Livingston Score and team

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

0-0  half time



team for first half

Gallacher
Colin
Drury
Doherty
Shackell
Etuhu
Henderson
Safri
Thorne
McVeigh
Huckerby

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

2 nil - erny with both.

Hopefully the really easy freindlies this season will boost the sides morale and confidence running into the new season.  Unlike last years extremely poor results against far tougher opposition than the likes of Livingston and Cambridge.

[Morph 31]

Not much of a match to be honest - and yes I was there!!.

A first half strike force of

Thorne and McVeigh did little to conjure up anything magical - McVeigh

seemed to have picked up someone else''s boots because he didn''t look at

all comfortable when he did have the ball. Closest to scoring was

Shackell who attempted to bundle the ball in from a corner but only

managed to get the goalkeeper in the net and the ball over the bar. A

lightweight midfield, IMO, with Safri and Etuhu in the middle with

Henderson and Huckerby on the flanks. Major difference between the

flanks being the support from the fullback. Drury makes good runs past

Huckerby creating space for him to run into, whilst Colin made no runs

at all beyond Henderson.

Changes made at half time saw McKenzie

and Earnshaw on as front pairing, with Hughes replacing Henderson and

Robinson replacing Safri. A much better front pairing with both causing

the defenders havoc with their chasing of the ball. Earnshaws first

came from a McKenzie layoff on the edge of the box with Earnie curling

the ball adroitly into the top corner. Second goal was a penalty area

melee with Earnshaw finding a way to pop the ball in the back of the

net. Earnie nearly had a third with a Huckerby run down the left wing

and cross only to see Earnie sliding in on his backside unable to get

the merest of touches to put it in.

Overall, solid at the back -

questions still remain over right back position. Midfield is still an

area of concern on this showing. Safri is OK, but Etuhu doesn''t have a

first touch worth anything and ends up diving in after losing control

with the obvious results. Robinson looks a decent enough player with an

eye to play a decent ball rather than giving away possession. Out wide,

the players on show don''t offer a

solution to the right side of midfield. A decent attacking right back

may help solve the problem, but Henderson was timid - only once did he

actually attempt to go past the left back.

Hope it gets better than this in the real matches because the opposition aren''t going to be as poor as Livingston.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Morph"]
Not much of a match to be honest - and yes I was there!!.

A first half strike force of Thorne and McVeigh did little to conjure up anything magical - McVeigh seemed to have picked up someone else''s boots because he didn''t look at all comfortable when he did have the ball. Closest to scoring was Shackell who attempted to bundle the ball in from a corner but only managed to get the goalkeeper in the net and the ball over the bar. A lightweight midfield, IMO, with Safri and Etuhu in the middle with Henderson and Huckerby on the flanks. Major difference between the flanks being the support from the fullback. Drury makes good runs past Huckerby creating space for him to run into, whilst Colin made no runs at all beyond Henderson.

Changes made at half time saw McKenzie and Earnshaw on as front pairing, with Hughes replacing Henderson and Robinson replacing Safri. A much better front pairing with both causing the defenders havoc with their chasing of the ball. Earnshaws first came from a McKenzie layoff on the edge of the box with Earnie curling the ball adroitly into the top corner. Second goal was a penalty area melee with Earnshaw finding a way to pop the ball in the back of the net. Earnie nearly had a third with a Huckerby run down the left wing and cross only to see Earnie sliding in on his backside unable to get the merest of touches to put it in.

Overall, solid at the back - questions still remain over right back position. Midfield is still an area of concern on this showing. Safri is OK, but Etuhu doesn''t have a first touch worth anything and ends up diving in after losing control with the obvious results. Robinson looks a decent enough player with an eye to play a decent ball rather than giving away possession. Out wide, the players on show don''t offer a solution to the right side of midfield. A decent attacking right back may help solve the problem, but Henderson was timid - only once did he actually attempt to go past the left back.

Hope it gets better than this in the real matches because the opposition aren''t going to be as poor as Livingston.

[/quote]

But Chris Lakey''s match report in the paper says Crisis? What Crisis.

He makes it out to be a wonderful performance??  More **** from the local newspaper - bit like the Walcott utterly ****** story.  Im glad I don''t waste my money on this trash anymore. [N]

[InLambertWeTrust! 0]

Paul Rankin. While I agree with most WOters I have to say you are not just having a go at Worthington but many players who play for this great club. I no doubt share the  same views as you if no new players sign until then we will wait and see.

[blahblahblah 2]

As much as people say that this was close to being the first team against Leeds, it''s still only the 3rd friendly in.

It sounds to me from what you have said about last night, that if the first team at Leeds was

Gallacher

Drury - Shacks - Doc - Colin / Louis Jean / Fleming / New Signing

Henderson - Safri - Robinson - Hucks

McKenzie - Earnshaw

then we''ll probably be competitive ? 

I admit, I''m struggling to be positive about the right back position, but if we could get Justin Hoyte, that would be nice.

[komakino 282]

I am rather concerned about Chris Lakey and his fellow colleagues on their journalism with regards to NCFC.

I wouldn''t be atall surprised if the upper echelons of NCFC have had a word with Archant to the lines of ''It would be advantageous if you would lay off Nigel in the coming season etc.''

I have no proof of this of course, but the stories appear as if this IS the case. You wouldn''t get this whitewash in The Birmingham Post, so why here?

[Morph 31]

blahblahblah, you make a comment about the starting 11 for Leeds well here''s my comeback.

We can''t use any of the pre-season friendlies to guage much at all.

However, if they were being used as a way for players to stake claims

to places then only the following would make my starting line-up.

GK: Gallacher (didn''t see Lewis although he was there)

LB: Drury

CB: Docherty

CB: Shackell

RB: ??

LM: ?? - Huckerby is currently favourite but I remain unconvinced on

last nights showing, he simply goes missing for too much of the game

CM: Safri

CM: Robinson - sorry but Etuhu doesn''t do it for me - a big lump of a player whose first touch was awful

RM: ??

ST: McKenzie

ST: Earnshaw

That would leave three positions to fill, although one is likely to be

filled by Huckerby. Huckerby and Drury work well together.

I''d like to see them acquire two midfield players. One, a decent

attacking central midfield player, Etuhu isn''t it. Two, a right sided

midfield player. Safri is a Makele type player who is good on the ball

but he''s not going to be making those lung busting runs forward.

Robinson is a Carrick type of player, always looking for the cutting

pass, but again not making those lung busting runs forward like a

Gerrard/Lampard style player.

The alternative is to play three across the middle with Safri, Robinson

and Etuhu. Then play Hucks just in behind the front two but give him

license to roam.

With McKenzie and Earnshaw up front you need to either play the ball

into feet and run off them or you need wide midfield men who are

prepared to run in behind the fullbacks. Huckerby does that, but City

don''t have a corresponding right side player who does that.

Jarvis came on for Huckerby last night and looks a decent player - more

convincing than Henderson on last nights showing. If Worthy has to

insist on playing strikers wide then why not give Jarvis a go on the

right?

[Ginja 43]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]

I admit, I''m struggling to be positive about the right back position, but if we could get Justin Hoyte, that would be nice.[/quote]

I still think fleming can handle the right back position, IMO he did a fine job there last season and MLJ is still very much untried and he deserves a chance to prove himself. But I think a couple of extra signings would make everyone feel slightly better, I''d prefer the RM to be filled first however.

On a seperate note, I agree with you paul on the "Crisis? What Crisis?" a very stupid thing to say, firstly I seem to remember hearing that somewhere before....secondly this is only Livingston it''s not like we''ve just won our first 10 games!

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

I am not really for negative journalism - thats best left for the message boards  BUT to hype stuff up so much and basically give unbalanced reviews of the games is a bit much for those whom do not go.  We got outplayed by Cambridge''s first team on Saturday - and did ok against the reserves in the second half.  Now fair play his report on this game is fair and he mentions just how much we can draw from these games.  However the Livingston match.....  crisis what crisis...  teh strikers are scoring..  wel they scored last year it was the what 6 goal haul from the rest of the team that counted against us....

The fact we are playing such poor opposition in non league Cambridge, Livingston (4 wins last season), Falkirk and Northampton at home (+ the good fun testimonial match against newcastle) says a lot.  I do agree with the idea behind it however - after last season''s dismal pre season results a good start and the confidence it may bring could help start the season on a high..  hopefully.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="komakino"]I am rather concerned about Chris Lakey and his fellow colleagues on their journalism with regards to NCFC. I wouldn''t be atall surprised if the upper echelons of NCFC have had a word with Archant to the lines of ''It would be advantageous if you would lay off Nigel in the coming season etc.'' I have no proof of this of course, but the stories appear as if this IS the case. You wouldn''t get this whitewash in The Birmingham Post, so why here?[/quote]

Just like another ex local journalist, Chris Lakey rates Andy Hughes....   I think that just says it all really.

Its as bad as the ex journalist comment: the Hughes''s and Etuhu''s are the future of britich football.  Two players whom have looked utterly useless in a Norwich shirt.

The club deny they have words and I beleive them, but the main journalists - Lakey and Cuffley, have to keep the people sweet otherwise they won''t get their interviews.

[0Amarillo<P><FONT color=#cccc00 size=4><EM> º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ Amarillo ¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°<EM><FONT><P>ddMMyyyy0Falseen-US<P><FONT color=#cccc00 size=4><EM> º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸ Amarillo ¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°<EM><FONT><P>True 0]

[quote user="komakino"]I am rather concerned about Chris Lakey and his fellow colleagues on their journalism with regards to NCFC. I wouldn''t be atall surprised if the upper echelons of NCFC have had a word with Archant to the lines of ''It would be advantageous if you would lay off Nigel in the coming season etc.'' I have no proof of this of course, but the stories appear as if this IS the case. You wouldn''t get this whitewash in The Birmingham Post, so why here?[/quote]

Are we turning into Americans? Why does there have to be conspiracy in everything. Reporter goes to game, sees decent game, team scores twice, concedes none, many players have a decent game when alot of them haven''t played more than 90 mins football so far. We all know this has practically no bearing on the season ahead, results-wise.

What would be the point in turning every match report into a rant against the players, manager, club, fans, etc. as some posters on here do? It''s still early pre-season, we have harder opposition to come, the results are pretty meaningless because the players will be playing within themselves: not wanting an injury, not particularly motivated to win, just trying to get their fitness and form on the right track for August. End of, surely?

Yes, we all agree that there are a few positions where we need strengthening, but that''s not for a match report.

Please post the link to the Birmingham Post''s ''Bruce Out'' campaign, I presume from your comments that you''ve checked and there must be one....

[mystic megson 0]

[quote user="Amarillo"]

[quote user="komakino"]I am rather concerned about Chris Lakey and his fellow colleagues on their journalism with regards to NCFC. I wouldn''t be atall surprised if the upper echelons of NCFC have had a word with Archant to the lines of ''It would be advantageous if you would lay off Nigel in the coming season etc.'' I have no proof of this of course, but the stories appear as if this IS the case. You wouldn''t get this whitewash in The Birmingham Post, so why here?[/quote]

Are we turning into Americans? Why does there have to be conspiracy in everything. Reporter goes to game, sees decent game, team scores twice, concedes none, many players have a decent game when alot of them haven''t played more than 90 mins football so far. We all know this has practically no bearing on the season ahead, results-wise.

What would be the point in turning every match report into a rant against the players, manager, club, fans, etc. as some posters on here do? It''s still early pre-season, we have harder opposition to come, the results are pretty meaningless because the players will be playing within themselves: not wanting an injury, not particularly motivated to win, just trying to get their fitness and form on the right track for August. End of, surely?

Yes, we all agree that there are a few positions where we need strengthening, but that''s not for a match report.

Please post the link to the Birmingham Post''s ''Bruce Out'' campaign, I presume from your comments that you''ve checked and there must be one....

[/quote]

Amarillo, it''s what is usually known as spin.  It happens.  I''m not sure that a report on a pre-season friendly is the most outstanding example, but spin is a fact of life.  We are gradually learning to read between the lines, but sometimes people get a little bit over-conspiratorial along the way.

If it wasn''t for posters on here and elsewhere doing a bit of digging, the first we''d have heard of the club''s financial problems would be ND''s "we''re nearly £20 million in debt" comment a couple of weeks ago.  Without prior knowledge, it would be easy to assume from that bald statement that the level of debt is due to exorbitant transfer fees and wages.  It isn''t. 

Why are we so heavily in debt?  There may be a perfectly legitimate explanation for all I know.  The point is, it''s a question the local press have not seen fit to ask, even during the close season when they''re desperate to fill space.  Instead what do we get?  A non-story about Theo Walcott accompanied by a front page headline.  You have to wonder why.

[Evil Monkey 52]

[quote user="Morph"]
Robinson is a Carrick type of player, always looking for the cutting pass, but again not making those lung busting runs forward like a Gerrard/Lampard style player.
[/quote]

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

Sorry, I thought I just saw Carl Robinson''s name in the same sentence as Carrick, Gerrard AND Lampard?? Oh, I did!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

Honestly, anyone who feels this player has anything to offer Norwich City is clearly crazy, and it''s not often I make such rash statements! Unless he''s vastly improved over the summer I wouldn''t even choose him for my wednesday night 7-a-side kick-about!

I''ve been discussing this with a mate, and we think we''ve cracked the perfect formation:

                                  Gallagher

Colin            Doherty                 Shackell         Drury

                    Spillane                  Safri

McVeigh                  Etuhu                     Hucks

                                 Earnie                      

This way, you get the heigh of Etuhu behind Earnie who can win knock-downs, with Safri anchoring the midfield.  The rest explains itself and is in line with Worthy''s own tactical decisions recently.  Failing that you put McVeigh in place of Etuhu, Hendo on right wing, Spillane at RB and Etuhu with Safri in the midfield 2.

Just a possibility, anyway...

[Carrow89 116]

" If it wasn''t for posters on here and elsewhere doing a bit of digging, the first we''d have heard of the club''s financial problems would be ND''s "we''re nearly £20 million in debt" comment a couple of weeks ago. " More ill informed guff from mystic meg in his continuing quest to slag off our club. Maybe his eyes missed 25 January 2006 Why was Ashton paid £370,000 to quit? Fans'' groups have reacted angrily to the news Norwich City''s former striker Dean Ashton pocketed £370,000 from the Canaries for quitting the club. The Carrow Road club, which is about £18 million in debt, " 05 August 2005 Munby talks of money matters Chris Wise: Norwich City are currently around £18m in debt 20 April 2005 Generous legacies of Geoffrey Watling He was involved with the Canaries for 47 years, and his decision to write off the £1.5m loan in his will has helped the club to manage its current debt of £18m. in fact as far back 03 December 2004 as this was openly discussed and explained " The increase in debt to £18.1m comes mainly because the club has received the second £7.5m instalment of its £15m securitisation loan. The loan, announced last year, enabled the Canaries to build the Jarrold Stand, manage all their debts and pay them off gradually over 15 years. But because there are huge penalties if the debt is settled early, the overall debt figure is only likely to reduce gradually during that time. The extra £2.5m comes in the shape of the deal to buy land behind Carrow Road from Laurence Scott and Electromotors.

[Chris Meadows 0]

i think thats the best i''ve been able to come up with too, i''d like mcveigh more central but the lack of height of him and earnie would be a problem, i can''t see spillane/rossi J  being picked ahead of hughes/robinson however

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Interestinf report Morph which unfortunately highlights the problems still existing from last season.

I am trying to be positive but the situation still requires remedies.