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Why do we so often lose to *** teams ??

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I''ve been following Norwich since the early ''80s and even though players, managers, owners, staff, even fans have come and gone, the one thing that seems to be concistent is that although Norwich can often raise their game for the teams near the top of the table they nearly always get embarressed by the teams lower down the division or even leagues.Any ideas or is it just in my head ??

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No ideas why, but no its not in your head.

Always been like that supporting Norwich.

That''s why we do it!!

Need the lows to appreciate the highs.

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All I seem to have read about on this board over the last few months is how we beat the teams in the bottom half of the division and can''t beat those in the top half.

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Our record this season is totally at odds with the OP''s comment that we often do well against the top teams whilst struggling against the lower sides.

Nonetheless, in answer to the question, we have a vital section of the team - central defence, in the hands of incompetents. For a number of windows now, it has been generally accepted that what we have in this department is not fit for purpose and reinforcements are essential. And yet, this recent window was allowed to open and close without the slightest reference to doing anything in that area.

Alex Neil is always talking about individual mistakes being our undoing. Does he not realise that these mistakes occur consistently when a player(s) are simply not good enough? Klose has performed in waves for us. Awesome on arrival, desperately poor in the Championship, fine after adjusting to the new division but again recently dire again. Martin is easier to assess. He is not a centre back, never has been and never will be, totally out of his depth in that position. Alex Neil swears by him and will ultimately lose his position because he has not addressed this glaring problem.

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Being Scottish I feel I am qualified to answer this question as our national team are great in raising our game for say Germany, Italy or France then get turned over by Georgia or Morocco(France 98). We think that it will simply happen and get surprised when the opposition turns up to play. We find ourselves lacking in skill and ideas when having to challenge the opposition rather than walk over them. Basically we go to sleep get challenged and cannot recover.I think though Norwichs problem is universal across all teams. We are getting challenged,  leaking to many goals no matter how much we raise our game. This surely has to be bad for morale over the course of a game.

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[quote user="danielsroundabout"]Our record this season is totally at odds with the OP''s comment that we often do well against the top teams whilst struggling against the lower sides.

Nonetheless, in answer to the question, we have a vital section of the team - central defence, in the hands of incompetents. For a number of windows now, it has been generally accepted that what we have in this department is not fit for purpose and reinforcements are essential. And yet, this recent window was allowed to open and close without the slightest reference to doing anything in that area.

Alex Neil is always talking about individual mistakes being our undoing. Does he not realise that these mistakes occur consistently when a player(s) are simply not good enough? Klose has performed in waves for us. Awesome on arrival, desperately poor in the Championship, fine after adjusting to the new division but again recently dire again. Martin is easier to assess. He is not a centre back, never has been and never will be, totally out of his depth in that position. Alex Neil swears by him and will ultimately lose his position because he has not addressed this glaring problem.[/quote]I wasn''t talking specifically about this season, although we did better away at Everton than away at Rotherham, I clearly stated that it seemed to be from when I first started following Norwich.

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Maybe because we are no great shakes ourselves ?

We all have an over inflated opnion of our teams no matter who a supporter supports.

Fact is, we are bang average, with the odd player that can turn it on occasionally.

Hence our up and down results.

We have had over the years terrible recruitment from board to players.

Hit and miss some moght say, but the story says mostly miss.

The amount of dough thrown at abject failures is the biggest issue.

And this is not just aimed at players.

Though i dont expect anything to change to be honest.

And i feel we are back tomthe grind of mid table championship football, with the occasional flirt with both promotion, and relegation.

I also fully expect to see Alex Neil in charge next season.

Reason being, that Delia felt pushed getting rid of Hughton, and low and behold what does she see ? Him doing a sterling job.

So she think if we stick through the slumps the same will happen with Neil.

Unfortunatly, Neil had no where newr the playing career that Hughton had.

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I think our defense has been poor for several seasons. Before every season and before every transfer window I assume we will strengthen with good Centre Backs but every time its the same ... more midfielders. Historically we have had plenty of good defenders even back to the days of Forbes and Stringer (which I remember well) through Butterworth, Polston, Fleming, Bruce etc, etc .... even Chris Sutton was better playing there than what we have at the moment. I don''t know how Neil can''t see it - must be blind. We haven''t had a decent centre back pairing in ages and sadly until we sort that these results will continue.

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Most "poor" teams will sit back and we''ve commonly struggled to win games where we''ve had the most possession etc. During our good spells we''ve often used the same tactics, especially under Lambert. We also seem to have a knack of breaking other teams "haven''t won in x many games" streaks

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Is our defence really that bad though?!? Dijks is clearly quality and apart from the odd game like yesterday so is Klose.

Despite the criticism in here Martin is ok, certainly should be good enough against the likes of Burton.

Add in Pinto and I''d say it''s a very good defence for the championship.

It''s something more than that....I think it''s purely a poor and lazy attitude that is fatal when added to an arrogance of we''re much better than the opposition.

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We can''t break down teams who put men behind the ball.

&

We haven''t got the fight to go toe to toe with these sort of teams.

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I think it has a fair bit to do with work rate, the teams at the bottom are trying to bridge the quality gap by being aggressive and working really hard off the ball, the teams at the top have the quality but also work hard, hence they are towards the top. We just not working as hard off the ball IMO.

I think any team that looks at our central defence feels they can get at them in both terms of physicality and pace because they are so indecisive. Every transfer window I keep hoping the club will address the situation, maybe next one they''ll do something about it.

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Because we are soft.

All nice and lovely in Norfolk and at Norwich but no hard edge.

We need some nasty players and some hard characters, team of powder puffs.

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[quote user="Chemical Bro"]How many of the good teams have we beaten this season?

The only teams we seem capable of beating is mid table fodder with nothing to play for.[/quote]

Looking good for next Sunday then!

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I agree 100% with Yellowbeagle in respect to the central defence concerns and Tue night against Newcastle was a classic example; again at Burton it was all too easy for the opposition. How many times have we seen the long ball or ball over the top catch our defence out this season. A captain should inspire his players and I am not sure Russell Martin is that inspiration on current form. From the current squad I would prefer someone like Howson to take the captain armband for the rest of the season, or maybe Dijks after his swashbuckling performance against Newcastle.

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We think digging in and doing the ugly stuff is beneath usBecause we are soft.Arrogance pure and simpleAll of these.The spine of our team is not fit for Championship purposes, the two CB''s and the two CM''s need to be a lot, lot tougher.

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So the spine of our team are not fit for the championship, they''ve shown their nowhere good enough for the premiership, so you saying we''ve spent 40 million on division one players?

Or could it simply be our manager hasn''t bought the right players to suit his style and this league? Thus he isn''t very good?

Which one Morty?

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[quote user="Indy"]So the spine of our team are not fit for the championship, they''ve shown their nowhere good enough for the premiership, so you saying we''ve spent 40 million on division one players?

Or could it simply be our manager hasn''t bought the right players to suit his style and this league? Thus he isn''t very good?

Which one Morty?[/quote]We don''t have the ability to shift large amounts of players all at once like Newcastle did, and this is made worse by poor contracting in the last few years meaning we have high wage earners that aren''t much use to us.Also a club in our position never knows which division it is going to be playing in, in the following season, making it very difficult to plan accordingly.But yeah, all Alex Neil''s fault, if you want it to be [Y]

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Also in the last window I''d say that the manager has brought in two players in Dijks and Wildschut that look very suited to addressing our lack of physical presence.

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So you don''t think our squad is very good, Jarvis, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Naismith, Pritchard, Klose but these are players bought in by AN, so yes if you don''t think they are good enough surely it''s AN fault? You can''t say we don''t have a good enough spine then not apportion blame at the guy who builds the squad? He''s been here 2&1/2 years now it''s his team.

I have to disagree I think we do have a decent team, but they are managed by a weak tactical manager and coached by poor standard coaches, like Olsson hinted at when he moved to Swansea, fitness is a question under this set up.

Just can''t see how you can put the blame on players yet stand behind AN Morty.

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Like I said, all about Alex Neil, if you want it to be[Y]Where am I just putting blame on the players?Did you even read what I posted above?

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I''m sorry but the squad is more than good enough. To say otherwise is ridiculous.

Pinto and Dijks are very very good for this level of football.

Klose was wanted by prem clubs in the summer.

Martin and Bassong have been there and done it both at this level and the prem.

Tettey Mulumbu Howson Dorrans have all played in the prem, have all got promoted from the championship in other and or our teams.

We don''t get out done by quality we get outdone because of concentration commitment and effort. All those 3 are typically inspired by the manager.

In games like the upcoming derby managers often need say nothing as the event itself is enough motivation.

The reality is, and has been all season, that they''ve not played anywhere near to their potential bar the odd exception. That is the manager and coaches responsibility primarily.

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I have Morty, but you can''t put the blame on players alone, there''s 25 players in our squad, most have played at some point yet we have the same mentality, performance and results.

I''m just asking that those who have been as you say weak in performance are mostly those purchased since AN arrived.

Like I said I don''t blame the players I put all blame on the manager, his tactical nouse is rubbish, as shown by the lack of comeback during games we fall behind in.

We look knackered after 70 minutes and we just can''t compete with heart and passion in games against so called lesser teams, that''s all down to the coaching and manager I''m afraid.

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[quote user="hogesar"]I''m sorry but the squad is more than good enough. To say otherwise is ridiculous.

Pinto and Dijks are very very good for this level of football.

Klose was wanted by prem clubs in the summer.

Martin and Bassong have been there and done it both at this level and the prem.

Tettey Mulumbu Howson Dorrans have all played in the prem, have all got promoted from the championship in other and or our teams.

We don''t get out done by quality we get outdone because of concentration commitment and effort. All those 3 are typically inspired by the manager.

In games like the upcoming derby managers often need say nothing as the event itself is enough motivation.

The reality is, and has been all season, that they''ve not played anywhere near to their potential bar the odd exception. That is the manager and coaches responsibility primarily.[/quote]Also the players share in the responsibility for their own concentration, commitment and effort.I''m not saying Alex Neil is perfect, and I''m not saying the players are totally unsuited. What I am saying that it is a whole combination of a lot of things, some I listed above.I wasn''t at the game yesterday, but it sounded like Barnsley, where we were totally outmuscled and outfought, and that is down to the players that step over the white line, Alex Neil has very little influence on what happens once they do so.

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[quote user="Indy"]I have Morty, but you can''t put the blame on players alone, there''s 25 players in our squad, most have played at some point yet we have the same mentality, performance and results.

I''m just asking that those who have been as you say weak in performance are mostly those purchased since AN arrived.

Like I said I don''t blame the players I put all blame on the manager, his tactical nouse is rubbish, as shown by the lack of comeback during games we fall behind in.

We look knackered after 70 minutes and we just can''t compete with heart and passion in games against so called lesser teams, that''s all down to the coaching and manager I''m afraid.[/quote]Where have I said its just the players I blame Indy?Are you sure you''re actually reading my posts?

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