Open letter to chris Hughton from an American fan.

[NCFC for life 1993- 0]

Yep people post some rubbish. People are entitled to opinions whatever we think of them. I think our American friend has some points that are valid even if written in different ways that we may define as acceptable for this forum.

We have been setting up defensively for a long time and don''t look like we know what to do when we are losing games. We could have gone 4-4-2 today or 4-4-3 when we were losing 2-0 what did we have to lose? Absolutely nothing. Lambert back at carrow road next week

Big game!

[Houston Canary 0]

The preamble to the comments is offensive. It''s as laughably unqualified as the old medication advert that began with an actor establishing his credentiald for promoting such a product with, "I''m not a doctor, but I play one on tv."

I''ve watched soccer on tv for 5 months total, so I''m qualified to tell people whose lives revolve around soccer how to do their jobs. NFL- Not Ffffffery Likely.

Some of the comments were ok, some idiotic. But the "I know the answer" attitude is ridiculous.

It seems like a wind up.

.

[Man Who Stares at Goats 0]

[quote user="Wings of a Sparrow"]... I have been watching football for only about 8 months...

I didn''t read anything else after that.[/quote]Typical response from a numpty Norwich fan. It''s idiots like you that keep the perception of Norwich City FC narrow minded. Your responjse is both insulting and ignorant.Step out of your tool shed and explore the world a little.If my math is right, at one point you too had only supported Norwich for 8 months and if someone had said something as stupid as this to you, you might well now be an Ipsbitch fan. Which, given that your sanctimonious response, you probably are.Stupid is what stupid does and you sure does stupid well.....tool.

Welcome aboard OP. I''m sure by now you''ve gauged who the narrow minded imbeciles are. Ignore their bark. They get upset when someone doesn''t feed them their regular diatribe of bleating 5hite after a game. You''ll probably end up like most on here; we read, but rarely comment.I enjoyed your comments and agree that the psychology behind taking a defensive approach, when the game is already lost, is one that raises an eyebrow, since there''s nothing to defend, except goal difference. I''d sure love to sit down and have a beer with the Chris Hughton so he can help me better understand what his agenda/intention/aim is.

[Dubai Mark 0]

I started to read this, but then gave up........yet another poster who really doesnt understand the Premier League, how good Spurs were today and where our club is in its evolution when compared to a club like Spurs......................Just to help future understanding...dont expect City to gain many points this season away from home against the top 6 to 10 clubs in this division. No need to apologise for the Americanisms.....just for a ridiculous first post!!!  

[Chunky Norwich 0]

*sniff sniff sniff* This has a faint whiff of bin and troll on it.If, on the very slim chance, you are real, I apologise and suggest you switch allegiance to another soccer team and save yourself the pain. Grant Holt joined Wigan so you should follow them. Isn''t that how American sports work?

[Houston Canary 0]

MWSG, I doubt WoS claimed to be fully qualified to solve the team''s problems after 8 months, so your criticism is off target. Apples and orangutans.

[ThatGirlFromNJ 0]

[quote user="Houston Canary"]The preamble to the comments is offensive. It''s as laughably unqualified as the old medication advert that began with an actor establishing his credentiald for promoting such a product with, "I''m not a doctor, but I play one on tv."

I''ve watched soccer on tv for 5 months total, so I''m qualified to tell people whose lives revolve around soccer how to do their jobs. NFL- Not Ffffffery Likely.

Some of the comments were ok, some idiotic. But the "I know the answer" attitude is ridiculous.

It seems like a wind up.

.[/quote]

Yeah, you are right. Had left out the first bit about being an American and about only watching for a few months, my comments would likely have been more well received.

How long would you say is an acceptable time to form an opinion? After 5 months, not only have I seen NCFC play, but I have seen the tactics that are used by all the teams that regularly beat us.

I could see a negative response if this had been my first game viewed, but I have seen many a game and my opinions are well backed up the team win/loss record. If this game were an isolated incident, than yes, my assessment that more offensive tactics are needed would be ridiculous, but it is not an isolated incident. We play defensively in away games, we hardly have a shot at a goal.

[ThatGirlFromNJ 0]

Nah, I''ve been a Philadelphia Eagles fan for years and had the same critiques of Andy Reed last year. So glad we are rid of him too!

[ron obvious 1,501]

I think your viewpoint demonstrates a fundamental philosophical difference between a British & an American view of what sport is for.

Actually, I think you''re probably a troll.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

--- ricardo: CH brought on Howson for Johno in an attempt to get some more traction in mid field and obviously Tetty came on to try to win more of the ball. It didn''t work simply because Spurs were better at ball retention and better at pressing when they lost the ball.

I thought Howson came on for BJ, because Johnson, being on a yellow, was offering nothing. Sadly Howson is crap in that defensive central position. The subs on 74 minutes did change the game and we came into it a bit more. A waste of time making such changes so late in the game.

The main reason we lost was because we were rubbish at keeping the ball, Elmander was particularly guilty with a passing accuracy of 42% and winning only 22% of headers. Fer seemed lost, probbaly not used to the pace of the game, he will adapt in time. We also sat so very deep and did not push up enough when in possession. We played to soak up pressure and hit them on the break, but our side has no pace in which to exploit this.

[ReadingCanary 0]

Chris Hughton will keep us up.However we will again, from what we have seen so far, rely heavily on home form.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

--- CJF said: The main reason we lost was because we were rubbish at keeping the ball.

And of course, Tottenham were a team of top quality players who took full advantage of our weaknesses and played an excellent game.

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,410]

[quote user="Rock The Boat"]Being picky here, but I thought Americans wrote the date as Sept 14, and not 14 Sept?[/quote]

and offense not offence.

[Katie Borkins 1]

Stopped reading that tripe after "Mr. Hughton"

If you can''t spell the manager''s name, you don''t deserve an opinion.

[Bill Car 0]

I can’t stand André Villas-Boas, but he made us look like mugs today, I just hope it isn’t going to become a president. Were so easy to suss out. We sit so deep that a lot of the time our only out ball is Ruddy, at one point today he was being closed down by two Spurs players which in turn lead to long balls giving away possession and inviting wave after wave of attack.

It doesn’t matter how much money they’ve spent what they did first and foremost was out work us.

Today was a blueprint on how to beat us.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

The responses to this poster sum up for me what this message board has become.

It''s not only a lads and ladettes club it is a conceited clique dominated by some members of our fan base who think they are a cut above.

I do add value to posters present at matche and acknowledge the commitment of ST holders etc but beyond that a fan is a fan.

The condescending remarks to someone new to the game and from overseas are pathetic in sharp contrast to the dignified defence by the OP who has a point of view.

This POV is shared by plenty of other people who have been derided as pantwetters by a group who weren''t as confident when we lost at home to Villa as they later made out after a freak circumstance win at Man City.

The soul less football post Lambert was one of the factors that did for me and in a new season with new players it is looking a little too much like déjà vu. I wanted so much to change my mind about Hughton and Calderwood but my doubts linger. The run in is impossible and if we don''t get safe early we are in trouble.

Spurs were always going to find their feet and we can''t expect points at WHL every season, however, the same concerns persist, eecially, for me, the ability to retain possession of the ball.

I do care because I am a fan. I went to my first match 47 years ago in the old City stand but I don''t set myself above anyone else who has a passion for Norwich City but then again the small minded Norfolk gene somehow passed me by. Good on the OP the rest of you can hang your heads.

[ron obvious 1,501]

Mr Hucker, I''ve just re-read the OP & it''s an exercise in simplistic, immature observation, resulting in simplistic, immature conclusions.

The sheer breathtaking arrogance of our American friend is symptomatic of an attitude of mind that says " it''s very simple, all we have to do is ..." . She is not alone, many other examples exist here.

Thank God there are still some posters here who have a conception of the game which takes in all it''s uncertainties, nuances, injustices, luck, unsung heroics, dazzling skills & appalling, inexcusable lapses. I''ll stop now because I''m starting to sound like Jimmy Buzzard''s interviewer.

A fan is a fan. But when they open their gob they all to often become an authority, & that is an entirely different entity.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

It''s a forum, Ron,

We are all experts on here, even you.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

And some of us are better Norfolk men than others apparently....

 

On yer bike Rudolph!

 

 

[Budapest Canary 152]

TGfNJ is the daughter of Ted Lasso, and I claim my 5 pounds!To the point: Spurs had a brutally strong midfield, that made any attacking extremely difficult. The quality of our defending was quite impressive though throughout the game, and the intent of passing it around and to develop meaningful attacks were obviously there until around the 80th minute, from when we looked to have run out of steam. We lost to a better side today -- that''s the long and short of it.

[ron obvious 1,501]

Wrong, Rudolph.

I am not, & have never claimed to be an expert. I know more about 5-dimensional hypersurfaces in 6-dimensional phase space than I do about football. And I know next to nothing about those.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

But are you a good old Norfolk boy Ron?

 

 

[mrs miggins 0]

[quote user="Man Who Stares at Goats"][quote user="Wings of a Sparrow"]... I have been watching football for only about 8 months...

I didn''t read anything else after that.[/quote]Typical response from a numpty Norwich fan. It''s idiots like you that keep the perception of Norwich City FC narrow minded. Your responjse is both insulting and ignorant.Step out of your tool shed and explore the world a little.If my math is right, at one point you too had only supported Norwich for 8 months and if someone had said something as stupid as this to you, you might well now be an Ipsbitch fan. Which, given that your sanctimonious response, you probably are.Stupid is what stupid does and you sure does stupid well.....tool.

Welcome aboard OP. I''m sure by now you''ve gauged who the narrow minded imbeciles are. Ignore their bark. They get upset when someone doesn''t feed them their regular diatribe of bleating 5hite after a game. You''ll probably end up like most on here; we read, but rarely comment.I enjoyed your comments and agree that the psychology behind taking a defensive approach, when the game is already lost, is one that raises an eyebrow, since there''s nothing to defend, except goal difference. I''d sure love to sit down and have a beer with the Chris Hughton so he can help me better understand what his agenda/intention/aim is.[/quote]

I can''t wait to see what this guy is gonna post next...its like Boris Johnson and Brian Blessed having a conversation with each other

[YankeeCanary 0]

[quote user="Bill Car"]I can’t stand André Villas-Boas, but he made us look like mugs today, I just hope it isn’t going to become a president. Were so easy to suss out. We sit so deep that a lot of the time our only out ball is Ruddy, at one point today he was being closed down by two Spurs players which in turn lead to long balls giving away possession and inviting wave after wave of attack. It doesn’t matter how much money they’ve spent what they did first and foremost was out work us. Today was a blueprint on how to beat us.[/quote]

 

We''ve already proved right here in the good old USA that mugs do become president. [:D] 

 

As far as "ThatGirl" is concerned I would just like to suggest that I am an old fogey and I assume, because you have referred to yourself as a girl, that you are relatively young. Now we both live here in New Jersey ( allegedly ) so I would be happy to meet you in a park with a soccer ball ( I used that word advisedly ), put some coats down for goalposts and show you why it is so difficult to get the ball off of someone of superior skill. I am assuming you are not on the national team for U.S women.

[ThatGirlFromNJ 0]

[quote user="YankeeCanary"]

[quote user="Bill Car"]I can’t stand André Villas-Boas, but he made us look like mugs today, I just hope it isn’t going to become a president. Were so easy to suss out. We sit so deep that a lot of the time our only out ball is Ruddy, at one point today he was being closed down by two Spurs players which in turn lead to long balls giving away possession and inviting wave after wave of attack. It doesn’t matter how much money they’ve spent what they did first and foremost was out work us. Today was a blueprint on how to beat us.[/quote]

 

We''ve already proved right here in the good old USA that mugs do become president. [:D] 

 

As far as "ThatGirl" is concerned I would just like to suggest that I am an old fogey and I assume, because you have referred to yourself as a girl, that you are relatively young. Now we both live here in New Jersey ( allegedly ) so I would be happy to meet you in a park with a soccer ball ( I used that word advisedly ), put some coats down for goalposts and show you why it is so difficult to get the ball off of someone of superior skill. I am assuming you are not on the national team for U.S women.

[/quote]

Oh, I know that superior skill is tough to combat. I guess it just frustrates me when we have good strikers and the viewpoint of management, from the outset, is that we are definitely going to lose, so lets just defend, defend, defend and lose anyway. I understand that you want to defend as far as not giving up goals needlessly, but come on - We have good strikers, why not let them do what we hired them to do?

Like I said previously, if this was an isolated incident, and we were winning against teams that we would be considered "superior" to, then sure, lets play a hard defence against better teams. But, sadly, this is not an isolated incident. We play this way in a lot of games and we lose a lot of games.

-___- It doesn''t matter who we play. The teams that win are the teams that, at the very least, make an effort to do something other than defend.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Whatever your identity NJ girl, keep posting. It''s like a breath of fresh air.

[Man Who Stares at Goats 0]

[quote user="ThatGirlFromNJ"]Oh, I know that superior skill is tough to combat. I guess it just frustrates me when we have good strikers and the viewpoint of management, from the outset, is that we are definitely going to lose, so lets just defend, defend, defend and lose anyway. I understand that you want to defend as far as not giving up goals needlessly, but come on - We have good strikers, why not let them do what we hired them to do?

Like I said previously, if this was an isolated incident, and we were winning against teams that we would be considered "superior" to, then sure, lets play a hard defence against better teams. But, sadly, this is not an isolated incident. We play this way in a lot of games and we lose a lot of games.

-___- It doesn''t matter who we play. The teams that win are the teams that, at the very least, make an effort to do something other than defend.[/quote]Agreed.But to add to your point, part of the ''Fer isn''t getting stuck in'' mentality, in my opinion, is down to the manager trying to turn eagles into ducks. How I see it, the manager is not allowing the players to play to their strengths. And I''m a firm believer that strategically our manager is able to set a team up to not lose, but he doesn''t have the tactical know-how to make the necessary adjustments on the fly. So if the opponents play into our preparation plans, we win. But if the opposing manager is a clever chap, we loose.What happened today was clear evidence that Chris Hughton had really no idea how to set up against Spurs, because there was no consistent information on how Spurs were going to play. In a sense, we were the guinea pigs against the new-look Spurs. Thus, we were outplayed.

So stick around Jersey Girl. Some of the threads on here are better than T.V. and you''ll soon recognize those few old-timer posters on here who need to get a room.

[ThatGirlFromNJ 0]

[quote user="Man Who Stares at Goats"][quote user="ThatGirlFromNJ"]Oh, I know that superior skill is tough to combat. I guess it just frustrates me when we have good strikers and the viewpoint of management, from the outset, is that we are definitely going to lose, so lets just defend, defend, defend and lose anyway. I understand that you want to defend as far as not giving up goals needlessly, but come on - We have good strikers, why not let them do what we hired them to do?

Like I said previously, if this was an isolated incident, and we were winning against teams that we would be considered "superior" to, then sure, lets play a hard defence against better teams. But, sadly, this is not an isolated incident. We play this way in a lot of games and we lose a lot of games.

-___- It doesn''t matter who we play. The teams that win are the teams that, at the very least, make an effort to do something other than defend.[/quote]Agreed.But to add to your point, part of the ''Fer isn''t getting stuck in'' mentality, in my opinion, is down to the manager trying to turn eagles into ducks. How I see it, the manager is not allowing the players to play to their strengths. And I''m a firm believer that strategically our manager is able to set a team up to not lose, but he doesn''t have the tactical know-how to make the necessary adjustments on the fly. So if the opponents play into our preparation plans, we win. But if the opposing manager is a clever chap, we loose.What happened today was clear evidence that Chris Hughton had really no idea how to set up against Spurs, because there was no consistent information on how Spurs were going to play. In a sense, we were the guinea pigs against the new-look Spurs. Thus, we were outplayed.

So stick around Jersey Girl. Some of the threads on here are better than T.V. and you''ll soon recognize those few old-timer posters on here who need to get a room.

[/quote]

I definitely agree that he doesnt make adjustments when needed. Makes for a predictable game, unless, like you said, the other team does what we expect. Mostly, we just end up being more predictable in the tactics he uses, at least away games.

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]Whatever your identity NJ girl, keep posting. It''s like a breath of fresh air.[/quote]I agree entirely.  We should spend more time analysing Hughton''s tactics away from home when playing the top sides, I don''t think I''ve seen it discussed here before.

[Scooby 0]

[quote user="i''m spartacus". this is obviously some regular on a wind up. quote]

Yup