03 Mar 2016 06:42:21
I see Neil has said the struggles are down to lack of quality. It really is difficult to disagree as Norwich clearly lack any real quality players, lots of hard work, but no real cutting edge.

However, is that not down to Neil? I mean he chooses the players, he is the one that went for a grafter in Naismith, rather than finding a quality forward under the radar like Leicester did, for instance.

Is he not mainly to blame for the Canaries being where they are, with a system that emphasises hard work over any kind of attacking flair? While hard work is essential, it needs an end product, in Neil's case that end product seems to be purely defensive minded.

He wants to stop the opponent, that is his sole focus. Surely in Norwich's position the focus should be on going at opponents and trying to get wins? Draws are no use to a club in relegation trouble. Wins are needed.

1.) 01 May 2016
01 May 2016 14:17:31
I agree in terms of results and tactics. The stats say that Norwich are the Prems lowest user of the through ball. This is significant. In other words we do not seek to use passing moves to get opposition defences out of position. The though ball is often a counter attacking side's main weapon.
The high press is an obsession for us however as a one trick pony with no counter attacking game we are easy to defend against. If you cut out our crossing we have nothing to offer but long shots which most prem sides can defend all day. The game stats flatter us too as we have shots a plenty mostly from range and decent possession and pass completion figures. We think we should win but we don't.
Mourihno would often talk about transitions being the key to winning prem games. It is very easy for opposition defenders to keep a good shape against us because we are too slow in the transition and totally lacking a counter attacking threat. We actually have got the players to play counter attacking football so instead of winning possession and playing a bunch of square balls as we gradually move up the field and the opposition get back Into shape as we do now we need to play the killer ball to runners into space. Leicester are the Prems top player of the through ball incidentally.