Match Day Thread Norwich city v Newcastle United

...but was he? The own goal was a nightmare moment but i didn't have him down for other glaring mistakes. We were dealing with one of the best attacking lines in the world at the time. I'm sure the early blow knocked his confidence a bit but he stood up especially after the break. As skipper too I think Farke will give him the NUFC game to show what he can do.

 

He's ****e and hardly played in any wins last season .

1. Zimmermann
2. Godfrey
3. Klose
4. Hanley

 

What are you drinking Dunc?

 

You think Hanley is a Premier League quality centre back ?

VB

 

VB???? As in Vic Bitter?

I actually do think he's a quality CB. I acknowledge he's 4th choice for us but I'd rather a 100% Hanley than a 90% Klose in the starting line up.

 

Last season the only games Grant Hanley played in that we won were against Preston Bolton and Villa he came on late against Villa and Bolton as sub.

We won 1 game that he started.

He lost his place for the Ipswich game and came back to bungle an FA cup game against Pompey getting sent off for a stupid challenge after 15 mins which we lost 1-0 after playing 75 mins with 10 men losing in Injury time.

 

He's ****e

 

I'm trying hard to feel some Hanley love on here...but failing dismally

 

I think Hanley is a decent back up option. But have to agree with dunc that he simply doesn’t cut it in the PL.

In addition to the own goal (which, by the way, wasn’t an unfortunate deflection, that was a clear mistiming of a relatively easy clearance), he also left Aarons covering two Liverpool players for the Origi goal, which is part of the reason why Aarons ended up being slow to react to put pressure on Origi. And I know he’s not necessarily the one who decides our corner defending, but you have to ask why (and posters did during the match) of all people Lewis was the one marking Van Dijk who is about twice his size, all angles. Someone with Hanley’s size and experience should have taken that role.

We don’t have a choice and he’s been a good servant so far, but we can’t pretend he’s not a weak link.

 

I don't think Hanley is ****e, but he for me was and probably should be 4th choice and as good as we can afford for 4th choice. Can't disagree with DD's order on the evidence presented so far.
But with that said, like the rest of the squad he deserves a chance, play well and he should keep his place. But did he? For me he didn't play well, he wasn't terrible after the horror mistake, but that could be enough to have him dropped. We can't afford that fragility in a must compete, must not lose game that we have this weekend.
For me the question is, will Klose do any better? The last time we saw him play he produced a howler arguably worse than Hanley's. He had control of the ball before passing to an oponent for a sitter. I'll try to be kind to Hanley and say that maybe the bounce was unexpectedly high as it came off his shin, unfortunite rather than outright poor.
Then you must consider, was Hanley a cause of our poor form or a victim of it at the start of last season? Is he getting a bum rap. The cup game perhaps suggests not, but defenders need time to come together as a unit, so with Klose only a maybe for fitness and Hanley having had an OK game bar the howler, I would give him another chance. If nothing else, we shouldn't want a culture where everyone fears making a mistake lest they get uncerimoniously dropped.

He isn't ****e, nor is he great, but like the rest of our players I trust that he will have improved under Farke and can do well for us.

Bah!

 

To be fair to Hanley, you are suggesting he has a choice on who he marks/where he defends on a corner. If we were a side that picked up man for man, I would agree, but Hanley in that instance is following orders. Not sure you can flog him for that. He would basically be telling Daniel, FU I know better and that would be pretty bad for his chances of further participation.
It did look an easy clearance, I thought he even hesitated as it was coming in, which may have been critical in it hitting his shin and not boot. I want to be charitable and say perhaps it was unlucky and bounced up on him but it probably isn't true.
I also thought at the time he should have perhaps been more alive to the danger behind him for Origi's goal, but did Max give him the call to let him know. CB don't generally like to be split and with Godfrey moving towards the ball, dropping back to help Max, would have left a very large gap through the middle.

Bah!

 

For me, Hanley's main problem is that he isn't a natural for Farkeball. The pre-season showed that he's been working on that, but he's not totally comfortable yet. He needs game time but because other CBs have done well, he isn't getting it. With the injuries we have, would we rather play a U23 CB against Liverpool? I wouldn't.

 

After way too many years of having an inept Scottish centre back and captain in Russel Martin getting taken for a mug I have no sympathy for Hanley.

He was ok at first 17/18 season where we finished mid table but not very good 18/19 where Zimmermann and Godfrey excelled.

If the other 3 are injured then play him but if he can't cut it at this level I would rather see Amadou given a chance , he can apparently play CB too .

I have nothing against Hanley and clearly the og must have been devastating for him and would love to be proven wrong about him.

The guy spent most of last season on the bench or for our U23s and if the others are fit should only be used as emergency cover or cup games.

IMHO.

Doesn't look or sound any better in French.

Routine ball in without a challenge scooped into your own net .

 

This is the wreckles stupid (insert your own superlative here) incident last season against Portsmouth you don't need to see the other 4 mins .

I still have no idea what he was doing .

 

OG aside the main problem with our defending was that our two full backs were defending too wide. The Liverpool front 3 like to attack the spaces between CB's, LB & CB & RB & CB bearing this in mind our full backs needed to get their distances right between them & the CB's in the first half they didn't the gap was too big. Our 2 CB's were quiet well positioned, however because the full backs were wide they had to make a decision either to reduce the distance between them and the full backs by increasing the distance between them or keep their position knowing that this kept the gap between them and the full backs too large. Damned if they do damned if they don't. The only other option was for the defensive midfielders to cover the gap between the CB's & FB's , which they did particularly McLean, however this left us exposed down the middle. To analysis the game effectively you should look at what's happening away from the ball first and then move back towards the ball rather than the other way round, unfortunately with TV coverage this rarely happens. So all you see is Hanley or McLean out of position and not what caused that to happen. Farke sorted the problem out at half time and the FB's reduced the distance between them and the CB's and all of a sudden Hanley & McLean start to look like they are playing better. I'm not saying Hanley was great and Aarons, & Lewis were not, but equally I don't think Hanley was as bad as some are suggesting nor do I think Aarons & Lewis played as well as some would have you believe. Let's face it everyone thinks Aarons & Lewis have great potential and we all want them to do well, so most people were going to always going to disproportionately blame Hanley for our defensive errors. Interestingly for the OG Hanley was spot on position wise unfortunately his balance / footwork was poor.

I don't see Hanley as our 4th choice CB if we play 4 at the back. I see Hanley and Zimmermann competing for a CB place & Godfrey / Klose competing for the other. I think Farke's first choice would be Zimmermann & Godfrrey. If we play 3 at the back then Hanley would miss out, but I don't think Farke would play a back 3 with Hanley in it.

 

Apparently Amadou was signed by Lille as a centre back making his debut against PSG in defence losing narrowly to PSG 1-0 Biesla then used him as a defensive midfielder where he flourished much like Godfrey it would seem .
Of course there was not much likelihood of taking points away from Liverpool last week but I can't think of many worse ways to start the season .

It was tough on Grant but they are his legs and his brain decided to make that schoolboy error .

I doubt there will be many easier goals gifted at Anfield this season .

The Virgil header was also way too easy he didn't even need to jump against a lightweight Lewis .

Those two incidents killed the game and If we keep gift wrapping goals then it doesn't matter how good Krul Buendia and Pukki perform we will be toast in this league.

The second half proved that we can compete but at 4-0 let's be realistic they were just coasting.

 

I (and I'm sure everyone who posts on here hear what you're saying Dunc, but let's give it until at least the International break before castigating Hanley, Lewis etc.
I'm CERTAIN the players don't need reminding that the defending for at least 2 of the goals was non-existent.
I'll start to get worried if we give Chelski/Citeh the same generosity.

Were you one of the thousands of NCFC fans on the 'Farke Out' bandwagon just under a year ago???
I WASN'T!!

 

Excellent post Canario. Your point about the FB's playing too wide is spot on and DF did change that at HT. The one thing I'd differ about is that Hanley did effectively play in a 3 at the back in pre-season and I think he's well suited to play in the middle of a 3 flanked by Klose and Godfrey, though of course Zimbo would be first choice there.

 

Injury news is dreadful!

Onel out for 3 months after slipping on stairs
Klose still ruled out
McLean a major doubt
Drmic out for 2 games
Idah has a knock

Tettey, Amadou and Vrancic trained ok this week, so in contention.

 

Newcastle injury news: Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has revealed new signing Allan Saint-Maximin is a doubt for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Norwich. The French summer signing, who was handed a debut as a substitute in last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat by Arsenal, has a hamstring problem and could miss out at Carrow Road, although fellow midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is expected to shake off an ankle injury.