Barnet Ratings

[Saint Canary 0]

Firstly, to those who didn''t make it, don''t get too excited by the scoreline as I don''t feel it was reflective of the game as whole.  Barnet had a couple of chances and corners early on and had the been more willing to shoot, could have had a couple of goals in the first ten minutes themselves.  We did however look like scoring everytime we attacked which was pleasing.  Anyhow I don''t generally do them but here''s my ratings:

Marshall - 6 - A good save in the first half but his kicking was awful and we were lucky he didn''t put us in more trouble.
Drury - 6 - Solid but the same complaint as Saturday and the last few seasons.  His "tactic" of allowing the opposition winger lots of space and then quickly trying to close them down at the last minute will cost us goals this year.
Doc - 6 - Suprisingly the best feature of his game last night was a couple of lovely sprayed passes out wide.  Booked for wrestling and let the Barnet strikers on the wrong side of him a couple of times. 
Shackell - 6 - Same as Drury in that he made the same mistakes as on Saturday.  A couple of times the defence pushed up as a unit only for Shackell to play someone on side.  He shouted "ref" in the same way as a child cries for their mum to help them out.  In fairness he was doing his best to organise the defence but in doing so lost his own positioning.  Got to keep his mind on his own game now he is Captain as well.
Ostemobor - 7 - Really impressed with him over both games so far.  Lovely cross in the second half that Brown should have done better with.  Good attacking option throughout and set up a goal.
Lappin - 8 - Lovely goal and a peach of a cross in the first half.  Put himself about against a physical Barnet side as well.
Russell - 7 - Got his goal and was busy throughout. 
Fotheringham - 6 - Yes he scored a good goal but was chasing shadows all game.  Very rarely got into the game.
Croft - 7 - Got himself in some excellent positions but his crossing and shooting let him down at the crucial moments.  Was a constant threat though.
Brown - 7 - Should have scored in the first half when he hit the bar and probably could have done better with his header in the second half.  Was a handfull all night though and took plenty of knocks, bumps and downright filthy tackles for the good of the team.
Cureton - 8 - MOM.  First chance, first goal and took it well as the ball was behind him.  Tyical poachers goal for his second. Played a nice ball in for Brown following a clever run but was a bit selfish in trying for his hat-trick when he really should have squared the ball for "Dave".  Was please for him to get the goal so early and it clearly meant a lot to him.
Subs
Dave - 6 - Didn''t get into the game much but held up well against Barnet''s physical style.  Made some clever runs off the ball.
Martin - 5 - Out of position but tidy.
Dublin - 5 - Had little impact.

Personally I thought Barnet were unlucky and didn''t deserve the scoreline.  Their fans were great and we still singing at 5-0 down as opposed to the City fans who were very subdued considering the scoreline.  In all I would give MOM for  Barnet to the number 11 who really took the game to City.  Played some very clever and intricate passes in our final third and was involved in some very good football played by Barnet at times.

Well done to City for the result and job done but plenty to work on for Saturday, mainly in defence but Brellier should add more portection from what I saw at Preston.  Great to see 7 goals.

[Huddy 0]

Marshall   6   Solid, no chance with the goals but his kicking looked suspect like his namesake Andy!

Otsemobor   8   Impressed. Looked solid defensively and attacked really well. The passport problems our old right back had in getting over the half way line hasnt affected him.

Drury   7   Solid, Neat and Tidy

Shackall   7   Good Interceptions, looked composed

Doherty 5   Defensively we looked all at see, but for some reason individually doherty was the only one who looked awful. Perhaps i was looking at it, making him a scapegoat or perhaps it was just him being uncomposed, giving away free kicks, losing challenges and being out of position.

Croft   8   Looked fitter and quicker. Lively, outlet we needed without huckerby. Moy only critiscm is that he tends to run with the ball without looking up.

Lappin   7.5   Tidy and scored a belter

Russel   7   Quiet Game, but did score

Fotheringham   7   Ditto

Brown   7   Missed a decent chance or two but did well enoguh

Cureton   8   Who needs earnshaw, good home return, shame he didnt add the 6th when he should have.

subs:

Strihavka   5   Looks off pace and out of place and thats against barnet. Could be down to sloppy play all around him.

Martin   5.5   Out of position, didnt get in game

Dublin   5.5   Didnt get in it, i reckon he''s here a year to long.

 

[Green and Yellow 0]

I went to the game and have the following points,

During the first half NCFC were effective and clinical. What a refreshing change to see a defender ,Otsemobor , get forward and create the first goal.  Russell played well as did the mid field. Cureton scored two poachers goals which is what has been missed recently. And what a goal from Lappin. When did you last see a goal scored like that at home from free play.

The second half, in my opinion, whether it was because NCFC were 5 up I don'' know, but they appeared to either go to sleep or more concerning revert to what we have seen over recent season and that is loose concentration. Either that or NCFC didn''t want to embarrass Barnet any further.

It was apparent to me that Doherty is a cause for concern and Grant needs to get in a replacement because at times the Barnet attach were turning him inside out.

Overall I was pleased with what I saw with the team appearing to be moving in the right direction.

[NCFC_Shaun 0]

brilliant first half, great to see 5 in 31 minutes! really thought we would get more though... poor second half defensively especially.

nice to see lappin getting good ratings for once! brilliant goal, fotheringhams wernt too bad either.

cureton almost completed a first half hatrick but keeper saved. Should have squared it to strihavka but looking for hatrick.

otsemobor attacks well and creates alot of chances...

overall very impressed with first half, not so impressed with second.

[Le Juge 0]

[quote user="Grumpy "] And what a goal from Lappin. When did you last see a goal scored like that at home from free play.[/quote] A left footed peach from distance in the top corner? For me Svensson was probably the last to do that.

Player Ratings:

Marshall: 6 - Made a decent save within seconds of the game starting but dodgy kicking and not much else to do apart from flap at a couple of crosses was worrying. Still rate him but needs a bit of work on crosses and kicking.

Ostembor: 7 - Absolutely fantastic in the first half but went fairly quiet in the second. He''s quick, can beat a man, good tackling and got good delivery. If he''d stayed playing as well as he did first half he''d definitely have got a 9 but barely saw him apart from a couple of crosses in the second half.

Drury: 6 - Lost what he had three years ago. Used to be awesome and made up for his lack of attacking play because he was quality defending. Now can''t do either particularly well. Might as well replace him with an attacking left back (if we had one) and sacrifice the defence as he doesn''t do either.

Doherty: 5 - Handy in the air but anyone who can run beats him in a race and can beat him with skill. Replace with anyone. At fault for goals. Was useful at defending their ten million corners though.

Shackell: 6 - Did ok, covered a couple of times but also got caught out a few times. Would benefit from having Drury and Doherty replaced next to him so he didn''t have to keep shouting at them.

Croft: 6 - If this boy could cross or shoot he''d be a diamond. What point is there going on a run and beating your man, getting to the byline and aimlessly kicking the ball into the area where more often than not nobody is? Make him practice deliveries every day.

Lappin: 7 - Got about, put in a decent cross or two and scored a peach. Didn''t shirk a tackle and looked stronger than last season (still not strong enough though)

Russell: 7 - Supported attack and defence, moved the ball about effectively and scored a tap in. Not spectacular but solid and definitely worth having.

Fotheringham: 6 -  Dalied on the ball and got caught once or twice, when attacking makes decent runs into space but with the ball doesn''t look like he makes the killer pass we were told he would. Still definitely worth having as a backup for Russell and Brellier. A good squad player but not first choice. Lived up to typical Scot hard man by getting an elbow to the face (I heard the crack at the very top of the Jarrold Stand) but got up after a bit rubbed his head and he was back on.

Cureton: 7 - Goal poacher, give him 5 chances and he''ll generally score 4. He missed a relatively easy chance and scored two in the first half. Not sure I''d count the greedy bit in the second half as I bet anything that had that game been 0-0 and he wasn''t on for a hattrick, he''d have rolled that ball across for big dave.

Brown: 7 - Big, strong, fights for the cause. Always looks like winning the ball and has good link up and fairly decent feet too. Missed a chance he probably should have scored but what people forget is that he did really well to get to the point after beating the defender and keeper, tried to play it past last defender with keeper pressuring him and hit the bar. Was unfairly targetted by a nasty set of Barnet players (liked their crowd but hated their players) and right move to be taken off as they were out to get him sent off. I rate Brown.

Dublin: 6 - A couple of nice flicks that didn''t quite come off but didn''t do much else. Which he didn''t really have a chance to, coming on with a team who were just going through the motions.

Martin: 5 - Thought he was terrible but got a 5 because he was played out of position. Play the lad upfront or don''t play him at all.

Dave: 5 - Has the attributes to be a good player, good technique, good feet, good speed, good height, decent movement (needs a bit of improving but generally moves into the right places) but looks out of his depth. I think he''ll hopefully come good if he can adapt but at the minute almost useless.

Grant: 5 - Why bring Chris Martin a striker on at left wing when you have Luke Chadwick who has played many times on the left for a good Man Utd side sitting beside him on the bench when playing against a Barnet team who would struggle to cope with a good player running at their right back? Would like to have seen more youngsters on the bench or starting. I''d have started Spillane and Gilks and had Renton, Smart, Halliday, Marshall and Cave Brown on the bench. Put out a strong team to begin with and then make the changes to give the youngesters a chance..

Would probably give Ostembor MOTM purely for first half performance.   

[macdougalls perm 0]

[quote user="Grumpy "]

I went to the game and have the following points,

During the first half NCFC were effective and clinical. What a refreshing change to see a defender ,Otsemobor , get forward and create the first goal.  Russell played well as did the mid field. Cureton scored two poachers goals which is what has been missed recently. And what a goal from Lappin. When did you last see a goal scored like that at home from free play.

The second half, in my opinion, whether it was because NCFC were 5 up I don'' know, but they appeared to either go to sleep or more concerning revert to what we have seen over recent season and that is loose concentration. Either that or NCFC didn''t want to embarrass Barnet any further.

It was apparent to me that Doherty is a cause for concern and Grant needs to get in a replacement because at times the Barnet attach were turning him inside out.

Overall I was pleased with what I saw with the team appearing to be moving in the right direction.

[/quote]

This is almost exactly how I saw the game - and I particularly agree that we need strengthening in central defence. I think Otsemobor is looking like he could be very important for us this season.

[First Jedi 0]

"Why bring Chris Martin a striker on at left wing when you have Luke Chadwick"

Maybe because he wanted to...

"Put out a strong team to begin with and then make the changes to give the youngesters a chance.."

Chris Martin being "youngester" after all! [:)]

[YellowRoad 0]

Seems Barnet did quite well except the score !

We give away corners for FREE ... Preston 14 - Norwich 0 .. .. and now even Barnet 11 - Norwich 3 ... hmmm

 

Shots on target:

Norwich 6  Barnet 6

Shots off target:

Norwich 4  Barnet 8

Corners:

Norwich 3  Barnet 11

Fouls:

Norwich 9  Barnet 10

Offsides:

Norwich 5  Barnet 2

[Le Juge 0]

[quote user="ob1"]

"Why bring Chris Martin a striker on at left wing when you have Luke Chadwick"

Maybe because he wanted to...

"Put out a strong team to begin with and then make the changes to give the youngesters a chance.."

Chris Martin being "youngester" after all! [:)]

[/quote]Fair enough I see I contradicted myself but I still think he was wrong, bring Chrissy Martin on for Cureton then and Chadwick on the wing. I advocate playing youngsters as often as is appropriate but only as long as they are in their position. Martin is a striker, I was not impressed when he played ''in the hole'' against Vitesse or on the left yesterday. Put the lad upfront or don''t put him on.

Note: I rate Grant and think he''ll do well for us but some decisions such as this leave me baffled.

[0ridgemanddMMyyyy0Falseen-USTrue 0]

Fouls; Norwich 9 Barnet 10 what that doesn''t say is that some of the Barnet fouls were nothing short of diabolical ie the late tackle on Drury I fear another season of poor refereeing if last night was anything to go by.  

[Dowp End 0]

11 out of  10 to the Barnet fans who sang and supported their side to the very last minute. That is what support is about. And good luck to a young side playing with heart in a cash strapped league.

[Stevie Wonder 0]

Marshall 5 - one good save, spilled a cross under no pressure and woeful kicking. Not quite so sure about him now.....

Otsemebor 7 - Great pace and linked up really well with Croft in the first half. Did OK defensively

Drury 6 - Did OK looked better than Lappin did at left back.

Doc 5 - Caught out on too many occasions by Div 2 strikers.....

Shackell 6 - Did OK.

Lappin 7 - Looked good going forward, great goal but not great at left back.

Fotheringham 6 - took his goal very well but was muscled off the ball on numerous occasions.

Russell 7 - Got stuck in, won his tackles and scored.

Croft 8 - The one player who seemed to be still trying in the 2nd half. Never stopped running at their defence. Just needs a bit more composure in the final 3rd and we will have a hell of a player on our hands.

Cureton 7 - 2 great poachers goals but should have sent up Dave the Striker in the 2nd half.

Brown 6 - Won his share of headers but still can''t score.

Strihavka 5 - Never really got into the game. Needs a goal quickly to take the pressure off.

Martin 5 - Out of position and it showed.

Dublin - Not on long enough to assess