Guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back.. 🇳🇴

[cambridgeshire canary 7,797]

It's the injury news we have all been waiting for! And yeah, I guess Gilmour is back too 😉 Guess the real question is that if we are going to be sticking to two in the middle who do we want to see as his partner besides him?

 

[Canary Jedi 610]

Great news! Normann will be a mega important player for us 👍

[JPukks 36]

For a minute I thought we had re signed Alex Tettey

[It's Character Forming 1,204]

Really good news, I'd been worried he wouldn't be back this season.

 

Coming back with us having 2 wins on the bounce and a nice gap for Smith to work with the squad, then a cup game to try out some different players, it's all looking good.  Clearly it will go pear shaped very quickly 😲😂

[TheGunnShow 7,377]

Sörensen. Failing that, Lees-Melou deserves a run based on his last two games. Normann and Lees-Melou could work as a combo, although Normann might not be in Sörensen's league for tackling and interceptions and certainly isn't quite as positionally responsible, but he's more likely to get a promising attacking move and possibly set Rashica or Sargent off.

[hogesar 10,761]

10 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Sörensen. Failing that, Lees-Melou deserves a run based on his last two games. Normann and Lees-Melou could work as a combo, although Normann might not be in Sörensen's league for tackling and interceptions and certainly isn't quite as positionally responsible, but he's more likely to get a promising attacking move and possibly set Rashica or Sargent off.

That strikes me as a little top confident in a player we've seen little of in his natural position and has failed to force his way in their under 2 managers, including one who signed him (ish, sporting director etc)

[TheGunnShow 7,377]

4 minutes ago, hogesar said:

That strikes me as a little top confident in a player we've seen little of in his natural position and has failed to force his way in their under 2 managers, including one who signed him (ish, sporting director etc)

A fair comment, but with Sörensen and Lees-Melou we certainly looked more balanced and steady in the middle of the park. McLean and Lees-Melou simply does not work - in some ways they're almost too similar and get in each other's way/inhibit each other. Sörensen and Lees-Melou looked better organised, Sörensen turning the ball over and Lees-Melou driving up the park.

Normann looks a shade wasted to me just sitting, and indeed he does not tend to. The concern I would have with a Normann and Lees-Melou combo is that one's natural game might stifle the other a bit. I suspect Sörensen would free Normann up well and help him play what looks like a natural box-to-box game.

[Commonsense 802]

41 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

A fair comment, but with Sörensen and Lees-Melou we certainly looked more balanced and steady in the middle of the park. McLean and Lees-Melou simply does not work - in some ways they're almost too similar and get in each other's way/inhibit each other. Sörensen and Lees-Melou looked better organised, Sörensen turning the ball over and Lees-Melou driving up the park.

Normann looks a shade wasted to me just sitting, and indeed he does not tend to. The concern I would have with a Normann and Lees-Melou combo is that one's natural game might stifle the other a bit. I suspect Sörensen would free Normann up well and help him play what looks like a natural box-to-box game.

Weird that the Watford goals were scored when the midfield combination that simply does not work were on the pitch.

[TheGunnShow 7,377]

7 minutes ago, Commonsense said:

Weird that the Watford goals were scored when the midfield combination that simply does not work were on the pitch.

Sure, but that combo was involved in many other games and looked very porous. Even in the Watford match, Watford got on top of us after Sörensen went off injured close to midway through the first half and were knocking on the door until Sargent got that opener, which seemed to rather knock the stuffing out of them.

[Google Bot 3,928]

Conundrum.  Massive conundrum Need to sleep on it I think! lol

Great to see them back, especially Normann as he appears more prone to injury and a bigger concern.

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,035]

             Sorenson

        Normann  Lees-Melou

Vs  Man City and Liverpool

 

          Normann   Lees-Melou

                         Idah

Vs everyone else..

[jaberry2 769]

I still think PLM is pony. He's basically had one good game and last game he looked average. When Norman of Gilmour come back they should be ahead of him

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

As decent as Sorenson and PLM looked, and we’re not talking stand out performances at all, it was against the two worst sides I’ve seen all season (and I’ve seen a lot of NCFC).

That system, whether you call it 4-4-2 or 4-2-4 (it wasn’t 4-2-3-1) worked against a weak opposition, particularly in defence, that were there to be attacked. We bypassed the midfield and let our more creative players drive us forward. So the midfield 2 did the basics well enough but beyond that just got the ball forward to the attacking 4. With Liverpool and Man City coming up (and even Palace will be much more of a test), if we are brave enough to try this again, we will see a lot more emphasis on the midfield and their work rate and discipline will be vital.

Against these teams that will want to play through us and pack the midfield (which Everton should’ve done, Watford were just woeful in the final third) we will get overrun. 

Interesting decisions to make for Smith

[The Bristol Nest 597]

52 minutes ago, jaberry2 said:

I still think PLM is pony. He's basically had one good game and last game he looked average. When Norman of Gilmour come back they should be ahead of him

Norman of Gilmour? How very Robin Hood!

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

To be honest don’t think it’s the toughest of choices for Smith.

Normann has to come straight back into the team as soon as he is fully fit and ready, none of our CMs have come close to him despite some improved performances.

Gilmour though, he will surely have to make do with a spell on the bench, I can’t understand how he gets in right now save for another injury crisis. But we do know how keen Smith has been on him (just not why). To be honest I’m still crossing my fingers that we will send Gilmour back. 

Realistically we are passed the point of being able to let players such as Gilmour or Kabak ‘bed in’. This is now a straight drive for survival, not an exercise in developing other team’s players or even our own - if they are still struggling with the here and now (I.e. Tzolis). We must go all in on the short term with our selections.

Would really like to see us try Normann with Sorensen tucking in behind. That could give us the balance we’ve been trying to find consistently all season! 

[Capt. Pants 5,007]

It's obviously great news players are coming back from injury, but I have to say it's been a pleasant change over the past 2 weeks not having to read posts slating Gilmour.

I hope this conundrum doesn't work against us and the default becomes who plays alongside Billy.

Normann is good in patches but he doesn't have the discipline to play the DM role and 'sit'. Plus he seems an injury waiting to happen, but hopefully his previous one has now been resolved for good.

Much for Deano to ponder, and get right!

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

Tell you what. Lets change a formula that has brought us success recently.

Until this unit loses to the likes of Palace, it has to get the nod.

[jaberry2 769]

2 hours ago, The Bristol Nest said:

Norman of Gilmour? How very Robin Hood!

Lol - sorry just seen spelling mistake. 

[Google Bot 3,928]

55 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

Tell you what. Lets change a formula that has brought us success recently.

3 of our 4 wins this season have been without him playing, of course.  5 points in 12 games.

Normann has played less games (9ish inc injuiry), and yet seen 9 pts by comparison in games he's played.  That's survival form.

I think "Fitting him in" was part of Farke's downfall start of the season and made him somewhat distracted.  Great player of course, but that doesn't necessarily make him suitable.  After the Watford home game it seemed that Farke wanted to push him out of the thought process for a while and we did see an upturn.

I hate the thought of PLM & Sorensen being pushed back to the bench after this run.  But when fit, Normann just has to be playing - he's an absolute game changer.  Billy... I just haven't a clue really, part of me wishes he was back at Chelsea as it feels that we have the keys for a porsche and it doesn't fit the mondeo on the drive.

And then you consider how many times both have played for us match fit, and it's only been the Southampton match (Billy on left):-

vs Watford Normann was finding his feet, and Wolves he went off injured mid first half.

Such a conundrum for me, but do agree in that you don't change a winning side.  However, the knowledge that we've not seen both in midfield for a sustained period is a real boost, and I can see what Smith says when it would be like having new signings.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Google Bot

[Jambomo 215]

TBH we haven’t done enough winning with a settled first 11 to really say X player or Y player has made a difference. They’ve all been involved in losses, draws, wins, good performances and bad ones.

The main difference has been Smith and the injuries/illness we have had. Whoever he puts out, in whatever formation, I’ll trust him that they are the ones he thinks are best for that game.

[Mason 47 1,923]

If Gilmour comes back in its on reputation and reputation alone. 

I'd suggest that Normann's way back in will be in place of one of the forward players, for tougher games. The reality of the situation will only show when we see if our recent form was a flash or we're actually on to something against Palace.

[Mengo 852]

22 minutes ago, Jambomo said:

TBH we haven’t done enough winning with a settled first 11 to really say X player or Y player has made a difference. They’ve all been involved in losses, draws, wins, good performances and bad ones.

The main difference has been Smith and the injuries/illness we have had. Whoever he puts out, in whatever formation, I’ll trust him that they are the ones he thinks are best for that game.

Exactly this. They have all been involved in losses, draws, wins, good and bad performances.  This will always happen its not an exact science. 

But for the first time in a long time. Smith has more players now at his disposal. Thank god for that. He now knows every players attributes and potential.  

Watford and Everton wins have been  a huge boost . Was it that Norwich were brilliant or was it that Everton and Watford were decidedly poor on the day.

Whatever it was the next league game Crystal Palace are at this moment in time we'll above those two clubs in playing football. It will be a tough match no matter what. But I believe in what the SAS have done up to now and trust in their judgement.  Because every game is a different animal to fight against. 

[sgncfc 1,330]

I don't really see how you can drop anyone from the starting line up - yet there were aspects of the Watford game which will concern Smith. Our ability to keep the ball was questionable in the last 20 minutes or so - give a team like Palace those chances and we'll be 2-0 down before we've woken up. So I wouldn't be that surprised to see changes to strengthen our link up play.

What this gives him is the ability to play different formations for different challenges. Palace are strong wide - I'd normally like to see a 3 at the back, but at home, on a winning streak, it might now be Palace who start cautiously whereas before they could have had a go from the off, knowing that if they concede they can probably get it back. Maybe that's not the case anymore. If we score first we are very good at holding that lead, and there is now a chance that we could score first.

The Wolves game may give us more clues. If we start with two up front against them we could get taken apart.

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

20 minutes ago, sgncfc said:

I don't really see how you can drop anyone from the starting line up - yet there were aspects of the Watford game which will concern Smith. Our ability to keep the ball was questionable in the last 20 minutes or so - give a team like Palace those chances and we'll be 2-0 down before we've woken up. So I wouldn't be that surprised to see changes to strengthen our link up play.

If Normann is ready then I will be surprised if we see the same team versus Crystal Palace start to be honest (or just McLean in for Sorensen as the only change). 

If we are realistic about the Watford performance, it was not great. It was not a dominating team performance, we struggled during large phases of the game, couldn't retain possession (our pass accuracy was 59% I believe) and we won't be able to replicate such a high chance conversion many more times this season, if at all (that's not an insult, no team does). IMO it really does not represent the blueprint for further success, as thankful as I am that we got such a fantastic result. 

So yes we defended well overall and were extremely clinical, so I'd certainly advocate for Idah, Pukki as well as the same back 4. But Normann is a CM, and we have been dysfunctional in this position all season (more so without him), he surely has to come straight back in if he is fit, sharp and ready. He was head and shoulders our best player under Farke, and none of our other options at CM have came close in his absence. Its an easy decision IMO. 

Its also a 3 week break from Watford to our next PL game, with a cup game in between, I imagine most of the momentum from fielding an unchanged side will be lost by the next league game we play. 

[cambridgeshire canary 7,797]

 

[Robert N. LiM 6,274]

On 28/01/2022 at 13:25, Hank shoots Skyler said:

IMO it really does not represent the blueprint for further success, as thankful as I am that we got such a fantastic result. 

Strongly agree with this, and the rest of your post. Just hope Normann is really fit enough to come back. I suspect it's going to be asking an awful lot for him to play 90 mins vs Palace. He took quite a few games to last the course when he first arrived. I wouldn't be surprised to see the same XI start against Palace, with Normann coming on for Idah or one of the midfield two depending on how the game is going.