Questions from a new contributor

[thepower76]

Evening folks. I’ve never posted before so bear with me. Lower Barclay season ticket for 20 years, been going regularly since 86. I look at message boards and things infrequently because the Pink Un annoyed me, and have only ever written twice before about Norwich – to the Pink Un paper version to try to get rid of Hamilton (he was sacked 2 days later) and to Neil Doncaster to try and explain that Worthington was taking us in a downward direction. I like this site though and I feel so pig sick tonight that I’m hoping this is going to be cathartic in some way. Please, can anyone help answer these questions I have about what’s going wrong?

1.       How did we go from having 2 or 3 players in every position to only having 2 proper wide players?

2.       Squad management from NA has been terrible. We now appear to pick a different 11 and system every game. Is this tactically astute knowledge of the opposition or desperate lurching from 1 thing to the next in the hope of hitting on a winning combination?

3.       Is the often repeated opinion that NA is tactically astute complete rubbish? When we played Liverpool last season, there was so much praise for how he changed the system early on after which we gave them a real run for their money. True – but what about the tactics that saw us 2 down in the first 10 minutes and it could have been 4?

4.       Elliot Bennett played well in the premier league. Why can’t he get near a championship side?

5.       Despite signing so many players, why does NA seem so hooked on those who were here already? His obsession with ‘Russ’ is embarrassing. I know Ryan Bennett is injured but he wasn’t getting in regularly anyway.

6.       The logical answer to q5 is that the new players (Hooiveld, Miquel, Cuellar until today, McGrandles, Vadis etc…) aren’t good enough. I know VOO is unlucky to be injured when he’d just got in the team, but why did he take so long to get in? Is NA going to be held accountable for such a waste of money?

7.       Is it just me who thinks Grabban is no good? Utterly no left foot, the most reluctant header of a ball since Hucks. Scored some goals earlier on but has missed so many and has been helped with some huge deflections. When we were desperately hanging on v Bolton he didn’t even attempt to contest a long ball forward from Ruddy and allowed it to go through to the keeper. Unless Jerome was injured it was a woeful decision to take him off today.

8.       In light of the above, why doesn’t Hooper get a sniff?

9.       If he’s not fit (he doesn’t look it in fairness), WHY is he not fit? I’m really concerned about this – Becchio went off on loan and the manager said he needed to lose 2 stone. How was he allowed to get 2 stone overweight? Poor.

10.   O’Neil said in his interview that there was a lack of desire today. Is this connected with fitness? Either way, it’s a huge indictment of the management if they’re either not fit enough, or don’t care enough.

11.   Bassong to Watford? Arrogant move in the extreme by Adams, just to assume we would not be threatened by Watford.

12.   It wasn’t acknowledged at the time, but we haven’t really played that well all season. Yes we were top, but if you go back and look at the games and some of the goals, we were being incredibly lucky. Watford h – 10 men. Blackburn I actually thought we did play well. Cardiff away – could have been 3 down before an unlikely comeback. Brentford away was good, but even at Blackpool we needed an og and a deflection to get our noses in front late on.

13.   Why did so many people claim to be looking forward to relegation as we would take the championship by storm and it would be so much fun? Pathetic, arrogant, wrong. This isn’t more fun than last season.

14.   What is going to happen next?

Thanks for reading. Sadly I don’t feel any better. Phil

 

[morty]

Welcome aboard Phil!

That's some first post lol!

 

[kirku]

Answer to #14: Sack Adams. Unfortunately, the board have previous with holding on to under-performing managers.

 

[Canaryboy]

Phil 'The Power'..... Taylor? Welcome to the forum  B)

 

[Canaryboy]

Agree with almost all of your post by the way. Would question number 11, I don't think we should assume that Adams had the final word on that transfer, could just as easily have been a decision made by the 'Football board'. In fact, Adams could just have said that he wanted him gone, he may not have had any involvement at all in accepting that transfer and could have been left bemused himself? 

I've been saying number 1 all season, how on earth have we managed to leave ourselves with so few wide players, with a former winger in charge, having let three of them leave in the summer? And if it was because we simply failed to complete a transfer before the end of the window (Scott Sinclair?) then why haven't we brought one in on loan, like Forest did with Tom Ince? 

Number 6 is also a good point and one I've made before, particularly about the centre backs. He has signed three centre backs and not one of them was deemed good enough to be a first choice player over Whittaker or Martin? 

I'd add another one, a number 15: Why isn't Adams prepared to use Garrido and Elliott Bennett, two players who are surely capable of doing a decent job at this level, both of whom did OK earlier in the season? Garrido in particular did very well in his two games early on, Olsson has played left wing for Sweden and Blackburn, yet the list of players to have a go on the left wing this season includes Grabban!  

 

[Killiecanary]

Welcome to the forum power!

I agree with almost all of your points.

I would debate three I think...7, 11 and 13.

7 - I feel a bit sorry for Grabban. He started well, scored some goals, they have dried up and at the same time the team has stuttered. He has a good scoring record last year, and it might be a bit early to write him off....certainly don't think he deserves some of the vitriol he is getting tbh

11 - Bassong....needed to go....anywhere...to anyone who would have him. He was supposed to be club captain and behaved in a totally unprofessional manner after Hughtons sacking (allegedly!). I suspect he wasn't the greatest asset to team spirit and a bit disruptive

13 - I was happy to welcome relegation, not because I necessarily felt we would walk this league (we all know how hard a league it is to get out of...although with our squad we should be much better than this) but because I was fed up watching us play against teams at home and away just trying to defend for an hour and a half. It wasn't arrogance but simply fed up with the corporate money obsessed premiership

Other than that, absolutely agree with all you say

 

[GJP]

7.       Is it just me who thinks Grabban is no good? Utterly no left foot, the most reluctant header of a ball since Hucks. Scored some goals earlier on but has missed so many and has been helped with some huge deflections. When we were desperately hanging on v Bolton he didn’t even attempt to contest a long ball forward from Ruddy and allowed it to go through to the keeper. Unless Jerome was injured it was a woeful decision to take him off today.

He actually played quite well when he came on against Bolton. But I could hear people around me criticising him for not chasing down any Bolton player in possession. The same wouldn't have been said about Jerome.

It seems he's already reached that point of not being able to do anything right - even though he had a great start to his Norwich career.

 

[SussexYellow]

Welome Phil. Good first post.

I have not seen the O'Neil interview but if there is a lack of desire amongst the players we are now really deep in the mire.

 

[Fenway Frank]

11 - Bassong....needed to go....anywhere...to anyone who would have him. He was supposed to be club captain and behaved in a totally unprofessional manner after Hughtons sacking (allegedly!). I suspect he wasn't the greatest asset to team spirit and a bit disruptive

100% agree with this

 

[Wiz]

I don't agree with the OP regarding Grabban, he was a top player for his former club Bournemouth and us early on............but a cracking first post nonetheless.

 

[Suffolk Canary]

Always good to have a new poster on here!    Feel free to invite anyone else you know,  the more regulars on here the better!

 

[Suffolk Canary]

And to answer #4,   Elliot Bennett only made our Prem team in the 1st year when it was riddled with plucky championship quality players (e.g. Pilks, Morrison) and Lambert's general style of management suited him.  It seems Bennett is more than good enough to make our team,  but is just severely out of favour with Adams.   I can only assume something has happened behind the scenes for him to get such little game time. 

 

[Andy]

Re #8 and #9 I agree that Hooper doesn't look fit & to be fair when he has played he has looked very poor. I can't understand why so many fans rate him.

 

[thepower76]

Thanks for such a warm welcome guys and for reading my rambles! I'm really concerned we're on a precipice between going back up and staying down for decades. Desperately hoping we can arrest this slide. I'll contribute to the site when I can. OTBC!

 

[Andy]

Welome Phil. Good first post.

I have not seen the O'Neil interview but if there is a lack of desire amongst the players we are now really deep in the mire.

Here's the interview

http://youtu.be/QKno-kEv62Q

 

[SussexYellow]

Thanks Andy.

That's not as bad as I had feared. But a little disappointing still. If we are to be promoted we need players that are prepared to run through a figurative heart attack for the cause - in this instance running 80 yards in stoppage time.

 

[Jimmy smith]

1.       How did we go from having 2 or 3 players in every position to only having 2 proper wide players?

1a. Seems that we often only play one of the "wide players" meaning two options had to go on loan and one had to leave to get more games. When Wes is playing, him and Redmond are the best options.

2.       Squad management from NA has been terrible. We now appear to pick a different 11 and system every game. Is this tactically astute knowledge of the opposition or desperate lurching from 1 thing to the next in the hope of hitting on a winning combination?

2a. This I find a bit concerning. I don't think we set up too bad going forward but the shambles of a defence we have is just embarassing. We're missing Ry Ben as after him and Turner, i don't rate any of the other options at CB or Whittaker at RB. As the quote oft said in war goes "you're only as strong as your weakest soldier." This was evident versus Boro when their first two goals basically hapenned because of Whittakers lethargy and Martins lack of CB strength. It's ameteurish management to think we'd get away with that set up and despite us dictating that first half versus Boro, we made it easy for them.

3.       Is the often repeated opinion that NA is tactically astute complete rubbish? When we played Liverpool last season, there was so much praise for how he changed the system early on after which we gave them a real run for their money. True – but what about the tactics that saw us 2 down in the first 10 minutes and it could have been 4?

3a. As above, I think he's shown his naivety now. I trust him to be able to set up a team that will score goals at this level but his defensive setup is embarrasing. It's like the opposite of Hughton!

4.       Elliot Bennett played well in the premier league. Why can’t he get near a championship side?

4a. Baffles me too. He's had his long injury so i can see why he wasn't in the side but he's not even been given a chance! I'd have been tempted to play him right back over Whittaker as we certainly wouldn't have conceded that 1st vs Boro if he'd been there. If he wasn't good enough, why was he given a new deal?

5.       Despite signing so many players, why does NA seem so hooked on those who were here already? His obsession with ‘Russ’ is embarrassing. I know Ryan Bennett is injured but he wasn’t getting in regularly anyway.

5a. What worries me is that none of them are turning out to be good enough bar Jerome really. Grabban looked alright but had a bit of luck and is very 1 dimensional, Vadis has been unlucky with injuries but the defensive recruits all look hopeless. We miss Ry Ben badly!

6.       The logical answer to q5 is that the new players (Hooiveld, Miquel, Cuellar until today, McGrandles, Vadis etc…) aren’t good enough. I know VOO is unlucky to be injured when he’d just got in the team, but why did he take so long to get in? Is NA going to be held accountable for such a waste of money?

6a. Wasn't Vadis inured when we signed him?

7.       Is it just me who thinks Grabban is no good? Utterly no left foot, the most reluctant header of a ball since Hucks. Scored some goals earlier on but has missed so many and has been helped with some huge deflections. When we were desperately hanging on v Bolton he didn’t even attempt to contest a long ball forward from Ruddy and allowed it to go through to the keeper. Unless Jerome was injured it was a woeful decision to take him off today.

7a. As above, he's a bit of a Jermaine Beckford the second. Quick, strong and can occasionally finish but entirely predictable and not a great technique. Against the right defences (like our own!) he'll destroy them but give him a team in form to play and he'll be invisible.

8.       In light of the above, why doesn’t Hooper get a sniff?

8a Because he's a fat waste of space.

9.       If he’s not fit (he doesn’t look it in fairness), WHY is he not fit? I’m really concerned about this – Becchio went off on loan and the manager said he needed to lose 2 stone. How was he allowed to get 2 stone overweight? Poor.

9a. I worry about this. Really that responsibility is our coaching teams fault and Hoopers own. Perhaps he'll be told to buck his ideas up but i'd imagine Adams was on thin lines convincing him to stay in summer and now Hooper sees himself as bigger than the club. He needs a good slap round the face and a good run on a treadmill. If I was being paid £20k (est.) a week to play the game I love i'd damn well make sure I didn't get overweight!

10.   O’Neil said in his interview that there was a lack of desire today. Is this connected with fitness? Either way, it’s a huge indictment of the management if they’re either not fit enough, or don’t care enough.

10a. Perhaps it was like Arsenal yesterday. We simply lacked the desire. No longer do we have players willing to fight tooth and nail for their chance in the top flight. For me, the cancer remains our defence and the tactics. Sort that and the rest of the team will sort itself.

11.   Bassong to Watford? Arrogant move in the extreme by Adams, just to assume we would not be threatened by Watford.

11a. This one baffles me. I don't know what went on. Is the story of him dissing Adams on his first day true? If so, why wasn't he sold in summer or even given away? It was a bitter blow that Bennett got injured as i'd justify loaning Bassong out then but would he get in our team at the moment? Yes.

12.   It wasn’t acknowledged at the time, but we haven’t really played that well all season. Yes we were top, but if you go back and look at the games and some of the goals, we were being incredibly lucky. Watford h – 10 men. Blackburn I actually thought we did play well. Cardiff away – could have been 3 down before an unlikely comeback. Brentford away was good, but even at Blackpool we needed an og and a deflection to get our noses in front late on.

12a. This is what gave me hope. We were top and it looked like we hadn't even got out of second gear! There are tight games all over the championship. We've had plenty we were unlucky not to win as well. Like i've mentioned above, if Ry Ben can get back and shore up the defence or if we can actually put some money to the problem and buy a competent CB to partner Turner and add a bit more mobility to the backline then the rest of the side will sort itself.

13.   Why did so many people claim to be looking forward to relegation as we would take the championship by storm and it would be so much fun? Pathetic, arrogant, wrong. This isn’t more fun than last season.

13a. As recent as about a month and a half ago I thought we'd have too much for this league but we've been found out a bit and look far too easy to break down on the counter. I think the main problem is as simple as that.

14.   What is going to happen next?

14a. We dust ourselves off, Brighton at home next which we should win even in our current bad form. Here's your team Neil:

Ruddy - (not many stronger characters in football I can think of, if I back anyone to recover from a bit of dodgy form, it's Ruddy, especially when his defence gets sorted)

Martin - (Get the one we know back playing RB consistently)

Turner - (not looked bad this season despite the leaky defence, just needs a good partner)

Miquel - (without being able to see them train we might as well give him a go as he looks promising and the other options are either hopeless or injured).

Olsson - (Tough on Garrido and i'm tempted to change this one but Olsson is a quality asset and if he plays like he can, we'll have no problem vs a E Bennettless Brighton)

Tettey - (Never drop him, even for one minute)

Johnson - (Never thought i'd say this but now's the time for my consistently average, he brings a steel to our side we've lacked in his absence). I think we'll benefit more having him there than O'Neil who lacks the legs to play all the time in our team at the moment. He is most vital back in his role at calming us down in the second half when we've got the lead.

Howson - (Looking better now he's getting game time since his injury).

Redmond - (Never drop him. He's easily our best player. Even at Boro they couldn't cope with him. If the rest of the team had been up for it that day he'd have had at least two assists. We missed him vs Forest. He does a surprising amount of defensive work as well)

Murphy - (Admittedly a gamble but of all the options i'm going to play a player in his natural position instead of this silly idea of Lafferty or Grabban "doing a job" there. He's young so will blow hot or cold but i'm confident in his abilities, especially against one of the weaker sides on paper in the league).

Jerome - (The only striker I've got confidence in still)

Hopefully Hooper has been given the harsh treatment he needs and he sees sense and becomes the hero he's capable of being. Whittaker is shipped out and Miquel is given a go.

Thanks for reading. Sadly I also don’t feel any better. What makes it worse is how well them scummers are doing. Hopefully normal service will soon resume and they'll drop again. Jimmy