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Match Day Thread Newcastle v Norwich

Discussion in 'Norwich City' started by SuffolkCanary, Nov 29, 2021.

?

Who will win this one?

  1. Norwich Win

    50.0%
  2. Newcastle Win

    6.3%
  3. Draw

    43.8%
  1. GozoCanary

    GozoCanary Well-Known Member

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    Glad to get the point and keep the unbeaten record going, but we were very poor. I don't think the red card helped us because we just reverted to a very bad version of 'Farkeball' as soon as they went down to 10 men and sat back. Farkeball without Buendia, which isn't a pretty sight. There's an obvious lack of quality in midfield, and I can't see what we can do about it. Rupp and McLean are OK, but I think they're good Championship players rather than Premier standard. Gilmour tried hard but he was still a shadow of the player who plays for Scotland. Tzolis really disappointed. As for Sargent, I know these days attackers are expected to help with the defending, but the only virtue Sargent has is his defending. He has no ball skills whatsoever. There was one point in the first half when he had the ball in the box and Pukki was near him in a great position and all he had to do was gently pass it, but he just thumped it at Pukki who had to try to take it on his chest and of course couldn't control it. IMO, we keep Sargent for those games against the top top teams where we need to spend nearly all of the time defending, but we shouldn't let him near the team if we want to actually create any chances. I hope Rashica's injury isn't serious because we missed him badly.

    Pukki proved he's still got it, though. We take him for granted, we really do.
     
    #101
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  2. Rowdy

    Rowdy Active Member

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    Not sure the point was undeserved. We dominated the game really. We were just poor in the final third. A win would have flattered us big time, but there was no lack of commitment or desire to do well. The players we have are just not good enough.
     
    #102
  3. SuffolkCanary

    SuffolkCanary Well-Known Member

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    Come on guys let’s be positive we have just taken a point away at St James Park buoyed by seeing their manager at home for the first time. They put in a dogged display and defended deep and compact with no space between the lines.

    5 weeks ago I’m convinced we lose that game, we took a knock but came back to rescue a point without playing well, that’s important for confidence, especially considering the players we had missing.

    Going into this run we needed points and we have got 8 and gone unbeaten. If we can’t be happy going four games unbeaten in the premier league for god knows how long then when can we. I think we will give Spurs a good go at the weekend.
     
    #103
  4. Canary Rob

    Canary Rob Well-Known Member

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    I think that is very harsh on the players. We definitely have no lesser quality across the board than five or six teams in the league - sure there are some outliers within each of those teams (Alain St Maximin today) - but we are self evidently a better team than last time we were promoted with better strength in depth.

    We were missing two of our brightest players as well, and even then we were able to bring off the bench a Greek international who assisted the goal and PLM, despite the poor finish (I actually think it was an excellent save tbh), really was a good impact substation and very nearly won it for us.
     
    #104
  5. SuffolkCanary

    SuffolkCanary Well-Known Member

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    I agree on the save, I still think he should score but it’s a good save
     
    #105
  6. Rowdy

    Rowdy Active Member

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    You're right. I didn't mean ALL the players aren't good enough. I agree with everything you said and am pleased with a point. Would have taken it before hand!

    I just feel we lack quality in key areas. As someone else said, Rupp and McLean, whilst not bad, are top Champ players really. Sargent and Tzolis, whilst both young are not really good enough yet, imo.

    We missed Rashica today and need a better winger than Sargent in Jan. He works hard and I want to like him, but on the ball he was woeful tonight.

    Anyway, as others have said. Its an away point so onwards and upwards!
     
    #106
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  7. GozoCanary

    GozoCanary Well-Known Member

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    One positive for me tonight - at least all of Smith's substitutions improved the performance IMO. And he made them relatively early, not in the 88th minute.
     
    #107
  8. Canary Rob

    Canary Rob Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, ok, sorry I agree with this.

    The ideal line up for me, with the squad right now, would be Cantwell fit and fighting on the opposite side to Rashica, with Tzolis and Sargent coming on in the second half, and/or possibly Giannoulis. Basically Dean Smith’s team from his first game against Southampton.

    Unfortunately Cantwell has not quite pulled his socks up (hopefully he might to put himself in the shop window for January?)
     
    #108
  9. GozoCanary

    GozoCanary Well-Known Member

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    Do we believe the Covid-related reason? God knows. But it's looking more and more like Cantwell is a busted flush. And we desperately need a player who can do what he can do at his best. I thought it might be Tzolis, but after tonight I'm starting to have doubts. If we had given him more playing time instead of Sargent, maybe he'd be firing by now?
     
    #109
  10. RiverEndRick

    RiverEndRick Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I also thought both Giannoulis and PLM did well when they came on and the first assisted the goal and the second nearly won it for us.
     
    #110

  11. RiverEndRick

    RiverEndRick Well-Known Member

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    Don't think Todd would have started in Smith's first game if that was the case.
     
    #111
  12. Hairy Mary Quite Canary

    Hairy Mary Quite Canary Well-Known Member

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    She's probably praying.
     
    #112
  13. Hairy Mary Quite Canary

    Hairy Mary Quite Canary Well-Known Member

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    Didn't enjoy watching that game. Outside of Pukki's fine finish, it was hard to get excited about anything. Some shocking passing and in my mind the worst performances from both Tzolis and Sargent. We really didn't look like getting much out of it. Laborious, predictable, uninspired. In fairness we should be grateful for a point from that game. Was it simply missing creative players like Normann and Rashica or was it just an off day in the cold and wet oop north?
     
    #113
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2021
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  14. zogean_king

    zogean_king Well-Known Member

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    I thought we were really poor. The sending off allowed Newcastle to sit deep and defend, however we didn't move the ball fast enough, especially the first half. Not every defender needs a touch - Hanley to Gibson to Williams, skip pout Gibson and pass it to Williams, same the other way to Aarons. They really needed to move the ball faster. I actually thought Tzolis was one of the better players in the first half. Did you notice how much wider Aarons and Williams were playing in the second half?

    I think mentally, the team were expecting to have space and play on the counter today, but couldn't figure it out when they had to make all the running. I think I would have taken off McLean at half time and replaced with Lees-Melou rather than Tzolis because of the passing ability of the Frenchman.

    Anyway, at least we didn't lose, but I still think it is points dropped and it was a very poor performance, could then exertion against Wolves especially in the second half when they turned it up have meant half the team were tired?
     
    #114
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  15. Robbie BB

    Robbie BB Well-Known Member

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    87% PS, which is even better than our previous season's best, which was against Wolves on Saturday. But dig into it and the 4 "best" passers on the pitch, bar the Newcastle sub Almiron, were Hanley, Gibson, Aarons and Williams who simply passed the ball around between them as Zog says. Hugely disappointing performance. Where was the leadership on the pitch demanding an increase in tempo following the sending off? Both teams appeared completely spooked by the occasion, which doesn't bode well for either.
    Agree with Zog about Tzolis. I thought he was just beginning to settle and show a bit of confidence, only to be hooked.
     
    #115
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2021
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  16. SuffolkCanary

    SuffolkCanary Well-Known Member

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    We have no reason to doubt it, he was all over social media cheering on the team.
     
    #116
  17. CitySlicker2010

    CitySlicker2010 Well-Known Member

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    On that performance we are destined to drop down to Championship. We clearly do not have the players who can put the ball in the net other than Pukki. Dominated against Wolves 2 points dropped; huffed and puffed against a ten man NUFC side 2 points dropped.
     
    #117
  18. zogean_king

    zogean_king Well-Known Member

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    we are agreeing too much recently haha
     
    #118
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  19. DUNCAN DONUTS

    DUNCAN DONUTS SOCIAL JUSTICE WARRIOR

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    A point away from home and further torturing Newcastle will do.

    Lots of terrible decisions at least 2 corners not given, offside called falsely when the Newcastle keeper messed up VAR only used when Alan Shearer wanted it .

    Sargent and Rupp full of heavy touches but worked hard .

    8 points from 4 games is survival form
     
    #119
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  20. Robbie BB

    Robbie BB Well-Known Member

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    The penalty and offside decisions were correct IMO. Dean Smith's complaint doesn't take into account that there were two Newcastle players obstructing the referee's initial view of Gilmour's handball. That's why he didn't at first give it, then changed his mind after seeing the touchline view on the VAR monitor. The handball rule was amended in the summer; some of the decisions would have been different had the game been played last season. See
    https://www.premierleague.com/news/2204759
     
    #120

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