Norwich City vs Brentford ( Home) Saturday 5th March.

[morty]

If ever there was a game that was a must win, this is pretty much it. Nothing less than 6 points from the next two games will do, to give us a slim chance.
Am starting to get concerned with how few goals we are scoring, and I'm looking at you, Mr Pukki.

 

[Gunvald Larsson]

After the match last night, I would like to see this team have a go .....

Krul
Byram / Hanley / Gibson / Williams (if available)
Rowe / Lees-Melou / Rupp / Rashica
Sargent / Pukki

 

[Number 9]

After the match last night, I would like to see this team have a go .....

Krul
Byram / Hanley / Gibson / Williams (if available)
Rowe / Lees-Melou / Rupp / Rashica
Sargent / Pukki

I agree with you regarding Byram and Rowe, two players in form by the looks of it.
I'm putting Normann ahead of Rupp, this is a game we need to win really so I'd have Normann in against Brentford and Leeds, then play the fringe players against Chelsea.

 

[OldRobert]

 

[gerryinromania]

Just look at our fantastic midfield. smith no ambition whatsoever. Good job Rupp played well last game, all the more reson to drop him for the world beater

 

[Number 9]

All Good except McPassenger being in there! I'd have put Rowe on with Rash and Sargent making a four in midfield. Hopefully Deano will bring on Rowe before it's too late he's looked very bright and likely to score when he's come on.

 

[morty]

Jesus Christ Norwich.

Oh well, that's that then.

 

[gerryinromania]

Steam has stopped coming out of my lugs, so a few of my thoughts. All this stuff about not being smiths team is crap. He is supposed to be a coach, a motivator, a tactician, so should be able to get a team going. For me, he is non of those things, just a fraud, hoping for another payoff, are his wages subsidised by chelsea? I really think he should be put on sick leave and let someone else wear the coaches jacket We sacked the last coach, half an hour after he won a game, now I think we will get shot of this one, Webber too, he should go. Both of them before they start interfering with next season and getting their fingers on any pennies that we may have

 

[gerryinromania]

Some more. Now that I think we are doomed to relegation, perhaps a few more things. Dump every single loanee, play our own guys, ok, we will lose games, but that is no different to now, at least they will get some minutes in to gel, early pre season. Drop Pukki to the bench let him be an impact sub, as I said before, history does not bring back what he used to have. Gibson, is he credible? to me, he's ok sometimes I'm sure that a few of our own players, are getting really fed up with the coach and Norwich City. We don't do football any more at Norwich, guess the players are having feelings about Norwich City not being honest when they were being recruited

 

[Gunvald Larsson]

what an absolute shambles at Carrow Road this afternoon .... two poor teams and one very poor referee .... I cannot understand Dean Smith's persistence with Gilmour and McLean, both were useless (again) .... Lees-Melou showed more creativity in the short amount of time he was on the pitch that those two displayed put together .... Byram did OK and Hanley got stuck in but the rest of them were not at the races .... the most disappointing thing is that Brentford were just as bad, the only difference seemed to be that they were more determined not to lose than NCFC .... their tactics at times reminded me of the seventies Leeds team - if under pressure kick your opponents off the park or pretend you are injured - and the ref let them get away with it .... relegation is a certainty now I'm afraid, but the Championship is going to be hard going for this team unless they get some more street smarts and give as good as they get
ps - VAR is a rubbish system and should be scrapped

 

[GJP]

How many more times will we have to watch McLean and Gilmour not get close to the opposition midfield?

I feel like that's the case after every game.

I don't think Normann is playing particularly well but he has little bit of drive. The other two are hiding, even when they appear to be doing something.

 

[Gunvald Larsson]

my anti-PinkUn ratings ....

KRUL 5
WILLIAMS 4
HANLEY 6
GIBSON 3
BYRAM 6
NORMANN 4
MCLEAN 2
GILMOUR 2
RASHICA 3
PUKKI 4
SARGENT 4

LEES-MELOU 7
AARONS 5
ROWE 5

 

[Fenway Frank]

The thing that’s annoyed me is that I don’t think Brentford are actually that good, after the first 15 minutes we made things far too easy for them. It’s also another game where we’ve made mistakes at the back and haven’t taken the chances we’ve made, poor stuff, particularly the second half.

 

[GJP]

The thing that’s annoyed me is that I don’t think Brentford are actually that good,

I would agree.

We were also better than them last season.

Yet they are now able to beat us comfortably without playing that well or even trying that hard.

Farke may well have ran his race with us and we often talk about players or managers being out of their depth at Premier League level but I think we may now also be seeing that those behind recruitment and strategy are also out of their depth.

 

[OldRobert]

At this level (EPL) Webber is totally out of his depth. Probably good in meetings etc. but anything else, phut. I think he's had long enough to prove that he should be first out of the door. He's on a rolling contract I believe, so someone needs to open the bloody door and give him a shove before he does anymore damage to this club's reputation.

 

[Gunvald Larsson]

The recruitment issue is an odd one.

Of the players who get a regular game Williams, Normann (prior to his injury) and Rashica (after his injury) have been the pick of the bunch. However, the first two are loans so may not be here next season. The other loan, Gimour, has been a waste of space. Sargent has improved 100% over the past couple of months and could be a winner in the Championship.

Of the others Lees-Melou has shown that, when given the chance, he can be a real asset to the side. His positional play is good and some of his passing is really creative. Tszolis has been a £9m disaster. Totally out of his depth when playing in the PL and I think that Farke's public criticism of him did a lot of damage to his confidence. Kabak has potential but is injury prone and a little too cavalier at times.

The trouble is that these are not the sort of players that were needed for a crack at the PL. We needed at least couple of old heads in defence/midfield to strengthen the ship and at least one proven goalscorer to give ol' Teemu a hand.

A proper clearout is definitely needed ... Williams and Gilmour will return to their clubs, Normann is likely to follow them (he did not look happy on Saturday) ... McLean is well past his sell by date, Aarons could be sold as we a few other decent full-backs, Dowell has done nothing to impress, ditto Placheta.

Rowe, Mumba and Omobomidele are looking good and could do well in the Championship.

My references to the Championship make it look that I am resigned to relegation. Sadly, after the Brentford debacle I am. And if McLean is in the team v Chelsea ahead of either Lees-Melou or Rowe I will go and kick the cat. Actually, I won't, but it sounded good.

My team for Chelsea ....

4-4-2
KRUL
BYRAM
HANLEY
ZIMMERMAN
GIANNOULIS
ROWE
LEES-MELOU
NORMANN
RASHICA
SARGENT
PUKKI

That's all folks.

 

[GJP]

Kabak has potential

Yup

but is injury prone

Yup

and a little too cavalier at times.

Very cavalier at all times.