Where was Fox last night? Is he injured or something? People are talking about a holding midfielder. He didn't even make the bench. Anyone know?
Wouldn't have made any difference if he had played, we completely by passed the midfield, and just hoofed the ball up towards Holt. He is injured by the way. ILD OTBC
Oh right, What is his situation? Does anyone know if he will be fit for the new season. His like our Paul Scholes!
ILD, AJAX are a VERY good side and would have passed most teams from the EPL of the park including teams higher up the table. Couple this with the fact that it is a pre-season friendly and we have a few new faces it was never going to be ideal. They were closing us down like Barcelona and looked fitter than us at the moment. The boys and CH would have learnt a lot from last night and I'm sure that we will progress and things will get better.
had fox played we would have had a link between the defence and the midfield players could have pushed forward slightly. it would have made a difference. we had no time on the ball with ajax pressing so high and because our midfield were sitting so deep, that is the reason we went long *oops, just seen kemp has pretty much said the same thing!
Read Chris Hughton's remarks regarding Whittaker and Fox on the EDP website. There's a sit rep about their injuries there.
I have to agree with ILD. Whilst Ajax made life difficult for us and passed us off the park when we did get the ball we didn't have a clue and quickly reverted to hoofing it towards Holt. Every time Ruddy had the ball our defence and midfield marked an Ajax player for when - not if - Ajax got the ball back and the only outlet was the ever willing Holt waving his arm in the air wanting the ball. Whether we like it or not the game has changed in the last year, including the Premiership, and hoofing the ball towards a big bloke no longer works. That is why nobody, apart from hoofer Alladyce, wants Andy Carroll and England looked piss poor in the Euros. We have got to learn the lessons from last night and learn them fast. If I was CH, in the next friendly I would rest both Holt and Morison and then the side would have to keep it on the deck.
I watched approx 30 mins on-line and it seemed as though no Norwich player wanted the ball. We need to play it out down the wings, rather than just hoping Holt/Morison can get the ball and turn away from their markers.
Its never going to change though is it. We tell our youngsters that size counts and they play competitive at 11 and the big fast ones barrel over the little ones. Look at Rugby. England seem to think that the heavier you are the better you are. But the All Blacks just run round the outside of them. I would not like to watch Ajax every week. We need a mixture. Players who can pass to their team mates. Players who pass to their team mates kicking foot and not forehead. And we need to stop deluding ourselves that we are fit. Ajax ran as much oof the ball as they did with it. But while we teach kids that competing not competency is everything then we will get nowhere.
This MUST be Canary Call (see my post on the Defensive Midfielder thread). For heaven's sake guys, you seem to think this is the only game we've played pre-season, and the only time you've ever seen any of our players perform. These are mostly the same players who finished =12th In the PL last season, who beat Spurs at White Hart Lane, drew 3:3 with Arsenal at the Emirates, .... need I go on? So, to quote 1950canary, they "haven't a clue" when they get the ball? These pre-season games are all about bedding in the changes in formation, tactics, and personnel that will enable us to improve and consolidate in the top tier. They are not about fufilling the often fanciful expectations of us fans -- e.g. that we will play the Dutch champions off the park.
As usual Redruth I cannot disagree with you and in fact made the same point this morning on post 14 of the ' well defensive midfielder? ' thread. As a nation we are reluctant to accept change but eventually we reluctantly do so. Remember when Hungary thrashed us in the 50's? How long did it take for us to accept that the old system of 2 full backs, 1 centre half, 2 half backs, 2 inside forwards, 2 wingers and a centre forward no longer worked? We will change - we will have to - and that change has got to come quickly in the Schools and the Academies.
You seem to have forgotten the 2 results against Man City, who unless I'm mistaken are the Premiership champions, we already play the so called best in Europe, we also played Man U of the park at home, you mentioned results against the TOP prem teams, so why should Ajax be any different??? it's our normal situation now, playing those teams!!!! I think you are making excuses for a pretty poor performance! I take your point about Fox Superman, but are you saying he's the only one who can play that roll, why didn't Howson take over? Why didn't Hoops go into that roll instead of trying to feed the lone forward? Tierny was ripped apart by the winger, Howson and Johnson went missing, Bennet and Pilks were too narrow, Holt was isolated. Vaughan, Russ Martin, Bennett and Ward had good games. Houghton shouted a lot. I just want to see us competing and I don't care against who, I don't want to watch Hoofball, which mostly it was. By the way, WHY was Peter Grant there????????????? <seriouslyworriedaboutpetergrantthatis> ILD OTBC
howson can play that role as he did at celtic but he didn't yesterday, obviously told not to as we played two rows of four rather than a more flexible midfield unit. this is why i keep arguing that we need a holding player to fill that role - players like howson and hoolahan will benefit greatly from us having one. johnson isn't good enough to play that role, crofts sadly neither, fox is ok at the pretty stuff but not the dirty work. i didn't think we played well but i thought we defended very well so at least there were positives to take from it. it was hardly a disastrous performance or result against a top team! as i say, our forwards were isolated because we sat to deep and didn't have any support from midfield because they had to stay so deep to protect the back four. we should only have one or maybe two sitting deep, not all four! all it proved was that if push comes to shove, the players we currently have here can defend well as a unit.
i think they had 6 first team regulars and the rest were youngsters. they have an important cup match at the weekend lets not forget we used last seasons team! none of the new boys started
I'm sorry if you disagree but I stand by what I said. When Ajax got the ball they passed, moved and created space for another pass. When our players got the ball they passed the ball once and then hoofed it up the middle, Why? It was last years team but we didn't do it last year so why last night? We cannot blame CH because he doesn't want the game played like that. Ajax are a good side and made us look poor but if they draw City, Utd or Arsenal in the Champions league will they win? Unlikely but we also have to play Teams of that quality week in week out. I am sure last night was a one off and we will improve but I think it is very optimistic to assume there is nothing to be concerned about and it will be alright on the night.
they beat man utd at old trafford last season and tore them to shreds in the process. i know united still went through thanks to the other leg result but still - they were impressive that night
