Without away points at Derby start just average!

[Hardhouse44 261]

Two excellent results at home this week. An all round commanding performance on Tuesday followed by a good show of character after a dodgy start against Luton. However without a win a Derby next weekend the start to the season can only be considered average. We must take away points if we are to have any lasting success in the league. Our away form over the last two seasons has be nothing less that abysmal. Can we take our improvement in form away from Carrow Road. We must go to places like Derby with the intention of winning. That will mean playing expansive football where we commit players forward and take our chances. Can Worthington recognise this or will he continue with his cautionary approach that has returned us minimal reward. Come on Norwich take in on now and show us you believe in yourselves so that we can all believe in you.

[Yellow Rages 0]

It does tend to be the norm in this league and also in alot of cases in the Premiership to play defensively away from home.

The theory behind this is that it is a given that the home side will attack and to counter this, you defend and hit teams on the break.

Ideally, you keep the goals against column at a minimum while exposing their defensive frailty.

I think we potentially have one of the best counter attacking teams in the league. I don''t think any other side can boast the pace we have in Hucks, Earnshaw and Croft.

Our problem is though that we probably won''t hold a side while playing defensively. I think we need to be more organised at the back or we will get caught out eventually. At which point you can''t guarentee to out score your opposition.

We see it all the time though don''t we when a side get a lead and sit back. My belief has always been that attacking is often your best form of defence.

The problem is, that it is a natural instinct to play this way. It happens at all levels and only the best coached sides in the world prevent this from happening.

Both tactical extreems have their benifits but I think we would be better off attacking teams regardless. It''s what we are best at and it''s the style of play best suited to the players we have. It is the Keegan method I know, a style I hate but horses for courses and all that, we have only one breed.

[Rossi 0]

In essence i agree hardhouse, but i think you''re being a little too keen on piling the pressure on for the derby game. Yes we should beat them, and yes, our away form will be the key, but a win is not vital points wise at this stage. What is vital is the confidence that would come from a win at derby.

We have many more difficult away games to face and the test of away form in terms of promotion comes when you get tough away games every other game. December sees four in less than a month - and our toughest away sequence all season; Sunderland, Southampton, Wolves & Palace, Now agreed, Wolves are not going to be the force they have, but even so....

I have always believed that Earnie will be of a greater asset away from home than at home, and therefore, far more vital in say the prem than this league as points are far more precious. I''m confident that we can sort out our away form, and judging by the inner strength displayed by the players today, there''s far more solidarity there. Once we got back into the game, midfielders chased back and won the ball like theri life depended on it - it''s this that will hold us in good stead in away games. That said, we wont come back from 2-0 down away from home more than once in a season!

At derby last season, Idiakez ran the game becasue he played behind a traditional four man midfield that protected him quarter-back style. It is important that Etuhu can get stuck into him and not get dragged into the donkey work in the middle of the park that Robinson should be doing.

Personally i cant wait!

[Northern Canary 0]

I agree. I think it will be the away form that can put us right at the top end of the table.

We need to be beating teams like Derby, having watched them today i do not think that they are any better than us, so these are points that we definately need to pick up if we are to make a bid for promotion.

[LinkNR9 0]

"Our problem is though that we probably won''t hold a side while playing defensively."

Very true, YR. The team deserved their lead yesterday, because they only had attack in their minds when they were 2-0 down. As soon as they went ahead, they started to sit back and dropped deeper and deeper, just like they did in the Premiership season - if it hadn''t have been for Gallaher''s great save at the end, it would have been a draw. I don''t know if this tactic comes from the bench or the players, but it will cost us points over the season.