What Tonight Has Done in the Context of the Season to Date

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

It''s too early to say whether a 25 yarder from an 18 year old sub and a last second goal will kick start our season.

So, in the context of the season to date, what might this mean?

 

It might mean that a manager who was happy to play Redmond on a ''good enough - old enough'' basis at Birmingham and now in the EPL will continue to give Murphy games.

 

It might mean that Hooper is our main man for goals (he almost miskicked an equaliser on Saturday) and as van Wolfswinkel has shown so far, some strikers just click.

 

It might mean Hughton has taken a ton of pressure off himself.

 

I certainly think it turns some of the attention for performances so far from Hughton and onto the players.

 

You can argue that Hughton had to gamble and went for it but that doesn''t fully cover it. Redmond coming off frustrated home fans on Saturday simply because the boy is always competitive and adventurous. Tonight Hooper and Murphy had a go and all three played with a lack of fear.

 

Was Wolfie too much of a shrinking violet in the penalty incident?  Is he feeling price tag pressure or other pressures which are subduing him? Like Pilkington on Saturday Hooper is able to come into the side on the failings of others and there is less pressure to go out and do better.

 

I don''t believe we went to Spurs with a negative side, infact we should have had three in CM.  I don''t think the tactics or subs were good but were the players up for it?

 

The lazy defending by Turner and Bassong (wrong man for captain) on Saturday for Villa''s winner wasn''t down to Hughton. And incidentally, what a chance as I said at the time to really put pressure on Lambert, but like last season, Norwich came to his rescue again.

 

For me, tonight, the match has turned the spotlight onto our players some of whom need to grow a pair, work harder and take responsibility. Hughton now has to decide who to drop for the Stoke game. 

[PurpleCanary 5,554]

Did the game go any way towards solving what appears to be Hughton''s main tactical dilemma - that he wants to play 4-4-1-1 but seems not to have someone who can satisfactorily fill that No. 10 role? Elmander is not that man and it didn''t sound as if Hoolahan impressed there tonight either. If so then that leaves either Fer or Howson, or a changed system.

[morty 0]

Can''t disagree with much of that, and your last point is interesting. I just managed to catch a bit of the Villa - Spurs game, and both sides had a pace and eagerness about them that I don''t see from Norwich often enough. That said, the pressure of expectation can weigh a player down, and I hope the result tonight has put the spring back in a few steps.

[ReadingCanary 0]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"]Did the game go any way towards solving what appears to be Hughton''s main tactical dilemma - that he wants to play 4-4-1-1 but seems not to have someone who can satisfactorily fill that No. 10 role? Elmander is not that man and it didn''t sound as if Hoolahan impressed there tonight either. If so then that leaves either Fer or Howson, or a changed system.[/quote]Sounded to me like Hoolahan was good, but just couldn''t pick that killer passWhen he moved to the wing he was completely non existent.Hughton then changed things up again moving Hoolahan into midfield which was better than the wing but still left him a bit isolated.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Wes has hardly played. Tonight will do him good. Him and Hooper get to start against Stoke IMO. Pilks left and Redmond right.

 

[Robert911 0]

Sadly I feel that he will revert to his "best" XI and tonights performances will stand for nothing. Expect to see the usual suspects return on Sunday

[mrs miggins 0]

don''t be too optimistic Robert.

I hope we''ll play Hooper and RVW because we need a win.

....I say we need a win but we are on a better points tally than we were last season at this stage when we finished 11th, but everyone seems to have pi$$ed their pants, got a new pair, pi$$ed in those and just thought ''you know what, I don''t need them, it''s my body, i''ll do what I want.'' ......i may have gone off topic

[littleyellowbirdie 2,510]

[quote user="Robert911"]Sadly I feel that he will revert to his "best" XI and tonights performances will stand for nothing. Expect to see the usual suspects return on Sunday[/quote]

I don''t agree. Hughton''s definitely experimenting at the moment as far as developing attacking play is concerned. We''re short a winger with E Bennett out of commission and I wouldn''t be surprised to see Murphy on the subs bench come Sunday.

[can u sit down please 0]

On the radio they were saying that Wes was by far our best player in the first half and then got moved on to the wing and then cm.

Still our best no10.

[*** 0]

Just watch favour Elmander ahead of Hoops at Stoke.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

After the Watford game I wrote:

For me, tonight, the match has turned the spotlight onto our players some of whom need to grow a pair, work harder and take responsibility. Hughton now has to decide who to drop for the Stoke game.

 

Hughton changed his bench but not much of his first eleven other than as injury forced him to, however, as a long time critic of Hughton in latter games I believed the players let everyone down through lack of fight, spark, approach; whatever you want to call it but today they played the kind of high tempo pressing game they need to play at this level.

 

We did to Stoke what Spurs did to us on a basic level; especially in the first half and they were on the back foot.

 

Very few midfielders in the PL are good enough to play as a pair only and most sides set up three against you. We certainly need three in the middle and to Hughton''s credit he made it one deep and two advanced, unlike Stoke who did the opposite.

 

If you support Norwich City you will know the best option is for Hughton to get results and keep his job. It doesn''t matter how much the rubbish served up in recent months and the frankly appalling results upset you he has spent a lot of money, has his own side and it would be best if the players got their games together and we pick up points. I don''t blame people for getting upset but I do wonder how slowly some see improvements and the opportunities to get a foothold and move forward. Confidence is a fragile thing and we should take the opportunity of the last two games to help build it.

 

Yes, the next match is tough, but we are at home and are very capable of getting a result. We are certainly capable of giving Chelsea a very good game providing the players keep the application and don''t make gifts.

 

Hughton gets his 10 games then. He has had his break. Let''s judge him again after 10 league matches because he now has some momentum.