There are lots of clever people on here with impressive statistics and talk about formations and strategy, but the most important attribute of a manager in my opinion is the ability to inspire. This is intangible and can't be quantified, but it is real. If you want to argue with that, look at Ferguson and what he achieved with MU (and compare that with what Moyes is achieving). Hooper gets his first goal in open play and states he is looking forward to going to Liverpool. What happens? He gets dropped. Why? I would suggest because CH is too focused on his systems which don't even work to consider the psychology of the player. Almost every single player is now playing well below their best. Even Fer is beginning to look totally uninterested and mediocre. As fans and as players, we want hope. We don't want pre-match interviews about 'bigger and better clubs'; we don't want post-match interviews about 'losing better'. We want hope and inspiration. And these are two things I am convinced that CH can never supply.
Entirely agree with everything you have said and have been saying so since last season. Hughton is not a leader, he has few of the skills required by a PL manager . He has been negative about our team since the beginning. He does not make incisive decisions or inspired choices, we are just lurching from one game to the next. There is no plan and little hope. I know all the happy clappers will start talking about injuries, gulf in class etc but that is only part of the problem. This team goes away to be beaten. Look at the body language, the work rate. They are just waiting for the other team to score. I don't care if it was Liverpool, they lost to Hull on Saturday. Is the that much of a gulf in class between us and Hull City? There is not going to be a 10 game unbeaten run, we are really going to struggle to pick up points at home let alone away. we need divine intervention!!!
A couple of points I have to raise here, and would like opinions about........... 1. On the Canary Call style phone in interview, CH stated that the starting line up was for a 4-3-3, but I saw no evidence of that, and nor did Darren Eadie who was co-hosting the phone in. 2. CH was livid with the players, and the defence in particular, as they left huge gaps. It's this second one I think needs to be looked at a little closer. A. Did the players play as CH instructed? If yes, then CH must take the blame and not deflect it. B. Were the players doing something totally different from the instructions of CH before the game? If so - why? Why would they just ignore him and do their own thing? If this is what happened, then the 'unity' question has to be asked once again, as they are not playing for CH - if this was the case. It must be stressed that the players, according to CH, got it so wrong that he was just about shaking with anger. C. Does CH somehow fail to get his message to the players across clearly before and during the game? (I doubt this as a theory). D. Does he lack sufficient motivational skills? I don't know the answer to this one. E. Are the players simply lacking confidence either before or after going behind? If yes, then why? If it is because of previous results then we are going round in circles, and possible a circle/cycle that is going to be very hard to break. I said this a few weeks ago, we need a psychologist working with the team if it is a confidence thing. F. Is CH just creating a smokescreen to cover over the lack of actual ability in the team? Not saying they are bad players, more a case of not as good as perhaps some thought, or even CH thought. This is a tricky one, as it can be considered to be his team, so maybe some deflection of his own ability in player purchases. (I don't think this is the case personally). Anything else we need to consider?
Humiliated by Suarez again We did score 1 though ,yay but all these away thrashings are just embarrassing now seriously
Without knowing how fit Hooper is, I wouldn't blame Hughton for benching him to make sure he's fully fit for the trip to WBA, as that's the sort of game we need to be targeting. Thrashings by top 4/5 sides, no matter how hard they are to take, don't decide if we stay up or not, the results against teams like ourselves do.
Hughton was livid about what he called 'individual errors' that were the cause of 4 of the 5 goals (the freekick was exempt). From the interview, I understood that he wanted his players to stay tight to Suarez and give him no space. What we saw from the players was them trying to stand off him and not get turned or beaten by him, which allowed Suarez to get his shot off. Unfortunately Bennett was guilty of this for the 1st and 3rd goals, Martin wasn't strong enough for the 2nd - which could have been avoided had Elmander tracked Gerrrards run IMO. I like Bennett and he should be part of our first choice pairing at CB but if you see the replays of the goals he backed off far too early for the first goal, Fer should have dealt with the ball mind you (obviously you wouldn't expect anyone to score from that position but it was Suarez) and the third goal he backs off again when he should have got in his face on the edge of the box after Suarez flicked it round Fer. I did not see the game in its entirity so I am by no means blaming him for the result but I am just picking up on those 2 mistakes. I hope he isn't dropped for the next game because I think he is our best defender at the moment but Hughton was talking about individual errors and these could be 2 that he picks up on. That being said 4 of the 5 goals were world class finishes
Good discussion this, getting at the heart of matters. The inspiration and leadership issue is hard to judge from outside. The second half turnaround against West Ham seemed a good indicator, but it's hard for any of us to know for sure. It may be that McNally and the Board have a better view from inside, but I guess time will tell. Like everyone, I was puzzled by Hooper not starting and my guess was much like DH's. I think CH was hoping to keep it tight and then bring on Hooper so that he'd be fit enough for West Brom. If Hooper was to pull a hamstring now, we'd be in really deep sh*t with all the other injuries at present. One other point was that the free-kick for the 4th goal should never have been given, as Gerrard lost his footing and slid into Martin. Clearly not a foul. I think that really got to our players.
It would seem a real shame to surrender a game against Liverpool in favour of getting at West Brom though. Has CH said anything about the decision?
The foul wasn't against Martin, I believe it was against Howson who took Gerrard boot off in the challenge.
I think he said he chose to play Elmander for his work rate up front. Personally I didn't feel we would get anything out of this game, so why risk Hooper when we have an arguably more important game at the weekend which we can keep him fresh for.
Strange decision that, and I know it wouldn't have made any difference, but for me that was a blatant foul by Gerrard rather than against him.
My stream only showed it from behind Gerrard, but the commentators were adamant that Gerrard lost his footing and slid into Howson (sorry, I thought it was Martin). I don't think playing Elmander was actually surrendering the match, but with the injury situation we have, CH has to be a bit careful.
On MoTD they showed a replay from behind, Howson is challenging Gerrard, steps on his ankle which takes his boot off and sends Gerrard down into Martin. On first viewing I was utterly perplexed that it wasnt a Norwich free kick, but after seeing a replay of the incident from a different view I saw the Howson challenge
But other teams similar to us aren't getting slaughtered every time they face a half decent side away from home. Forgetting the fact that we now have a terrible goal difference, the confidence we'll lose by receiving these thrashings will effect us for games to come. We, as supporters, now go into every away game expecting a heavy defeat. No matter what the players are thinking, that has to translate to them on match days.
I think you have a point, Hucks, and the goal difference does concern me. On the other hand, how about some positive news for a change. It'd be great to have RvW available for Swansea. http://www.norwich.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=340977
Sorry River End but I cannot see his return will make any difference at all. Wolf or any striker has not shone this season and I cannot see it changing without as this thread debates, some new inspiration from somewhere. Hopefully I am wrong but it is all a bit depressing at the moment.
