Norwich vs Shrewsbury (Away) 23rd September 2014

[Trevmuttley]

O dear, why is it that we nearly always lose out when it comes to any cup match, I know the championship is the bread and butter but it would be nice to get a bit further in the cups.

 

[splutcho]

Sh*t happens I guess. Bit disappointing, but then aren't cups always disappointing when you're a Norwich fan?

 

[Yellowfuture]

Biggest shame for me is it doesn't sound as if any fringe players really made a mark.

 

[KeiranShikari]

Sounded like O'Neil and Howson had decent games. Of course they would have had to have been a bit more than decent to knock Johnson, Tettey or Hoolahan out.

 

[Yellow Fever]

Yes it was the disappointing performance more than the result. 

 

[Keckers]

Thought we should have taken a stronger bench. Always going to be tough playing 11 players not used to each other. Rudd faltered for the goal. Should have been more decisive. Disappointed we didn't at least trouble their keeper. A cup run would have been nice and keeping up the unbeaten run would have really buoyed the fans and the team for Saturday.

Oh well. On to the next one now. Maybe we'll have a run in the FA cup...

 

[Yellowfuture]

Sounded like O'Neil and Howson had decent games. Of course they would have had to have been a bit more than decent to knock Johnson, Tettey or Hoolahan out.

If they did Keiran that's good news, the game will certainly have done them good.

 

[Surgeryman]

Really disappointed. What's the point in any cup games these days? The focus is on the league is trotted out. Must get back to the Prem as a priority. Ok get that to a point but when you get to the Prem the priority is..... Staying in the Prem. So as I say what's the point anymore?

The line up looked strong but they have never played as a team. Youth players , players returning from injury...etc No shots on goal. That's awful against a league two side.

Rudd is never going to be much above a league 1 keeper if we are honest.

Sorry but I am old school, put out your best team ALL the time if you really want to win anything. I want to go to Wembley before I die but realistically that is not going to happen the way clubs like ours treat the competition.

 

[Surgeryman]

Sorry but really miffed about tonight!

 

[GJP]

It was difficult to expect too much tonight with so many changes to the team and so little experience for those guys of playing in a competitive match with each other.

I do think it's a shame the way the cup competitions have gone but for the way things are now if we get promoted at the end of the season I won't be too worried about losing to Shrewsbury.

And at least players who need game time have got it.

 

[Din]

Did Odjidja-Ofoe actually play on the wing? Disappointing if he did, as we're never gonna know what he's about until he's played in his best position. 

Not too bothered that we're out. A cup run would've been nice, but at least now we can focus on the league until we can work out a way to get ourselves knocked out of the FA Cup 3rd round as per usual. 

 

[KeiranShikari]

It was a bit of a weird selection from Adams but I suppose it was simply a way of giving all three central midfielders the much needed minutes, maybe he is planning to use Murphy more on the weekend. With those players I think the diamond would have been a better choice of formation but hey-ho.

Maybe if Lafferty scores his goal it would have been different but it sounded as if they simply didn't get going tonight.

 

[Dubai Mark]

Dare I say, that it was a mistake to go for a completely different eleven and that bench. Also, what a shame that we didnt get a couple of stand out performances at least. Perhaps someone who went could give us a quick match report?

 

[SussexYellow]

Did Odjidja-Ofoe actually play on the wing? Disappointing if he did, as we're never gonna know what he's about until he's played in his best position. 

Not too bothered that we're out. A cup run would've been nice, but at least now we can focus on the league until we can work out a way to get ourselves knocked out of the FA Cup 3rd round as per usual.

Of all the conundrums in football, how to lose in the 3rd round of the FA Cup is one we have totally solved.

A treble bet of Norwich, not winning on the opening day, being out of the league cup by the end of September and losing in the 3rd round of the FA Cup will pay out most years.

 

[Wiz]

City must have one aim and one aim only this season.......promotion.

We don't need a cup run in a tin pot cup to scupper it.

 

[CJRV2014]

Promotion has to be the number 1. But that side has so much quality, and experience at a higher level than league 2. That was a chance for certain players to give Adams a selection headache for Blackpool but it just didnt happen. Players like Elliot Bennett should be impressing in games like that. I understand the likes of Howson & Hooper are a little rusty through injury and some of the others havent played a huge amount of football, but time to step up for some of these players. I think we can safely say thatthe team who started vs Birmingham will be the same team to start vs Blackpool and rightfully so after last night. Look at when Jerome came on vs Cardiff, changed the game, won us the game, is starting games now and we are all reaping the benefits. In a squad like ours you have to take your chance when you get it, like Jerome did, unfortunately no-one did last night.

 

[Robert Brompton]

I was at the game so it was an extremely late night! From my perspective we saw the difference between eleven players and a team. This line-up and the fact that several players did not yet look fully fit meant that there was a pre-season friendly feel to our approach to the game. Not that there was necessarily a lack of effort but that there was a disjointed nature to our play which made it very hard to judge the overall performance.

What did we learn? Well I'd expect no great changes in the League team at Blackpool on Saturday - not one player pushed themselves conclusively for contention on Saturday. Howson and Hooper need a lot more game time to get back to full fitness. Lafferty needs to channel his aggression or he could be a liability. VOO looked less impressive to me last night than in his cameo at Brentford and I'm not sure that he is fully up to match fitness. Cuellar still looks a bit slow to me, Miquel a bit hesitant. If I was trying to find a MOTM it would be Whittaker.

I wanted us to win but I was not surprised by the result. In the end it is far from a disaster that we are out of the competition because had we progressed the temptation to play a stronger team would have grown and we could really do without lots of extra games.

My only trouble is that I feel totally cream crackered today!

 

[Agent Dale Cooper]

Thanks for that, Robert – I half-listened on the radio, but frankly I was hoping we'd get knocked out. It's an unwelcome distraction, a Mickey Mouse cup, and more opportunity for injuries and suspensions. Get the kids out on loan, get the big guns up to full fitness, and let's channel all our energy into being top of the league at Christmas. Bring it on!

 

[Andy]

I was at the game last night & pretty much agree with RB's analysis. My own view:

Positives: Quite liked the train noise that the Salop fans made at corners. Well, I liked it the first time but it got irritating as the game went on. Nice pack of Thorntons toffee on the way home.

Negatives: Vadis had a poor game - hope we kept the receipt for that one. Lafferty was in a very fighty mood and was very lucky not to be sent off. Got back at 02:30 this morning thanks to the A14 closure. Was nearly squashed by Club Cabbage outside the ground.