Some thoughts on today

[morty 0]

[quote user="hogesar"]But so far so has Pritchard. Rotherham and today. And they''re very similar players so not sure one dimensional is really relevant.[/quote]Apart from Pritchard being able to use both feet, having a bit more pace, and actually ably to carry the ball?If you saw the game last week, about 90% of Wes'' passes were sideways.

[Bill 1,788]

they may have been assigned similar roles but that doesn''t mean they are similar playersPritchard has a more direct and foward playing style, where Wes can all too often twist and turn and play sidewayshowever who plays is often determined by how the management team think is best suited to combat and exploit the oppositionhorses for courses, so to speak

[nutty nigel 7,536]

Today we saw young forwards tearing Brentford apart. But young players lack consistency and Wes will still have a part to play. So will the other older players. Championship is unforgiving. We have 3 games in 6 days next week and you can''t expect today''s level of performance from our youngsters to be replicated in all those games. But what about having a fit Wes Hoolahan ready to pick up the slack. Magic Gerry[:)]

There are other young players around the first team right now. And some on loan who hopefully will be benefiting in the same way Jacob and Josh did last season. Don''t tell me the club had a plan.....

[Coq au vin 0]

How many games has Pritchard played compared to Wes in a Norwich shirt? And yet some are hoping Pritchard will be our new Wes and single handledly get us to the PL? I would say he hasn''t had the time to embed to expectancy generally nor fit the centralised role he''s been assumed. I hope Neil continues to play Pritchard in the position he''s obviously suited to from start as of today, luckily we have Wes and Naismith to hit the central role of the 3 should it come to injury, suspension etc

[morty 0]

[quote user="Morgan"]How many games has Pritchard played compared to Wes in a Norwich shirt? And yet some are hoping Pritchard will be our new Wes and single handledly get us to the PL? I would say he hasn''t had the time to embed to expectancy generally nor fit the centralised role he''s been assumed. I hope Neil continues to play Pritchard in the position he''s obviously suited to from start as of today, luckily we have Wes and Naismith to hit the central role of the 3 should it come to injury, suspension etc[/quote]I am not consigning Wes to the scrapheap just yet, merely comparing what I saw from them both in the last 2 games.And I know which I enjoyed more.

[Coq au vin 0]

''Course not, I feel I''d rather continue with Pritchard for the time being in that central position and if needs be bring on Hools. The problem is with City sometimes is the continuacy to rely on stalwarts despite having options. I''m excited by the prospect of talent like Pritchard and Canos etc, some are clearly ready and some not so. We haven''t even bought Maddison or McGrandles back into the fold yet... which is a problem in itself, looking at b-teams and that whole old story

[Bill 1,788]

I think it is more judgement than luck that we have that strength in depth.Today demonstrated the depth we have, with players such as Pritchard, Pinto, Oliverio coming back into the squad and proving that far from being not up to it were the oustanding players of the game.To have the likes of Klose, Martin, Tettey, Jerome, Hoolahan, Olsson and Mulumbu on the bench (or injured) speaks volumesAnd if past form is anything to go by don''t write off Jarvisor forget Canos, Thompson and Maddison

[hogesar 9,674]

Well yes Morty but using last week as a reasoning for Wes means you have to do the same for Pritchard who, when he came on, gave the ball away several times and also repeatedly passed sideways or backwards.

To pass forwards you need players in front of you, and they need to move. We had that yesterday.

Pritchard deserves to keep his place after yesterday but I suspect Wes will be back soon enough. Who, by the way, also regularly carries the ball for us and does a bit more of the defensive side than Pritchard

[morty 0]

[quote user="hogesar"]Well yes Morty but using last week as a reasoning for Wes means you have to do the same for Pritchard who, when he came on, gave the ball away several times and also repeatedly passed sideways or backwards.

To pass forwards you need players in front of you, and they need to move. We had that yesterday.

Pritchard deserves to keep his place after yesterday but I suspect Wes will be back soon enough. Who, by the way, also regularly carries the ball for us and does a bit more of the defensive side than Pritchard[/quote]But I thought Jerome was constantly praised for his hard work and movement?

[king canary 7,607]

This was, as far as I can tell, Pritchard''s first start in a central role and he''s earned the chance to keep it for a run.

He is similar to Wes in some ways but has more pace, a better shot and time on his side.

[The Unsullied 0]

Brentford lost it rather than we won it. They were very poor

[......and Smith must score. 1,343]

Got to be one of the better displays this term, albeit against a poor side, but you can only beat what''s in front of you. This was a huge game for AN and he got the response he needed from the players. Pritchard was outstanding and Pinto and Howson made a big difference. I don''t think Wes is done for by any means but time catches up with everyone in the end.Strange atmosphere in the ground. Quite subdued but having seen nervy football nearly every match all season not surprising. AN is by no means out of the woods just yet and needs a good result against our favourite whipping boys in Barnsley next week. Get that and the two home games to come before Christmas give him an ideal opportunity to get more points on the board.Sensibly AN didn''t have a dig at the fans afterwards. He knows there''s a long way to go for him and his teamFinally, from nerdland, how often does a team win 5-0 and not have a single corner ?

[Mr Angry 1,561]

Pritchard was the stand-out player yesterday-but then after the Brighton game I wouldn''t have been surprised if he hadn''t had another start all season, he was so poor. So it just goes to show that you can''t start writing players off just yet, not even Wes.

What we really need is for the players to consistently perform at this level and go on a long run of games to get us back into the top 2-not an impossible task by any stretch of the imagination.

[morty 0]

Wes has been pretty much unchallenged for his place for quite a few years now, the fact he has a bit of competition will make sure he works hard for his place.Its a win-win.

[Bill 1,788]

[quote user="Jim the Canary"]Brentford lost it rather than we won it. They were very poor[/quote]Much as withe quality of trolls these daysWhat has happened to Barnes Wallis, or Glen Madeiros ?Perhaps Jim knows

[Baywing 0]

[quote user="morty"][quote user="hogesar"]Well yes Morty but using last week as a reasoning for Wes means you have to do the same for Pritchard who, when he came on, gave the ball away several times and also repeatedly passed sideways or backwards.

To pass forwards you need players in front of you, and they need to move. We had that yesterday.

Pritchard deserves to keep his place after yesterday but I suspect Wes will be back soon enough. Who, by the way, also regularly carries the ball for us and does a bit more of the defensive side than Pritchard[/quote]But I thought Jerome was constantly praised for his hard work and movement?[/quote]

So was it a surprise that without CJ''s workrate in the 2nd half at Derby the pace and intensity dropped ?

[Baywing 0]

[quote user="......and Smith must score."]Got to be one of the better displays this term, albeit against a poor side, but you can only beat what''s in front of you. This was a huge game for AN and he got the response he needed from the players. Pritchard was outstanding and Pinto and Howson made a big difference. I don''t think Wes is done for by any means but time catches up with everyone in the end.Strange atmosphere in the ground. Quite subdued but having seen nervy football nearly every match all season not surprising. AN is by no means out of the woods just yet and needs a good result against our favourite whipping boys in Barnsley next week. Get that and the two home games to come before Christmas give him an ideal opportunity to get more points on the board.Sensibly AN didn''t have a dig at the fans afterwards. He knows there''s a long way to go for him and his teamFinally, from nerdland, how often does a team win 5-0 and not have a single corner ?[/quote]

I am sure AN has done his homework and realizes that Neil Adams had a 5-0 and 6-1 win in the 2 or 3 weeks prior to his departure and AN arrival....

As he said one swallow a summer does not make....

and as I say even a broken clock is right twice a day !

[morty 0]

Thats the spirit, keep desperately snatching those negatives[Y]

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Talking about negatives, hasn''t morty been having digs at Hoolahan throughout the whole thread, as his anti Wes agenda rears its ugly head again?

[morty 0]

[quote user="Hoola Han Solo"]Talking about negatives, hasn''t morty been having digs at Hoolahan throughout the whole thread, as his anti Wes agenda rears its ugly head again?[/quote]Yup.And?

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

You''re a shambles.

[morty 0]

[quote user="Hoola Han Solo"]You''re a shambles.[/quote]Is it an argument you''re after or something?

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed Pritchard''s performance, as I''m sure the majority of supporters did. He was sublime. However I''m sure most of us won''t be trying to look at negatives by bashing our longest serving and stand out players of the last twenty years or so.

[morty 0]

[:D]

[Daz Sparks 1,154]

Wes is great when he''s on it, a bloody joy to watch, when he''s not, he seems to have a stinker of a game. Pritchard was electric today, exactly the player I saw playing against us when he was on loan at Brentford 2 seasons back.

[morty 0]

Don''t be saying negative things about Wes, totally not allowed....

[Daz Sparks 1,154]

Ooops, sorry!

[hogesar 9,674]

Spot on Daz. Same applies to Pritchard when he has a bad game.

I get Morty isn''t a massive fan of Hoolahan but there''s a reason he''s in the overwhelming minority.

However. Morty is completely right in saying Hoolahan has basically had an unchallenged position and having both him and Pritchard and possibly Madison shortly all fighting for the right to play that central role should mean we can cope with dips in form, like Wes is in right now.

[morty 0]

[quote user="hogesar"]Spot on Daz. Same applies to Pritchard when he has a bad game.

I get Morty isn''t a massive fan of Hoolahan but there''s a reason he''s in the overwhelming minority.

However. Morty is completely right in saying Hoolahan has basically had an unchallenged position and having both him and Pritchard and possibly Madison shortly all fighting for the right to play that central role should mean we can cope with dips in form, like Wes is in right now.[/quote]That "not a massive fan of Hoolahan" is typical of the way people feel the need to polarise things here.Wes has been a fantastic servant to the club( apart from that time he called us a $hithouse of a club and demanded to leave, but we don''t talk about that, do we?), and quite why anyone would presume I don''t like him is just a bit silly, though it does seem that people can have players they perhaps don''t favour as much, as long as it isn''t Wes.I feel we have been over reliant on him for too long, when he''s firing on all cylinders he is unplayable, but over reliance on him, when he is clearly not on form has cost us. No player should be first name on the team sheet, unless they are earning it every single game.Last week, sure he always wanted the ball and never hides, but his dallying on the ball and sideways passing totally took away any forward momentum we may have had, we literally never looked like scoring.So my point was about the comparison between the his performance last week in the position, and Pritchard''s this week, and I''m sorry if that hurts anyones feelings over their special favourite player.

[Bill 1,788]

"and as I say even a broken clock is right twice a day !" Baywing

Something that could not be said of you"The job is clearly to big for the guy.....

""He appears to be guessing at present.....and I am not sure the players are fully behind him !

""Brady is no left back"