It’s not Jerome’s fault!

[Baldyboy 0]

Yes, we need Pritchard back but it’s going to take him some time to get match fit after so long out.

Why do people think we will play any different with Pritchard in the side anyway? It’s Farke’s tactics going forward that seem to stifle us not the personnel on the pitch

[Yellowbeagle 0]

[quote user="Baldyboy"]Yes, we need Pritchard back but it’s going to take him some time to get match fit after so long out.

Why do people think we will play any different with Pritchard in the side anyway? It’s Farke’s tactics going forward that seem to stifle us not the personnel on the pitch[/quote]

I dont think we''ll play any different, but i do think he''ll be more of a threat from range, which will hopefully mean we''re less predictable going forwards and might create some space in behind for people like Murphy, Wildschut or even Jerome.

I do however agree about the fitness he''s never struck me as a player who is that naturally fit either.

[Canarymoon 0]

It''s not his fault he''s a donkey. It''s the managers fault that he''s playing

[non-scoring strikers 113]

It''s taken 2 and a half pages but finally a relevant post on this matter.

[Year of the tiger 54]

[quote user="Canarymoon"]It''s not his fault he''s a donkey. It''s the managers fault that he''s playing[/quote]

Who do you suggest he plays then?

[danielsroundabout 9]

Good question Tiger. Through a combination of recruitment decisions and injuries, we find ourselves totally reliant on Cameron Jerome for the present and immediate future. So what good are all these abusive posts from the Canarymoon character? Not generally considered the best way of motivating somebody on whom your success depends but I suppose its different.

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

Whilst a lot of the critical appraisal of Jerome''s recent goal scoring record is valid the excessiveness hints of scapegoating and cannot be justified.

It is reminiscent of the stuff posted a few years back by the character, who is instantly forgettable, who continuously had in in for Gary Hooper in much the same kind of language.

Whatever floats your boat I suppose and we could do with Gary Hooper at the moment, that''s for sure.

I would actually rest CJ for tonight''s match for not only is a lay-off well justified after his recent spell it will also at least give the manager an opportunity to see how Marley Watkins performs in the role and either put that theory to bed or provide the answer, in part, to the problem.

At the very least this move will provide a variation from the attacking tactics which seem to be limited at the moment as far as goal-scoring is concerned.

Re: the last statement we have, without a doubt, had some bad luck in front of goal recently, along with some poor finishing, and this could change tonight even with Jerome present.

[king canary 7,580]

@broadstairs

You are thinking about ''Jamea2'' and his terrifying Gary Hooper obsession. He came back with another account at some point too.

Agree that Jerome doesn''t deserve to be called a donkey as one poster has decided to now.

[lake district canary 4,531]

The "donkey" tag is grossly insulting to one of our better servants of the club over the last few years.  His goals have been key to our successful seasons and he is well proven in this division particularly. 

[Jim Smith 2,314]

I agree, those calling him a donkey need to take a look at themselves. This is a player who has served us fantastically and who never ever fails to put in a big effort when he plays for us.

That said he currently looks below par and is offering very little goal threat. I think this is due to a combination of the way we play at home and also his recent exertions in certain away games where our counter attacking style suits him better. I think the title to this thread is spot on, its not his fault, but the lack of an alternative (and particularly a more clinical alternative) is an issue.

[andrew norwichcity 8]

We just don''t have players who''s attributes work well supporting Jerome in the formation we play. If we had slightly more squad depth without having lost the types of quality we have over the last few seasons I''m sure goals would be more frequent. I''d still rather play Jerome over a lot of other championship strikers.

[Jim Smith 2,314]

I thought it was noticeable that although Oliveira was a bit hit and miss at Arsenal, his style of play and the way he linked up with the midfield made us look far more dangerous as an attacking force. People keep saying that Jerome suits our style of play better than Nelson but i don;t agree. perhaps for certain away games he does but otherwise i think Nelson dropping off and linking with the midfield makes us look a much more potent side and his lack of fitness has been a bigger blow than is acknowledged by many.

That said, Arsenal were pushing forward a lot rather than sitting deep so there were perhaps more spaces on offer.

[GJP 79]

Nelson gives you more options because he sees where a clever little flick might come his way. Cam doesn''t really read those things or move to make them possible.

[king canary 7,580]

Oliveria is much better suited to the style we play. Jerome''s strengths are mainly based on his running an aerial ability, something that would suit a direct team that wants to get the ball out wide and cross. His weaknesses are his first touch, passing and finiahing, all thibgs that are crucial if you''re playing tight, short passes around the box and looking to play through a packed defence.

[AJ 1,218]

King shares my thoughts exactly. Cam is a good player and has been a fantastic servant for us to date, but I''m sure although he''s trying he will admit that the system doesn''t suit his strengths. He likes to run onto the ball, he likes to knock it on to someone else and this system is all about the opposite, keeping the ball and lots of neat, tidy passing. That''s fine, he still works hard to make it work and will still score goals but naturally our playing style suits Oliveira much more. I also think personally he''s a much better natural finisher than Jerome.

[sonyc 5,492]

canarymoon goes a bit over the top in his point about Cam being a donkey. We have had strikers who have been slow and offered less movement in the past - you could unkindly make a comparison then to the poor old donkey. Jerome is anything other than that as he runs and puts in great shifts - I guess he does the heavy work. But Oliveira is our best option as AJ and others have noted. I was half hoping Cam might have been sold in pre season given the figures I saw. Yet, each game I see him in, he is one that tries so hard for us and I can never blame him for much. We desperately need a killer goal scorer though. Finding one is hard.

[Baldyboy 0]

You are right Sonyc about the amount of work Jerome does, it’s the attacking midfielders who aren’t getting forward quickly enough and that seems to be because of the way we are told to play by Farke

[yellowandgreen 34]

Totally agree with Baldyboy. The problem is not CJ it''s the system we are playing. It works away from home but due to some poor finishing and the need to defend in numbers we are not scoring.

Just look at our goals scored column in the league table. If we don''t start scoring close to two goals a game from now on we will not make the top six.

[AJ 1,218]

It is a fair point Baldy/Yellow, will be interesting to see what happens when Pritchard comes back if he can rediscover that end of season form from last term. 3 goals and 4 assists in his last six. That''s the kind of stats we need from Wes, Vrancic and Maddison at the moment on a regular basis. Murphy probably isn''t living up to his potential yet either, and Wildschut could do with weighing in with a few goals. Obviously it''s a new system with a lot of new players, it''ll take some time and at times it is starting to look bright for us, but we do need to start scoring more goals from all over the pitch.

The stats aren''t great this season compared to the same point last year for Jerome, but surprisingly most players are performing at similar levels with just Jerome a big drop off (7 goals 2 assists compared to 1 and 1 this term and Wes (2 Goals 4 Assists this time last year compared to just 2 assists this term)

Howson, interestingly, was on 3 goals and 3 assists at this point last year which is pretty good for CM. I always thought he was a massively underrated footballer but hasn''t exactly torn up trees at Boro so far

[AJ 1,218]

I was only looking at league stats btw

[Making Plans 936]

He''s been benched for tonight''s game

[Samwam27 519]

Jerome''s scored 1 in 12 games for us. He puts in a good shift, but at end of the day his role as striker is to get us goals. He''s also getting chances and not putting them away. But can''t fault his effort in the lone striker role

I don''t entirely agree the midfielders aren''t getting forward as Murphy, whilst blowing a little hot and cold, and definitely Madds, are pitching in with goals.

We''ve all said it so many times but we were desperately light up front and no true re-enforcements were purchased. Yet again that''s coming back to bite us

[GJP 79]

Mostly cold. How many league goals has Josh scored this season?

[Boris 56]

my 5 cent based on watching all Norwich games on ifollow...

Cam Jam declined a lot as a striker last 2 years and despite his big work ethic he is very far from reliable force in attack and on some games he looked like a Sunday league player.aAlmost never play with face to goal ,never shoot strong or correct enough,is not sharp anymore ,his first touch is more like a short pass no confidence etc etc.

Simply goals is not around him and look hopeless evry game.

Of course with injury prone Oliveira and poor budget he must play with no other options.

Over all my opinion is that Farke make mistake with this limited squad to try play many cup games as possible.

With great run we have a bit lucky in many games to score 1st shoot and then to play hard deffence wining 1-0 .

I believe Arsenal 120 min was a turning point and was pain to watch Oliveria unfit to stay 120 min and 8 players to be on field only 48 h after Ipswich game.

Same time we face fresh and experienced Derby Co. on weekend and loosing mood after Oliverira collapse was pain to watch.Then with no striker we face Wolves who is class now and 2 very bad results at home in space of 4 days ruin all good run and back to reality.

We badly need not to loose at Reebok and then at break to clean his mind and fresh players after this heavy schedule.

Also hope some players to be back from inj.

With full squad we are capable but team have bad balance and missing Tettey,Oliveira,Pritchard,Neismith and not fully fit Josh we look very limited team .

We must try all to promote but will need also luck to keep fit key players to have any chance for promotion.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

I don''t know how anyone can say CamJam suits our system better than Nelson?! The goal stats are there for all to see. Not knocking Cam, he works so hard and he''s one of our own. Hopefully he''ll hit a purple patch again soon starting at Bolton and then we really can have a debate which striker suits our system best! But at the moment, there''s only one (comfortable) winner.

[non-scoring strikers 113]

Just because Alex Neil once said that Cameron Jerome "works hard", "runs the channels" and "holds up the ball" it doesn''t make any of it true. My word, if anything was further from the truth!

Cameron Jerome is a thoroughly terrible footballer. One of those, in fact, whom you scratch your head over, wondering who on earth gave them a professional contract in the first place. A bit like Carlton Cole. but worse.

I would say he''s like having a centre-back up front but that would suggest he fits somewhere on a football pitch. He really doesn''t, and we''re the mugs paying him an obscene weekly wage to plod about with no semblance of a wavelength to anyone else in yellow, constantly conceding possession, winning one header a month (and not of his own volition), scuffing the easiest chances, not making space, always standing next to a defender and having less facial expressions than Keanu Reeves.

Just watch him, actually watch him next time you go to a game.

[Woodman 92]

Excusing that you''re clearly trolling, I wonder if you''d say that to his face? Or to any of his team mates? Or to any of the managers who pick him week in, week out to do a really difficult job for his team?

And actually, I do watch him every game when he''s picked and I see someone putting loads of effort in, trying his best for the team, scoring goals and setting up opportunities for others.

Maybe you weren''t at Wembley a couple of years ago?

But yeah, troll away...