How do we approach Saturday & Do we dip into the market?

[Barclay End Lower 0]

So, we''re back at the all too familiar cross roads. How do we react after a very poor performance?I''m of the opinion that if you can''t play your ''first choice'' team, you change the shape to fit the players you have available. Not persist with square pegs in round holes.Brentford came to play football Saturday and were very impressive. It looked like we just turned up to boot the ball up in the air and chase shadows. Regardless, we were comfortably beaten, leaving us scratching our heads and staring at that all too familiar blank whiteboard.The case for defence is back upon us - Turner was sloppy, Cuellar very clumsy, Russell Martin weren''t at the races, leaving Olsson as our best defender on the day. So what do we do? Cuellar was fairly impressive for a handful of games, but has nosedived a little. He''s been quite clumsy and doesn''t win as many headers as turner IMO. Do we replace him with Bassong Saturday? Or should we stick with him & Turner? The Russ/Whittaker debate is unquestionable, Russ had an off day so shall retain his place. My back 4 for Saturday: Martin, Turner, Bassong, Olsson. Midfield: Whittaker and Johnson was always going to ask for trouble, so I shall say no more. It made sense in theory, but never was going to work in practice. We were crying out for someone to impose and shut down their attacks - we missed Tettey. Therefore, we must be careful & wrap him in cotton wool this week. Redmond was our best player Imo, the only one who took the game to them and kept going. Playing Lafferty as an out and out winger was another one that didn''t come off. He didn''t do much going forward and he didn''t defend. It still doesn''t work. My thoughts for our midfield? : Redmond, Tettey, Johnson, Hoolahan. I know Wes isn''t a winger, but that formation can interchange into a handful of different shapes, so that may be worth a try. It allows Wes to either be behind the front 2, out on the left of a diamond, or on the left wing. Failing that, should we put Bennett out on the left?Strikers: Jerome & Hooper remain our best 2. Although he''s offside a fair bit, Jerome still has the knack of being in the right place when a chance comes up. Unfortunately on Saturday, he hit it straight at the keeper. I''d stick with these two and play to their strengths, it wins us games. If we want to knock it long, we have to play Lafferty centrally. That''s the only way that it could work. Grabban is still best suited as an impact sub at present for me. He''s like an Earnshaw who takes 1 in 3/4 chances that fall his way.These are just my ramblings during my Monday morning procrastination, leaving me to wonder as to whether or not we should dip into the market for some new blood. Only 5 days to go...So, as we''re all armchair managers, what would you do?

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Yes we go into the transfer market. We buy a left midfielder, a centre back and a centre mid on loan (and a left back on loan if Olsson is sold).

Following this, we get Bassong back in the XI, Martin at right back, Turner in next to Bassong and Olsson (or Garrido) at left back. Ruddy in net.

In the middle, we get Tettey back hopefully and next to him comes Wes. Redmond on the right, Johnson on the left alternating with Wes at particular points. Hooper and Jerome continue up front, Whittaker "accidentally" left at the service station on the way there.

[hardley 0]

You have my admiration for the faith you still appear to have for this group of players who have let us down far too many times this season.

Cannot see the present pack producing a reasonable central back pairing in the middle of our defence. Bassong was to me the weak link last season and I think is no better than the recent pairings, Not sure from where or how but get a couple in quick.

Trust who ever.issued the instructions to play hoof ball will have had a change of heart.

Never in 65 yrs of following Norwich City have I seen a City team play like that even in the 1940''s when stuck at the bottom of Div 3 on the verge of extinction.

[mrs miggins 0]

Who do we sell as well though. In order to buy players,Mcnally said that we would also need to see some go in order for this to happen.

Out - Becchio

Hooiveld (only going back from loan)

In - left midfielder

However, we won''t get much for Becchio, soit could well be a loan that we go for in terms of getting a LM

[Nicko 0]

I would certainly get in a left sided midfielder. In a similar mould to Pilkington. Depending on the fitness of our CM''s I would consider a CM, although I would be tempted to stick McGrandles in there. A new, quality RB to challenge Russ Martin. Needed.I would also work on getting in a more effective goalkeeping coach.

[Barclay End Lower 0]

I guess it''s not much of an admiration, it''s just we''ve got what we have, so if we can''t improve the squad without weakening it, I guess we''ll have to make do?I''m just dreading that AN will go the same way as Adams in the market. No (so to speak) big budget experience, with Gary Holt & McAvoy to turn to. A raid on the SPL may bring a future gem, but it is not what we need.Hooiveld, Bunn and Becchio are probably the definite outs. I could also see Miquel going on loan somewhere? But that would need us to bring in another CB as extra cover, alongside the one we arguably already need. A left winger in the Pilkington mould would be a very good acquisition. We are so unbalanced on the left yet are persistent on continuing the way we are. Our only threat from that side is Olsson, and the gaps that are left to be exploited when he attacks are massive. Previous experiments with Murphy (When he''s started) and Bennett have been ineffective on the left side, so if we fail to get somebody in, what do we do?However, the ''hoof'' ball has to stop. Ineffective and horrendous to watch, If this is Alex''s ''Stamp'' then we can Ruddy well rub it off and buy a new one.

[smooth 114]

We win at all costs

Simply we win at all costs

Do we dip in the market? Absolutely we desperately need to go in ASAP.

AN needs leaders and quality to be the first 11.

We need a Scott Parker type, high high standards and single handily beat us a few times through his drive and leading the team forward.

We need a creative spark, two solid defenders (bassong could be 1 of those) VOO has a role, but we need impact right now in that first 11 and we need 3-4 new starters

As said VOO and bassong may be two of those but we need some quality to bring this group up to scratch.