What's wrong with Mulryne?

[0King Juan of SpainddMMyyyy0Falseen-USTrue 0]

I''m having grave concerns about our Mullers. His game has been really below par recently and he''s not working at all. He''s (yet again) forgotten how to play outside the centre circle, and, as has been mentioned before on this site, we have a huge gap between midfield and attack when he plays. That was our undoing against Bradford - no-one was backing the strikers up from midfield.
I think it''s time to give Francis another go. Excuse me for over-egging the pudding somewhat, but if he could get his sluggish starts out of his system (why does he seem to take half a game to get going), I can see him as our Patrick Viera. He''s strong on the ball, attacks and defends in equal measure and is no bad passer. If him and Holty could just decide where each other is going to play, I really believe they''d be the strongest midfield partnership.
As for Mullers, I''m just not convinced he really wants it anymore. What''s wrong with him?

[GMF 736]

I think Nigel would also like to know the answer to your question.

Whilst Mullers wasn''t the worst on the pitch on Saturday, he certainly wasn''t the Mullers we know he can be.

On Saturday the long ball option, frequently favoured in the first half, just didn''t work for at least two reasons. First Bradford were playing very deep and, secondly, we didn''t have a big target, like Iwan, for most of the game.

When this option was clearly failing to work, we were crying out for a ball carrier, such as Francis, in order to alter the approach of attack. That isn''t Mullers game and whilst Holt and McVeigh had a go, neither was on top form. Nor, unfortunatly, was Hendo.

[grinner 0]

mullers is and has been for the past few months been haveing trouble with his back.it will not go away and he is stuck with it.not alot of people now that but i do trust me.

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

I have to say I''m really not a fan of Mulryne. Don''t get me wrong he can have good games and some of his free kicks are supurb. But both happen on very rare occassions.

Whenever Mullers is playing our game seems to be Green throws it out to Mackay, Mackay to Mulryne, Mulryne turns, stops, thinks and gives it back to Mackay who hits it long!!! At least Francis is creative.

[NorwichAreBack 0]

Personally id play all 3,this would be my line up:


Green
Malky Flem Drury
Mulryne Holt Francis Brennan
McVeigh
McKensie Hucks

McVeigh was basically playin centre mid the other day before so why not fit all our best players into a system!?! Id hav Sven up front insted of Leon though if he was fit,another outlet with a long ball-altho not pretty!

[Longy 0]

i cannot see how this works are you suggesting 3 centre backs if so shackell would play. If not where is right/wing back you have got to play with somewhere there! My personal choice would actually be not far from the team playing at the moment, but it does rely on the team passing the ball well unlike saturday.

Green
Drury Shackell Fleming Edworthy
Brennan Francis Holt Mc Veigh
Huckerby Mc Kenzie

Subs: Malky, Crichton, Henderson, Mulryne and Iwan

This takes into account svensson''s injury, dropping malky is harsh but shackell will allow us to play a better brand of football (ie passing) especially at home (a la cardiff). Though I have always liked mulryne he has been inconsistent and can lead to lack of drive in midfield. If we get the ball on the floor, as we are capable of doing we should outpass most teams in the league and therefore allow our forward to make runs for the ball to played along the ground instead of the air. Its all a question of style and picking a team accordingly. Tho having said all this I would play malky against rotherham a team who will just tend to lump it at us.

[TopAtPortalooRoad 0]

longy i would have to agree with your comments and team line up 100%. i think it is high time for malky to be replaced by shackell. Therefore allowing us to play a more attractive style of football, that opposed to malky''s constant bombing the ball forward. also i feel that the best centre midfield partnership for norwich would be holt and francis. they both get stuckin defending and winning the ball in midfield, and are capable of running with the ball

[Tumbleweed 106]

Mulryne has never done it for me. When he first arrived his latent talent was obvious but he has not moved on. He does not support the front two enough, leaving a gaping hole behind the forwards which is where he should be with his passing and ability to swerve the ball goalwards from 18-20 yards. Instead he plays far too deep, does not commit to challenges (which he ought to do if playing as a "blocker") and lacks pace to bypass defenders. I also see worringly few signs of true passion for the cause from him.

For too long he has been labelled "mercurial" (a.k.a. inconsistent) and shown a promise which he can''t deliver.

We can''t afford to carry both him and, sometimes, Rivers and in the run in I would much prefer a Francis Holt combination. I would actually rather have Rivers on the right than Mulryne.

The closest comparison I can come up with is Ian Crook. Crooky got stuck in and was never afraid to advance up the field, when the ball came to him outside the penalty area there used to be an audible holding of breath to see if he could curl it into the corner. With Mulryne its more likely to go sideways if he''s there at all............

I had hoped Mulryne would blossom into a potent midfield force, but it hasn''t happened. Time to persist with someone else.

One of the posts above had Malky at the right of a three man defence. While I like the formation gicing McVeigh free reign behind the front two, I think this would be defensive suicide.

[0King Juan of SpainddMMyyyy0Falseen-USTrue 0]

Well said Tumbleweed. I wonder if we all thought he was The Saviour because when he arrived we had some pretty average midfielders and his passing stood out. You''re right about ''carrying'' Mulryne. We get caught out by teams like Bradford when they stick 5 across the middle because he can''t hold his own. At least somebody like Francis and Holt will try to hold on to the ball and take it forward - Mulryne always mostly looks behind him in times of trouble.

[a1canary 0]

Well if, as grinner says, he''s having back problems then for god''s sake get him out of the team and have him rested! There''s arguement enough on here to see a Francis Holt combination even without Mullers being half crock. And if he is, then there is no arguement!

[ca 1]

Quite agree A1 if Mullers is injured he should be rested until he is 100% fit.

[John Boubepo 0]

Yep, a nice long rest should help his back problem no end, not sure what we''re going to to about him being fat and lazy though?

[First Wizard 0]

Although I would never have the courage to tell big Malky face to face, Shakell is a must for the Rotheram game.