As per the OP, I don't see how you can expect to accommodate Wes, Madders and Vrancic in the same team? Where's the 'engine room' to drive midfield along? Truth be told, with our current injuries to Trybull & Tettey, we are far too lightweight and can't provide a decent 'shield' in front of the defence. Useful, with Cardiff, Sheff Weds & Leeds all on the near horizon
You'll do well to keep hold of Maddison, lads a good player, personal view first half had your chances which contrived to give you apart from Murphy's Miss in the second half thought we more than deserved a point could have been more if we had taken a couple of chances. Best of luck for rest of season
From Gary Gowers column today: Another problem – at least it certainly was yesterday – is that Oliveira appears so unwilling to get on the end of stuff; a more petulant, sulky performance you’ll never be likely to see. On the occasions Angus had to kick long. Oliveira was naturally the target but, again, appeared unwilling to challenge, making the defensive header for either centre-back a thing of comfort; something that never once happened for Christoph Zimmermann and Grant Hanley. And let’s not even start on him booting the ball downfield after Preston’s equaliser in a fit of pique. I may be wrong – and I hope I am – but his body language yesterday was screaming ‘I don’t want to be here’, just as the agents are starting their groundwork for the January window. Cameron Jerome, for all his profligacy in front of goal, offers effort and desire and was well worth a ten minute run-out yesterday. We needed to create pressure. A protruding bottom lip doesn’t do that. http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...lls-still-few-and-far-between-at-carrow-road/
Wes either needs protection in the middle of midfield with buffers around him, or be used as a sub early in the second half. Vrancic should be nowhere near the team.
But to start with him wideish right ...and Wildschut on the bench is lunacy, surely? Square bloody pegs all over again just to try and accommodate Wessi
I like the look of Wildschut when he's played. Adds a lot of speed and directness to our game. Something we are seriously lacking.
Commentary made me After Maddison's peach of a free kick opener, the guy says "Arguably one of the more talented players in this NCFC team". You mean there are others???!
It looked a lot more exciting than the comments suggest. Josh should of buried his chances and we are still **** at defending corners but the free kick was class.
He must have had a few too many Oakham Green Devil. Actually I MIGHT stop off for a pint or 2 after watching the Under 23s play Villa Under 23s and I see Pritchard will be in the team.
Yes, I was surprised when I saw the teamsheet. No Middleton either. Villa very much on top and leading 1-0. If Basil had Abrahams' passion and desire ...... Edit - great build-up play and Abrahams taps in the equaliser!!!
If Gower's is right about Oliveira's attitude, surely we'd be better off playing Jerome at Cardiff with either Fonkeu or Abrahams on the bench. Hopefully Trybull will be fit to play alongside Reed (who had a good game). Pritchard on the bench again would also be good. I may get over to Cardiff for that one.
A mistake by Franke gifts Villa a 2nd goal. Match ended 1-2. Some very good performances and Fonkeu deservedly MotM. Abrahams, Cantwell and Aarons played well, as did Highs when he came on MUCH better game then yesterday's. Edit - now in the Queen of Iceni drinking a pint of Oakham 'Raucous Reindeer' - not too impressed.
Just seen the report on the Under 23 game - "Matt Gill welcomed Paul Jones and Marcel Franke to his starting eleven with Russell Martin starting his making his second successive U23s appearance – Alex Pritchard was not risked for the game after feeling a sore neck in the aftermath of his first team comeback on Saturday. Elsewhere, Todd Cantwell came back into the side replacing the injured Glenn Middleton." Explains the absence of Pritchard (thanks Dave) and Middleton. https://www.canaries.co.uk/News/201...ich-city-pl2-vs-aston-villa-pl2-on-26-nov-17/
Following on from GG's comments (see #44) this from Martin Penney: "As for Gary’s comments about Nelson Oliveira I’d say fair enough. I would only add that playing that lone role for NCFC is one of the most thankless of all footballing tasks. There is almost never a midfielder in a position to run onto a flick-on and we are so narrow we might as well be a pair of drainpipe trousers (ask your grandad). And when a ball is pinged at Nelson, there’s seemingly always at least two giant centre backs lurking to intercept it." Full article - http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...ject-farke-will-be-when-injured-stars-return/
It feels like not only on here but on the Pinkun and MFW that everyone has got so apathetic to the whole ongoing poor football and non-winning ways that comments are drying up. This recent downturn is turning into the worst passion killer, everyone (ILD excepted of course) seems to be so meh! about our team, a lot of people talk of giving up season tickets, but uptil now the gates at CR have not reflected this level of apathy and downturn and it didn't happen. This year, barring a serious pickup in form soon, I could see a lot more folks following FML and voting with their feet. Bah!
Just take a look at any recent match day threads. They struggle to get 50 responses whereas 200 used to be more or less the norm. Thai Canary used to comment - (and get up at stupid o'clock in the morning when there was a live stream to a match) but hasn't been around for a while. Possession football, deep in our half, passing sideways and backwards is not to everyone's taste. There's no penetration in the final third - and hasn't been for most of the season, and precious few attempts at goal (one per game on target, and that's on a good day!) and a serious lack of excitement leads, inevitably, to apathy and discontent. Almost December and xmas, winter fuel bills to factor in, all means that lacklustre, uninspiring football slips down the priority radar. And the board will see the decline in attendances and atmosphere slip way further if they're simply content to just plod along without a single grain of ambition or funding to support the coaching staff. I'm resigned to losing the one crown jewel we have left (Pritchard hasn't properly played yet) when Maddison goes in a month's time or soon after. Imagine the buoyant mood in the Barclay and Snakepit when that happens and we lose our one remaining asset Lethargy rules, but 98% of it is self-inflicted by the club, General.
