It's the players

[pete 322]

Alex Neil continually blames the Inabilities of the players in post match interviews rather than take any responsibility himself. In public he needs to take the blame in private he can castigate the team. Another example of Neil''s managerial ineptitude to go with the rest of his character flaws.

[Move Klose 303]

He''s the one who talks about players having there chance and blowing it, and individuals making costly errors every week but he''s the one who keeps picking theses same players week after week.

[djc 0]

He actually has precious little alternatives to choose from. Whilst Pinto is out injured are Bassong and Whittaker better options than Martin and Bennett? Stats would suggest not. Trouble is, during the last three transfer windows we have failed to improve the squad with better stronger players and jog on the weaker links. Still, what do I know? Deluded is happy with her team and manager. I just have to pay money to watch our team rapidly fall from the dizzy heights that Lambert initially set us.

[Webbo118 0]

How many points do we need to stay up? What is the target?

[morty 0]

He also said that ultimately it was his responsibility though.

Maybe you missed that bit, eh Pete?

[HertsCanary93 222]

I think Leeds truly wanted that last game more than us, their entire team were quicker to loose balls, they blocked more shots and seemed much stronger in the tackle. Quality is the main factor in winning football matches and we have it in spades at times, but there are countless examples of teams just outfighting the other to victory (as we often did under Lambert).

I personally think that this and some of the other calamitous results in the last year (Villa, Liverpool, Newcastle x2 etc) have been caused by a total lack of leadership on the pitch. I''m of the opinion that during a game, players are usually more significant leaders than the manager (In terms of keeping the players sharp, organised and fired up). We capitulate so easily and there are no players like Holt or Johnson snapping heads together. Under Lambert we had loads of leaders, eg Crofts and Nelson who were bang average (or worse) but knew how to say "we aren''t conceding again" and scrap a game out.

I''d hoped Klose would be the leader we so desperately need at the back but he has gone off the boil a bit it seems. Until we get some leadership in the back, we will continue to concede soft goals. Naismith I''m sure was signed to add some experience, fight and leadership to the final third but I''ve seen no evidence from him either.

The manager could be to blame for this? I''m sure AN must see this issue too. Despite this, our recruitment seems to now be focused on fairweather players who are great when we are playing well, but go missing when we get pegged back in the last 20.

Longer post than planned. TL;DR We need leaders on the pitch.

[SeattleCanary 0]

To be fair, as Morty said AN always says the buck stops with him as manager, and he''ll always be judged on his results.

[FenwayFrank 2,475]

We currently have too many players that just aren''t strong enough. Most teams in this division have a number of players that like to bully and we just can''t compete with them.

[morty 0]

It is a problem, especially on a budget, that invariably the players that get you out of the division require a different skillset to ones that will keep you in the Premiership.

That doesn''t excuse not being able to do the basics, of course.

[TCCANARY 263]

[quote user="pete"]Alex Neil continually blames the Inabilities of the players in post match interviews rather than take any responsibility himself. In public he needs to take the blame in private he can castigate the team. Another example of Neil''s managerial ineptitude to go with the rest of his character flaws.[/quote]

The problem here Pete is that you need to love and accept who you are. Once you learn to do this then you''ll be able to stop projecting your self loathing onto others.Hope this helps.

[The Great Drinkell 50]

if we want good strong fighters then we are better looking down the league rather than up at the pampered PL players.

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Of course a lot of it is to do with the players. We lack characters and leaders and a lot of them retreat into their shell when things get tough. A manager can''t do anything about some of the simple and basic errors we continually make on the pitch.

However, on the flip side it''s the manager''s job to coach and organise them during the week, and I didn''t see any sort of a plan on Saturday. The play was aimless. His subs were too late and the players weren''t playing as though they had a point to prove.

I really wanted AN to succeeed but I think he''s run out of ideas on how to get the best out of this squad. His post match demeanour is that of a man who doesn''t know what to do next. Compared to the confident and decisive AN of 14/15. It''s almost as though he''s at giving up stage.

Whatever happens manager wise, there is a serious need to plug some of the gaping holes in this deficient squad.

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

[quote user="djc"]He actually has precious little alternatives to choose from. Whilst Pinto is out injured are Bassong and Whittaker better options than Martin and Bennett? Stats would suggest not. Trouble is, during the last three transfer windows we have failed to improve the squad with better stronger players and jog on the weaker links. Still, what do I know? Deluded is happy with her team and manager. I just have to pay money to watch our team rapidly fall from the dizzy heights that Lambert initially set us.[/quote]

You certainly don''t ''have to''; we all have a choice!...

[Chip20 69]

[quote user="pete"]Alex Neil continually blames the Inabilities of the players in post match interviews rather than take any responsibility himself. In public he needs to take the blame in private he can castigate the team. Another example of Neil''s managerial ineptitude to go with the rest of his character flaws.[/quote]

I don''t s''pose you could pick out a few examples of managers who are always blaming themselves for their team''s performances, could you pete?Just for sh!ts and giggles, like.

[Time to go Delia 0]

Never before has a Norwich manager had so many millions to spend and quite frankly just about all of his signings are complete crap that he wont even pick to play. He needs Neil Adams to put him a squad together then maybe he will get a win or two , the trouble started when he started to sign his own players . He belongs in the lower leagues of Scotland its as simple as that .

[norfolkngood 1,099]

More the manager than the players

you get a strong experienced manager in here playing to a system that the players understand and playing as a unit and we would improve greatly

[Hairy Canary 714]

Agreed Norfolkngood.

You only need to look at Villa. Same players, new manager, suddenly started believing and winning.

Chelsea. Not going too well. Manager changes system to suit the players, suddenly start winning.

We have a good squad of players which are under achieving under AN. This year and last.

Why aren''t we Villa/Chelsea (just saving Buh the bother of typing his witty riposte)

[Trevor Hockey's Beard 529]

It''s not the players it''s the fans.... according to today''s Pink Un 63% of fans voted for Russell Martin as man of the match.

I rest my case.

[morty 0]

All that easy, eh?

I''m amazed some of you haven''t forged a career in either football management or ownership.

😁

[Hairy Canary 714]

Not sure who said it was easy. It''s almost as difficult as being able to make thousands of one liners on a football forum without ever offering any sort of opinion on football itself, whilst being critical of those who do.

Football management is a very tough job to make a success of, which is why they are paid very well and the top managers are much sort after. The margins between success and failure can be really small and a good manager who can pull that little bit more out of his squad can be the difference between staying up or going down.

I don''t see our manager over achieving with the squad he has available.

[Iwans Big Toe 322]

[quote user="Hairy Canary"]Agreed Norfolkngood.

You only need to look at Villa. Same players, new manager, suddenly started believing and winning.

Chelsea. Not going too well. Manager changes system to suit the players, suddenly start winning.

We have a good squad of players which are under achieving under AN. This year and last.

Why aren''t we Villa/Chelsea (just saving Buh the bother of typing his witty riposte)[/quote]Why aren''t you Buh?

[morty 0]

I bet there''s someone like you hairy on every Championship teams football forum. I also bet, that if asked, there are fans of plenty clubs not only envious of our position, but impressed with the way we are run, and the way we punch above our weight.

Even Ipswich wish they were us.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,050]

Morty is in fact Glenn Roeder and I claim my £5......

[Hairy Canary 714]

I''m sure you''re right Morty. There are plenty of shared opinions right across the spectrum. I''m even happy to admit that I could very well be wrong and AN will come good. That''s what opinions are after all.

There are no doubt plenty like you at every club too, who can''t see that when a rare opportunity presents itself every effort should be taken to maximise that chance before it slips away.

I''m afraid our rare chance that came about from the double promotion is fading away and mediocrity is beconning for the next few years.

What''s that phrase about better to have tried and lost than not to have tried at all?

[morty 0]

You''re right, I can''t believe we didn''t push on for that Champions league spot.

You carry on keeping it real now Hairy.

[Hairy Canary 714]

Ok you take the piss if you want to. Easier than having an opinion I guess.

I would have been ecstatic with forth bottom last season and I believe the squad was good enough to achieve that.

[morty 0]

The sooner you come to realise that, given our relative size and most importantly wealth, we really have over achieved in recent times.

As soon as you come to terms with this you will find yourself more understanding, and at peace with where we are now.

[Happy Clapper 0]

If you''re at peace why argue about it.

[Time to go Delia 0]

[quote user="morty"]The sooner you come to realise that, given our relative size and most importantly wealth, we really have over achieved in recent times.

As soon as you come to terms with this you will find yourself more understanding, and at peace with where we are now.[/quote]Absolute rubbish , we have made a complete an utter balls up of not one chance in the top flight but two , in fact the truth is we probably dont deserve a third shot at it . Owners that are so old and out of touch they should be living in a care home , and a manager that looks as if he would be out of his depth managing a Sunday morning pub team .I will stick my neck out and say Mick McCarthy will have Ipswich above us before January we really look a very very soft squad , at least we wear the right colour Yellow through and through.

[morty 0]

I am not arguing sausage, I am imparting my point of view, the same as hairy is.