5 things to improve IMMEDIATELY!

[The Voice of the Thorpe Area 0]

Not just general stuff (eg defending), but 5 specific points that city must improve on sooner rather than later:

1. Closing down. We for too many years now have allowed the opposition too much time to pass the ball, espaically at home- we are constantly sitting off and letting teams put 20 passes together.
2. Crossing. We never put decent crosses into the penalty box. We have a big guy in Brown in there, but we never are able to give him a good ball to head home.
3. Composure. PG is constantly telling us that he wants calm heads on the pitch, well I''m yet to see one! We panic far too often, and end up hoofing the ball or passing to an opposition player. Also, when we are in front of goal, too often than not we panic and blaze the ball over the bar, straight at the keeper, etc.
4. Concentration. We always turn off! The zonal marking system (as used at set-pieces) requires 100% concentration from all 11 players at all times. This does not happen. During open play as well, certain defenders turn off far too often, and allow a striker a free run at goal.
5. Set Pieces. Same as crossing- put a decent ball in! If we are going to use the short-corner, we must have a plan worked out. We can''t just pass the ball to Huckerby and hope he takes it past a couple of guys every time!

Surely if we can start to do these 5 basic things on a regular basis, we will survive?

[Archie 0]

throw-ins. We''re either in a decent position in the other half or on the back foot, but more often or not we lose the ball from a throw in

[TheMarshmallowMan 0]

[quote]

1. Concentration. We always turn off! The zonal marking system (as used at set-pieces) requires 100% concentration from all 11 players at all times. This does not happen. During open play as well, certain defenders turn off far too often, and allow a striker a free run at goal. [/quote]

This brings up an interesting discussion point. Zonal marking with set pieces. This is something Worthington advocated and Grant continues to do so. Surely someone should be seeing the sheer number of goals conceeded at set pieces and bring in someone to either help improve us against them or - better yet - switch to a man marking system which requires less from individuals to be successful?

[Green and Yellow 0]

Taking effective corners. The times that a good opportunity to put pressure on the defence and keeper is lost through poor corners is unbelievable

[djc 0]

The Desire to win is something several players need to get let alone improve on.

 

[tryingtofindmyfeet 0]

Perhaps the main thing that gets on my gonads is the sheer lack of taking chances i.e. having a shot every now and again.

I can''t remember that happening after Bentley''s loan spell ended!

We''re suckers for being on the receiving end of long shots because we fail to close down and spend far too much time backtracking so get a few bloody shots in there every now and again! Grrrr! Safri! Etuhu! Hell, even Colin!   

[sussexcanary 0]

I''m afraid the five things you mention bare all the hallmarks of a bad side.  Since we went up to the P/ship we have made dreadful signing after dreadful signing.  Sooner or later it''s all going to catch up with you and this is what has happened to us.....we are a very bad side.  How do we turn round..???.we can''t not in the short term.  There''s a common saying in football that "a good side doesn''t become a bad one overnight" I''m afraid the same applies to the reverse which is Norwich City FC right now. 

[nutty nigel 7,506]

[quote user="TheMarshmallowMan"][quote]

1. Concentration. We always turn off! The zonal marking system (as used at set-pieces) requires 100% concentration from all 11 players at all times. This does not happen. During open play as well, certain defenders turn off far too often, and allow a striker a free run at goal. [/quote]

This brings up an interesting discussion point. Zonal marking with set pieces. This is something Worthington advocated and Grant continues to do so. Surely someone should be seeing the sheer number of goals conceeded at set pieces and bring in someone to either help improve us against them or - better yet - switch to a man marking system which requires less from individuals to be successful?

[/quote]

I think the zonal marking was probably introduced by Hunter and he is still there. Grant may change it but maybe not until next season. Zonal marking at set pieces works ok but the goalkeeper plays a big part in it and crosses are not a strong point for our current keeper.

 

[Rupethebear 0]

How about;

3 points at Luton and another 3 at Barnsley

Clear out of dead wood e.g Thorne, McVeigh (talented but may be troubled with the bottle me sadly thinks)

Time for Grant to get his players in the summer

More communication from the board room inc Delia

More positive postings on the message boards are you reading this smudger!!

 

[AJ 1,218]

Distribution (Using the flanks) - Drury especially seems to near enough always hit the ball either into the middle, or play an awful ball down the flank down the left, that usually results in an opposition throw.Why?

Decision Making - The players decisions ont he pitch are sometimes shocking, why try a long ball the length of the pitch, when you have a simple pass to an open player 2 yards away from you?Basic Passing - Why can we not pass to a member of our own team?!Marking - We never seem to mark players anymore, especially from set peices, why?Positioning (especially from set pieces) - When players like Hux and Croft FINALLY get a cross into the box, there is never anyone to aim for, and if there is, they never seem to try and challenge for the ball in the air, unless it is going directly to them, in which case they just stand there while they are tackled.Shooting - Why do players like Dixon Etuhu get right infront of the goal, and take a billion touches without the faintest idea of shooting, unless the crowd urge him to. You need to shoot to score goals, why does everyone, including Huckerby think we can dribble the ball into the back of the net?Getting Shots on Target - Another biggie, we eventually get a good break and manage to get a good chance on goal, then the ball ends up outside the stadium.... not much help is it? Croft missing two sitters in two games is just one example, Etuhu is very guilty of this.Playing Players out of Position - Croft is totally right sided, so we play him down the left flank..... right? Martin down the right wing? why? He shew us later on in the second half that he should be a striker, so why put him there?Hesitation (Giving the ball away) - We clearly give the ball away far too much, and the main reason are stray passes, and this one, hesitation, getting caught in possession, Dixon Etuhu again, the worst contender, at least Doherty hoofs it clear if he gets in trouble.Aimless Hoofing - Why not pass it to one of our players? or at least make sure it goes out of play, instead we hoof it down the centre of the park, straight to their players standing there waiting for the ball!

just a few i picked up on...

[The Voice of the Thorpe Area 0]

[quote user="AJ"]Distribution (Using the flanks) - Drury especially seems to near enough always hit the ball either into the middle, or play an awful ball down the flank down the left, that usually results in an opposition throw.

Why?


Decision Making - The players decisions ont he pitch are sometimes shocking, why try a long ball the length of the pitch, when you have a simple pass to an open player 2 yards away from you?

Basic Passing - Why can we not pass to a member of our own team?!

Marking - We never seem to mark players anymore, especially from set peices, why?

Positioning (especially from set pieces) - When players like Hux and Croft FINALLY get a cross into the box, there is never anyone to aim for, and if there is, they never seem to try and challenge for the ball in the air, unless it is going directly to them, in which case they just stand there while they are tackled.

Shooting - Why do players like Dixon Etuhu get right infront of the goal, and take a billion touches without the faintest idea of shooting, unless the crowd urge him to. You need to shoot to score goals, why does everyone, including Huckerby think we can dribble the ball into the back of the net?

Getting Shots on Target - Another biggie, we eventually get a good break and manage to get a good chance on goal, then the ball ends up outside the stadium.... not much help is it? Croft missing two sitters in two games is just one example, Etuhu is very guilty of this.

Playing Players out of Position - Croft is totally right sided, so we play him down the left flank..... right? Martin down the right wing? why? He shew us later on in the second half that he should be a striker, so why put him there?

Hesitation (Giving the ball away) - We clearly give the ball away far too much, and the main reason are stray passes, and this one, hesitation, getting caught in possession, Dixon Etuhu again, the worst contender, at least Doherty hoofs it clear if he gets in trouble.

Aimless Hoofing - Why not pass it to one of our players? or at least make sure it goes out of play, instead we hoof it down the centre of the park, straight to their players standing there waiting for the ball!



just a few i picked up on...

[/quote]

I think all of these are good points- and I think that all these points would be covered if the 5 points made in my original post we acted upon.

[AJ 1,218]

indeed, and the most annoying thing is that these are basic things you learn as a kid!

[still holding out for new heroes 0]

my five (some have been mentioned by others)

1. regularly loosing possesion from throw ins

2. lack of a quality permanent goalkeeper on our books

3. fullbacks who dont overlap (particularly on the right)

4. leadership on the pitch

5. sitting too deep (caused by 4)

[Branston Pickle 3,632]

For me set pieces win and lose games all too often - most games are won or lost by just 1 goal, so if we can''t defend at corners or free kicks and give the opposition a goal start it can only make life difficult. 

Last season we were one of the worst at letting in set-piece goals and scored the fewest, and not a lot has changed.  I guess a lot of it is to do with concentration, but it is rather disturbing.   It has to be said that recent signs have been a little better, Fozzie does at least seem to be able to put a good ball in, as does Lappin...but their arrival hasn''t really helped in defending them, though.