Dean Smith assessment after 10 games...

[astro 358]

1 minute ago, Branston Pickle said:

I’ve done nothing of the sort and am not  ‘dropping’ anything - I just realised it was an utterly pointless argument.

Todd was crap last season, better this. That’s all.

A season where he was coached for a considerable time by the current coaches, who worked magic on him and loaned him out to Bournemouth because the magic had worked so well. If Todd had really been improved by the current coaches, he’d have ripped this league to shreds by now. He hasn’t. 

[CANARYKING 634]

Wait till we play Sheffield Utd then you can really start to moan

[nutty nigel 7,513]

30 minutes ago, CANARYKING said:

Wait till we play Sheffield Utd then you can really start to moan

22nd October. Do you think the moaning will be after a draw like today? A win like on Wednesday? Or a defeat. 

Only the result can be different the moaning is standard.

Edited September 17, 2022 by nutty nigel

[hogesar 9,618]

3 hours ago, Indy said:

Yes but we looked worse under Smith in the premier league! 👍

Although apparently we had a worse squad last season than Farkes previous prem season and Smith amassed more points....

[hogesar 9,618]

1 hour ago, nutty nigel said:

How can we easily have the best squad if we had the worst squad last season?

Yes, I'm interested in that one too!

[SwindonCanary 455]

1 hour ago, PockthorpePete said:

Really?

yes really

[Danke bitte 965]

3 hours ago, Branston Pickle said:

I’ve done nothing of the sort and am not  ‘dropping’ anything - I just realised it was an utterly pointless argument.

Todd was crap last season, better this. That’s all.

Todd is a red herring. He’s played better this season as part of a team so far. Cantwell now compared to last season is an unfair comparison as they’re not the same player. We’ll never know what happened in 21/22 but he’s knuckled down recently and forced his way into the starting 11 / bench for all the right reasons. I’m inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt for now and see how things pan out. Ultimately we could do a lot worse and I think deep down we all want to see him “come good” whatever that means

[littleyellowbirdie 2,517]

11 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

We want Farkeball in the Championship, however we then go up accustomed to playing a style of football that is completely unsuitable for a team of our budget in the top tier. 

So we try and transition into a more direct team which can attack on the break, and that's definitely still a work in progress, but then fans think its not befitting a team of our history in the second tier.

I can see what Webber/Smith are trying to do, they are trying to go up with a style of football that will need less adaptation in the top tier. Unfortunately though we seem far too easy to play through at the minute and if we're easy to play through in the Championship then I can see that 9-0 record falling in the Prem.

We do need to see if a proper DM stabilises us, but we've known we've never managed to bring in a permanent new Tettey, fans have been crying out for it for years, and then we go and sign an injury prone player with a pretty serious existing injury. 

I struggle to get past the recruitment again. Can we please just sign TWO proper DMs and then we can move on to other areas of the pitch which need some work, I'd even have Ben Pearson right now and he's a proper c0ckwomble.

Agree with a lot of this. It's to be remembered, though, that some of the failure of the last Premier League season came from spreading a fairly sizable transfer budget, by our standards, too thinly in one transfer window. If we get promoted with squad as is and just needing some really nice midfielders to make the difference then that puts us in a better place next season than when we've gone up before.

Edited September 18, 2022 by littleyellowbirdie

[Rolf Harris 31]

10 hours ago, Virtual reality said:

Given the wrong tools for the job. He beat RB Leipzig 3-0 today and sits 6th in the Bundesliga.

Hardly surprising, it wasn't his style of play which was the issue. It was that he didn't have the players to play it at a higher level. Plus he didn't have a plan b.

[Rolf Harris 31]

10 hours ago, Branston Pickle said:

Definitely - I think Sargent/Rashica showed in a nutshell that ok-looking Bundesliga players don’t necessarily make ok PL ones. Clearly Haaland is/was an exception.

The problem is Sargent only started to look good in the bundesliga 2 and Rashica had been ****e for his last few seasons in Germany.

[The Real Buh 3,423]

10 hours ago, PockthorpePete said:

Evolve into what ?

A better club that can actually have a half decent chance of staying in the premier league

if we aren’t changing anything we are doomed to have the same outcome we’ve ever had in that league

just knocking on the same door with Kenny McLean and co every 2 years isn’t working. If you don’t change the club fundamentals then what are they expecting to happen even if we do get promoted?

We needed root and stem change after last seasons disrespect shown towards the fans and we got a couple of new players and a new badge. Bravo.

we are incapable of change because we have poor leadership all over the club. Football, board, catering the lot.

Edited September 18, 2022 by The Real Buh

[kenfoggo 247]

If the price of being second in the Championship is to have to watch the complete dross that Smith served up as entertainment yesterday at Carrow Road, then the Club will not be getting any more of my hard earned to endure another 90 minutes. What was Smith’s game plan? To attempt to send the opposition and the Supporters into a coma of boredom by watching players take six touches to pass the ball square or backwards? We did not deserve a win , we did not deserve a draw , we should have been roundly thrashed and a team with more talent than West Brom would have racked up a cricket score against a completely disinterested and incompetent Norwich side.

[Samwam27 519]

To be fair I still don't think Smith knows his best 11, and that's only because of the curse of Norwich injuries.

He's attempted to address the midfield, and both Nunez and Sara will take some time to adjust to the english game. Ramsey is showing he's a bright spot. Gibbs was giving us all hope he could be a longer term CDM star, until he got injured, and we've yet to see Hayden. Hence, and this is my main gripe, we're still relying on the woeful Mclean, but he's the best we have in the squad atm.

 I'm still not convinced we've got the right players to play 4-3-3, and if we did get up, we desperately need to strengthen our defence, and most probably all over the pitch.

Last seasons atrocious recruitment continues to haunt us, and is evidence that both £9m plus signings are now out on loan. IMO I'd be surprised if we see either play for us again.

Smith isn't everyone's cup of tea (no pun meant) but whilst it's not clicking (yet-and many a time we had that debate with Farke) he's picking up results, which is a sign his man management of the squad and subs is working. Again he's been allowed to bring in 4 players in two windows so he's still playing to best part with Farke's squad. There's a long way to go, and hopefully we'll be stronger once the key players( Sara, Nunez, Hayden, heck even Gian, Gibbs, McCullam) are back

I personally get fed up of the constant Smith v Farke, as managers all have different styles. We can't have everything, and whilst the "style" is still much open, he's getting results, even without playing well. And we're 2nd

What frustrates me is our mental fragility. We come out of the starting blocks on fire against a very good Bristol side, but come out sluggish and poor against a West Brom side, on a poor run, and can't seem to raise our game! And still gift poor goals from our defence. Can't remember the last time we had a "strong solid" defence

[Crafty Canary 495]

SAS are doing a good job as the table shows. Pity so many of our supporters are not top 2 as well.

[The Real Buh 3,423]

11 minutes ago, Crafty Canary said:

SAS are doing a good job as the table shows. Pity so many of our supporters are not top 2 as well.

So we should just push the problems we blatantly see to the back of our mind?

if I observe something serious I feel like I should bring it up, the discussion isn’t illegal.

What concerns me is we have moved from a style of football that didn’t work in the premier league (aka “Farkeball”) and our reaction to that is to move to no style of methodology at all. Like I said, roughly put the best players on paper out there and hope for the best.

This is troubling

[Indy 3,288]

10 hours ago, hogesar said:

Although apparently we had a worse squad last season than Farkes previous prem season and Smith amassed more points....

Not according to Webber! The squad Smith inherited cost far more with far more experienced players, yet Farke under restriction of and challenge of covid gained very similar points! But you keep telling yourself Smiths an improvement!👍

[hogesar 9,618]

1 minute ago, Indy said:

Not according to Webber! The squad Smith inherited cost far more with far more experienced players, yet Farke under restriction of and challenge of covid gained very similar points! But you keep telling yourself Smiths an improvement!👍

Irrelevant what Webber thought. You made an opinion as a fan so I gave you the general opinion of fans on the squad.

Look back, approx 80% if not more thought last seasons squad was weaker than the first one. Smith ended with more points. Those are facts. No idea what your Smith improvement nonsense is about. I'm literally stating facts and you don't seem to like it. 🙃

[Ulfotto 623]

1 hour ago, The Real Buh said:

So we should just push the problems we blatantly see to the back of our mind?

if I observe something serious I feel like I should bring it up, the discussion isn’t illegal.

What concerns me is we have moved from a style of football that didn’t work in the premier league (aka “Farkeball”) and our reaction to that is to move to no style of methodology at all. Like I said, roughly put the best players on paper out there and hope for the best.

This is troubling

The issues about what happens if we are back in the Premier League with this team, squad and manager can and should wait until next season.

 

[Indy 3,288]

8 minutes ago, hogesar said:

Irrelevant what Webber thought. You made an opinion as a fan so I gave you the general opinion of fans on the squad.

Look back, approx 80% if not more thought last seasons squad was weaker than the first one. Smith ended with more points. Those are facts. No idea what your Smith improvement nonsense is about. I'm literally stating facts and you don't seem to like it. 🙃

What facts! Fact Farke played second have of a disruptive season behind closed doors! Fact Farke’s squad was millions cheaper than Smith took over……points per game under Farke in his premier season 0.55, Smiths massive improvement with full crowds and a squad two years developed! 0.62 such a massive improvement! 😂😂😂 Keep convincing yourself about your facts! 

[Kenny Foggo 1,116]

Those so obsessed with Farke should maybe go and watch his current team, so that we can get in people that want to get behind the current team.. have to improve the appalling apathy in the stands.

[Nuff Said 5,093]

16 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

We do need to see if a proper DM stabilises us, but we've known we've never managed to bring in a permanent new Tettey, fans have been crying out for it for years, and then we go and sign an injury prone player with a pretty serious existing injury. 

Hayden has had ONE serious injury. That is not “injury prone”.

[hogesar 9,618]

48 minutes ago, Indy said:

What facts! Fact Farke played second have of a disruptive season behind closed doors! Fact Farke’s squad was millions cheaper than Smith took over……points per game under Farke in his premier season 0.55, Smiths massive improvement with full crowds and a squad two years developed! 0.62 such a massive improvement! 😂😂😂 Keep convincing yourself about your facts! 

So points per game were better under Smith, is what you're telling me?

Cheers for agreeing, weird way of going about it but we got to it in the end.

[Indy 3,288]

9 minutes ago, Kenny Foggo said:

Those so obsessed with Farke should maybe go and watch his current team, so that we can get in people that want to get behind the current team.. have to improve the appalling apathy in the stands.

Funny that, apathy even after 7 games unbeaten! Why is that?

Even the takeover which on paper should be exciting is all a little underwhelming! Seams a little long winded……..but great to get fresh ideas into the club.

Strange position to be in, surely there should be an buzz around the club?

[Christoph Stiepermann 1,131]

He's done okay and I think he's more than good enough to get this team promoted which I think he will. 

Possibly controversial this though and I'm sure people will think "we're Norwich, we're a nice club we don't do that" but I'd replace him if we go up again. Managers should be thought of just like players imo, no manager is entitled to the position and don't deserve anything, just like how we sign better players to replace existing ones we should try to sign better managers and coaches when we get the chance. I really don't get the old fashioned style of think of thinking we owe managers anything because they haven't been bad enough to be sacked or that sacking a manager is like punching a kitten, it's just nonsense to me in the cut throat world of professional football. 

 

 

[Indy 3,288]

2 minutes ago, hogesar said:

So points per game were better under Smith, is what you're telling me?

Cheers for agreeing, weird way of going about it but we got to it in the end.

Yes indeed he’d get us two more points over a standard season! Wow I wonder how many Farke would have got with the same squad and circumstances over the entire season! Massive improvement, no wonder your so excited by Smith!

[Pyro Pete 1,889]

I'll just leave this here..

 

[norfolkngood 1,086]

Smiths Job is getting us up the table and winning he is doing that 

does he need a plan ? not really if he is getting results 

would us fans like to see better football of course we would 

But like another poster said Farke played great football in champs then blown away in PL ,

i think with Smith you get what you see with Farke or another unknown Foreign manager you get that unknown have we unearth the next pep or Klopp feeling ,

Farke we we went up first season we were going into the unknown which was exciting 

Smith is not going to Excite us but he might get the points ? 

[Ken Hairy 3,760]

12 hours ago, hogesar said:

Although apparently we had a worse squad last season than Farkes previous prem season and Smith amassed more points....

Technically Smith didn't, a Farke/Smith combination gained us 1 extra point. 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

1 hour ago, Nuff Said said:

Hayden has had ONE serious injury. That is not “injury prone”.

Its an ongoing knee issue which he first injured in March 2021, had surgery on in December 2021, had further surgery in July 2022 and is still building back from in September 2022. That's 18 months of limited football due to a knee issue, it is concerning. 

Besides, he's had ankle surgery previously so clearly not the one serious injury is it!

Edited September 18, 2022 by TeemuVanBasten

[Branston Pickle 3,638]

1 hour ago, Pyro Pete said:

I'll just leave this here..

 

That’s got to be wrong. A nil nil under Farke? I was under the impression we blitzed everyone 7-0?!

I do recall those two games - pretty much in keeping with yesterday as all of them were pretty stodgy affairs and absolutely nothing to write home about.