Norwich C v AFC Bournemouth

SteveJonesLegend said:
You and I are def in the same song sheet here. I even thought about Ibe just before you mentioned him in a similar fashion to H.Wilson’s abilities...

Agree with everything you’ve said here. I’m not sure if this what you meant but I’d have Surman sat just behind the midfield two...

But guess what... It won’t happen... it’ll be 4-4-2 with the same XI as Saturday...
Click to expand...

Not sure, he’s a good pacesetter from deep but he’s not the player you imagine as a last line of defence is he? :grinning:
 
NWCherries98 said:
------------Ramsdale------------
Smith----S. Cook---Ake----Rico
---L. Cook---Lerma---Surman---
-------------H. Wilson-------------
------Wilson-------Surridge------
Click to expand...

When you play a diamond you need the 2 midfielders on the edge to be athletic as they have a lot of ground to cover. They need to get across to cover the full back defensively but also need to get up the pitch and support the attack. I don’t think L. Cook or Surman are best suited to that role.

The best equipped for those roles would be 2 of Lerma, Billing or Gosling. Then for me, it’s either L.Cook or Surman in the centre controlling the possession in front of the defence
 
Tinpot Club said:
When you play a diamond you need the 2 midfielders on the edge to be athletic as they have a lot of ground to cover. They need to get across to cover the full back defensively but also need to get up the pitch and support the attack. I don’t think L. Cook or Surman are best suited to that role.

The best equipped for those roles would be 2 of Lerma, Billing or Gosling. Then for me, it’s either L.Cook or Surman in the centre controlling the possession in front of the defence
Click to expand...

Don’t disagree with that, I wasn’t really thinking about the specifics of the positions; that’s why I’m not a manager! I think L. Cook would work on the outside though, he did ok as a makeshift wide midfielder for a bit, that requires similar athleticism surely?

Goslings first touch gives me a stomach ache, as much as I love him I thought it would be better to get the better footballers in there; Billing unfortunately is out of form and looked a bit of a liability against Watford.

Either way I just don’t want see any variation of a midfield 2 again; it’s EHs version of Seppuku at this point.
 
NWCherries98 said:
------------Ramsdale------------
Smith----S. Cook---Ake----Rico
---L. Cook---Lerma---Surman---
-------------H. Wilson-------------
------Wilson-------Surridge------

Subs: Boruc, Simpson, Francis, Gosling, Billing, Fraser, Solanke

Hopefully everyone has come through unscathed from Watford (physically; I'd imagine the shame is still burning away for those that actually care). That back 4 is probably our first choice back 4, so no excuses there. I will not hear another bad word against Rico, stand up guy and excellent left back who, wherever we are next season, I hope he's there too.

Midfield; I've gone for a 3. I think the most important thing is to get players in with a good first touch- more importantly, Surman was excellent against Luton, and can't do any worse than any of the others have recently. Surman offers good ball control, a cool head, actual leadership qualities and, whisper it quietly, is actually a very good passer, and is capable of some good forward balls. He is also quite weak and slow; he's no Sergio Busquets, he's arguably "done" at this level, but he does several key things very well, like absorbing pressure (to an extent), recycling the ball efficiently and quickly, and picking out passes smartly. It's time to try something new, yet familiar. Get Surman back in.

Thats where the other two come in. We all know how good Lerma is, we know how good L. Cook can be, lets leave the boring, recycling of the ball to Surman, and allow L. Cook to try and be creative with his passing and movement, and allow Lerma to do what he does best: maim and bully the opposition.

H. Wilson, with his good shooting ability and slide rule passes, naturally fits behind the strikers. He doesn't track back, can't dribble all that well, and is weak. Put him in the hole, put him where we should have put Ibe from the moment we signed him. Get him around the edge of the box, and he will win corners, create chances, create free-for-alls in the box, and maybe even score.

Wilson stays up front because he is technically a better goalscorer than Solanke. Maybe with this new formation, he'll see a bit more action. At the end of the day, it's up to him, and whether he's happy to have had no shots on target since October. Surridge showed some endeavor vs Watford, some attacking initiative, and looks like he wants to score. He's scored goals at other levels, he's scored more than Solanke, so give him a go.

No point having wingers if they're not doing anything, we don't cross the ball in or create chances from wingplay anymore, so forget it. I thought Fraser was one of the better players against Watford personally, I don't buy into him looking like he didn't care- i thought he put a lot of effort in, and he looked devastated at full time. He's getting dropped purely because I want to see a new formation with new ideas, he can still come on and offer some pace at least.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I'm 100% with this. Including your thoughts on Fraser's performance on Saturday.
 
Seeing as Francis and Solanke seem to be pretty much the first names on the team sheet, it seems pointless (no pun intended) for any team formation on here not to include them!
 
Ramsdale

Smith
Cook
Ake
Rico

Danjuma/Stanislas - surely one of those has to be fit by now?
L Cook
Lerma
Gosling
Fraser

Surridge

The two Wilsons have done absolutely nothing to warrant selection imo and if we continue to play them we won't stay up, they need to drastically improve their form.
 
We should start with some baby steps.
Pass the ball to each other for the first fifteen minutes
Then spend the next 30 minutes building up to have 2 shots on target (pretty sure that quadruples our average shots on target per half recently).
Then Second half try and up that to 3 or 4 shots on target and then finally a goal in the 93rd minute.
All of this whilst not letting a goal in.
 
Eddie seems to be trying to use a relegation battle to play players in to form, so I expect the same 11, as ridiculous as that sounds.

I look at our available players and genuinely do not see where the goals are coming from. When our front 2 haven't had a PL shot on target between them in over 2 months it says it all.

On the plus side, my expectations are so low that a respectable loss where the players run about a bit and their keeper makes a save or 2 would surpass them.
 
I would probably go for something like the following, but I'm aware there is approximately 0% chance of EH agreeing with me.

Boruc

Smith
Cook
Ake
Rico

Surman
Lerma

H. Wilson
Ibe
Fraser

Surridge
 
Team I'd play if fit is
Ramsdale

Smith
Cook
Ake
Rico

Surman
Lerma
L Cook

C. Wilson
Surridge
Fraser

With H Wilson & Solanke benched at least we're not carrying a couple of players.
Francis, Kelly and Simpson for defensive cover.

Aren't Norwich a bit of a bogey side for us?
I fear for the result.

All we want is Boscombe to play well not as they are. Is there any team spirit?

Another defeat and I think Eddie will walk.
 
NWCherries98 said:
------------Ramsdale------------
Smith----S. Cook---Ake----Rico
---L. Cook---Lerma---Surman---
-------------H. Wilson-------------
------Wilson-------Surridge------

Subs: Boruc, Simpson, Francis, Gosling, Billing, Fraser, Solanke
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Agree. Would love to see this line up but am not expecting it. This would be the team I would pick to tear Norwich a new one and get some confidence back. We desperately need a number 10 to feed the forwards, L.Cook can help with that also. I love this team, but you just know Eddie will go with something more "tried and tested" ( and proven to be shite ). Really hope I'm wrong !
Agree re Fraser too. I thought he gave it everything against Watford, no complaints there. He was very wasteful with his crosses though so hope he gets some extra training in for that this week.
 
Rodmorg said:
Think this is the turning point of the season, and for our chances of being here next year.

Eddie needs to stop being so stubborn with his tactics and formation. Please, for the love of God, switch to 4-3-3, just something other than an exploitative 4-4-2.

I remember when Surs was getting stick for apparently being one of Eddies' mates and that being the only reason he would play. I think now is the perfect time to start him. Gos and Cook are out of form, so put Billing and Surman in the centre with Lerma behind them, protecting the defence. Surman better start, he was impressive against Luton too.

I'd probably have a shot with Surridge up front. Two out of form strikers need to be benched (Wilson and Solanke), and it's perfect timing to give the youngster the chance to play up top against a leaky defence destined to go back down.

Hopefully Saturday is the day things turn around, I still want Eddie here next season no matter what. He simply needs to adapt to changes

:utc:
Click to expand...
Wasn't Watford the turning point of our season???
 
Im expecting Eddie to Walk....ive stressed my head going over possibilities..laying awake till 0300 on Sunday night.
If the players dont pull one out at Norwich...why should Eddie be further Humiliated ..after his efforts of circa Ten years....if the players show No Fight.
 
Coobster said:
We should start with some baby steps.
Pass the ball to each other for the first fifteen minutes
Then spend the next 30 minutes building up to have 2 shots on target (pretty sure that quadruples our average shots on target per half recently).
Then Second half try and up that to 3 or 4 shots on target and then finally a goal in the 93rd minute.
All of this whilst not letting a goal in.
Click to expand...
thanks Pep. :)
 
BillMcgarrycherry said:
Im expecting Eddie to Walk....ive stressed my head going over possibilities..laying awake till 0300 on Sunday night.
If the players dont pull one out at Norwich...why should Eddie be further Humiliated ..after his efforts of circa Ten years....if the players show No Fight.
Click to expand...
I agree with the sentiment Bill, I just hope they do fight. I’ve lived in hope til now but that’s all I have left. I’d be happy just to see fight and an unlucky loss, and goals scored by our players. For the first time this season I’ve got them down to lose (2-1). Maybe I’ve been jinxing it with my optimism til now. Sigh.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

;