Now we've got a poser

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

So Leon scores again today. I''m sure he''ll be dying to start on Tuesday. If he doesn''t I think his confidence will get knocked. Surely he''s going to have to wonder what he has to do to break into the first team? As I''ve said on other posts I think we need a front man. If we do we have four main options:

1) Huckerby, McKenzie on bench
2) Mckenzie, Huckerby on bench
3) 4-3-3, all three up front.
4) Huckerby on one of the wings

If we don''t go for a front man we have hucks and Leon up front. Pace and skill yes. But height no. It could be good and Gillingham''s defence gets terrorised. Or it could be a disaster with us knocking it forward in the air and Gillingham just coming back at us every time.


I think if Hucks is fit and playing well we should play him evrey time. He''s such a talent and his pace is electrifying. How effective he would be on the wing I don''t know.

Damn us having too many quality strikers!

Who do you think it should be on Tuesday?

[Gamera 0]

Everybody is always raving about Huckerby, I am a fan, and im not disputing his electrifying pace and the overall never give up attitude. Yet today and many other days i hear "Huckerby runs towards the defence with pace but he lost it". It just happens way to much. Must admit I heard "and Fleming''s given the ball straight back again" far more today. Wallers commentary also very repetive. "Their tails are up now" and "head tennis" cropping up a bit. I would have to let Leon have a start. Many are saying that it didnt work against bradford but then svenson/Hucks worked against Ipswich. But it didnt work today. You cant judge it on one game.Lets hope this is a blip and not a Wolves. Come on you Yellows.

[Morph 19]

Why can''t you play Hucks in the questionable right-sided midfield role?

Put McKenzie on up front alongside of Svensson.

That would give you:

Green
Edworthy, Fleming, Mackay, Drury
Huckerby, Holt, Francis, McVeigh
Svensson, McKenzie

That does leave Brennan sidelined which on his recent showings is probably a bad thing.

[Pyro Pete 1,889]

Some good points DD! But for me it''s more a case of too few consistant strikers.

Mckenzie consistantly scores goals. Hucks consistantly scores and creates goals. Sven and Iwan consistantly do neither - although in fairness Svensson has yet to have a long run in the team.

So logically play Hucks and Mckenzie as a front two, with the team adapting their play to a shorter passing game to retain possession - is our midfield up to that? Alternatively we carry on as we are, in a mix-and-match scenario with Huckerby or Mckenzie partnering Roberts or Svensson. It''s a puzzler, but one Worthington has to solve.

But like you said on a different thread, Worthington probably bought the Mckenzie/Svennson partnership to simply replace the outgoing Hucks/Crouch partnership. Curiously, Huckerby''s return has kind of screwed that up!

(Although I see that todays defeat seemed more to do with defensive errors from reading the match report.)

[MPR 0]

I agree Dumble, it''s a poser. I personally like the big man/little man combo (or quick in Hucks'' case). We saw what happened against Bradford and we were dreadful, pumping long balls up and having them knocked back. I admit the thought about leaving DH on the bench crossed my mind but again you''re right to say that he''s got the talent to be one of the first names on the sheet. 4-3-3 is what we''re looking at if we put him as a winger.

I presume we''ll see Mullers start on Tuesday night? He didn''t do much last Sunday but a mate listening to Radio Norfolk got the impression he was making things happen.

Important thing is not to panic (which is what I''m trying to do now that WBA have won).

[NorwichAreBack 0]

You havent metioned Hucks own first choice position, in behind a front two.
So I would suggest this team....

Green
Edworthy Malky Flem Drury
Mulryne Holt Francis
Hucks
Sven Leon

I know its harsh on Brennan but this is football, no room for sympathy, and also there would not be much width but- how many goals can anyone remember that have come from good crosses from wingers all season?! Hucks being the exception, but playing behind the front two he could drift wide and do damage there aswel. Most of Iwans goals for example have been tap ins after Hucks magic, cant remember a headed goal from him this season?!

OTBC

[no1canary 0]

we need to start getting out the tired and bring in the boys who r desperate to play. mcveigh has to come off for me and i would put henderson on. hes the only 1 who can play wide right and can deliver the good crosses, and gets free kicks in good positions a la the ipswich game. brennan off, hucherby left wing. mckenzie, roberts/svensson upfront.

my team 4 gillingham

green
edworthy, mackay, fleming, drury
henderson,francis, holt, huckerby
mckenzie, roberts/svensson

subs:
crichton
mulryne
mcveigh
brennan
roberts/svensson

[Moanin Riverender 0]

To get Hucks in behind the front two,you could play a back 3 & wingbacks.My team 4 Gills would be;
Green
Flem Malky Shackell
Edworthy Holt Francis Brennan
Huckerby(free role)
Leon Svensson
I think the reason we don''t get good crosses is because we have NO natural wingers at the club;McVeigh,Rivers and Henderson were all strikers,and Brennan is a left back(wingback)

[Canary Boy 0]

This would be my team against Gillingham;

GREEN

EDWORTHY, FLEMING, MACKAY, DRUEY

RIVERS, HOLT, FRANCIS, HUCKERBY

ROBERTS, McKENZIE


SUBS;
CRICHTON
SHACKELL
BRENNAN
MULRYNE
SVENSSON

Sorry little pint-sized Paul McVeigh...but I feel that since you have signed the contract, you have not played as well. You need a rest.

[Syteanric 1]

why cant hucks and Leon play upfront together????

they had 1 game upfront earlier in the season (Bradford????) but didnt do to well together.. but they need time to gel.. 1 game together isnt ideal..

Mckenzie may not be a "target man"... but to be fair i think playing a big player like Iwan or Svensson upfront still means we have a tendancy to hoof it.. with Mckenzie and hucks up front u have to keep it on the deck.. which is the Norwich way of playing..

we wouldnt lose anything in the air as has already been seen McKenzie is pretty good winning headers... that is one thing Hucks doesnt do.. i dont think he knows how to jump.. lol..

Give them a game together, maybe tuesday, see what happens..

6 goals in 7 games now for McKenzie, i agree with what the previous poster said, he must get frustrated about it...

jas :)

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Digressing slightly but why have james got "Star striker" and Canary Boy got "Reserves" next to their names?

[Kent Canary 0]

Yes, whats all this about? Now Im having to post something just to see if Im going to get a rating..

[Mouse 0]

Personally I''d play Huckerby on the left because that''s where he always drifts to and then I''d have McVeigh on the right, which is where he''d rather be. Again this means leaving out Brennan. My team would be:

Green
Edworthy, Fleming, Mackay, Drury
McVeigh, Holt, Mulryne, Huckerby
McKenzie, Svenson

I know I''ve put mulryne in the middle, I just think the fact that francis isn''t playing to well at the moment and so could probably do with a rest. McVeigh may not be playing very well at the moment btu I thinnk that is because he doesn''t like playing on the left and plays far better on the right.

[0peteddMMyyyy0Falseen-USTrue 0]

3 upfront from the start against Gills, we haven''t started well in recent matches, McVeigh and Brennan on bench. Must get at them early on to settle any doubts after Cardiff reverse.

[Canary Boy 0]

I don''t know DumbleDelia Is magic.

Does this mean I am a light user of this site?

Canary Boy

[Jet heeled frontman 0]

Greeno
Edworthy Malky Drury
Holt
hendo francis brennan
huckerby
leon sven

OTBC

[ZLF 271]

You have to bear in mind that I was not at the game on Sat so everything say is based on info I have heard second-hand.

My summarised gossip from Sats game is that we started appallingly (again) in the first half and were let down by some appalling defending and poor passing. In addition I hear Francis had yet another no show and the half time substitutions were Brennan & McVeigh off. So we have a poor performance by the back 4 (I think we can allow them an off day every now and again)and 3 of the 4 starting midfielders having ''mare.

However all the posts are around who we should start up front??? Yes Leon has a superb strike rate but we all seem to agree that he and Hux are TOOOO similar to start together in Div 1 (The Premiership may be another matter). Sven needs a longer run - there have been enough glimpses to show he is an asset if he receives quality ball and Iwan can play a cameo role in the remaining games this season. Hux starts. Full Stop.

However as with the binners game if the delivery to the forwards is poor neither Hux and partner are not going to look good, as well as putting too much onus on just of the 10 outfield players.

To me it seems that our midfield are looking too jaded and a rest is required. To do this we must get some midfield reinforcements as Mullers can only take the place of one of them. I do not have any names in the frame but some fresh midfield legs are starting to look essential given the performances over the last few games... Thank the lord for the consistent Holt

In the meantime I would perserve with Hux and Sven up front, bring Hendo back in on the right (he is still our vest right wing option) and return McVeigh to his left wing perch - he was a player reborn against the bin men in the second half when asked to play a bit narrower on his better left wing - a tactic Worthy should continue with. If Francis was poor again - and most reports seem to back this up - I would bring Mullers in against the Gills and let Famon catch his breath for a game.

Still Top Of The League and 9 points clear though!!!

OTBC

[Splendid Rush 0]

Clearly the back 5 picks itself. I question putting Huckerby on the wing as he doesn''t seem to have the defensive work ethic, he would leave Drury exposed. I quite like the idea of him playing behind Leon and Sven, which although could leave us a little bit light at the back, we''d have Holty, Francis and Brennan/Mullers playing behind them, who all like their tackles and are happy with tracking back. And it is not as if we''re playing a top team, it''s Gillingham at Carrow Road, so it may be worth the risk.

On his day, Francis is superb. When he''s not in the game and doesn''t seem interested, he''s shocking. He is an excellent player, but you''ve got to question his attitude sometimes (first half versus the binners for example)

[Temp the Revelator 0]

I really don''t think you can judge a partnership on one game alone, and with Leon doing his utmost to make himself first choice with his goalscoring record, I would like to see him and Hux together up front again. Hopefully Worthy will spend time with the rest of the team, explaining how it is not always good practice to look for the big target man........

[Tumbleweed 106]

Why not play Hux as an advanced roving attacking midfielder with Leon and Sven up front? Some of the most effective players in the past have been exciting midfielders in advanced roles- Cantona, Zola, Scholes, Ginola, Merson, Pires, our own beloved Eadie. All could score goals and create plenty for others.

Leaves Holt or Francis doing the holding role. Our best team ever had Ian Crook in midfield and he was never known as a tackler- if the opposition can''t get the ball back then you don''t need two "blockers" in the centre. Could give us problems if they swamp their midfield, but the full backs should then puch further upfield to counter (as in Moaninriverender''s wing back proposal).

We have some good trikers and its a shame to have to choose just one because Hux writes his name into every teamsheet.

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

I always find that when we play against a team who has a man just behind the front two we get confused. Who picks him up? Do one of the defenders come forward and man mark him? Or do one of the midfielders drop back? Robbie Blake can play this position magnificently. It can work very very well and we could potentially create a lot of chances. Isn''t there a chance though we could get stretched when going forward?

[ZLF 271]

Despite Hux pace and ability to create danger I do not think that he has the ability of a Zola/Scholes/Cantona/Pires/Ginola/Merson to be a real success sitting behind a front two. Eadie had more ability as an attacking midfielder whereas Hux has it as a striker.

Hux is an out and out striker - he is not about midfield graft or guile to that matter - but sound ball control with blistering pace. Keep him up front where he belongs and dont try and solve our midfield short comings with another out of position striker - buy/loan a proper midfielder... or by tweaking a formation that has stormed us to the top of the table...