Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Dean Coneys boots

holt over safri...again

Recommended Posts

Once more its half time and we are down-grrrr sloppy goal too!!

And Harry Redknapp has just commented that Holt should be pinning midfield down and distributing better- then added Safri did that well earlier in the season....so why is Holt never ever ever dropped....all season I have screamed it....aaaaahhhh

oh well lets hope for the usual half time revival and two quick goals

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Agreed. I just dont understand this Holt/Safri thing. Holt tonight was streets ahead of anything we have seen from Safri.If we want to wonder why players are still being picked then first up would be Jonson who has yet to contribute anything at all, in any game this season, Leon who at least gives it everything but isnt quite good enough, and Francis who will stay in because of his goal but produced another poor performance.Still, all in all, quite a good point.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Francis gets in good positions and does work hard defensively too.

Holt plays better when the whole team is not so deep and had a great second half.  Even in the first he was trying to unsettle players with slightly late tackles and little pushes here and there. 

I think the criticism levelled at johnsson is a little unfair, he didn''t play any worse than most players in the team and saw more of the ball than Hux and defended better too.  He also went off with a knock I believe, so could have been playing with that for a while.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I thought Holt was fantastic, Sven worked hard and created our goal, Hucks unsuccessful and Leon 1st Division. As for Francis, as I''ve said before, if only he knew how good he is and could be he would be a superstar, should have had a hattrick.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It was a poor game all round yesterday with no one player setting the game alight.

Brennan did OK and showed Worthy will play him, when Drury is injured - cant argue with that.

Leon didnt look fit and missed some chances while Francis again showed that while he does burst forward well his shooting boots, goal excepted, still need wearing in - Leon and Francis had some decent half chances yet never really tested the keeper.

Fleming Charlton and Greeno looked shaky as Citeh poured forward, While Jonson was poor, but HUx Holt and Svensson were not really any better.

If this was last season we would be saying its a sign of a good side that can play poorly and still get a result. THATS WHAT WE DID LAST NIGHT!

Get real - we are not going to win every (any?!? ;-)) game and away from home any result will be difficult - our record in Manchester is truly appalling - we should be celebrating a fantastic result in getting a point and moving of the bottom.

Now for a real six pointer...

OTBC

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

   I''m sorry but yet again there are people here who are saying how well holt played. Did you actually watch him? He made possibly 3 tackles throughout the game he must have given the ball away 3 times that number do the maths.

   How could anyone pick holt over saffri or mullers in fact, It''s about time you stopped seeing holt for his supposed reputation as a tough tackling midfielder (has he been booked this season)

   Sometimes i think some of you lot are ipswich fans trying to wind us up. Next time you watch norwich play actually watch holt he doesn''t contribute any where near enough to the team. I agree that he covers every blade of grass probably 2 or 3 times over (highly comendable) but if your crap when you get there whats the point.

   Harry Redknapp (is''nt he a football manager) pointed out our problems very well saying that with the system we play holt has or should have the space to take the game by the scruff of it''s neck and spray balls all over the park (holt actually does do this just to the opposition) and that saffri is the man for that role exactly what i have been saying all season. Drop holt now and give us a chance worthy.

P.S. leave mackenzie alone he''ll come good

P.P.S Leave francis alone he IS good

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I can only presume I watch a different game to you boys, I think Holt is consistently ineffective creates nothing going forward and his defending is also patchy at best. All he does is run around 3 yards behind players never catching them.

I remember how he used to play running the length of the pitch and getting in tackles and winning the ball and if not trying again, but I haven''t seen that Holt for the best part of 2 seasons.

Safri for me please.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Only my opinion of course but I thought Holty had one of his least effective games yesterday.  A couple of times in the second half he got stuck in and dispossessed Man City players, but apart from that there were several times when I was screaming at him to close down men in the middle...but he didn''t, allowing them far too much time and space to do what they wanted with the ball, including running into the space in front of him and to the sides of him.  I really want to see him get stuck in so much more instead of marking space which is costing us dear.  (I''m not saying he''s the only one who does this, just that he stuck out for me in yesterday''s game).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
at the end of the day holt did what holt does and to his usual level.

Worthy clearly values very highly what he does and perhaps sees sometihng that the rest of the 20,000 watching at FCR cant see. Whatever - he is one of the back bone of worthys side and Ive given up thinking about it.

OTBC

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I think Norwich should play Huckerby up front as a West Ham fan i know playing players out of position is bad (Harewood? Who wont be playing for Norwich come January) Perhaps a centre midfield of jonnson safri hotl and francis would work well with svennson holding the ball up for the pacey huckerby up front

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
All I can say is this. I watched the game with two friends who were griping about Holt, and I spent half the game saying "There, THAT''S why he''s playing".By the end of the match they agreed that Safri in no way could match Holt''s pace, workrate, determination and drive. He just does the ugly bit that no-one else wants to do (and no-one seems to notice), and I thought last night he did it exceptionally well.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree with the later posts, and i''m sure everyone on here knows that I''m not Holts biggest fan. Last night he was again ineffective, as everyone around me also agreed. He should be dropped, give Safri or Mulryne a go, please anyone. Will we ever see it?!

On another note, I remember coming on here last week and slagging off Worthy for ignoring Jim Brennan, but I''ve had to eat my words because he bought him in last night and as for JB himself, I thought he put in a solid performance.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I agree that Brennan was solid but Drury offers us more on the pitch than Jim did last night - Worthy should stick with Jim but only if Drury is injured.I have always said you can tell the influence of a player by how much you miss them when they dont play - and Drury was missed last night.OTBC

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I would pick Holt''s workrate over Safri''s finesse especially when we are playing with only 3 midfielders.Safri was disappointing against Liverpool and only looked good against arsenal because they had already won the game and were just strolling around in the 2nd half.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

the only reason Brennan didn''t get forward as much as Drury does is becuase he didn''t get any cover from Hux.  At the same time Hux didn''t get any cover from Bren when he had the ball, resulting in Hux being marked by 2 players.  Stalemate really.   On the other side of the park Jonsson sat back more as they were effectively playing 3 in midfield and Eddy got forward more.   Eddy has been criticsed in the past for not getting forward and now he did, Jonsson is getting criticised for not getting forward too  

Some fans need to make up their minds what they want from the TEAM as a whole rather than blaming the first new signing they can for a bad performance which in turns allows them to blame Nigel and the board for poor spending in the summer.  I truly think we should have lost last night, but the team battled hard and got us a point, with lady luck lending a big hand (no pun intended).  The team put in an average display with no stars.  As usual though certain individuals are being blamed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Totally agree with some of these Holt comments (Shardy and Keelans Glove).

He has lost much of that incredible lung power he had in 2002 so we no longer see those searing runs up or down the pitch. However, more importantly, the bottom line is that no central midfielder (at whatever level in the game) can justify being a permanent selection when he scores 1 goal in every 50 games!! It really is as simple as that. Compare his goal scoring ''record'' to Mulryne''s - enough said.

I know he is a great professional who gives 100% but then so should every player! Does he take the freekicks or corners? NO. Does he regularly play strikers in with perceptive through balls etc? NO.

I''m afraid that as far as Holt is concerned, this is where Worthy shows his managerial incompetence. Holt is undoubtedly a favourite. We all know he has never, ever been dropped under Worthy in almost 4 years and I don''t think he has ever even been taken off?

We paid £0.5M for Safri. A club like us cannot justify this expenditure and then leave a player rotting on the sidelines. He needs a good run of games to see what he can do.

On the financial position in general, the last thing we should be doing in January is spending that £1.2M on yet another striker. Our long term debt stands at £20M - £25M and we continue to bury our heads in the sand when it comes to the wage bill. OK we aren''t forking out like Ipswich a couple of years ago but not far off. For example, we were prepared to make that guy from pompey a ''double your money'' offer and pay him £10k a week! That was crazy (and Primus looked decidedly average at best down here).

Worthy needs to start showing real faith in the younger players and introducing Shackell (outstanding prospect) and Jarvis to the first team. We''re stuffed full of overpaid 30+ year old players. Now we see that Flem (great servant I agree) will still be here when he is almost 36 (and Charlton will as well) if the contracts are honoured. What message is that giving to Shackell? The boy is 21 soon and at that age he needs first team football. He will be off next summer unless he sees a much improved chance of that.        

 

  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Stevenage fan I agree that Brennan & Hux did not work as a team but for the everton game Drury and Hux did and to exceptional results - it is that very link up play that puts Brennan behind Drury at present.

It reminded me of the Beckham/Neville partnership at Manure. They are far more effective as a pairing than individuals - both careers look less impressive since they split. Both knew when the other would be breaking forward, into what space they would be running, taking defenders away to create space for one another or giving good defensive support (ok - cant see hux ever doing the latter bit!) There is that understanding between Hux and Drury which does not exist with Brennan and teh same thing was apparent last season - we looked better on the left when hux linked with drury and mcveigh than any other wide player.

Partnerships on the flank are a personal thing and a good understanding can make poorer players appear better together than a combination of two better players.

OTBC

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well said ZLF - Brennan had a competent game last night (out of position for Floods goal though), but his lack of combining with Hucks is the main reason the latter had a quiet game, as he was always faced with a 2 on 1 against him so played the safe ball back. that said some of the other posts concerning his knock would also seem to make sense because 2 to 1 against doesn''t normally stop our darren: he''d see those as odds in his favour!!

Any one know if drury is likely to be fit by the weekend - he has really impressed this season in terms of his attacking play IMO?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Holt wasn''t really bad last night, but he is nowhere near as effective as he has been in recent years.  I would like to see Safri being given a go.  We haven''t won this season yet so lets change it round a bit.  I don''t think it would hurt.  From what I''ve seen of Safri he has seemed good.  A real play maker. 

As for Brennan, considering he hasn''t started a game for I don''t know how long, let alone played 90 minutes in the Prem, I thought he did ok.  Obviously Drury is so solid and consistant it''s hard to come in for him.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Agreed DDiM, Brennan did OK, especially as he was playing in front of a 3 man midfield which looked exposed time & time again against quick counter attacks.  4-4-2 is the answer is this division with Hucks tracking back more.  If Safri is as good a passer of the ball as you say, drop Jonson & put Safri in, then at least we still have the work rate in the team, get Edworthy overlapping down the right & problem solved!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Safri has only played a league cup match and the odd few minutes elsewhere so i dont understand why people say he is better than holt. I dont even know how good Safri is

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well the one thing we know Safri is really good at is getting booked. He''s the best we''ve got in that role. In fact he''s probably one of the best in the Prem at collecting yellow cards.But his tackling, positioning, and passing have all been fizzy league so far. No doubt he''ll get another chance at some time, but for a change I agree with NW, he''s behind Mulryne in the queue and I cant see Mullers making an appearance until either Holt or Francis gets injured.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Glad to see there are posters now seeing the real problems with our team.  Agree completely with  S

hardy, Zipper, Keelan and only wish that Worthy would visit our message board and take note.  Although it was a big point to get, I felt with proper team selection we could easily have taken all three against a very poor Man C team.

OTBC

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Once again I cannot see how someone can watch that game and conclude that Holt was excellent and Francis did not have a good game. Francis (perhaps finishing aside) has stood out a mile in all but a couple of our games this season. The only other midfielder that has looked remotely in the same class is Safri on a couple of occasions.

As for Holt he only ever seems to play in the second half and it seems to me no coincidence that we as a team do the same as its only once he starts to get a grip in midfield (and start tackling instead of backing off people and running around like a headless chicken) that we start to impose ourselves on teams. If he plays like he does in the second half of games then he perhaps merits his place but his first half performances have been abysmal. Also if one single incident from a game ever summed why some fans have reservations about Holts ability in the prem then its the moment towards the end of the first half when their defence made a mistake leaving Holt, Leon and Hucks 3 on 2 bearing down on goal. With a simple pass available in either direction Holt didn''t have a clue what to do, delayed the pass and then played a shocking ball to Leon which enabled James to save at his feet. Safri would not have made the same mistake!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

why don''t you all get off the players backs, i am sure they are all giving 100 percent to the club, whoever plays... Come on, champions last year and still your moaning? Let''s not forget this is the premier league we are in and if we should go down, at least we won''t have a massive debt hanging over the club.... I guess next it will be, ''Nigel Worthington should go'' I for one will be supporting the canaries good times and bad, as i have for the last 30 odd yrs.

Come on you Yellows

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Holt is not a premiere league midfielder, he does not make telling tackles he does not protect the back for. time after time I watched him during the game, man city players ran rings around him. I always hear " he does the dirty work nobody notices, if he''s doing his job properly you never notice him ! " More like he never gets the ball, he''s always a couple of yards off the pace of the game. Get Mulryne on at least he can pass the ball. As to Francis I think he''s a good player, far superior to holt, makes telling tackles can pass the ball and gets into the box and sometimes scores !

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Yellowarmy its exactly that kind of attitude and acceptance that we are planning to go down that worries me and that will see us get relegated when from what i am seeing on the pitch week in week out we are far from certainties. I would not get on Holts back during the game - he is a legend and his efforst over the last few years will not be forgotten - indeed he still has a vital role to play for our club whether in the prem or the first division. However it is Worthingtons absolute refusal to ever withdraw him or play any other midfielders despite on occasions it being fairly obvious that he is a bit out of his depth that is annoying some people - we cannot never complain about anything again simply because "we were champions last year."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...