Of the two, this would be the preferred option. But with players like Buendia, Aarons and Godfrey already linked with bigger clubs, I can't see them being willing to take a step back to take a repeat step forwards in another year's time - always assuming DF can make lightning strike twice and come straight back up?
"PL quality players"? if you are playing in the Premier League, the requirement first and foremost is to be playing in "a Premier League team", i.e. a team that plays the kind of football that's fit for purpose in the Premier League. We don't, and we seem unwilling or unable to make the necessary adjustments. (Readers please note: this does NOT mean reverting to dour, Hughtonesque tactics; it means learning to defend at least to the standard of those sitting above 18th in the table.)
Add Jamal and Teemu to those three. Pukki may like a big payday near the end of his career. Of course, they are all signed to long term contracts so SW has the cards to play.
Note Villa's position one place off the relegation spots with a huge hole in their bank account. Personally I'm amongst the 71% who prefer life in The Championship. Can't beat a bit of boing boing.
Interesting points Cromer. The psychology of football positions is intriguing. Watford had 5 draws in 11 games but their win lifts spirits and gives them momentum. Our 7 points come from two wins and a draw which now seem like ancient history. What seems to be missing is the battling spirit we had under Worthy and Lambert. The same might be said of Villa with all of their new players. We are 5 points off the pace now and that isn't going to be easy to make up unless we show a willingness to battle in coming games.
This is a debate that has been going on for several seasons Farked. The thing is I would rather be at the top of the table and winning regularly than where we are now with the threat of embarrassment on a weekly basis. But what is the answer? Strictly speaking it would be the equivalent of Leeds who have achieved basically what we want, until the end of season drop-off, but how gutting is that? I would rather be us than Villa but let us not forget, that we have a club and the good folk of Bury do not. Also, Coventry (F A Cup winners) have not got a ground and are playing home games at St.Andrews (how bad must that be?) and that Portsmouth (again F A Cup winners) and Bolton (founder members) were very close to going bust as well. This season has been difficult but we still have much to be proud of, perhaps we came up that one season too soon? With so much money floating around, there is no easy answer, but here is the thing, Brighton and Burnley to name but two have achieved what we would hope for so it is not out of the question, we need to get through this season if possible and then reassess. If we go down there is no guarantee of immediate promotion, the Championship as we all know is a really tough gig.
I think there is a lot of truth in the idea that, both now, and under Lambert, promotion came that bit too early. On both occasions, from a purely financial perspective, it has worked to our benefit short term, but I personally think it has been damaging from a longer term perspective. We have been promoted without being quite ready, both in terms of players and tactically. The evidence was there last season despite the exhilarating football and heady success: the stats on Experimental 361 told a consistent story from start to finish -- Norwich are defensively fragile and too reliant on Pukki boosting the GF way above xG. We were way behind Sheffield United in that respect, and look at how they are going right now. We were also way behind Leeds, who faltered through lack of a top quality striker. What frustrates me most though is this question I keep raising but never get an answer for: do we actually accept we need to do something about our defence? Why are we so stubborn about this when it is so patently obvious to everyone looking in from the outside, and to plenty on the inside apart apparently from anyone at Colney?
I think Robbie, the answer would be that we are waiting for injured players to return. I am not saying that will solve it, but that would be the stock answer and will help to a degree, they are not going to be getting out the cheque book which is what you would be looking for I think! Sheffield United have been very solid and have surprised me to be honest.
Whilst the check book might help, I think RBB is more looking tactically. We clearly can tweak things and become tighter, it seems Herr farke is reticent to do so in most instances due to the perceived loss going forward. But it was done against Citeh and worked whilst still carrying a threat. A balance needs striking, but right now we have neither solidity or threat, so he has a lot to work on! Bah!
From Lee Payne's article - Support the team. Don't abandon them when they need us the most. https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwi...ich-city-column-fans-stick-together-1-6368382
Surely while we're waiting for injured CBs to return (all 3 of our current injuries are CBs) we should be prioritising the defensive options we have. Even if Hanley or Zimbo are available for Everton, neither is going to be match fit or likely to have the sharpness necessary. Dave Freezer has talked about 3 at the back (say Lewis, Godfrey and Amadou). Tettey and McLean could provide cover as well as moving the ball up to attacking players while the FBs have more latitude to move forward as well (though I'd prefer only one at a time). A 3-4-3 formation would suit counterattacking tactics at Everton with the pace and movement of Hernandez, Pukki and Buendia supported by McLean and the FBs.
Yes GM, but my real question is about whether there is the tactical will to address the issue. DF justified his tactical change against City by saying that you couldn't hope to dominate the game through possession against City of all people. Is ihe implication that, against all bar City, we should be able to dominate games through possession while not conceding silly goals, and intend to set out to do so? Surely the evidence against is piling up game after game? Yes, having the CBs back will help, but the stats last season were poor even with Zimmermann starting regularly. Tactical change is needed in addition to getting the injured back.
No good looking for a solution via the chequebook even if that was available Nigel. As I said earlier, buying "better" players for positions in a overall flawed set up tactically speaking is simply wasting money (think Naismith, which was a similar attempt to plug a hole in Neil's dyke that no player, however talented, could plug).
You bet! https://norwich.vitalfootball.co.uk/does-norwich-citys-season-rest-on-zimmermann-and-hanley/
https://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/canaries-winger-defends-buendia-after-error-1-6370031 It's nice to see Onel stick up for Emi. That mistake helped put us behind, but it didn't lose the game for us. Emi was trying his best, and he did hustle back to try to block the shot. I think Daniel was way too hard on him. A sign of frustration from DF. It reminded me of a few years ago when Bassong tried to pass to himself on a play that ended with the opponents scoring a goal. I thought Seb received harsh treatment for that.
You're right in both cases. Bassong was fouled, which made his case more unfair. Buendia is a key player in our build up with his 28 chances created. Like Wes, he will lose the ball on occasions. The bigger problem for me was that Godfrey was too far up the pitch, leaving Krul exposed. Our defenders need to accept that defending is their first responsibility. I hope that's what Hanley and Zimbo will restore when they return.
But is the system that flawed? It got us up, we picked up a couple of good results and were performing well to a point. 1 or 2 players well suited to the system and perhaps more robust to the physical demands of the PL added to some defenders returning to fitness could tip it back into viable territory? I'm not arguing that there are alternatives and especially with all our injuries some greater pragmatism would look sensible, but to get to where farke wants us to go, with possession and exciting football means most compromises to make us more secure will steer us off the longer course. So with Webber and Farke's record in the transfer market I would trust them to recruit players who could further facilitate the tactical master plan and make it viable once again. (The obvious problem being that though I would trust them to buy 2-3 players for what might be an affordable £10-20m to improve us long term, I think that the only place they would consider buying for value is on the continent and then it likely takes too long to get up to speed for them to save us this season) Bah!
Some good points GM, but I'm not convinced that making us more secure involves a compromise. Possession football is based on playing out from the back but our defenders should still stay behind the ball while we do that. Too often they're too eager to get up the pitch and leave the defence exposed as they do so. That vulnerability is quickly punished in the PL.
Of course it does otherwise we would change it up and keep scoring at last seasons rate. I understand the idea that you build from the back and a sensible thing to do is keep defenders behind the ball. But that is most certainly not the Farke way and to reign in the fullbacks fundamentally changes his style of play. Of course when they bomb on we should have our DM/midfielders plugging the gaps. (Sheff utd do this very effectively with their overlapping CB's) The problem I have with any notion of compromise or defensive changes is that we simply have not had the players fit to tough things out. We have also recruited to play Farke's way, lightweight but technical With a second CB fit and Trybull, Tettey and Amadou all fit we can be more secure with the most modest of compromises. I.e. try to play the same way with moderately less technically able players. That is what I think will be the grand plan, one I support. A plan B of 3 at the back of course would be great (Pre-season suggested maybe DF thought so too) but until now we really haven't had the personel fit to do it. Bah!
