What is the Big Difference Between Norwich and Swansea?

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

It''s worth the comparison. Two promoted sides; two young managers; two small budgets and even interested in the same players.

Even the statistics are similar.

But Swansea have earned their points and plaudits from their possession football philosophy and it is a good one. If you''ve got the ball the opposition cannot score; infact they will struggle to put you under pressure. The possession is built on a tight defensive principal.

 

Norwich on the other hand have given away 8 (is it?) penalties and kept only two clean sheets.  Until recently Norwich have always been behind on the possession statistics. But Norwich do pile players forward when they attack and this approach had seen them gain successive promotions.

 

As a result Norwich came into the match getting less respect from the media for their football; some suggested they were a long ball side - perhaps because of the headers scored which doesn''t play out when you see the actual goals - while Swansea were like Brazil.

 

But the big difference for me between these two sides is the adaptability of our squad. Swansea don''t seem to have a plan B whereas we have various styles and formations and the personnel to play them. I suspect we were getting less media plaudits because Swansea are easier to define; well, perhaps the reporters need to see more of our games and realise that Norwich City are an outstanding team because of their versatility and adaptability with a manager who has the tactics and skills to best deploy the qualities he has created in his squad.

[Gingerpele 0]

I think you''ve hit the nail on the head RH...

Were not simply a long ball team, were not simply anything other than adaptable. We have different formations, different systems, players who can do different jobs.

We have arial threat, pace, passing ability. We can keep the ball like Swansea do, we can counter quickly and effectively, we can bombard the box with arial attacks. Basically Lambert has not just built a fit, confidant, successful squad, he also has built a squad with a range of players, that can do almost any job, and do it well. Somehow we have all these tactics available to us, without any of them really suffering form lack of quality/depth.

I know were all biased on here, but surely Lambert is going to go on to be one of the best managers around? Would be nice to get some fair and balanced views from other fans, or professionals. I just think the way he handles most things, is just right, and surely he has the ability to take than onto a ''top'' side, or could he even turn us into a top side?

[CDMullins 456]

Passion, desire, never say die attitude, durabiltiy, never been satisfied, will to win..

[Syteanric 1]

Swansea would have been stuffed by now if it wasnt for Vorm.. he gets better and better every week and i''m going to say i think he is the best goalkeeper in the premiership...With De Gea not setting the world alight at Man utd and with Petr Czech looking like a shadow of his former self it wouldnt suprise me if Vorm wasnt at one of the big teams next season.

[Boyo 0]

As has already been said, nail hit firmly on the head. 

 

We have so many different options which makes us very hard to play against because you never know what team we are going to play and even when the teams have been announced you still don''t know what formation we''ll play.  We also have the ability to change our tactics during the match.  If we were 3-1 down today Lambert might well have gone and put three at the back but Swansea can''t do this because every single player they have is only really suited to thier current system.

 

All the credit must go to Lambert for building a brilliant squad and giving every single player the belief to go on and win.

[AJ 1,235]

Vorm has indeed saved their bacon in numerous games this season, as has Ruddy for us. They have both been top keepers this year.

Either way, I like the fact both us and Swansea simply play good football. What I like more is the fact we''re doing better than them :P

[nutty nigel 7,675]

[quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]

But the big difference for me between these two sides is the adaptability of our squad. Swansea don''t seem to have a plan B whereas we have various styles and formations and the personnel to play them. I suspect we were getting less media plaudits because Swansea are easier to define; well, perhaps the reporters need to see more of our games and realise that Norwich City are an outstanding team because of their versatility and adaptability with a manager who has the tactics and skills to best deploy the qualities he has created in his squad.

[/quote]

That''s what I have thought all season Rudolph. But it''s not just a plan B but also Plans C,D,E,F.......

 

I reckon my mate Worthy''s biggest failing was no plan B. But to be fair to him Plan A was hugely dependent on Hucks.

 

Another difference between Lambert and a lot of others is his ability to bring players into the side to replace others and they fit in straight away. I don''t know how many different central defensive partnerships we''ve had this season. Most managers would hide behind such things as an excuse but Lambert  makes it work.

 

It could be partly to do with Culverhouse but when our players step over the white line they are properly prepared to do their jobs whatever they may be.

[Boyo 0]

[quote user="jas the barclay king"]Swansea would have been stuffed by now if it wasnt for Vorm.. he gets better and better every week and i''m going to say i think he is the best goalkeeper in the premiership...

With De Gea not setting the world alight at Man utd and with Petr Czech looking like a shadow of his former self it wouldnt suprise me if Vorm wasnt at one of the big teams next season.
[/quote]

 

I agree with that but we must give a special mention to John Ruddy who made a brilliant save to keep it at 3-2 right at the death.  He MUST be in the next England squad.

[Mister Chops 7]

A larger majority of our fans are sheep.

[nutty nigel 7,675]

[quote user="Mister Chops"]A larger majority of our fans are sheep.

[/quote]

 

They are now...

 

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

[;)]

[vos 156]

As I said earlier in the week Swansea have a good passing team but they spend too much time in areas where they do not hurt you. Watching the game on the internet today I could not believe it. They never had time to settle and we saw little of their flowing passing game. Perhaps a bit biased but we were in complete control apart from expected pressure near the end as a result of Holt''s gift of a penalty kick. Have to hand it to Lambert who completely outwitted Brendan Rogers and at times we appeared to have more players on the pitch. It could easily have been 5-2. Apart from the dangerous Graham they did not seem to have much up front and many aimless crosses were comfortably held by Ruddy or simply went out for goal kicks.

The whole team played really well. I did notice in particular that Kyle Naughton was not quite his normal confident self (no doubt due to non-football matters) and although I have a lot of time for Wes he is now so one footed that opponents are forcing him to his right and he loses possesion too much for my liking. I accept these are points are a bit nitpicking in view of the great result. Holt was superb.

I am trying to E.Mail Hansen asking how the great Swans progressed today. In my opinion they were outclassed.

[Sing up the river end 0]

you only need a two word answer here - Paul lambert

[chicken 0]

At the begining of the season I thought we would do better as our squad has more flexibility.

In terms of likeness to Blackpool I think Swansea are more similar.

For me their lack of height and physical stature dictates how they have to play. Our lads are far from being a long ball team but at times at this level you need to be able to impose when you havent got the ball.

You need it because thats how you can grind out results when you''re not at your best. Its how you can threaten at set pieces both attacking and defending.

Today Swansea had free kicks where they could put the ball into the box but they just dont have the players to put in there.

I also think we have a far better squad than any give us credit for. Stronger than most of those bellow us. Yes we may not have the likes of a Cahill or a Yakubu but we do have alternatives if injury or tactics dictate.

[Mahogany 0]

I posted it a while back but this is a great article contrasting the approaches of Norwich and Swansea, from one of the best football writers around:

http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/story/_/id/7497382/swansea-norwich-bring-much-more-geography-prem-michael-cox?