Match Day Thread Norwich City v Reading

Well for the first time in ages I actually enjoyed updating the OP with the result, scorers attendance etc.

I couldn't resist updating the 'match history' section either

............ and to cap the day off 1p5wich lost too !

#ifcarlsbergdidsaturdays

 

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/10830322/norwich-7-1-reading

 

This result was an insult to all fans. To me it smacks of "we can play very well when we want to but we chose not to"' Shear bloody arrogance.

 

Blimey CS you sound like a 'canary caller' we won SEVEN - 1 FFS enjoy the moment we won't be scoring that many in a single match again for a long time, especially SIX in the 1st half !

 

Both AP's goals were brilliant, but they were all good.
Excellent point CS2010 and WHERE have these players been for MOST of the games this season????

 

I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that you had 31 efforts on goal... that is staggering, how is that possible in professional football? I suppose we should be thankful that Stam said Reading wouldn't take Norwich lightly, hahaha!

But seriously, perhaps arrogance came into it?

I mean, this from our midfielder John Swift before the game: "The confidence is flowing throughout the team at the moment. We are on a great run and we all feel like we can keep it going. It’s good that our focal point up front is scoring goals. All the boys are really confident, we want to go out there and make the top six and it’s looking likely now..."

 

I had to get that out of system. This has been an extremely frustrating season trying to understand why a team who were classified as talented have performed so badly, especially away from home. AN was blamed, the whole CR hierachy were also blamed but the players were rarely blamed. They hold all the aces - we dont want to play and you lot can do nothing about it. We still get paid a lot of money so that's all that matters. The players such as Hucks, Holty, Drury and others are remembered by the fans for their commitment and club loyalty. Name me one player who fits the bill in this squad, perhaps Hoolahan, then I am struggling. Pritchard must be kicking himself that he did not go to Brighton but he seems to me to still want to perform as a professional. CJ is becoming a CR favourite - what you see is what you get.

 

I don't know we put a few past Sutton United in one of the cups many years ago.

 

Can't be down to Irvine. Is it only coincidence that Webber starts on Thursday, gives a few staff some home truths inc Irvine and suddenly we start to play?

 

Christ man. Are you ok?

 

Great post CS2010. Yes unfortunately, the players get paid their inflated salaries however they play and whilst I've said in the past about the failings of AN etc, I was also aware that despite Martin occasionally being 'trotted out to face the media etc' that most of our failings were as a result of an often pathetic display by the players themselves and today, they seemed to put that all behind them.
I would add however that I believe that today is one of the rare occasions when both AP and Basil have started the game (as opposed to Naismith and CJ) and I'm sure that had a bearing on the result.
Also, Wes was very good and strangely, he's missed a couple of games through injury, yet AN in his wisdom, would sometimes try to play him 3 times in 8 days!!!

Ain't that the truth - as they ALL know they are playing for their future!!!!
PS - I loved this comment from Jaap Stam -"It was just one of those days when all their shots on target seemed to go in, every loose ball seemed to fall to them although we didn't help ourselves.!!"
If that was the case Jaap, we'd have scored a 'baker's dozen!!!!

 

I've just had a look at the Reading line-up!

I'm shocked that their number 50 didn't score a shed-load, I thought he used to be prolific!

 

So both the EDP and match sponsors name AP as MotM and I think he was also MotM in a pretty rubbish team at Hillsborough as well - yet AN nearly ALWAYS preferred Naismith and I don't remember him getting the award once!!!

 

Yes, Pritchard was excellent today, but there have been other matches when he has been very disappointing. According to Chris Goreham we have never scored 7 goals in the league before. Yes, we scored 8 against Sutton Utd. in the cup, but they were a non-league team and we had a blinder. Stam has a point. When we lost 6-2 to Newcastle, they had 6 shots on target and every one went in. Today we had 13 shots on target and 7 went in. I don't expect it to happen again in my life-time. It's a sport, not some kind of science. I've felt all season that the inconsistency was down to the players. AN has been gone for 5 games and the inconsistency is still there - 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses. I suppose that is the reason for the new structure and it is up to Webber to find a way forward.

 

I'd have him off the bench when we had no clue and needed a goal.

 

Just got up, thinking that I had a very weird dream last night. It wasn't a dream, we really did win 7-1. What's the world coming to?

 

Great post Rick and whilst AP has had a FEW DISAPPOINTING games, Naismith who was invariably preferred to him has had MANY DISAPPOINTING games and I remember in one particular game, Naismith had 3 good opportunities to score, completely missed the target with 2 and headed the 3rd straight at the keeper – I’d expect much more from a £7M striker.
It just shows the difference between how the team played on Wednesday and yesterday, that most of our poor performances have been down to the mentality/application of the players and yes, we were just discussing the enormity of the task ahead for Webber and the new HC.

Oh dear - Canary Call playing 'The Magnificent Seven' in the background as Chris Goreham is commentating on the goals from yesterday!!! Oh well, I supposed it had to be expected.

 

Norwich's 3rd, from AP is a belter
Goals on this link, but poor quality.
https://www.balls.ie/football/watch-wes-hoolahan-goal-norwich-reading-7-1-362807

 

THIS

 

Don't let the result fool you we still need a massive squad overhaul over the summer.