A great article from Will Jennings on our current plight - http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...nique-sense-of-joy-buoyancy-and-togetherness/ A few excerpts which I think are particularly relevant - 'The last three weeks will not define this City side. What we have witnessed has merely been a severely depleted squad encounter three tough-ish games and run progressively lower on confidence. They will come back at the Vitality Stadium hungrier, fresher and knowing they have a point to prove after the international break. Key players will return. The wins – and more astute defensive performances – will soon start to come. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about this team since the beginning of last season, it’s to never, ever write them off. So, whatever happens over the coming weeks, I hope Carrow Road does not lose that unique sense of joy, buoyancy and togetherness that so conspicuously characterised it last season. These players will need our support, need our loyalty, need our steadfast backing come what may to help see them over the line. And, while I may not be there most weeks to deliver it myself, it would fill me with pride to know that those of you who are can help provide it in my absence.'
It's easy to exude "a sense of joy, buoyancy and togetherness" when your team is averaging two points a game and playing irresistible goal-scoring football. Who cares if the defence leaks goals when games are still being won despite of it? Only killjoys like myself, who kept thinking "this isn't going to work so well in the Premier League"! The messages coming out of Carrow Road are unambiguous and consistent: "this is our philosophy, this is our identity, this is the way we play; even if we wanted to change it, which we don't, we can't, because we've built a team to play this way; we know no other. We're going to be true to ourselves, don't expect otherwise." Except, apparently, when Man City roll up to Carrow Road! Pre-match, DF warned of a different approach. Sometimes, he said, we have to accept that domination-through-possession is beyond us; we'll have to adjust accordingly, before adding, tellingly, "the fans will accept it against Man City". So, the full backs stayed tight, the wide midfielders defended ahead of them, the central midfielders played as a defensive pairing in front of the CBs, and we became a classic counter-attacking team intent on holding the fort and trying to score on the break. Virtually the only thing that didn't change was that, when we regained possession, we continued to play out from the back up the flanks, and did so exceptionally well. The Champions were frustrated and three unexpected points were gained. Then, following two fruitless forays away, Villa turn up to Carrow Road. No "adjustment" this time, despite the depleted squad and a steady downwards trajectory in the league table. What fans are ready to accept against Man City is apparently not deemed acceptable against Villa. Reverting to our norm, Aarons continued to be preferred to the defensively more savvy Byram, the full backs bombed on, and central midfield focussed their gaze forward. The result was a hatchet job by a good team and a lot of shock among those in yellow and green. Was defeat unpredictable? I don't think so, and accordingly, on the Match Thread, ! questioned the suggestion we were even slight favourites. Playing "our way" proved more than good enough in the Championship. The belief at Carrow Road seems to be that it will prove good enough to secure survival in the EPL. It may, or may not. But can one realistically expect to maintain that "unique sense of joy, buoyancy and togetherness" come what may? After all, we are not Huddersfield, for whom a brief sojourn in the top tier was, for most, a never-previously-experienced miracle. At Carrow Road we are quite used to crossing swords with the top six and the less elevated EPL make-weights. Is "we gave it a good go and can hope to do better next time" really going to prove enough?
Great post robbieBB - the distinct lack of any perceptible 'plan B' is starting to look like our Achilles heel unless addressed .....and soon.
Great article by DDF - 'There is still plenty of football to be played though, with 30 games of the season remaining, and Newcastle can provide an apt reminder that a slow start to the season doesn't have to be fatal. The Magpies were second from bottom after eight games last season with just two points, conceding 17 goals. However, once Rafa Benitez had whipped his team into shape, they finished 13th and 11 points clear of the bottom three. And in 2017-18 all three teams in the relegation zone after eight matches went on to survive comfortably. Palace went from conceding 18 and having just three points, to finishing 11th and 11 points clear of the bottom three - with Leicester and Bournemouth the other two sides who surged after a worrying start. The season before that Stoke and Swansea had been stuck in the drop zone with eight matches played, with six and four points respectively, but both went on to finish in mid-table with a degree of comfort. So while alarm bells are ringing at Carrow Road, that hard earned faith in DF's motivational abilities and coaching skill doesn't need to be thrown out of the window just yet.' https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/plenty-of-inspiration-city-kick-start-campaign-1-6312934 please log in to view this image ReplyForward
Yes, very good post Robbie. DF used to emphasise getting the balance between attack and defence right, but now it's all about 'playing our way'. Much as I like Max, I was disappointed to see that Byram wasn't starting against Villa. His tackling and positioning is streets ahead of Max. I did think we should be favourites against Villa, but seeing that and Amadou covering at CB immediately provoked doubts. Yes, we should attack at home, but we should also hold on to the ball and defend as well. Too often we didn't and ended up paying the price. As Robbie says, we do have a plan B, but we don't use it often enough. Let's go back to seeking a better balance before it's too late.
The time for bed wetting is once we’ve actually played a decent number of matches - our start has been ridiculously tough.
I don't think promoting a more balanced approach is 'bed wetting', Rob. It's not about parking the bus, just realising that injuries have made us weaker in midfield and defence, and we need to make adjustments. I don't want us to stop attacking, but Villa was a stark reality check and we need to make adjustments.
There is some good news about injuries: "It's thought that Tim Krul, Ralf Fahrmann, Alex Tettey, Mario Vrancic, Tom Trybull and Onel Hernandez will all be hoping to return to contention in the next few weeks." The key question is just how many weeks? There's also no relief regarding Godfrey, our one fit CB, who himself has had a hernia op, though it's hoped he'll be fit for Bournemouth. Hanley is still unlikely to make it though. https://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/norwich-midfielder-out-of-england-u21-squad-1-6316817
If we get those six back, it will almost reduce our injuries by half! https://www.premierinjuries.com/injury-table.php
Problem is I doubt Godfrey will be 100% if he does make it for the next game. Whilst hernia ops are done quickly, he can't train for approx 10 days. He's not going to have his usual spark I fear. But what can you do with Klose, Zimbo and Hamleys out too?
I think DF is going to have to consider something very much along those lines General. The situation is ridiculous in the extreme, bordering on farce. Perhaps that is our manager's real name Daniel Farce!
I do think the youngun who made the bench last week might be prioritised over Srbeny, but if as now seems inevitable with our current luck, Godfrey and even Amadou could not play then maybe Srbeny might have to step in. Of course if Anderlecht were to sack Kompany and Citeh not want him back! Bah!
Once Tettey is fit, he would be the most likely emergency cover at CB, especially if Trybull is back at DM. Famewo is a promising CB, especially as he is left-sided and can also play at LB. I'd prefer to see him given a chance before Srbeny.
Not being funny, but surely when our entire defence has been eradicated by injury and operations, what foot a kid prefers to kick with is so irrelevant?
