The right winger situation.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Whilst clearing out some old videos yesterday I came across the o-o home draw with West Brom during the promotion year.

What an atmosphere.

McVeigh played on the right and Brennan on the left. Huckerby was up front with Iwan. The commentator praised the balance in the team. It would also help him retain his place against a better goalscorer in Earnshaw.

In summary, our right wing problems stem from a right full back problem which has to be addressed first.

With such a specialist target man as Iwan Hucks could go as wide as he liked as Iwan would hold the ball not just flick it on and that gave others time to get into the game.

Huckerby up front negates the problems he causes defensively on the left and allows him to roam rather than be channelled wide.

If Huckerby plays he must be a striker. Anywhere else and team shape and strength is comprimised.

Earnshaw is a great goalscorer but was not the player we actually needed, he wanted away from West brom and was an impulse buy. If we wanted to spend 2.75 million then finding a ''hold the ball up'' striker would have improved the team. I see Thorne as a flick it on type.

Brennan has gone but probably only played in this game for defensive reasons. McVeigh can do a job on the left better than he can on the right and will leave Drury a little less exposed than Hucks would.

The problem area of right back is perhaps the most pressing. For me, the reason Norwich had balance during the promotion season and before was down to having good right backs.

Edworthy and Nedergaard could cross and overlap thus providing a platform for the right midfield. It is frustrating that a player with the physicality of Colin seldom gets ''up and down'' and to play Fleming there might improve us defensively but despite Craig showing better stamina than Colin is no answer.

I have no recollection of seeing MLJ play. Had he been fit and played as I have aspirationally described then we might have had the balance needed.

Is Colin up to the task? I thought Cave-Brown looked a better bet.

Worthington should have gone all out for a tough stand alone striker, Horsfield would have done a job, and put Hucks up front with him. He should have brought in an experienced right back too.

These two things would cost relatively little and would balance the side, and as tough decisions have to be taken this would mean Huckerby and Earnie fighting for one place.

I wonder if Huckerby, with his boxing is actually trying to improve his stamina so he can better play a wing role as opposed to his traditional bursts of speed and failures to get back and defend? If so, good on him.

If Huckerby can improve his stamina it will help him adjust to loss of speed as he gets older and will be a big benefit to the team.

[Northern Canary 0]

I see your point and this could work quite well. I just dont think the team fits together well enough.

We still need new left and right wingers if we are to play 442.

I think the best formation for us is 433, with Huckerby and McVeigh either side of Earnie to give him service.

[nh_ncfc 0]

[quote user="Northern Canary"]I see your point and this could work quite well. I just dont think the team fits together well enough.

We still need new left and right wingers if we are to play 442.

I think the best formation for us is 433, with Huckerby and McVeigh either side of Earnie to give him service.[/quote]

I quite like the sound of that.

Although i did prefer 4-5-1, after seeing the away game at Leeds last season.

[Northern Canary 0]

Well Leeds was a particular good example of the 451 formation but then again look at Burnley away.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

Colin looks the most mismanaged player since Ian Henderson.  Worthington balls at him eevery time he crosses the half way line.

 

I would like to see hucks up front again  with a 4-4-2.  However  Player''s like Alan mahon have been signed on teh cheap by others abnd we are left with nothing.

 

Well done... well done.

[Yellow Rages 0]

I agree Linda that we probably bought for the wrong position, post Ashton. Or at least for the wrong type of player.

Two things though, firstly why is it the right back area that causes the problem in right midfield? Isn''t it the fact that we have not found a right midfield player or used the one who was successful their before for any period of time?

Also, we are only talking here about a commentators view of the game. The guy who is payed to speak highly about the better side.

Back to the Hucks issue though, we should have shifted him back up top and tried to find a player to play along side him. It was a perfect opportunity to solve the left sided issue and get a more rounded player in their.

You are as I am probably quite happy with Earnie, but yes I agree we probably have done this a little bit backwardly.

[USAcanary 0]

Put me in the "Hucks up front" camp.

Obviously with a hoofball style of play Hucks and Earnie are not going to work well.

(I did catch Hucks heading a ball in training on canariesworld last week)

We need creative midfield players who can thread the ball through to use the skill/speed of Hucks and Earnie.

There is a reason Worthington wont do it......... it makes too much sense.

 

 

 

 

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

YR In answer to your question I am saying that if you have a player who can do a solid job on the right of midfield, as we have, then a good full back is one who will get beyond him and get those crosses in.

We have a problem on the left with this too in that Hucks is so advanced Drury seldom gets the chance to move up. Hucks as a forward would also solve this.

A solid midfield with overlapping full backs gives you defensive strength and attacking options. Do you remember Bowen and Culverhouse, we were brilliant down the flanks in those days and had no problems getting behind defences. We seldom get behind defences today and just try to play through the middle or expect Hucks to beat three men on mazy runs.

If Norwich used their full backs properly IMO this would make a huge difference.

[Northern Canary 0]

I agree. I think in previous seasons, the rest of the team was good enough to compensate for Huckerby running wherever he wanted to. Now i think we need more of a shape so Huckerby up front would be better.