Will it ever happen?

[repman 635]

We've bungled his development badly since that hat-trick, combined with some bad injury luck too. It's at the point where I'm not convinced he will ever be the first choice striker at the club, but he's good enough to be the backup and we're better off keeping him for that instead of letting him go and bringing someone else in.

Even before the hat-trick he was amongst the squad and played in the cup defeat to Crawley. What the Preston hat-trick showed was that he was ready to compete at the senior level, albeit not against PL opposition. He could've been on loan for the whole season but without a doubt should've been from January onwards. Instead of a loan he was kept with us due to an injury crisis which didn't even last that long. He started 1 game which was away to Man United, when you think about balancing the long term with the short term it's obvious that the value of a loan would've been greater than a start at Old Trafford, both for him individually and the club in general.

20/21 was a similar story, though injuries made it much worse. This was the season Webber seemed to lose any long-term interest in the club (something he still hasn't rediscovered). The signing of Hugill was the perfect example of this, a player who no doubt would help right now but would never be good enough for the PL. All this move did was make it harder for Idah to get minutes behind Pukki.

[lake district canary 4,531]

I do wonder why people are so disparaging about one of our players, one who is trying to find his best form, fitness and confidence. He can be a sharp finisher and we all saw glimpses under Smith of a more dynamic player there, but he got injured, which set him back. 

He is a player who has all the attributes to his play, but has not put them all together at the same time yet. I think he will click and once he does, I predict it will be spectacular.

Edited June 5, 2023 by lake district canary

[stratton canary 134]

1 hour ago, TheBaldOne66 said:

I thought you might be referring to the owners selling the club!

If only ! 

[WD40 720]

Sadly the answer is not at Norwich. His career path could very likely follow Carlton Morris and fair play if so, but his development was several years too late for us.

Put the injuries aside for a second and look at the games Idah did get on the pitch, I’d be surprised if he didn’t lead the league in offsides per minute played - maybe the whole football league. He was never allowed to hone and develop his play without a decent loan or run in the side. Injuries played their part of course.

[Midlands Yellow 3,986]

15 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

I do wonder why people are so disparaging about one of our players, one who is trying to find his best form, fitness and confidence. He can be a sharp finisher and we all saw glimpses under Smith of a more dynamic player there, but he got injured, which set him back. 

He is a player who has all the attributes to his play, but has not put them all together at the same time yet. I think he will click and once he does, I predict it will be spectacular.

Define spectacular. Batter Pukki’s goal count in the Championship or double last season’s tally of two goals? 

[The Raptor 1,211]

Will it ever happen?

Will Ipswich ever beat them?

 

 

 

 

 

[Google Bot 3,278]

1 hour ago, lake district canary said:

He is a player who has all the attributes to his play

I feel this goes against him also, as he's seen as someone who can be thrown out wide when what he needs is a season up top to start building his confidence as a goal scorer.

[Capt. Pants 4,236]

Trouble is playing for a team that largely plays with one up top and in the same squad as Teemu Pukki doesn't give you much opportunity to develop. 

Next season he needs to show significant improvement, as does Sargent. 

I can't see him going out on loan unless we bring in another striker. Even then it will need to be a pay or play basis to guarantee pitch time.

[Worthy Nigelton 1,049]

1 hour ago, nutty nigel said:

He's young for his position and has achieved more than Carlton Morris had at the same age. Sarge is also young.

This is true, but there are numerous other examples of young strikers that have achieved plenty more by his age. At some point he has to deliver - I'd love it to be this year, but if he flops again, the club might have to take a view. Fingers crossed he comes good.

[lake district canary 4,531]

1 hour ago, Midlands Yellow said:

Define spectacular. Batter Pukki’s goal count in the Championship or double last season’s tally of two goals? 

You get him running at defenders like he did when Smith had him in the team, you get him firing like we have seen him fire goals, you get him fully fit, you give him enough match time for him to find his confidence and you will see what I mean by spectacular. 

Imo the only thing that will hold him back is fans getting on his back making him feel he would be better off elsewhere.

Redmond got the same treatment from some fans at the same age - and luckily he stayed long enough to show us what he could do once he got it all together, like in the play-offs. I'm pretty sure Idah will do too.  Easy to be cynical and write players off before they have had a chance to flourish. Have a bit of faith.

[Dean Coneys boots 1,400]

1 hour ago, lake district canary said:

I do wonder why people are so disparaging about one of our players, one who is trying to find his best form, fitness and confidence. He can be a sharp finisher and we all saw glimpses under Smith of a more dynamic player there, but he got injured, which set him back. 

He is a player who has all the attributes to his play, but has not put them all together at the same time yet. I think he will click and once he does, I predict it will be spectacular.

The reason why is that he delivers very little, looks like a rabbit caught between the headlights when he gets the ball and just isn’t convincing a lot of the fan base. It’s easy to blame them and claim it’s damaging confidence- but do you praise them when they cheered pukki and say he was only good cos the crowd was with him? No. So let’s be frank- professional players tend to get the cheers or boos their performances merit. 

[Canary Jedi 579]

4 hours ago, Dame to Blame said:

I guess we will find out soon enough , but the poor guy needs the fans to get behind him from the start of the season. 

The stop start seasons that he has had has not helped, along with some serious injuries and being a bit part player in those early years has hindered him. He now has a chance to establish himself in the first team and as sure as night follows day if fans get on his back he will struggle as i think he is very much a confidence player and needs a fan base that's supportive  of him .

I get pi££ed of with all the negative cr&p  and the continued slagging off no wonder the poor guy is fumbling everything he touches in fear of getting it in the neck. 

I’ve given him a lot of stick but I’ll get behind him, there’s enough people with far more knowledge than me that say he’s got it. Then again maybe those are the same people that say the Emperor’s clothes are amazing!

Edited June 5, 2023 by Canary Jedi

[littleyellowbirdie 2,550]

I'm at a loss why anyone wouldn't get behind any of our own players while they're contracted to us or talk down the chances of them ever improving. It's not like it's in our interests for them to fail.

[NorfBhoy66 7]

so many opportunities, pukki could't head a ball, but what has Idah to fill his boots? sorry can't think of anything

[Terminally Yellow 2,448]

2 minutes ago, littleyellowbirdie said:

I'm at a loss why anyone wouldn't get behind any of our own players while they're contracted to us or talk down the chances of them ever improving. It's not like it's in our interests for them to fail.

Because people want to moan. Haven't you noticed this on this forum? These people aren't fans, they're here for the opportunity to moan on the internet.

[Terminally Yellow 2,448]

1 minute ago, NorfBhoy66 said:

so many opportunities, pukki could't head a ball, but what has Idah to fill his boots? sorry can't think of anything

Really? He's quicker than Sargent and Pukki, stronger than Pukki, showed he can hold up the ball and bring others in quite well at times. I think he needs confidence and experience, neither he's going to get with the so called "fans" on his back as has happened already a number of times this summer.

He needs a loan move away, not for his own development, but to get away from the absolute bell ends queing up to bash him, despite being so called "fans" of this club.

[Robert N. LiM 4,363]

Suspect a loan might be the best thing for him, as others have said.

A lot have mentioned the Preston hat-trick, but for me the thing that sticks in the mind is that the few games (Watford?, Everton) when he was playing up front in the PL under Smith was the only time we looked remotely like competing to avoid relegation. That, much more than the Preston hat-trick, makes me think there is a player here and someone worth persevering with. But he's struggled so much over the last few seasons in general that I imagine a change of scene would do him good.

 

[ricardo 7,395]

5 hours ago, keelansgrandad said:

I thought the headline meant Ricardo buying a round.

Cheeky🍺

[nutty nigel 7,537]

52 minutes ago, Worthy Nigelton said:

This is true, but there are numerous other examples of young strikers that have achieved plenty more by his age. At some point he has to deliver - I'd love it to be this year, but if he flops again, the club might have to take a view. Fingers crossed he comes good.

I'd suggest we've already taken a view.

I think his injuries have restricted loan options and as I've heard him described as a 'joint compromised athlete' maybe the view has been to manage him here.

 

[PockthorpePete 331]

Those players sold over the past years all showed what they were about very early in their career. Gibbs is now following suit. The problem is Idah has not shown anything other than he is certainly not up to the standard needed. Give him time, they bleat.  But you either have it or you don't. Good coaching can only polish what is already there. Watch him play.

We are now in Hugill territory. Nonsense about him being a character', a good warm up man, close up magician, uni cycle rider.... anything but referring to him as  a decent player.

Nothing I have seen of Idah suggests he is any different to Connor Wickham. Big at an early age, with the associated benefits. Only CW did push and shove players. But both lacked the skill/ability to play at this level

Idah knows it as do managers. Hence, him being the striker of last resort. Idah is offside so much as he needs that extra advantage if he is to outpace others. It is not his goalscoring that is the obvious failure, it his basic ball skills.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

It will be great if he comes good. But so far, he hasn't. A five year contract says the club expect him to finally impress. Lets hope they are right. 

 

[Dean Coneys boots 1,400]

He’s less than a year younger than Haaland for those who say he needs time at this age…sure he could come good but he could also be the modern incarnation of Ryan Jarvis. Guess we will know this time next season…

[canarybubbles 1,915]

IMO he has to go out on loan. If we play one up top, it'll be Sargent. That would mean the only way to give Idah the game time would be to play him on the wing or as a playmaker, neither of which he has looked suited to. If he stays, I can only see him sitting on the bench again or playing badly in inappropriate roles with the inevitable further decline in his confidence.

Sargent might get a long-term injury, of course, but I don't think that's a good enough reason for keeping Idah in the squad - it's a reason for either buying or loaning another striker for that eventuality.

 

[City 101 83]

Idah just nowhere near good enough and Sarge is as likely to fall over the ball and land on his **** than get a shot away. Got to one of the weakest striking partnerships the club has had .

[Mike w 46]

On 05/06/2023 at 12:00, rock bus said:

Sadly I think the answer is no.

People will hark back to 'that hat-trick' and a couple of ok performances in the premier league but I've not really seen anything to convince me he is up to anything above league one status. I think we should either a) send him out on loan or b)cut our losses and let him go (although the 5 year deal probably means that's impossible as I suspect a lower league team wont be able to match it)

Sorry but I totally agree. Really not perform to his capabilities but guess it is managers and styles. Never really given a workable go

[TheBaldOne66 687]

22 hours ago, lake district canary said:

I do wonder why people are so disparaging about one of our players, one who is trying to find his best form, fitness and confidence. He can be a sharp finisher and we all saw glimpses under Smith of a more dynamic player there, but he got injured, which set him back. 

He is a player who has all the attributes to his play, but has not put them all together at the same time yet. I think he will click and once he does, I predict it will be spectacular.

A bit like you were with Snodgrass you mean?

[lake district canary 4,531]

12 minutes ago, TheBaldOne66 said:

A bit like you were with Snodgrass you mean?

Snodgrass was a mature player who tried to be a one man team. Slight difference. 

[SwearyCanary 1,179]

Idah is pants. Taking flak is obviously not nice, but he is a professional footballer and needs to learn that it comes with the territory as sad as that is. His touch is very poor, even some of his very limited goals look fortuitous. 

The questions you have to ask yourself are, 

1) If he was sold would you feel it weakens our first choice attack? (Assuming we get other back up in place as cover obvs) 

2) If we didn’t have Idah and we were looking to sign a striker wound you be in any way excited at the prospect of us buying him? 

3) Are you more annoyed that losing him represents a waste of money rather than a waste of talent? I’d wager it’s more a shame we’ve invested in a player that hasn’t thus far paid it back on the pitch and that money may have been better spent? Maybe not but that’s where I sit 

He has earned a good wedge from us, that’s not a criticism of him, it just is what it is. I’d not feel guilty if we jettisoned him. If he is good enough then he’ll get a contract elsewhere, or he might drop down and find his level at lower leagues and work his way back over time. He is financially pretty sound either way. 

[TheBaldOne66 687]

4 hours ago, lake district canary said:

Snodgrass was a mature player who tried to be a one man team. Slight difference. 

He was still our player ffs! You are first to condemn anyone else who slates a player as you have with people over Idah, truth is a lot of Idah’s criticism is deserved but you were infatuated with hating Snodgrass just as you are infatuated with your love for Farke 

[lake district canary 4,531]

1 hour ago, TheBaldOne66 said:

He was still our player ffs! You are first to condemn anyone else who slates a player as you have with people over Idah, truth is a lot of Idah’s criticism is deserved but you were infatuated with hating Snodgrass just as you are infatuated with your love for Farke 

No-one is perfect. I didn't like Snodgrass, I did like Farke, I thought Cantwell was the cause of his own problems, I don't like the way some fans turn on Idah......in other words I have varying views about all sorts of things, but one thing is clear - the club have seen something in Idah and have invested in his future and the least we can do is support the guy in his development. 

We need to be patient with young players - unless they make themselves a problem like (arguably) Cantwell did. If we don't what is the point in having young players?