IS THIS MINI REVIVAL.....

[Wiz]

Down to the Phelan factor....Adams.........or both?

Heck if I know, I'm just enjoying it atm.

 

[ZLF]

thats all we can - enjoy it   - and pray it lasts

 

[Beauseant]

Who cares? I think its a huge coincidence if it has nothing to do with Phelan but I don't mind who gets the credit if we keep winning!

 

[Salopian]

It's certainly cheering that we scored five, even if we were playing against only ten men. We have struggled to score in the past against ten men, and when visiting teams score early and then defend.

I think that it is early to talk of revival, with Derby waiting for us next match. If we can gain a point there, it could be confirmation. If we can gain three points we could take real heart. For the moment, I will have to wait until deciding that revival has come.

 

[Lake District Canary]

Adams is the manager and takes the credit when things go well as well as takes the flak when things go badly.  But Phelan has to be considered as a key part of any revival.  The best we can say - if the revival continues -  is that we have a good management team.

 

[Watling the Gnome]

Well, if it's nothing to do with the new coach then there would presumably be no point in having a coach.

The stronger starting midfield (as in physically, at the expense of "flair") smacks of a pragmatic "firstly, don't get beaten" approach which may balance out Adams's well intentioned but rather naive attacking strategies (note how easily we have been counter attacked).

I have to say Adams - or someone - got the substitutions and tactical changes spot-on yesterday.

 

[lyb]

I've no doubt that someone of Phelan's experience is a massive asset and there's no doubt that Phelan has initiated conversations on the touchline that have resulted in changes on the pitch that have worked. The final word is with Adams though, so he deserves as much credit for being willing to listen to advice. It should be said that Adams has a lot of very good qualities that were the reason he was given the job in the first place. I think we're very lucky to have a management team that seems to work so well together, and that includes poor old Gary Holt who seems to be the forgotten man these days!

 

[eatonparkboy]

Of course Phelan must have had a massive input. NA wanted to play football the Norwich way. We all wanted to. But unfortunately, we don't have good enough defenders to play the old Norwich way. And I don't just mean the back four. Phelan assisted at a club that could not have won all the trophies they did without knowing how to defend first and attack from a solid defence.

And it appears to me that NA has taken advice from Phelan and put out a side that wants a clean sheet first and foremost and will set the team up to do that and rely on that style to get the win, and it doesn't matter if it is 1-0 with a last minute goal. If you don't concede then you will draw at the very least. And that isn't negative, it is just playing for 90 minutes with up to 14 men.

We will look dodgy at times but so will everyone else. We have goal scorers who hopefully will get a confidence boost knowing if they do miss, it won't be the end of the world because we are bound to concede at the other end. Looking at the table, the top seven have big goal differences and the rest are nowhere. So we know that we can beat the top sides, the results say so but have fallen prey to the bottom clubs such as Reading and Brighton, But better defending and we will put those teams to the sword,

And I do believe we will dabble in the market for a defender in January.

 

[lyb]

Of course Phelan must have had a massive input. NA wanted to play football the Norwich way. We all wanted to. But unfortunately, we don't have good enough defenders to play the old Norwich way. And I don't just mean the back four. Phelan assisted at a club that could not have won all the trophies they did without knowing how to defend first and attack from a solid defence.

And it appears to me that NA has taken advice from Phelan and put out a side that wants a clean sheet first and foremost and will set the team up to do that and rely on that style to get the win, and it doesn't matter if it is 1-0 with a last minute goal. If you don't concede then you will draw at the very least. And that isn't negative, it is just playing for 90 minutes with up to 14 men.

We will look dodgy at times but so will everyone else. We have goal scorers who hopefully will get a confidence boost knowing if they do miss, it won't be the end of the world because we are bound to concede at the other end. Looking at the table, the top seven have big goal differences and the rest are nowhere. So we know that we can beat the top sides, the results say so but have fallen prey to the bottom clubs such as Reading and Brighton, But better defending and we will put those teams to the sword,

And I do believe we will dabble in the market for a defender in January.

Partially agree, but I think Adams' attacking ethos has been massively important in rebuilding the confidence to be creative and to be a serious offensive threat. The big failing of the Hughton era was that there was so much emphasis on being difficult to beat that we got gradually easier to beat as teams realised they could go for us with impunity in the knowledge we were devoid of any attacking creativity. We appear to be settling down defensively and you're right that the odds are that Phelan has been involved in that, but I think that's a valuable complement to what Adams has to offer rather than overriding it in importance.

 

[Suffolk Canary]

I think Phelan has certainly had an impact.   I have a feeling (not based on any inside knowledge or anything, just a feeling)  that Phelan has more influence than the average first team coach.   It wouldn't surprise me if McNally said something like 'Neil, you're not doing well enough, but we'll give you more time if you let someone experienced in to help you'.    And i couldn't care less if it works!    He has certainly given the team more balance which we desperately needed 

 

[morty]

As Beau said, it really doesn't matter, and long may it last!

 

[morty]

And expanding on the point, regardless of whether you wanted Adams, or question whether or not he is up to the job, the very best outcome from it all is that he is successful. Changing managers comes with no guarantees.

 

[eatonparkboy]

Partially agree, but I think Adams' attacking ethos has been massively important in rebuilding the confidence to be creative and to be a serious offensive threat. The big failing of the Hughton era was that there was so much emphasis on being difficult to beat that we got gradually easier to beat as teams realised they could go for us with impunity in the knowledge we were devoid of any attacking creativity. We appear to be settling down defensively and you're right that the odds are that Phelan has been involved in that, but I think that's a valuable complement to what Adams has to offer rather than overriding it in importance.

I agree about NA and that was why I was so surprised when he brought in as many CB's as he did strikers. I don't know Robson's credentials and ethos and whether he was no help to NA. And sometimes that is all someone needs, just some advice and I guess we can assume we dipped out when Royle left, although Everton haven't improved much this season.

 

[Suffolk Canary]

And expanding on the point, regardless of whether you wanted Adams, or question whether or not he is up to the job, the very best outcome from it all is that he is successful. Changing managers comes with no guarantees.

Completely agree Morty.  Never understand when fans have it in for a certain manager and want them to fail.  

I was a massive Hughton-Outer last year, but every week i was still desperately hoping he'd turn it around so we could get some kind of stability.  Hiring and Firing managers on a yearly basis is never a recipe for long term success

 

[Yellow Fever]

My take is that Phelan has filled the gap left by Robson's departure. Being down a coach has been one of the factors in the dip of form. We're full strength again and it shows. Phelan brings a wealth of experience though, and a better balance to the coaching staff with Adams, an ex-attacking player, Holt an ex-midfielder and Phelan an ex-defender/DMF. 

 

[gerryinromania]

Well said Suffolk and Morty..It's a team game and if all deliver their goals, then it's a big win situation for NCFC and us fans,supporters

 

[Boyerboy]

My information which is from inside is that Holt takes the main coaching and Phelan has been spending much of his time one on one with players. Don't ask which players because I don't know. Given that much of what has been going wrong is individual mistakes and confidence, he may be making a difference.

I think the recent change in fortunes is as much about someone other than Adams and Phelan as it is about them. The return of Gary Hooper has changed so much. He links play and brings in other players very well. Since his return, we have looked much more like a team and not disparate players.

 

[Yellow Fever]

Interesting inside view, BB. If that accounts for the improvement in concentration and intensity, then it's very good indeed. A mentor for the whole team, really.

I also agree about Hooper and it's clear that Jerome likes his new partner whose lay-offs have been as good as his goals. That back-heel to Johnson for the first goal was a prime example. (Does he remind you at all of your namesake playing alongside Ted MacDougall?) I'm looking forward to Wes and/or Odjidja-Ofoe getting involved with that as well.

 

[Din]

It is a bit of a coincidence, that Phelan has had 2 full weeks in the job, and in that time we've won both our games and kept 2 clean sheets.

However, as people have said above, who the hell cares? I don't even care if Phelan is the main person pulling the strings, as long as it works I won't be complaining. 

 

[Yellow Fever]

For me, it's also about having a full coaching staff again, but Phelan was the perfect man to bring in IMO.