I really don't know what to say after such an invertebrate performance. To lose 7 - 0 is always embarrassing but I feel empty rather than angry. I don't really understand how there can be so much difference between two sides playing the same game. We could barely get the ball out of our half save for a spell at the start of the second half. Meanwhile Man City were able to create clear cut chances literally at will. We looked utterly terrified of them to be honest and just kept backing off and they kept running at us. Most of our team were terrible today. The entire back 4 certainly and Whittaker/Johnson whilst it would be polite to say Howson, Fer and Hooper were ineffective. John Ruddy's performance was a bit of a mixed bag and Pilkington was IMO the only player who can come out of that and be happy with the way he played. It's been a bit of a perfect storm for us thus far this season. When we play badly we have been annihilated and when we have played ok we have lost games. Even when we have played well we have still been losing or at least not winning. Some games we have lost points to referee's decisions and now we also have a fair few really key players injured. Combine this with a really tough run of fixtures which has seen us play 7 of 10 matches against teams in the top half of the table (granted we have influenced this somewhat) and all the bad luck I have mentioned and we are left in a very poor position which has no doubt drained our confidence and this is affecting us now. The only thing I will say is that I still don't blame Hughton. I know that all of the players on the pitch today are good players and I don't see how it can be Hughton's fault that they are not delivering anywhere near the level they are capable of. West Ham is a must win for me.
So DM - is it not CH responsibility to get the players performing? There is obviously something very wrong at the club which is affecting the players and if the manager can't solve that issue then I'm sorry but I for one DO blame him. Absolute disgraceful week and I'm already dreading work on Monday.
I totally understand where you are coming from but I don't see what Hughton is supposed to do because all the factors I alluded to in my OP are out of his control.
Sorry, but this is ridiculous. This is now his own team, rather than 50% Lambert legacy, so it is up to him to get them fired up, to cajole and encourage and both praise and criticise in training, etc. They cannot simply say 'yes boss' but then go out on the pitch and ignore his instructions. Assuming he gives them any instructions?
I think it is a mix of problems, CH and players are to blame. For example - Bassong, POS last year after a great season and massive player for us. You look at him now and he looks unfit, sloppy and nothing like the Bassong we are used to seeing. CH tactics are very defensive which is fine.....if we play defensive! The amount of goals we are conceding are appalling. I wouldn't mind if we were attacking and scoring goals for fun. A lot of mixed emotions tonight, i really want CH to be successful as Norwich manager for a very long time, but in my heart i don't think he is up for it. West Ham next week will be the decider.
You're a good team with a good manager and enough quality to turn this around ..Citeh on their day are as good as anyone ,it looked like a perfect storm today I'm afraid but no one gets relegated in November. KTF
Agree with this and the OP Today was a horrific day at the office, we were well off the pace from the word go - but what a pace! Through all the (probably very reasonably) negative dirge today I've hardly seen a word about the absolute world class quality we ran into today. 7-0 really smarts, of course it does, nobody wants to get turned over like that, it's just plain embarrassing, but they'd have beaten anyone today and did anyone really expect us to come away with anything? Next week is massive, it's all about throw we react after today's shambles, and if we're not winning at half-time I fear the crowd will turn really ugly. I've still got faith, we'll be fine, promise
It would be unreasonable for us to expect to beat or earn a draw against Man City at the Etihad, but I don't feel it would be too much to ask for the team to play to the best of their abilities which they were a million miles away from. No matter how classy Man City are and indeed were today there is no way we should use that as an excuse for the terrible football we played. With any luck Snodgrass and Redmond will be back in contention for West Ham, so we won't have to play Whittaker and Van Wolfswinkel might also be an option. It's a terrible shame that Tettey got hurt so badly because he had been very good at defending against counter attacks whilst the only good thing I can remember about Johnson's game was a cross that Elmander couldn't convert. I definitely agree we need to pick ourselves up, nothing good will come from a team that is doesn't believe in themselves.
Not as rude as coming onto our board and shouting, especially asleep after today's effort.......or lack of it as the case may be
Well you could hardly expect North Essex not to be REJOICING and thoroughly delighted at this result! Have one on Robbie Cowling to commiserate yourselves on a long overdue humbling!
It could have been so so very different Mikey. If only you had come on here before the game to predict us losing 7 - 0 , then we might have well ended up winning 7 - 0
