Norwich City vs Birmingham ( home) Tuesday 20th October.

[morty]

Assume much the same side, but with a busy week, maybe the odd change? Cantwell in for Stieperman maybe?

 

[gerryinromania]

Don't know Morty, Steipermann is shaking off his rust, and certainly looked a unit on Saturday

 

[morty]

Don't know Morty, Steipermann is shaking off his rust, and certainly looked a unit on Saturday

I have to admit Gerry I didn't see the game but I did see a bit of divided opinion on how he played.

 

[Fenway Frank]

I would think that Cantwell will be on the bench rather than go straight into the team

 

[GJP]

I'd put Cantwell in for Idah. That's Cantwell's position and he's good at it. We all know it's not really right for Idah or the team.

Do you get enough creativity from Skipp/Rupp/Stiepermann? Not sure. But maybe DF is stepping away from our once stylish, flowing (and successful) football to something more workmanlike.

 

[Number 9]

I have to admit Gerry I didn't see the game but I did see a bit of divided opinion on how he played.

It was the whole team Morty, Rotherham practically ripped us a new one but missed a few sitters inc the pen (with ten men).

We had possession sideways and backwards, couldn't break them down and they were going from defence to our goal area in two passes, we were so so lucky.

 

[OldRobert]

I'd put Cantwell in for Idah. That's Cantwell's position and he's good at it. We all know it's not really right for Idah or the team.

Do you get enough creativity from Skipp/Rupp/Stiepermann? Not sure. But maybe DF is stepping away from our once stylish, flowing (and successful) football to something more workmanlike.

I think you might be right...................but why? It's not his style or ours, or has he forgotten that we aren't in the EPL anymore. We still have the players to play the flowing football which works in this league. If DF wants to abandon that, then best he f*cks off, cos in my book that's his only saving grace.

 

[Din]

Yeah I rate Idah a lot but he did feel a bit like a square peg in a round hole playing on the left wing against Rotherham. If Cantwell's fit then he starts over Stiepermann for me, but I think he'll likely be on the bench. I would actually quite like to see Josh Martin in the side as he has looked promising whenever he has got a chance. I think Farke will likely stick with the winning team (maybe Pukki for Hugill),but I would be happy to see Placheta and Martin in for Idah and Stepi.

I think we really need to see a much better performance than Rotherham on Saturday, as well as at least a point (though obviously preferably 3). If we can get a win here, and then beat Wycombe at the weekend, who have lost every game so far, that'll be 9 points from 9 and our situation will look much more encouraging.

 

[Number 9]

Yeah I rate Idah a lot but he did feel a bit like a square peg in a round hole playing on the left wing against Rotherham. If Cantwell's fit then he starts over Stiepermann for me, but I think he'll likely be on the bench. I would actually quite like to see Josh Martin in the side as he has looked promising whenever he has got a chance. I think Farke will likely stick with the winning team (maybe Pukki for Hugill),but I would be happy to see Placheta and Martin in for Idah and Stepi.

I think we really need to see a much better performance than Rotherham on Saturday, as well as at least a point (though obviously preferably 3). If we can get a win here, and then beat Wycombe at the weekend, who have lost every game so far, that'll be 9 points from 9 and our situation will look much more encouraging.

Birmingham could be described as obdurate.
Don't hold your hopes up, unless we're suddenly significantly better than we were on Saturday.

 

[dj161]

Cantwell on the left, Pukki playing in the hole according to the team graphic

I like the look of that as a front 4

 

[GJP]

Birmingham might as well get back on the bus. They have no chance.

 

[Din]

I like Rupp, and he’s played well so far, but this game is absolutely screaming out for Mario Vrancic.

 

[Fenway Frank]

I like Rupp, and he’s played well so far, but this game is absolutely screaming out for Mario Vrancic.

Yeah, I thought both Rupp and Skipp had decent games but I’m not sure if they’re a pair.

 

[Number 9]

I like Rupp, and he’s played well so far, but this game is absolutely screaming out for Mario Vrancic.

He nicked the ball off Adam's foot to score

 

[gerryinromania]

All very pretty. Lots of juicy foreplay, but very little penetration. I don't think Pukki is Pukki right now. Impressed with Rupp. Good clean sheet and a big morale booster. Well done lads, you played football

 

[Fenway Frank]

The way we play means our best footballers have to be in the side which also means we’re better with Cantwell in the team

 

[GJP]

Cantwell played well and worked hard, should have scored a couple.

Rupp played very well.

We need to see more Vrancic.

Buendia was sh*t but Birmingham were even sh*tter.

 

[morty]

Sounding like players are bedding in, and getting used to how we play. Whats not to like? Back to back wins and a clean sheet, and sat just outside the playoffs. Happy to see Rupp proving a few of the early doubters wrong.

I think we are going to have to get used to teams parking the bus, we are a big scalp this season, especially considering we have kept some of our bigger names. We'll have to get used to the formula of grinding teams down and maybe not having things all our own way.

 

[Din]

Delighted with that. We’re still not at the levels we’ll need to be at if we are to compete at the very top of the table, but I think you could see real signs today that we are starting to click. Particularly in the second half there was a lot more of the free-flowing, one or two touch football that we’ve gotten used to under Farke, and while it still needs a lot of work it’s undoubtedly encouraging that this early on in the season we are starting to hit our stride. Probably our best performance of the season, only worry really is that we needed an 87th minute winner to get the points, as with the chances we had the game should’ve been over long before that.

Rupp undoubtedly man of the match today, he was absolutely superb. Only thing that bugged me was that he did often play the safe pass, when sometimes he’d have the option to clip it in-behind. That’s why I said at half-time that we need Vrancic on, because he is someone who will play those passes. But yeah, Rupp was great today, as was Skipp. Vrancic is just a hero and I know that competition in midfield is strong, but he needs to be playing more. Cantwell probably should’ve had a hat-trick, but no doubting he had a big influence on the game. Our defence was solid as well, though Birmingham did seem to have some sort of allergy to going in our half.

Another great 3 points, and hopefully we can get 3 more against Wycombe on Saturday. Worth noting that in the title-winning season we had 5 points after 6 games and were 17th in the table, after 6 games this season we have 10 points and are 7th, and will likely go into the play-offs if we win on Saturday. Just saying

 

[Din]

Yeah, I thought both Rupp and Skipp had decent games but I’m not sure if they’re a pair.

I think they’re just too similar. Both busy, tidy centre midfielders who are a safe pair of hands in the middle. Same with McLean. I think in Skipp’s case he at least is very good defensively as well, but having both of them in the middle doesn’t give us anything like the creativity that we have if Mario is in there. It’s hard to take Rupp out because as I said in the post above he was brilliant today, but it was against a team who were literally camped in their own box, and I can’t help but feel that if Vrancic is fit he should be one of the first names on the teamsheet.