Clingan & Stefanovic...

[Matt Morriss 69]

Looked impressive tongiht, Clingan looked calm and assured, and considering he''s come from playing in a League 1 midfield to playing a Premiership midfield he more than held his own. He looked comfortable on the ball and numerous times kept possession when in tight positions with 3 or 4 spurs players blocking his view. More than i can say for Pattison, who has played at the highest level.Stefanovic i was really impressed with, looked on a par against a premiership strikeforce and if we can keep him fit i think i will have a big impact this season. Won a lot of headers and was assured on the ball, looks like he will look to pass the ball out instead of hoofin it. Expecting big things from him this season. When he went off we looked so weak at the back.Not so sure about Omozusi, he seemed to get caught out a few times and get in Stefanovic''s way a lot, there was one goal where got in a right mess. One occasion in the 2nd half a cross from the left came in and he let Bent go past him to the far post, luckily for him the cross came in low and he intercepted but if the cross was high Bent would have had a very easy header and Omozusi would have been in no mans land looking silly as another goal went in. He saw Bent run past him to the far stick as well and just let him, staying in the centre. I wasnt impressed with this at all. Think id rather see him as back up to Semmy rather than Dejans partner.Shackell and Dejan could be the partnership for me, as Shackell looked a lot better when he played with the assured Taylor, Stefanovic could bring out the best in him. Not sure about the two left footers tho.At the risk of abuse i think we missed Huckerby a great deal, i just didnt see any explosive attacking threat from the wings, when we did get possession in space not an awful lot seemed to transpire from it, which im quite sure would have happened had Hucks been on the ball at that moment.All in all very impressed with the first 35 mins, seemed to fall apart after Bertrand went off and Pattison went to full back. Obviously Spurs upped their game the 2nd half, and we simply couldnt cope with their quality, which is to be expected, they did look quite clearly a Premiership team.I think we have more than enough tho to beat every team in the Championship, altho we must sign that big striker, otherwise Cureton and Lupoli will pointless and wasted players. Bent gave us a very good lesson and one the board must learn from, we need to sign Ameobi or someone better, our season could be decided by this.

[Robert N. LiM 4,464]

At what point last season did you see "an explosive attacking threat from the wings" when Huckerby was playing? All I saw was an unfit winger trying manfully to live up to former glories.

[4-4-2 0]

I may be wrong but I cant see Shackel and Stefanovic being first choice as they are both left sided CB''s.

[Matt Morriss 69]

Oh shut up you idiot, every time Hucks played when he''s got the ball out on the left something would come of it...And how dare you bash a NCFC legend...No he wasnt his electric best last season, BUT REMEMBER HE WAS CARRYING A HIP INJURY FOR MOST OF IT, which he only shook off the last few games, and surprise surprise was then getting back to his best, did you go to Sheffield? probably not..

[Matt Morriss 69]

[quote user="4-4-2"]I may be wrong but I cant see Shackel and Stefanovic being first choice as they are both left sided CB''s.[/quote]Yeh i agree about the left feet, just saying in an ideal world it would be them two for me, but doubt it will happen.

[spudgfsh 0]

After watching the match on satan sports I was disappointed in the second half where we reverted to the type of lump it football that nearly got us relegated last season.  We know that we have no tall attacking players on the pitch but we still lump it forward to cureton (or nowhere) when we know there is no chance of anyone getting to it.

[Robert N. LiM 4,464]

[quote user="Barclayman"]Oh shut up you idiot, every time Hucks played when he''s got the ball out on the left something would come of it...And how dare you bash a NCFC legend...No he wasnt his electric best last season, BUT REMEMBER HE WAS CARRYING A HIP INJURY FOR MOST OF IT, which he only shook off the last few games, and surprise surprise was then getting back to his best, did you go to Sheffield? probably not..[/quote]He was better in the last few games of the season, but in no way was he back to his best. Roeder made a judgment that his hip injury was never going to allow him to recapture the electric pace he had from a standing start which was his greatest asset. And I think Roeder''s judgment was right. Last season, when Hucks got the ball out on the left, virtually nothing came of it. And I am not bashing a legend, which Hucks undoubtedly is. I am just saying that his injury has left him a lesser player. You think he would have made a full recovery this season. I don''t, and nor, clearly, did Roeder. Don''t see how that makes me an idiot.Did I got to Sheffield. No, I didn''t. But I was there for the last three home games of the season, when many people have argued that Huckerby was outstanding. He was undoubtedly better than earlier in the season, but he was still a shadow of his former self. And I am really glad that he has left the club when people still wanted him to stay, rather than hanging on for another year, getting less and less effective and getting slated like Holt and Fleming. This is going to be a tedious season if every time we lose, people come on this board and say "if only Hucks was still here, playing like he did in 2003". Might as well say the same thing about Martin Peters.

[Rasputin was a C... 0]

[quote user="Robert N. LiM"]This is going to be a tedious season if every time we lose, people come on this board and say "if only Hucks was still here, playing like he did in 2003". Might as well say the same thing about Martin Peters.[/quote]Should never have let him go. Martin would dominate this league and we''d win the championship by September. No really we would [:P]

[CambridgeCanary 0]

[quote user="4-4-2"]I may be wrong but I cant see Shackel and Stefanovic being first choice as they are both left sided CB''s.[/quote]

This has come up before and I think Granty made the same point when he was mamnage.  I don''t get it.  Firstly, a professional footballer should have two good feet.   What is all this "wrong foot" nonsense.  They are paid thousands a week.  Surely they can practise and improve their weaker foot?

Secondly, no one mentions it when there are two right footers.   There were many objections to the Doc/Dublin defence but none on the basis that they were both right footed.

[CambridgeCanary 0]

[quote user="CambridgeCanary"]

[quote user="4-4-2"]I may be wrong but I cant see Shackel and Stefanovic being first choice as they are both left sided CB''s.[/quote]

This has come up before and I think Granty made the same point when he was mamnage.  I don''t get it.  Firstly, a professional footballer should have two good feet.   What is all this "wrong foot" nonsense.  They are paid thousands a week.  Surely they can practise and improve their weaker foot?

Secondly, no one mentions it when there are two right footers.   There were many objections to the Doc/Dublin defence but none on the basis that they were both right footed.

[/quote]

Ganty was manager!!   damn!!

[Jim Smith 2,339]

Looked impressive tongiht, Clingan looked calm and assured, and considering he''s come from playing in a League 1 midfield to playing a Premiership midfield he more than held his own. He looked comfortable on the ball and numerous times kept possession when in tight positions with 3 or 4 spurs players blocking his view. More than i can say for Pattison, who has played at the highest level.

Stefanovic i was really impressed with, looked on a par against a premiership strikeforce and if we can keep him fit i think i will have a big impact this season. Won a lot of headers and was assured on the ball, looks like he will look to pass the ball out instead of hoofin it. Expecting big things from him this season. When he went off we looked so weak at the back.

Not so sure about Omozusi, he seemed to get caught out a few times and get in Stefanovic''s way a lot, there was one goal where got in a right mess. One occasion in the 2nd half a cross from the left came in and he let Bent go past him to the far post, luckily for him the cross came in low and he intercepted but if the cross was high Bent would have had a very easy header and Omozusi would have been in no mans land looking silly as another goal went in. He saw Bent run past him to the far stick as well and just let him, staying in the centre. I wasnt impressed with this at all. Think id rather see him as back up to Semmy rather than Dejans partner.

Shackell and Dejan could be the partnership for me, as Shackell looked a lot better when he played with the assured Taylor, Stefanovic could bring out the best in him. Not sure about the two left footers tho.

At the risk of abuse i think we missed Huckerby a great deal, i just didnt see any explosive attacking threat from the wings, when we did get possession in space not an awful lot seemed to transpire from it, which im quite sure would have happened had Hucks been on the ball at that moment.

All in all very impressed with the first 35 mins, seemed to fall apart after Bertrand went off and Pattison went to full back. Obviously Spurs upped their game the 2nd half, and we simply couldnt cope with their quality, which is to be expected, they did look quite clearly a Premiership team.

I think we have more than enough tho to beat every team in the Championship, altho we must sign that big striker, otherwise Cureton and Lupoli will pointless and wasted players. Bent gave us a very good lesson and one the board must learn from, we need to sign Ameobi or someone better, our season could be decided by this.

Sorry was this the same Stefanovic who scored an own goal, was at fault for their third with a shocking bit of defening and was then hauled off after an hour to be replaced by Shackell?

I thought he had a pretty torrid debut to be honest but am prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and put it down to lack of match fitness. he showed enough strength in the iar and composure to suggest he can handle the champ. If not and that is a genuine indication of his ability these days then we may have problems!

 

[Old Boy 0]

[quote user="Robert N. LiM"]At what point last season did you see "an explosive attacking threat from the wings" when Huckerby was playing? All I saw was an unfit winger trying manfully to live up to former glories.[/quote]Good point well made.

[Taxing 0]

[quote user="Old Boy"][quote user="Robert N. LiM"]At what point last season did you see "an explosive attacking threat from the wings" when Huckerby was playing? All I saw was an unfit winger trying manfully to live up to former glories.
[/quote]
Good point well made.
[/quote]

 

Sorry no, it''s a nonsense point. Anybody with even the smallest of footballing brains know that a fit Huckerby even in his thirties is more than a match for most Championship defenders. We should have kept him for another season even if only to keep him on the bench and bring him for a last explosive 20 minutes. We have a history of letting good, older and wiser players go before their time. Mackay and Roberts two good cases in point. How stupid was that ? Trouble is that some football managers have such insecure and inadequate personalities that they cannot handle players that they perceive to be bigger and more popular than them.

[rudenotto69 0]

Highlights of the goals here http://www.norwichcity-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=399355

[theoneandonlycullum 0]

Agreed letting Big Malky go was a real error but to have Hucks on the bench on his wages is simply not financially viable for our club. GR made a good decision to allow Hucks to go and free up a bit more dough for his rebuilding. As we have such a small squad Hucks probs equalls about 3 players GR could get in therefore letting him go was right (if GR''s new signing do better than last year). I for one am an avid Huckerby fan, with my new SAN JOSE Earthquakes shirt I plan to follow Hucks like he will follow City. Some things have to be consigned to history though and unfortunately things are not the same now as they were in 2003.

[Jerzy Krukowski 5]

[quote user="Lord Snooty"]

[quote user="Old Boy"][quote user="Robert N. LiM"]At what point last season did you see "an explosive attacking threat from the wings" when Huckerby was playing? All I saw was an unfit winger trying manfully to live up to former glories.[/quote]Good point well made.[/quote]

 

Sorry no, it''s a nonsense point. Anybody with even the smallest of footballing brains know that a fit Huckerby even in his thirties is more than a match for most Championship defenders. We should have kept him for another season even if only to keep him on the bench and bring him for a last explosive 20 minutes. We have a history of letting good, older and wiser players go before their time. Mackay and Roberts two good cases in point. How stupid was that ? Trouble is that some football managers have such insecure and inadequate personalities that they cannot handle players that they perceive to be bigger and more popular than them.

[/quote]Mackay, maybe, though he was getitng almost as much stick as Doc. Roberts? No way was he good enough to get another contract. He fell over more often in his last season than Heskey does. Hucks and Iwan left us with some great memories, better that way imo.

[Rum Ol Boy 0]

I thought Sammy did a bloody good job for us, he looked composed and raring to go. Stefanovic however looked a tad rusty, I was really desperate for him to have a solid game but I feel he was just lacking a bit of fitness. I think you''ll see him come on in leaps and bounds as the season progresses

[Taxing 0]

[quote user="SPat"][quote user="Lord Snooty"]

[quote user="Old Boy"][quote user="Robert N. LiM"]At what point last season did you see "an explosive attacking threat from the wings" when Huckerby was playing? All I saw was an unfit winger trying manfully to live up to former glories.
[/quote]
Good point well made.
[/quote]

 

Sorry no, it''s a nonsense point. Anybody with even the smallest of footballing brains know that a fit Huckerby even in his thirties is more than a match for most Championship defenders. We should have kept him for another season even if only to keep him on the bench and bring him for a last explosive 20 minutes. We have a history of letting good, older and wiser players go before their time. Mackay and Roberts two good cases in point. How stupid was that ? Trouble is that some football managers have such insecure and inadequate personalities that they cannot handle players that they perceive to be bigger and more popular than them.

[/quote]

Iwan Roberts was a less obvious keep than Malky, I agree. However, like I said for Hucks, Roberts as an option on the bench for 30 minutes or so in the 2nd half, with all his experience, height and, brawn would have been good. Look how we struggled for strike force in that first half of the Premieir season. In anycase, another 12 months contract to cover the Premiership season would have been a reward for their loyalty to the club and equally importantly secured two very wise, experiences leaders as a great dressing room influence at a most critical time. Bad call by Worthy.

Mackay, maybe, though he was getitng almost as much stick as Doc. Roberts? No way was he good enough to get another contract. He fell over more often in his last season than Heskey does. Hucks and Iwan left us with some great memories, better that way imo.
[/quote]

[Taxing 0]

[quote user="SPat"][quote user="Lord Snooty"]

[quote user="Old Boy"][quote user="Robert N. LiM"]At what point last season did you see "an explosive attacking threat from the wings" when Huckerby was playing? All I saw was an unfit winger trying manfully to live up to former glories.
[/quote]
Good point well made.
[/quote]

 

Sorry no, it''s a nonsense point. Anybody with even the smallest of footballing brains know that a fit Huckerby even in his thirties is more than a match for most Championship defenders. We should have kept him for another season even if only to keep him on the bench and bring him for a last explosive 20 minutes. We have a history of letting good, older and wiser players go before their time. Mackay and Roberts two good cases in point. How stupid was that ? Trouble is that some football managers have such insecure and inadequate personalities that they cannot handle players that they perceive to be bigger and more popular than them.

[/quote]

Mackay, maybe, though he was getitng almost as much stick as Doc. Roberts? No way was he good enough to get another contract. He fell over more often in his last season than Heskey does. Hucks and Iwan left us with some great memories, better that way imo.
[/quote]

 

Sorry, try again :

Iwan Roberts was a less obvious keep than Malky, I agree. However, like I said for Hucks, Roberts as an option on the bench for 30 minutes or so in the 2nd half, with all his experience, height and, brawn would have been good. Look how we struggled for strike force in that first half of the Premieir season. In anycase, another 12 months contract to cover the Premiership season would have been a reward for their loyalty to the club and equally importantly secured two very wise, experiences leaders as a great dressing room influence at a most critical time. Bad call by Worthy.

[ZiggyPiggy 0]

[quote user="Lord Snooty"]

[quote user="Old Boy"][quote user="Robert N. LiM"]At what point last season did you see "an explosive attacking threat from the wings" when Huckerby was playing? All I saw was an unfit winger trying manfully to live up to former glories.[/quote]Good point well made.[/quote]

 

Sorry no, it''s a nonsense point. Anybody with even the smallest of footballing brains know that a fit Huckerby even in his thirties is more than a match for most Championship defenders. We should have kept him for another season even if only to keep him on the bench and bring him for a last explosive 20 minutes. We have a history of letting good, older and wiser players go before their time. Mackay and Roberts two good cases in point. How stupid was that ? Trouble is that some football managers have such insecure and inadequate personalities that they cannot handle players that they perceive to be bigger and more popular than them.

[/quote]

ha ha ha ha ha i''m laughing AT you, snooty, AT you.  To start a post talking about people with "the smallest of footballing brains" then going on to say that Iwan Roberts was let go BEFORE his time????!!!! you are a total idiot. Don''t think of a comeback, there isn''t one. any credibility you ever had of any kind is now shot. gone. finished.what a joke. Roberts? Legend Hucks? Legend Malky? Great player for us. 1st one was let go a year/18 months too soon, 2nd one bang on time but in a terrible way, not enough of a fuss made, 3rd one should have been kept on. So bad judgement present in all three cases, for different reasons.You won''t understand this though, due to your "smallest of football brains". I wish my heart ruled my head like yours.

[ZiggyPiggy 0]

Maybe that was a bit harsh. I apologise. Got carried away.My point was that whilst two of those three are indeed legends (malky just being a very good player and thoroughly nice bloke), the Norwich way is to "reward" people for their "loyalty", sorry but that''s how you get relegated (which yes i am aware we did anyway) but you then summed this up in your next post. You can''t give contracts for loyalty. You can give a great big whopping testimonial and send off though, which in the case of Hucks should have happened.I wish Hucks had a nother contract. But i know that although it''s a shame and i already miss him, it was the right move.

[Mook 0]

[quote user="Seat0123"]Maybe that was a bit harsh. I apologise. Got carried away.

My point was that whilst two of those three are indeed legends (malky just being a very good player and thoroughly nice bloke), the Norwich way is to "reward" people for their "loyalty", sorry but that''s how you get relegated (which yes i am aware we did anyway) but you then summed this up in your next post. You can''t give contracts for loyalty. You can give a great big whopping testimonial and send off though, which in the case of Hucks should have happened.

I wish Hucks had a nother contract. But i know that although it''s a shame and i already miss him, it was the right move.


[/quote]

The way I see this age-old "he should have stayed" argument:

Huckerby - we''ll be a better team now, but with a less exciting left-winger. Sad circumstances, but I think the time was right.

Roberts - Ha! That''s a classic. He was kept on a year longer than he should''ve been if anything. He was either offside, fouling someone, or on his arse in his last season.

Mackay - at the time Fleming had just won Player of the Season and most people thought that Malky was too slow and would be a liability in the Premiership. Lovely bloke, but hindsight would be a wonderful thing, and few at the time thought it would turn out like it did.

[Robert N. LiM 4,464]

[quote user="Mook"] 

Mackay - at the time Fleming had just won Player of the Season and most people thought that Malky was too slow and would be a liability in the Premiership. Lovely bloke, but hindsight would be a wonderful thing, and few at the time thought it would turn out like it did.

[/quote]Exactly. Had we kept Malky to be humiliated by Thierry Henry, and let Fleming go, their reputations would be the complete opposite of the way they are now.The problem, actually, was not that we got rid of Malky. The problem was that we didn''t replace him. I think that letting Hucks go is probably the right decision, and the early signs seem to be that Hoolahan will be a good replacement - not like-for-like, obviously, but a good replacement nonetheless.

[still holding out for new heroes 0]

we replaced Malky with a 5ft nothing full back and Iwan with nobody until 3 months into the season....it wasn''t letting them go that was an error it was letting them go with no adequate replacement lined up (at Edworthy to that list)....whatever I may think about keeping Hucks at least Roeder got Hoolahan (and one could argue Betrand) in to replace.