We've only got options because we've made purchases & Martin can do a job at RB. WE should have purchased a CB instead of keeping Whittaker then we'd have had options in both positions. I just hope Klose doesn't get a significant injury if he does we'll struggle to stay in the top half let alone a challenge for promotion. To be fair I'd be more than happy with our squad if we purchased McCormack another striker and a CB, so in my mind we're not far of having a promotion challenging squad. Whether AN is capable of managing the team is another issue.
Going to be very interesting to see who comes in, these 1-2 players who we could get over the line soon (and aren't McCormack) are complete unknowns.
That is a bit unfair Canario, he has got us up once and with limited resources got us fairly close to staying up! Klose's injury was decisive in that campaign and that was notthe manager's fault!
Have to disagree with you there. I reckon that my mum could have led us to promotion that year. IMO we had comfortably the strongest squad in the Champ that year whereas this season there are far more clubs with quality squads. I obviously want AN to succeed and to lead us up but he made a lot of errors both in selecting and tactics last season and thus far our pre season does not suggest he has much more of a clue. I am concerned that we blow £12m on McCormack and either play him out of position or don't set up a formation to suit his strengths.
I share your concerns as per above. And in addition, Thurnby, yes, Klose's injury was indeed decisive, but AN should have ensured that we had suitable cover, which as well documented, he didn't do at any stage last season. That was very much the manager's fault, though of course, the injury was not
I've slated AN on here in the past but come on Cromer, with the Albatross that is Delia around his neck shelling out for suitable cover was never going to happen
Oh that is pushing it Norfolkbhoy. NA was not cutting it and even with a spirited run in we only just made it in overall terms. However, I don't know who your Mum is - is she a really top class manager? Because AN is !
Comment from AN - "Alex Neil’s best intentions for a final dress rehearsal against Bundesliga Two outfit Hannover 96 were in tatters after just 10 minutes when Artur Sobiech and Sebastien Maier pounced on slack marking down the City right." Even a blind man could see the solution - drop Whittaker!!!!! More sound words from AN and why oh why sacrifice Jacob, when the one he should have sacrificed is that USELESS defender Whittaker who thinks he's a winger - http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...ll_be_ready_for_opener_at_blackburn_1_4639009!! Some interesting comments as well. I really hope we're not going to see much of Whittaker even on the bench this season, as if we do we're n REAL trouble, as opposing managers will already have spotted that as a weakness and try to attack us there.
McGovern Pinto Bennett Klose Olsson Tettey Howson Murphy Hoolahan Murphy Jerome Subs: Ruddy Bassong Mulumbu Canos Maddison Naismith McCormack
Truth is we should have been clear of relegation, well before Klose's injury, we had our chances. AN made plenty of mistakes and unless he's learnt from them we will struggle this season, as the championship has moved on a great deal since we were last in it. However to some extent your comment supports my point that unless we recruit another CB we are one injury away from failing to reach a potential promotion spot
To be fair to Alex, the change worked. It wasn't just that we had an inept right back, but we didn't have any presence in the centre of the park. Having Howson, Tettey and Dorrans there definitely helped. Jacob was an unfortunate casualty, and perhaps Neil wanted to give Whittaker time to settle down after his horrorshow. Much like I'd have hooked Ruddy after 35 minutes, it doesn't do the player's confidence any favours and the game is essentially meaningless.
Apparently Canos is a little behind in terms of fitness, so probably restricted to the bench vs Blackburn. That's why he played in the Dartford game, to try and get 90 minutes in.
Yes, just saw that. Could be a good move, bringing him or one of the Murphys on with say 20 minutes to go to run at tired defenders!!
I think the (young) bench could prove very decisive on numerous occasions this coming season. The injury to Jarvis could be a blessing in disguise as gives more chance to one, or on occasions, both Murphy boys.
Thurnby I really hope I'm wrong but I don't see AN as a top class manager as yet. One success in getting us up albeit with IMO the best squad in the division at the time and one failure in not keeping us up albeit with one of the weaker squads in the league. For me the jury is very much still out. I am worried about his team selection and tactical nous. He has also been described as a good man-motivator but when we fell away last season from a really healthy position we put in too many lame performances. I accept that in the EPL with the squad we had we were always going to lose more than we won but it was the manner of a number of those defeats - Saints, Bournemouth and Watford away plus Sunderland at home, throwing away winning positions twice against West Ham and once against Liverpool.which is a big concern for me. I am also worried that despite everyone who knows anything about NCFC knowing that our defence has been nothing short of dire very little progress appears to have been made in knowing what our starting defence will be, who they will be in front of and critically we still seem to lack the organisational ability to defend straightforward crosses and set pieces. IMO the point of pre-season is to sort out your starting line-up and get them playing and used to each other. Often our defence looks like they have just met in the changing room that day. There is no way we will challenge if we concede a coupe of goals through basic errors and lack of organisation per match. I think a line up of McGovern-Pinto-Bennett-Klose-Olson is pretty strong for this division and should be good enough but unless they get a run and learn to play together and develop an understanding we will concede unnecessary goals. Finally why has no-one taught Ruddy how to kick in the close season???? Yellow shirts on the pitch not in row Z John.
Well said Norfolkbhoy, I share your concerns. Though I suggest the tinted spec brigade might think you're making a drama out of a crisis. How the hell can any half decent manager use their final, most testing friendly by not playing a) the strongest available squad and b) ideally, give or take departures / arrivals (please? ) the team you'd like to start with when push comes to shove on Saturday. If he plans to feature Ruddy and Whittaker regularly, we may as well prepare for an Ipswich-esque prolonged tenure in this godforsaken division All positive and chipper, apart from that chaps
To be fair Cromer, Ruddy and Whittaker aside that was the strongest side we can really play, given injuries (or 'injuries' ). And neither McGovern or Pinto have fully nailed down either position yet. Ruddy is still de facto number 1 so it's only fair he gets a chance to retain the shirt, and has Pinto managed 90 minutes in pre-season yet?
