David Fox

[NCFC4LIFE 0]

I dont get it how a player of his quality can become surplus to requirements so quickly, very please the team have turned a corner however he was one of our better players last year and seems nowhere near the first team at the minute. I know he was injured at the start of the season but has been avalibale for selection since the Doncaster game but hasnt even made the bench. Seems to me that CH has now got his favored starting 11 just hoping there is room for David Fox in his first team plans. Teams will come sniffing if he becomes unhappy.

[Yellow Wal 314]

Quite simply put, if David Fox plays then somebody else doesn''t.

Who would you drop? Johnson? Tettey?

If David Fox is on the bench then another midfielder isn''t. Who would you drop? Howson, who is more versatile? Elliott Bennett?

This just shows the strength of our squad at the moment and is unfortunate for Fox but a fact of footballing life.

[NCFC4LIFE 0]

I see your point our squad has become more and more competitive, especially in the midfield area. However Fox is a completely different player to all three midfielders you have mentioned in your post. Johnson and Tetty are both work horse midfielders breaking up play, Howson is a more advanced midfielder. I feel it would be a shame to forget what Fox brings to the side, he moves the ball very well and offers us creativity at the base of our midfield, arguably the best ball player at the club.Very happy with the team at the moment dont get me wrong but I also appreciate teams ability to change systems so we dont become a one trick pony. We did this very well last season. 

[Canaries Utd 0]

I often been criticised for my opinion on Fox. I said he isn''t a premiership player, he isn''t the rounded article. Looks as though two managers agree with me!!

[NCFC4LIFE 0]

your entitled to your opinion, however I dont think he would of finish 3rd in player of the season last year if he couldn''t cope in the EPL. More than capable, IMO. Agreed not the best athlete but again offers the team something different, class on the ball and his passing range is stupidly good.

[Matt Morriss 69]

[quote user="Canaries Utd"]I often been criticised for my opinion on Fox. I said he isn''t a premiership player, he isn''t the rounded article. Looks as though two managers agree with me!![/quote]

With respect CU, your wrong.

David Fox is every bit a Premiership player as last season proved. Ask Paul Lambert what he thinks about him, he certainly played him enough times last season.

This season he has just struggled with injury and form. He didnt look anywhere near the confident player of last season against Doncaster and just needs to get himself back on track and back to the level of the last 2 yrs.

Just because he is out of the first team picture at the moment doesnt mean he isnt a premiership player and your wrong opinion of him suddenly becomes a correct one.

Some players just fall out of favour with a new boss, or just dont fit into a new system. At the start of the season Fox wasnt fit so Howson played, then CH found his way of fitting Wes Hoolahan into the team but retaining a midfield steel, hence Johnson and Tettey.

Cesc Fabregas doesnt make the Barca starting lineup much, is he not a top player? No of course not. Teams, managers and systems change, players get injured and suffer loss of form. Doesnt make them poor players all of a sudden.

[NCFC4LIFE 0]

That is exactly right Hucks Boots, I feel DF has been unlucky with his time of injury etc... I just hope CH doesn''t ignore his ability and 1st team credentials completely.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

I think Fox would sit nicely next to Tettey at the expense of BJ.

[CDMullins 436]

Id love to see him back in the side against some of the lesser sides,

Playing with Tettey and Howson,

[Steady On... 0]

Target:acquired

Subject:Fox

Reason:unknown

Continue with "mission bash a random player for no reason:affirmative

[NCFC4LIFE 0]

[quote user="lincoln canary"]I think Fox would sit nicely next to Tettey at the expense of BJ.[/quote]Lincoln I agree, I think at home we need to try and be as creative as possible and having someone like Fox next to Tetty or Johnson offers the team this. Im not one for changing a winning team, all I am saying is I hope CH sees what I see in Fox. I can see him getting frustrated with the lack of 1st team football, he isnt even making the bench which worries me as he is a top player.

[Mr Brownstone 0]

The 2nd half was crying out for Foxy on Saturday in my opinion. We got pulled into playing Stoke''s long ball game and every time Ruddy, Barnett or Ryan Bennett got on the ball it was launched towards Holty, who agianst Shawcross and Huth inevitably lost the header and the ball came straight back at us again. I''m not criticising any of our players, especially Johnson and Tettey who I thought were excellent defensively, but there was no one wanting the ball and making us tick through the midfield.

[NCFC4LIFE 0]

[quote user="Mr Brownstone"]

The 2nd half was crying out for Foxy on Saturday in my opinion. We got pulled into playing Stoke''s long ball game and every time Ruddy, Barnett or Ryan Bennett got on the ball it was launched towards Holty, who agianst Shawcross and Huth inevitably lost the header and the ball came straight back at us again. I''m not criticising any of our players, especially Johnson and Tettey who I thought were excellent defensively, but there was no one wanting the ball and making us tick through the midfield.

[/quote]spot on... the guy makes us tick at the base of midfield. It is reassuring for defenders to know they have a competent ball player in front of them wanting the ball and distributing it. I dont see the need at home to have both Tetty and BJ in our midfield... Saying that we won so dont expect things to be changed as yet just considered.

[The Yellow Pimpernel 0]

Fox will get his chance during the season.  He''s not surplus to requirements, he''s been injured so was down the pecking list.  We have a big squad and a lot of games coming up over the course of the season, so they will all get opportunities at some time.  When he does get back in he''ll be raring to go and determined to prove a point, so as not to be dropped. 

 

All the above happended last season also if I remember rightly, and has happended with Wessi already this season, when some of the dimwits on here were saying he''s out the door, before he was rightly re-installed as the best thing since sliced bread.

 

Patience is a virtue, somewhat overlooked in Norfolk.

[NCFC4LIFE 0]

I hope your right Yellow Pimpernel

[CDMullins 436]

Such a strange time to start a thread like this,having recently picked up 7 points (could well have been 9) from 9 and Cup Win against Spurs

[NCFC4LIFE 0]

not really!

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="CDMullins"]Such a strange time to start a thread like this,

having recently picked up 7 points (could well have been 9) from 9 and Cup Win against Spurs
[/quote]

 

We should never stop trying to Improve the team. Continuous improvement is essential, so I really do not see it as a strange time to discuss.

[GJP 79]

David Fox is a very nice player, a very nice passer of the ball but at the moment our central midfield is working well for us. Johnson and Tettey bring the muscle and it allows Hoolahan loads of freedom to get on the ball and make things happen - and he has been playing ridiculously well lately.

 

Who would you drop? Tettey is looking like a revelation and Johnson is well worth his place at the moment, especially after his winning goal at the weekend (you won''t see many better headers than that, absolutely brilliant).

[Jim Smith 2,325]

I really like Fox as a player and do agree that at times he can make us tick and play some of our best football. However, for the reason he''s not currently in the team see Gareth Bale''s goal for Spurs in the Capital One Cup. See also a number of goals last season where he didn;t track his man into the box and they scored.

Ok perhaps a bit unfair on Fox to single him out for this when he has hardly played this season and his match fitness must be a little down but I think that is why he is unlikely to get the nod from Hoot at any time soon because he is seen as lacking the sort of athleticism that you get from Tettey or Johnson.

Personally i think the more relevant debate at present is whether, in home games or against the weaker teams, there is merit in playing Howson alongside Tettey rather than BJ. harsh on BJ who has been playing well but Tettey appears to have such a good engine that he can cover that area in front of the defence on his own at times thus allowing Howson to get forward more than he was earlier in the season.

[NCFC4LIFE 0]

Look I just feel playing Tetty and BJ together at home is just a very defensive option, fair enough if we are playing a Chelsea or Man City, they can break play up and try hit teams on the break, equally away from home I can understand this set up and tactic. At home against teams like Stoke, and teams we feel we can get three points of we should be looking at possession football, creating chance after chance. Playing Fox or Howson instead of BJ or Tetty is the way to do this. The results over the past couple of weeks have been great and I''m not surprised Tetty and BJ played against Stoke as they are a rugby team but I dont want us to become a defensively boring side especially when CH has the players to play attractive, passing possession football.

[Clint 221]

Are any of these opinions of Fox actually based on his performances this season?  I''ve seen him in both cup matches and he was dire.  Looked totally unfit, constantly under-hit or over-hit passes and arguably responsible for the Bale goal.  Hughton I expect felt the same as he was hooked straight after.I know a couple of people who have seen him in the development matches and they said he looked off the pace then as well.This is not a dig at Fox as he is a good player and I expect his time will come but all those clamouring for him to be included now clearly have no idea, he is well off being anywhere near the 1st team for a league match.

[Bws Cat 0]

I have to agree with Clint, Fox is a good player no doubt. I actually think he was one of the best players last season (and so did many others it seems, as he won 3rd place in POTS). But Tettey, Johnson and now it seems like Butterfield are being filled into his role.

Should he improve and Hughton deems him good enough to have him in the first team I would have no problem with it. But from what I see so far it looks like he is going out in January or the summer.

[Redders Right Foot 22]

Fox has to push his way into the squad, and the simple fact is right now he hasn''t done it.

I was/still am a big fan of Fox, but it''s quite harsh to drop any of our midfielders right now. if (god forbid) someone gets injured, and he replaces said player, he has to make his chance then.

or even during the cup games, the FA cup is fast approaching and we have the QF in dec. he needs to take those games by the horns, I would love to see him included but right now it doesn''t look like it will be any time soon.

[Cantiaci Canary 558]

I can see Fox in a Villa shirt in January.

[kingsway 94]

The two midfielders currently playing in the holding roles Tetty and Johnson are doing pretty well now which means that theres currently no place for Fox!

[smooth 114]

I don''t think he warrants a position. With the ball he is tidy, without it he is not good, his positioning, fitness,strength is not up to this level, he was in and out of the side last year and he played well as no doubt he will this season. But it is Helen he is not with the ball that he is weak, Swansea away he had some terrible positioning for their goals.

A good squad player but I could see us looking at another central midfielder in the summer as he only signed a one year extension.

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

Some very valid points & Fox was a key player last season in setting the tempo & making us tick.

However as a ''sitting'' midfielder he is poor off the ball & his lack of mobility / dynacism leaves the back 4 exposed (just look at the goals conceded last season).

I mentioned in January & the summer that the team was crying out for a more rounded midfield player, step forward Alex Tettey. Not a playmaker but he''s dynamic, disciplined & also assured in possession.

[ZLF 274]

Overall I think Fox is the more complete player than BJ, sits deep, wants the ball, positional sound and wins tehball as often. BJ does get forward better and seems to score more, and Foxs set pieces are better than the efforts we have seen too often this season. When on song he deserves a place in the team

however he did not seem in form or fully match fit against spurs and right now I would continue to play BJ. Perhaps a fitness gaining loan would help city in the long term while we have cover from howson and butterfield? City were definitely better last season with Fox playing ahead of the others - he and tettey could be very good for us. but not yet

[AJ 1,224]

Pretty simply the current system does not suit Fox''s style of play. Both Johnson and Tettey seem to be working well together. They both are very happy to get forward and both are fantastic at breaking up play. And Tettey''s range of passing is quickly becoming a big feature in our build up play and ball retention (something we serious lacked last season, and something that still needs a lot of work!)

Fox simply isn''t a hard tackling, in your face style of defensive midfielder. He is, however, one of the best crossers/set piece takers/passers at the club. And still has the ability to add something to the team - and in time I''m sure he will. He''s been unlucky with injuries over the summer and has fallen behind in the pecking order. But on the turn of things, maybe rightly so.

As said before, he isn''t completely fit for the Premier League in the system we are playing. I''m not saying he''s not a Prem quality player though, as I think his range of passing adds so much to the game, he''s definitely got something to prove here. I''m sure we will see him play a fair amount this year, just at the moment the system is working, so he''s going to have to wait for his chance.