back four

[yellow 63 23]

what would fellow posters do about our back four bring in shackell now? plan for next season? helveg with shackell? ithink we all agree we need abig man at the back . my four are charlton,shackell,fleming and edworthy

[Brum Uni Canary 0]

Just read an article on the Pink''Un of an interview with Huckerby..

He has said what I have wanted a member of the club to say for a while, although he might not win too many friends!! A cut down version of the story: 

---

Hucks wants best defence

Norwich City''s inability to score goals in the first half of matches has been a major talking point this season – but Darren Huckerby also believes there''s a problem at the other end of the pitch.

The man who scored City''s glorious first half opener against Palace back in August accepts that a few more early goals wouldn''t go amiss, and will be going all out to score one when the Canaries take on Bolton at Carrow Road on Saturday.
But having seen his side concede early in three of their previous four games he reckons a clean sheet would be just as important to the cause – and hopes a suitable balance between defence and attack can be struck at the weekend.

“We tend to concede goals early on and then it''s an uphill battle. As a team we''ve got to do better on that score,” he said. “It''s difficult to say why that is. In a lot of games we have been on top but haven''t been able to convert our chances – and then we let one in at the other end. It''s something we''ve got to look at – we can''t keep conceding early goals. If we keep doing that we will be in trouble. We''ve got to sort that out, but as a team we are trying to progress. We''re up against it every week. We are playing against better players and better teams – that''s life, and we''ve got to deal with it.”

He still reckons the Canaries have got what it takes to survive at this level and would have no complaints if manager Nigel Worthington stuck with his present squad for the remainder of the season. The City boss will have around £1.2m spend during the January transfer window but Huckerby said: “What does £1.2m buy you these days? West Brom got Robert Earnshaw from the First Division and he cost them £4m. You are not going to get much.

“The gaffer is quite astute. He won''t spend the money unless he thinks it''s right for the club. He knows it''s more important that the future of the club is secure for the next 10 seasons, not just this season. The most important thing is that we''re still in the hunt. Every club around us has spent a lot more money than us but they are no better off. If you have a look at it we''re not doing too badly."

---

At least he admits things up his end aren''t going swimmingly either !! 

[USA Canary 7]

Brum...you are good at cut & paste

[3pmkickoff 0]

Although I partly agree, Huckerby must also admit that he has had some gloruius chances to score in about 3-4 games and failed to put them anywhere on target. Had those chances been finished then we''d have at least another 6-8 points.

[Brum Uni Canary 0]

[quote]Brum...you are good at cut & paste[/quote]

Don''t forget delete! I cut out at least 5 paragraphs

[Francesco Volpe<P><BR><EM><FONT size=3><STRONG>A<STRONG><FONT>wesome<STRONG><FONT size=3>S<FONT><STRONG>ublime<STRONG><FONT size=3>H<FONT><STRONG>onest pro<EM><EM><FONT size=3><STRONG>T<STRONG><FONT>alented<STRONG><FONT size 0]

Yep he''s had loads of great chances that he didn''t convert. the one that sticks in my mind is the one in the 2nd half against spurs where all he had to do was knock it in to an empty net but king mad that last minute tackle. if only...

[shropshire canary 0]

and clean through at west Brom, and clean through at Newcatle and clean through at Birmingham, none of which even forced a save (ie off target).

Love the bloke to bits but there''s 6 points in those 3 alone.

It''s a team game so the strikers need to focus on their bit and the defenders on theirs in terms of improving the overall output. He is right but lives in a glassy house me-thinks.

[bananaman 0]

Don''t forget the one against WBA where he was clean through on the keeper and nearly put it out for a throw.

[ZLF 274]

I agree with Hux on this - he may have missed a couple of chances and cost us around 6-8 points max, Leon missed a couple of chances to for a couple of point but that is about all the strikers have missed. The number of soft goals we have conceeded because of the back 4 have cost us far far more over the last month alone. And look at the chances you are talking about - they are too many games ago so where is the contribution from the midfield in generating chances for the team? If we can get the midfield and defence sorted we will move up the table.OTBC

[knowhatimean 0]

Here here Zipper - Just look at the goals against column. I just wish we could tighten up the marking - we seem to give the opposition far too much space and then get sucked out of position. I am all for having Shackell or the Doc in the middle, moving Charlton out instead of Drury, who badly needs a rest. I would also make Charlton the Captain as he has more get up and go than any of the others, including Drury.

For the midfield, we will have to persevere with what we have and you never know, Helveg & Safri might develop into a useful partnership with McVeigh coming in instead of Bentley, who, IMO should be sent back from whence he came with a thanks but no thanks!

OTBC

[LinkNR9 0]

Back four (especially for Saturday) should be -

Eddy  Doherty  Shackell  Charlton.

Shackell''s pace might give the back four the confidence to play 20 yards further up the field, thereby linking the defence with the midfield and strikers.

Adam Drury needs a rest to recover his confidence. Flem needs to be ''rested'' because (a) he''s the one who drops the back four back and (b) he''s been poor so far.