birchfest

I don’t hate the idea of him in the middle with Normann against Liverpool. He is very highly thought of in the club and also young, I think it’s just a case of the chance presenting itself and him take it, that could be tomorrow

Before this descends into a scapegoat style argument, I personally don't hold any single player as the sole reason for the Watford match. However, just looking at the season so far and the changes to the back line (Gibson in then out, Omobamidele in then out) we still haven't been able to cut out the errors despite changing the CB partner of Hanley. Its a big call to drop the captain, and I do believe he is capable at this level (though isn't performing at it currently) but 5 losses in a row with Gibson, Kabak and now Omobamidele all in the picture, could it be time to try something else? I still think Gibson is capable of being our best centre back and has only been looking a little off the pace due to a long injury lay off and then a disrupted pre-season. Perhaps start him with Kabak against Liverpool to see if we could get a partnership going? What say you?

I think we just have to accept it and hope the squad roll up their sleeves this coming week and show they really want to be in this league. I'd also argue there are some potentially key players who need to now be training and knocking on the mangers door to be involved; Dowel, Cantwell, Omobamidele etc

Probably go back to our formation from last season. We romped the league with it, so it deserves a chance for me I would go with; Krul Aarons Kabak Gibson Williams Normann McClean Tzolis Dowell Cantwell Pukki

Considering some of our recruits literally played for us for the first time today, disappointment aside, its a little bit early to be passing judgement don't you think? We won't truly know till probably mid October, irrespective of results, if they are decent or not

Distribution was poor, but ultimately we had a very aggressive press working against us, especially in the wide areas. All in all Krul actually had a good game in the defensive aspect, even with their goal he’d made a great save to tip it onto the post. Too soon to start throwing him out of the side, especially considering the strike forces he’s had to face so far (Salah, Jota, Mane, Jesus, Grealish, Vardy, Saka, Aumbayang), let’s see if his performance start earning us points against this next run of fixtures.

Well today certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons, Omobamidele clearly not viewed as only 4th choice and Gibson with some work to do after what I viewed as a very good performance. With Kabak also coming into the fold, it looks like we have for the first time in a while legitimate competition for the start. So what does everyone think? I’m half tempted to say by the end of the season it will be Kabak and Omobamidele who will featured the most.

Whilst I’m a massive supporter for Stadium development, I think it should be behind the training ground stuff on the list of what is a priority. You have to look at it as a bit of a bet with the stadium, you need to fill those extra seats for perhaps 10 years to pay it off… that’s a gamble in our current standings in football, one we could make with a little bit more stability in the top flight and extra cash to help the project. However, regardless of which league we are in there will always be a use for a rehab pool, as we will always have players at Colney and injuries are part of football. Now when you look at the extra benefits, say we can reduce players time out with an injury by 10-20% that would be a huge benefit. They’d have another low impact way for days after the match to rehabilitate which would potentially bring our injury rate down too. And then you can factor in the ‘player draw’ effect, when we have potential signings looking at us as an option.

The fruit loops are out in force. He was on the bench for Liverpool and Man City, so that rules out a weird idea of cooling the hype? Why would you not have him at least on the bench off the back of a good performance (and start) in the cup that week. Farke said he was a doubt. People saying it’s weird he finished the game… does every injury we see happen on the pitch? No, he’s young and enthusiastic, he might have felt fatigue but pushed on through because he was having a cracking debut. The next day it will have tightened up and he would have realised there was a strain. Now actually read what’s been said, 2-3 weeks. So 2 weeks suggests we are already half way through that. Now read what’s been said about the Greece fixtures, he would be available for their later two POTENTIALLY. I mean come on guys those are this weekend/next week. Isn’t it obvious they’ve told him to come out in the hope he might be able to make the World Cup qualifiers, even if it’s the last one. It’s really really bizarre the angle some one here immediately jump to ‘oh Farke is bad with players’ ‘Farke doesn’t tell the truth’. He’s literally been as honest as you can be about this.

11 new players who weren’t involved in that mess.. you’ve got to hope that none of the new boys will be effected by that.

I get your point, but I’m not sure they would be on 5 points after Liverpool, Man City and Leicester. Don’t get me wrong, they have done great so far, but it will all start to level out when they don’t come up against a rather crap Arsenal, average palace and a Villa side still getting going. On the subject, I’d say on paper we have the better player and financially the better deal. Our deal has also allowed us to have money to sign other key positions too.

Anyone else notice that Brentford have been pretty inactive, seems like the Ajier money ate up most of their budget. Funny as people decried that we wouldn’t spend the extra 4 million.. yet that’s how much we’ve used on Kabak today, plus by the sounds of it being able to go in on Sargent, PLM and Tzolis.

And just like that the 20/21 transfer window for us is done. I’m tempted to go back to the first couple of pages and compare what we ended up with, I think I’d give us an 8.5/10 for this window. I see the concepts, I see the intention and I see some pretty clever moves. till January!

Well it’s the question that will always be asked of any relegated team. But yes, I’d say the argument from a fan/media perspective thar ‘Norwich went down because they never sign anyone can be put to bed’. But as will all transfers, we could look back and say they ultimately didn’t work or weren’t good enough despite reputation, but that’s the risk of any transfer for any club. Personally the last 24 hours have transformed this window from, quite good but still showing we are having to take some risks to a really good window where we appear to have beaten ‘bigger’ teams to the signings of Normann and Kabak. Now it’s time to get behind them and try and give them the extra % in the games from our support,

Hit a nerve it appears. Cheer up, we are signing a fantastic player that is probably a tier above what we could normally shop in.

It’s had the Here we go treatment. Frankly, if your not happy with this window you never will, or should go support a big 6 team, as for a club of our size the logic and ambition in our transfers are there to see. It doesn’t mean it will come off, but my word we can’t say we haven’t tried.

Wow some of the posters in here… I’m not sure what would make you happy beyond us signing Harry Maguire, and even then you’d say ‘oh actually he’s past it’. Not one for the future, and a highly sought after player with bigger clubs in the food chain than us sniffing around. But sure, I guess your know more than both Norwich and Liverpool’s recruitment teams.

Blimey…. It’s going to happen isn’t it. What a time to be a city fan.

This would be a spectacular move considering our position and the interest from bigger clubs. I mean, Liverpool thought he was good enough initially and were going to potentially pay 18 million. Sounds like after a slow start for them he found form before getting an injury that just meant he didn’t show enough for a permanent. This one is being played as a last minute one, the only way we could have gotten him as we know Schakle need him off the books, but would have demanded a decent fee earlier in the window. Now the idea of a loan with a few to buy, perhaps with a loan fee is looking the most attractive with other clubs either offering the same with no loan fee or maybe a permanent for less money then we might pay upon survival. Webber pulls this off and he will have played the game to perfection. Let’s hope we get it over the line.

Good result for you lot this weekend, now the slide begins! We will wave on the way past

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/mathias-normann-2020-21-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics Read this and stop complaining! Haha

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/mathias-normann-2020-21-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics great article on what Normann is about.. I’m excited now

That’s one of those mad ones that might just happen, it would really depend if there was no serious interest from any other party as we know Schalke are keen to do a deal this window

It seems he’s more a hybrid of a box to box and a holding midfielder. Not just a pure sit in front of the back 4 CDM. As for the Brighton link, well… it was under hughton, and let’s not forget Pukki was written off my Celtic. Let’s see what we can do with him.

It’s got the Paddy #Nocircus treatment, Here we go! sounds like we’ve got out….. Nor MANN.