Lets get a couple of points straight. Southampton are a decent side on a good run but are are not in the automatic spots and there are undoubtedly 2 or 3 better teams in this league. Sarge is a decent striker with potential and certainly is the best we have got but he is not a Harry Kane who can carry a side on his own. On top of that if somebody offers decent money for him this month he will be off - we need the money. I might be over critical but if the limit of our ambition is 25% possession, 7 shots against 21, 2 on target against 4 at home against a team in the play off spots who basically battered us for the majority of the game then you might as well give Wagner a contract for life. Have our expectations really shrunk that low?
"I was surprised with the way Norwich set up if I am being honest. This is as quiet as I have known this place, and I have played plenty of games here ........" (Russell Martin)
It stemmed from a poor goal kick by Gunn. He keeps us in games with his shot stopping, but his inaccurate kicking is a problem. Regularly puts his team mates under unnecessary pressure.
Martin made it quite clear beforehand that he was coming to CR for a win and was clearly irked by not getting it. This could go back to the 4-4 draw at their ground where they were saved by two penalties, the last in the 7th minute of extra time. Sargent scored the opener in that one and has now scored 4 goals in 4 starts and two sub appearances, which suggests that our situation could be very different now if he hadn't been injured. That was no tap in he scored today and we looked a different team after he came on. He is the successor to Pukki, which neither Idah or Hwang could be. The Board have made it clear that we won't sell him, or Rowe or Sara or any other key players this window. We're looking to strengthen the squad not weaken it. Highlights: https://www.skysports.com/football/norwich-vs-soton/485007
Having watched Krul for several years I can’t complain about Gunn’s kicking, I’d say he’s better than most at this level
It’s shown here, I think I would probably agree with the Southampton fan, whistle had gone well in advance of McCallums shot and I think Bazunu looks well positioned to save it, we will never know!
I think a draw was a fair result. Southampton dominated possession but were stymied by our defensive tactics, other than the goal and the goalpost on their other good chance. Most of their other shots were hopeful half chances. I also agree about the offside decision as the whistle went early, but it was still a very good shot by McCallum, who looks dangerous from that angle.
I’d disagree about Southampton, they had a slow start to the league while Martin was implementing his style of play but they are the form side in the division over the last 18games, that’s no short streak, nearly half the season unbeaten. The teams in the top 2 spots have set record points hauls for this stage of the season. Sarge offers more than goals, it’s his pressing and strength on the front foot, he tackles back better than most strikers. The team has missed his all round game. I believe Idah has got much better at this side but is not at Sargents level. I wish Wagner had played a more exciting set up from the beginning and perhaps if we had been in the top 6 at this point he would have gone on the attack as we did in the first game. However, given our current league position and the last 2 results I believe the set up was right for this game, not that I want to see it every week! He had to not lose
Of course he was "coming to CR for a win". He was probably responding to press questions about how he felt about bringing his 17-game unbeaten team to his old club, now patently experiencing problems. As for "irked", I'd say "frustrated" would be more accurate. And regarding his "I was surprised by the way Norwich set up" comment, he was simply echoing a widespread response to us adopting the sort of strategy at home against Southamption that the likes of Barnsley adopt when they come to face a front-footed Norwich side playing at home. The last time I can recall us setting up like that was the 3:2 Farke win against Man City!
He seemed a bit pissy throughout press 5min press conference that I saw, didn’t seem to like the guy asking the questions very much at all
I'm sure he was frustrated, which showed. Funnily enough, I also thought it was like the ManCity win. It worked both times.
Martin is perfectly correct. When was the last time we set up for a home game to produce stats like that. For a team allegedly still chasing Promotion? - you must be having a laugh. The crowd is quiet - there can be no argument on that. According to my son the reaction around him when we scored was a mixture of happiness and laughter at the fact that we had managed, undeservedly, to get back in the game. I repeat - is the extent of our ambition now to produce a result and stats like that in a Home Game against a side who are not even in the top 2? I have already stated that Sargent is the best we have got but he is not good enough to do it all on his own. As have been proved over the years - what Boards and Clubs say and then do are very often very different. Debt has already been incurred, we are still running at a loss and to break even when the parachute payments finish - which the Board have also said they will do - will involve substantial expenditure reductions , especially the wage bill, and a profit in transfer dealings. If you genuinely strengthen the squad you will have to spend money on new players, increase the wage bill and keep the best players already here. My calculation from studying all the available accounts - and I do accept this is a bit of a ' back of a *** packet calculation ' - is that somebody, presumably the new part owner, will have to inject at least a minimum of £150m into the Club in the period covering this season and the next two without any guarantee that gates will remain at current levels and no guarantee that the Club won't still be mid table in the Championship at the end. American businessmen love Sport but also look upon it as a profitable exercise and not as a charity. Where is the profit in that? I remain of the view that if they are offered a decent sum for any of the three players mentioned they will be sold with the Club using the time honoured excuse of ' we couldn't stand in his way'
Sorry to be picky but are you saying that because the top 2 have set record points totals so far it doesn't make them better teams? I do agree with you that the team was set up to save Wagner's job - not set up to win a Home game or entertain the crowd - but surely if things have got that desperate it is time to move on.
The form tables are interesting Southampton are second behind Leicester over both the last 6 & 10 games. It is not unreasonable for us to set up defensively even at home, especially as we lost the 2 previous games. West Brom are 6th over 6 games & 5th over 10 games. Millwall are 4th, over last 6 and 17th over 10, having hit a recent run of form. We are 11th over last 6 and 8th over last 10. Ipswich appear to have been found out and on a downward spirral, they are currently 17th over 6 and 7th over 10. https://thefishy.co.uk/formtable.php?table=2
According to FBref, Angus ranks 9th among Championship keepers for completion of passes of 40 yds or more. So yes, better than most in the Championship this season. Last season, he ranked 12th, Krul 6th. Going back to this season, the top two keepers on this metric are Saint's Bazunu and Ipswich's Hladký.
I found the game fascinating, a bit like the 2023 Champions League final with Inter defending in depth and limiting Man City to 4 shots on target in spite of them having the bulk of possession. As for Sargent, I don't think any team should hope to have one player carry the team but City have lacked focus without Josh, both with and without the ball. His skills are perfectly suited to Wagner's tactics focused on keeping the ball in the opposition half as much as is possible. He presses well, wins the ball off players and has the skills to score with both head and feet. His goal was amazing for a player who's been out for four months. Hwang and Idah have their moments, but they lack the range of skills that Josh has. I respect your calculations, 1950, but have you allowed for the income coming in from the sale of Omobamidele, Rashica, Aarons and Mumba, which were not included in the latest accounts? My feeling is that Attanasio will be pressing 'moneyball' principles to Knapper focused on recruiting undervalued players in the manner of Pukki and Buendia with an aim to reach the PL and survive within three years. Webber managed that twice, but failed to follow it through long term.
As has been the case over many years when it comes to the crunch you and I are never far apart on Club matters or anything else for that matter. As I admitted my calculations were very quick ' back of a *** packet ' and there were undoubtedly many aspects I had not taken into consideration. I fully agree with your suggested way forward - where we might differ is whether Wagner can follow this through. Farke turned Buendia and Pukki from promising but under performing players into the players they became. He also brought through and coached the likes of Aarons and Lewis into top players. Could Wagner do the same with any undervalued players that Knapper finds - I do not think so. He has improved nothing either as individuals or as a group since he has been here and I am far from impressed with his handling of the Academy players currently breaking through. I really do not think he is the answer currently or in the future and the quicker he goes the better leaving Knapper to find a younger enthusiastic replacement.
