Credit where credit's due

[Canary Poirot 1]

After slamming the players last week on this forum, I thought tonight''s performance against Birmingham was a much improved one. There are lots of positives to take from this game. After the dreadful efforts at QPR and Luton, the players needed to perform, and they responded for me. Okay we lost, but on another night we could''ve won today. So well played to Norwich City FC tonight.

If we play like that in the weeks to come, we will be moving up the league. The playoffs look like a realistic target with performance levels like this.

Finally - although it is unfair to single one player out for praise as I thought all played well, a big well played goes to Ian Henderson who I thought sounded busy and full of energy up front and looked like he finally has taken an opportunity and could, and should in my opinion, be given an extended run up front.

Onwards and upwards.

[gazzathegreat 0]

Poirot

I agree it was a much better performance, having said that, it could hardly be worse.  We certainly started playing more as a team, which I think is probably the most encouraging part for me, as well as Worthy AT LAST PUTTING HENDERSON ON IN HIS PROPER POSITION!!

Sorry for shouting, but I yelled out in sheer excitement when he came on and it was obvious where he was going to play.  He did play extremely well and it was also encouraging to see Rossi Jarvis come on too.  I would like to see Hendo and Ryan Jarvis the main contenders for the role of support for Dean Ashton, who also played well tonight.

However, sorry folks, it is still not a win, we played better and competed, but we still need to win and keep a sustained run going before I will be convinced Worthy is still the man for the job, but for me the encouraging thing as I say was two positive substitutions and general all round teamwork.

 

[LinkNR9 0]

WE LOST (AGAIN) - AND YOU''RE PLEASED??!!!

[Cheeky Monkey 0]

Haha Poirot ! "Sounded busy...." Did you go to Luton or QPR either ? Agreed, they did "sound" better tonight, but you can''t be posting comments like this from a radio commentary really, unless of course you experienced first hand how truly awful the team were in the last two games.

[ncfc0405 0]

Sounded like Flem was quite composed at right back as well, and Hendo was causing lots of problems up front. Good that it''s only two days to the Wednesday game. Let''s press on.

[USA Canary 7]

I have always thought that Henderson should be playing up front instead of on the wing.  Let''s see if Worthy thinks that as well.

[StevenageFan 0]

still not convinced, you can''t really tell from the radio.   Worthy although bringing on more positive subs still played a left back on the left wing this time, having witnessed him play awful in central midfield.   Surely Hendo or McVeigh should have started with Hux on the left if we really wanted to take the game to Birmingham.    We had nothing to lose.

[Saint Canary 0]

There was an improvement in the performance last night.  However I am sceptical as to whether this will mark an upturn in our league position.  Last nights games was by and large, meaningless.  It was a game we were not expected to win and because of that the pressure was off, in that sort of situation you would expect the players to improve.

Worthy proved a lot of people right last night by playing (where possible) the right players in the right positions.  Hendo up front, Jarrett in central midfield instead of Charlton.  I think with Worthy''s "Back to Basics" mantra he has to continue this fundamental "basic" of picking a "team" rather than trying to squeeze what he feels are the best 11 players available into a side. 

League form is now everything, we now need to go on a run of unbeaten games to build confidence and improve our league position.  I really believe that come January we need to be in, or very very close to the play off positions.  We need to be in those position in order to persuade our best players to stay for a few more months and to attract the sort of players we need to buy/loan.

[Francis is a God<H5><IMG src="http:new.pinkun.comforumsimagesline.gif"><BR>Francis . " The next Vieira "<H5> 0]

I was there last night and to be honest they were very unlucky not to come away as victors. The second half shot ratio was well ahead of Birmingham and the space we had due to playing a team in the Premiership was evident. The guy''s played with passion and Davenport was a rock at the back , with Hughes in midfield awesome in closing down the midfield of the blues. One swallow does not make a summer but based on this level of intensity I think the play offs are a distinct possibility.