I hope.....

[kick it off 1,956]

LDC - Naismith played well against Blackburn. That''s the only decent performance he''s put in since his debut. Think you''ll find that Klose and Brady have shouldered some criticism this season, but the difference is, we have seen both of them put in classy performances several times. Naismith has done it twice. Klose joined around the same time Naismith did, but has put in a fair few top notch performances since joining. Same with Tettey, Howson and Wes - we know they''re decent players as we''ve seen them do the business time and time again, we haven''t seen that from SN.

I disagree that he needs to deal with being the scapegoat until we''re up and running, as a large part of why we look so toothless and are not up and running yet is because he unbalances the trio behind the striker. Imo it''s the other way round - he needs to justify his place in the starting 11 and prove he can help us get up and running.

I take your point about others not playing well either, and it''s a fair one, but we have seen all of them perform better on a regular basis, they have earned some goodwill from the fans. Naismith has earned nothing from us, and the goodwill automatically given is now wearing thin as he repeatedly disappoints.

I also make the point that aside from Klose, none of the others you mentioned are one of our most expensive ever signings, expectations were always going to be higher for him than others because he cost us so much money. He isn''t delivering the goods.

[Katie Borkins 1]

Lakey, I must say I am a little surprised that you still cast Snodgrass as a villain when his contribution and performances are streets ahead of anything Naismith has had to offer so far.

If you watch Naismith closely you will see he has the same arm waving and moaning behaviour that put you off Snodgrass, only without the positives of doing anything useful with the football.

It couldn''t be you are swimming against the tide for the sake of it again, could it?

[Jacko 0]

History would suggest Naismith is unlikely to score between 10 - 15 goals this season. He has only managed that feat once in the last decade. In his defence, much of his football has been played at Premier League level, but he has also played a fair amount of football in a much weaker Scottish league during that period.

The main problem I have with Naismith is that at the moment his inclusion necessitates both of Hoolahan and Pritchard being either dropped or shunted into wide areas to accommodate him - when both are available.

Hoolahan has been voted one of the best football league players of the last decade by his peers. He''s won that accolade for his performances behind the striker/strikers. Playing him in wider areas in the last 8 years has largely been unsatisfactory.

Likewise, Pritchard scored 12 goals and chalked up a number of assists for Brentford playing as an orthodox No.10. There were times that he played wide, but he was most effective in that no.10 position as we saw at Carrow Road where he was excellent.

For Naismith to warrant playing ahead of those two in that position his output simply has to be much higher than what he''s producing now - in terms of goals, assists and general link up play. Particularly, when you consider the balance of the team is being compromised tactically to include him.

Save for the Liverpool and Blackburn games I am genuinely struggling to recall a game in which Naismith has produced a performance of the standard you would expect from an £8.5 million player.

Sadly, Naismith increasingly looks out of place in the attacking unit that Neil is trying to construct. I just don''t see him prospering this season for a variety of reasons. The fact Neil was prepared to let him leave speaks volumes. Particularly when other bids for players were knocked back on deadline day.

Ultimately, his signing for was one sole purpose. He was a gamble designed to inject that bit of quality to keep Norwich up last season. The gamble failed and increasingly now looks like it''s going to be a very expensive mistake.

I''d love to be proven wrong and I hope you''re right about him smashing in the goals that take us to promotion. I''d be the first one on here saying I got it wrong but I just can''t see it.

[Buh 0]

I sort of agree with the OP

He needs dropping, but it''s certainly not an irredememable state he''s in.

Some would have you believe he is making his way across Norfolk eating children''s hamsters and stealing. Their lunch money.

Drop him and allow him to work his way back into contention. It''s simple.

[Chemical Bro 0]

The fact we were prepared to let him go should tell us all we need to know. Fully expecting Pritchard to come into side to replace him, sooner the better.

Was delighted when he signed, persevered with him going into this season, simply can''t defend him no more in terms of performance.

Some of the things being said on here however are way OTT. He''s our player until January at least now. Let''s hope he rediscovers his best form asap. Still could have big part to play this season. We need every firing on all cylinders.

[Lessingham Canary 99]

Would love him to come good, and would think every city fan would want the same, but something has to change, and soon, or his time here will turn very sour, and thats no good to any party,IMO he is not as good as Snodgrass, who even when moaning showed passion.

In the meantime he is our player, lets get behind him and support when he is picked.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

[quote user="Iwans Big Turd"][quote user="Alex "]IwansBigToe wrote :-

''he is only interested in how much he is going to get paid''

''is quick to blame everyone but himself for a poor performance on the football field''

Explain yourself further with actual proof to back up your comments as I actually think you''re talking absolute dog shart as usual 👍[/quote]

''he is only interested in how much he is going to get paid'' 

- He refused to move to Sunderland because they wouldn''t pay him enough.

''is quick to blame everyone but himself for a poor performance on the football field'' 

- I''ve been to enough Norwich games since he signed to see him waving his arms like wacky waving inflatable arm flaling tube man because things haven''t gone his way.

NEXT!!!!!

[/quote]

IwansBigToe - That doesn''t in any way shape or form mean he blames the whole team but himself after a poor performance, and you still don''t actually know what went on behind closed doors at Sunderland, it may not have been money at all. But if you can prove what you''ve said then fair do''s, otherwise... 👍

[Van wink 2,994]

Lessingham Canary wrote the following post at 02/09/2016 7:58 AM:

Would love him to come good, and would think every city fan would want the same, but something has to change, and soon, or his time here will turn very sour, and thats no good to any party,IMO he is not as good as Snodgrass, who even when moaning showed passion.

In the meantime he is our player, lets get behind him and support when he is picked.

Agreed, Boo him and hurl stale pies at him after the game but when he''s out there give him a slap....err sorry clap.

[lake district canary 4,551]

Bor.  You should know by now that I do not swim against the tide for the sake of it. I simply think that writing players - or managers off - when they are in the middle of doing their jobs is counter productive - and in this day of social media where bandwagons of opinion get out of hand very easily, the rhetoric gets blown up out of all proportion.  Any bandwagon of negativity is bad for a football club and contrary to what a lot of  people seem to think - what fans say or think does have an effect - and negativity, in the form of senseless booing, or posting vitriol on a message board about one of our players or managers, is not helping the team.  That is my view and it will not change.      Naismith has not yet hit great form, although there have been glimpses of what he is capable of. I look forward to the day when he really hits form. It may not happen - so be it - but he has the ability.  Also, he is not a Snodgrass in my view.  Snoddy was capable of good things, but wasted many opportunities by being too selfish a lot of the time.  Naismith does not do that. He is always looking to bring in other players, the flicks and passes he tries prove that - he tries to be inclusive.  Imo he is still trying to find his best form. When you are lacking in a little confidence about yourself, what you do is treat the ball like a hot potato - you move it on rather than take on responsibility.  Once he has that bit of extra confidence in himself and the players around him, I believe he will take more responsibility and show the form that he showed when at his best for Everton.  What fans are doing by getting on his back in such a way as we are seeing on this board and by showing disapproval at him at matches, is actually making it harder for him. Get behind the lad, show some support for your players, he may have cost a bit, but he is still a footballer trying to find his best form - and he will know he hasn''t done that yet, without all this ridiculous hype about him going on.   I believe in encouragng players while they are ours - and if you look

back at when Snodgrass was here, I always tried to suggest a way in

which he could improve his game rather than just slam him like people

are doing here to Naismith. Give him a chance.

[Van wink 2,994]

LDC

"if you look back at when Snodgrass was here, I always tried to suggest a way in which he could improve his game rather than just slam him like people are doing here"

I saw his game improve immensely as a result.

[Capt_Canary 0]

Lake District Canary is in dreamland and lost the plot.

Typical armchair fan who doesn''t watch the games otherwise he would realise his legs are gone

Watch some football mate not C5 highlights

[Rogue Baboon 0]

[quote user="lake district canary"]What fans are doing by getting on his back in such a way as we are seeing on this board and by showing disapproval at him at matches, is actually making it harder for him. Get behind the lad, show some support for your players, he may have cost a bit, but he is still a footballer trying to find his best form - and he will know he hasn''t done that yet, without all this ridiculous hype about him going on. [/quote]

So despite the fact he is being shoe horned into the team, better players who would play in that position are playing out of position. he is offering nothing on the pitch in terms of performance, he is actually detracting from other players performance we should blindly get behind him?

Is giving Naismith a little cuddle to make him feel better more important than the teams performance?

Oh and wasnt his best for Everton normally as a sub?

[lake district canary 4,551]

[quote user="Capt_Canary"]Lake District Canary is in dreamland and lost the plot.

Typical armchair fan who doesn''t watch the games otherwise he would realise his legs are gone

Watch some football mate not C5 highlights[/quote]Interesting.  I went to the first three games this season and saw the whole of the Ipswich match on TV. I''ve seen enough to see a player trying to play for the team but not totally at his best yet.

[Buh 0]

I just don''t see why it needs to be any more complicated than "drop him and let him work back into the team"

It was my opinion of him before the transfer window based on form and it''s my opinion now.

Some of you think too much with emotion and not logic.

He''s not playing well = drop him

[Guest]

Totally agree Buh. He''s here until at least January, let him earn his place back in the team like any other out of form player.

Bizarre how LaffK, who gets done for betting irregularities, slates fans on Twitter, and perhaps isn''t doing enough in traynun Buh gets a standing ovation for jogging down the touchline, whereas Naismith, who works hard and does a lot for charity outside of football gets absolutely slated and written off. Wonder if there is a proper medical name for boo boy syndrome?

[kick it off 1,956]

+! Buh. If he is good enough and he cares enough (evidence of either not seen yet) then being dropped will kick him into gear and he will work his way into the team again. If he isn''t good enough, or doesn''t care enough, then he won''t work his way into the team, and nor does he deserve a place in the team. 

The solution here is not manic support for poor performances, we are not responsible for his level of output. Dropping him puts the onus on him, if he can''t or won''t recover from being dropped then he ain''t any use for the battle ahead anyway.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

Well said LDC 👍

Now I wonder if those folk who think they''re at the panto would boo their own son or daughter at sports day, because 3rd place in the egg and spoon race just isn''t good enough, and of course, it''ll go on to give them just that little boost of confidence they need from one of their own to storm next years event 😳

[Chemical Bro 0]

It''s not exactly naismith''s fault he''s being selected every week when clearly struggling for form and confidence.

Let alone being asked to play the lone striker role.

Many are barking up the wrong tree.

[kick it off 1,956]

Alex - If I had purchased my child for 8million pounds specifically to perform well at sports day, and was paying him/her £40,000 a week to perform on sports day then wouldn''t they deserve to be booed?

That''s such a ridiculous analogy, it deserved the above ridiculous answer. 

Naismith is not 8 years old, he''s a grown man, and if he is so mentally weak that he can''t step up to the plate because he gets a bit of stick (based on his own performances over a significant period of time, not just randomly) then he shouldn''t be near the team.

If you want to sneak in the dressing room, and give him a cuddle, tell him everything is going to be ok and it''s the taking part that counts then that''s your prerogative. I''ll be treating him as a professional sportsmen, and moreover as an adult who needs to be accountable for his actions and performances when at work.

[hogesar 9,760]

I don''t agree that Naismith isn''t trying - he works quite hard for the team, for an attacking player - but he can''t keep giving the ball away or playing ''lazy'' passes as he has been. It destroys our entire game strategy.

Bit weird that one of the main issues you took with Snodgrass, LDC, was his constant blaming of others, complaining to the ref, etc etc. But despite that, Snodgrass still performed for us and is playing in the prem now. Naismith does the same blaming of others, complaining to the ref, but DOESN''T perform for us, and you defend him?

Logical.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

KIO, my analogy was more simple than that, but nevermind - I see your point buddy though ultimately I will never join in with the boo boys - counter productive but each to their own 👍

[lake district canary 4,551]

[quote user="hogesar"]I don''t agree that Naismith isn''t trying - he works quite hard for the team, for an attacking player - but he can''t keep giving the ball away or playing ''lazy'' passes as he has been. It destroys our entire game strategy.

Bit weird that one of the main issues you took with Snodgrass, LDC, was his constant blaming of others, complaining to the ref, etc etc. But despite that, Snodgrass still performed for us and is playing in the prem now. Naismith does the same blaming of others, complaining to the ref, but DOESN''T perform for us, and you defend him?

Logical.

[/quote]

I''m not defending him - but he is our player and I think he should be given a little more credence.  I just want him to show his best for us - as I did with Snodgrass when he was here.  I don''t like to see any player blame others or throw a strop if things don''t go their way, Naismith included,  but Snoddy took it to extremes.  He was so self-centred he could not bring himself to blame himself for things that went wrong - there was one quite funny instance, can''t remember which match, where he got beaten out on the touchline and he stood there for quite a while, his face going through every emotion you could think of and it looked as if he would burst into tears with the self-realisation that there was no-one else to blame but himself.  His attitude throughout was one of me, me, me. Fine if your team are winning and doing well, but we weren''t. 

[hogesar 9,760]

Please explain how Snodgrass attitude was ''more extreme'' than Naismiths? You simply made about 6 assumptions in one phase of play which doesn''t really back up your point.

[Katie Borkins 1]

Hoggy, ask yourself if you really want to put yourself through this on a Friday.

[lake district canary 4,551]

[quote user="hogesar"]Please explain how Snodgrass attitude was ''more extreme'' than Naismiths? You simply made about 6 assumptions in one phase of play which doesn''t really back up your point.[/quote]Merely by observations and watching behaviour.  Running into dead ends, falling over then complaining to all and sundry and then standing there looking crestfallen and hard done by became such a common sight that it became quite annoying, to me at any rate, because when you have lost your awareness of the present in such a way so many times in a match, it means your overall focus is well and truly gone. Each time, by the time he recovered his composure the game had moved on.  Such behaviour was ultimately selfish because it affected the people behind him who had to mop up after his wasteful play.    He did do some good things too, but for me, on balance, he was not a good influence overall.

[TIL 1010 4,801]

I can''t quite get a grip on the fact how Lakey bigged up RVW and now Naismith but never wrote a good word about Snodgrass. [:|]

[lake district canary 4,551]

[quote user="TIL 1010"]I can''t quite get a grip on the fact how Lakey bigged up RVW and now Naismith but never wrote a good word about Snodgrass. [:|][/quote]I haven''t bigged up Naismith, merely suggested that if he comes good, that the people that so vehemently write him off so easily might like to apologise.  I talked up RVW because I felt that the circumstances were very much against him and that he never really got the breaks - and in the one match I saw him live at, he gave a really good performance with his workrate and play leading to the winning goal.  I have said good things about Snodgrass too, only that he let himself and the team down too often through his one man show playing style.Boards like this tend to lead to polarised black and white viewpoints holding sway.  Things are rarely black aand white. In the case of Naismith, I think there is plenty to come from him - he hasn''t been at his best yet, but I will be surprised if he doesn''t get at least ten goals this season once the team as a whole get a grip.  

 

[Buh 0]

One of the core principles in a football team has to be fostering competition for places. If a player underperformes they need protection and the person behind them needs a shot.

It''s as if we are short in the central mid position.

Couldn''t care less about the emotional, flouncey stuff. He''s a player at Norwich, he''s not a relative. It takes a long time and a lot of effort for me to form a more emotional attachment to a player.

It''s not all goals either. If I was to say the name "Simon lappin" to you you''d probably well up with pride. The bloke couldn''t score for hell but he put effort in every game and the crowd loved him for it (most did, some mean hearted cretins didn''t, don''t get me started on those)

[hogesar 9,760]

[quote user="Katie Borkins"]Hoggy, ask yourself if you really want to put yourself through this on a Friday.[/quote]

In hindsight you''re right and i''m sorry.

[lake district canary 4,551]

[quote user="hogesar"][quote user="Katie Borkins"]Hoggy, ask yourself if you really want to put yourself through this on a Friday.[/quote]

In hindsight you''re right and i''m sorry.

[/quote]

Losers.