GJP

[quote user="Hardhouse44"]I am not impressed can''t see how he keeps Croft out. He looks a slow lightweight.[/quote] Agreed. Had an ok game the other day but would be disappointed if he started the next game.

Shackell just isn''t good enough. Two new first choice central defenders are badly needed and they have been for a long time.

Well my opinion on that game is that Glenn got his team selection wrong, it was a bit negative and looked like he was playing for a point. If you haven''t got Hucks or Croft in the side then you''ve got nobody who wants to take players on with the ball at their feet and no real width. Personally I''d have started with Pattison in central midfield with Fozzie and then Hucks wide left. I know what they said on Sky about Hucks having a problem with his back during the week but I don''t buy into that too much. We should really aim to beat sides like Colchester whether it''s home or away.

[quote user="Ginger Pele"]how can you call a player a flop when he dosnt get to play, he cant prove himself without playing. he could just get one or two games, cant be worse than hartson or cureton or brown can he? [/quote] Maybe Glenn doesn''t think that Dave is putting in the work on the training ground? When I''ve seen him play in his limited appearances for the first team and the reserves I find he gives up too easily. If something doesn''t come off for him then that''s it, if a defender pinches the ball off him he doesn''t fight to get it back. Look at two new lads in the team, Ched Evans and Matty Pattison, when they lose the ball they battle to win it back.   At the end of the day (classic footballing cliché) Glenn Roeder knows his stuff and if he doesn''t put Strihavka in the team it''ll be because he isn''t good enough.

[quote user="Mook"] Oooh. Touched a nerve there, Indy boy. Looks like others feel the same as me. Fair enough if you can justify your dislike of Doherty, most can''t - they just don''t like him. Why else would any self-respecting football fan boo a member of their own playing staff before the match begins? Totally pathetic. That''s IN MY OPINION, just to clarify. You can think what you want. [/quote] Why do they a boo one of their own team? Well I can only guess in the Docs case it''s because they want to shatter his confidence so much that he will become the poor player they all want him to be. So they can all go "I told you that Doherty ain''t no good". Like I''ve said before, you reap what you sow. People are ignorant unfortunately. Shackell, Taylor and Dion could each make dozens and dozens of costly mistakes and they''d never get the stick that Gary Doherty would get for just one slightly misplaced pass. Funny thing is that no matter how many sitters Jamie Cureton misses people will still say we need to get behind him to help his confidence yet the same doesn''t seem to apply to the Doc, if he makes a mistake they want to murder him for it.

If I had to pick a captain I''d probably go for Russell. I don''t think there are many genuine contenders but at least with Rusty whether he''s playing well or not he never stops running, never stops putting in the hard work for the team. I actually wouldn''t mind David Marshall being captain either. I know his goalkeeping hasn''t always been perfect but I get the impression he''s there for the cause and he''s likely to play every game. As for Fotheringham, what I''ve liked about him this season is that he''s looked hungry for it. But against Plymouth I thought being captain had gone to his head a bit, not saying he was coming across as being arrogant just that I thought there were some things he tried to do in a hurry or times he tried to play a harder ball then he needed to. Not saying it''s a bad thing for a player to do that at times just thought he could have kept it a bit simpler. Shackell definitely wouldn''t be top of my list but in some ways I wouldn''t be surprised if Roeder stuck with him just to avoid rocking the boat or denting his confidence.  

When he was on loan last season I thought he was fairly unconvincing. And I did wonder how much Grant would have wanted him if he wasn''t from Celtic. Also think we maybe paid a bit over the odds for him, probably because Grant made it so obvious he wanted to sign him Celtic knew they would get a decent fee for him.   However, I think he''s been good enough for us this season. He makes mistakes but it''s not like we''re about to sign Petr Cech so for Norwich at the moment I think he''s a pretty good keeper. And some of his shot-stopping can be awesome.

[quote user="AJ"]The way he played reminded me completely of Chris Martin! [/quote] Did you really think Ched Evans played a similar game to what Chris Martin does? I don''t think they''re the same kind of the player at all.

I really do feel sorry for the guy, he just can''t do anything right in some peoples eyes. If he hoofs it upfield/into the stands he gets criticised and if he dares take a touch on it and tries to have a look around he gets stick for not putting his foot through the ball as soon as it comes to him him. Last night does anybody remember when he had to take a freekick on the halfway line in the 2nd half? The one which ended up being worked back to Marshall. Doherty took his time on it and he was looking up and the longer he took the more vocal the people around me were becoming with the usual Doherty insults. And I sat there and I just thinking to myself if these people actually bother to look up the pitch they''ll realise (hopefully) that the Doc has got nothing to hit, if he''d have booted the ball up the park Plymouth would have picked it off and it would have come straight back at us. There was another moment when the guy dribbed the ball across the pitch for a couple of yards, he wanted to have a little think about it and see what options were on for him, which was just sensible football. But oh no...the usual jeers come out from some parts of the crowd. I mean people criticise the Doc for his supposed erratic play and poor distribution but if the crowd get on his back everytime he touches the ball what do they expect is going to happen? You reap what you sow.

[quote user="Optimisticcanary"]The Doc as we put it is a complete waste of space,  the rule is  "If in doubt kick it out".  this is all well and goo and he is superb at doing this.  he is strong in the air cos he can use his head. its solid wood.   but the rest of his game is total crap.  other times he got the ball tonight he had no clue what to do with it and he was unsure where to play it. Why else was the spurs faithful so please to be shot of him. he was a very good player 6-7 years ago when he played as a striker.  but since he has be converted to defense and then sent here to carrow road he is a bloody liability,  he is far more responsible for free kicks, goals and pens than anyone else since he started playing here. i say hes only getting a few games so roeder can asses his value in the Jan sales so we can get a few quid for him.  good riddance.  sign up taylor instead. [/quote] Ok, so you''re completely cluess but setting that aside for a moment If we were to put Doherty and Shackell up for sale: who would get the most interest? who would get the highest transfer fee? I think you''ll find the answer to both would be Gary Doherty. Ok, fair enough, the above are my opinions...but the ones below aren''t... Out of Doherty and Shackell: Who has played for a bigger club than Norwich? Who has played most games in the Premier League? Who has played at international level? All 3 times Gary Doherty. Gary Doherty is the best defender on the books at Norwich City. To think otherwise is, frankly, ridiculous.  

[quote user="ricardo"] For me he was magnificent tonight yet some idiot on the phone in was still getting on his back. Blake never got a look in and I think the whole defence looked solid. We still need a bit more strength in mid field. Russell is full of energy but gives the ball away too much. Fotheringham not at the races tonight. It was a game we would have lost 6 weeks ago. [/quote] Well said. It''s so frustrating to sit there at the game and start hearing the idiots get on his case as soon as he touches the ball. The chap on the radio said Shackell is 10 times better than Doherty. Well if I had to pick between the pair of them I''d pick Doherty, no question. And I''ve definitely got a better understanding of the game than that fool who called in to Radio Norfolk.

[quote user="Duffman"]I think GJP has just spoken a load of rubbish. But the beauty of the game is he is entitled to his opinion.  [/quote] So my stance is that I think Doherty is a decent defender at this level who doesn''t get given a fair go by some City fans. And I also think that Jason Shackell is an average defender (at best) who isn''t good enough to lead Norwich to being nearer the top of this league. Plus I don''t think it''s good enough that Shackell has to rely on having a much better defender next to him to make him look up to half decent.   Which part of that is rubbish? Could someone, who actually knows something about the game of football, tell me which bit of that is rubbish?

[quote user="Duffman"] Doherty ''might'' be our best defender statistically (where are these stats by the way?) but he is too much of a liability.  I went to Stoke on Saturday and he gave away too many free kicks and against Stoke that isnt something you want to do.   He also gave the ball away too much and sold his team mates short on most of his passes. Shackell has looked every bit the player we all hoped this last 4 or 5 games and why?  Because he has a competent partner next to him.  He has his worst games when Doherty is next to him, fact. Does he not make you cringe just a little bit when ever the ball is played to him?  He does me.    I know he isnt a right back and probably struggled largely on saturday due to that but even when he is at Centre back he still doesnt convince me.  You''ll never win anything with Doherty in your team, you can take that to the bank ! [/quote] Likewise you''ll never win anything as long as Jason Shackell is captain and a first choice centreback. If he needs a better player alongside him to make him look half decent then he''s not good enough. Doherty is still the best defender on the books of this club. I can already see on this thread that people who have a bit of more an idea what they''re talking about know that.

[quote user="Vern "] [quote user="gcb...norwich"]Get off the Docherty slating FFS!!!!!!!!!!![/quote] Why??. He is a bloody liability. [/quote] The only thing I don''t like about Gary Doherty is that he doesn''t power his headers, not like Danny Shittu does anyway. Other than that I think he''s quite a decent defender in Championship football. Plus he would run through a brick wall for Norwich City. Shame people don''t appreciate that.  

[quote user="gcb...norwich"]Get off the Docherty slating FFS!!!!!!!!!!![/quote] Well said. If that man defended like William Gallas and also scored a hat-trick in every game for the rest of the season some people would still have it in for him.

Nothing changes overnight well all know that. But I think the signs are positive and so far Glenn Roeder looks like the man for the job, he''s been around the block and he knows the score. I expect us to be beaten a few more times before the end of the season but I expect us to win enough games to see as win enough games to finish above the drop zone. I think the good thing for us is that we''ve already had our worst spell in the earlier stages of the season and we''ve got plenty of time to start putting things back on track.

We won''t get relegated from this league. I''m not saying we''ll march up the league and into the play-offs this season but I don''t consider relegation to be a possible outcome. It''s been obvious from Roeders first few weeks incharge that he''s a man who likes to play football the right way, unlike Grant. He''s clearly got a decent network of contacts, has respect within the game and is able to attract good quality players to the club. He''s also a man who is prepared to speak his mind but only in a way which helps the club. It''ll be a long and tough battle but we will not get relegated, of that I have no doubt.

[quote user="Shifty Sid"]Why are some people so negative!  One guy said ''same old Norwich, back to the old ways''.  Get real!  We played well today, we could have won it.  Under Grant or Worthington we hardly got any shots on goal in away games, merely going through the motions.  Had the Stoke game been played a month ago it would have been another 5-0 drubbing.  Many teams will go to Stoke this season and lose (and probably lose by a bigger margin than we did).  We turned the corner at Coventry at home.  We''ll beat Plymouth Tuesday night and I reckon we''ll beat Robson''s Sheffield United on Saturday - we will be out of the bottom 3 by Christmas and we will be in the top 15 by end of January. Yes, we will lose some loan players in January, but Patisson wants to stay permanently (out of contract in June, so available for peanuts) and once the transfer window opens I am confident the Board will back Roeder with money to ensure we stay well clear of the bottom three. Onwards and upwards!  On the ball, City!!  [/quote] Is that the same bloke who said something about going down to League One? As far as I''m concerned people like that should find themselves another team to follow (I''m not going to use the word "support"). Good post though mate, nice positive attitude.

Sounds like Hucks did something Cureton hasn''t done enough of...taking a chance on something falling/breaking for him.

I think you''re being unnecessarily critical.  

[quote user="ob1"][quote user="GJP"] [quote user="ob1"] Blimey! I guess wholeheartedly with Bly! Huckerby when starting only turns up in about 1 in 4 games (when he then rules, admittedly) - as a super-sub he is second to none and can make an impact in everygame. Pattison is doing superb on the wing - why change? We have the option of bringing Hucks on and switching Pattison to centre to replace a misfiring/injured midfielder or bring Hucks on the right or up front etc... options are nice *during* a game. Anyway - replacing a defensive/grafter midfielder (Rusty) with an attacking midfielder (Patti) is pretty nieve. If you were to do that you''d also have to replace Fozzy with a defensive midfielder, resulting in 3 in 4 changes when Roeder is obviously trying to settle the team down. And a settled team in best at the start of a game... Spillane, Brellier or Jarvis are the obvious players to bring in as replacement for Rusty. Straight one-to-one swap. Otherwise the entire make-up of the team will shift. [/quote] I wouldn''t hesitate to put Pattison in central midfield, I think he looks like he''s the type of player who is fully prepared to battle away for the team. Brellier has been a let down for City and Spillane and Jarvis are not good enough to play at this level in a key position like central midfield. If we put any of those 3 in midfield we''re going to be making things difficult for ourselves. [/quote] I''m not suggesting "those three" but one of those three... what you are suggesting is swapping around 3 players - talk about making it difficult for ourselves! I''m suggesting swapping one-for-one and like-for-like. Putting two attacking central midfielders in and having no defensive midfielders is suicide, even for the best teams in the world. I agree they have not performed to expectation - but lets see what a bit of confidence and a new manager and a new chance will do to their form. [/quote] I know what you''re saying. If you actually read my reply properly the key word was "any". I said "if we put any of those 3 in midfield..." Spillane and Jarvis are not ready/good enough to play at this level. And Brellier has been a let down who doesn''t deserve a place in the team at the moment. New manager or not. Obviously this is a non-issue at the moment as Russell isn''t banned but he was playing 1 of Jarvis, Spillane or Brellier in his place is definitely not the answer.

[quote user="we8wba"] england can play 4-4-2 they just play the wrong players i.e midfielders for me would be hargreaves and one another i would drop lamps n gerrard until they perform for england, not just club level everyone moans at lamps but cant remeber gerrard last truly good game left wing should be ashley young, what more can he do? he playing top 8 side n consistent everyweek, j.cole is luxury, but in big games he isnt able to defend n help out a.cole, young although attacking gets back right wing id play lennon or bentley centre halfs sod sol campbell of start breading the youth in stephen taylor etc.. goalkeep carson, green, kirkland in my squad, play carson, great keeper, just got bought in unexpectedly really and in such big game to start in                                                                 carson richards                           taylor                                 terry                           cole   lennon                           hargreaves                        scholes                           young                                          rooney                        owen   new manager should do everything in his powers to lure scholes back in squad for one last run until end 2010 world cup upfront owen fit you have to play, rooney i consider another luxury but he can really turn in a performance once n while so he would have to stay any thoughts ?? [/quote] Well I like your inclusion of Ashley Young. He should have featured more than he has for England already. He''s ridiculously fast with the ball at his feet and he''s going to become one of the most dangerous players around, I think. As for the right wing... David Beckham is still my choice there. He''s probably the one truly "world class" player England can call upon, nobody can deliver the quality he can. He''s never relied on pace and with the way footballers look after themselves these days I see no reason why he can''t play another 3 years at international level. Especially if you''ve got someone like Richards supporting him from fullback. I don''t really consider Scott Carson to be anything special. He''s a good keeper but like all the other goalkeeping options at the moment he''s not outstanding. I''d play David James, I don''t really care what he''s done in the past. He''s coming to the end of his career now and he''s got something to prove, he wants to be remembered for the right reasons. In my opinion he''s the best English goalkeeper in the game at the moment. Upfront we have to stick by Michael Owen when he is fit because we don''t have anybody who can score goals like he can. I don''t know who I''d play with him though. Do you go with someone like Heskey who is there to do a job and will do it or do you go with Rooney who probably isn''t the best partner for Owen but has the ability to produce something brilliant from nothing? Is it time Woodgate is given a proper go at centreback? They always say when it comes to natural ability he''s probably the best we''ve got, is it time for him to step up and show people what he''s made of? As for central midfield...haven''t got a clue at the moment. I guess although Gerrard has been disappointing recently I think I''d still be interested to see how him and Hargreaves combined over a decent run of games.  

[quote user="ob1"] Blimey! I guess wholeheartedly with Bly! Huckerby when starting only turns up in about 1 in 4 games (when he then rules, admittedly) - as a super-sub he is second to none and can make an impact in everygame. Pattison is doing superb on the wing - why change? We have the option of bringing Hucks on and switching Pattison to centre to replace a misfiring/injured midfielder or bring Hucks on the right or up front etc... options are nice *during* a game. Anyway - replacing a defensive/grafter midfielder (Rusty) with an attacking midfielder (Patti) is pretty nieve. If you were to do that you''d also have to replace Fozzy with a defensive midfielder, resulting in 3 in 4 changes when Roeder is obviously trying to settle the team down. And a settled team in best at the start of a game... Spillane, Brellier or Jarvis are the obvious players to bring in as replacement for Rusty. Straight one-to-one swap. Otherwise the entire make-up of the team will shift. [/quote] I wouldn''t hesitate to put Pattison in central midfield, I think he looks like he''s the type of player who is fully prepared to battle away for the team. Brellier has been a let down for City and Spillane and Jarvis are not good enough to play at this level in a key position like central midfield. If we put any of those 3 in midfield we''re going to be making things difficult for ourselves.

I would bring Pattison in to central midfield and play Hucks wide left. Or maybe even Chadwick central with Croft/Hucks wide right.  

[quote user="chicken"] I don''t think this is fair. People are trying to make a direct comparrison and then missing out half of their character. Jamie plays with his heart on his sleave, to add to that he is a team player who is capable of helping build up attacking moves. I would expect Earnshaw to be better at staying onside because that was practically the only dimension to his game. I know I will get slaughtered for this but he always knew he was going to leave here hence the buy out clause. He team play left a lot to be desired in all honesty and he even suggested when he left that this was still the weakest part of his game. Another thing to add here is that Jamie doesn''t have Earnie''s pace which is why he has to walk a much finer line with the off-sides although I will agree he is getting caught far to often at the moment. Hopefully with a win and a goal under his belt he will step up another level and improve as I expect the team to do now. For me getting nothing less than a draw away from home must be the next step. [/quote] To be honest I don''t think Jamie is that much more of a team player than Earnie. I think people like to believe that''s the case but I think their games are fairly similar, only that Earnie was more of a threat. Cureton hasn''t exactly run his socks off for the team since he''s been back at Carrow Road. But all good strikers need to be a little bit selfish.