For God's sake Lambert stop flogging the dead horse that is "Cureton"

[First Wizard 0]

[quote user="Mister Chops"][quote user="First Wizard"][quote user="Scooby"]

I''m sorry but we really must not play him from the start.  Whilst I agree that an unchanged team may be good for continuity Cureton contributes very little. Before Wiz leaps Salmon like to the defence of his love child, I would like to point out that against Walsall I made a point of keeping a very close eye on him to see exactly what it is that he supposedly brings to the table.  The answer.... very little (and I don''t mean just his height).  He spent most of the match loitering in the area between centre circle and D making very few runs off  the ball. Those he did make were invariably in the opposite direction to any of Holt''s flick ons.  When chasing any through balls he was easily outpaced by the CB''s and, quite obviously, never won an aerial challenge against them (not really his fault I know). His one attempt at a shot was a good 10 yards off target.

Even the relative in experience of McDonald or Daley would be preferable because the both have the one thing that scares the bejesus out of defenders, and Cureton is seriously lacking in, and that is pace!  Having said that I would start Monday with Martin alongside Holt.  His work ethic has been great so far this year, he''s strong, good in the air, and can shoot straight. Oh, and he''s also quicker than Jamie lad.

Maybe, just maybe, Jamie may be able to do a job for us from the bench.  Against a tiring defence and knowing he doesn''t have to pace himself (pardon the pun) he might be able to get his toe on the end of a few.

[/quote]

Surely Scooby, and applying your own reasoning, its far better to use an albeit, unproven player with pace, ie Cody, to threaten tiring defenders![:|]

[/quote]

If Cody Macdonald is "unproven" with 1 goal and 1 assist this season, does that mean Jamie Cureton is "proven" with 0 goals and 0 assists?

FWIW I agree with the previous post.  If Cureton''s lost his pace now then bring him on at the end of the game when the defenders are tired and not as quick as they were.  At the moment he''s creating nothing and getting no chances because the defence keep outpacing him and slamming the door in his face.  At the end of Tony Cottee''s career he would come on for the last 20 minutes and still prove to be a handful, perhaps this would be Cureton''s best hope now too.  He''s 34 and probably this will be his last season with Norwich.

I''d start with McDonald & Holt, and I''d have Martin and Cureton on the bench as options for replacement - Martin to do the Holt-type role, and Cureton to play off him.
[/quote]

FFS Chops, in the context I used of ''uproven'' Curo''s career stats definately makes him a proven player...........as well you knew![;)]

Sady, I''ll agree on that.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

The season before last should probably have been his last season for Norwich. Decisions like giving him a 3 year contract when he was nearly 32 is a millstone round the necks of this manager and the two before him.

 

[Mister Chops 7]

Agreed, but as every manager I''ve ever worked with will say at some point, "we are where we are."Speaking of which, I had a training run along the Hellesdon Mill Road today and passed your place - what''s up with Marriott''s way being closed?

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Smudger - Your new found optimism and belief in all things Norwich City is very commendable and a joy to behold[Y] But you are becoming a sheep - even if Lambert is as good as you think he is he will make mistakes.. even Worthy made mistakes[;)] We need Cluck back to sort you out my friend! She won''t view everything with those new yellow and green tinted specs of yours[8-|]

 

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Didn''t know it was closed Mister! The bridge is closed for repair in order to cope with the increased traffic the PUPs meets bring[:O]

Couple more runs and you will be pushing Jamie Lad for his place and so become The Wizards Blue Eyed Boy[:O][+o(]

[;)]

 

[ZLF 271]

For me Cureton works as a starter BECAUSE it allows Cody to give his best - ie using his pace against less fresh defenders. His inexperience means that his impact is exactly the same as Curetons when he starts - ie 0 goals and 0 assists (his one of each coming as a sub)

For me the alternatives are not Cody but Martin or Maric,  to physically drain the opponents more esp when we are playing the longer pass as I shall optimistically call it. The hooligan is a valid but unlikely to happen option while WLY is better suited to the right wing.

However we still seem unable to score from open play (the vast majority of goals coming from set pieces - hence the number of defender goals) which suggests that the style of play or the creative abilities of our midfield remain lacking.   If we are only scoring with set pieces why not continue to play to our strengths (clearly the dead ball ability of lapping and WLY Zipper) and add some more aerial threat from another big striker?   One on loan I think,  Martin in the meantime. 

  

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

Didn''t know it was closed Mister! The bridge is closed for repair in order to cope with the increased traffic the PUPs meets bring[:O]

Couple more runs and you will be pushing Jamie Lad for his place and so become The Wizards Blue Eyed Boy[:O][+o(]

[;)]

[/quote]I think I''m there already, to be honest.  I did 90 minutes hard running today without scoring a goal or creating anything, so I''m well qualified.Look forward to the next meeting.

[Snoots 0]

[quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]

If even our previous manager who apparantly possessed the following fundamental faults,

Preparations for the new season

Preparation for individual matches

Post-match assessment

The pre-game ''behaviour''

was able to see that Cureton wasn''t good enough , Lambert''s continous inclusion should surely start to bring question marks over his judgement?

[/quote]

It seems to me that whoever it was who who had the footballing management knowledge, experience and expertise to claim that Gunn suffered from all of the faults listed should have been the person to replace Gunn. I assume that man was the authoritative Mr David McNally. If so, he would have saved alot of money and further embarrassment by taking over the job rather than appointing Lambert.

As far as Cureton is concerned, of course Lambert should not have persisted with him in the team. He''s a striker for goodness sake and the idea that he adds some mystical chemistry to the team is baffling. I could have understood Lambert wanting to to give Cureton his chance but he is neither the striker nor the "catalyst" he used to be. IMO he no longer has the pace or the hunger any more. To start him once was understandable, to start him twice was surprising but to start him a third time was IMO completely inept. At Hartlepool according to fans who went to the game Cureton offered nothing in the first half and was "spent" after 50 minutes but still Lambert persisted with him. Against Walsall, one of the most dour and dire matches I have witnessed, again IMO Cureton offered little and during the 2nd half should have come off and been replaced by someone who could have catalysed the team,Hoolahan, but of course Hoolahan wasn''t even on the bench.

Away at Yeovil, Gunn didn''t play Cureton and we won 4-0. It certainly didn''t bother me that Holt scored 3 of them and the chemistry of the team, with Hoolahan playing the full 90 minutes (and Cody MacDonald playing for almost the full 90), seemed pretty effective to me. So, reluctantly, my view is that it really is game over for Curo and Lambert should know that by now. We shall see.

[Robert N. LiM 4,241]

I would love to see Jamie contribute something positive during his last season at CR and can understand why Lambert is giving him a run in the team.

It''s also great to see Smudger being positive. But I would counsel that this "if it ain''t broke, don''t fix it" thing is nonsense. If you have the opportunity to improve a winning team, you should take it. Ask Ricky Ponting.

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="Mister Chops"][quote user="Smudger"]

Well said Wiz... TEAM comes before individuals with Lambert... [;)]

I don''t remember any other striker apart from Holt scoring in the league under Lambert, Gunn or Butterworth do you???[/quote]

McDonald v Colchester?

[/quote]

Whoops... [:$]

OK that one slipped off the radar considering we were 7-0 down at the time with Colchester looking for double figures.

[Lambo 0]

Cody to start for me, think he can scare the MK back line.

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="singing canary"]

we may get alot more points if lambert puts someone up front who knows how to score a goal rather than seeing which crowd member he can hit in the face with the ball .

cureton is past it, and wont score more than 5-8 goals all season .... safe bet .

[/quote]

Do you think that we have a striker here apart from Holt who will score more than 5-8 all season currently?

This needs to be addressed ASAP, because unless we have two strikers getting at least near the 20 goal mark then it is unlikely we are going to have a successful season.

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="Mister Chops"][quote user="First Wizard"][quote user="Scooby"]

I''m sorry but we really must not play him from the start.  Whilst I agree that an unchanged team may be good for continuity Cureton contributes very little. Before Wiz leaps Salmon like to the defence of his love child, I would like to point out that against Walsall I made a point of keeping a very close eye on him to see exactly what it is that he supposedly brings to the table.  The answer.... very little (and I don''t mean just his height).  He spent most of the match loitering in the area between centre circle and D making very few runs off  the ball. Those he did make were invariably in the opposite direction to any of Holt''s flick ons.  When chasing any through balls he was easily outpaced by the CB''s and, quite obviously, never won an aerial challenge against them (not really his fault I know). His one attempt at a shot was a good 10 yards off target.

Even the relative in experience of McDonald or Daley would be preferable because the both have the one thing that scares the bejesus out of defenders, and Cureton is seriously lacking in, and that is pace!  Having said that I would start Monday with Martin alongside Holt.  His work ethic has been great so far this year, he''s strong, good in the air, and can shoot straight. Oh, and he''s also quicker than Jamie lad.

Maybe, just maybe, Jamie may be able to do a job for us from the bench.  Against a tiring defence and knowing he doesn''t have to pace himself (pardon the pun) he might be able to get his toe on the end of a few.

[/quote]

Surely Scooby, and applying your own reasoning, its far better to use an albeit, unproven player with pace, ie Cody, to threaten tiring defenders![:|]

[/quote]

If Cody Macdonald is "unproven" with 1 goal and 1 assist this season, does that mean Jamie Cureton is "proven" with 0 goals and 0 assists?

FWIW I agree with the previous post.  If Cureton''s lost his pace now then bring him on at the end of the game when the defenders are tired and not as quick as they were.  At the moment he''s creating nothing and getting no chances because the defence keep outpacing him and slamming the door in his face.  At the end of Tony Cottee''s career he would come on for the last 20 minutes and still prove to be a handful, perhaps this would be Cureton''s best hope now too.  He''s 34 and probably this will be his last season with Norwich.

I''d start with McDonald & Holt, and I''d have Martin and Cureton on the bench as options for replacement - Martin to do the Holt-type role, and Cureton to play off him.
[/quote]

Cottee didn''t prove much of a handful when he came to play for us... I believe that he took large handfuls of cash away with him though??? [:|]

[BGG&YPOS 0]

[quote user="Smudger"]

Well said Wiz... TEAM comes before individuals with Lambert... [;)]

I don''t remember any other striker apart from Holt scoring in the league under Lambert, Gunn or Butterworth do you???

I for one am not going to argue with 7 points from 9 and neither should anybody else be.  If Lambert can keep that up then we will finish the season on 101 points, put in a few defeats and we should still be not far away in the play-offs.  People being critical of a new manager that has won 3 in all competitions and drawn one and who has not been allowed to buy just one of his own players yet totally shows the stupidity of some of our fans.

I guess some fans would prefer a manager with a win ratio of 20% or less that will pick Hoolahan and/or Cody MacDonald to play upfront???

[/quote]

In a way Smudge he has got his own players here, didn''t Lambert want Curo and Holt at Colchester. If he wanted them then, he will use them now, however surely we need someone with pace to feed off Holt? By the way I like Curo always have.

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

Smudger - Your new found optimism and belief in all things Norwich City is very commendable and a joy to behold[Y] But you are becoming a sheep - even if Lambert is as good as you think he is he will make mistakes.. even Worthy made mistakes[;)] We need Cluck back to sort you out my friend! She won''t view everything with those new yellow and green tinted specs of yours[8-|]

 

[/quote]

haha whatever Baaaaaaah! or is it Braaaaaaaaa??? [:$]

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="BGGYPOS"][quote user="Smudger"]

Well said Wiz... TEAM comes before individuals with Lambert... [;)]

I don''t remember any other striker apart from Holt scoring in the league under Lambert, Gunn or Butterworth do you???

I for one am not going to argue with 7 points from 9 and neither should anybody else be.  If Lambert can keep that up then we will finish the season on 101 points, put in a few defeats and we should still be not far away in the play-offs.  People being critical of a new manager that has won 3 in all competitions and drawn one and who has not been allowed to buy just one of his own players yet totally shows the stupidity of some of our fans.

I guess some fans would prefer a manager with a win ratio of 20% or less that will pick Hoolahan and/or Cody MacDonald to play upfront???

[/quote]

In a way Smudge he has got his own players here, didn''t Lambert want Curo and Holt at Colchester. If he wanted them then, he will use them now, however surely we need someone with pace to feed off Holt? By the way I like Curo always have.

[/quote]

I can''t disagree with what you say here... Holt is probably more lacking in pace than Cureton and does need a little help in that department, especially when we have so little pace on the wings and in midfield (with the exception of Korey Smith) too.  I also know this is not a fact that is lost on Lambert as he made numerous remarks about the teams lack of pace on Thursday evening.

Of all the changes that Lambert made in his first game in charge against Wycombe the Cureton one was perhaps the most surprising one for me.  But until we either lose a game, sign a striker on loan, or one of Daley (my choice for a start from what we currently have), MacDonald or Martin scores from the bench while Lambert is boss I can''t see him changing the starting line up just yet unless it is forced upon him in terms of injuries.

[Lambo 0]

Daley and Holt isn''t a bad idea actually Smudge, not too sure what his finishing is like though but personally i don''t rate him as a winger.

[BGG&YPOS 0]

[quote user="Smudger"][quote user="BGGYPOS"][quote user="Smudger"]

Well said Wiz... TEAM comes before individuals with Lambert... [;)]

I don''t remember any other striker apart from Holt scoring in the league under Lambert, Gunn or Butterworth do you???

I for one am not going to argue with 7 points from 9 and neither should anybody else be.  If Lambert can keep that up then we will finish the season on 101 points, put in a few defeats and we should still be not far away in the play-offs.  People being critical of a new manager that has won 3 in all competitions and drawn one and who has not been allowed to buy just one of his own players yet totally shows the stupidity of some of our fans.

I guess some fans would prefer a manager with a win ratio of 20% or less that will pick Hoolahan and/or Cody MacDonald to play upfront???

[/quote]

In a way Smudge he has got his own players here, didn''t Lambert want Curo and Holt at Colchester. If he wanted them then, he will use them now, however surely we need someone with pace to feed off Holt? By the way I like Curo always have.

[/quote]

I can''t disagree with what you say here... Holt is probably more lacking in pace than Cureton and does need a little help in that department, especially when we have so little pace on the wings and in midfield (with the exception of Korey Smith) too.  I also know this is not a fact that is lost on Lambert as he made numerous remarks about the teams lack of pace on Thursday evening.

Of all the changes that Lambert made in his first game in charge against Wycombe the Cureton one was perhaps the most surprising one for me.  But until we either lose a game, sign a striker on loan, or one of Daley (my choice for a start from what we currently have), MacDonald or Martin scores from the bench while Lambert is boss I can''t see him changing the starting line up just yet unless it is forced upon him in terms of injuries.

[/quote]

Smudge, sort yourself out please, I can''t get used to you talking like this.[:D] Someone wake me up!!!!!! Good to see you talking like this[Y]

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="Lambo"]Daley and Holt isn''t a bad idea actually Smudge, not too sure what his finishing is like though but personally i don''t rate him as a winger.[/quote]

I did ask Lambert or Ricky Martin (can''t remember which) if Daley had played as a winger ever for the reserves.

I don''t know if they picked up from that question that my thoughts are that I am slightly concerned that Lambert could destroy Daley''s confidence by playing such a young talent out wide.

Daley has scored lots of goals for the reserves and I think that he looks far more physical than MacDonald, can hold the ball up better and is better in the air.  Although Daley is pacey MacDonald is slightly quicker I would say and obviously has more time on the pitch for the first team and a couple of goals under his belt.  I think if Daley can get some time on the pitch - playing as a striker, a goal or two and a bit of confidence under his belt then we could unearth a real raw talent who can do well at an even higher level than this!

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="Smudger"][quote user="Mister Chops"][quote user="Smudger"]

Well said Wiz... TEAM comes before individuals with Lambert... [;)]

I don''t remember any other striker apart from Holt scoring in the league under Lambert, Gunn or Butterworth do you???[/quote]

McDonald v Colchester?[/quote]

Whoops... [:$]

OK that one slipped off the radar considering we were 7-0 down at the time with Colchester looking for double figures.

[/quote]5-0 down at the time.  Sorry to be pedantic, but if the boot was on the other foot then Curo would still miskick it.McDonald also created Norwich''s 5th v Wycombe with a lovely pick up, delay, and pass into Holt''s feet.  They looked dangerous together, but haven''t since quite as much.

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="BGGYPOS"]Smudge, sort yourself out please, I can''t get used to you talking like this.[:D] Someone wake me up!!!!!! Good to see you talking like this[Y][/quote]Don''t forget smudger has had swine flu recently. Perhaps they mixed up his medication and gave him ecstasy instead of Tamiflu. [^o)]

[John 0]

McDonald also hit the post in the Sunderland match, resulting in Hoolahan''s goal.And he hit the woodwork against Exeter, or Hartlepool i believe?

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="lappinitup"][quote user="BGGYPOS"]Smudge, sort yourself out please, I can''t get used to you talking like this.[:D] Someone wake me up!!!!!! Good to see you talking like this[Y][/quote]Don''t forget smudger has had swine flu recently. Perhaps they mixed up his medication and gave him ecstasy instead of Tamiflu. [^o)][/quote]

haha come here Lapp so that I can give you a BIG HUG [{][}] [H] [:D]

[paul moy 235]

If it isn''t broken don''t fix it ?

Well, as far as I am concerned, a draw against a poor Walsall side who we should have beaten says that it is broken and that we need pace up front.  Cody is the man !!

[Camuldonum 0]

[quote user="Mister Chops"][quote user="Smudger"][quote user="Mister Chops"][quote user="Smudger"]

Well said Wiz... TEAM comes before individuals with Lambert... [;)]

I don''t remember any other striker apart from Holt scoring in the league under Lambert, Gunn or Butterworth do you???[/quote]

McDonald v Colchester?

[/quote]

Whoops... [:$]

OK that one slipped off the radar considering we were 7-0 down at the time with Colchester looking for double figures.

[/quote]

5-0 down at the time.  Sorry to be pedantic, but if the boot was on the other foot then Curo would still miskick it.

McDonald also created Norwich''s 5th v Wycombe with a lovely pick up, delay, and pass into Holt''s feet.  They looked dangerous together, but haven''t since quite as much.

[/quote]

An impressively quick pick up on a mistake by Pat Baldwin I thought at the time.  He and the late Wesley Hoolahan the only two I thought kept on trying.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

I have noticed Cody always keeps trying whether we are winning or losing both for the reserves or first team. He has a first class attitude to the game.

I didn''t think you went to the game though Cam.

 

[Camuldonum 0]

I just had the U''s Player [+o(] Nutty but lately the Col U DVD

 

http://www.cufcretail.com/product_387-20-71_09-10-Norwich-City-Away---Opening-Day-Demolition.

Because I am old I have resisted the temptation to watch it "time and time again" because I don''t need to.  Cody and The Hooligan did their best (I thought) right to the end whereas various others bailed out at either 3-0 or 4-0.

The suicidal back pass by Semmy remains a classic.  The hapless Theo missed it as it turned out but if he had managed to touch it would have been a free kick anyway. His only option was to head it...................

[:|]

 

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Some bailed out before the plane took off Cam.

On another thread I have been defending "my hero" [;)] against the same nonsense he has been attacked with over the last 4 years. It''s less than 3 years since he was sacked and it''s amazing how far we have fallen and yet how people have never been motivated to protest like they did to get rid of him. I caught some of  Fulham V Everton this afternoon and I see that "useless lazy waste of space Etuhu" is still playing in the Premier League. Thank goodness we got shot of him for Russell [*-)]

[;)]

 

[Camuldonum 0]

http://www.cufcretail.com/product_387-20-71_09-10-Norwich-City-Away---Opening-Day-Demolition.htm

Is the correct link.

You just need to have been at the game or Canary Player or the DVD to see who stayed in and who bailed out.  My opinion, of course.

 

 

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Problem is that the players who bail out aren''t always obvious to fans at the game. That''s why those that are left exposed also have the wrath of the fans to contend with.