Smith has not said it but has he even realised it? This tendency for negative ball control is disasterous. It brings the opposition up the pitch to press us back and leaves us under pressure in our own half. If this is a training tactic then the coach responsible need firing with immediate effect. The first thirty minutes we were passing forwards and putting pressure on them with great success, we were in control of the game. But then, as happen all too often. we reverted to negative passing and were comprehensively outplayed in that 2nd period. Time for a change at the top.
You were in the dressing room after the game, and at full time? Smith said that the need to avoid becoming "too passive" was a prime topic at half time. Sargent is just repeating what Smith himself had said. Smith has been trying all season to get the team to press relentlessly, in packs, high up the pitch. Sitting back and dropping the pace are the complete opposite of what he wants of them and I don't believe for a moment they're in any doubt about it.
Completely untrue. It has been a recurrent theme in Smith's comments and interviews. So no, this isn't "a training tactic".
Norwich have already lost more games than our previous 2 Championship seasons with a way more expensive squad , they are on course to register more defeats than the previous 2 Championship seasons combined. Let's not criticise though
Not true Robbie his half time team talks mainly consist of telling the team to drop back, slow the tempo right down, misplace their passes, make bad decisions and only take tame attempts at goal, also a 50% bonus to anyone if they can make a mistake leading to a goal
If what you say Smith is trying to get the players to do is correct. Then that's an issue because the players are consistently failing to do what he asks. He's been in charge long enough now there should have been significant improvements, there hasn't been. Intrestingly one of the players who you regularly slate as been not good enough is one of the few players who seems to do his best to try and do what Smith is asking.
Agreed. I have no doubt he’s been trying. The issue is he’s quite clearly been failing. Despite the issues being glaringly obvious.
I haven't seen anything of Hayden that makes me believe he's a decent Skipp replacement. Picks up yellow cards and looks to run out of steam quickly. If the price tag is £9m IF we go up that seems a bit steep.
Consistently failing to do it for 90 minutes, yes. But when they do do what he wants, we look good. On Saturday, as in several other games, we could have had the game won in the first 30 minutes. And at 1:1, with the first substitutes on, there was a better spell when they were doing it again. The issue is sustaining it. If you mean McLean, then I agree, he is one who has kept more on script for longer periods. Sara also, and Sargent.
please log in to view this image I thought this was an interesting look at what our midfielders are doing with the ball. Highlights how different Hayden (bottom of the red) and Gibbs (Green) are in the defensive midfield role. Dowell, Nunez included in this, can't spot Sara or McLean? Might not have played enough as central midfielders this season.
It shows that Hayden is certainly not a progressive passer, but then neither was Skipp. The DM I wanted us to sign, Yokuslu (now at WBA), scores much higher in this regard while also, IMO, doing more defensively than Hayden. Gibbs scores even better on progressive passing, but perhaps that indicates he's more of a CM than a DM. Gibbs could have been brought on for Hayden against Boro, but DS decided to bring on Núñez instead. Dowell rates highly on progressive passing, but it's not really his role. Pity that McLean and Sara aren't included, as that would suggest the potential of our midfield.
Home to Blackburn, FA cup 3rd round. Very few 'giant killing' ties, though. Especially with draws like this - Manchester City v Chelsea [ That's our chance of a TV slot gone]
Well at least we're at home, there's a lot of fairly similar level matchups throughout the 3rd rnd draw
