Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Tetteys Jig

Rickys Problem

Recommended Posts

Thinking about this, his problem scoring goals we all agree isn''t due to his ability. I had a thought that maybe they aren''t doing enough.

How about they hold a Ricky themed training session for all the players to understand the way he plays more. He could present some suggestions for how he can be more useful and some tips on what people should work on for him.

I appreciate he might seem arrogant if he threw his toys out of the pram and demanded everyone pass to him because he''s so great but you know what? He should show a bit more arrogance in my book. Maybe not KP levels that will just prove disruptive, but levels that show he''s fighting the same corner as the rest in that he wants us to win more.

He needs to demonstrate to the players how good he is at finishing and finding space. They then need to go out to the training pitch and for a few extra hours, simply work at timing the right balls to him and he can use Hooper, Becchio and Morris as other targets to distract. I don''t think 1 extra low level physical training session is too much to ask.

The post match analyst could come up with a video showing all the great unfed runs that Ricky has made and demonstrate to the team why their tactic of swinging a hopeful ball into him isn''t working as he''s not a big 6 foot 5 unit that can out muscle the likes of John Terry and co in the air.

What he can do to Terry is play on his low pace and occasional slip up and find space in behind him or between him and the other centre back. That is where he has thrived before.

I really think this is the one major flaw in our season and I think if we had 5 more goals to put Ricky on 6, we''d be sitting mid table waiting for next season practically already.

So tomorrow Hughts, forget working on set pieces and shutting out attacks or even getting the ball out wide and retaining posession, have a whole day planned to work on Ricky, don''t give up on him before it''s too late, he represents nearly half our total summer investment and so we need to invest more time in him.

He''s not a particularly special footballer with tricks or pace etc but he has the potential to be one of the most natural goalscorers in europe, much like Klass Jan Huntelaar is.

The reason Hooper has fitted in better is because the players are more used to his type and his natural game has him scrap about a bit more for the ball.

All it will take is 2 or 3 chances (clear cut) that have found Ricky''s movement in behind or between the back line and he''ll get that goal to end his dry spell.

I think he has to be played versus Man City and even if we lost but RVW scored and scared the Man City defence, we''d have gained a lot playing them.

It allows Hooper to get fresh for the West Ham game as well.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Kind of ironic that you say RVW "isn''t a big unit that can outmuscle the likes of John Terry in the air" JS.

Watch our goal against Chelsea and you will see exactly that very thing happen.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

it is down to ability.... a "ricky theamed training session"... its a premiership football club.. not local lads under 9s.....

how many games without a goal despite getting chances now? 8.5 million is money wasted, it doesnt make him a good player....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

He needs to be stronger on the ball, that is for sure. He''s brushed aside like a feather.

 

It''s something he can pretty easily learn but with his clear lack of confidence it might be difficult for him to develop that kind of assertiveness.

 

Sometimes players need that season to settle in so I hope to be able to judge him next season for us in the Prem but I think it''s starting to look pretty unlikely we''ll see a significant turnaround from him this time out.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I don''t care if it''s a premiership club, we should be investing more time in unlocking his talents. It take some player greater adjustment. We have invested money into him so we should invest more time. We clearly know how to do set pieces and know how to get the ball out wide and know how to defend, there are just consistency issues there but what we haven''t done is worked on adapting to Ricky''s strengths.

Maybe we could learn a thing or two from the under 9''s teams...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Unfortunately, I suspect that the staff at the Etihad will have been looking at videos of RvW and all our players all the week, They have the staff and imagination to prepare plans to counter us at our best.

We can always hope that Hughton, Trollope and Calderwood have been doing the same, but I doubt whether they have the imagination or the squad.

It''s a good thought but... We have to do something which we do not normally do (I don''t mean to win, but, yes, even that!). We have to shut out Toure in particular, and we have to be at the rest as we did at Stoke, and we have to run into spaces to be ready to receive the ball, and... well, you get the idea.)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Jimmy Smith.

 

Would like to say well done on a good, positive post.  I think this is a great idea and I would be very concerned if they haven''t already tried to utilise RVW more in training and integrate his skills, ability and movement in with the rest of his team mates.

But....The lack of anything from RVW in the matches he has played this season would suggest that they haven''t put as much focus on him as they should be doing.

As you say, he is our record purchase, he''s scored goals before wherever he has been and good goals too so why would you then not invest the required time in him also to ensure he is playing to the best of his ability for Norwich City?

 

YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2008–2009Vitesse33(8)
2009–2011Utrecht64(26)
2011–2013Sporting CP55(28)
2013–Norwich City15(1)

 

It''s now common knowledge that Man Utd were scouting him for quite some time and were seriously looking to buy.  That doesn''t automatically guarantee him being a success but the fact a top team such as Utd were looking at him is interesting none-the-less and shows a "coup" for us to have been able to bring him here.  We was all delighted when he came in so the best option is to work hard with him and for the fans to keep with him and stop slating him!

There could one of a hundred reasons as to why he isn''t scoring at the moment: -

* Hughtons formation/tactics (Seems the logical option as Grant Holt went from a prolific goal-scorer to not scoring)

* Confidence

* Team mates not on the same wave-length

* Not being fully fit

* Adapting to English football

I could go on.....

 

There have been many strikers over the years who have had a goal-scoring drought at some point.  Every striker goes through it.  Maybe due to various issues RVW isn''t hitting the heights we expected at the moment....But you don''t just go from being a top goal scorer to not being able to hit a barn door "just like that"!

 

As supporters, we have a role to play.  The majority of "Supporters", and i use that term loosley, no longer support.  Support to me involves singing, chanting, clapping, getting behind your team and players no matter what.  If they arn''t the best team of players you have ever seen then it doesn''t matter.........Back them anyway!  Just be a supporter and have fun at matches.  If they are bloody useless then they are "our" bloody useless players and to me, means we should back them to raise them even more.  I don''t believe we have any useless players at our club.  We have ones which need coaching, guiding and a confidence boost at this moment in time.  And as supporters that is what we should be bringing on a match day to the team we dedicate so much time and money towards to follow.  Stop the whinging, moaning, groaning and general show depreciation towards our players and get behind them!  If Hooper blazes a chance towards the corner flag..........Start singing his name even more.........Raise his confidence! 

When Bradley Johnson makes a way-ward pass...........Don''t all do a universal groan........start singing his name!  He knows better than anybody that he would have just messed-up and done something rubbish, he doesn''t need thousands of his own supporters groaning in unison all around him to point the fact out even more!  It can only make him more nervous about the next pass he makes.

 

Norwich fans the best in the world..........Premier League the best league in the world????  Don''t make me laugh!

 

Rant over.........for now!

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The support thing is very true. I have been to some very poisonous atmospheres at Ewood Park and the Riverside and thought how can these teams possibly play well with this crowd behind them? (funnily enough, Blackburn beat us that day and Boro got a draw!).

I know the support thing works as well, as I remember when Elvis played for us and i said something like "much better Elvis" when he nearly scored and he definately put his thumb up to me and played with real vigour for the next 5 mins or so (probably his only 5 good mins for us!).

I think that while Ricky needs to help himself a bit more, it''s a team effort and we''ve all got to get behind him including the rest of the team and staff. At the moment, I feel he does need the extra attention as we can all massively benefit from him hitting his potential. Another day it will hopefully be him helping out a new arrival or something that needs a bit of encouragement.

For that, i''d use the game at the weekend to give him the start over Hooper who incidentally has started his own scoring drought (hard to score when none of the team are). We''ve nothing to lose against Man City and it will then give us the option of a fully rested Hoops or possibly a newly confident RVW for the West Ham game.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Leroy Fer has the eye and ability for a killer pass, the kind Ricky will thrive on whilst splitting the defence - i feel Hughton needs to be utilising that quality Leroy possesses much more, and encouraging him to do so.

I really do feel the problem more than anything is that Ricky is just devoid of confidence at the moment, there is no doubt he possesses lots of ability but for the aforementioned reason we are not seeing anywhere near the best of him at the moment which is a shame. However, this is hopefully a good omen - i believe Ricky scored a hattrick against Man City a few years back - so hopefully he''ll view the game like Suarez does when he faces us... ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Mr Smith what is your profession in life?  Because you talk a hell of a lot of sense...........Maybe new Norwich manager?? ;-)

 

Totally agree with everything you have said again.  Our support is a disgrace and it''s rapidly got worse since being in the Prem.  Carrow Road needs a section like the Palace fans or the Green Brigade at Celtic who will sing and chat with banners and flags and just have a whole lot of fun regardless of the teams performance or the result!  The atmosphere created by this would then transpire to other parts of teh ground and make for a really exciting and enjoyable day out at football!

"If" the club does ever decide to build the City stand up with an extra tier then i reckon a large corner where teh current snake pit is (upper and lower tier) would be the best place to situate our very own "Green Brigade".

 

The fun needs to be put back into a day out at football!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good post CD84;   the raw skills for RvW are there,  we just need to exploit them.

 

However its not just RvW that has "the problem",  19 goals in 24 games overall more than hints are a more generic problem than a so called waste of money on one sh!t player - if it was just RvWs problem we would see a marked difference in goal rates per game with and without him playing - we dont.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...