Match Day Thread Norwich v Reading

So DDF is on player rating duties this week - http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/spor...adng-2-david-freezer-player-ratings-1-5439824
Can't really argue with them and I liked how Vrancic drums to have upped his game.

 

I wonder if it's possible to squeeze 4 subs in after 90 mins?

 

And none of them would get a touch.

 

Just for you FML and for what it's worth, I thought he was OK on Saturday.
Excerpt from MB's article this morning on SirBenny- 'From looking somewhat lost and even more off the pace, January arrival Dennis Srbeny was visibly displaying the size of the jump in class facing him in his first Norwich City appearances – none more so than his previous start at Carrow Road against Bolton. And don’t forget, he cost £1m.'
http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...arned-from-norwich-city-reading-win-1-5440212

So MP of MFW enjoyed Saturday's game - http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...-three-lovely-points-for-us-at-the-end-of-it/

 

From the MFW article mentioned above:

Dennis Srbeny could have put the match and the points out of sight. He didn’t; hopefully, he’ll learn from that dreadful miss when clean through and establish himself next season. In that thankless task up front on his own, I am sure he will get close to surpassing a sulky Nelson, who will surely be off shortly, even only if because of NCFC wage cull rules.

 

I'd agree with those ratings except for Hanley, who defended well, made an assist for the first goal with an excellent headed flick-on to Vrancic, and then scored the second with an excellent header. He was my Motm, so at least 7.5 if not 8. What a signing he's turned out to be.

 

We'll be doing well to hang on to him during the summer.
Maddison for sure, and quite possibly Hanley and Lewis may well attract (unwanted) attention.

 

I thought he played very well on Saturday and I'd agree that the sponsors rarely look beyond JM as their MotM.
In general, I think that most of DF's signings are turning out to be bordering on EXCELLENT buys whatever club (and in whichever league) they were playing for previously.
I'm looking forward to see who we buy in the summer and as Cromer says above, it's probably MORE important who we can persuade to stay and I'd add Godfrey to the list of targets for other clubs.

 

Maddison will always attract the attention of lazy journos looking to meet their deadlines, but I'm not sure any PL team is willing to meet the asking price for a player unproven at that level. Hanley had dropped down the pecking order at Newcastle and would probably do so again at most PL teams. He's a good fit with us, but might not be elsewhere. Lewis is still relatively unproven even at this level. Any of them or any other player could leave if the price is right but that has always been the case.

 

Maddison with his stats, performances and eye catching goals of course is rightly gaining plaudits but the rest of the squad I guess are probably being bigged up beyond their true level by our fans. How good can half our team be if we are languishing in mid-table? How good are our defenders when as soon as we open up to score more than one goal we start leaking like sieve? Hanley might be catching the eye with some very good individual contributions, but as a defender he is partially responsible still for the failing of the defence on the two goals and some other decent Reading chances.
Lewis is no doubt a bright prospect and as such will garner attention. But who else?
To JM. which of the signings are turning out to be excellent? As far as I can tell Maddison and Gunn are the only players who might be described as having been excellent. One a loan, far more likely to be down to Webber alone, the other was here already.
I won't dispute that; Hanley, Zimmerman, Henandez, Trybull and Lietner have shown glimmers of quality, but they have also been in the side as we have continued to struggle to a dull mid-table. All of them have struggled when the side has had no Tettey. Of the others; Reed and laterly Vrancic have also had moments, but both have been bang average or worse for a lot more. And then there are the others; Srbeny, too early to judge but still looking short on the required quality. Raggett clearly not trusted, hopefully a full pre-season and he'll be OK to play? But; Stiepermann , Husband, Watkins or Franke, no, no, no and no so far. Then he what will return to Spurs without walking a blade of grass in anger.
That isn't excellent! its passable, with the jury out on the majority in my book. But its a work in progress, so after this next window maybe they will have the team around them to enable them to shine?
Once again it seems a single result has a polerising effect, we now have a bunch of world beaters on our hands after a narrow win over a dire Reading side looking at real risk of the drop.

Bah!

 

Morris was free.

 

And I'm hoping both he and Abrahams will be part of the first team squad next season.

 

MB's ratings from Saturday -

Interesting that he makes Josh MotM and I would have rated Hanley higher!!

 

I agree with you on both counts. I didn't think anyone really deserved a MOTM. If I had to give one, I guess it would be Madders.

btw, did you see Josh's interview where he said Maddison knows that he (Maddison) has to get into the box more often? I thought that was a very interesting comment.

 

I remember when watching JM playing for the Under 23s last season and we played Dinamo Zagreb and he drew 2 penalties from their keeper. He scored 1 and passed the 2nd one to Cantwell, as it was his birthday - so TC could say he 'scored' on his birthday!!

 

I'd argue you're being unfair on Stiepermann. I'd add him to the useful category. Stepped up well in the absence of others and played out of position effectively. He's turned into a squad payer but showed his versatility a few times this season as a utility player. I'm very pleased with the other positive signings that you mentioned - Hanley, Zimm, Hernandez, Trybull and Leitner. Six including Stiepermann.

 

It maybe harsh on Stieperman and I guess every club needs versatile squad players, but he has made no real impact, I suppose his stint at Leftback was OK to a point, but the longer he was there the worse he got, probably as opposing managers identified the weakness and exploited it.
The point I'm making still though is whilst the 5/6 you mention above look OK, maybe even good at times, add in Maddison and Gunn, how good can they be, or have been if we are so far off the playoffs? I'm not saying they can't be good players for us, they have shown snippits but not too much more. Without Madders and Gunn, it is hard to envisage that we would not be in a relegation fight, so again how good have they really been?

Bah!

 

I remember Fulham in the 1960's, their team consisted of Johnny Haynes and 10 x A. N. Others They won very little so would it be fair to call Haynes a not very good player?

 

To be fair I think that completely misses my point. Haynes is before my time so I cannot comment on just how good he was, but it is eminantly possible to have a star in a bang average side and that side being average precludes him inspite of his polish to win stuff with them. We have two stars in Gunn and Maddison, they have both been good and even great, if those 5/6 players have been excellent, then how in the holy hell do we find ourselves languishing in mid-table carrying no threat when we defend well or lacking any defensive resolve if we score 2 or more goals? If they are all excellent signings and have played excellent, then wow, how bad have all the others been for us to be this ordinary?

Bah!

 

To build on the General's point, to me it looks like we've signed championship players who cost less than the going rate - it doesn't look like we've signed a bunch of players who are playing in a league which is beneath them. Other than Maddison and Gunn (and maybe Leitner), nobody looks like they could step up to the Prem next season. You could see a couple of our players in promotion chasing sides, but I'd say many right now look like exactly what they are: mid-table championship players.

That's not to discredit either the players or the transfer business. The players we've signed are probably doing about as well as last season's squad would have, but we're paying them half the salary, and several look like they could develop into better players, not something which could be said of many who have departed. And as ever, this is a work in progress - and the final goal is a cohesive team which player better than the individuals look on paper.