Norwich vs Cardiff Official Thread

[RhysGlobal Superstar]

First topic message reminder :

So chaps,

Big game ahead of us today and not one that I'm feeling very confident about to be honest. Norwich's recent results are very sobering - having turned over Bournemouth away recently too.  

Regarding team news, Marshall hasn't travelled so Moore will step in - he looks very able from what I've seen if him this season, learning his trade alongside one of the best in Marshall - I'm hoping he sticks around and in the future becomes our number one.

Jones is unlikely to start because of a niggling hip injury apparently, so I'm expecting Revell too, alongside Alfie. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for the moment.  

Malone, who was MOTM against Fulham apparently (not bad for a debut), will also no doubt start.  

Ever the optimist,  I feel we could grab a point, perhaps even nick it today.

How about everyone else?

[Toast BoyClub Legend]

In my view, Whitts has virtually been keeping his place because of his dead ball skills. If these are deserting him, I really don't see his value to the side unless it's in something like a 5 man midfield with other players doing the work.

I think the idea Whitts is lazy is wrong. He doesn't have the pace to constantly chase and harry players like some others do and he is not the hard tackler that will dive in and try to win the ball off someone too often either. However he does work hard tracking back and does his work defensively albeit more in terms of trying to shepherd the opposition players away from goal or being in position to try to get in a block.

The bigger problem with his game is that he is not providing that level of creativity he did when at his best. Those incisive defense splitting passes are not there very often now though he is hardly playing in a team who could make the most of them anyway as too many players are not making the intelligent runs off the ball to get into space in the first place.

I can't totally defend Whitts on his performances as he is definitely well down on his best form of previous seasons. However the fact is that we are still often reliant on Whitts to provide the assists even if they do come from dead ball situations most of the time. That has been the case this season too and, for me, a missed penalty today doesn't transalte to his dead ball skills deserting him yet.

It may be that Whitts will deserve to be dropped from the team at some point but i would still far prefer to see him in the starting line up before Gunnarsson, Ralls and even Adeyemi at the moment though Adeyemi might develop into a far better player. It is damning with faint praise i realise but that just shows how much of a mess the midfield is at the moment.

[TDAGlobal Superstar]

I don't think that we can point the finger at any one player. Whitts sounded okay today on radio commentary, but I was surprised to hear Noone mentioned in commentary late in the first half........I didn't realise he was playing.

Midfield is a mess as Toastie says, but I don't know what the answer is.

[CyncoedslumdogNational Legend]

Steve Tucker's marks for today. Shocking!

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/norwich-v-cardiff-city-ratings-8466860

[RhysGlobal Superstar]

On reflection, we had 3 very clear chances in the first half (including a pen of course), I know it easy to say but it could have easily been a different score on another day.

Problem seems that we seem to leak goals too easily - who is to blame? Well without seeing the highlights, it's hard to say at this point. Was it the midfield not getting to those seconds balls? Was it down to sloppy defending? Could Moore have done better?

For me, we are making more chances than before - Slade is making progress. Slowly but surely.

[RhysGlobal Superstar]

Steve Tucker's marks for today. Shocking!

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/norwich-v-cardiff-city-ratings-8466860

Whittingham - 3?! Seriously? So this is his worst performance this season tucks? What nonsense! If you are going to mark a 3 you have to at least say why!

Yes he missed the penalty but he also assisted Revell for his goal! You give no justification for that score - all you say is he "...put in some good deliveries from which the Bluebirds might have profited" - that sounds like a positive to me?!

How bizarre.

[Toast BoyClub Legend]

Steve Tucker's marks for today. Shocking!

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/norwich-v-cardiff-city-ratings-8466860

Whittingham - 3?! Seriously? So this is his worst performance this season tucks? What nonsense! If you are going to mark a 3 you have to at least say why!

Yes he missed the penalty but he also assisted Revell for his goal! You give no justification for that score - all you say is he "...put in some good deliveries from which the Bluebirds might have profited" - that sounds like a positive to me?!

How bizarre.

I thought that too about the marks as a whole. It sounds like it is the kind of performance that normally would have been marked with mostly 5's with perhaps one 4 and one or two getting a 6. It feels like Tucker has just got so pissed off at the repeated poor performances that he decided to drop everyones marks down by a couple. As a 'professional' journalist he should be above those knee jerk reactions.

[RhysGlobal Superstar]

Steve Tucker's marks for today. Shocking!

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/norwich-v-cardiff-city-ratings-8466860

Whittingham - 3?! Seriously? So this is his worst performance this season tucks? What nonsense! If you are going to mark a 3 you have to at least say why!

Yes he missed the penalty but he also assisted Revell for his goal! You give no justification for that score - all you say is he "...put in some good deliveries from which the Bluebirds might have profited" - that sounds like a positive to me?!

How bizarre.

I thought that too about the marks as a whole. It sounds like it is the kind of performance that normally would have been marked with mostly 5's with perhaps one 4 and one or two getting a 6. It feels like Tucker has just got so pissed off at the repeated poor performances that he decided to drop everyones marks down by a couple. As a 'professional' journalist he should be above those knee jerk reactions.

[Tyrion TannisterGlobal Superstar]

I'm confused...I thought Scott Young said that the problem was the fans protests had affected the team morale? We've had the best atmosphere of the whole season these last two matches home and away, so how come we were such a shambles?

Oh wait, it was ANOTHER excuse.

[CyncoedslumdogNational Legend]

I listened to the commentary on Radio Wales and I've just heard guys on the coach saying that when we lost the ball on numerous occasions today, players were running past Whitts to try and get back to defend whilst he was static. He is still being viewed through rose tinted spectacles as the player he was some time ago. He may still have it technically but he's a liability in this side.

[Tyrion TannisterGlobal Superstar]

Let's be honest, the whole midfield is bordering on a liability at times. We all know that and yet the only word of Slade doing anything to fix it is a youth player who has a very good chance of getting completely dazzled by the physicality of this league against the comparatively soft youth set ups. We need an experienced enforcer, and then someone who is going to break down defences and control the middle of the pitch.

[CyncoedslumdogNational Legend]

I listened to the commentary on Radio Wales and I've just heard guys on the coach saying that when we lost the ball on numerous occasions today, players were running past Whitts to try and get back to defend whilst he was static. He is still being viewed through rose tinted spectacles as the player he was some time ago. He may still have it technically but he's a liability in this side.

I should add that the midfield geberally is a shambles and it's not solely down to Whitts yet we hear hardly anything about midfield players being signed other than Hyland who has 'fitness problems'. Not another one?

[CyncoedslumdogNational Legend]

I'm confused...I thought Scott Young said that the problem was the fans protests had affected the team morale? We've had the best atmosphere of the whole season these last two matches home and away, so how come we were such a shambles?

Oh wait, it was ANOTHER excuse.

I think one of the problems IS Scott Young. Even Leighton James (aaaaargh) just said 'when Slade turns to discuss a problem with someone, all he sees is Scott Young'. Perhaps he should have thrown the ex academy coaches sitting behind him into the equation?

[Toast BoyClub Legend]

I listened to the commentary on Radio Wales and I've just heard guys on the coach saying that when we lost the ball on numerous occasions today, players were running past Whitts to try and get back to defend whilst he was static. He is still being viewed through rose tinted spectacles as the player he was some time ago. He may still have it technically but he's a liability in this side.

I should add that the midfield geberally is a shambles and it's not solely down to Whitts yet we hear hardly anything about midfield players being signed other than Hyland who has 'fitness problems'. Not another one?

If the right players were identified and brought to the club i think the whole midfield would be under threat. Unfortunately players like Gunnarsson, Whittingham and Noone who we should have been able to rely on at this level have all been well short of their previous best form.

[maisie'sdadVice Captain]

tend to the view that all scott young can do is mouth it off about this or that player. hate to say it but has the time come to rest whitts and put some steel into the midfield, but it could be argued that adeyemi and gunnarrson should be providing the steel

[Arkay DubyaGlobal Superstar]

I think possibly they are all capable players at this level but are simply not performing as a unit. If none of them are able to perform to their strengths and are being asked to do things that they are not wholly used or comfortable with then it will cause a drop in form. If one drops, it affects all the players in that unit if they're not competent enough to cover.

As an example, we all know Whitts was at his best playing as an attacking midfielder. He was able to provide a pass and belt them in from anywhere and finished with a truly astounding goal tally in one season and a highly respectable goal return in the following season. While he is capable of tracking back, covering and playing from deep, it is far from his best position. We've not seen him play in his best role since Malky took over.

For me, the problem with midfield is finding the right balance and chemistry and has been the problem for some time now. What the solution is I don't know but I do feel for Whitts as I still don't think he's being utilised to the best of his ability.

They don't have to all be great players but they do have to be great at playing together. Compensating for each others weaknesses with their own strengths. Whether that means bringing in someone else or tweaking what we already have, I don't know...but that's because I'm not a manager.

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