Norwich - tempting fate

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Very much a reserved middle Class supporter base at Norwich and it showed last night...the infamous Delia 'where are you' rant a few seasons ago must have been very embarrassing for them...

[Mercer]

4 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

If we could trust the idiots to appoint a sensible replacement I'd be right there with you on this. Trouble is we can't. We got shown up last night by a team playing 2019 style football. We're still playing last century football.

I think we need to roll the dice.  Changing a manager is a risk for any club, even Manchester United as they've found to their cost.

I will not buy any season tickets for the family whilst this, IMO, dinosaur of a manager remains at our club.

In the main, I think our football is dreadful and I am sick and tired of what I think is b 0 l l0cks and bullsh1t from Mowbray.  I think his comments and excuses are now right up there with what we used to hear from Kean and C o y l e.

[Stuart]

Just now, Mercer said:

I think we need to roll the dice.  Changing a manager is a risk for any club, even Manchester United as they've found to their cost.

I will not buy any season tickets for the family whilst this, IMO, dinosaur of a manager remains at our club.

In the main, I think our football is dreadful and I am sick and tired of what I think is b 0 l l0cks and bullsh1t from Mowbray.  I think his comments and excuses are now right up there with what we used to hear from Kean and C o y l e.

I think his comments have improved of late.

My concern is that talk is cheap.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Carrot crunchers

If things hadn't been going well we could've been treated to a bit of the old 'Let's be avin ya' from a well refreshed Delia.

She was only " Tired and emotional " as they say in " Private Eye ".

[Leonard Venkhater]

2 hours ago, Atko's Engine said:

We were outclassed last night no doubt, they ought to have been 4 up after 20 mins & we should've been down to 10 men. But credit where it's due, we got one back quickly and I think that contributed to them reining in their ambition for the remainder of the game.

On that performance alone we're miles off Norwich, but one performance doesn't tell the whole story. Half our team was out of sorts yesterday as opposed to the usual 2 or 3, and as someone above pointed out Norwich were no great shakes at Ewood in December.

Clearly we need strengthening, with 5 or 6 first team ability players needed this summer. Mowbray seems to acknowledge that so it should be interesting. Norwich & Sheff U are something to aspire to and we absolutely should be aiming for a proper promotion push next season. But at the same time they ought not necessarily to be used as a stick to beat Mowbray with as this league is so unpredictable. I think it's clear that our style of play is evolving into something more dynamic than long balls to DG, so it'll be interesting to see what direction his recruitment takes us the summer.

Agreed.

To be honest, I felt a bit embarrassed that we didn't lay a glove on them really and we were on TV in front of the nation.

Since the infestation, we have never been in contention. I think all but one of our seasons in the Championship have seen us finish in the bottom half of the table...and we have been in relegation trouble for three of those seasons.

This is why I am resistant to the forgetful, "start again" analysis that focuses on the fact that we only came up last year...so we should be satisfied etc.

Last year was merely an anaesthetic ,or an escapist trip away from Venky Hell....The summer will reveal so much, but let's not hold our collective breath.

[Stuart]

Lenihan’s tackle wasn’t a red card offence. Williams covered him from being last man.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Just now, Stuart said:

Lenihan’s tackle wasn’t a red card offence. Williams covered him from being last man.

But some gave red card performances...

[arbitro]

Just now, Stuart said:

Lenihan’s tackle wasn’t a red card offence. Williams covered him from being last man.

In real time and not having seen it again I thought red. I couldn't see Williams getting back to challenge from the angle he was coming around from and Pukki had a straight run at goal.

More worrying though was what the hell was Lenihan thinking of. He turned his body 180 degrees to face his own goal and Pukki read it. His control was that poor that it gave Pukki a chance. Why didn't he just play the way he was facing or head it. Lenihan has been decent lately but something his decision making is poor.

[philipl]

Putting things even more in perspective.

Norwich in the summer received £37.5m in transfer fees (Maddison to Leicester for £25m, Murphy to Cardiff £11.5m).

Spending was £5.75m of which our very own Ben Marshall was most expensive for £1.75m and Leitner and Buendia were £1.5m each. Pukki and Krul were freebies. Aarons has come through the youth set up.

Some regular Championship names are returning to Carrow Road after loans out- Marshall, Oliveira, Naismith, Husband... 

[LDRover]

It has to be said that Elliott Bennett has now regressed to little more than a tub thumping cheer leader - like a modern Howard Gayle without the end product.

I mean , thst cross yesterday...blimey.

[Stuart]

Just now, arbitro said:

In real time and not having seen it again I thought red. I couldn't see Williams getting back to challenge from the angle he was coming around from and Pukki had a straight run at goal.

More worrying though was what the hell was Lenihan thinking of. He turned his body 180 degrees to face his own goal and Pukki read it. His control was that poor that it gave Pukki a chance. Why didn't he just play the way he was facing or head it. Lenihan has been decent lately but something his decision making is poor.

That was the bit I didn’t understand either. Very ill advised.

[DE.]

3 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Since the infestation, we have never been in contention. I think all but one of our seasons in the Championship have seen us finish in the bottom half of the table...and we have been in relegation trouble for three of those seasons.

We finished in the top half twice under Bowyer, but that's all, and it was with a squad containing the likes of Paul Robinson, Grant Hanley, Shane Duffy, Tom Cairney, Craig Conway (when he was good), Jordan Rhodes (when he was good), Rudy Gestede and Josh King, so it was still a major underachievement. I don't think we have exceeded expectations in any season under Venky's. We met expectation last year by getting promoted out of League 1, and that's the best we've had. 

Just now, LDRover said:

It has to be said that Elliott Bennett has now regressed to little more than a tub thumping cheer leader - like a modern Howard Gayle without the end product.

I mean , thst cross yesterday...blimey.

In fairness if he was aiming for the opposite corner flag he was spot on. If not then I struggle to understand how a professional footballer manages to mishit a cross that badly. He wasn't even under any serious pressure. 

[SBlue]

53 minutes ago, Stuart said:

I think his comments have improved of late.

My concern is that talk is cheap.

Mowbray is making some very ruthless noises.

I don’t hold the current squad to the same high expectations as some and we’re going to be a work in progress for a while. I would hope those amongst us getting impatient can see this and see some seeds of action to back up the words in the summer.

Venky dependant of course. It can go either way.

Changing the manager now takes us back a year at least. Rinse and repeat. It always does whilst the squad is weak. I see the squad and team improving year on year currently and am therefore looking forward to the transfer window barring any vultures and the aforementioned owner issues.

We can’t be saying talk is cheap when it sounds good but on the other hand dissecting every phrase and taking it as gospel from edited LT articles when it’s found to be questionable.

As for the game - it had shades of on-the-beach but we were playing a team, proven over the season, to be the best in the league. They needed a result at home to be promoted. I’m not too surprised or disappointed with how it panned out and we had some exciting young players on the pitch there at the end that moved the ball about well. 

Baby steps and something to build on.

Edited April 28, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[Exiled_Rover]

9 hours ago, JHRover said:

Well beaten but fortunately a combination of a couple of good saves, good fortune and missed opportunities kept the scoreline respectable.

But we were outdone from start to finish really. The fact they only needed a point to go up meant they could take their foot off the gas in the last 20-30 minutes.

Ultimately I think we're so far off clubs like Norwich in our entire operation it is scary. 

Of course they have shown that it is possible to go from midtable to Champions in 1 year with some smart recruitment and without throwing the chequebook at it. But one look at the sort of business they've done in recruitment, their style of play and entire operation in general with a clear vision of where they want to go and how to put their limited finances to good use - way beyond anything we have.

We've had a decent season but lets not kid ourselves that we're going to emulate them next season.

I've seen this comment a few times in relation to the game last night.

I'm sorry, but that's nonsense. This was their promotion party (thank you Sky - also can we please never have Keith Andrews on the panel when we're playing?) and they were out for a celebration.

Fact of the matter is they tried to blow us away in that first half an hour and then couldn't keep it up for the rest of the game. We weathered the storm. They were playing for time with 30 minutes to go - you don't do that unless you're knackered. We lack quality going forward of they'd have been punished for it.

[AllRoverAsia]

1 hour ago, tomphil said:

Carrot crunchers

If things hadn't been going well we could've been treated to a bit of the old 'Let's be avin ya' from a well refreshed Delia.

Delia looks pissed even when shes probably not. She has just got the look.

[SBlue]

Just now, AllRoverAsia said:

Delia looks pissed even when shes probably not. She has just got the look.

Or she’s always pissed ?

Personally, in my own corporate area at a £150m promotion party - I’d have no doubt been charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

[Bootlaces]

If what ive heard from a friend is true, Mowbray left Norwich this morning on a flight to Berlin. Just looked at the fixtures in the area the only one that jumps out is union Berlin in the 2nd tier plqyimg Hamburger SV. They have a good Keeper but unsure who else hed be looking at, they also have Seb Polter that used to play for QPR. Could be intereating as playera from the German leagues generally do well here.

[Bootlaces]

34 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Lenihan’s tackle wasn’t a red card offence. Williams covered him from being last man.

You and i both know Williams wasnt going to catch him or even get close.

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Bootlaces said:

If what ive heard from a friend is true, Mowbray left Norwich this morning on a flight to Berlin. Just looked at the fixtures in the area the only one that jumps out is union Berlin in the 2nd tier plqyimg Hamburger SV. They have a good Keeper but unsure who else hed be looking at, they also have Seb Polter that used to play for QPR. Could be intereating as playera from the German leagues generally do well here.

In the LT it said he was flying straight off after the Norwich game last night and cut his presser short for that reason. So your mate is probably right give or take a few hours. 

[SBlue]

Just now, Bootlaces said:

If what ive heard from a friend is true, Mowbray left Norwich this morning on a flight to Berlin. Just looked at the fixtures in the area the only one that jumps out is union Berlin in the 2nd tier plqyimg Hamburger SV. They have a good Keeper but unsure who else hed be looking at, they also have Seb Polter that used to play for QPR. Could be intereating as playera from the German leagues generally do well here.

Just trying to strike a deal to keep Dacky happy.

[Bootlaces]

Just now, S8 & Blue said:

Just trying to strike a deal to keep Dacky happy.

???

[Stuart]

Just now, Bootlaces said:

You and i both know Williams wasnt going to catch him or even get close.

Doesn’t matter. It meant that Lenihan wasn’t the last man. That would have been the only problem as it wasn’t a red card challenge.

[arbitro]

Just now, Stuart said:

Doesn’t matter. It meant that Lenihan wasn’t the last man. That would have been the only problem as it wasn’t a red card challenge.

'Last man' is a red herring. The referee has to decide if Williams could have made up enough ground to make the challenge or did Lenihan deny Pukki a clear goalscoring opportunity. That then comes down interpretation and the man in the middle read it like you did. I didn't think Williams would get there factoring in Pukki's pace and direct run at goal but it's all about opinion. And VAR wouldn't really be much use here as nobody could say with certainty that the referee was right or wrong, in other words not a clear and obvious error.

[Stuart]

Just now, arbitro said:

'Last man' is a red herring. The referee has to decide if Williams could have made up enough ground to make the challenge or did Lenihan deny Pukki a clear goalscoring opportunity. That then comes down interpretation and the man in the middle read it like you did. I didn't think Williams would get there factoring in Pukki's pace and direct run at goal but it's all about opinion. And VAR wouldn't really be much use here as nobody could say with certainty that the referee was right or wrong, in other words not a clear and obvious error.

But surely this is the reason that the rule is whether there is another player between attacker and goal. Nobody can accurately predict if the forward would definitely got past Williams. He could have made a superbly timed challenge or had a huge burst of pace (“where did that come from?) or the player could have stumbled, or any combination of things.

My recollection was that Williams has got far enough back - just - that the striker didn’t only have to get past Lenihan to take a shot.

[arbitro]

Just now, Stuart said:

But surely this is the reason that the rule is whether there is another player between attacker and goal. Nobody can accurately predict if the forward would definitely got past Williams. He could have made a superbly timed challenge or had a huge burst of pace (“where did that come from?) or the player could have stumbled, or any combination of things.

My recollection was that Williams has got far enough back - just - that the striker didn’t only have to get past Lenihan to take a shot.

The referee has to factor all the information available to him at the time before making his decision but he has to be sure that the covering defender would have got around to make the challenge. He clearly did think Williams would. I didn't.

As I said it's down to opinion.