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ricardo

Ricardo's report v Southampton

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A very dull, damp and dark day here in Norwich and the lights were full on when I biked up to ground this afternoon. The team sheet with Cantwell and Gilmour was not much of a surprise as I had long thought that Farkes demise was as much do to personalities as to results.

I expect we we all looking for some sort of new manager bounce today and at least some sign that we were good enough to compete in this league. Unfortunately we got a real slap in the face early on as the visitors cruised into a 3rd minute lead. A ball into the wide open spaces on the City right flank should have been cleared as it was worked into space for Adams to nudge the ball past Krul into the far corner.

To their credit, City did liven up for a time and surprisingly got straight back in the picture in the seventh minute when Rashica combined nicely with Max Aarons and from the cut back Pukki was able to nip in at the corner of the six yard box and glance a perfect header in off McCarthy's near post. It got the crowd back on their feet with the expectation of more to come but we were to be cruelly disappointed as the visitors started to dictate proceedings to an almost embarrassing level. Both City flanks were wide open as wave after wave of red and white cut through the City rearguard forcing last gasp blocks and a succession of corners.

City looked all at sea with little cohesion in midfield and nothing for the front runners to feed off. Thankfully Armstrong and Adams had forgotten their shooting boots as decent opportunities went begging and most of the on target stuff went straight at Tim Krul. It looked like just a matter of time before Southampton wrapped things up in such a one sided affair. I really needed binoculars because almost everything was happening a hundred yards away at the River End. By the half hour our penalty area was like a coconut shy andI was looking for a sofa to hide behind as yet another Southampton chance was skewed a yard wide.

I have always liked Tod Cantwell but he was just not at the races at all today and bringing him back without match sharpness seemed to be a big mistake. The crowd got on his back after an error and that didn't help either. I was just praying that we could get to halftime without further damage and thanks to a magnificent save from Tim Krul we did. A sharp pass put Hanley in trouble and he lost possession to Diallo who had a free man either side of him. The ball was tee'd up for Adams and looked goal bound until Krul flew to his right to turn it away.

Somehow we went in all square in what had been the most one sided affair I have seen at Carrow Rd for many a year. It looked like men against boys or two teams three leagues apart. City's goal was their only effort of the entire 45 minutes.

Swapping Cantwell for Sargent was an easy choice and immediately you could see a difference. I don't know what Smith said to them at the break but it must have been along the lines of "show me if you are good enough" because the effect was instantaneous. City were quicker to the ball and the visitors seemed to wilt as the home side grew stronger.

City began to dominate and at last corners were being won and shots were coming in. Rashica and Norman both tested McCarthy and it was Southampton who were having trouble to get any forward play going. The game was there to be won and Pukki almost did it when he scampered away on the right before bringing a flying save out of McCarthy at the near post, then a Normann twentfive yarder flew just over. On 79 minutes it was Rashica, who had been having a fine second half, won a corner on the City left, Gilmour trotted up to take it and the whole ground errupted as Hanley got on the end of his fighted ball at the far post. Ten or so minutes left and finally we were in front and had one hand on the three points.

Saints pushed forward as City had to withstand some stiff pressure as the sand ran out of the hour glass and for the first time in a long while I was wishing the seconds to tick away. There was only one moment of real danger and that was right at the end when Walcott got on the end of a great cross but could only glance the ball a yard wide.

I have seen a lot of strange games at CR over the years but I din't remeber anything like this afternoons tale of two halves. Chalk and cheese doesn't do it justice, it was like two entirely different games with the boys on in the first game and the men on in the second. We may still be not good enough in the end but it does give us something to cling to and that is more than enough at the moment.

Hanley a bit rusty first half, a giant in the second, Pukki, fine goal and non stop running, Gilmour, got well into it today and Rashica, best game yet but my MOM today is Tim Krul, that save on the stroke of halftime made all the difference.

 

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5 minutes ago, ricardo said:

I have always liked Tod Cantwell but he was just not at the races at all today and bringing him back without match sharpness seemed to be a big mistake.

Apparently Dowell dropped out of the squad late with a positive Covid test, he's asymptomatic. Guessing he was trying to go like for like. 

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26 minutes ago, Icecream Snow said:

Apparently Dowell dropped out of the squad late with a positive Covid test, he's asymptomatic. Guessing he was trying to go like for like. 

Hope that doesn't spread now that we are getting it together.

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13 minutes ago, ricardo said:

Hope that doesn't spread now that we are getting it together.

That would be just typical and proof beyond doubt that we are jinxed🤯

Thanks for the report - a good read as ever!

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Like Ricardo I have watched quite a few games. It must have been the most one sided first half I have ever seen. It was much a case of men and boys and we looked totally out of our depth. Expected the Saints to come out second half and see us of but they simply disappeared. Initially could not get to grips as to why this was but the City Coaches had obviously made some subtle changes to our tactics and we looked a lot better side. DS later explained that he had told our players to push up more and it worked despite several fairly poor crosses coming in from both flanks. If the boys can regain some confidence - there is hope.

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5 minutes ago, vos said:

Like Ricardo I have watched quite a few games. It must have been the most one sided first half I have ever seen. It was much a case of men and boys and we looked totally out of our depth. Expected the Saints to come out second half and see us of but they simply disappeared. Initially could not get to grips as to why this was but the City Coaches had obviously made some subtle changes to our tactics and we looked a lot better side. DS later explained that he had told our players to push up more and it worked despite several fairly poor crosses coming in from both flanks. If the boys can regain some confidence - there is hope.

Yes mate, I reckon we've been to thousands of games between us but I for one can't recall anything on this scale. We have had second half come backs before but this was something completely different. Had it been a boxing match this would have been stopped long before halftime to prevent further uneccasary punishment. The second half was like Lazarus being raised from the dead.

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22 minutes ago, vos said:

Like Ricardo I have watched quite a few games. It must have been the most one sided first half I have ever seen. It was much a case of men and boys and we looked totally out of our depth. Expected the Saints to come out second half and see us of but they simply disappeared. Initially could not get to grips as to why this was but the City Coaches had obviously made some subtle changes to our tactics and we looked a lot better side. DS later explained that he had told our players to push up more and it worked despite several fairly poor crosses coming in from both flanks. If the boys can regain some confidence - there is hope.

Sargent made the difference. He was a machine when he came on, & S'oton weren't expecting it.

That performance would not have happened had Todd stayed on.

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That was a big win over a very organized and well drilled saints side. 

I was very impressed with them in the first half but I did wonder if they could keep it up. 

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Gilmour came into the game more in 2nd half. Somehow we need to be better at getting the ball to him and letting him do his thing. 

We only have to be better than 3 other teams so beating or not losing against teams around us really helps. 

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Fancied us to win after such a poor first half and it was still even.  We only ever have one good half and so it came to pass.  Must perform for whole game.

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It was indeed very one-sided in the first half, but I was struck that Saints created relatively few clear-cut chances.  Thankfully we put our bodies in the way and got several blocks in; the guys do deserve credit for coming through it relatively unscathed.  

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19 minutes ago, pete said:

Fancied us to win after such a poor first half and it was still even.  We only ever have one good half and so it came to pass.  Must perform for whole game.

It would take a brave man to bet on a win after that first half. I honestly couldn't  see it coming.

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We should of been dead and buried by half time but somehow against all the odds we got in all square. Perhaps fortune smiles on DS.

We rode our luck but deserved the win with our second half gutsy performance. Some astute changes by DS and little cameos too by Rupp and Tzolis were also encouraging.

A week to plan for Wolves. Tricky but I have hope renewed.

 

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Great write up. Not sure I've ever seen a game so different either side of half time.

Excited to see us able to dig in when playing poorly and win a game from a set piece (even if that belittles the 2nd half performance a bit). It has been something that we've been missing for a while in my opinion and one of the reasons Villa were able to stay up 2 years back.

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If nothing else it gives us a straw to cling to at last. Good to see how much it meant to the players, they haven't given up.

Edited by ricardo

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Not sure I agree with some of these ratings from David Freezer in his report:  Krul 7, Aarons 6, Hanley 7, Gibson 7, Williams 7, Gilmour 6, Normann 6, McLean 7, Cantwell 5, Pukki 7, Rashica 7. Subs: Sargent 7, Rupp N/A, Tzlois N/A

Gilmour was quite widely motm, but Mr Freezer thinks he had a worse game than McLean?  Odd.  At least he got Todd right.

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I would've had Pukki, Rashica and Krul ahead of Gilmour for MOTM easily. He was much better this game in the second half but I'm still yet to see why people think he's so amazing, I think Normann is better in that role, it's such a shame we don't have a proper DM so he can play a little higher

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31 minutes ago, damn that Ralph Coates! said:

I had Rashica MoM.

great report Ricardo

Its certainly his best game so far in my opinion but everyone sees the game differently. I spoke to someone who thought Hanley had a "Mare'. Yes, there were some mistakes early on but he was superb second half.

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8 hours ago, Branston Pickle said:

Not sure I agree with some of these ratings from David Freezer in his report:  Krul 7, Aarons 6, Hanley 7, Gibson 7, Williams 7, Gilmour 6, Normann 6, McLean 7, Cantwell 5, Pukki 7, Rashica 7. Subs: Sargent 7, Rupp N/A, Tzlois N/A

Gilmour was quite widely motm, but Mr Freezer thinks he had a worse game than McLean?  Odd.  At least he got Todd right.

Interesting as I thought David Freezer pretty much got it spot on. Gilmore had a decent second half, best he’s had for us, but first half I thought he was well off the pace (as were several others to be fair). Thought McLean was ok for both half’s.

I had Krul or Rashia for MOTM

lovely to read your report after a win Ricardo 🙃

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12 hours ago, ron obvious said:

Sargent made the difference. He was a machine when he came on, & S'oton weren't expecting it.

That performance would not have happened had Todd stayed on.

Perhaps this is why Farke preferred him to a more creative player. But fair dos to the new manager in identifying what was needed to stop the Southampton threat. It worked a treat and we saw none of the gaping holes on that right side of midfield in the second half with Sargent doing a great job - and Cantwell's replacement Rashica, causing problems on the left the side of the pitch too.  Proved to be a good balance. 

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10 hours ago, Branston Pickle said:

Not sure I agree with some of these ratings from David Freezer in his report:  Krul 7, Aarons 6, Hanley 7, Gibson 7, Williams 7, Gilmour 6, Normann 6, McLean 7, Cantwell 5, Pukki 7, Rashica 7. Subs: Sargent 7, Rupp N/A, Tzlois N/A

Gilmour was quite widely motm, but Mr Freezer thinks he had a worse game than McLean?  Odd.  At least he got Todd right.

I thought it was funny when watching his report on You Tube as he talked about Gilmour getting an assist and immediately says he got a 6, making it sound like an assist should get you a mark off 🤣

I thought he was worth a 7 like the others, Normann likewise - I thought everyone played pretty much equally badly first half and equally well second. 

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I’m sure those of us that have been going for years have seen loads of games where we were outplayed in the first half . Most Liverpool games with Suarez spring to mind . We weren’t that bad . 

The main issue was Soton making the pitch big . Rashica didn’t get across and Soton overloaded their left side . 
Smith tried dropping Cantwell in from his 10 position and pushing Rashica wider but it didn’t work. 
Second half Sargent filled the gap - and we pressed higher . Rashica changed sides. 
Ball moved forward much quicker - Far less possession based. 
 

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As for Gilmour MOTM not at all sure about that. Highlights reel nice in parts, though his defensive positioning is very poor.

His ideal quarterback metronome role is rather a luxury position, a bit like a free 10, and typically suited to a team that dominates possession and only comes rarely under high press pressure. Like international football for example. 

Covering for him with 2 pivots is a way round it, though that makes him the coach’s compromise  and is quite a compliment. Not sure he has the passa-gol creation for that. It also restricts who and how the wider 3/4 players have to play (less attacking, more responsible). Gilmour, Rashica  and Aarons on that right-sided triangle first half was far too callow and open. It was exploited time and time again. You only need one strategic weakness at this level and the opposition will smell it quickly and pour into it over and over again.

Thought Williams went under the radar. Good game from him. 

Parma 

Edited by Parma Ham's gone mouldy
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2 minutes ago, Parma Ham's gone mouldy said:

Covering for him with 2 pivots is a way round it, though that makes him the coach’s compromise  and is quite a compliment

My instinct was that what we gained in Gilmour's creativity in this game we lost by having to play Normann in a more conservative role. But I was watching on a dodgy stream and the disappearance of Normann's beautiful platinum hair means I might not have noticed him as much. Be interested in what you thought of this, @Parma Ham's gone mouldy

Edited by Robert N. LiM
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4 minutes ago, Parma Ham's gone mouldy said:

As for Gilmour MOTM not at all sure about that. Highlights reel nice in parts, though his defensive positioning is very poor.

His ideal quarterback metronome role is rather a luxury position, a bit like a free 10, and typically suited to a team that dominates possession and only comes rarely under high pressure pressure. Like international football for example. 

Covering for him with 2 pivots is a way round it, though that makes him the coach’s compromise  and is quite a compliment. Not sure he has he creation for that. It also restricts who and how the wider 3/4 players have to play (less attacking, more responsible). Gilmour, Rashica  and Aarons on that right-sided triangle first half was far too callow and open. It was exploited time and time again. You only need one strategic weakness at this level and the opposition will smell it quickly and pour into it over and over against 

Thought Williams went under the radar. Good game from him. 

Parma 

Yes - Gilmour looks good given time and space - but then who doesn't?

As ever it's the coaches job to get the right balance - and Deano & Shakespeare looks like the team to do it based off the astute tactical changes in the second half.

All in all a good competitive  'look-over' and 3 points to boot for Deano.

Did the lights dim at 1/2 time with the gigawatt hairdryer ?

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@RobertN.LiM

I thought Normann looked a little lost and restricted in his restrained role.

I think the coach is right to play 2 pivots - and I think with what we’ve got they have to be Normann and McClean - if he wants to play Gilmour at all. 

The corollary would be a question for the recruitment as to why we don’t have  2 Skipp-a-likes (or absolutely, crucially 1 at this level, given our relative station).

The further point would be - as you said - what you lose elsewhere by giving this strategic padding to Gilmour. It is not only what you lose from Normann, it is also what you lose from the different instructions you have to give the 3/4 players - be it Rashica, Cantwell, Tzolis, Dowell et al.

Strategically the answer will always be Sargent, because of his defensive work rate and good defensive positioning (which is considerably better than Gilmours btw). This however means - in my view - that you are unbalanced, as you either play Sargent as a 10 and let him cover ground (the likely best option) or you forever shoe-horn him from wide, where he is diligent, though unsilky and clearly finds it hard to get into shooting positions from wide. 

Parma 

Edited by Parma Ham's gone mouldy
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22 hours ago, ricardo said:

A very dull, damp and dark day here in Norwich and the lights were full on when I biked up to ground this afternoon. The team sheet with Cantwell and Gilmour was not much of a surprise as I had long thought that Farkes demise was as much do to personalities as to results.

I expect we we all looking for some sort of new manager bounce today and at least some sign that we were good enough to compete in this league. Unfortunately we got a real slap in the face early on as the visitors cruised into a 3rd minute lead. A ball into the wide open spaces on the City right flank should have been cleared as it was worked into space for Adams to nudge the ball past Krul into the far corner.

To their credit, City did liven up for a time and surprisingly got straight back in the picture in the seventh minute when Rashica combined nicely with Max Aarons and from the cut back Pukki was able to nip in at the corner of the six yard box and glance a perfect header in off McCarthy's near post. It got the crowd back on their feet with the expectation of more to come but we were to be cruelly disappointed as the visitors started to dictate proceedings to an almost embarrassing level. Both City flanks were wide open as wave after wave of red and white cut through the City rearguard forcing last gasp blocks and a succession of corners.

City looked all at sea with little cohesion in midfield and nothing for the front runners to feed off. Thankfully Armstrong and Adams had forgotten their shooting boots as decent opportunities went begging and most of the on target stuff went straight at Tim Krul. It looked like just a matter of time before Southampton wrapped things up in such a one sided affair. I really needed binoculars because almost everything was happening a hundred yards away at the River End. By the half hour our penalty area was like a coconut shy andI was looking for a sofa to hide behind as yet another Southampton chance was skewed a yard wide.

I have always liked Tod Cantwell but he was just not at the races at all today and bringing him back without match sharpness seemed to be a big mistake. The crowd got on his back after an error and that didn't help either. I was just praying that we could get to halftime without further damage and thanks to a magnificent save from Tim Krul we did. A sharp pass put Hanley in trouble and he lost possession to Diallo who had a free man either side of him. The ball was tee'd up for Adams and looked goal bound until Krul flew to his right to turn it away.

Somehow we went in all square in what had been the most one sided affair I have seen at Carrow Rd for many a year. It looked like men against boys or two teams three leagues apart. City's goal was their only effort of the entire 45 minutes.

Swapping Cantwell for Sargent was an easy choice and immediately you could see a difference. I don't know what Smith said to them at the break but it must have been along the lines of "show me if you are good enough" because the effect was instantaneous. City were quicker to the ball and the visitors seemed to wilt as the home side grew stronger.

City began to dominate and at last corners were being won and shots were coming in. Rashica and Norman both tested McCarthy and it was Southampton who were having trouble to get any forward play going. The game was there to be won and Pukki almost did it when he scampered away on the right before bringing a flying save out of McCarthy at the near post, then a Normann twentfive yarder flew just over. On 79 minutes it was Rashica, who had been having a fine second half, won a corner on the City left, Gilmour trotted up to take it and the whole ground errupted as Hanley got on the end of his fighted ball at the far post. Ten or so minutes left and finally we were in front and had one hand on the three points.

Saints pushed forward as City had to withstand some stiff pressure as the sand ran out of the hour glass and for the first time in a long while I was wishing the seconds to tick away. There was only one moment of real danger and that was right at the end when Walcott got on the end of a great cross but could only glance the ball a yard wide.

I have seen a lot of strange games at CR over the years but I din't remeber anything like this afternoons tale of two halves. Chalk and cheese doesn't do it justice, it was like two entirely different games with the boys on in the first game and the men on in the second. We may still be not good enough in the end but it does give us something to cling to and that is more than enough at the moment.

Hanley a bit rusty first half, a giant in the second, Pukki, fine goal and non stop running, Gilmour, got well into it today and Rashica, best game yet but my MOM today is Tim Krul, that save on the stroke of halftime made all the difference.

 

Don’t understand the binoculars, Southampton were attacking the Barclay in the first half!

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