Time for Ofoe to be a hero (latest blog)

[Daniel Brigham 0]

We liked what we saw of Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe on YouTube. Now it''s time to see what he can do over 90 minutes. By Daniel BrighamMaking movie trailers must be one of the easiest jobs out there.From

over 90 minutes of footage, no matter how bad, there will always be at

least two minutes'' worth of you-really-wanna-watch-this-film sexiness.

Suspenseful music. Shot of outerspace. Shot of a desolate alien

landscape. Shot of good-looking people with heroic expressions. Shot of

people running from an unknown terror. Shot of explosions in the dark.

Shot of futuristic guns. Dramatic voiceover. Easy.The trouble is that, too often, rather than Aliens you get a 10ft-tall John Travolta with a squid on his head in Battlefield Earth.

Just like you can’t trust a trailer to tell you whether a film is going

to be turkey or terrific, you can’t trust YouTube clips to tell you

whether your team’s new signing is going to be Ronaldo or Rebrov.So

it was a relief to hear that Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe’s substitute appearance

against Leeds suggested he was more Sigourney Weaver than Travolta.

After all, he’d looked great on YouTube. Two-footed, powerful, dynamic.

He was Leroy Fer with fewer comedy stopovers but more punch. On

the strength of those five minutes of YouTube footage, many Norwich

fans – me included – threw him straight into their favoured starting XI.

Where did he play in the starting line up? Well, depending on whose

team it was, he was on the right, in the hole, on the left, an attacking

central midfielder or a defensive midfielder. We didn’t really know his

best position but, hey, just look at that mazy run and lovely finish

against that team who play in white in Belgium! Then something

strange happened. Despite many of us wanting him to start, the actual

Norwich City manager, Neil Adams, wasn’t picking him. Hadn’t he seen the

YouTube footage? Hadn’t he seen that mazy goal against that team in

white? As Norwich began to struggle for creativity in the middle

over the last month, Ofoe’s absence appeared even more curious. Still

people demanded he start. Perhaps some still based their insistence on

those YouTube performances, but increasingly it was because people just

wanted to have a look at him, to see whether he justified Vincent

Kompany tweeting “Vadis Odjidja is a top player, mark my words” when

Everton almost signed him in 2012. At Adams’ press conference on

Thursday it became a little clearer. Adams revealed that the thigh

injury Ofoe had suffered from since he joined had been hampering him

more than initially suspected. Now, Adams says, he is training at 100%.

His promising substitute appearance on Tuesday night is, finally, cause

for optimism based on more than just YouTube. Ofoe could be

exactly what Norwich need right now because, as mildly worrying as their

performances have become, there is no single, big issue causing their

dip. I made an unexpected and slightly terrifying last-minute debut as a

co-presenter on Radio Norfolk’s Canary Call after the Fulham defeat and

it was clear that no one could quite put their finger on what was

causig Norwich’s recent malaise (apart from one caller, who seemed very

insistent that Adams should be sacked and replaced with Tony Pulis in

order to bring back “entertaining football”. It’s certainly a theory). Some

blamed Wes Hoolahan (while missing the point that he wasn’t getting

quick enough ball from midfield – you don’t blame a good actor for a bad

script), some blamed the referee (too easy), some blamed time-wasting

by opponents (Norwich need to stop giving teams the opportunity to waste

time) some blamed Steven Whittaker (odd, when scoring goals is the

problem), some blamed Adams (he’s got far more right than wrong – we’re

fifth, after all), some blamed Nathan Redmond (despite him being our

only constant threat during the barren run), some blamed Bradley Johnson

(well ... fair enough), some blamed Alex Tettey (back right off there).

When people are failing to find obvious answers to why a team

is underperforming it usually suggests that the issue is a collection of

minor faults rather than one or two major ones. Theoretically, this

should make fixing things easier.  If Norwich were a movie, they

wouldn’t need any significant recasting or reshoots. Just a bit of

tinkering in the edit: play strikers as strikers rather than trying to

appease them by playing them out of position on the wings, move the ball

quicker, attack through the middle as well as the flanks and find a

central defensive partnership that isn’t regularly pinballed in and out.

Ofoe – a fresh face with fresh ideas – could be the man who

helps get the tinkering started. Get him into a midfield with Jonny

Howson and Tettey while Hoolahan is injured and give him the chance to

be the hero, to turn what looks like an impending disaster for Norwich

into a happy ending. From trailer to movie, this is Ofoe’s opportunity

to be the leading man we all hoped he would be.Daniel Brigham is a freelance sportswriter. He tweets at @dan_brigham

[nutty nigel 7,656]

I was right with you Daniel until "some blamed Bradley Johnson (well ... fair enough),"! I assume you wrote this before Tuesdays game. Because the much heralded Howson for Johnson change made no difference whatsoever. In fact we got the ball forward slower against Leeds than we had the previous home game against Rotherham.

 

Strangely I think a fit Vadis could be a decent alternative to Bradley. Tettey and Vadis in centre midfield excites me more than other combinations.

 

I think Adams is doing exactly the right thing with Vadis. So many times we see foreign players come straight into our leagues and struggle to have an impact. Making sure he''s fit and prepared looks like good management to me. If Vadis comes good I hope Adams gets the credit for that.

 

 

[BroadstairsR 2,224]

I''m sure you echo the thoughts of many of us DB and the team surely needs a vital new input at this moment in time. VOO would seem to fit the bill perfectly.I also have similar hopes about the return of a fully-fit Gary Hooper and believe that, if he lives up to his reputation at this level, the pair of them could make quite an impact.Add young Ryan Bennett to this duo and we have three players who, IMO, could readily be put in our starting eleven as we tip-toe somewhat into the second quarter of this long season.

[Daniel Brigham 0]

Hi Nutty. I think the problem is that we will never get the ball forward quickly in a 4-4-2! Also, I''d say Howson was the best player on the pitch against Rotherham - drove forward and distributed quickly.

[nutty nigel 7,656]

Thanks for responding Daniel. I thought Bradley was MOM against Rotherham. I thought he got the ball forward quicker  because his long balls are better. Johnson often gets criticised for his passing and yet against Rotherham it was better than Howson''s. I don''t know why he gets soooo much stick. The criticisms never seem to match the performance and I tend to think that, like with Wes, people remember a glaring misplaced pass and taint the whole performance with it. Anyway, below is a link to the Whoscored .com match stats from that game. What do you make of them?

 

http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/830152/LiveStatistics/England-Championship-2014-2015-Norwich-Rotherham

 

 

 

 

[Daniel Brigham 0]

Funny how people see matches differently! Interesting stats, but thought Howson was more incisive and creative with his passing. Johnson''s a fine Championship midfielder but I think Tettey and Howson are more creative, have more intent going forward and are less prone to poor games. Thought Johnson was dreadful at Craven Cottage - Tettey spent most of the first half mopping up after Johnson.

As I said though - it''s always difficult to move the ball quickly in a 4-4-2 because it''s so easy to defend against.

[nutty nigel 7,656]

Yes many people said Bradders was poor at the Cottage. I wouldn''t dispute it because I wasn''t there. I only make real judgements on the games I''ve seen. Then a look at the stats can be interesting even if they don''t tally with the views formed. Anyway Daniel, I''m quite defensive about Johnson because he''s a real club man. He was our player who other clubs showed most interest in over the summer. He was also one of the first to pledge his future here and commit to the fight to get us back up. I don''t think he deserved that little jibe on your blog but that''s just me.

 

I agree Ofoe could be a hero this season. He could be Neil''s Damian Francis!

 

I heard you on Canary Call and one of our original PUPs Michael Bailey was summarising. We could have had a full house if you were to join us and make a selection once in a while. You''d be made very welcome and I know deep down you want to[;)]

 

 

[GJP 79]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

. He was our player who other clubs showed most interest in over the summer. He was also one of the first to pledge his future here and commit to the fight to get us back up. I don''t think he deserved that little jibe on your blog but that''s just me.

 

[/quote]

He committed to his future here because he knew nothing better was coming along. That''s just the kind of thing players do. If Arsenal (or probably most Prem clubs) had come in for him he''d have quickly forgotten his loyalty to Norwich.

[nutty nigel 7,656]

That maybe the case. But he didn''t mess Norwich around trying to find out. Try not to be too cynical GJ :)

[Dubai Mark 0]

For me not one of your better offerings DB. Bringing in one player will not be the solution, just as making two or three changes vs Leeds was not the solution. Its about the team being prepared correctly and having the right tactics and mental state throughout 90 minutes to win matches, and this is simply down to "the management" who do seem to be struggling getting what is a great squad to perform to its potential or, at times close to its potential, despite it being clear the effort is being put in by all. I still am backing NA and his coaching team, and believe things will turn round very soon....

[ZLF 279]

I agree Dubai that it is too simplistic to expect one player to have such an impact but still feel it was an enjoyable read.

 

The outstanding issues for me are

- balancing the attacking threat across both flanks (not just redmond) and more importantly through the middle (where hopefully VOO can have an influence - only Wes has more than one assist centrally this season - and its approaching two years since Johnny had one)

- focus on moving the ball forward sooner;  we have seen what feels like an increasing number of sideways passes,  which allows defences to get set, double up on redmond and prepare for the inevitable cross.

- better movement from the strikers - especially noticable 442 the movement almost stops;  runs and wanting the ball encourages creativity / attacking play from the midfield. 

- getting the formation right - switching 4231, 4222, 442 suggests that we are not yet certain of what our best team structure is.  2 centrally regularly sees up over run in midfield.

 - better defensive discipline.   Its great having full backs who think they are wingers but we are regularly being exposed at the back as a result of them being too far forward.   The woeful lack of pace in the cbs does not help this;  basically we have to defend better as a back 4 unit.

- decide on a CB partnership - the chopping and changing helps no one.   IMO Turners performances have dipped slightly as a result of changes.

- Keep Martin as a RB;   Turner always outperforms him centrally;   Hooiveld has had better games than Turner.   Pace is an issue centrally though