Just found this china and great to see JM's free kick and how accurate it was. I think it was in Gary Gower's article yesterday that he was saying he saw JM practising free kicks before a game and 4 out of 4 went in the same corner of the goal.
The article that came from is also an interesting read, including this from CJ: “It’s a difficult one because the way we were playing in the first few games, it was more expansive and more attacking – but then results didn’t go for us,” added Jerome. So we’ve gone away from that and been a bit more solid and defensive. But that can sometimes take away a little bit more of your attacking threat because you’ve got wide players starting from deeper positions, forward players tracking back more, we’re playing with two holding midfielders rather than two number 10s or number eights." True enough. That makes it even more difficult for the lone striker unless the AM can support effectively and that is just what JM has been doing so well. Wes has also contributed his share even when playing from a wide position. Once the players get used to the new approach, the goals will come as well.
To be fair to CJ, he was a whisker away from opening his account in the first half on Saturday and once we get AP back (around Xmas I believe), then we'll have more creativity. JM is certainly doing his bit for the team with a goal and an assist on Saturday.
So Marley Watkins has had to pull out of the Wales squad through injury and should be fit to return for the visit of Derby. http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...s-crunch-world-cup-qualifiers-squad-1-5221983
Just seen this - The Lad On The Ball@TheLadOnTheBall Oct 2 More James Maddison v Reading: Passing Accuracy - 91.7% Fouled - 4 Key Passes - 3 Assists - 1 Goals - 1
Please read canario an excerpt from - http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...ch-city-seven-can-be-a-magic-number-1-5222023 "I’m not going to pretend that Cameron Jerome is my favourite ever City striker. Iwan, Flecky, Holty, Ashton... I could go on, and I have loved watching many great frontmen over the years. I do, however, have a huge amount of admiration for Cam. His very well-taken header at Reading took him to 42 goals for the Canaries, level with one of my boyhood heroes Kevin Reeves. Jerome is only one behind Disco Dale, six shy of Hucks and only eight behind Peters. Yes, Cam misses plenty of chances. But just watch his workrate and never-say-die attitude and there is so much to be said for that. He has now scored in 14 consecutive seasons, dating back to 2004/5. That is some achievement and I really hope the winner on Saturday is the catalyst for many more this term. For me, Nelson is the number one striker at City by some distance. He won’t play every match, though, and an on fire Cam is crucial." I have to admit that I agree with every word!!!
Is Webber stocking up with players at this stage of the season who will come in to the side if we don’t get promoted? The parachute payments cease this season so there is a chance that players such as Maddison, Basil, Klose and others will be sold to bolster the coffers. The likes of Hanley, Raggart, Abrahams, Fonkeu, & Phillips will surely step up? Hopefully we will get promoted and thus avoid these sales.
Well for starters Hanley is hardly in the same category as the rest of those! But on the general point, I don't think it's just since Webber came in, but rather since we had a cat 1. Academy. There is definitely an attempt to develop players either from our own kids or those cast off or poached from elsewhere. It's an inexpensive gamble if they don't amount to much, but there's always a chance they can develop into someone we can sell for a tidy profit, or hopefully become a first team player. It's much cheaper and more sustainable than trying to always buy fully developed players.
And, to be fair, with the cost of running the academy in addition to all the club's other outgoings, it also helps significantly our self-financing / self-sustaining model to work. Just needs Hucks to work his magic to turn out a few more gems / assets.
IMO, we have already made provision for the end of parachute payments. With Wes now 34, Maddison is essential to our future. If we do sell him, Oliveira and Klose, then we're accepting a Championship future. Fonkeu, Abraham and Phillips all lack experience at this level and Klose is the only CB who looks comfortable playing on the left. I just hope that we don't have to go on selling our top players.
I really don't get this 'comfortable on the left / right' business. Obviously every player has a stronger foot, or side, but look at class teams - they can ask wingers to swap sides, many have a fluid, interchanging attacking midfield combo which constantly rotates to confound markers and defenders. I mean we've seen (through necessity admittedly) Russell Martin, Steven Whittaker (and Kyle Naughton back in the day) switch from RB to LB without toys leaving perambulators?? I just don't get why CBs should be a special case?
I'm looking forward to seeing how Glenn Middleton (coached by Hicks) develops. I think we 'signed' him from Northampton as a 12 year old.
The defense and especially the two CB's need to be more as one than any other parts of the team. To have the right balance you need the CB's able to turn naturally to cover the channels on their side. If you naturally want to turn left then on one side you're more comfortable and a split second faster to cover the danger. I don't know if that seems a reasonable argument? Just a guess really Bah!
It probably is all about how the players brain functions as to how comfortable he is playing on the "wrong" side. When I played I felt more comfortable, and played better, at left back, even though I am right footed. I seemed to be able to weigh up options better for some reason.
