Huckerby Worry

[Scot the Canary 0]

Huckerby is undoubtedly one of the best things to happen to Norwich for many a season. At the moment, he is the difference berween us making it and not.
Sitting in the Barclay, I have seen two occasions fairly closely when he has gone over in the box. Once, he was booked and the other was on Saturday when to me it looked as if he fell over himself.
I am concerned that he will get the wrong reputation. Everyone uses the rules and bends them a little. But maybe, just maybe, he will go too far at times. He has great speed and will use this to best advantage. My great concern is that referees will not give what look like cast iron penalties when there are so many softer claims going on.
I am not calling him a diver, but I would like him to look at his behaviour in the box.
What do you think?

[a1canary 0]

I think you''re being kind Scot - he is a diver! Great player, wouldn''t have him play for anyone else, but i still think he''s a diver. I also think he has already got himself a reputation with the refs. He must have had a dozen penalty appeals since he''s been with us and how many have been awarded? One.
I know he moves fast and is tricky etc but i still think he could stay on his feet more. Opposition players are going to be terrified the minute he gets in the box and won''t dare tackle him so he should be able to do more damage by staying up.

[irishcanary 0]

I agree, i would hope genuinely that his pace has caused him to fall at the slightest challenge rather then diving, as surely on saturday he would have been better crossing the ball into the area then trying to win a penalty. He does appear to take great pleasure in providing goals for others and i am not bothered by him not scoring as long as he is playing aswell as he did on saturday when at times he was marked by three utd players

[Jim Smith 2,314]

For me the biggest worry is that he''s now only 1 booking away from a suspension having been booked 4 times. 2 of them were for diving and 1 for that completely unecessary (but amusing) tackle on Kenny on saturday. If he gets booked again in one of our games coming up then he could miss a crucial promotion 6 pointer through suspension as a result of the totally needless bookings he keeps picking up.

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

I agree that Hucks does appear to be a bit of a diver. There is the chance that when he''s running at 3 times the speed of light, only a little niggle can bring him down? The main problem is though when he does get genuinly hacked down, which he will do with his pace, he won''t get those decisions cos of his reputation

[a1canary 0]

True, suspension looms for him, no doubt about that, but then we can bring back the Svensson/Leon partnership as V Ipswich. At least we have stength in depth in attack with Hucks/Robbo and Svensson/Leon. Personally don''t think there''s a lot to choose between those two pairings.

[MadDan 0]

I think the young scamp knows what he is doing

Does have an off putting effect on defenders and will maybe get the odd penalty

Watch his run before he crosses for the goal on saturday - the Sheff Utd defender puts his hands up and avoids any contact after Hucks goes past. He leaves him alone. It does work.

Rather it didn''t. I know what the response to him from the Carrow Road faithful would be were he not to be in a City shirt.

So stay up lad.

Or you''ll simply be thought a cheat, likewise City

[Kathy 733]

I think City have been too much the other way at times. Note the number of times this season and last when we have kicked the ball out of play when an opponent lies injured only to have the favour not repaid when the same thing happenes to us five minutes later. It is about time we got streetwise. If we go up gentlemanly behaviour wont get us anywhere in the premier league. It doesnt exist there.

[Old Boy 0]

Like the other posters, I don''t like to see players going down easily in the box, but it''s become part of football at the highest level - Van Nistelroy and Owen are just two of the world-class strikers who do it in England. That puts pressure on all strikers to do it. I think it will be balanced out by referees becoming less willing to give penalties (e.g. the Blades'' appeal, which I thought was a penalty :-)) or more willing to give a yellow for diving.