Can I Just Say....

[Din]

I think that fans booing the Hooper for Hoolahan substitution today, and jeering Whittaker when he came off is pathetic. 

Whittaker was dreadful today, there's no denying it. Add to the fact that he's had a poor season overall and there's bound to be a little bit of frustration and annoyance towards him perhaps more than certain other players. However I think that fans jeering him and celebrating when he gets substituted is shameful. He may have had a bad game, but the fact is he worked his hardest for the team, but just couldn't make it work. I have sympathy for him for that and I'm sure that now his confidence has been ripped to shreds.

And as I said, booing the change of Hooper coming off for Hoolahan was ridiculous. I could almost understand if Hooper was having a great game, and was a crucial part of the team, but he just wasn't. Hooper was as poor as the rest of the team was, and the change to take him off for Hoolahan was the right change to make, as if we took Whittaker off at that stage we would've been completely exposed defensively, and would've conceded even more.

I don't know what you lot think, but that's just my opinion at least.  

 

[splutcho]

Agree with all that. We have some of the worst fans in football.

 

[Canaryboy]

And as I said, booing the change of Hooper coming off for Hoolahan was ridiculous. I could almost understand if Hooper was having a great game, and was a crucial part of the team, but he just wasn't. Hooper was as poor as the rest of the team was, and the change to take him off for Hoolahan was the right change to make, as if we took Whittaker off at that stage we would've been completely exposed defensively, and would've conceded even more.

I wouldn't have booed myself, but I suspect the boos came because he was taking a striker off for a midfielder at 1-1, whilst playing at home. Perhaps the "right change" to make at that stage was in fact Grabban on for Hooper, retaining the two strikers? As soon as that penalty went in he was soon backtracking and reverting back to playing two strikers, to chase an equaliser. So was it perceived as negativity?

 

[hogesar]

I agree the boos were out of order but some of the worst fans in football? Someone definitely needs to get out more...and see more football...to see that's far from the case. saying that, our expectations are very high

 

[eatonparkboy]

I don't agree with sarcastically applauding someone who is coming off. But could anyone tell me how you show your displeasure at a rank bad performance without booing? You have to take each game as it comes and if you are served up poor fayre on any particular day then show your displeasure.

If I have a bad meal while I'm out, I complain and in some cases have had my money back. Surely these players are not so untouchable that they can't be made aware of lack of skill or effort.

 

[splutcho]

I agree the boos were out of order but some of the worst fans in football? Someone definitely needs to get out more...and see more football...to see that's far from the case. saying that, our expectations are very high

They are terrible. Turning up in numbers doesn't mean squat when the place is a morgue week in week out. Too many flasks, blankets and abuse of individuals.

 

[Canaryboy]

The home ends at Hillsborough earlier in the season made the City Stand look like the Bernabeu during el clasico. I think a lack of atmosphere is a problem in English football in general in modern times, certainly not the reserve of Carrow Road. Same at Elland Road, very loud when they score but nothing other than moans and groans for most of the 90 minutes.

Plus our away support is right up there with the best.

 

[Surgeryman]

Agree with all that. We have some of the worst fans in football.

And we have seen some of the worst football ever in the last three seasons! This is as Eadie said frustration spilling out by fans who feel let down by the clubs decision making and lack of ambition.
Now in essence I agree booing as seen today does not help a jot but it was understandable as it was a horrendous display by us.

Awful team selection by a manager who is a gamble, so you are going to get a reaction like that, especially as the opportunity to get into the top six was in everyones minds. The desperation to get back to the Prem creates this atmosphere.

Why not Hoolahan or McGrandles? Why not change anything quicker when all could see that Whittaker was not working? Why persist with two right footed CBs? Where has the hoof ball suddenly appeared from?

You can understand the reaction. Not saying it's right ( I didnt boo) but consistently poor decisions over the last few seasons, under performing players and so on effects the supporters and creates this dismal atmosphere. The point is we as fans turn up home and away and more often than not our team don't. The fans are not the problem at the moment.

 

[eatonparkboy]

And we have seen some of the worst football ever in the last three seasons! This is as Eadie said frustration spilling out by fans who feel let down by the clubs decision making and lack of ambition.

Now in essence I agree booing as seen today does not help a jot but it was understandable as it was a horrendous display by us.

Awful team selection by a manager who is a gamble, so you are going to get a reaction like that, especially as the opportunity to get into the top six was in everyones minds. The desperation to get back to the Prem creates this atmosphere.

Why not Hoolahan or McGrandles? Why not change anything quicker when all could see that Whittaker was not working? Why persist with two right footed CBs? Where has the hoof ball suddenly appeared from?

You can understand the reaction. Not saying it's right ( I didnt boo) but consistently poor decisions over the last few seasons, under performing players and so on effects the supporters and creates this dismal atmosphere. The point is we as fans turn up home and away and more often than not our team don't. The fans are not the problem at the moment.

Good point. Let's not blame anyone who puts his hand in his pocket to follow his team. Cheer, boo, just don't be personal. The fans aren't the bloody problem.

 

[Matt Hopkins]

Sell out crowds, season tickets frozen at prem prices and a chief exec getting a LARGE bonus for financial prudence.

Joke appointments , more coaches than eastern buses had.

We as paying customers to sit back and take it all in total silence.

Welcome to NCFC where money means more than the fans

 

[Dubai Mark]

Usually I am against booing, but in this instance, had I been at the ground, then an exception would have been made.......not at individual players though like the Whittaker incident. The set-up of the team, tactics, substitutions...wrong, wrong, wrong and worth a huge BOOOO.........Sure it is early days with our new man, but yesterday was.......puzzling at best, inept even.......no....shambolic, thats the word.......shambolic!   

 

[ZLF]

Hooper had a good first half but had faded badly by the time he was rightly taken off. His lack of fitness to get beyond 60 mins is embarrassing.

The booing was wrong, but seemed to be aimed at the non removal of whit rather than anything else, as the equally damaging cheering of his removal showed.

As far as team selection goes its only whit in discussion. Only Wes and mcgrandles were options, neither are defensive in nature and its only hindsight supporting their starting ahead of whit who has played cm mid before, with us in prem, although poorly. Startibg Wes or conor would have been more wrong. He was the right pre match choice

 

[hogesar]

They are terrible. Turning up in numbers doesn't mean squat when the place is a morgue week in week out. Too many flasks, blankets and abuse of individuals.

What? Did you go today? I'd hardly say it's a morgue week in week out and from travelling away there are plenty, and I mean plenty, sets of quieter home fans than are own. Atmosphere is generally poorer after we've been relegated and aren't performing anywhere near our potential. that's pretty commonplace.

 

[Andy]

I think AN is in for a pretty rough ride. I can't remember any City manager getting booed after only his second game in full charge. His biggest challenge as a young manager is to gain the respect of the players which won't happen if his team selections and decisions are derided by the fans. Players with big egos won't blame themselves for poor performances, they'll blame the manager for playing them out of position or without proper instruction. It looked like they might have had a point yesterday, we were clueless. I thought we got off lightly, if Brentford had taken their chances we'd have lost by 5 or 6 and fully deservedly in my view.

 

[ZLF]

it was stunningly quiet for parts until we scored - it was a stunned reaction to the ineptitude of the the cm and defensive start to the game from a minute in.

Once redmond equalised the fans were better but there was precious little to cheer. 

 

[Killiecanary]

My tuppenceworth

I absolutely agreed with the decision to sub Hoops - in fact I would have had him off at half time along I with Lafferty.

This is because he clearly wasn't playing the role he had been asked to play. AN I think set the team up as a 4-2-3-1 formation. That meant Whittaker and BJ as the sitting 2. Two wide midfielders and Hooper as the forward playing midfielder / deep lying attacker. He simply wasn't where he nededed to be. That in my opinion is why there were large gaps between defence and forwards.

If Wes had started it would have been place of Hooper - not sure how that would have gone down with the fans. Mcgrandles is a forward thinking midfielder, but hasn't really been in the team yet. AN obviously was very aware that Brentford were strong in midfield and didn't want to go with 2 in the middle...

I thought the booing was disgraceful yesterday. Whittaker was poor but gave 100% - in the process making it worse as he refused to hide and had more opportunities to look poor. The team in total were poor - only ruddy and Redmond for me escape criticism. But booing subs really doesn't help anyone...I don't think our poor home results are completely unconnected to the petulant 'we have a divine right to win every match' crowd. Two utter knobjockeys sitting near me were frankly disgusting with their bile and abuse to the manager and Whittaker...

Brentford were also very very good....compressed the play well, pressed hard, played a successful high line, passed the ball quickly and with intent, and in Pritchard had the best player on the pitch - in fact exactly the kind of midfield passer and leader we so severely lack.

Jerome's performance worried me - if really all you need to do to neutralise our best goal threat is play a decent high line and offside tactic then we could be in for more bother....that's why we went long ball - there was no space to pass through a compressed middle and there was so much tempting space behind their back four that we fell into the trap of going over the top every time...but most of the time Jerome was either already offside or walking back from being offside in a previous phase!

Alex Neil has a ticking clock know...we need at least a left sided midfielder, full-back , midfield lynchpin and communicator, commanding centre back (or Bassong back)...

Finally, to all those crucifying the manager, he has had 270 minutes of game time...270!! I liked his post match comments and he was clearly pretty seething with the performance. Give him some time and at least half a break for Christ's sake!

Apologies for the length of this - feeling highly p1ssed off this morning

 

[eatonparkboy]

I don't for the life of me get the opinion that Brentford were so good. We made them look good. The goal we scored was shocking on Brentford's part. Watch the highlights when they appear. The full back showed him the inside but Brentford's nearest defender was 20 yards away. Redmond just ran into the gaping hole and shot and the keeper didn't cover himself in glory getting down to it.

Why is it when we turn in a absolute shocker that people prefer to tell us how good out opponents were. They were organised is all. They only beat us 2-1, including a penalty and we were nothing short of disgraceful.

And Killie, I don't see the pretty seething comments from the manager. I read into it that he picked the team off his own bat for the very first time and got it hopelessly wrong and prefers:

"We need to put this past us now, and move onto the next game and hope that we put a better performance in.” 
Hope is not what we want to hear. We've had all that in the past.

 

[Killiecanary]

I listened to the whole of the managers post match interview. He refused to put the blame on Whittaker but was pretty scathing about everything else.. He pointed out that we were not good enough in defence, midfield or attack - seems pretty comprehensive to me. I agree that Whitaker is the least of his problems as he won't play the again. - I am much more worried about the other performances!

I don't disagree with you that we were rubbish yesterday - I do disagree with the booing - that's not what I associate with supporting a football club, I think I said above that the entire team were rubbish apart from ruddy and Redmond.

I thought Brentford were impressive yesterday - you don't, fine. We disagree.

You seem so keen to stick the boot into a new managerial appointment that you are making several large assumptions eaton. I think we have appointed someone who could be very good - but he has has 3 games (and won 2 - but of course you put those down to Phelan) I assume you are peeved that the club didn't appoint your first choice but give the guy they did give the job to half a chance.

 

[Yellow Fever]

I thought the manager appointment made sense when Phelan was still here, but I'm now very worried about this gamble without Phelan's experience being available. The preparation and game plan for Brentford's counter-attacking style of play was totally wrong, IMO. We piled forward recklessly and were caught out time and time again. I'm afraid Neil does have to cop the blame for that fully now that Phelan has moved on. I hope he does get better but we haven't got time for him to settle in and find his way. The pressure is on for Birmingham now and we'll have to see how he responds.

 

[Dubai Mark]

I get the point re Brentford, had they been that good they would have tonked us.