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ricardo

Ricardo's report v Birmingham

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It ha been cold in Norwich this week but there was a timely lift in the temperature this morning and at kick off time conditions were set fair and with an unchanged team after last weeks victory there was an air of confidence that we would see another good result.City kicked off as usual towards the Barclay End but it was the visitors who first caught the eye in the second minute as Ruddy had to make a diving save from Jutkiewicz''s low shot from 18 yards. A minute later there was almost a mirror image as Jerome tested the Brum keeper in the same manner and with the same result.Birmingham were looking very lively and dominated possession during these opening exchanges and very nearly took the lead when Grounds cross seemed to catch the City defence in two minds and Jutkiewicz should really have netted instead of striking the bar with a powerful header. I think Klose was fouled during the build up because he was complaining bitterly as the ball was hooked away and suddenly Jerome was away in the inside left position. He showed a defender a clean pair of heels before cutting inside the centre back and finishing neatly into the far corner. From almost going behind to taking the lead was no more than a matter of seconds.The goal seemed to settle the home side although there were still a couple of occasions when the back four looked uncertain when Brum came forward. Another neat move from the visitors could have ended in a goal but a close range header went well over the bar and the City defenders all looking at one another. From about the 25th minute City upped their game and began to exert a measure of control and twice almost increased their lead. First Brady sent Jerome away down the left and in a neat exchange Wes cut the ball back for Naismith steaming in 8 yards out. Unfortunately the little man lifted what looked a gilt edged chance inches over the bar. He almost redeemed himself moment later when Wes again freed him in the box but a timely interception prevented his pass finding the unmarked Jerome.Brum came back with a twenty yarder straight at John Ruddy but City were looking by far the most likely to score and Howson nearly provided it only for Kuszczak to save with his legs. City were not to be denied however when a couple of minutes from the break Brady''s whipped free kick was firmly nodded home by a jubilant Timm Klose who proceeded to head butt the corner flag. It was almost three just on the whistle but Naisy could only screw a decent chance wide of the far post when sent clear.At the half I was offering no odds on a clean sheet because the visitors were still looking very lively and when the second half resumed they pushed City back for the opening six or seven minutes. The crowd were quick to voice concern when passes were misplaced or players dwelt on the ball too long but this shaky period was eventually ridden out when City broke clear to win a corner.You felt that a third goal would kill the contest but despite numerous decent opportunities it wouldn''t come. Naismith and Murphy both delayed too long when well place and it was no surprise when the Murphy brothers were swapped just after the hour mark. Naismith buzzed around to good effect but he just couldn''t buy a goal. When Brady''s lovely cross found him in the centre of goal unmarked seven yards out it seemed a goal was certain but again his header was straight at Kuszczak. The little man could easily have dropped his head after a hat trick of misses but shew his character by continuing to chase and harry back.When Jerome could only find the keeper with a close range header I was beginning to tear my hair out but then came an even more outrageous miss when the big City striker raced clear, exchanged passes with Howson and had the goal at his mercy only for Kuszczak to pull off another remarkable stop. Jesus effing Christ! it could have been four or five on any average sort of day and both Jerome and Naismith should have been coming off fighting over the match ball.Ben Godfrey was given a run out for Tetty with ten minutes left and there was still some nervousness about when  Brum again clipped the woodwork in injury time but in truth this should have been academic had just a fraction of all those numerous chances been taken. Birmingham never game up and played at a fast pace until the end but City deserved the points and the clean sheet was an added bonus.So AN takes yet another step back from the cliff edge and it becomes harder to argue that the players are not putting in the effort for him. MOM goes to Brady this time but Klose, Jerome and Johhy Howson weren''t far behind. At the back we looked more solid as the game progressed but there was still the odd dodgy moment when understanding seemed to desert them, but its hard to quibble after another three good points. 

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[quote user="Lessingham Canary"]Good report Ricardo as always, agree with Brady MOTM performance, thought Howson and Naismith were the next 2 contenders.[/quote]If only Naisy had netted one of his numerous chances he might have got it because the rest of his contribution was superb.

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Thx Ricardo. Good win today, all the more so  after game when Alex mentioned many of the squad were  affected by DnV, and Colney will be shut down for a day or two for a presumed fumigation. To play competitive when your stomach feels like a hot melted butter churn is admiral, to get the 3 points also is a great effort.

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Ricardo.

Is the an understanding developing between Naismith and Wes?

And does Jerome deserve another chance instead of the returning Olly, who if AN is true to form, will not be considered match fit?

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Wes and Naisy have a good understanding and I expect Only will have to wait for another chance to start.

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Many thanks Ricardo. I know it''s in retrospect, but your reports are always more measured & philosophical than the frenetic commentaries, where Goreham makes it sound like the opposition will score every time they cross the half way line (bitter experience some might say!).

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[quote user="Donkey dangler"]I was disappointed with Jacob Murphy today. May be he was told to play a restrained role.[/quote]I am glad you were disappointed, that means we must have won. [:''(]

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[quote user="VanWink"]Maybe our luck is changing, never underestimate Lady Luck.[/quote]Wise words a couple of free headers that could easily have been goals and a shot off the bar... such are the fine margins we treadand a real indication... no one sent off

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Naisy seems to be doing better of late, strikes me as a player who needs a decent run of games

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Alex Neil said multiple players were struggling with a sickness bug. Pritchard and Canos were sent home, and Tettey, Jacob Murphy were struggling.

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Thanks for the report Ricardo. I thought Jerome was outstanding today - and would have been my MOM. Listening to Canary Call afterwards, Greg Downes and Rob Butler were very critical of Klose: apart from the two unmarked headers, I can''t see why - were they his fault?

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[quote user=" Badger"]Thanks for the report Ricardo. I thought Jerome was outstanding today - and would have been my MOM. Listening to Canary Call afterwards, Greg Downes and Rob Butler were very critical of Klose: apart from the two unmarked headers, I can''t see why - were they his fault?[/quote]Looking in on the highlights in recent weeks, the positioning of defenders looks ok on the face of  it, but opposing attackers seem to have a free run in to the box.  Either the defenders are sitting too deep, or the runs aren''t being tracked by midfielders.  Either way, the free headers look alarming!  No harm done as long as we keep winning, but work still needed on the defence.

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[quote user=" Badger"]Thanks for the report Ricardo. I thought Jerome was outstanding today - and would have been my MOM. Listening to Canary Call afterwards, Greg Downes and Rob Butler were very critical of Klose: apart from the two unmarked headers, I can''t see why - were they his fault?[/quote]There were some confusion for the first header but then we broke and scored almost immediately so my eyes were following the action at the front. While Jerome and the rest were celebrating Klose and I think Martin were in animated conversation over by the dugout. I can only conclude there were angry words about the unmarked player.for the second the ball went over Klose''s head and was actually too high for the Brum striker to get a really meaningful header on target, so I wouldn''t count it a clear chance. Afterwards there were harsh words between Klose and Alex Tetty.

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On the subject of Tettey, I thought he was pretty good overall yesterday. Was great to see young Godfrey come on for him, looks like Alex is considering him a DM after all!

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Agree with that Morty, he was close to being my MoM at the time. Having looked at the highlights now, it does look like Tettey could have done better, for the 2 free Brum headers, but, he did have a good game, overall.

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Yeah Morty, I thought generally Tettey done well upsetting BIrminghams passing rhythm and getting stuck in. He does, particularly this season, have a tendency to not track runners properly and that was evident for the free headers Birmingham had.

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[quote user="hogesar"]Yeah Morty, I thought generally Tettey done well upsetting BIrminghams passing rhythm and getting stuck in. He does, particularly this season, have a tendency to not track runners properly and that was evident for the free headers Birmingham had.[/quote]I would see his job to screen the defence though, they have to take responsibility for runners!

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[quote user="morty"][quote user="hogesar"]Yeah Morty, I thought generally Tettey done well upsetting BIrminghams passing rhythm and getting stuck in. He does, particularly this season, have a tendency to not track runners properly and that was evident for the free headers Birmingham had.[/quote]I would see his job to screen the defence though, they have to take responsibility for runners![/quote]
To an extent yeah, but it was his man running from deep, it has to be his job to track him - defenders can''t shift across and follow one who''s got the run on them, particularly when they already had players to deal with themselves.
It''s been a weakness of Tettey''s on several occasions. I think I remember AN actually mentioning it in public last season? Against West Ham maybe?

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[quote user="hogesar"][quote user="morty"][quote user="hogesar"]Yeah Morty, I thought generally Tettey done well upsetting BIrminghams passing rhythm and getting stuck in. He does, particularly this season, have a tendency to not track runners properly and that was evident for the free headers Birmingham had.[/quote]I would see his job to screen the defence though, they have to take responsibility for runners![/quote]
To an extent yeah, but it was his man running from deep, it has to be his job to track him - defenders can''t shift across and follow one who''s got the run on them, particularly when they already had players to deal with themselves.
It''s been a weakness of Tettey''s on several occasions. I think I remember AN actually mentioning it in public last season? Against West Ham maybe?
[/quote]It depends how many are in the attack, and where you think the line between defensive midfielder and him basically just being another defender is. I think tracking runners also leaves a big hole where Tettey should be sometimes, that can also be exploited.Down to individual situations, but I prefer to see a DM a good ten yards in front of the CB''s screening and linking.

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[quote user="morty"][quote user="hogesar"][quote user="morty"][quote user="hogesar"]Yeah Morty, I thought generally Tettey done well upsetting BIrminghams passing rhythm and getting stuck in. He does, particularly this season, have a tendency to not track runners properly and that was evident for the free headers Birmingham had.[/quote]I would see his job to screen the defence though, they have to take responsibility for runners![/quote]
To an extent yeah, but it was his man running from deep, it has to be his job to track him - defenders can''t shift across and follow one who''s got the run on them, particularly when they already had players to deal with themselves.
It''s been a weakness of Tettey''s on several occasions. I think I remember AN actually mentioning it in public last season? Against West Ham maybe?
[/quote]It depends how many are in the attack, and where you think the line between defensive midfielder and him basically just being another defender is. I think tracking runners also leaves a big hole where Tettey should be sometimes, that can also be exploited.Down to individual situations, but I prefer to see a DM a good ten yards in front of the CB''s screening and linking.[/quote]There''s a simple rule here: if the number of attackers equals or exceeds the number of defenders then the defending side is basically fkd. That was the overload which our midfield allowed Birmingham to create in the run up to both chances. We should/could easily have conceded both times. The same situation is allowed to develop game after game. AN''s comment quoted in the EDP:"We conceded chances maybe a bit too easy in the first-half but if you

play an open, expansive brand of football that is going to happen."Yes, it is going to happen and will continue to happen with the same results as before -- goals conceded at a rate of 1.43 per game; only 5 teams in the division have a worse defensive record. It doesn''t matter who is in the back four if the midfield expose them all the time.

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[quote user="westcoastcanary"][quote user="morty"][quote user="hogesar"][quote user="morty"][quote user="hogesar"]Yeah Morty, I thought generally Tettey done well upsetting BIrminghams passing rhythm and getting stuck in. He does, particularly this season, have a tendency to not track runners properly and that was evident for the free headers Birmingham had.[/quote]I would see his job to screen the defence though, they have to take responsibility for runners![/quote]
To an extent yeah, but it was his man running from deep, it has to be his job to track him - defenders can''t shift across and follow one who''s got the run on them, particularly when they already had players to deal with themselves.
It''s been a weakness of Tettey''s on several occasions. I think I remember AN actually mentioning it in public last season? Against West Ham maybe?
[/quote]It depends how many are in the attack, and where you think the line between defensive midfielder and him basically just being another defender is. I think tracking runners also leaves a big hole where Tettey should be sometimes, that can also be exploited.Down to individual situations, but I prefer to see a DM a good ten yards in front of the CB''s screening and linking.[/quote]There''s a simple rule here: if the number of attackers equals or exceeds the number of defenders then the defending side is basically fkd. That was the overload which our midfield allowed Birmingham to create in the run up to both chances. We should/could easily have conceded both times. The same situation is allowed to develop game after game. AN''s comment quoted in the EDP:"We conceded chances maybe a bit too easy in the first-half but if you

play an open, expansive brand of football that is going to happen."Yes, it is going to happen and will continue to happen with the same results as before -- goals conceded at a rate of 1.43 per game; only 5 teams in the division have a worse defensive record. It doesn''t matter who is in the back four if the midfield expose them all the time.[/quote]I agree that the midfield has to take its responsibility, but as soon as your DM starts doing the defences job for them, then basically he''s just a fifth defender.

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[quote user="westcoastcanary"]morty doesn''t get it! [:)][/quote]I get it just fine, thanks.

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