Holt is the problem

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

The transfer window has shut amid much wringing of hands - why didn''t we spend then national debt of a small country on a bloke who has scored lots of goals in a joke league. If that''s all you wanted, I''m sure there are plenty to choose from any Saturday afternoon at Sloughbottom Park who have done the same.

Our biggest problem is a lack of goals, thats clear for all to see. The reason for this is that our former hero, Grant Aloysius Holt, hasn''t bothered to turn up this season. At the start of last season he was getting a lot of bench time, Moro was first choice and scoring. Holt had to win his place back and prove the doubters wrong. Which, to his credit, he did. Then he began to believe the glowing newspaper reviews and suggestions of England call ups. Come the summer, with the help of his odious agent, he uses a transfer request to engineer a contract extension. I don''t blame CH in the slightest - this was all happening just as he arrived. But what about DM? Usually the consumate businessman, did he for once lack the kahunas to do the right thing? Will Holty be up to Premiership football in two years time? It''s arguable he''s not up to it this season. DM just didn''t want to be the man whon sold the club''s talisman.

And now we''re stuck with a player who is a shadow of his former self who simply doesn''t put a shift in. Why should he? He knows that if he''s fit (all things are relative) he plays. There is zero competition for the centre forward berth. And we also have the increasingly annoying dying swan act at the slightest nudge - Holt has become a parody of what opposition fans hate about him.

I really hope that Becchio (or Kamara) is able to seize the opportunity and eclipse Holty or at the very least give him the kick up his over-sized @rse that he desperately needs to remind him what it is he is paid so much to do.

Fingers crossed!

Mungo

[Stig 0]

[quote user="Mungo Bumpkin"]

The transfer window has shut amid much wringing of hands - why didn''t we spend then national debt of a small country on a bloke who has scored lots of goals in a joke league. If that''s all you wanted, I''m sure there are plenty to choose from any Saturday afternoon at Sloughbottom Park who have done the same.

Our biggest problem is a lack of goals, thats clear for all to see. The reason for this is that our former hero, Grant Aloysius Holt, hasn''t bothered to turn up this season. At the start of last season he was getting a lot of bench time, Moro was first choice and scoring. Holt had to win his place back and prove the doubters wrong. Which, to his credit, he did. Then he began to believe the glowing newspaper reviews and suggestions of England call ups. Come the summer, with the help of his odious agent, he uses a transfer request to engineer a contract extension. I don''t blame CH in the slightest - this was all happening just as he arrived. But what about DM? Usually the consumate businessman, did he for once lack the kahunas to do the right thing? Will Holty be up to Premiership football in two years time? It''s arguable he''s not up to it this season. DM just didn''t want to be the man whon sold the club''s talisman.

And now we''re stuck with a player who is a shadow of his former self who simply doesn''t put a shift in. Why should he? He knows that if he''s fit (all things are relative) he plays. There is zero competition for the centre forward berth. And we also have the increasingly annoying dying swan act at the slightest nudge - Holt has become a parody of what opposition fans hate about him.

I really hope that Becchio (or Kamara) is able to seize the opportunity and eclipse Holty or at the very least give him the kick up his over-sized @rse that he desperately needs to remind him what it is he is paid so much to do.

Fingers crossed!

Mungo

[/quote]

Mungo! Fancy seeing you here.... should I bother reading past that sentence?

[WesHoolahansDefendant 0]

I was initially going to ridicule you but I think you have a point

[TIL 1010 5,246]

[quote user="Mungo Bumpkin"]

And now we''re stuck with a player who is a shadow of his former self who simply doesn''t put a shift in. [/quote]

After reading this little gem any chance you can do one again ? I suggest you ask Premiership central defenders if Holt does not put in a shift.

[Gingerpele 0]

Holt is playing how Hughton wants him to play.

[gorlestongirl 0]

Dont know where you were sat in the ground on Wednesday, Mungo,but from where I was, it was clear that Holt was everywhere on the ground, defending, attacking, chasing balls, (even the hopeless ones, including the one he headed down to Pliks to pass to Wes for our goal.) He ran out of steam in the last 15, and I for one could see why. And the ''You fat b*strd chants from the Spurs fans were nothing to do with his physical size and everything to do with the massive part he plays for us.

[NCFCPaul 0]

I dont post too much on here and recognize Mungo as very much a troll. However rather worryingly i agree with many points above. I dont 100% agree that the problem is Holt, but i believe its the lack of any real competition before this transfer window that is the problem.

Many people in their everyday jobs (me included) work better when they have a bit of pressure on them to succeed. Holt hasnt had that this season so its very easy to let standards slip a little. I do think that he is playing well though, and that the change in system hasnt helped him with regards to scoring goals. He is now much more responsible for holding the ball up and bringing the attacking trio behind him into play. IMO this is where the problem lies for me... Those 3 behind Holt arent scoring their fare share from open play. Wes as much as I love him scored his 2nd? goal of the season this week, Snodgrass has scored from set pieces and maybe 1 from open play and Pilks has 4?

If we are going to play this system, the guys behind Holt need to score more themselves.

Thats my view.

[can u sit down please 0]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]Holt is playing how Hughton wants him to play.[/quote]agree. The system has hardly given Holt many chances. Compare it to last year and he had a lot more opps.

[Scooby 0]

There he is !! We''ve missed you Mungo, you great big, over sized, horses arse.

Oh yes, and you''re wrong, as usual.[:D]

[DanielHammond 0]

Holt was awesome for 60mins on Wednesday. He is NOT the problem

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

Ask yourself one simple question:

Compared to the last three seasons, how would you rate Grant Holt''s contribution to the Norwich City cause?

a) He''s done much more than in the three preceeding seasons

b) His contribution has been about the same as in the last three seasons

c) Compared to the last three "player of the season" campaigns, he has so far been a shaow of his former self

And as for asking Premiership centre backs if they think he has put a shift in/ I''d imagine they''ve mostly thought he''s been relatively easy to nulify. Not exactly Michu is he?

And the most ironic thing of all is that there will be plenty of fans giving Holty their vote for Player of he Season in May

Mungo

[deltic31 14]

Mungo demonstrates why people from outside of Norfolk think we are six fingered retards!

[deltic31 14]

r e t a r d s

[Salopian 1]

When your main/only striker scores only four times in well over 20 matches, the question has to be raised why this is so.

The asnwer is probably not equally clear, however.

I can think of at least four possible reasons, apart from the "lack of effort" suggested by Mungo.

1) He is older and perhaps not quite as fit as 18 months ago. When he started in the Premiership he had made a supreme effort to raise his fitness, and it showed.

2) Wes has not been supplying good chances as much as before

3) The central midfielders are employed defensively and are not naturally good creative players.He has to be a provider consequently

4) The single striker format means that he is likely to have two large centre-backs giving him their full attention, which may explain why he is often found very wide.

I think that 2), 3) and 4) are all related, and influence each other.

 

I think also that Holt has never been a consistently clinical finisher and he has always missed a fairly high number of chances presented to him, as well as scoring some cracking goals. The difference now is that he gets only one or two chances in a game, and so he scores many fewer.

I hope that we shall see more regular use of a double striker attack, whether this means dropping Wes or a winger. Holt used to be a target man for other strikers, but if he''s playing wide..... It there''s another striker with him, they can supply each other. Perhaps CH can use this more at home, when other teams may be less attacking.

[Ratty57 0]

Personally, I do not see Holt as a problem at all - he is as so many posters have pointed doing what CH has told him to do! He works hard but he can''t be on the wing, in the box, and heading the ball on all at the same time.

The problem is that the midfield do not support him. If, Holt drifts onto the wing who goes into the box? I believe the midfield have been told to hold position at all costs - keep defending, keep the shape and this is why we have scored so few goals.

[Tiffey Boy 0]

Holt certainly gets about and makes a nuisance of himself, but he doesn''t win or even attempt to win a lot of the balls played towards him. He should get on with playing and forget trying the win cheap free kicks,which he is unlikely to be given because of his reputation and the fact he is always argueing with the ref!.

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

Salopian''s first "reason" is illuminating is that Holt is old and unfit. If that is the case now why extend a contract that already had a long time to run.

By the end of his contract he will be morbidly obese and leading the line in a mobility scooter. And still picking up POTS votes.

Mungo

[Dr Greenthumb 794]

"Moro was first choice and scoring" hahahahahaha brilliant, been to the pub today?

[Howson is now! 0]

[quote user="Paris aint German"]"Moro was first choice and scoring" hahahahahaha brilliant, been to the pub today?[/quote]

 

Sorry but the timeframe that Mungo is talking about in his post, Moro was first choice and was scoring for fun. This lit a fire under Holt''s arse and he went on to deserved England callup claims.

[Yobocop 1,444]

Hate to say it mango bapkins but I completely agree with you.

Lets hope the added competition of Kamara and becchio is enough to give him a kick up the arse!

I always thought holt plays better in a front 2 as well maybe hughton can try this out this season

[Salopian 1]

Sorry Mungo, but you didn''t read my posting clearly. I didn''t write that Holt is now old and unfit, merely that he is older and perhaps not so fit. Thre is no question that he is older, - 18 months than when he first played in the Premiership, although this may be trivial. He may be not so fit - he certainly didn''t look as slim in the early days of the season, but fitness is difficult to determine from observation, - hence the word "perhaps".

Whatever the reason he is not scoring like last season,  it is difficult to dispute the fact that 4 goals in nearly 30 games is disappointing from a striker who is number one choice in team selection.

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

Would booing Holt give him the impetus he needs to start his mis-firing season? Some players thrive on a good booing and volley of vitriolic personal abuse.

[clarkey1972 0]

Utter crap

[Harry 0]

Mungo Mungo Mungo, Holt isn''t the problem, YOU are the problem.

[ImDrunky 0]

We look like a better team when Holt plays, he''s work rate is great. OK he isn''t scoring a lot but that''s down to the system we''re playing. He''s opening spaces up for other players and great at crossing/passing the ball, chasing the ball down and tackling. So no, he isn''t the problem.

[lake district canary 4,836]

[quote user="Harry"]Mungo Mungo Mungo, Holt isn''t the problem, YOU are the problem.[/quote]

Agreed - and  there has always been a small undercurrent of our fans that don''t quite "get" grant Holt - those that have some inverse snobbery about his background, probably.     Thankfully the vast majority of us do see his worth and his contribution to the team.   As for the OP - gives this board a bad name - I expect he enjoys doing that.

[Howson is now! 0]

I actually hope that by bringing Kamara into the squad, this will give Holt more license to do what he does best.

Kamara has been playing as a striker but predominantly as a wide player. If he''s partnered up front with Holt, it gives Kamara license to run the channels that Holt''s been running, but then Holt''s in the middle to get on the end of Kamara''s work.

I actually see Becchio as more of challenging Holt for his place whereas Kamara to complement either striker by pulling out wide to get the ball in for them to score.

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

I''d play Becchio and Kamara up front and give the lardy tyrefitter some bench time tomorrow. He''s got above his station don''t you know.

[MingsBinner 0]

We defend well from the front when Holt plays, which implies hard work to me. I think this thread has already established that the real problem is the lack of competition for him. Hopefully this problem is now solved with the new signings. Mind you he is less mobile this days... only natural though as he has always moved better than someone of his build should have any right to.

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="Stig"][quote user="Mungo Bumpkin"]

The transfer window has shut amid much wringing of hands - why didn''t we spend then national debt of a small country on a bloke who has scored lots of goals in a joke league. If that''s all you wanted, I''m sure there are plenty to choose from any Saturday afternoon at Sloughbottom Park who have done the same.

Our biggest problem is a lack of goals, thats clear for all to see. The reason for this is that our former hero, Grant Aloysius Holt, hasn''t bothered to turn up this season. At the start of last season he was getting a lot of bench time, Moro was first choice and scoring. Holt had to win his place back and prove the doubters wrong. Which, to his credit, he did. Then he began to believe the glowing newspaper reviews and suggestions of England call ups. Come the summer, with the help of his odious agent, he uses a transfer request to engineer a contract extension. I don''t blame CH in the slightest - this was all happening just as he arrived. But what about DM? Usually the consumate businessman, did he for once lack the kahunas to do the right thing? Will Holty be up to Premiership football in two years time? It''s arguable he''s not up to it this season. DM just didn''t want to be the man whon sold the club''s talisman.

And now we''re stuck with a player who is a shadow of his former self who simply doesn''t put a shift in. Why should he? He knows that if he''s fit (all things are relative) he plays. There is zero competition for the centre forward berth. And we also have the increasingly annoying dying swan act at the slightest nudge - Holt has become a parody of what opposition fans hate about him.

I really hope that Becchio (or Kamara) is able to seize the opportunity and eclipse Holty or at the very least give him the kick up his over-sized @rse that he desperately needs to remind him what it is he is paid so much to do.

Fingers crossed!

Mungo

[/quote]

Mungo! Fancy seeing you here.... should I bother reading past that sentence?

[/quote]

 

I don''t know why anyone bothers reading past the name. Why give this troll any attention at all?