Norwich City vs Aston Choking Villa Post Match Thread

[in exile]

Unrelated, but the friendliest ground staff, including police, that I have come across in a long time.

So as there must be balance in life you have to go to Millwall.

Do your research, who is Millwall reserve team goalkeeper?

David Martin
Ryan Sandford - U23's

[tomd2103]

Tuesday's  match couldn't have taken much out of the players as it was like a training match, so why so many lacked energy is a mystery. As others have said, they pressed on Adomah and Snodgrass and that's two thirds of our creativity negated.

Apart from Wolves, when we have really had to win we have failed. We've flunked the apparently simpler exams against QPR, Bolton, Hull and Norwich so that doesn't bode well for the harder tests of the play-offs.

It did concern me a little to hear Bruce at length in the pre match interview about tiredness and fatigue.  It almost sounded as if the whole set up at the club are talking themselves into it.  There was an international break recently during which very few of our players featured for their respective countries, so that would have given a chance for players to rest.  Also, playing midweek games is part of playing in the football league due to the increased number of teams in the league.  If players can’t handle that schedule then surely you have to start asking some questions about them. 

[TheMalandro]

To beat us currently
1)Stop the wingers - double up on them
2)Pressure the fullbacks into aimless punts
3)Kick Grealish
4)Take the lead
5)Wait for Bruce to clear out the midfield
6)Relax for rest of game as our extra strikers run back to our own half to get the ball due to no midfield

6 of 30.

[eamonn]

Weren't Norwich playing the other night? Everyone is tired but you feel it less when winning. We also had the luxury of taking off a couple of key players early against Reading once the game was won. I wonder if he really means the older players - whom he signed, are feeling the strain of a long season in which case he should have factored that into his recruitment.

[purpletrousers]

Unrelated, but the friendliest ground staff, including police, that I have come across in a long time.

So as there must be balance in life you have to go to Millwall.

I have to agree with this, the polite, friendly & helpful steward as I entered the stand really stood out.
Things went downhill from there.
I made a point of thanking him as I left.
To come full circle, I was a steward at Milwall as a student.

[PeterWithesShin]

Apart from Appleyard, everyone who played against Norwich is 30 or younger, they really should be able to cope. Especially as has been said, the Reading game will hardly have been a physical or mental drain.

[clash city rocker]

Sitting there before the wolves game I never expected us to win 4-1 but the villa suprised me. After the Wolves game I didn't expect us to be so shite but then again the villa suprised me. To say we are a jekyll and Hyde team is an understatement.

[purpletrousers]

I keep reading about all these fantastic sports science thingymebobs that tell the coaches which players are knackered in training. I don’t know why we bother paying for them as half the team looked tired to me.

It did occur to me if the lack of urgency was related to an early kick off time, but surely all the sports science stuff makes sure their circadian rhythms/body clocks are adjusted a bit to be up and at em a few hours earlier...

I don't read the game from the side of the pitch as well as many, so appreciate others seeing perhaps Snoddy & Albert were just effectively shut down, but we just looked rudderless and the opposite of Klopps pressing game at times. It's so easy to be simplistic, there were tiimes though we did press on, there was a moment before their goal I remember saying to my Dad 'the natives are restless' as they booed a backpass. But we seeemd to work the ball backwards far too often, maybe that's a credit to them? And gave them space from which they conjured up a beauty. The surprised locals then woke up.

I was just disappointed things not working got left so long. Hogan just isn't going to win and hold a long ball up enough is he? Whilst I guess it was a front three in the end and they did switch about, for a period Grabban and Kodjia on wings and little Hogan in the middle just looked silly.

[tomd2103]

Sitting there before the wolves game I never expected us to win 4-1 but the villa suprised me. After the Wolves game I didn't expect us to be so shite but then again the villa suprised me. To say we are a jekyll and Hyde team is an understatement.

I'm not sure we are a Jekyll and Hyde or simply that we are heavily reliant on a few players to produce match winning performances on a regular basis for us.  The form of Adomah and Snodgrass has dipped over the last few weeks and although he hasn't been playing poorly, Grealish is not quite delivering the kind of performances he was earlier on in the year.

[russon]

To beat us currently
1)Stop the wingers - double up on them
2)Pressure the fullbacks into aimless punts
3)Kick Grealish
4)Take the lead
5)Wait for Bruce to clear out the midfield
6)Relax for rest of game as our extra strikers run back to our own half to get the ball due to no midfield

6 of 30.

7. Turn up

[ChicagoLion]

To beat us currently
1)Stop the wingers - double up on them
2)Pressure the fullbacks into aimless punts
3)Kick Grealish
4)Take the lead
5)Wait for Bruce to clear out the midfield
6)Relax for rest of game as our extra strikers run back to our own half to get the ball due to no midfield

6 of 30.

7. Turn up

8. Make sure Bruce knows it’s the Championship.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I've been to Norwich away, a quarter final midweek game and we won. It's a bloody long trip but the win made it all worthwhile. I feel really sorry for those that were there on Saturday and suffered the long trip home after watching that performance.

[Tony Erdington]

To beat us currently
1)Stop the wingers - double up on them
2)Pressure the fullbacks into aimless punts
3)Kick Grealish
4)Take the lead
5)Wait for Bruce to clear out the midfield
6)Relax for rest of game as our extra strikers run back to our own half to get the ball due to no midfield

6 of 30.

7. Turn up

8. Make sure Bruce knows it’s the Championship.

9. No Huffball especially when playing Tirien Lanister as your Centre forward.

[Ads]

I've been to Norwich away, a quarter final midweek game and we won. It's a bloody long trip but the win made it all worthwhile. I feel really sorry for those that were there on Saturday and suffered the long trip home after watching that performance.

Out at 7 and back at ten to 7. It was a loooooooong trip.

[Damo70]

I accept it is a long, hard season in the championship with plenty of midweek games. But it is the same schedule for every team and, if anything we have a bigger and stronger squad than most in this division.

As for early kick offs, yes they are usually played in a 'flat' atmosphere but it is the same for both teams.