Norwich City vs. Swindon Town OMDT

[ronnie21]

Just looked at the stats on the OS.  If they are true we had 55% possession but never had one shot on target!!  They had one shot on target and 11 corners to our 1!  As we seen all season, it is obvious where the problem lays, yet he still persists with that cunt Hutchinson who cannot give a fuck.  I'm with Crozzer on this, what have Easton and Paynter done to be treated like this?

[pumbaa]

I think we all know this season is going to be all about boring mid tableness.

That'll do me.

[Crozzer]

So what's wrong with the team, assuming no injuries or suspensions:

Lucas
Kevin
Greer
Cuthbert
Callum/LJF
Douglas
Ferry
JPM

most of the team  pretty much pick themselves, with Smith and Morrison available as cover at the back.  A vast improvement on last season.

For the rest of midfield:

Macca, first choice some of the time.
Timlin, second choice
Easton, totally out of favour, lower than third choice
Alan O'Brien, has been injured hard to tell.
Tope, first choice either in midfield or attack, but will return to Bolton soon enough.



For the strikers:

Revell, first choice
Paynter, currently behind Revell at least.
Tope, first choice if not playing on the left of midfield, will be back to Bolton soon enough.
Hutchinson, seems to be in favour at least off the bench.
Peacock, seems to be in favour off the bench.
Austin, did enough today to suggest he will be a squad regular at least.


What's going on in Wilson's head?  The issue today according to Wilson was no penetration in the final third after finding good positions.  In plain English, not enough crosses into the box.  So, with Danny not blaming the strikers, that has to be a problem for the midfield most obviously, right midfield and left midfield.  Interesting that Kennedy wasn't even a sub. suggesting that Timlin would have dropped to left back if anything happened to LJF, and that LJF wasn't expected to be exposed, with Macca on the right.  So the thinking there might be that Macca and LJF/Kennedy on the left are a defensive liability in a 4:4:2 formation.  

So what's going to happen next?  With Wilson not being too bothered about the performance today, I would expect the same line-up against Tranmere.  When Douglas returns, I would expect the usual central three of Douglas, JPM and Ferry to be put back in place, with Macca right and Tope left, with Revell up front.

What happens when Tope returns to Bolton?  Probably, Macca put back on the left, and O'Brien coming on the right with Revell up front.  This might explain why Paynter is out of favour as Revell seems to look more accustomed to the lone role.

If we are chasing the game, a switch from 4:5:1 to 4:4:2, with Austin coming on.


All the above might be a bunch of steaming crap, but I would like to understand where Wilson's tactical thinking is leading the team.  The key player is Macca, I don't think he really fits with what Wilson is up to.  Tope seems to.  Also, where are the goals going to come from?  

[LucienSanchez]

Wrong players in the wrong formation- that's what cost us today and what fucked me off. 3 in the middle was wrong from the kickoff yet never got changed. It's the first time I'll blame a defeat on Wilson and shit tactics. We were woeful. Timlin is anonymous, where the hell is Easton?  

[DiV]

Also, where are the goals going to come from?  

I'd say they were more likely to come from Billy Paynter than Charlie Austin, Lee Peacock, Alex Revell or Ben Hutchinson.

...or maybe Tope would score some if he played upfront?

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

Wrong players in the wrong formation- that's what cost us today and what fucked me off. 3 in the middle was wrong from the kickoff yet never got changed. It's the first time I'll blame a defeat on Wilson and shit tactics. We were woeful. Timlin is anonymous, where the hell is Easton?  

Bit harsh but agree to an extent that we were too narrow with the 4-3-3. Timlin had a total shocker. Macca did whip a few into the box in the first half but other than that there was no threat from the flanks at all.

[Nick Bamosomi]

It was what I was expecting to be honest, we seem lost without Douglas.
A comment heard on the way back to the car "You can see why Swindon are in THAT league, can't you?"
Excuse me - what league are Norwich in then, you twat?

Worst part of the day was encountering a car speeding towards me on the wrong side of the road - thought I was a goner for a split second.

[dogs]

Playing with Timlin is like playing with 10 men. He's not a League One player, and only an average League Two player at that. I dread everytime he plays, or comes on to 'shore' up the midfield.

[Spencer_White]

We could have gone down 3-0 yesterday. Credit where its due they showed a bit of fight second half and kept themselves in the game. Although I think it would have taken us another 120 minutes for us to get a goal.

Hutchinson is lazy. Peacock is big and slow.

Looking forward to the return of Paynter, Douglas and Macklin.

[ronnie21]

We could have gone down 3-0 yesterday. Credit where its due they showed a bit of fight second half and kept themselves in the game. Although I think it would have taken us another 120 minutes for us to get a goal.

Hutchinson is lazy. Peacock is big and slow.

Looking forward to the return of Paynter, Douglas and Macklin.

Two more games before we see Douglas, at least a month for Macklin, Paynter is totally out of favour and will probably be gone in the next transfer window!

[Simon Pieman]

Perhaps we need to start singing walking in a Paynter wonderland if we're not looking like scoring. Show Wilson we think it's strange our best striker has been dropped and give Billy a bit of a confidence boost.

[leefer]

Paynter has scored 21 goals in 90 games for Swindon....granted he has a good amount of assists,but strikers arnt judged on assists are they....he hasnt been doing the buisness..i went to Walsall and Exeter and he was shocking in both matches...you cant blame Wilson for trying other options....for what it is worth my view is that we need at least two good proven strikers braught to the club....like Cuthbert and Greer was braught in to defend........and why he keeps persisting with Tope is beyond me,hes done absolute Zilch in away games...ware you would think he would flourish given abit more room.

[pauld]

granted he has a good amount of assists,but strikers arnt judged on assists are they

Well, Emile Heskey seems to have built an international and top flight career on it

Overall, wouldn't disagree leefer that Paynter's not a long-term answer as a "main striker" but he deserves better than being left on the bench behind Hutchinson, Revell, Tope, Peacock and Austin. None of them (with the possible exception of Austin who we just don't know about yet) have shown any signs of being a "main striker" either, but Paynter's got a better scoring record. Even if Wilson doesn't fancy starting with him, he at least deserves a place coming off the bench ahead of some of those who are.

[Simon Pieman]

He was doing really well at the start of this term when the manager and fans were getting behind him. Take your point he is not an out and out goalscorer but neither are the players keeping him out. He is also our top goalscorer this season so far in all competitions.

Typing that I've just realised I've said exactly the same as Paul D. Oh well

[leefer]

My feeling is one of two things Paul....he isnt match fit or carrying a niggling injury...or its just a good old fashioned kick up the ass,hes got to play Tope as hes probably promised Bolton he would(wrong in my view,hes dire).and as for Revell for me hes done ok and has to decide soon whether to buy or not...dont get me wrong Paul i like Billy its that in my opinion we dont play a system to his strengths,so if we dont play to his strenghths theres no point in him playing....its easy to clamour for players coming back in when results are poor but thats just forgetting why they were dropped in the first place.