City just looked so slow in comparison to Norwich. City’s ball watching inability to close down opposing midfielders is costing them big time. That’s just referring to goals conceded from open play. The total lack of footballing ability and creativity in central midfield is why City can’t score from open play like the 2 goals we saw yesterday. City will score from corners etc but that won’t be enough if we keep on conceding goals like 4 out of the last 5. Anticipate we’ll be chasing shadows again versus Brentford. nb Harris suggested fatigue but all other clubs play the same number of games.
How can Harris justify complaining that his players are suffering from fatigue and "leggy" when he only fields 2 of his 5 substitute options? He either hasn't got the confidence in those on the bench to come on and make a difference, or just doesn't know how to address obvious issues on the pitch in real time.
This goes beyond player tiredness, it's about the overall quality and footballing class (lack of) within the squad when managed by someone who really hasn't got a clue how to change it. A huge gap has developed between what we need to be to progress and where we actually are. Hanging on to what we have in the hope of sneaking into the playoff spots will only delay the inevitable - we are way off the standards of that current top 6. Three of them came down from the Prem and look like it - when we came down from the Prem we were Championship level already - it hasn't improved. Warnock has sneaked in there at the moment but I think Reading are the better side. Changing the manager and his staff/assistants mid stream is a risk, but chalkboard tactics in the training facility and player mapping is no substitute for good managerial skills. The double whammy is when you couple that with a poorly balanced playing squad, we are trapped on the road to nowhere.
1. Tan sacks the board and surrounds himself instead with football people to advise him wisely. 2. Tan and the board appoint Arsene Wenger as director of football. 3. Wenger and the board identify and recruit a dynamic new manager that changes forever the ethos of the club and makes substitutions before the 97th minute. 4. Aaron Ramsey comes home and successfully appeals to Gareth Bail to do the same. They both decide that they're already stinking rich and agree to play for minimal wages. 5. Harry Wilson makes his contract permanent. 6. New scouting staff find the next Jamie Vardy playing for the Mothercare Spotwelders Second IX 7. Sean Morrison is signed for Strictly Come Dancing 8. We buy a fxxxing right back! 9. Wenger is overrun by requests from out of contract international stars who want to join the revolution. 10. Youth players come through and thrive in the company of so many stars. Is it time to wake up now nurse?
I know I've banged on about this before but not signing another right back has really come home to bite us. The position is not so much the problem as Bacuna is doing a reasonable job and I can't recall anyone giving him a hard time but he is the one person who covers so much ground, makes good tackles and (apart from a couple of bloopers where we conceded) his passing is okay. No one else in midfield covers so much ground. He is not a Graham Kavanagh but he is better than the other three. The right back deficiency must be addressed in January even though Tutu will return. I know that is only part of a much bigger picture but it will be a start.
Just watched the highlights of the game, and noticed a severe lack of chances for Norwich! Can only put the defeat down to the advantage of having a crowd behind you! Spectacles for sale....rose coloured!
Final post mortem for me on this game. Any manager who loses Keiffer Moore up front through injury would have a problem replacing him like for like. The issue for me with Harris was he put Glatzel up there instead, but still tried to play the same sort of game. The two are like chalk and cheese. There is no way Glatzel can play Moore's game. Using Ralls in the number 10 role and playing Wilson out wide to provide the crosses were the wrong decisions. Both players were wasted and didn't affect the game for the same reason - they were played out of position and inneffective in their roles. Midfield is a disaster - maybe not all Harris's fault because of the dearth of quality at the club. Ralls will always do you a job when played in the right position but Vaulks and Pack are way off the quality levels at clubs in the top half of this division. The most influential and progressive midfielder we have is currently playing at right back. Time and time again supporters have asked for a defender (a LB or CB) to be deployed at RB to release Bacuna into midfield. You can blame the players (and we do) for stagnant performances and negative results, but it all stems from the guy in charge of on-field decisions. Barring a couple of glass half full moments, Harris hasn't got it right yet and has proved nothing to convince me that he can.
