Things have been a bit quiet over here at Vital Norwich since the loss on Tuesday night to West Ham.
I’ve been thinking about it quite a lot, on and off but as I’m having a new kitchen fitted this week, all the chaos at home has taken my mind off things but I do keep coming back to the fact that we just can’t put the ball in the back of the net.
I’m not really sure that Hughton, Calderwood or Trollope can be blamed for that on Tuesday night, at least.
Against West Ham, they sent a side out that were more than capable of winning that game. I didn’t go to Upton Park as I had to work a late shift, but I listened to it all unfold on the radio.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but we created lots of chances in that first half and could’ve been three nil up at the break. Snodgrass, Hooper and Tettey all had good chances before the final ten minutes of the game.
Snodgrass and Hooper both missed one on one’s and yet again we came up against a goal keeper on top form.
But that can’t be the reason we don’t score every week. Hooper in particular is a finisher – his record at Celtic shows that in the SPL and Champions League. He is very capable and like with all strikers, I think it’s a confidence thing.
When he got a goal against West Ham, he went on a little run and scored four more in the weeks afterwards but hasn’t scored this calendar year in eight attempts now.
He was taken off late on against Man City and West Ham but when Elmander replaced him, I just knew that any chance of a goal from a forward had gone, as I’m sure you all did.
In Elmander we have a ‘striker’ who is big and strong and works hard, not unlike Grant Holt in many respects – apart from scoring that is.
Johan hasn’t found the net since a brace on his debut against Bury in the League Cup – having now watched him plenty, he is not the answer.
RvW is also a proven goal scorer but I wonder if we may look back on the penalty that Snodgrass refused to let him take against Villa as being a turning point?
Had Ricky taken it and scored that would’ve been two in two home appearances and suddenly he’s off to a flyer, confidence again.
And that is what I think this all boils down to. The tactics against West Ham for the first 76 minutes, at least, weren’t bad and we created plenty of chances, they just weren’t taken. I think that the fault has to lie at the players door and not the manager on that subject.
As far as Hughton’s ridiculous decision to take off Hooper and replace him with Elmander, followed by taking Redmond off and not Snodgrass, well that’s different – poor decision making. If he kept Snoddy on in case of a free kick, what about Pilks? He also can take a mean set piece.
This season is fast turning into a ‘nightmare’ to quote Seb Bassong and we have to hope that something gives soon. A goal from any of our strikers would be so valuable right now and it doesn’t matter if it goes in off the back of their head. That could be just the spark needed.
I don’t think that Becchio looks particularly great either but at least he has a scoring record and he is big and strong. So Chris, if you’re thinking of shutting up shop against Spurs on 76 minutes and Hooper is tired and needs changing, then opt for Becchio over Elmander – if on the other hand you fancy trying to win the game then get Ricky on. I’ll leave it up to you…
OTBC
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