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danielsroundabout

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Posts posted by danielsroundabout

  4. Posted

    Kick it off''s comparison of Grabban with Earnshaw is good as far as conversion ratio is concerned but Grabban gives much more to the team in other respects. Today, his runs, his pace and control, all were a handful for their defence, as a one up front he was excellent.

  5. Posted

    Rich T asks about today''s missed chances and I can only recall one that could be described as glaring but I do think Tony Cottee is referring to the season as a whole.

    I was thoroughly impressed by Grabban''s performance today and had to concede that my past criticism needed to be withdrawn. If he can continue to give us what he did today, I would have to support his inclusion in the team, for what he does for the team. I would however, have to accept that frustration levels would be high at times because of his woeful goals:chances ratio.

  6. Posted

    Voice of Reason asks whether we should expect to see a discernible difference on Saturday given that the new assistant manager (or is it coach?) has arrived.

    Well given that he will have had the best part of four whole days to work out what he has got to work with and then to mould the team to his and AN''s shape, I would expect nothing less than perfection.

  13. Posted

    Whether the appointment of AN proves to be a good decision, the coming weeks and months will tell. But please don''t suggest that the removal of Adams was in any way regrettable. It is the single decent decision to come from Carrow Road in the past couple of years (AN appointment, jury still out).

    There''s plenty enough for us to ponder at present without worrying about Adams''s thoughts. After all, we have seen some of his earlier choices.

  14. Posted

    I was quite pleased with the appointment when AN was announced and hoped that we had gone for a guy with a bit of experience and a bit of success and that Norwich would provide him with a vehicle to continue his journey. And so, hopefully, that will prove to be the case.

    I was however, most concerned about the way the team was put out against Brentford. We realise the availability problems with injuries and a suspension and that accounts for Whittaker in mid-field but as LDC makes clear, it was not Whittaker''s error that was alarming, more the total unpreparedness of the entire team.

    So many players seemed clueless as to what they so do in any given circumstance and little guidance was forthcoming from the bench. At one point in the first half, we won a corner, big boys went forward, leaving just two back. Brentford put three guys across the pitch and despite Ruddy screaming at the bench to get more help, the management team were oblivious. Eventually, it was resolved amongst the players and Redmond dropped back but it was just another example on a day where we seemed to lack any formation and plan.

  15. Posted

    At this stage of this window, who in the club is likely to be in a position to identify suitable acquisitions, always assuming AN has had time to assess what he feels is needed.

    If we are to rely on those that he knows, then we confine our targets to a domestic league in a country where Whittaker and Martin are regulars in the national team. Otherwise, I suppose we are in the hands of our scouting system - the same one which has identified such an expensive string of mediocrity in the past couple of years.

  16. Posted

    I think the idea of the extra man has merit and letting it be Lafferty is added genius. It would allow us to keep him on the pitch after he has picked up the obligatory yellow and still not be a man light after he gets his second.

    On the subject if scouts, are we relying on the same bunch who brought us all these recent-year gems? Because if we are, things are even worse now with Alex Neil having little exposure thus far to English football.

  18. Posted

    Yes, I too think it was a good selection and take issue with a small band on here who see it as a repeat bad decision following on from the Adams debacle. They again cite total inexperience as the reason why the appointment is so bad.

    I could not agree more with their thoughts as far as Adams was concerned but could not agree much less as far as AN goes. One had absolutely zero experience of managing a team (other than boys and youth football) whereas the other has had a very successful time these past two years.

    There is little doubt that had McNally not got in when he did, it would have been no time at all before some other team would have been knocking on the Hamilton door. Such was the reputation his experience was attracting. Did we similarly have to act quickly to thwart others when we appointed Adams? Of course not.

    Another thing strikes me when listening to the early doors critics of the AN appointment, the advocates of an experienced journeyman. Yes, there were probably a few around who could demonstrate success at this level but most of those individuals would also have been able to balance that with periods of abject failure. Our new man is on the up, no negatives to haunt him.

    I enjoy keeping an eye on the managers and can do this quite well from my seat. Contrast AN''s last half hour on the Southampton touchline with the performance of Adams when things when going wrong. One was up taking control, the other sunk back into anonymity. And this contrast traces back to their playing careers where one was an extremely demonstrative captain, the other, again fairly quiet and anonymous.

    None of the plaudits directed towards AN give any guarantee of success over and above what Adams might have achieved but for me, there are at least grounds for optimism this time.

  19. Posted

    Obviously a new manager coming into a club will want his own immediate staff. To criticise that way of working suggests we have some pretty clued-up posters on here. Has it not occurred to some that it is the norm for managers to take their lieutenants with them. And could it be because they know how they work and probably have like-minded views on the game. Not because they are their mates as some are suggesting. Saints preserve us.

  21. Posted

    I agree with the criticism of our ability to manage the situation when we come under pressure and need to defend late in games. We have seen this on a regular basis for two or three years now. And there''s an equally frequently exhibited weakness at these times. It is the total inability to capitalise when we break away leaving the whole of the opposition''s defence stranded in our goal area. It doesn''t seem to matter how big a man advantage we have at these times, we mess it up every time.

    Having said all that, today''s two goal were not related to shape or tactics, just good old fashioned crap play by individuals.

  22. Posted

    In most of his appearances, Murphy has come on from the bench, usually quite late in the game and often when we are in some degree of trouble.

    I think much of his trouble is caused by his desire to make an immediate impact before he has had a chance to acclimatise himself to the game. So he has the double problem of general inexperience coupled with needing to get himself into the game. Often he will only have ten or twelve minutes to do this.

    So I tend to agree, much like our situation was too critical to allow Neil Adams time to learn his job, so it is for Murphy to gain the necessary league football experience. Those who suggest a loan period to a carefully selected club have got it right.

  23. Posted

    I believe it was said in AN''s introductory press conference that his contract is 12 months - rolling. McNally then stated that this our norm these days.

    Yet at the back of my mind I seem to remember hearing that NA was awarded a three year contract when permanently appointed. If this latter point is correct, it would suggest that keeping him on with the prospect of some form of employment would make more sense than shelling out three years of salary now.

    Does anybody recall hearing details of NA''s length of contract?

  25. Posted

    I don''t see the need to condemn the OP and others as being negative or dampening a joyous weekend.

    Simply provoking debate on how folks see the structure sorting itself out under Alex Neil is something many fans have been discussing. With Holt, Phelan, his guy from Hamilton and McNally mentioning that Adams''s next position could be with the first team, it''s obvious that some sort of cull will be necessary.
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