Sargant has scored a goal every 267 minutes this season, Crnc every 288 minutes, so very little between them, but Sarge leads the assists 5 to 1. These are BBC figures.
Chris Goreham on JHT admitting he was wrong about Stacey: "It was Johannes Hoff Thorup who admitted he was wrong at full-time on Saturday. You don’t often hear a manager or head coach do that but then it’s rare that a boss can speak from the secure platform of having netted 10 goals in four days at home. "It’s only down to the coach that didn’t manage to find the best possible position for him.” That’s what Thorup said about Jack Stacey’s sparkling return to form. The right back had been on the bench for 10 straight Championship matches before being recalled for the trip to West Brom last Saturday. He might be a defender but his front foot style means that, despite missing so many matches, he now has five assists this season. No player in the City squad has more. The determination to chase what looked like a lost cause and dig out a cutback from which Ante Crnac made it 2-1 against Luton Town typified what Stacey can bring to the team." Stacey has been rated 7.31, 7.4 and 7.39 in the last 3 games. Here's JHT's comments in full: “First and foremost, the full backs need to be very comfortable on the ball. Actually Jack has taken some steps in that area, especially his game reading. I think he's good now at seeing when to step in and when to stay out wide, when to join the attacking phase, and when to stay a little bit low in his positioning. Look at the fourth goal we scored against Plymouth, where he makes a good move from the outside, stepping into the space that becomes open, which is something we didn't see from him in the beginning of the season. They have to be calm on the ball. They have to be technically on a good level, because they have to be able to deal with situations where they are under pressure, and we have to find the right solution. Then, of course, in terms of the attacking shape for us and creating opportunities there is some differences between Jack, Ben (Chrisene) and Kellen (Fisher), but just good for the group. And I think also, as an individual player, you need competition. I don't think you will ever become the best player that you can be if you just expect you will play every Saturday.”
Sainz is 5 clear in the top scorers charts in the Championship at the moment you have to go down to National League South to find anyone with as many league goals as him this season and even then Sainz has played 2 less games.
"It’s only down to the coach that didn’t manage to find the best possible position for him.” (Thorup). Good man management maybe, but utter nonsense in reality. Stacey has always been in and out of teams (check out his record at Bournemouth for example). Always been a whole-hearted player, but hit-and-miss with his crossing, shooting and defending. What has made the difference this time is his realisation that unless he refined his game he was never going to displace young Fisher in Thorup's team. All credit to Jack for that, and to the coaching help he's clearly had -- his crossing is much more measured for example, as well as his decision-making about when to go and when to stay back.
I thought Stacey was our best crosser last season, but his decision making often let him down. His phenomenal effort to cut that ball back to Crnac for the second goal was unbelievable and shows how hard he's working on his game now. Hopefully JHT's point about competition for places will urge on all of the players.
The most unbelievable aspect of that bit of play was Chong's inept attempt to see the ball out over the goal line. If that had been a defender rather than a winger, the outcome would most likely have been a goal kick or free kick to Luton (almost certainly the latter if it had been Grant Hanley).
Former canaries Gary O’Neil and Russell Martin both sacked today from Wolves and Southampton respectively
I would love to have Rusty back at Carrow Rd. He has quality and been good at Southampton. He knows and understands the English game.
Please god no! What is the obsession with former players as managers? He has no plan B, definition of insanity of keeping So'ton playing out from the back when it's clear as day the players aren't able to. Promoted team with the highest goals conceded last season, and arguably worse now.
The latest club update video comes out at 6pm tonight. I have to say I have been enjoying these and think they are a great bit of engagement from the club.
Chris Sutton: "Rebuild will require patience from fans" Connor Southwell: "Nobody said it was going to be easy for City".
