Most improved player under AN

[Safri15]

When I got thinking about who is the most improved player under AN, at first I thought it was an easy one... Grabban. Started very well under Adams but really drifted out of the 1st team with his lack of goals and then never really grabbed his chance when called upon. Now he is not only scoring goals again (given enough chances) but his all round game really is making a difference up the top end of the park.

But then I got thinking. Other than the Brentford game where Whits was played out of position, he's been looking a lot more solid defensively now. A few of the tackles he made against Wolves in the 2nd half were great, and could have saved us from losing our clean sheet. You can clearly see he's playing with some more confidence again and its paying dividends.

Then of course there is Seb. Not sure you can say he's most improved under AN as he wasn't even classed as an option by Adams. Whatever the full story was there we'll probably never know, but needless to say he's a great addition to the back line. Don't think he lost a single header he challenged for on Saturday.

Russ is looking like a proper CB. I don't know if that is the influence of Seb. I seem to remember last season all of our CB's looked better when playing along side Bassong. A settled back 4 now will be very nice to the end of the season anyway. Assuming of course Olsson isn't too badly injured.

Tetty is looking amazing, but then always does IMO. BJ's all round play is awesome, and managed to pick up yet another goal. Both of these 2 were probably playing too well before AN came along to be classed as most improved however.

So, I've ended up talking myself out of making a decision. Who do you think?

 

[dj161]

Got to be Grabban for me, looks like a real team player now, back in the side, working his socks off, scoring goals, what more could you ask from someone that was a fringe player a couple of months ago

 

[Monty13]

The four you've mentioned are hard to pick from.

Grabban does look much more like the player we thought we'd bought after his first few games. I've always thought Martin gets unfair stick at CB and now he's proving doubters wrong. I honestly never thought we'd see Bassong back in yellow and green and certainly not looking composed and up for it. Whittaker again is another who, IMO, gets a lot of unfair criticism but he does look much more assured and confident under AN.

It's only 7 games, and they're all little improvements, but if he can keep up this turn around in certain players and keep using the squad effectively we will hopefully keep climbing. 

 

[Beauseant]

I think one thing that's really showing through is that the players now know exactly what's expected of them and that makes a huge difference. Neil Adams couldn't stop fiddling with the back four and midfield, yet players only develop understanding by playing together. With an unchanged back four we've just kept 3 clean sheets out of 4. Says it all really.

Oh, and before someone picks it up I realise that Turner played nearly 70 minutes against Blackpool but there wasn't too much defending needed that day!

 

[eatonparkboy]

Aren't the players just playing to their potential now instead f improving?

It wasn't that long ago that Ruddy was throwing his toys out the pram at spectators, Whittaker was getting heckled every time he touched the ball and people were saying BJ couldn't play and we shouldn't have sold Pilkington and we were heading for a long period of darkness.

But we did know that many of this squad while not being top Prem class, had shown they had an ability to compete when motivated and instructed. And that is why many could not believe we wouldn't go straight back up.

I don't want to laud AN just yet as it is early days and in the early days we though Adams was the business. But by the sound of it, he had got the majority of the team playing at the level we expect from them.

I haven't seen many game as there are no live streams for us "plastics" who dare to live anywhere but Norwich, but listening to Canaryworld commentaries, there has been an improvement although the Charlton game could have ruined it a bit. But it didn't so the revival goes on.

 

[Safri15]

Just to derail the thread slightly - eatonparkboy,I always assumed that you meant the Eaton Park in Norwich! Without getting all internet stalkerish, is that the eatonpark in Surrey then?

To lean the thread back towards the topic, when I said most improved player, I did mean in Form as apposed to skill/ability. As I believe you said eatonPB in the match thread, football fans can be extremely fickle. I guess its the "I want it now" mentality that football has been driven to by the boat loads of cash getting thrown about!

 

[eatonparkboy]

Just to derail the thread slightly - eatonparkboy,I always assumed that you meant the Eaton Park in Norwich! Without getting all internet stalkerish, is that the eatonpark in Surrey then?

To lean the thread back towards the topic, when I said most improved player, I did mean in Form as apposed to skill/ability. As I believe you said eatonPB in the match thread, football fans can be extremely fickle. I guess its the "I want it now" mentality that football has been driven to by the boat loads of cash getting thrown about!

Indeed it was the Eaton Park in Norwich. Many a game of 15 a side on there and my Grandad was a park keeper so we could use the pitches which was against the wished of the groundsman. And if you were lucky to get a new ball for Christmas, you were like the pied piper with kids following you everywhere. The Rotunda, cycle speedway track, miniature railway, pitch and putt, boating lake and Chipperfields circus are still just within my memory and imagination.

As I said,without being able to see the games I don't think I could comment on the most improved form wise. Grabban has certainly been mentioned and no doubt the willingness of Hooper and Johnson to take on different roles has raised their cojones with our fans.

And it has certainly improved the form of the posts on here. We definitely have a more positive attitude toward the club than we did in October/November when al we did was argue.

 

[ZLF]

I am not sure that any player has significantly improved if I am honest - its just we have become a team.  

What I have seen is firstly an improvement in work rate;   every play,  including already committed ones such as BJ,  have upped their commitment levels since the Brentford debacle - for each other as well as the manager.

Secondly,  and most importantly I think that the team now have clarity of purpose;   they understand what their roles are,   how the team functions and what each other will be doing and aiming to do.   

As such I think Grabban now understand his role as a lead striker and the midfield what to expect from him.   He is now played to his strengths (given a free reign to roam the front line) rather than constrict him as a partner which did not suit his play.

Perhaps that is ANs strength - he gets the best from hims players by putting square pegs in the right holes, making each very clear on what they need to do and instilling commitment and confidence.  He manages

 

[Yellow Fever]

It's not easy to put a finger on these 'improvements' as some started in the good run under Adams in December. I believe it was Phelan who suggested playing Johnson on the left and he has been excellent there, as it allows him to score goals but also get back to help the defence and he and Olsson both look better for that. AN was clever enough to see the advantages of that. For me, Grabban got his chance because of Jerome's tight hamstring problem, but he certainly took that chance with gusto. Another good tweak by AN was to play Hooper behind the lead striker to help the link-up between midfield and the front, which has worked excellently without taking away his goal-scoring chances.

 

[Beauseant]

Just picking up on ZLF's excellent post, I think another factor in Grabban's renaissance is the fact that we are now pressing much higher up the pitch so the lone striker is considerably less "lone" than earlier in the season. Under Adams the supply line was very extended resulting in Grabban or Jerome being badly isolated, but we're now flooding players forward.

 

[Wiz]

Has to be Grabban for me.

 

[Boyerboy]

I think the most important point is than no player, not even Turner had looked worse under Neil.

Usually with a new manager, there are winners and losers in the squad but this time there are a few who've stood still but most have grown to some extent.

Given that we need the squad at its strongest for the next 25 games, I'm encouraged by that.

 

[Yellow Fever]

It's curious though that Turner isn't even making the bench in recent games.

 

[Monty13]

It's curious though that Turner isn't even making the bench in recent games.

Maybe after Bassongs injury the feeling is Cuellar is the better option as he is more comfortable on the left side of the centre if Bassong get's injured again? But who really knows, having selection headaches is always a good thing! Sad for Turner though, he's a quality player IMO but Seb has come back and made that position his own and Martin has not really put a foot wrong since forming their partnership.

 

[Beauseant]

The Turner thing is strange as he did well against Blackpool. I suspect he may have a slight knock that they don't want to risk, but if so it seems strange that Neil hasn't flagged it up.

Just picking up on Monty's point, Turner has played left sided CB quite a bit this season, particularly when he was paired with Martin, and Cuellar is a naturally right sided player too, so not sure that explains it. Maybe he has had a fall out with Neil?

Bassong and Martin really compliment each other well, and their partnership makes us less vulnerable to pace, although they got horribly square for Charlton's first goal!

 

[Din]

Hard to look past Grabban really. Looks a better player now than even at the start of the season when he was scoring goals. Bring Bassong back in was also brilliant from Neil.

 

[Salopian]

Between Grabban and Bassong for me, although their previous performances were in different seasons. 

The second goal against Wolves showed Seb at his confident best - prepared to surge forward and then deliver a very good pass inside the fullback. When I remember him at his hesitant worst last season, he now seems transformed. He is shouting at others, so his confidence must be returning.

But the change in Grabban has been swifter and somehow more complete. Earlier on he scored a few goals, and missed even more, and it was no surprise when he was relegated to the bench. He now seems a different player, and a real handful for any defence.

The arrival of AN seems to have done the trick, and instilled confidence in the players and even more min the supporters.