Master J-Do Pur

Holt just missed an open goal. HT whistle gone. 1-0 city.

[quote user="Kevin Keelan"]The whole thing happened so fast it was difficult to know what really happened... But Monsieur Wenger is a total whinge-bucket and simply can''t lose with diginity. It''s possible he may have been right to be upset on this occasion, but he used up the ''sympathy vote'' about ten years ago. And any manager that has such a total disregard for developing football players from the country that has embraced and supported him should have little of anybody''s time in these fair isles [/quote]I''m sorry but i have to defend him here. Unfortunately, i disagree so much with your last sentence I need to highlight it. When Wenger came to England one of the first things he did was to restructure the whole youth system at Arsenal due to the FA deciding to close The England''s Centre of Excellence and not re-opening at the Burton. Due to this failure by the FA, not Wenger, there is a massive dearth of British talent. The majority of our English team came through this system but where are the english youngsters coming from now? I don''t know if you have realised but two of the biggest hyped youth players in English football are Keiran Gibbs and Wilshere with Craig Eastwood slowly gaining a reputation within the game. Where have they come from? They have come through the youth system Wenger set up when he first joined. When beginning the process it was stated it would take 10 years for the first batch of players to come through- that will be able to fit Arsenal''s technical style of play.People will be praising Wenger for a long time for what he has done for the future of the English national team once this process has seen a player carry out his career from the very beginning. Studies of youth training state that 70%of technical training happens before the age of 13 so how were they able to develop anyone any sooner?The FA have severely let this country down with youth development but somehow Wenger gets blamed for the lack of British youth development at Arsenal, the place that has spent multi-million pounds on their academy. Who have Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool brought through and who are they bringing through now? They have only bought their success in recent times, something Arsenal cannot do with their budget.Also, unless you are aware, Arsenal have also spent a lot of money on Walcott and Ramsey who are probably the two biggest U21 british players names in the premiership. There are many things to pick up Wenger on but youth development is not one.I have studied youth development intensively (that sound a bit wrong doesn''t it?) and I cannot begin to get over how much I disagree with your opinion, but as it''s a democracy you are allowed it (Even though you are wrong )

[quote user="Wembley_Canary"]Oh boo hoo! Just another boring old fart trying to be little the current generation of football and give it the old "it''s not like it was back in my day" rubbish. Sorry but i''m so tiered of hearing this, maybe because i''m younger than most on here and didn''t watch football in the 70s and 80s, but is modern football really that bad or do you just miss "the good old days" when football was different to what it is today and your life in general was probably alot more enjoyable at that time, hence why you feel the need to knock modern football. It''s kind of funny how the older generation love to moan about modern day football and claim that football is dead while at the same time tuning into the lastets Live Barclays Premiership game on SkySports, going to modern day football grounds and reading all the latest gossip about the next multi million pound transfer deal to one of Europes biggest football clubs. I really don''t think football is anywhere near as bad as the old timers like to make out. The standard of football is better than it ever was, the atmosphere is not quite so good but still decent, the stadiums are superb and attending a football match is now a safe environment for families, hence the increase in the number of family clubs across Britain. I''m not worried about the future of football, the passion and love for the sport is as strong as it ever has been both in England and across the world.[/quote]I am pretty sure EV isn''t exactly old......I would say it has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Am I being an old fart that i can remember Euro 96?

[quote user="jed exodous"]I think this season has been one of the most exciting premier league seasons for years. 3 teams still in the title race, just, 4 or 5 battling for 4th and 3 out of 4 big teams out the FA cup. I do agree that money is ruining the game, which is why i beleive next seasons champ will be one of the poorest for a long time. Until someone at Fifa/FA grows a pair and puts salary caps and spreads the tv money more evenly, then its only gonna get worse. As for the football itself, you always play football to your strengths. Arsenals strength is pace and passing, Chelsea use pace and power and be more physical as shown by 2 of the most powerful players in the air, Terry and Drogba. Chelsea got the plaudits because Arsenal were nulified in the final 3rd, not strong enough in midfield and too slow at the back for the 2nd week running. Any team will try and time waste when 2-0 up against Arsenal. Chelsea man for man are better than Arsenal, but Arsenal on their day can beat anyone because of their flair and pace. I''d rather win ugly than lose playing nice football, dunno bout you lot. Arsenal do have a billionaire on the board, forget his name but hes close to a takeover, only needs about 0.5% of the shares more then he has to buy the lot. Arsenal are no different to the other teams, just Wenger is more stubborn than some of the other managers which is his own downful and why they wont win anything again this season. Why didn''t Arsenal buy a target man striker which they are so desperately crying out for to replace Adebayor? and why didn''t they give Fabregas a partner in midfield to shoulder the burden? What Arsenal fail to see is that games against the other big 4 are not must wins, they are must not lose, which is what Chelsea and Man U make sure of each time they are involved.[/quote]What I am suggesting Jed is that Arsenal don''t have a majority shareholder billionaire. Yes, they have a wealthy shareholder but there are many shareholders with the shares divided fairly equally. Arsenal didn''t buy a forward because they felt that Bendtner could cover while Van Persie was fit and they could wait for Chamach to run out his contract so will got him for free. Arsenal are the only team that seem to work within their means, something that should be applauded, not questioned constantly by the media. If the Glaziers/Ambramovich/Liverpool owners leave then the clubs will be in turmoil. Arsenal don''t have that issue due to the highest shareholder only holding a 29% share.

[quote user="GJP"][quote user="Master J-Do Pur"]I think it is due to people''s different taste in football. Some people prefer the fighting 100% committed players e.g. The Doc. However some people prefer more cultured, calm and collected, center backs in their team.  Some look for a good first touch, some look for dedication to the cause. [/quote] I think you get all of that with the Doc. [/quote]If that were the case and he had both, he would be in the Premier League.

Hey EV, always enjoy your posts.I have had similar feelings recently towards football. My biggest annoyance coming when i watched the recent Chelsea vs Arsenal game. In my opinion Chelsea played the most negative football i have seen in a long time. In the 60th minute i witnessed Lampard clearing the ball into the Arsenal half, under no pressure whatsoever, to run down the clock. How can one of the biggest names in English football be content, and proud, with the football that was played that game.The media coverage was bizarre afterwards. Attacking Wenger and his desire for good, eye-catching football. Then to read pundits applauding Chelsea, suggesting Chelsea taught them a lesson in football. How come it has become part of english football to riducule exciting football and celebrate the negative style?I think the problem is that there is too much pressure on the result. No longer is it as simplistic as a spectators  sport, where you have to excite the crowd with the latest trick/step over. Clubs have become franchises. Due to the amount of dept being held against assets, it has now become imperative to keep the value of the business at it''s highest peak.Maybe this is why Arsenal are able to be one of the few clubs where its main aim is to play attractive football, because the finances have been kept in order, and are not so prone to fluxuations causing fear with bankruptcy just round the corner. The fact that they also don''t have one, billionaire, owner demanding results means they don''t have to answer due to one poor result.Sadly, due to the money, there is less excitement. I can''t imagine another team doing a Norwich in ''93 without doing a Leeds straight after. The biggest question i have is, how can players be happy playing such tactical football without any freedom for creativity? The demand for clinical over the spectical has become too much in my opinion.

You should lend him your Merkin Rudolph to wear on his head. Then he will bring a smile on all Norwich fan''s faces.

i am in!

I think it is due to people''s different taste in football. Some people prefer the fighting 100% committed players e.g. The Doc. However some people prefer more cultured, calm and collected, center backs in their team. In the end it is just opinion of which everyone has different ideals. It depends what you look for in a player at first. Some look for a good first touch, some look for dedication to the cause. These football philosophies both have their merits. This is why football is so great- who is to say who is right?

[quote user="Allez17"]I will happily give Paul Lambert my first born child.[/quote]I never thought i would be able to explain my Love for PL and you have managed it perfectly in 10 words.

I Love THE DOC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With Leeds losing be great to get 3 points now!

Darn you double post.

[quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="Scottlarock"][quote user="GJP"] [quote user="Scottlarock"]he owes us a season like this next year in the Championship before things even up though. [/quote] He doesn''t owe us anything. He''s done a bloody good job for us before this season. This time round the difference is that he''s got a good manager and a good team around him not like last year when it was basically him and only 2 or 3 others fighting for the cause.   [/quote]yeah, so much so that we got hammered 7-1 and he got dropped instantly when the good manager turned up - in his last 150 appearances he''s played 35ish good games and the rest of the time he''s been woeful and a clear target for any striker with ambition and a hint of pace.He has had a few good performances before this season but he clearly owes us this type of form..........against opposition in a better league.I feel he does owe us consistency and concentration.GJP.....can you give me some examples of when he''s done a ''bloody'' good job for us before this season please rather than some jingoistic tosh because we''re doing well. [/quote] I reckon one mans jingoistic tosh is another mans examole of the truth. Can you give me some examples of where he''s been done by "any striker with a hint of pace"? For the three seasons prior to this one we had too many players who weren''t brave. Players in midfield and defence who got away scot free with hiding because the fans didn''t noitice them. They just noticed the last man who was bravely still playing for the badge. Doc''s partners would lose their man, Doc would be covering for them as well as marking his own man, Doc would be seen and get the blame. Never was this more evident than at Charlton last season. The midfield would shirk their responsibilities and play the ball back to the defenders and the keeper who in turn incurred the wrath of the fans as the hoofed the ball up to Alan Lee because the midfield didn''t want the ball and would have given it straight back. The Doc is not a better player this season. He is not quicker, he hasn''t suddenly learned to pass the ball. He is more confident and this confidence stems from having players around him being brave too. Players not hiding. Midfielders who play forwrds and want the ball. Doc. Doc doesn''t really owe us anything but some fans owe him a bit more understanding about what happened in the last three seasons.   [/quote]Sorry for the late reply but just saw this comment. Whenever i think of The Doc i think of this game. I have never been so embarrassed of a defender. I watched this with a load of Burnley fans at uni and The Doc became their favourite Rugby player. He has played well this season, but in the higher division he will struggle (in my opinion anyway).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj86h-CdJhsI think this answers your request for "examples of where he''s been done by "any striker with a hint of pace"?

[quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="Scottlarock"][quote user="GJP"] [quote user="Scottlarock"]he owes us a season like this next year in the Championship before things even up though. [/quote] He doesn''t owe us anything. He''s done a bloody good job for us before this season. This time round the difference is that he''s got a good manager and a good team around him not like last year when it was basically him and only 2 or 3 others fighting for the cause.   [/quote]yeah, so much so that we got hammered 7-1 and he got dropped instantly when the good manager turned up - in his last 150 appearances he''s played 35ish good games and the rest of the time he''s been woeful and a clear target for any striker with ambition and a hint of pace.He has had a few good performances before this season but he clearly owes us this type of form..........against opposition in a better league.I feel he does owe us consistency and concentration.GJP.....can you give me some examples of when he''s done a ''bloody'' good job for us before this season please rather than some jingoistic tosh because we''re doing well. [/quote] I reckon one mans jingoistic tosh is another mans examole of the truth. Can you give me some examples of where he''s been done by "any striker with a hint of pace"? For the three seasons prior to this one we had too many players who weren''t brave. Players in midfield and defence who got away scot free with hiding because the fans didn''t noitice them. They just noticed the last man who was bravely still playing for the badge. Doc''s partners would lose their man, Doc would be covering for them as well as marking his own man, Doc would be seen and get the blame. Never was this more evident than at Charlton last season. The midfield would shirk their responsibilities and play the ball back to the defenders and the keeper who in turn incurred the wrath of the fans as the hoofed the ball up to Alan Lee because the midfield didn''t want the ball and would have given it straight back. The Doc is not a better player this season. He is not quicker, he hasn''t suddenly learned to pass the ball. He is more confident and this confidence stems from having players around him being brave too. Players not hiding. Midfielders who play forwrds and want the ball. Doc. Doc doesn''t really owe us anything but some fans owe him a bit more understanding about what happened in the last three seasons.   [/quote]Sorry for the late reply but just saw this comment. Whenever i think of The Doc i think of this game. I have never been so embarrassed of a defender. I watched this with a load of Burnley fans at uni and The Doc became their favourite Rugby player. He has played well this season, but in the higher division he will struggle (in my opinion anyway).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj86h-CdJhsI think this answers your request for "examples of where he''s been done by "any striker with a hint of pace"?

[quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="Scottlarock"][quote user="GJP"] [quote user="Scottlarock"]he owes us a season like this next year in the Championship before things even up though. [/quote] He doesn''t owe us anything. He''s done a bloody good job for us before this season. This time round the difference is that he''s got a good manager and a good team around him not like last year when it was basically him and only 2 or 3 others fighting for the cause.   [/quote]yeah, so much so that we got hammered 7-1 and he got dropped instantly when the good manager turned up - in his last 150 appearances he''s played 35ish good games and the rest of the time he''s been woeful and a clear target for any striker with ambition and a hint of pace.He has had a few good performances before this season but he clearly owes us this type of form..........against opposition in a better league.I feel he does owe us consistency and concentration.GJP.....can you give me some examples of when he''s done a ''bloody'' good job for us before this season please rather than some jingoistic tosh because we''re doing well. [/quote] I reckon one mans jingoistic tosh is another mans examole of the truth. Can you give me some examples of where he''s been done by "any striker with a hint of pace"? For the three seasons prior to this one we had too many players who weren''t brave. Players in midfield and defence who got away scot free with hiding because the fans didn''t noitice them. They just noticed the last man who was bravely still playing for the badge. Doc''s partners would lose their man, Doc would be covering for them as well as marking his own man, Doc would be seen and get the blame. Never was this more evident than at Charlton last season. The midfield would shirk their responsibilities and play the ball back to the defenders and the keeper who in turn incurred the wrath of the fans as the hoofed the ball up to Alan Lee because the midfield didn''t want the ball and would have given it straight back. The Doc is not a better player this season. He is not quicker, he hasn''t suddenly learned to pass the ball. He is more confident and this confidence stems from having players around him being brave too. Players not hiding. Midfielders who play forwrds and want the ball. Doc. Doc doesn''t really owe us anything but some fans owe him a bit more understanding about what happened in the last three seasons.   [/quote]Sorry for the late reply but just saw this comment. Whenever i think of The Doc i think of this game. I have never been so embarrassed of a defender. I watched this with a load of Burnley fans at uni and The Doc became their favourite Rugby player. He has played well this season, but in the higher division he will struggle (in my opinion anyway).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj86h-CdJhsI think this answers your request for "examples of where he''s been done by "any striker with a hint of pace"?

[quote user="king canary"][quote user="Shyster"][quote user="lappinitup"][quote user="Shyster"]Hopefully he''s learned a lesson from last nights encounter, because while the injuries and suspensions go on, there''s no way we can continue with the ''cracked'' diamond.[/quote]I don''t understand where you''re coming from with your "cracked diamond" theory Shyster. If other teams work out how to combat the system in the second half of the season, surely they already know how to combat 442 when they are faced with it every week and would find it easier to play against than the diamond. [/quote] It''s about having the options to change within a match, Lappin. Surely it''s always wise to start with a different formation to what the opposition is expecting, and with seven subs on the bench, that formation can easily be altered during the course of games.[/quote]Erm no. If we change our formation every game to try and out fox teams we will lose. Other teams should be having to change their formations to try and combat us. In the modern game I cannot think of a single team who play 4-4-2 with two outright pacy wingers.[/quote]How about Aston Villa?I''m not on Shyster''s side in this debate against the diamond (see previous post) but there are teams that do play with 2 wingers, and well. Ashley Young and Stewart Downing are both outright pacey wingers. For it to work though the two central midfielders do need to be disciplined, although Milner does have room to maneuver. Arsenal worked well with Pires/Ljungberg but they had a very strong partnership in the middle with Viera and Gilberto.I never quite did understand the concept from Roeder that you couldn''t have two wingers in the team when he then always touched himself in excitement over arsenal who played in that way for years before recently adopting their formation. However, for it to work you do need a hardworking partnership in the middle, which is something that Hoolahan wouldn''t give you. And, to be honest, what sane person would want him tracking back instead of being in the attacking third? Madness.

[quote user="Shyster"][quote user="Shack Attack"][quote user="Shyster"]In Hoolahan we have our ''Trequartista'' [/quote]Now if I''d have used a word like that you would have sniggered about me talking a good game from what I''d read in books but having no real idea about football [;)]I do agree though. The success we''ve had this season with the diamond formation is that it has allowed Hoolahan to pop up in areas of the pitch where the opposition find it hard to deal with him. Most specifically in the area just between the oppositions defence and midfield, often to the right side of our attack so he can link up with Martin who often tends to drift out that way. Now the reason he can do that is because he has no responsibility to track back into defence. That''s not to say he has no defensive responsibilities as he is required, alongside Holt, to hassle the opposition in their half which in turn gives them less time on the ball and allows our defence to play a higher line.Now if you were to play him as a left sided central midfield player then there''s no way you can give him that licence not to track back. Not if you want to see the team play with pacy wingers which has always been your desire. You might just about get away with it if you were to play (from left to right) Lappin-Hoolahan-Russell-Smith/Hughes but then you''re essentially still playing with a diamond! When you first started writing Harry Potter and the Cracked Diamond [;)] you wanted us to play with two pacy wingers and advocated the signing of Albert Adomah. At the time you were willing to leave our treqartista out altogether as presumably McNamee-Hoolahan-Russell-Adomah would leave us completely overrun in midfield (although it would be great fun to watch [:D]).The only other option as Nutty points out is to play him in the hole behind a lone centre forward. But then what do you do with Chris Martin? He''s been the one player who''s really surprised me this season and a lot of that is down to his position in the team which is basically that of a ''False Nine'' (and you thought treqartista was fancy [:P]). Lambert deserves a hell of a lot of credit for transforming him from a more traditional centre forward to a more deep lying player who opposition defences seem to have an awful lot of trouble picking up.What we really need is to keep the diamond and sign two pacy full-backs. Then we''d be unbeatable [:D][/quote] The only time I wanted Hoolahan omitted from the first eleven was when we had a manager stupid enough to field him on the wing.Why do you assume we''d be overrun in midfield by not playing two defensive midfielders? Has Russel not proved to you that he''s good enough to play the holding role whilst protecting the defence? He''s the Patrick Viera of the 3rd Division ffs! [;)]Seriously, Shack, I''ve rarely witnessed a 4-4-2, let alone an attacking 4-4-2, that fields two completely defence minded central midfielders. Have you ever played football, Shack?[/quote] He is good at playing the anchor man in midfield alongside Lappin and Smith, both not orthodox wingers and do their fair share of defensive duties. If we had 2 wingers and then Russell and Hoolahan in the center we would be over run. Russel can only control the midfield if the wide players are happy to tuck in, otherwise he would be outnumbered in the middle.By the way Shack discuss''s football I am under the impression he has played, you however Shyster, I am unsure.

[quote user="Lord Lambert"]Totnes in Devon[/quote]Does the barrel House still do those amazing Milkshakes?

[quote user="Big Slob"]Looking at it now i can see that, as i didn''t phrase it very well.I''m afraid it''s Gudgeon not Gudjin[/quote]It really is Gudgin. I just double checked on the BBC website.Yay, we are best friends again.

[quote user="Big Slob"][quote user="Master J-Do Pur"][quote user="Big Slob"]He''s not a football man, more of a cricket fan.[/quote]Cricket is his number 1 sport you are correct there but to say he doesn''t really follow football is mental. I genuinely don''t get why people post stuff on here as fact when they don''t know. Gudgin is very much a canaries fan whether or not you agree with his presenting or not don''t diminish his name with inaccuracies.[/quote]I didn''t say anything regarding his ability to present or not, nor did i every say he wasn''t a Norwich fan, i think you''re diminishing his name more than iam, by the simple fact you haven''t got the decency to spell his name right. I also never said that he didn''t follow football. I would class myself as a football man like many others on here, i was just trying to point out that he isn''t as he''s more of a cricket man. So get your facts right before posting such utter "inaccuracies"[/quote]Apologies if you didn''t mean it in the way I read it. It''s just that he is a "football Man" but just follows cricket as well. Sorry if i took it the wrong way, just get frustrated on here how people can easily change things to match there grudges.PS. I did spell his name right

[quote user="Big Slob"]He''s not a football man, more of a cricket fan.[/quote]Cricket is his number 1 sport you are correct there but to say he doesn''t really follow football is mental. I genuinely don''t get why people post stuff on here as fact when they don''t know. Gudgin is very much a canaries fan whether or not you agree with his presenting or not don''t diminish his name with inaccuracies.

I was the person answering the calls about two years ago at Radio Norfolk- during the Grant/Roeder period. It was very frustrating, when we were doing badly it was difficult to answer all the calls there were so many. When we started doing well under Roeder (if you can remember that part of his tenure) the calls dropped dramatically to a point it was just the same 10 people calling in.Very frustrating due to programming reasons. It is always nice to get a general balance of opinions over the hour but majority of callers were all the negative ones. People seem to be much more interested to call in and vent their anger and then drink to their happiness instead of calling in when we won. I would do the same!

Why is it Norwich slowing the game down?

We do look poorat the back against any sort of speed upfront.