Just thought I'd post a few thoughts from yesterday. First of all, it was a much more positive performance from City (hardly difficult after last weeks debacle) but I do think a few of our fans are either way over the top with praise or in deep despair after each game. I felt yesterday was a poor match between two poor sides. It was quite exciting at times but the quality was quite low. Fact is, we were the better of the two, by a considerable distance, but we didn't win the game and that is a worry. Thankfully it is only week two of the season so plenty of time to sort out our issues, of which there are still plenty.
I thought we kept the ball much better and had a better balance to our team but it is still way too easy to play a simple ball over the top and get in behind us. There were certainly encouraging signs from our centre half pairing yesterday. Barnett played very well but it was pleasing to see Bassong visibly guiding him and offering him support through an arm round the shoulder or a little discussion when play went dead - good to see. I seem to be in the minority but I feel the penalty decision was justified. Yes it was very soft but he did lunge in - its irrelevant that Cissé was 'looking for it' because Bassong clipped him. What is not in question however is the appalling decision to allow the goal to stand - Hughes' suggestion that 'Norwich had just as many players encroaching as QPR did' is laughable - Zamora was five yards inside the box and furthest forward, therefore gaining an enormous advantage over any of our players who were no doubt encroaching in order to try and stop Zamoras getting such an unfair advantage!
Our goal was beautifully worked, the best moment of the match, and Snodgrass, who impressed throughout, was a key component in all our teams good work going forward. Sadly, Pilkington was very quiet and seems to be lacking bite in his game - hopefully that will come back to him with a few more games under his belt. Howson played well but was far too deep to effect the game in key areas while Johnson, who actually played really well overall, still gives the ball away too much. At the back Garrido started slugglishly but got better and better and by the end of the 90 minutes was playing very well indeed. He reminds me of a certain Adam Drury - that can only be a good thing! Russell Martin had his best game (at right back) for a considerable time and Hoillet was made to look distinctly average by him - we know he's not average. Ruddy had literally nothing to do except face a penalty - he barely even had a backpass to deal with, such was the lack of threat from the visitors. What did concern me though was the number of close calls on offside decisions there were - Cissé almost scored one of them and from where I was sat, he was onside. As I stated above, we have to be more alert to the simple ball over the top - no Premier League team should be cut so easily open by such a simple pass.
Up top, Holt did well and Clint Hill really should have been sent off. He could have faced three bookings during that first half - Holt completely owned him every time the ball went near him. Faded second half but he'll get better as the season goes on - he always does! Jackson, for me, just edged the Man of the Match award. His all-round game is very good and he offers us something different going forward. He looked sharp throughout and is a real live wire - I think he deserves a shot at White Hart Lane next week alongside Holt. People moan he doesn't score enough but you need to look at what he offers the team, and he offers plenty of good stuff.
So a few gripes but much more positive overall. That all important holding player (Tettey yes, but I'm hoping for another to come in the shape of Biglia) could make a big difference to us defensively. The main negative from yesterday was that QPR were very poor - good news for us over the course of the season but bad news that we didn't beat them - they really were there for the taking. No wonder they are looking to spend big because they are in trouble with their current players. I think what every single one of us was looking for after last weeks 'horror show' was a positive result of some description and a good performance - we got both, so the manager has done well to get a desired reaction. We were very unlucky not to win the game - these things happen - so maybe I've been a tad harsh. Improvements are still necessary but the signs are there that we can now begin to build on this result and get ourselves comfortably safe this season.
Things are looking up
I thought we kept the ball much better and had a better balance to our team but it is still way too easy to play a simple ball over the top and get in behind us. There were certainly encouraging signs from our centre half pairing yesterday. Barnett played very well but it was pleasing to see Bassong visibly guiding him and offering him support through an arm round the shoulder or a little discussion when play went dead - good to see. I seem to be in the minority but I feel the penalty decision was justified. Yes it was very soft but he did lunge in - its irrelevant that Cissé was 'looking for it' because Bassong clipped him. What is not in question however is the appalling decision to allow the goal to stand - Hughes' suggestion that 'Norwich had just as many players encroaching as QPR did' is laughable - Zamora was five yards inside the box and furthest forward, therefore gaining an enormous advantage over any of our players who were no doubt encroaching in order to try and stop Zamoras getting such an unfair advantage!
Our goal was beautifully worked, the best moment of the match, and Snodgrass, who impressed throughout, was a key component in all our teams good work going forward. Sadly, Pilkington was very quiet and seems to be lacking bite in his game - hopefully that will come back to him with a few more games under his belt. Howson played well but was far too deep to effect the game in key areas while Johnson, who actually played really well overall, still gives the ball away too much. At the back Garrido started slugglishly but got better and better and by the end of the 90 minutes was playing very well indeed. He reminds me of a certain Adam Drury - that can only be a good thing! Russell Martin had his best game (at right back) for a considerable time and Hoillet was made to look distinctly average by him - we know he's not average. Ruddy had literally nothing to do except face a penalty - he barely even had a backpass to deal with, such was the lack of threat from the visitors. What did concern me though was the number of close calls on offside decisions there were - Cissé almost scored one of them and from where I was sat, he was onside. As I stated above, we have to be more alert to the simple ball over the top - no Premier League team should be cut so easily open by such a simple pass.
Up top, Holt did well and Clint Hill really should have been sent off. He could have faced three bookings during that first half - Holt completely owned him every time the ball went near him. Faded second half but he'll get better as the season goes on - he always does! Jackson, for me, just edged the Man of the Match award. His all-round game is very good and he offers us something different going forward. He looked sharp throughout and is a real live wire - I think he deserves a shot at White Hart Lane next week alongside Holt. People moan he doesn't score enough but you need to look at what he offers the team, and he offers plenty of good stuff.
So a few gripes but much more positive overall. That all important holding player (Tettey yes, but I'm hoping for another to come in the shape of Biglia) could make a big difference to us defensively. The main negative from yesterday was that QPR were very poor - good news for us over the course of the season but bad news that we didn't beat them - they really were there for the taking. No wonder they are looking to spend big because they are in trouble with their current players. I think what every single one of us was looking for after last weeks 'horror show' was a positive result of some description and a good performance - we got both, so the manager has done well to get a desired reaction. We were very unlucky not to win the game - these things happen - so maybe I've been a tad harsh. Improvements are still necessary but the signs are there that we can now begin to build on this result and get ourselves comfortably safe this season.
Things are looking up
