Newbie's view

Hi all. Been looking on here for a while now as I am always interested in seeing what fellow fans have been making of everything especially from those who go to the games. I have been a Norwich fan from the age of 5 when I saw my first ever game at Carrow Road on 23rd October 1993 when I was 5. A cracking 0-0 draw against West Ham!

I haven’t been able to get to many live games this year and the ones I have been to have been dreadful (Ful (h), CP (a) and Ful (a) FAC). I don’t think I am a lucky omen! Anyway I think you can see so much more when you are there rather than watching on TV or some stream so like to get the viewpoint from the fans that are at the games.

I just wanted to share my viewpoints on a couple of players/tactics and see what you guys think.

Firstly I have to say I think our performances have been so much better in the last few games. I know the results are bad, and let’s be honest that’s what it’s all about, but the level of performance has improved vastly and at least it is much better to watch!

This brings me onto my second point. I think there are 2 main reasons for the improved performance. The 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation and Alex Tettey. From what I have seen we perform so much better with 3 in the middle of the park as with 2 we are bossed out of the game. Tettey has fight and desire in him and is always looking to win the ball back and this is something that we need and we have been lacking when he was injured. Fer is much better when he is on the ball but to me he just seems a bit lazy off it. If he had the fight and determination that Tettey has in him then he would be an unbelievable player in my opinion.
However although we are better playing a 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation I don’t believe we are playing it in quite the correct way. To get the best out of this formation you need out and out wingers who can break quickly and support the loan front man. For this reason I do not believe that Snodgrass should be one of our wide men. Don’t get me wrong I thought Snods was one of our best players last season and still has a lot to offer but in this system I think he would better be suited in the no 10 role.

I also this that playing inverted wingers kills the system a bit as every time they cut inside they narrow the play and it all gets congested and we don’t have the creativity to break teams down on the edge of the box. We need our wide men to run at the full backs and get to the byline, get in behind the back line really as this will then give a chance for our midfield runners to get into the box arriving late and getting on the end of deliveries.

Sorry for the essay for my first post but would be keen to hear what you guys think (whether you agree or not). Also do you believe that Snods could play in the 3 in the middle whilst Howson is out, say with Fer and Tettey playing slightly deeper?

 

Welcome aboard.

Don't worry about the length - some on here will complain, but most appreciate the thought you've put in

 

Good to hear your thoughts Chris. To be honest I cannot put my finger on what we need to do, but there again that isn't what I am paid for. We are reaching critical stage now and although performances have definitely improved, we need to start showing a return on the points total. Certain games are looking very big indeed (West Brom, Stoke and Sunderland at home) and we have to get some extra wins on top of those too if we are going to avoid the drop.

 

Welcome aboard, I pretty much agree with everything you've said and that is where a good deal of my frustraition with the manager comes. I thought it appeared on face value that he would wish to play this formation, but instead as you say with his wingers inverted. (Robbie will be along shortly to tell you that inverted wingers are the best and only way to play in the PL shortly) But a couple of injuries and he's chopped and changed and monkeyed around with the shape and even gone two up top. (Was this the original plan having spent the majority of our summer outlay on two strikers?) Simply speaking I don't think he has bought the right players to play the system he seemingly wants to play, neither RvW or Hooper are suited to the aforementioned inverted winger deliveries.
And I do think Snoddy could play more centrally (As he has on occation for Scotland) and then we could have more pace and better balance out wide.

Bah!

 

Welcome Chris. Good to have a new and thoughtful voice. I am, as GM says, an advocate of inverted wingers. For insight into why, I again refer people to Meulenstein's and Dan Burn's interviews following Fulham's draw with Man Utd. The short answer is that, at this level, crosses from wide are too easily defended against. Rather than crosses from out wide, what our play principally lacks is short crosses/pull backs from closer in (edge of the penalty area or inside, preferably from the by-line). Those have to be worked by combination play between the inverted wingers, central attackers and over-lapping full backs. That's where we are falling short at the moment IMO.

 

Funny my wife said something similar the other night ?

 

Funny that, she told me that she said to you, "Thank you darling, I'll smoke it later!"