i'm not joking guru, i genuinely saw someone say they'd 'love' stuart pearce as next norwich manager because 'he's passionate'. this is what we're dealing with here!
What I think is that people have to get their heads round the idea that most teams don't now play "one up front" or "two up front". That's not the best terminology for understanding how a team plays. If CH selects RvW and Elmander, or any two of RvW, Elmander and Hooper, somehow the formula "4:4:2" takes over how people think the team is being set up. The best way to think about it IMO is to think in terms of attacking players. If e.g. Pilkington, RvW, Elmander and Snodgrass are on the field, they are our four attacking players. Of course, they will be joined by midfielders "joining the attack", and they (any of them) in turn will drop back to help out in defence as required. The four of them will (ideally) move around, constantly exchanging positions, pulling defenders, creating space for one of the others to run into. That's how it is intended to be. We don't HAVE a "centre forward", or "two strikers" in the old sense. The idea that when CH plays Elmander and RvW together he is resorting to old-style 4:4:2 with Pilkington/Redmond on the left and Snodgrass/Bennett on the right therefore tasked with traditional wing play (and oh my goodness, having to cross from the "wrong" side) is simply a misunderstanding. Why things aren't working particularly smoothly is because this style of play requires a lot of understanding between the four players, at least two of whom are new signings, and three of whom (Pilkington, Redmond, Snodgrass) have often been required both here and at their other clubs to play a more traditional winger-type role. It takes time to build the understanding between players, and the individual player's understanding of the role. Those of us watching should at least try to understand what we are seeing, imperfect and embryonic as it often is at the moment.
DM, I was one of the harshest critics of our performance on Saturday, and I can assure you it had nothing to do with Paul Lambert. I had my own reason for us wanting to win against Villa more than on any other Saturday, but I couldn't give a **** about Lambert any more. I've always wished the man every success with Villa; it is a much bigger club and the move was understandable. I wouldn't have made it, but I'm a Norwich fan. As for the Hughton bashers, I do think Hughton would buy himself much more time if he went to Stoke, attacked, and lost 5-4, instead of going to Stoke, defending, and losing 1-0. I know it doesn't work like that, but we do have the players to actually take the game to Stoke. Problem is, we're drilled to defend, defend, defend. I'd be interested to know what Hughton has in mind. If he's planning to slowly make us a more offensive unit as the season goes on (after all, any transformation was never going to be instant) then he'll probably keep his job. If his away day mindset stays the same throughout the season then, no matter how successful he is, the fans will grow too restless.
I don't think the players ARE "drilled to defend, defend, defend" either at home or away. They are drilled to defend properly, and attack when appropriate. How successful they are depends mostly on the other team and the type of game they (the other team) adopt when at home.
still not the worst though: round of applause please for the person who suggested... martin 'mad dog' allen and yes, i'm serious, and yes, so were they.
Sorry mate, 'we're' in this case was meant to stand for 'we were'. My point was that change isn't instantaneous. You can't go from a side that is largely looking for a point from every game to going all out for the win, although if it was as simple as flicking a switch, I bet Hughton would flick it and see if it helps him!
Is it only appropriate to attack when the opposition are on holiday or down to 9 men? Because we've seen precious little attacking intent otherwise. I'm only half joking too, the first middle and last thought always seems to be defend. In answer to your comments on formation and 2 up top, I agree with what your saying, Elmander was not being deployed as an out n out forward, but by the same token he was less effective as a midfielder come forward player than in my opinion Howsen, who I think is made for the role and after encouraging displays at the end of last season when not shackled by the system and also when he has played this season perhaps should be a fulcrum to build our team around. Bah!
having just seen the highlights from the last 60 mins (only saw the first 30 live), you've got to say that we played some good passing attacking football at times during the game, and we were unlucky not to score with some vital blocks by villa and guzan's save from hooper. Rvw had the 'chest' effort in the first half and then screwed a shot past the post also in the first half. I know this is repetition to what has been said before, but you can see what the manager is trying to do and change things from last year.
agree max. sadly, its either not obvious enough for a few or for some, even if it is noticeable, they choose to ignore it as it goes against their argument.
Top post Super, needless to say, I agree with you, I´ve never been in any doubt that Hughton was the right man for the job, IF he was given the necessary support and time. Had it still been Doomcaster at the helm, then I might have feared for his life, because he was as weak as water and as changeable as the weather, McNally is made of far different and much sterner stuff. Fan-power and fan-pressure will only get the ´Hughton Out´ lobby so far, but I can´t see it getting them all the way. McNally will know exactly when and IF the time is right to say goodbye to him, and I can´t see him acting a minute before. Sadly though, there are, and always have been, an element of supporters who think they know better, and can do the job better than both the manager and the players, I´d love to see them try, (anywhere other than at my club that is) I can just imagine the mess they´d get into, but unfortunately such is this lovable game.
