Thanks for those FML and I thought DF's reaction was pretty accurate. We played really well first half and should have (of??) made more of our chances with Pukki not quite on top form. As DDF said the subs disrupted the flow of the game. Roll on Saturday!!
PD pulls no punches - https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/canaries-atalanta-paddy-davitt-pointers-1-6190540
The loss of discipline was disappointing. The multiple subs were part of that but Godfrey and Klose allowed themselves to be drawn up the pitch after we went 1-2 down and we were then vulnerable to counters. Being pre-season, it allows DF time to correct this before Anfield.
Good to see a few good people understand the purpose of pre season, twitter is in meltdown because we haven't spent zillions
Sadly, that will be the same after our first loss in the league. We'll never be able to compete through spending, we have to do it through a strong team spirit and players' understanding of each others play, so quick, instinctive passing and tactics can counteract highly skilled opposition. We showed that in our domination of the first half last night, but then lost it when all the subs came in. Edit: It doesn't help when Paddy says this: "When the Italians can bring on a £40m-rated striker starring for Colombia in the Copa America this summer, and City reply with a free transfer arrival in Josip Drmic, you get a sense of clubs on the same pitch at Carrow Road but orbiting different footballing planets." It isn't all about money. Drmić has scored 10 goals in 32 matches for Switzerland and was playing for them this summer. He scored a hat-trick on Saturday, but even that isn't enough. Get a grip Paddy!
I was at the game (as was FML!!) and that's exactly what it felt like. Let's see something your proposed starting 11 for Anfield starting against Toulouse on Saturday please DF and FAR FEWER subs!!!
I missed large parts of the game last night due to chatting to people at the club, and even had a fairly long chat with Ben Kensell. Was fascinating, and really, really encouraging. All the stuff that's going on at our club, and they have done a lot of hard worth through the summer. From what I saw, first half was great. Cantwell looked class again. Pukki looked fantastic with his movement, runs and work rate. Shame about his finishing. Lewis was great, Godfrey looked like a boss. Second half was a lot of nothing with all the subs. That's not a football match. Turned a bit Wes V Russ kick about. Can't really judge that as a 4-1 bashing. Signs were good from the first half when it was a proper football game. It did confirm what I have said for a long time, and I know everyone is saying it at the moment. But we desperately need at least 1 Defensive Midfielder. In the Championship the 2 sitting Midfielders can be ball playing Midfielders. Vrancic, Leitner, McLean etc. In the Premiership, they aren't going to be solid enough defensively. They aren't going to chase people down, lots of tackles, help out the back line. All we have is Tetty and Thompson. Neither of them are ever fit. Tetty doesn't have the legs for putting in the miles at Premiership pace. I can't think of a single player we have who can do that job in the 2. Godfrey could play there, but I don't want to lose a ball player Centre Back as good as him from the back line.
I was at the game last night and my opinion is as follows. Cantwell was brilliant picking up the ball and moving it on to start attacks and looked far more comfortable in the number 10 role. Godfrey was solid all game up against Muriel, bossed him all game, the one time he got away from Godfrey he scored. Pukki movement and interlinking play was good, had some good efforts and was unfortunate not to get a couple of goals. Buendia got frustrated and went wandering for the ball which left us exposed on the right. Byram had a solid game but got caught up the pitch on a couple of occasions leaving us short at the back. Trybull sat and screened the defence well in the first half but wasn’t given much help from Leitner who again got caught up the pitch on counter attacks a lot. Difficult night for Fahrmann, not much he could do about 3 of the 4 goals, maybe should have saved Muriel’s shot which went through his legs. Hernandez and Lewis looked strong and full of running particularly in the first half. Drmic has good movement but unfortunately didn’t get much service. Great to see Vrancic get some minutes. McLean is ahead of Leitner at the moment for me as he gives more protection defensively. 4-1 not a true reflection of the game, we were the better team first half and they took control second half.
I also sat next to a guy who was shouting at Fahrmann to kick it long every time he had the ball at his feet, rather than play short!
Not at all impressed with the way Heise lumbered back on defense after giving the ball away before Ata's 3rd. He's supposed to have some pace.
Yep it did look a bit half-hearted in the highlights. He seemed to get a decent wrap overall though from some who were there. Leitner's attacking passes looked a real threat
I like Heise, who defends well, has good height for defending set pieces and has excellent crossing ability when he comes forward. He hasn't got Lewis's pace, but a very solid player.
Typical that people focus on one unrepresentative moment and ignore the far outweighing positives we've seen from Heise in this pre-season. He has shown himself to be able to slot in well on that left hand side. The speed that Atalanta's forward players brought to their counter-attacking in that late period made virtually all ours look "lumbering" in comparison. Good job Hanley wasn't on the pitch!
Talking about pace, we are beginning to see what anyone with an ounce of sense would have long been expecting, namely that what proved a cut above the rest in the Championship is no more than at most average in the EPL. Godfrey matched his attacker for pace, but neither Klose nor Hanley would have been anywhere near him. Onel H isn't going to be steaming away from his markers this season like he was last season. Same goes for fitness levels, and for quality of pressing, pass accuracy etc. etc. Fans need to start smelling the coffee.
Quit with them negative waves man. We're gonna tear it up and finish top 6 or my names not General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett, VC, KCB, DSO Bah!
