Norwich v Rotherham (Home) 4th October 2014

[Canaryboy]

I'd probably have dropped Tettey too, if having to choose one of the two.

I'd like to see a 4-2-3-1 again with Tettey and Johnson at the bottom, and one of Hoolahan or Howson in the attacking midfield spot. 

With so many options in the middle the VOO signing is looking like an odd one at the moment, especially if we paid £4m for him as reported, is he playing catch up with fitness? 

 

[morty]

Classic that Morty

You are not injured, you are not in the team BUT you have not been dropped, just left out.

Please explain on behalf of Adams because that's double speak to me.

I will stand by my original statement.

Johnson is a better "sitter" than Tetty!

Good old Leeds midfield, didn't work for them either.

Adams has picked the player best suited for that particular game. In his opinion, not yours.

To be honest, its sounding like you are playing the favourite player game, not Adams.

 

[Matt Hopkins]

I'd probably have dropped Tettey too, if having to choose one of the two.

I'd like to see a 4-2-3-1 again with Tettey and Johnson at the bottom, and one of Hoolahan or Howson in the attacking midfield spot. 

With so many options in the middle the VOO signing is looking like an odd one at the moment, especially if we paid £4m for him as reported, is he playing catch up with fitness? 

That's the difference on how different people see the game.

For me Tetty's reading of the game, positional sense and knowing his own limitations (passing) makes him a far better player.

Johnson huffs and puffs more but that is because he is so often out of position.

Then you have the 40 yard crossfield balls that never find a man (playing that is, in the crowd thats different)

Howson is a different type and,on form, a driving force but his combination with Johnson didn't work at Leeds and doesn't seem to work here either.

Just how I see the game.

Looking forward to see what VOO offers, 4 mil to sit on the bench seems a tad extravagant to me.

With one or two of the signings we seem to be looking at next season as much as this one.(Not a bad policy if the money is there)

 

[Matt Hopkins]

Adams has picked the player best suited for that particular game. In his opinion, not yours.

To be honest, its sounding like you are playing the favourite player game, not Adams.

It's all Adams opinion, he is the Manager.

That does not stop me from having another view.

I don't play the favourites game, just on my perception of players ability at any given time.

That's what makes sport such an interesting subject for debate.

 

[Yellow Fever]

I was also surprised to see Tettey missing, but he is the right sided CM, whereas Johnson is left sided. There is also the fact that Tettey could have two international games over the break whereas BJ and JH won't. According to Adams though, it was like this:

“I just wanted a little bit more drive with the ball. Jonny has got that good energy and the ability to do that. I told Alex he is very unlucky to be left out because he has done nothing wrong. He hasn’t been dropped in any way. I just felt Jonny and Jonno gave us a sitter and one who is more inclined to drive forward than Alex."

Full article: http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/alex_tettey_is_a_casualty_of_norwich_city_s_squad_riches_1_3796927

 

[Din]

I was also surprised to see Tettey missing, but he is the right sided CM, whereas Johnson is left sided. There is also the fact that Tettey could have two international games over the break whereas BJ and JH won't. According to Adams though, it was like this:

“I just wanted a little bit more drive with the ball. Jonny has got that good energy and the ability to do that. I told Alex he is very unlucky to be left out because he has done nothing wrong. He hasn’t been dropped in any way. I just felt Jonny and Jonno gave us a sitter and one who is more inclined to drive forward than Alex."

Full article: http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/alex_tettey_is_a_casualty_of_norwich_city_s_squad_riches_1_3796927

I think that Tettey could easily be the sitter, and arguably is better at sitting than Johnson. I think the one thing that Johnson has over Tettey in that position though, is that Johnson can whack a long cross field pass to the wingers/strikers, whereas Tettey can't. I personally would prefer Tettey over Johnson.

That said though, I do like Johnson. He seems to get, not necessarily scapegoated, but takes his fair share of criticism from Norwich fans, when really over the last 3 and a bit years he's been with us, he's done a lot more good than bad, and seems to have a very good attitude.

 

[Yellow Fever]

That's fair enough Din. I also rate Tettey and would like City to get back to the kind of success they had with Howson, Tettey and Fer playing in a threesome and wonder whether Odjidja-Ofoe could take over the Fer role.

 

[Din]

That's fair enough Din. I also rate Tettey and would like City to get back to the kind of success they had with Howson, Tettey and Fer playing in a threesome and wonder whether Odjidja-Ofoe could take over the Fer role.

That would certainly be a handsome option. Unfortunately though I can't see it happening any time soon, as Adams seems to prefer both Johnson and O'Neil to Odjidja.

 

[Canaryboy]

That's the difference on how different people see the game.

For me Tetty's reading of the game, positional sense and knowing his own limitations (passing) makes him a far better player.

I never said that Johnson is the better player, just think that Tettey's performances have dropped recently in the games I've seen. I'd also have the question the wisdom of Tettey playing every game considering his injury record over the prior two seasons, we'd just had a run of 7 games in 22 days, that's a lot of football.

Surprised Adams hasn't rotated more than he has to be honest. 

 

[Bethnal Yellow and Green]

I think that Tettey could easily be the sitter, and arguably is better at sitting than Johnson. I think the one thing that Johnson has over Tettey in that position though, is that Johnson can whack a long cross field pass to the wingers/strikers, whereas Tettey can't. I personally would prefer Tettey over Johnson.

That said though, I do like Johnson. He seems to get, not necessarily scapegoated, but takes his fair share of criticism from Norwich fans, when really over the last 3 and a bit years he's been with us, he's done a lot more good than bad, and seems to have a very good attitude.

Tettey has the best long pass accuracy in the Championship according to Opta - Johnson has one of the worst (for a player who isn't a defender or goalkeeper - who are often rushed into long passes as clearances).

Tettey is a much better 'sitter' that Johnson in pretty much every aspect IMO, he can pass better, tackle better and is better positionally.

 

[Agent Dale Cooper]

Tettey has the best long pass accuracy in the Championship according to Opta - Johnson has one of the worst (for a player who isn't a defender or goalkeeper - who are often rushed into long passes as clearances).

Tettey is a much better 'sitter' that Johnson in pretty much every aspect IMO, he can pass better, tackle better and is better positionally.

I'm interested to know the criteria for those stats. Much as I have been a quite vocal critic of Johnson, I do feel his passing has improved markedly over the summer. If the difference between a 'short pass' and a 'long pass' is simply a cut-off point in distance (say, 30m or whatever),I feel the stats will work in favour of Tettey and against Johnson.

My main criticism of BJ has been that he continually attempts passes beyond his technical ability, aiming for a small target a long way away, often taking the aerial route. Tettey, however, will shuttle the ball sideways or backwards to an open man, and rarely attempts passes with a high level of risk. He will drop in alongside (or even behind) the centre backs on occasion, and spray the ball sideways to full-backs, which I imagine would be a 'long pass' but not a particularly risky one, with quite a wide margin for error.

Johnson's accuracy with his long passing seems to have improved greatly over the summer – the trouble is, every time he over- or under-hits a long pass and concedes possession it gets noticed because of his history of doing it. He still tries a few too many speculative balls, and still misplaces a few too many also – he'll never be a Xabi Alonso-style playmaker, but as his accuracy has improved I feel he's been worth his place in the team. I'd still like to see Howson and Tettey together, though – I think we should be placing less emphasis on getting the ball out wide quickly with long switch passes, and more on intricate one-touch build-up through the middle (particularly while Wes is being persisted with as a nominal 'wide' play who will drift inside at any opportunity).

Can't believe I just posted a long diatribe in defence of Bradley Johnson, but there you go – say what you see, innit...

 

[GJP]

You haven't defended him that much to be fair.

"He still tries a few too many speculative balls, and still misplaces a few too many"

I know it won't be popular but I don't think Johnson has improved that much or at all over the summer. The opposition is just significantly weaker.

 

[ZLF]

In my eyes Tettey is vastly superior in all bar one elements of the game than bradley (heading) and I dont understand tettey being left out.

As far as improved passing GJP is spot on,  he has more time and space ion this league and much of his long passing reminds me heavily of John Becks Cambridge,  hitting space for a pacy winger to collect,  rather than pass to the pacy winger / striker.  Subtle difference,  but redmond & grabban have pace beyond champs defenders that makes passing look good.

I remain worried about the BJ/Howson starting pairing  woeful win games ratio (its an illogical, nonsensical concern,  but, like fulham away, is factual and there nagging at my mind)