Skip to main content

Matchday Thread PNE v Norwich City - 13/4/24 - KO:3PM - Championship

Matchday Thread PNE v Norwich City - 13/4/24 - KO:3PM - Championship

I was not too concerned yesterday, the damage was done last week and earlier in the season. Thoughts…

Riis has been shite for the last 2/3 games.

We badly missed Millar and Potts yesterday.

Whatmough would be better where Storey is with Storey on the bench.

Brady is playing very well but doesn’t break into the final third.

Osmajic doesn’t suit a game where he needs to hold the ball up and bring others into play.

Woodman needs to work on his kicking when under pressure.

Whoever we get in the summer needs to have genuine pace.

Oh and we still aren’t fit enough. Norwich were fitter than us in the last 15 minutes. Recurring theme.
 
StevieNorthEnd said:
Not much in it yesterday, I thought the subs killed is yes so that's on Lowe.

Woodman though....I think he's had poor season and needs some proper competition, unlikely to happen though.
Click to expand...
I don't really see the goalkeeper as a key issue this season. It's not like he drops clangers all the time ala Ripley. Or is letting in goals from 25+ yards. (Two solid long range saves yesterday)

Views on Woodman might improve if he wasn't instructed to launch balls to the touchlines so often. It always seems to me like we spend most games watching throw ins being taken.

I wouldn't mind as much if we had a clue how to maintain possession from attacking throw ins. But, we are bloody useless at that.

I'd much rather watch a team that can play out from the back. Woodman at Swansea was successful in a team like that.

But with our rudimentary centre backs we gave up on that idea long before Lowe arrived with his lofty brand ideas.

Recruitment largely drives the style of play and we always prioritise heading ability in defence, over ability on the ball.
 
What are the hopes and aspirations of those passionate and forever fans for the summer transfer window and then next seasons outcome?

Who would you move on, who would you keep, where will we be in twelve months time.

Will this manager still be giving us the benefit of his wisdom and in depth knowledge? So much to look forward to.
 
Mer5eywhite said:
I was not too concerned yesterday, the damage was done last week and earlier in the season. Thoughts…

Riis has been shite for the last 2/3 games.

We badly missed Millar and Potts yesterday.

Whatmough would be better where Storey is with Storey on the bench.

Brady is playing very well but doesn’t break into the final third.

Osmajic doesn’t suit a game where he needs to hold the ball up and bring others into play.

Woodman needs to work on his kicking when under pressure.

Whoever we get in the summer needs to have genuine pace.

Oh and we still aren’t fit enough. Norwich were fitter than us in the last 15 minutes. Recurring theme.
Click to expand...
Some very good points.
Just to pick up on a couple…when Riis came back from his serious injury we were told it would be a ‘managed’ return.
It certainly hasn’t been and he really has looked burnt out in these last few games.
And just on Freddie….he’s certainly levelled out this season and wonder if it’s anything to do with the coaching side?
PS…just as an aside…if Riis hadn’t played so much we may have not have been in the play off hunt until,yesterday.
 
MalkySee said:
What are the hopes and aspirations of those passionate and forever fans for the summer transfer window and then next seasons outcome?

Who would you move on, who would you keep, where will we be in twelve months time.

Will this manager still be giving us the benefit of his wisdom and in depth knowledge? So much to look forward to.
Click to expand...
I'd personally like a fresh approach, I.e. a new manager although I've resigned to the fact that it won't happen unless a club comes knocking.
So if Lowe remains here, is he going to be going all out to sign his precious wing backs?
I mean after all, isn't this starting to become a dying trend regarding formation? 🤔
I personally think whoever he buys, we'll continue in largely the usual approach.
That's something I'm really not looking forward to if I'm being honest
 
Nobber said:
I don’t think we did battle hard today.

We needed to press their obvious tactics of closing up to get themselves one point. It was always going to be their game to get another point into the playoffs. What should have happened is we try and break them down. We press. We make them react to our play, force the game upon them.

But typical North End, we let them do what they chose and we just trotted along. They dictated the play. We hoped for a set piece maybe, or a lucky counter attack. AND we deserved nothing. Nothing.

Another season of being dictated to rather than taking the game to others and letting them worry about us.

Sit back and fail. Be negative and fail. Respect the other side and fail.

Just fail.

Fuck the respect, no other side deserves it. Winners win. Losers respect the others.

Just fuck off North End, you’ve done the same for forty fucking years. Weak as fuck.
Click to expand...
Agree entirely. Sick of this excessive respect we show the “ better/bigger “ teams . Also explains our dismal cup record for the last half century . Bollocks to the “ punching above our weight @ narrative , it just installs inferiority and encourages mediocrity
 
The subs really killed it. The shape was just ridiculous at the end. We kind of nullified ourselves.

You can't just throw strikers on and hope for the best. Osmajic off for Ched would have made more sense. Would have got him and Riis up top near the goal. Instead it looked like Osmajic was playing WB at the end with Riis out wide.
 
Mel Tottoh said:
Agree entirely. Sick of this excessive respect we show the “ better/bigger “ teams . Also explains our dismal cup record for the last half century . Bollocks to the “ punching above our weight @ narrative , it just installs inferiority and encourages mediocrity
Click to expand...
Absolutely Mel
 
Naughton's moustache said:
I'd personally like a fresh approach, I.e. a new manager although I've resigned to the fact that it won't happen unless a club comes knocking.
So if Lowe remains here, is he going to be going all out to sign his precious wing backs?
I mean after all, isn't this starting to become a dying trend regarding formation? 🤔
I personally think whoever he buys, we'll continue in largely the usual approach.
That's something I'm really not looking forward to if I'm being honest
Click to expand...

Our football is neanderthal compared to the modern tactics of a number of our peers. We need Jason Bourne but we're saddled with Gene Hunt
 
Durutti said:
I think a lot of the success this season has kind of been in spite of him: Mads coming good/Riis coming back, Lindsay hitting good form, etc. yesterday reminded me he can still commit tactical suicide like he did last season away at Swansea.
Click to expand...
Do agree there has been some good things moments this season remember that team Selection at Swansea we where coming of the 1-5 v Watford and he picks that team. He changed things back in Jan and fair play but stuff like yesterday is why fans can't accept.
 
deepdaledreamer said:
A very even first half with Norwich looking OK but equally nothing particularly special. A shame Whatmough's header didn't go in, but from our angle, it never really looked like it would, if it was that inch or two lower keeper should have saved anyway, but it did give some encouragement.
Second half started similar to the first but then they came on stronger, Mads was having a poor game but still trying to create - although when its not happening for him, he might be better advised to keep it simple and play his way through it. That being said, why take off your creativity who can still do something out of the ordinary in the 90th minute. It was also apparent that we lost shape when he went off, so maybe he was still more influential than some give him credit for, even if he was poor by his own standards.
The left side started to become wide open, and where they scored from.
As for the later subs WTF.
Bringing Evans on instead of Stewart?
Either keep Holmes on or switch Brady over to RWB.
Left side he could have brought Greg on at LCB and moved Hughes to LWB or Best - any 2 from those 3 could play as LCB or LWB to allow Brady to switch without totally losing shape.
As i said we lost shape just taking mads off, the latter subs we almost laughingly lost all shape and purpose.
Whilst Whatmough had a decent game, he wasn't MOM (Holmes probably) but did the defensive job well, however a number of times when in space with the ball, he hadn't a clue what to do with it, so as Ledson is actually a midfield Player and played well at Plymouth (as Captain) why play another player out of position, when there is one already available, maybe not great but certainly better equipped for the position.
As an aside it’s always bemusing to me see the Managers who where not particularly gifted 'Footballers' themselves target the 'Footballers' to be sacrificed when things are not going to plan.
Click to expand...
That may not be true but it’s always something I’ve thought of. Does Lowe keep forwards on considering he was a forward? Or does he favour midfielders as they are ‘inbetweeners’ ? One things for sure he isn’t very good at it
 
Portishead said:
Our football is neanderthal compared to the modern tactics of a number of our peers. We need Jason Bourne but we're saddled with Gene Hunt
Click to expand...
All the time I was watching the game on Saturday all I could think of was Norwich’s approach of keeping the ball. Accruing possession . Giving themselves, through having use of the ball for the majority, the more likely chance of winning the game. While at the same time . We played the Lowe ball. Out of position players given one task , to compete , win the ball then , ….then what? We didn’t play through the thirds, we didn’t protect the ball , we didn’t make it ours . We lumped it or lost it. Our only chances came from set pieces . Even when we won them , I don’t know if you’ve noticed we aren’t actually very good at headers , aside from Whatmough ‘s powered header most of ours loop harmlessly over or wide. We really are a workmanlike team. Organised , able to hold out for long periods , block, tackle , head . Construct , create , excite .. not so much
 
I agree with that comment about RL that a lot of success has been in spite of him-“hes learning as a manager like a sponge”-his own words.I thought PNE bit unlucky in first half and not much in it.Whatmough in midfield has been good use of available resources.But Lowes substitutions (Evans-hasnt scored for long time) and set up at the end was poor.Can’t understand him taking Mads off as he’s creative and would have started with Riis and brought Millie on in second half…not completely over Playoffs if WBA lose next two but that’s wildly optimistic
 
Almost totally agree with Pgord. Formation wrong from the start and substitutions unfathomable. I have no faith in Lowe but have no idea who I would replace him with as all potential candidates have shown themselves to be inflexible failures at one club or another. A young Moyes would be ideal but that would be like looking for gold dust.
It was Lowes methods Oct -Jan that lost us progress this year, not just the Norwich defeat.
 
Retrospective judgments are all too easy but maybe a better set of subs yesterday would have been Ledson into central midfield with Browne moving forward to replace the very disappointing on the day Frokjaer, Riis replacing Keane simply to give us extra pace upfront and Brady moving to the right to replace the obviously exhausted Holmes with Best coming in on the left. But the blunt fact is that we just did not have the resources to make effective changes as evidenced by the fact that we actually brought on the now obviously spent force that is Evans as our second sub - a season ago he might have made a difference in that role but now it seems he is no more effective in it than when starting. But mathemaically we are not yet out of the Play-Offs so we have to regroup and give it a go on Tuesday.
 
Garden Gnome said:
Almost totally agree with Pgord. Formation wrong from the start and substitutions unfathomable. I have no faith in Lowe but have no idea who I would replace him with as all potential candidates have shown themselves to be inflexible failures at one club or another. A young Moyes would be ideal but that would be like looking for gold dust.
It was Lowes methods Oct -Jan that lost us progress this year, not just the Norwich defeat.
Click to expand...
I will just say that the two managers I mentioned last night - McKenna and Edwards - would not have been top of many fans lists when those jobs became available. I’ve recruited in the past and knew what specific qualities we needed and made sure the people we got met those criteria and I would expect the football club’s recruitment team to do the same. And I do see the flaw in that!

The more I think about our changes yesterday, the more baffling it gets. Why wasn’t there a pre ordained plan if we weren’t winning? There presumably wasn’t because the whole thing was shambolic, players didn’t seem to know what positions they’d been moved to and there were a lot of puzzled looks. The whole approach seemed to be reactionary yet again. Anyone who sits near the bench will see the manager when the crowd start shouting at the goalkeeper for not releasing the ball, they’ll see his gestures to get warmed up when the crowd moan at certain players.
 
wld said:
It’s such as shame that Cunningham isn’t able to play more than he does. I know it goes against perceived wisdom but I honestly think he’s a much better player than Hughes - but the most of our defence look like rabbits in headlights when someone runs at them.
Click to expand...
Not one of our centre backs can bring the ball out of defence ,Cunningham included because they haven't got the pace to get back if we lose the ball unlike the Norwich centre backs and many other teams centre backs who look so comfortable with or without the ball.Ours look like slugs compared to most of the other teams .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top