CanaryOnTheWire
New Member
The Wire Report - Blackpool 1-3 Norwich City
So, we weren't very good. Admit it. For a side feted to 'get on the ball and dominate teams' according to Adams, we simply do not move the ball with a consistent enough tempo for a possession-based side. In the first half both sides closed down well enough, and Blackpool showed how poor they are at passing the ball.
You see, the issue with our passing is not that it is particularly inaccurate, the only players in our side who frequently struggle to maintain decent statistical accuracy in passing are Nathan Redmond and Bradley Johnson, but then you have to look at their passing ambition, which far outweighs that of a Tettey or an O'Neil. The issue, and primary reason why we struggle so much in the first half of matches is the aforementioned tempo problems.
When we move the ball out from the back and into midfield to Tettey or Johnson, it is very noticeable that we are retaining the ball and playing at a very low tempo, suited to a patient outfit that works the ball forward through the middle. That is all well and good, but strangely as soon as a wide player makes a run, our tempo dramatically increases as though we're desperate to release them. We need to be more patient than to just keep it and punt it at Olsson when he runs.
Therefore, Blackpool like many other teams noticed that if you let us have the ball, and sit off a bit, and then immediately squeeze up and press when the release ball is on, we'll probably give it away (if Johnson doesn't launch one for Olsson or Redmond to run on to) by quickly and inexplicably smashing it into Hoolahan's feet and expecting him to keep it while the rest of the midfield catches up.
This is why Wes is often dispossessed so far this season- his time on the ball is largely restricted by teams who anticipate they can afford to squeeze up as the direct pass is coming- this is why Joan Oriol made as many interceptions as he did (6).
With this static and predictable approach to the build up (which oddly is never prevalent in the second 45 when we realise for some reason that varied play is important, I was not surprised that we failed to create much in that first half, save for a Lewis Grabban chance which ended up nearer the corner flag than the goal, and a fantastic run to beat two players from Redmond allowing him to whip in a teasing cross which Joe Lewis had to get out well to punch away. (I may have forgotten another half chance, but that's about it)
Russell Martin really struggled on the overlap, too, as the strength and pace of Francois Zoko was too much for him- so why we kept on trying to feed him when it clearly wasn't working was beyond me.
Either way, after a drab first half I wasn't too worried as I knew we'd see a different Norwich City second half- however we were quickly pegged back by Nathan Delfouneso having been caught high allowing Ishmael Miller to produce a decent save from Ruddy, who could do nothing about the rebound.
Something that made a big difference second half was the defensive contribution of Nathan Redmond who consistently worked hard to win us the ball when we lost it out wide. A brilliant combination of key passes, clever runs and defensive elbow grease, Nathan was again my star of the show, in spite of the way in which the fluctuating Blackpool press made it hard for him first half.
When we did get back into it, though, it was via a real stroke of luck, as a good delivery from Nathan Redmond from a corner was diverted into the net by Blackpool defender Donervon Daniels. That seemed to wake Norwich up, who hadn't started the second half as brightly as I had hoped, and Joe Lewis needed all his nous to deny Bradley Johnson from close range.
That man Redmond could have had the goal of the season so far, had his fantastic run and one-two with Jerome yielded a shot which went anywhere than Lewis' grasp. Unfortunate, as the man deserves a goal for all his efforts lately, he just gets better and better.
The strangest thing for me is at half-time I wanted us to introduce Howson as the movement and drive through midfield was so predictable and static. It seems though that the personnel change wasn't needed as Tettey and Johnson were a lot more urgent when we went behind and had the directness of play to match the direct runs we weren't finding due to our low tempo in the first half.
For me, we really need to abandon the patient, probing, low tempo stuff and be consistently direct as we are in these second halves. It's just a successful approach, and can be as great to watch as intricate passing if the ball zips about in the way it can if the midfield matches the tempo of the runners.
Blackpool introduced Jacob Mellis in an attempt to hold on to the draw, but so dominant were we by this stage it was always likely to be in vain, Lewis Grabban twisting and turning past two defenders in a manner typical of his dogged attitude, and the striker lucked into a goal as the ball looped up off a defender's outstretched leg and into the top corner.
Lewis didn't have his best game, but he was full of intent on the ball when he did have it, and showed his ability to beat a man enough that he deserved to profit from it, which ultimately he did.
Josh Murphy's first league goal, and our third of the afternoon hammered home just how much better we had been after Delfouneso's strike woke us up. It would be possible to call us lucky Norwich had we won via an own goal and that deflection, but when Murphy picked up Jerome's pass and ghosted past a defender as though he wasn't there, there were definite shades of the Crawley league cup game- those who know, know it as 'vintage' Murphy- the burst of pace, the cut inside, and the cute finish inside the far post to ram home the point (or should that be points).
When we're good, we're very very good.
But when we're bad, we're horrid.
OTBC
Player Ratings
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Ruddy 7 - How often do I have to say 'nothing he could do about the goal'? Brief butterfingers moment when collecting from a Turner interception, but recovered well and didn't make a mistake after that.
Martin 7 - Couple of decent interceptions and defensively solid- struggled against Zoko as he had both pace and strength. Plenty of endeavour from Russ though- got him goalside a couple of times where ability let him down.
Turner 7 - Mammoth. Interesting pass to Ruddy under pressure from a forward, but he had to get there somehow as he was beaten for pace. It meant another low error game for Turner. Ace.
Hooiveld 7 - The fitter he gets the better he looks- no longer shaky as first appeared, was every bit as good as Turner and maybe a bit better, and that's saying something. Maintains good passing accuracy even though he loves a long ball.
Olsson 7 - Anonymous going forward due to the aforementioned press from Blackpool, meant he had to scrap for long balls. Solid defensively though.
Tettey 7 - Standard Alex, cutting passing lanes to intercept left right and centre while Johnson goes thumping in as the enforcer. Like Johnson, Tettey has to try and keep calm when teams get about us.
Johnson 8- Who was it who said Tettey 'covers' for Johnson? For me, they complement each other perfectly (apart from in an attacking sense in the first half), but Johnson is boldly creative in a way that belies his limitations, and he was rewarded with another assist here.
Hoolahan 6- Play him on the left, he's going to keep losing the ball as he just isn't comfortable there. Might as well drop him if you're not going to play him in the hole, Neil. Issue is of course, Murphy lacks the mentality to play whole matches consistently at this stage.
Redmond 8 (MOTM) - I've run out of superlatives. Difficult start but grew into it, his movement and ability to dictate to a whole defence by scaring the crap out of them is different class. Didn't even give the ball away often. Hope he scores soon, he deserves it.
Jerome 8 - Workhorse. When it's not all coming up roses Cameron puts a shift in irrespective, winning the ball back numerous times and eventually grabbing a key pass for Murphy to make it three. For a forward player, he is very comfortable and sensible on the ball, keeps moves ticking even if he doesn't try anything sensational.
Grabban 7 - When his luck's out and the chips are down, Grabbs just keeps on going. Has struggled of late, but plugged away centrally and out wide until something finally went his way, his graft alone earning him a vital goal.
Subs
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Murphy 7 - Josh, for 45 minutes or from the start, would be exposed as lacking in a few areas and wouldn't last in the side. At his age, though, that's okay- and as an impact player when defenders tire and begin to sit off, the pace Josh can present is just vindictive, and the lad punished Blackpool in style to finish as he has done so many times at youth level and latterly in the Capital One Cup. In spite of what i say, though, if he produces on a regular basis like this, a Wes Hoolahan playing on the left will be easy pickings for a starting berth.
