We Got Three Points

[Saint Canary 0]

On the five hour drive home from the game last night I kept thinking that I should be far happier after witnessing City win 3-0.  To be completely honest though that score line was highly flattering to City and I struggled to think of too many positive points to come out of the game except 3 points.  It was nice to see a clean sheet and a win.  It was good to see Hux looking dangerous again and it was good to see Earnie bag a couple of goals.  That''s about as positive as it gets other than Safri and Leon looking fitter.

On the negative side, the problems that have been apparent for this season and last (and longer) were emphasised strongly last night.  We still (as a team) sat far too deep even against a ten-man, relegation threatened, poor Brighton side.  Again and even with an extra man we couldn''t exercise any control over the midfield area at all.  Long balls rained from the heaven''s and both Earnshaw and more importantly (worryingly) Thorne looked more than uncomfortable and unable to play this way.  It is clear Thorne strength''s are not receiving high ball''s with his back to goal, he is just like Ashton, a big bloke who wants the ball to his feet.  If Worthy really, really wanted to play passing football then he would play McVeigh up front and there would be no option but to keep the ball on the floor. 

There seemed to be no organisation on the pitch, if there was then the midfield and defence would like look separate entities not just one and then maybe we would be able to pass the ball but they are just too close together.  Are the players being coached to play this way because we have been doing this for so long?  They must be because the new players that come in do it as well.

All in all for 80 minutes it was a pretty poor show and you have to beg the question, how tired were Brighton in the last 10 minutes after playing nearly a whole half a man down?  Thinking about it though we played the whole match carrying Hughes because he did very little.  He is just like a fly who keeps buzzing around your head but never lands long enough to swat it.  He runs around but that''s it, I would keep him at the club but only because a player who can fill many positions is useful on the bench.

It just so sad to see us being outplayed at times by 10 man Brighton.  I am not suggesting we should bossing the game from start to finish but you would expect us to keep the ball for long periods of the game and look dangerous.

Make no mistake we were bad but I really can''t understand why?  How many other teams in league can boast a subs bench that contains a £1/2m midfielder, A midfielder who has won promotion from this league 3 times, a striker with a career strike rate of close to 50% and a player with talent like McVeigh?

For me it all boils down to coaching and management but that’s another topic.  Ok Saint, breathe……

 

[Evil Monkey 52]

I wasn''t there last night Saint, listened to most of it on Waller FM, but was generally more interested in the Liverpool vs Arsenal game - lessons in attacking football for everyone from the Scousers, even if they couldn''t hit a barn door with a banjo.

There are still a few out there defending Worthington, saying that its the players who are letting the team down. But who bought those players? Who puts Andy Hughes into the side week-in, week-out, regardless of how well he plays?

Take someone like Etuhu - not had a great start, but then when has he ever had a real chance to get a run in the team, without the knowledge that no matter how well he plays, Hughes will take his place when back from suspension/fitness. Can''t be the best frame of mind for a player to be in.

I notice that the Supporter''s Association have organised a meeting for fans to air their views, but I wonder how effective this will turn out to be? Imagine all the grumpy old men who complained about the team even during our promotion year all piled in a room, then add the children, plus the meat-heads and it gets a little worrying.  I''m not saying these people don''t have valid views, more that it may become generally counter-productive and descend into name-calling chaos.

I don''t know if I''ve got any better suggestions, I just know that something needs to be done now.  Get a new manager in, construct a new midfield (which is where the bulk of our problems lie) and, with a lot of the players we have, we could prove a force next season, however with Worthy-style long ball hoofing we''ll be "on loan to the Endsleigh" for another 9 years...

[Rossi 0]

totally agree, in short same sh*t, different bucket

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

its funny early in the season and you woulkd be happy with eth 3 points, but as we have been so bad this season and the season is effectively over with this result, you look to next season..  and I do not see too many good pointers...  I would like to see shackall play (especially if we have little chance of signing Rehman), and McVeigh instead of JJ2 whom is not a right winger and cannot play as a back to goal centre forward so would be of no use to us if we did sign him.....

to struggle again against a poor team just shows how far we have fallen this season..

[Yellow Rider 0]

Top post Saint and I admire your commitment  with the journey you have.

Whilst most Norwich fans are slating Worthy, the problem lies deeper in that the Board totally FAIL to see the issues that people like you can notice. They are TOTALLY happy provided Worthy can just keep us trundling along somewhere in mid table. I frankly feel that they have little insight into or knowledge of the game and until they are prepared to get some serious, objective advice on that matter then nothing will change.  

Worthy and Co will survive this season and still be here next. Maybe (just maybe) our front line of Hucks, Ernie and Leon (if all stay fit) may do enough next season to paper over the cracks (as happened in the promotion season) but fundamentally nothing will alter.