AN tactics - and personell

[grefstad 0]

It is pretty clear we have inferior players to most teams in this division, probably in all parts of the team.

We can hide some of our weaknesses with good tactics, good attitudes, energetic approach to games, etc.

In the start of the season, we were not too bad. Playing reasonably well, and all that was needed was to get Martin and Whittaker out of the team, and bring in Wisdom and Bennett.

Wisdom and Bennett has come in alongside a change of tactics, to a more defensive style.

This made sense against Man C, Chelsea, Arsenal, etc, but AN has also insisted on playing the same style against Swansea, and also partly against Watford.

I would like us to revert to the more passing style we had, only with a change of defenders to suit the opposition better.

Especially when we expect to dominate a team at home, having to play a high line, I would have Wisdom in for Whittaker any day, due to his recovery pace. Bennett is better than Martin in the air, so he would also get the nod in most games.

It is also clear that playing Tettey in games where we are expected to keep possession, and boss things, is not going to work. He is to slow in his head, passing poorly and inaccurately, and slowing down our play. Tettey is better when we are sitting back and are looking to break up play.

Also, AN needs to be better in picking players in form, and drop players off form.

A player like Howson has been virtually undropable, even though he has been pretty poor in most games, and his form can not be helped by having to play so many different positions.

If we look at teams like Leicester, and Watford for that sake, they play a pressing game, where their midfield and strikers are working very hard in their defensive structure. We dont.

We dont work hard enough, and seeing Howson jogging around is just pissing me off. There is no urgency, no effort in his play these days, as with several others.

It is, so to speak, pretty lethargic.

I have previously been slated in this forum for stating the bleedy obvious. We dont have enough energy about us to stop teams in this league. Simply, we dont work hard enough. Check stats on Opta and Whoscored, and you can easily see that Norwich is outworked and overrun in almost every game.

Watford stopped us at ease today, with Watson and Capoue outworking us in midfield, pressing hard, giving Tettey and Dorrans little time on the ball.

Unless AN can get his players to run the extra mile, we dont have much chance in this league, as our players have to compensate for being tactically and technically inferior with working harder. But we are not.

We have poorer players (tactically, technocally, decision making, physical attributes like pace, etc) and in addition these players are not working as hard as other teams´players. It is a receipt for disaster unless we can change both the attitude/energy levels, and/or bring in players more suited to the style AN is trying to play.

The question is, does AN know what the best way of playing is, with the personell he has at his disposal?

The success under Lambert was that we insisted on playing a style suited to our players, and not paying too much attention to the opposition. Yes, it brought us some hammerings, but also vital wins.

For me, AN is setting out to be smarter than that (he wants to adjust more to the oppo), but is ending up in outsmarting himself, as we dont have the player material to suit his changing styles.

[Cobain18 0]

Why is everyone suddenly panicking and questioning Neil? Did I miss something? Are we in the bottom 3? This season was always going to be difficult despite some people''s expectations. We''ll be fine, turning on the players and managers is not the answer!

[grefstad 0]

Well, it is better to be proactive, than reactive. All this (not so) reassuring "we will be fine" talk is...just talk. Noone knows that we will be fine in May. Not me, not you.

And just saying "we will be fine" is just another way of saying "I really don''t have a clue, but hope it will all turn out allright"

[gitto 0]

To be fair Dorrans, Howson, Grabban and Jerome are not premiership class and have proved that over a period of time. (Jeome got only two goals for Crystal Palace 13/14 season and Hooper got more than that for Norwich in a similar amount of games.) and yet AN continually picks these players. Why did West Brom get rid of Dorrans and Mulumbu if they are such good players. Brady is getting pissed off and probably regretting leaving Hull

[Boris 62]

[quote user="gitto"]To be fair Dorrans, Howson, Grabban and Jerome are not premiership class and have proved that over a period of time. (Jeome got only two goals for Crystal Palace 13/14 season and Hooper got more than that for Norwich in a similar amount of games.) and yet AN continually picks these players. Why did West Brom get rid of Dorrans and Mulumbu if they are such good players. Brady is getting pissed off and probably regretting leaving Hull[/quote]

Are Leicester players are premiership class?

they are top of league at middle of December full of average players who almost relegated last year!

AN will not be sacked as he deserved his chanse after last year but he thinking too much what to do and experimented too often and result is some displays like today.

Badly need to settle our best style and bring some one who can score 10+ goals till May...

[gitto 0]

Vardy and Mahrez are both world class. City have not got players that good. Hoolahan is the only one who gets close. AND Rainieri is very tactically aware and very experienced

[grefstad 0]

For us, the tactics should be fairly simple.

If Wes is available, play Wes and Jerome, with Mbokani as sub in a 4-5-1 (4-4-1-1), with one of the DM''s being more mobile than Tettey/Mulumbu/Dorrans. O''Neil fits the bill well, maybe even VOO.

If Wes is out, play two strikers in a 4-4-2 with a more direct approach (Mbokani/Jerome) with Grabban sub.

And AN has to abandon his newfound defensive style against teams we should be on par with. These teams must be attacked. Defensive style is OK vs top 6 teams, otherwise not.

In Januar we need a new RM, new CB and a direct competition for Wes in the AM role. And yes, a new striker would be useful.

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,035]

Having inferior players is one thing.......but when the manager opts through his OWN choice to play Grabban as a lone striker in the Premier League ahead of 3 other players more suited to that role in MBokani,Jerome and Lafferty or even Hooper ,who surely couldnt have been any more pathetically inept as Grabban was today, we can have no complaints.

When we dont even pick our best players from the squad we have got, we''re in trouble.

[Cobain18 0]

[quote user="grefstad"]Well, it is better to be proactive, than reactive. All this (not so) reassuring "we will be fine" talk is...just talk. Noone knows that we will be fine in May. Not me, not you.

And just saying "we will be fine" is just another way of saying "I really don''t have a clue, but hope it will all turn out allright"[/quote]

''It''s the manager''s fault'' without any constructive suggestion isn''t reassuring either. If Neil hadn''t achieved anything, I''d agree with your sentiments - he has, not sure who you think would be better

[Cobain18 0]

[quote user="grefstad"]Well, it is better to be proactive, than reactive. All this (not so) reassuring "we will be fine" talk is...just talk. Noone knows that we will be fine in May. Not me, not you.

And just saying "we will be fine" is just another way of saying "I really don''t have a clue, but hope it will all turn out allright"[/quote]

P.S. Sacking this manager wouldn''t be ''proactive'' it would be destabilising and stupid. He took us to Wembley which was unlikely when he took over. He''s not now a bad manager

[gitto 0]

[quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]Having inferior players is one thing.......but when the manager opts through his OWN choice to play Grabban as a lone striker in the Premier League ahead of 3 other players more suited to that role in MBokani,Jerome and Lafferty or even Hooper ,who surely couldnt have been any more pathetically inept as Grabban was today, we can have no complaints.

When we dont even pick our best players from the squad we have got, we''re in trouble.[/quote]

Spot on plus last time Jerome and Hooper played in the same premiership season Hooper scored 6 in 32 and Jerome scored 2 in 28 for Palace