Back from Game, Player Ratings and Opinion on Back 4

[Lambert Revolution! 0]

Just got back from Game, live in Bradwel near yarmouth. Acle straight had construction work on and bad traffic in yarmouth mean a near midnight arival! Blimey!Anyways, was lucky enough to attend the game with former Norwich player Andrew Howell, and former canary now Oxford United defender Damiann Batt, and both said the same thing. Our centre partnership looked Rock Solid. Nelson and Askou may not have all the pace in the world, but nothing will beat these two in the air. Askou is very confident on the ball, very composed and doesn''t constantly resort to the "Doherty smash," so many times he had the chance to hoof away as a striker closed him down, but calmy rounded him, or knocked it out wide to Lapin. Looks like him and Lapin have a great understanding and looks very promising. Spillane didn''t have the best game ever, but him and Lappin as full backs equally make up for the lack of pace at the back with their great fitness levels and ability to cut in behind the full backs to cut out the pacier (?) strikers. VERY promising in our opinions, and should cause great competition with drury and semi both on the bench. Another thing we all agreed on was the lack of a "spark," Russel looked great for his first game in a long time. Wanted the ball, showed a good touch and look interested, was clearly unfitt but looks like he''s really going to shine in this league. Hughes again impressed, where sadly Whaley didn''t. Most playerrs have their "selling point," pace, a good cross, the ability to beat a player, shot etc he seems to have none of these and seems to be.. well jhust so average. Hope to see more from him as he is a much better player than this. In regards to the other flank in this 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation. Well, Chris Martin CAN NOT play out left. Looked sharp when cut inside, and through the middle and finished excellently for his goal. Goran Maric, well. I think alot of these other posts are a bit harsh.. this guy has not played a full game for.. well god knows how long. Yes his touch was sloppy, but he looked a dominant figure in the air. If Cody and Martin can start scoring regularly, and of course goals coming from Midfield and Defence, with reserve team action and sub appearances he will be fine COVER for Holt, but wont be getting an extension on his 1 year contract.Deffo missed McVeigh imo, and feel that should we lose players like Hoolahan, Holt, Hughes, we''re going to HEAVILY struggle to score goals, and this is a worry. We need the winer transfer window imo, and hope for no injuries.Alnick in goal was solid, made a WORLD class save. Can''t wait to see this on T.V because at first it seemed a point blank header destined for the top corner, maybe it wasn''t as point blank as  Iremember, but I was onb my feet appluading that save for a while. His catching is a bit of a worry, as he does seem to opt for the punch more often. But on two occasions, made 2 SUBERB punch-clearances that Marshal or Green would never had even attempted and cleared a potentially dangerous situation.Ratings: Alnick: - 6 -     Great save, could of got a higher rating should he have chosen the catch rather than the "slap" on the odd occasion.Lappin: -7-  Outstanding, looks a great captain too, works brilliantly with Askou, hopefully can find some one who he can work as well with on the Left Wing.Askou: -8-  *MOM*  Won EVERYTHING in the air, made ONE mistake but was a mislip on a VERY wet pitch, could of happened to Vidic. Excellent.Neslon -7-   Nothing wrong, solid looked Dangerous along side Askou in oposition box. Spillane -6-  Not best game, think he didn''t suit formation, doesn''t work with Whaley. Overlapped a few times and no one was prepared to cover. Hughes -7- Creative, good passer of the ball.. AND DOESN''T PASS BACKWARDS!Russel -6- Looks like he''s going to be a very good player at this level, even though un-fit and out of practice the quality level in touch was clear to seeAdeyemi -6- Quiestest game so far for the lad, VERY unlucky not to score a 50 yard lob. Still a great prospectWhaley -5-  Didn''t offer much, Can not get past a full back unless he''s running at him, crossing was poor and wasn''t much of a threat.. needs to improveMartin -7- Played well, but needs to work on technique and touch, can''t play out wide on the left, looked a great threat when in the middle. Maybe more suited to a Gerrad Role than upfront?Maric -4-  Once fit, used to English football will be good cover for Holt but that''s it.

[CanaryOne 0]

Was said on the radio Martin loked much better when hes out on the left , funny old game football.

[GJP 79]

Chris Martin is not a left winger but he is suited to cutting in from the left side.

He''s a good player with good ability but he doesn''t have the right attributes to play upfront in a more central role.

What he is good at it is coming in from the left side where he can twist and turn defenders and create space for a shot on the edge of the box. Which is what we saw today with his goal.

[Lambert Revolution! 0]

GJP, personally, of  course this is my opinion and not all will agree, he may have tried cutting in.. 6/7 times? And only once did he manage to get a shot off, and that was from so far out It may have not been a full back he was trying to turn inside of but a winger/midfielder.  A class winger, cuts inside of full backs, and does stuff from there. I personally don''t think that he managed to do anything after cutting inside..

[GJP 79]

[quote user="Lambert Revolution"]GJP, personally, of  course this is my opinion and not all will agree, he may have tried cutting in.. 6/7 times? And only once did he manage to get a shot off, and that was from so far out It may have not been a full back he was trying to turn inside of but a winger/midfielder.  A class winger, cuts inside of full backs, and does stuff from there. I personally don''t think that he managed to do anything after cutting inside..
[/quote]

Yeah...but that''s what I said. He''s not a winger.

I don''t think he''s good enough to be in the first team anyway. But if he''s going to play then that''s the kind of role that suits him best.

He''s not got the presence, strength, pace or even sharpness to play through the middle as a striker.

[Lambert Revolution! 0]

Hopefully maybe some other players can be braught in at Christmas time, and he can go out on loan again to get EVEN MORE experience..

[nu_matik 167]

A very late night for me..BUT.. Lappin -excellent, a very good leader,bags of passion is evident... Askou won every header and very very composed...Maric, waste of space, no control whatsoever and looked looked like he didnt give a canary...Nelson, slight redemption showing....whaley..needs to sort it out a bit, looks nowhere near being a threatening lg1 winger like was promised at first...Hughes, looking good will set up many goals this season..Cody..fiesty as ever, good old boy! we lacked Holt and would have probaly won 3/4-0 was he on board. The end.

Goodnight.

[ZLF 271]

Strange how games can be viewed so differently!   A very mediocre performance from city who remained the better team  throughout the match against a poor Brentford side.  Encouraging signs of better organisation means we look more secure at the back,  with the back 9 (in a 4-5-1? 4-3-3 formation) restricting space from the middle for Brentford and giving the back 4 and easy night. A night of few chances were a draw (always possible tbh) would have been tough on the canaries and the right team won.  Centre backs,  Brentford played to their strengths yet while solid the back line was never coordinated and at one stage in teh first half the sahpe was so wrong the bench had to shout across the pitch to get BA and Nelson in the right position - and that was from a thrown in in their half.  We desperately need central defenders and its seems people are far too easily pleased - these two do not solve the problems at the back if we want to get promoted. 

To the poster who asked if I am enjoying League 1 football the answer is no,  I have never watched so many passes hoofed aimlessly over 35+yards between two sides completely bypassing the midfield.  It was painful to watch and not something I enjoy.  If we win and get promoted fair enough,  but its not good football.

Alnwick 6 - Did everything asked of him

Spillane 6 - As the bloke said behind me,  he is not a right back.  But nor is he a centre back or a midfielder.  Does that mean he is not a footballer?  Defended well though, one reckless challenge but solid and got forward well on a quiet night.

Berthel-Askou 5  Won loads in the air but also mis judged a whole series of headers and challenges.  Far from convincing and cant see how anyone would make him MOTM.

Nelson 5 Better of the two cb and the definition of no nonsense. 2nd half towards the snake pit 5 yard start on the striker and chances another long hoof get underneath hit and a weak clearance header puts himself under pressure yet gets genuine applause from the crowd for just lunging the ball clear having created danger near our own area. Not good enough.

Lappin 7 - My MOTM,  also resorted to the hoof but was salid at left back with the best tackling on the night.  One of the few to show any class whatsoever.

Whaley 5 Worked hard but simply has no impact.

Russell 6  Worked hard and on a couple of occassions looked like he was good,  but then disappeared again.  So much in his attitude, could become a key player for us,  if he wants to.

Hughes  7  Excellent first half but faded in teh second.   Along with Martin and Lappin the only one to truly show any ability.

Adeyemi 6 Of all the times for a player tonight to not be able to hit the ball 50 yards  it would be the time she shot from teh halfway line with the keeper off his line,  summed up his night,  it was on target but was not quite enough.

Martin    7 NOt in the game enough but stuck to his allotted task well and looked the only player to score, with a header and a couple of shots in the second half.  His goal stood out in a low quality match

Maric  4 So thats why he has not featured.  Overwight, un fit,  no pace,  cant jump and  a poor touch,  how many lay offs did not find a city player despite only playing the ball 5-10 yards???  Oh dear.

Cody   5 Ran around like a headless chicken - but as ineffective tonight as maric

Daley   5 No contribution.