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Morph

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Posts posted by Morph

  3. Posted

    Best post that I''ve taken the time to read for ages Rossi.It''s a completely uninteresting place to visit these days - the Pink''Un message board. It''s the same old arguments getting rehashed again and again, followed up by the same old vitriol from WO''s a KTFers, alike.This board was once a place for reasoned discussion. Not any more. Just a place for bitter people to air the same views that they''ve aired over the past 12 months or dig out more dodgy rumours or speculation about what''s going on down at Carrow Road.Everyone one of us would do the team more of a favour if we put all our verbal efforts into supporting the team.

  4. Posted

    Can somebody explain something to me - why do City need a target man?

    There''s an implication in this that the expected ball to the front man

    is in the air with a smaller striker acting to feed off the knock

    downs/ons. Why do City have to play that way?

    What''s wrong with the ball to strikers on the deck or balls through the

    defense for strikers to run on to (Earnshaw is a supposed to be quick).

    Or, God forbid, balls crossed by the wide players from a position

    beyond the opposition full-back. How many times does Worthy ask his

    wide men to go past the full back and get to the byline before crossing

    the ball in?

    How many strikers do City have on the books? Thorne, Earnshaw,

    McKenzie, Jarvis, Henderson, Huckerby, McVeigh? Why do they need

    another one?

  5. Posted

    Why not play a system that employs wing-backs?

    Have a central defensive trio of Docherty, Shackell and AN Other (probably Fleming).

    Then have Drury as LWB, plus AN Other as RWB (Colin, Hughes, Louis-Jean, Spillane).

    Play three in midfield. Safri being one. Then pick two from Etuhu,

    Robinson and Hughes. If you want a more attacking midfield choose a

    roaming third from Huckerby, McVeigh, Henderson or Jarvis.

    Select two up front from the vast choices that City have for strikers

    from Earnshaw, McKenzie, McVeigh, Thorne, Huckerby, Henderson and

    Jarvis.

    From what little you can gain from a friendly, I think the partnership

    of McKenzie and Earnshaw looks good, BUT it does require a particular

    type of service from midfield. That''s either crosses into the box from

    beyond the opposition full backs or balls ON THE DECK through the

    oppositions back four. The "hump" doesn''t work with that pairing.

  6. Posted

    blahblahblah, you make a comment about the starting 11 for Leeds well here''s my comeback.

    We can''t use any of the pre-season friendlies to guage much at all.

    However, if they were being used as a way for players to stake claims

    to places then only the following would make my starting line-up.

    GK: Gallacher (didn''t see Lewis although he was there)

    LB: Drury

    CB: Docherty

    CB: Shackell

    RB: ??

    LM: ?? - Huckerby is currently favourite but I remain unconvinced on

    last nights showing, he simply goes missing for too much of the game

    CM: Safri

    CM: Robinson - sorry but Etuhu doesn''t do it for me - a big lump of a player whose first touch was awful

    RM: ??

    ST: McKenzie

    ST: Earnshaw

    That would leave three positions to fill, although one is likely to be

    filled by Huckerby. Huckerby and Drury work well together.

    I''d like to see them acquire two midfield players. One, a decent

    attacking central midfield player, Etuhu isn''t it. Two, a right sided

    midfield player. Safri is a Makele type player who is good on the ball

    but he''s not going to be making those lung busting runs forward.

    Robinson is a Carrick type of player, always looking for the cutting

    pass, but again not making those lung busting runs forward like a

    Gerrard/Lampard style player.

    The alternative is to play three across the middle with Safri, Robinson

    and Etuhu. Then play Hucks just in behind the front two but give him

    license to roam.

    With McKenzie and Earnshaw up front you need to either play the ball

    into feet and run off them or you need wide midfield men who are

    prepared to run in behind the fullbacks. Huckerby does that, but City

    don''t have a corresponding right side player who does that.

    Jarvis came on for Huckerby last night and looks a decent player - more

    convincing than Henderson on last nights showing. If Worthy has to

    insist on playing strikers wide then why not give Jarvis a go on the

    right?

  7. Posted

    Not much of a match to be honest - and yes I was there!!.

    A first half strike force of

    Thorne and McVeigh did little to conjure up anything magical - McVeigh

    seemed to have picked up someone else''s boots because he didn''t look at

    all comfortable when he did have the ball. Closest to scoring was

    Shackell who attempted to bundle the ball in from a corner but only

    managed to get the goalkeeper in the net and the ball over the bar. A

    lightweight midfield, IMO, with Safri and Etuhu in the middle with

    Henderson and Huckerby on the flanks. Major difference between the

    flanks being the support from the fullback. Drury makes good runs past

    Huckerby creating space for him to run into, whilst Colin made no runs

    at all beyond Henderson.

    Changes made at half time saw McKenzie

    and Earnshaw on as front pairing, with Hughes replacing Henderson and

    Robinson replacing Safri. A much better front pairing with both causing

    the defenders havoc with their chasing of the ball. Earnshaws first

    came from a McKenzie layoff on the edge of the box with Earnie curling

    the ball adroitly into the top corner. Second goal was a penalty area

    melee with Earnshaw finding a way to pop the ball in the back of the

    net. Earnie nearly had a third with a Huckerby run down the left wing

    and cross only to see Earnie sliding in on his backside unable to get

    the merest of touches to put it in.

    Overall, solid at the back -

    questions still remain over right back position. Midfield is still an

    area of concern on this showing. Safri is OK, but Etuhu doesn''t have a

    first touch worth anything and ends up diving in after losing control

    with the obvious results. Robinson looks a decent enough player with an

    eye to play a decent ball rather than giving away possession. Out wide,

    the players on show don''t offer a

    solution to the right side of midfield. A decent attacking right back

    may help solve the problem, but Henderson was timid - only once did he

    actually attempt to go past the left back.

    Hope it gets better than this in the real matches because the opposition aren''t going to be as poor as Livingston.

  8. Posted

    I haven''t posted in this forum for months because it''s such a depressing place to come and visit.

    That said, I felt I had to post just to crow as "Fife Fire" lead the

    Norwich Hopefuls segment of the premierleague.com fantasy World Cup.

    Yep, that''s Morph up there looking down at the rest of you (for once).

  9. Posted

    A slightly different tack on the issue of whether there is something wrong at Carrow Road at the moment.

    To all the supporters out there that are reading this, ask yourselves

    this question. Are you getting value for money from your entry money at

    the moment? And if you are explain why.

    I realise for many simply seeing the team is enough irrespective of

    what is happening on the pitch. For others, the entertainment value

    they are getting for shelling out their hard earned cash is very poor

    indeed.

    Where do you stand?

  10. Posted

    KC, have to agree with your sentiments. I visit the forum less and less

    these days simply because there is no discussion and I stress

    discussion.

    I even have to think twice about trying to start a discussion, there

    are other boards where you actually get reasoned debate - sadly this is

    no longer one of them.

    This message board has become indicative of the club in it''s current state - stale.

    I would classify myself on the Worthy doubting side of the fence, but

    when you try to generate discussion on what needs to happen at the club

    to fix matters there is no reasoned debate. Even the KTFer''s don''t post

    anymore and I can understand why. The WOer''s that we have have become

    so vociferous and unreasoned that they leave themselves no room to

    manoevre and cannot see how anybody can have an opposing view.

    It''s sad but true.....

  11. Posted

    Kathy, I think your article is spot on.

    The big difference between the two sides on Sunday was simple. One team

    came to do the job they were employed to do, the other team (for the

    most part) came to make up the numbers. I think in some circles it''s

    called football.

    I always thought the general idea behind football was that you passed

    the ball between you and your team mates trying your damndest to make

    sure the opposition didn''t get it, with the intention of eventually

    popping it in the goal that your opponent is defending.

    I''d like to point out to those City players on Sunday who couldn''t

    quite work out which was which - your team mates are the ones who were

    wearing yellow jerseys. And when the players in the blue jerseys have

    the ball you''re supposed to try and get it back.

    "load of" since you seem to be happy to knock the words that Kathy had

    written, would you be prepared to give us your view of what you saw on

    Sunday please. And perhaps a little insight into why you think this

    whole thing can be turned around.

    Perhaps I''ll get out of the shower in the morning and realise it''s all been one horrendously long dream.

  13. Posted

    I have to say that I watched the debacle Sunday, well 90% of it - the

    10% I lost to doing the household ironing was more enjoyable.

    Ignoring that I wanted to post the major observation that I had of the game.

    Posters have maligned the defense for many of our defeats this season

    and also maligned the attack for not putting away what few chances they

    have, but what Sunday''s game really exposed was the lack of quality and

    effort in midfield. You can''t have a four man midfield where only one

    of the four turns up to play.

    I was always under the impression that the midfield is the engine room

    of your football team - it was when I played there. But what do we see

    from the current Canaries?

    1. When in possession the maxim "pass and move" seems to work well.

    Just watch the Ipswich youngsters on Saturday and you''ll see what I

    mean. On the other hand when City had the ball it was very much a case

    of get rid of it to the front blokes as quick as you can even if it''s

    an appalling pass forward. What happened to the short pass to one of

    your team-mates and then move into space to receive the return pass?

    2. When NOT in possession, press the opposition. How many times did you

    see Ipswich with the ball and City players dropping off them and gving

    them space? One classic example for one of Curries shots, when both

    Safri and Etuhu (I think) ended up in the six yard box when the Ipswich

    guy was outside the 18 yard box.

    Both of these aspects game much from the much vaunted work ethic that Worthy prizes so highly but where were they on Sunday?

    The engine room needs a major look at with players prepared to work

    their balls off and players who have the wherewithall to use the ball

    when they''ve got it. Of those on show only Safri fits the bill and on

    Sunday even he was a pale imitation of the player on show in the

    Premiership. If the pros can''t cut it in the side, which they don''t

    appear to, then drop them and bring in the youngsters who have the

    hunger to get the job done. Too many journeymen pros in there at the

    moment who aren''t prepared to do a "hard days work"!!

  14. Posted

    CityAngel, I don''t want to drive your thread off at a tangent but the

    fact that lowly Crewe have knocked in three against Reading today just

    sums up a lot about City''s season.

    Clearly your experience at the open forum at Sheringham the other night

    suggest that the board believe that Worthington should be here at least

    until the end of the season.

    The big question is would a defeat against Ipswich persuade the fans to voice their discontent in a more forthright manner?

  16. Posted

    If he is available on a free then I would say pick him up. Every time

    I''ve seen them play up here he''s been a useful right sided player to

    have in the team.

    The downside is that he''s 30. So he''s not exactly a young, up and

    coming prospect. More like another journeyman footballer with a

    slightly better pedigree.

    From: http://www.4thegame.com/club/glasgow-celtic-fc/player-profile/3488/didieragathe.html

    Didier Agathe is the kind of midfielder who likes to get forward, but can also drop back and play a deeper role if required.

    Since arriving at Parkhead in September 2000, Agathe has played an

    important part in Celtic''s successes. He played in all of the Champions

    League matches during the 2001/02 campaign, helped the club win the

    League on more than one occasion and played a crucial part in getting

    the Hoops to the UEFA Cup final in 2003.

    Martin O''Neill opted to play Agathe in an

    unfamiliar right-back role, which ultimately improved his performances

    during the 2003/04 campaign.

  17. Posted

    a1, wasn''t there also a sell-on clause the Crewe put in when we bought him?

    That would knock the actual money we see from the Ashton sale down a little bit more.

    From the BBC site:

    "

    Norwich have completed the signing of Crewe striker Dean Ashton for a club-record £3m.

    The England Under-21 striker signed a

    three-and-a-half-year deal with an option of one further year after

    passing a medical on Monday.

    The cost could rise by £500,000 and there is a 20% sell-on fee."

    So that''s £1.4M of the £7M paid out of the calculations.

  18. Posted

    I''m sorry but I''m really tired of all the vitriole directed at Ashton.

    Football is his job. If he wants to take a job that is what he

    considers to be a better prospect for him personally, what''s wrong with

    that.

    Don''t tell me that everyone of those noters who are calling him a

    judas, wouldn''t jack in their own jobs if somebody came after them with

    a better deal. Give me a break!

    Ashton wants the big time and I would suggest that he does not believe

    that he is going to get the big time at the club in it''s current state.

    I don''t blame him. He wants to get on. He wants to get into the England

    setup and staying where he is doesn''t seem like that will happen.

    None of us had any complaints when he was knocking those goals in against Man U and Newcastle last season.

    Deano I wish you the best.

  21. Posted

    ZLF, have we really short changed our midfield this season in terms of depth and quality?

    Last season we had:

    RM: Bentley, Henderson, Jonson

    CM: Safri, Francis, Holt, Helveg(?)

    LM: Huckerby, McVeigh, Brennan

    At the start of this season we had:

    RM: Marney, Henderson

    CM: Safri, Hughes

    LM: Huckerby, McVeigh, Brennan

    With the loan signings we now have:

    RM: Henderson

    CM: Safri, Hughes, Robinson, Etuhu

    LM: Huckerby, McVeigh, Brennan

    On that basis a glaring need at the start of the season was a natural right-sided midfield player and cover in the middle.

    The more glaring need now is a natural right-sided midfield player.

    Something Worthy hasn''t addressed at all this season preferring to

    continue with the "third" striker in the right sided midfield role.

    See when you look at it we''ve not had a ball playing midfield player

    alongside Safri for the last season and a half. Would you describe

    Francis as such.

    By all accounts, Hughes is Holt in all but name. Heart on the sleeve

    huff and puff but no exceptional ball talent (oh apart from that one

    pass to Ashton against Palace). Robinson and Etuhu, how do they rate

    against Francis?

  24. Posted

    [quote user="YankeeCanary"]

    Thank you all for your kind words but,

    without wishing to be ungracious, I can hardly accept praise. This

    is the second year I have "borrowed" the sentiments of the author of

    this wonderful piece, Clement Clarke Moore. When he wrote it over two

    hundred years ago, being a modest and loving man, he wrote it for his

    wife and children. It took a friend to submit it to a newspaper some

    time later.

    [/quote]

    Yankee you beat me to the punch. My kids have it amongst their collection of books that come out at this time of the year.

    That said your plagiarism was more than worth the read.

  25. Posted

    [quote user="1st Wizard"]

    In my opinion, Ashton has never been a total ''canary'', his body language always had a ''loaner'' style to it.

    I''ll say what I always say to players who don''t want to stay at my beloved City:

    SOD OFF!.

    [/quote]

    Sorry Wiz, can''t agree with your sentiments on this one. He is the best

    striker that we''ve had at the club for a long time. Words about

    building a team around a good spine (Worthy''s words I believe) seem

    somewhat mute here.

    Why did he look so handy in the Premiership - simply because of

    service. Without that service he has looked an ordinary striker. Who

    should we blame for the lack of service?

    I think the words from both Worthy and himself on the Championship

    suggests that he''s out of the picture. Worthy saying he''s signed a

    three year extension is just his way of saying you''ve got to pay for

    the lad. Such a waste of talent from City''s perspective.

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