]

 

[morty]

Meh.

Not good enough, obviously. And one of those games where too many players just weren't on it. Schwartau and Slimane poor, Mattsson nowhere near his best. Toure may as well have not been on the pitch, but to be fair, this isn't the game for him, if Makama was fit he would have played tonight.

We needed a bit of guile around the box that maybe Maghoma could have provided.

May have gone unnoticed but Cordoba may be only one card away from a ban.

 

[CheshireCanary]

Can you do it on a wet Tuesday in Stoke? Clearly not. Stoke out ran, out fought and for large parts of the game outplayed City. Can someone tell me why McLean is even on the pitch, let alone captain? He moaned throughout the game, kept misplacing his passes, and the player he should have been marking scored the goal. He is so predictable and so easy to dispossess. When City play out of the back, the ball goes to him, he plays it to one of the two wide centrebacks, and they then suffer stage fright and give it back to him - and he then either loses it or gives the ball away. Time for him to follow Grant Hanley back to Scotland and play at a far lower level. He is simply not good enough for the EFL. The default appears to be to get into attacking positions and then play it back and across - all the time. For all Stokes failings, when they attacked, they attacked with pace and directness; that's where their goal game from and, in truth, but for poor finishing they should have scored another couple. So disappointed in City's performance. Abject is the only word for it. The players should be embarrassed by that.

 

[morty]

Not so sure I would go straight to the default of blaming Mclean, we have been here before, and invariably we look worse when he isn't in the team.

Our inability to get past a low block, similar to the West Brom game was the main issue for me. We needed Maghoma at 10 for a bit of guile around the box. And we needed Makama to bully their defenders a bit. I like Toure, but this really wasn't his sort of game.

 

[CheshireCanary]

Those are all fair points. However, I can't agree that City look worse when McLean isn't in the team. They look different. I think it provides the opportunity to play the game at a faster pace, be more direct, and exploit the team's pace. I'm not saying that should always be the game plan; what do I know? I'm simply saying that City are so very predictable with McLean in the team and even Stoke had worked out that the way to disrupt the City game plan was to sit on McLean, and he would eventually make mistakes, and he did, consistently. Hark back to the Pukki & Buendia days; City attacked at pace and with a little guile. As you say, Maghoma can potentially add that guile, but he needs to be supported by a solid midfield behind him, and at this precise moment, that appears to be lacking.

Maybe it was a one-off game, but City should beat Stoke every day of the week and twice on Sundays. IT was a very poor performance all round. I'm not sure anyone could have been happy with their performance, maybe Yongwa, maybe McConville, but I can't think of too many others.

Disappointing...

 

[morty]

To be fair, Buendia was an absolute cheat code in the Championship. Yeah, there were too many players had an average game, but lets not underestimate Stoke, I think they have had the highest net spend this summer.

To be honest, regarding the midfield, I would probably call out Mattsson more than Kenny, I think he is way below the standard of last season right now.

I'm not pushing any panic buttons just yet, we have players still bedding in, and the likes of Diallo, who I see as a difference maker, still coming to full fitness, as his pre season was limited. And with Maghoma and Makama to come back, I think we'll be fine.

Maybe with the great back end of last season we are all, players included, suffering with a bit too much optimism, and this is our reality check. I still think we have enough quality to reach the play offs.

 

[CheshireCanary]

I agree that we really should reach the play offs. As you say, no one covered themselves in glory last night. Let's hope it's just a blip and, with the returning players, combined with the new lads finding their feet, City will get some consistent shape and fluidity. OTBC

 

[nwcanary]

Not so sure I would go straight to the default of blaming Mclean, we have been here before, and invariably we look worse when he isn't in the team.

Our inability to get past a low block, similar to the West Brom game was the main issue for me. We needed Maghoma at 10 for a bit of guile around the box. And we needed Makama to bully their defenders a bit. I like Toure, but this really wasn't his sort of game.

We still lack a natural number 6 and do rely too much on McClean but who would replace him? Maybe Topic when he is fit. I was sorry to see Gibbs go out on loan as he always gives 100%. PC needs to find a way to beat the low block with better final balls from the wing and a bit more subtlety up front. Maghoma and Makama should help. That was very poor last night though and second time we have been outfought away from home which is worrying.