While events in the real world didn’t go as planned, our 3-2 win over Wolves in the virtual world of the Football Manager Parallel Championship gave ‘manager’ Martin Emerson’s Canaries a flying start to the season (am I taking this too seriously..?).
And, in true parallel fashion, it’s Watford up next.
So… over to you again folks. As before, we’d love to hear you thoughts on who you think should comprise Neil Adams’ starting XI and the formation in which they should line up.
The team selected last week was only one player different from Adams’ actual starting line-up – Steven Whittaker was replaced at right-back by Russell Martin, with Ryan Bennett slotting in alongside Michael Turner at centre-back – although the MFW readers opted for a 4-2-3-1 as opposed to the 4-4-2 with the narrow midfield diamond.
I wonder…
But with Kyle Lafferty’s cameo catching the eye, will – or perhaps should – the Irishman be let loose on Beppe Sannino’s high-flyers?
And should Adams persist with the Martin/Turner combo? Or has Ryan Bennett done more than enough to earn a shot?
One player we can leave out of the equation is Anthony Pilkington who, following his apparent spat with Adams, now appears to be heading to Cardiff; a £1million fee being bandied around in the Welsh press.
So, please let us have your team. As ever, we welcome your thoughts folks…
We also have to leave Olsson out the equation, possibly for some time.
The diamond didn’t work at Molineux – but having used it through most of pre-season, it would surely be an over-reaction to dump it so soon. So a shot across the bows of the players who didn’t perform as they should have done, but a similar formation for me. Lafferty to replace Redmond, Garrido for Olsson. And as a fan of Ryan Bennett, I’d have him with Turner in the middle and revert Russ to right-back with a mandate to maraud forward.
Ruddy- Whittaker Martin Turner Garrido – Johnson surman Hoolahan Redmond – Hooper Lafferty
But play Redmond on the right, Surman left with Hoolahan behind the front two. More than anything else they need to play as a unit, with people steeping up to be counted.
Watford’s ‘cosmopolitan’ line up has bags of goal threat so I’d like to see a bit more steel in midfield to help BJ for the first hour or so to take the sting out of the Hornets – maybe Fer or O’Neil if still here/fit. RB at CB with RM moved out and the two new strikers starting (SW, EB and AS on the bench).
Based on the Wolves results online/reality, maybe better if we lose the online one?
I think the way forward for Norwich is 3 central defenders at the back Turner, Bennett and Martin
Ryan Bennett is much better at heading the ball – and might have stopped the Wolves goal where Martin’s challenge for the header was woefully short of what was needed.
I’d bench Whittaker – which is hard on him but he didn’t exactly enthral me last week with his lack of creative attacking play.
I’d also drop Garrido (and Olsson) and play completely without fullbacks, instead I would put a line of 4 in midfield across the park as follows: Surman, Tettey, Johnson and Redmond.
I’d put Hoolahan roaming wherever he can find space and put both Lafferty and Grabban up front.
Call this a 3-4-1-2 if you like but it’s flexible enough so that Surman can drop into left back and everyone shuffles over to make a back 4 if needed
Tettey and Johnson should give us a bit more security than Johnson alone, and Redmond can look to use his pace and can work on either wing whilst still having two strikers in the middle in case he does ever feel like crossing the ball to someone else (or having them drag the defenders away to create the space for him to run into).
So it can morph into 4-2-1-3 (-ish) with Redmond doing a lot of wide attacking play.
So Elliot Bennett, Garrido/Olsson, and Whittaker are dropped, and Tettey, Lafferty and Ryan Bennett come in.
It’s not the narrow 4-man diamond – we do need 5 in midfield or we get overrun as we did last week.
They need a kick up the backside too – last week’s lack of energy and appetite must not be on display this week. Watford are no pushovers. ?Failure is not an option.
It’s a hard one to pick. We need to ask the crucial question – wos gorn on on the traynun ground Neyal?
A back 3 with wingbacks is bold and intriguing, but the other end of the spectrum compared to Adams’ clear preference for the diamond. Why so narrow? Why play Redders down the middle? Have they worked on his crossing over the summer and decided he just ain’t capable? Is Grabban always poor at holding the ball or was Sunday just a one-off? Is Lafferty really poor in the air, or is that reputation unfair?
Anyway, I’m abandoning the diamond until more is done on the traynun ground to make it work. Grabban is dropped and made to work on receiving the ball and hold-up play. Same back 4 that ended the last game, for the sake of continuity, but RB unlucky not to get recalled.
Whittaker and Garrido encouraged to bomb forward (both comfortable with that anyway), because we have BJ and Tetts holding. Benno, Wes and Surs behind the lone striker Lafferty, who offered more in 10 minutes than anyone else in 90 last week.
4-2-3-1
Whit Russ Turns Garri
BJ Tetts
Benno Wes Surs
Laffs
Dropping Redmond is a gamble with Stoke sniffing around, but that’s tough. He comes on with 25 to go anyway, and with something to prove he scores in injury time with a clinical finish from the edge of the box. Early mutterings in the crowd that one up at home is too negative are quickly silenced when Lafferty bags the first of his 3 goals, helping City to a thrilling 4-1 victory, with Hoolahan picking up the MOTM award for a remarkable demonstration of attacking flair.
I would put Martin at right back and bring in Ryan Bennett. Garrido for Olsson. Tettey for Johnson and Fer for Surman and Lafferty for Redmond. 4 3 1 2.
Tettey and Fer would provide strength in midfield and cover for the back four. The priority is to control midfield.
I said it last week and I saw nothing last weekend to change my mind…442 is the answer:
Ruddy
Whittaker Martin Bennett Garrido
Bennett O’Neill Tettey Surman
Lafferty Grabban
I go with Burnhan Canary, Martin, R Bennett, Turner, Garrido; E Bennett, Tettey, Fer; Hoolahan; Garrido, Lafferty in 4-3-1-2. I would have been tempted to play Pilkington if he’d still been here, and I am sure that Adams will not drop Johnson, although I have always believed our midfield functions better when he is not in it (though Howson is still missing).
There is O’Neil too of course, and he would be my alternative in the midfield 3. And Adams has some more recruiting to do, especially if Pilkington does go, but starting with the CB position.
4-4-2, with the additional forward for home games is tempting, but I’m still of the opinion that 4-2-3-1 is the way forward for us. It gives us more variation – if the players are ‘on song’.
Ruddy
Martin Bennet(R) Turner Garrido
Tettey Surman
Bennet (E) Hoolahan Redmond
Lafferty
I am not sorry to see Pilks go. He was a good servant initially, but his last few performances have lacked commitment, passion, effort – he was just going through the motions. I’m sure it’s what the very committed NA witnessed.
All I ask is that Redmond has more tuition in how to maximise the effect of his final ball – be it a pass, cross, or shot. He has bags of potential, and gets himself into great positions, but that killer ball at the end of it all is too often wasted – very disheartening for the rest o the team, and frustrating for the crowd.
OTBC – stop those Hornets buzzing !
So Pilks departs – yet another it’s feared,
To the Bluebirds on the cheap,
He takes his strangely sculptured beard,
To the land of Tan and sheep.