Norwich City vs Watford (Home) Saturday 31st October.

[Sonyc]

Good to come away with 3 points, however, we should never have allowed such a piss poor team go 2 ahead, they had 3 meaningful attacks in the first half that got into the 18 yard area, 2 resulted in goals, the other was curtailed by an offside flag.
Second half, we overran them and I'm not even sure they had another attempt on goal, beside one high a wide, speculative shot. Good to see Ben Chrisene fit, after I thought he may have injured his shoulder again last Saturday, he is good left back, and truly lashed that one in today, I like BC a lot. Agree on the comments above about Kvist, he was super busy today and deserved the MOTM. Musaba has some real quality about him, and if we can exploit that, we will win plenty more. Lastly, Sam Field did a good, solid job in the middle today, and seemed to marshal the guys well, he and others dug in, despite the scoreline, and ultimately it paid off. Any one I haven't mentioned did a decent job, although I blame Cordoba and Grimshaw for the second goal.

That's a very fair summary. The team were poor first half, Cordoba suspect and Grimshaw too. And I often feel (and posted so) that Musaba is dangerous going forward but then doesn't make the final pass when he should. Then out of the blue he scores. Frustrating but that's the like of him. He can be really good. I shouldn't grumble but I do as I want more.

Got to say I was impressed at last that Clement put on Makama with Kvist. We didn't look at all in trouble that second half. Never in doubt really after we scored our first.

Clement said that the squad were very close with a good spirit and all the videos seem to confirm that. And also that he was frustrated that the players were playing like they were "islands". Maybe the tide is turning? A win midweek will put us in touching distance.

 

[morty]

Well, (just back from the pub, so please excuse grammar and spelling) that was quite the game. We rolled from "Here we go again" to "Oh my God, this is the best game ever" but I guess that is what makes football great!

I still find myself puzzled, though, as to what the hell is going on. I don't paint myself as an expert but struggle to explain the gap between us being good, and us being (really, really) bad. You can call out particular players, but it seems to be a weird malaise all across the board, then suddenly it is fine, and we remember how to play. Are we just waiting for it to click, I don't know, I do think we have good players and we are in an unrealistic position, and it will probably be okay, but it really does defy description.

Kvistgaarden easily my man of the match, easily, loved Maghoma in spells, and also Musaba, but their lack of experience shows a bit sometimes.

On a purely personal note, being 2 nil down, then winning 3-2, felt fucking fabulous.

 

[Daz Sparks]

Well, (just back from the pub, so please excuse grammar and spelling) that was quite the game. We rolled from "Here we go again" to "Oh my God, this is the best game ever" but I guess that is what makes football great!

I still find myself puzzled, though, as to what the hell is going on. I don't paint myself as an expert but struggle to explain the gap between us being good, and us being (really, really) bad. You can call out particular players, but it seems to be a weird malaise all across the board, then suddenly it is fine, and we remember how to play. Are we just waiting for it to click, I don't know, I do think we have good players and we are in an unrealistic position, and it will probably be okay, but it really does defy description.

Kvistgaarden easily my man of the match, easily, loved Maghoma in spells, and also Musaba, but their lack of experience shows a bit sometimes.

On a purely personal note, being 2 nil down, then winning 3-2, felt fucking fabulous.

When we're bad, we are less than sum of our parts...

 

[morty]

When we're bad, we are less than sum of our parts...

I think that is a fair point. I have seen us good, with bad players, and I have seen us bad with average players. But I think we have a good mix right now, which makes it all the more frustrating.

 

[isbadiz]

I think a lot of people forget how young this team is because many of the have already played 50-100 games for the club. I think there is an element of lack of experience, but they are gaining this in the current run of poor results. I always felt, even before the injuries to a lot of our key players, promotion was going to be a tough ask this year. Rome was not built in a day and it's going to take some time for things to gel. Of course if Knapper choses to sell off all the family jewels again we will be back to square one.

 

[Fen Canary]

I think a lot of people forget how young this team is because many of the have already played 50-100 games for the club. I think there is an element of lack of experience, but they are gaining this in the current run of poor results. I always felt, even before the injuries to a lot of our key players, promotion was going to be a tough ask this year. Rome was not built in a day and it's going to take some time for things to gel. Of course if Knapper choses to sell off all the family jewels again we will be back to square one.

A couple of old heads through the spine of the team certainly wouldn’t go amiss.
I know Hansen has always been mocked for his you’ll never win anything with kids quote but he was spot on, that United team still had the likes of Bruce, Schmeichel, Cantona, Irwin etc to drag those talented youngsters along.

 

[GJP]

Really enjoyed Kvistgaarden's performance. Felt like the performance of a player growing in confidence and stature (albeit metaphorical rather than physical).

Also, Musaba's goal, who else in the squad could have scored that?
He might not always get it right but his pace and ability to take defenders on is pretty unmatched at the moment.

I agree with other comments about Field. He stuck at it and grew into the game. The armband suggests PC and others think a lot of him.

They need a goalkeeper and probably a defender.

 

[morty]

 

[CCC]

Field did a decent job and is harshly written off after that Millwall no show.

He plays it very simple in terms of his passing and positioning, which is what you want in that deep lying central position.. but it’s essential you have a very technical ball player next to him. Neither, McLean, Mattson or Wright are quite that player. Although on their day, not far off.

Wright grew into the game yesterday and was much better 2nd half. He became more unpredictable and braver with his passing, which enabled us to break the Watfords press.

I do think CM is a big problem still. Particularly when PC starts with Musaba and Brooks.. which makes for a very open, basketball style game.

I’d like to see Pelle and Field play together. And as I keep banging on about, it’s one from Musaba or Brooks with the other a game changing option from the bench.

 

[PukkiParty]

I do think CM is a big problem still. Particularly when PC starts with Musaba and Brooks.. which makes for a very open, basketball style game.

I’d like to see Pelle and Field play together. And as I keep banging on about, it’s one from Musaba or Brooks with the other a game changing option from the bench.

I was thinking yesterday that if we miraculously get out of this division we will be in the same place we were under Farke second time around where he was asking for a few bits of real quality (which I believe included a defensive centre mid, centre back and proper Buendia replacement) but with the risk the Sporting Director will go on a splurge on loads of punts.

Realistically our only chance of staying up if we were to creep up would be to spend our entire budget on 2 x centre backs, 1 x goalkeeper and an absolute quality centre mid of some type of Howson or Tettey calibre, so basically 4 players of real quality, and hope we have enough in the rest of the squad to make do for a season, but Knapper will probably go and splurge silly money on another winger and try and cheapskate his way out of the areas we seriously need to invest in.

 

[morty]

Just watching the highlights again, and why not! I don't think we are talking enough about how good that Chrisene goal was!

 

[Ricardo]

Just watching the highlights again, and why not! I don't think we are talking enough about how good that Chrisene goal was!

Yes, he caught it perfectly on the volley. I seem to recall he scored a similar one last year.

He has really impressed me so far this season.

 

[Monty13]

I was thinking yesterday that if we miraculously get out of this division we will be in the same place we were under Farke second time around where he was asking for a few bits of real quality (which I believe included a defensive centre mid, centre back and proper Buendia replacement) but with the risk the Sporting Director will go on a splurge on loads of punts.

Realistically our only chance of staying up if we were to creep up would be to spend our entire budget on 2 x centre backs, 1 x goalkeeper and an absolute quality centre mid of some type of Howson or Tettey calibre, so basically 4 players of real quality, and hope we have enough in the rest of the squad to make do for a season, but Knapper will probably go and splurge silly money on another winger and try and cheapskate his way out of the areas we seriously need to invest in.

I really wonder what would happen if we get promoted at some point.

NH have clearly seen it’s not easy to get out of the Championship and they’ve seen what’s required to stay in the PL the last few seasons.

It will be an interesting test of ambitions because they’ll need to spend 100+ million to probably not stay up, are they willing to?

 

[Ricardo]

You either spend 150 million and hope for the best or accept you are relegation fodder.

On the evidence of the early games it might not be the 3 that went up come straight back down.

 

[KennyMac]

Just a shoutout to Sam Field. Eyebrows were raised in this household yesterday with Field chosen as captain but that was his best performance in a City shirt. He spoke really well in his tv interview afterwards too.