Elliot Bennett

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

What has he got to do to keep his starting place.  Two assists against Swansea, and a Man of the Match performance, and he is dropped for Arsenal.  Back in the team and scores against Reading, but then dropped for Stoke?The one in form attacking player we have and he gets messed around.As for who he could replace... take your pick out of Holt, KK and Howson from todays lineup.

[A Gay Schoolboy 0]

Agreed. He''s got pace, is direct, can cross and although his shooting is a little wayward at least he has a go.

[Making Plans 936]

Bottom line - never change a winning team. Too much fiddling around, worrying about the opposition rather than concentrating on our strengths.

[AJ 1,218]

No idea why Hughton didn''t field the same side.

I also wonder what Becchio must do to get a game too. He must be awful in training, or something

[Sing up the river end 0]

I''m just hoping that he thought stoke wasn''t the right sort of game for him , Two vital home games coming up and he wants him fresh.

That''s what I would hope, but might not be right :(

[mastoola 183]

[quote user="Making Plans"]Bottom line - never change a winning team.
Too much fiddling around, worrying about the opposition rather than concentrating on our strengths.

[/quote]

bottom line is find a winning team not when u find a winner keep him on the bench!.

[Branston Pickle 3,632]

Not sure about Bennett having a motm performance v Swans, his crossing was generally not great but thankfully he got a couple right. Sorry, but I prefer a Snoddy and Pilks combination with him as back-up.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Branston Pickle"]Not sure about Bennett having a motm performance v Swans, his crossing was generally not great but thankfully he got a couple right. Sorry, but I prefer a Snoddy and Pilks combination with him as back-up.[/quote]You can look at Benno''s stats for that game here:http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/615251/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2012-2013-Norwich-SwanseaHe was the most accurate passer of the ball, created 5 goal scoring opportunities, put in 8 crosses, 4 of which found a Norwich player, 2 successful dribbles, 2 assists.  It was a complete performance for a winger.Snod had 7 crosses today, 1 found its target. I think Snod is a better player, clearly Benno is on form right now, so why was he dropped.Benno has 3 assists this season in his limited appearances, that puts him joint 2nd at the club behind Snod with 5.

[AJ 1,218]

Whilst I agree, we didn''t even play Pilks until the 86th minute..

[Aggy 751]

Quite obvious that Hughton thought Kamara would add more height, strength and muscle on the wing against a side who are notorious for such attributes.

However, that backfired as Kamara looked clueless out wide and Hoolahan (ie; short, agile, weak) was the only player who got the ball down and started to cause Stoke some problems in terms of picking up the movement of our players (admittedly not many problems, but slightly more than had been the case before hand). Whilst your defence and central midfield needs to have some muscle and strength to deal with Stoke''s aerial threat coming forward, you''re better off with the wingers and strikers playing their usual game; you''re not going to bulldoze your way through Stoke''s defence.

[Branston Pickle 3,632]

Sorry to get in the way of CJF''s love-in over Bennett, but he horribly over hit at least three crosses in the first half (2 recovered by the striker, so presumably counting as "complete"), and underhit several corners. Stats do not give the full picture, and never will.

[A Gay Schoolboy 0]

[quote user="Branston Pickle"]Sorry to get in the way of CJF''s love-in over Bennett, but he horribly over hit at least three crosses in the first half (2 recovered by the striker, so presumably counting as "complete"), and underhit several corners. Stats do not give the full picture, and never will.[/quote]You''ve just used 3 different stats in your post to try to prove your point, and then disparaged stats in the very next sentence.

[Branston Pickle 3,632]

Stats can often be misleading, that was precisely my point.

[ron obvious 1,498]

One problem with playing EB is that he can''t play if Snodgrass is on. They are both only effective on the right wing.

[A Gay Schoolboy 0]

[quote user="Branston Pickle"]Stats can often be misleading, that was precisely my point.[/quote]So what makes the stats you used to try to prove stats are misleading, not also misleading?

[GJP 79]

Think criticism of Bennett''s crossing is a bit unfair considering how often (and it is quite often) Snodgrass and Pilkington get theirs wrong.

 

Should have been in the team from the start today and it''s one of the things that cost us.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Branston Pickle"]Stats can often be misleading, that was precisely my point.[/quote]David Fox was the most accurate crosser of the ball in the premiership last season with a 41% accuracy rate.  That''s right, all players mess up crosses.  During the Swansea game Benno''s accuracy was 50%.  No complaints there then.

[nu_matik 167]

Newsflash: Snodgrass can take direct free kicks but wasted every single other indirect kick he had today. He tries his usual ; take on player, kick ball past in attempt to run into player get free kick'' against a bunch of big boys and looked amateur. Why we didn''t brig on Pilks and Benno earlier really shows our tactical weakness.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="GJP"]

Think criticism of Bennett''s crossing is a bit unfair considering how often (and it is quite often) Snodgrass and Pilkington get theirs wrong.

[/quote]Snodgrass put in 7 crosses today, only 1 found a Norwich player. I guess the point would be, when Benno buggers them up, they go high wide and handsome. Snod''s more accurate deliveries are probably just caught by the first man. On the flipside, Benno is often running at full pelt when he puts one in first time, quite difficult to be accurate in such situations.  I am not sure Snod knows what a first time delivery is!

[Indy_Bones 441]

[quote user="ron obvious"]One problem with playing EB is that he can''t play if Snodgrass is on. They are both only effective on the right wing.[/quote]Which is somewhat baffling considering how heavily Snoddy favours his left foot, you''d think that this would be perfect for him to cross from the left.He doesn''t look like the player he did for Leeds a lot of the time (that premier league step up can be tough), and on recent form, Bennett really should be given the nod over him.

[smooth 114]

Is this snoddy who is likely to given POTS?

Snoddy''s delivery was poor yesterday I will agree, it was his worst day for delivery for a few weeks. But he is a much better player than eb.

I just want to get over the line and bring in quality wide players, eb and pilky have not done enough and if rvw is upfront we need genuine quality out wide.

Eb is not Pacey for the premiership, he is not overly skilful, he has a hit and miss cross ratio. He is a hard working player who can cover the blades of grass, but he is a long way off being a starter for a premier league stable team. We aren''t there yet, but next season I hope we are and with players capable of doing it.

We need to get over the line, which I feel we have been saying for the whole of 2013. Eb has a part because our squad is so lean on quality. We need to wrestle another result and we need our better players on the park, I do not think eb is one of our better players. But again each game will suit different players. I just want next Saturday to get here as quickly as it can.

[king canary 7,577]

Bennett is one of those players that gets cut a lot of slack due to work rate- he runs a lot but quite often lacks the quality in the final third. Agree he should have started today but I still think our best wide players are Snodgrass and Pilkington.

[Indy_Bones 441]

Surely this is the point of having a decent squad?If players like Snoddy or Pilks go off the boil, you give Benno a run out for a couple of games - if he performs he stays in and they fight to get their place back, if not, they return after a two or more games away, well rested and ready to give 100%.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="smooth"]Is this snoddy who is likely to given POTS?.[/quote]Snod is clearly a better player than Benno.  But the original post was why on earth Bennet, playing well with 2 assists and a goal in his last two starts, dropped yet again.A stupid question because the answer is one of two things.  1) this was the First XI that played well defensively in defeat against Arsenal2) Hoot was afraid of Stoke''s big side (despite the fact they are pretty dire having W2 D2 of the last 13), so picked all our big playersStoke lumped one forward which the defense failed to deal with, and Stoke scored anyway.  We tried to batter our way through their lugs at the back and got nowhere.When Wes and Bennett came on we looked slightly more effective.  But it looked like the team and fans new the moment Stoke scored it was game over.

[booklet 0]

I may be alone here, but I just don''t get this Snodgrass obsession. Granted he has had a decent season chipping in with some goals and assists, but he is very limited and I think he other sides get used to how he plays, so his effectiveness diminishes all the time.

He has no right foot, no pace, whines like a baby at the ref and although his defensive play has improved, i think it still has a long way to go. His crossing recently has also been poor.

I prefer Bennett. He is quicker, better defensively and has more energy. He has had very few opportunities this season, but when he''s played he''s usually done well and looked very fit. His crossing needs work, but his crossing can get better whereas Snodgrass will never be able to run faster.

Personally, I would rotate Snodgrass, Pilkington, Bennett and Hoolohan. Sometimes start these players and sometimes use them as impact players.

Bennett did well against Swansea and Reading and then starts netiher away game, despite the fact that pace away from home may be even more effective. Starting Kei Kamara as a right winger is ludicrous. He is a hard working donkey number 9 and that''s all he is.

I think Hughton is totally clueless and the performance yesterday, along with his customary feeble post match interview, did nothing to change my mind.

Home to Villa I''d go with a midfield of Bennett, Tettey, Johnson and Pilkington. It''s too late to experiment with different formation (i.e. the diamond which wasn''t always my favourite, but atleast it changed things up a bit and made us less predictable), but I''d like to see two wingers with some pace.

He''s suddenly developed a fixation with Howson, who I think has not done enough to justify a consistent first team place. Also why bother signing Becchio and then never playing him. He looked poor when he played, but you can''t judge off the back of 1 or 2 games. I think we''re relying on Newcastle and Wigan to capitulate, since I don''t see us winning any of our remaining games.

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="smooth"]Is this snoddy who is likely to given POTS? [/quote]Bassong will win this...

[Salopian 1]

I agree. He has gifts - pace, a great shot, and ability to tackle, but he needs confidence, and that comes only from a run of games. As things are I would even think of playing him in place of Holt.Wth Kei there for one more game, he could knock down the balls for Benno.

 

I fear that we have not seen the best of Benno, and we may never.