I wasn't suggesting either were dropped immediately, but I'm starting to have serious doubts about both for different reason. Aarons plays because we have no realistic alternative, but for me he's too defensive going forward he doesn't back himself as much as he used to and often chooses the playing back option when there are better forward options. On top of that his crossing ability is far off PL standard. Defensively he's poor, particularly in the air. I get why Pukki plays, when he's in form and getting the service he's great, but playing him means we aren't playing Sergeant in his preferred and more importantly most effective position. Krul has his issues mainly distribution, but I still think he trumps Gunn. Gibbs is a great prospect, but his cake is heavily over egged.
I think Aarons should move on for his own sake; he needs a fresh challenge. The problem is that no one seems willing to pay what we want for him, probably because of the weaknesses you have identified (primarily defensive). On Pukki, I get the feeling he's not happy here any more and he doesn't enjoy playing in the system we are using. Pure speculation on my part, I admit, but a kind of joy seems to have gone out of his game except for odd moments here and there. I think he's decided he's leaving at the end of the season come what may. Krul's tendency to make the occasional suicide pass to an attacking opponent has existed throughout his period here. His distribution is never going to improve, so we have to take the bad with the good, I guess. I don't have strong feelings between him and Gunn. Not only Gibbs, but I felt our other youngsters/newbies looked tired yesterday (Omobamidele, Ramsey, Núñez). They all looked in need of a rest.
I was impressed by Smith switching to the diamond (4-1-2-1-2) which suited both Pukki and Sargent. It worked well, and also suited Ramsey playing behind the strikers and McLean and Núñez in midfield, with Gibbs screening the defence but it was undone by defensive errors. With tough games coming up I wonder whether he might consider a 3-5-2 to give them the same freedom up front and strengthen the defence as well. At least Smith is showing tactical flexibility rather than rigidly sticking to one formation.
Lots of tinkering every game is not good for cohesion. He's almost trying everything and hoping something works out .
The diamond is esse The diamond is simply a natural variation from the 4-3-3, so not a huge change for the players and it caught Preston by surprise for our first goal. Being less predictable can be a big advantage. In away games against Watford, Sheffield United and Burnley we could do with more defensive strength while still giving the strikers freedom up front.
I would rather Smith found a formation that works and players that are comfortable playing there. It looked like musical chairs yesterday
I think your 'musical chairs' is my 'invention and movement' up front, Dunc. Pukki, Sargent and Ramsey were all playing in their natural positions, as were the midfielders and defenders. In a 4-3-3 Ramsey and Sargent are pulled out wide and look lost much of the time. I thought they looked much more comfortable in their roles yesterday.
Because of defensive errors, not our attack, which produced 2 good goals and a 3rd which should have stood.
Too true. Match xG: Norwich 2.1 -- Preston 0.8 (Experimental 3-6-1) Norwich 2.05 -- Preston 0.82 (Infogol)
Finally seen the highlights. How we were not way in front at half time I cannot fathom. Krul then came to PNE's rescue, presenting them with chances to score. The third did have a deflection, but from that point on the pitch should still have been a comfortable save for a competent keeper. The non goal at the end? What, or why, was Hanley in the strikers position wrestling with their defender? But that was a two way foul and should not have been blown up. Conclusions? Krul out for Gunn and Aarons rested at least. Can see now why no team is willing to put big dosh on the table for him. Nunez has gone of the boil, hopefully only a temporary situation. Gibbs is not yet ready to be a main man, still too raw. Where oh where are you Hayden?
Who can we possibly rest Aarons for? I understand some of the things various people have been saying about recent performances but let’s not forget he has played 90mins every game for the last 4 years since the age of 18-19. Let’s not give up on the guy after a few below average for him performances
Flippancy aside, of course you’re right it’s the actual result that matters. However, xG is the closest thing we currently have to an objective measure of performance (deeply flawed and a long way from objectivity, but in the absence of anything else we have to make do right). So used carefully I think xG can be a helpful extra bit of debatable opinion/evidence - and I think it backs up what we’ve all been saying: the match felt like we dominated, we had the better chances, we were poor defensively right at the back (Krul…) and there needs to be a bit of an ask about how the team can cut out these mistakes. Because we scored enough to win the game. No eye openers but I think it shows what most of us have been saying - Smith still has a lot of hard work to do and some difficult decisions to make as we are still a long way from Premier League survival quality (particularly when you look at the scary quality this season…) It’s not all on him, some players need to ask themselves the question too - especially senior players; but equally we are Norwich and we are always going to have to have stalwarts in our team like Krul and McClean who are not without genuine talent but will always have two or three horror shows a season. The problem is we have won despite those problems, as well as lost, and a few posters have said “what is there to complain about?”Well, Smith needs to find a design that allows to survive the Premier League too, not just get promoted, despite the squad limitations - which is why it’s a systemic issue that caused the result on Saturday IMO. And that’s why Smith has my support, he’s earned it with our position in the table and recent results bar Saturday, but I think it will all be in vain and we will get relegated unless those inherent issues are addressed visibly - not every game, but more often than not.
Dimi coming back, move Byram, who is, in my opinion, a better defender, over to his natural position. The alternative is three at the back. I think in our current situation playing four right footers in defence is not beneficial.
I actually find it refreshing that Norwich fans have been critical of Smith despite the 9 game unbeaten run. It shows that we aren't happy to be another Stoke type club that stunk up the Premier league for years but ground out a few ugly wins to stay up. We want to be entertained and have a history of attractive football. At the moment we are neither a 1990s Arsenal happy to win 1-0 or a Kevin Keegan Newcastle attack attack attack side. The only game I enjoyed was the Millwall win , other than that it's been pretty boring . I'm not fickle and of course the only future for our Club is to trouser the dirty Premier league money which hopefully Smith will achieve by getting us promoted, but it's got to the point where I'm getting sidetracked watching the games and even get the hoover out or paint small marks on my walls to make it more interesting
