Unfortunately, our Martin is still incommunicado and so into the breach today steps Bernie Own with a pre-international break guest blog.
He looks at where we are, what’s gone wrong, and what it will take (if anything) for Mr Wagner’s tenure to last into 2024.
All yours, Bernie.
***
After the Coventry game we are roughly a quarter of the way through the season (okay, I know 4 x 11 is 44 and we play 46 games but I did say roughly).
So how are our Canaries doing?
I venture to say, not as well as most of us would like. To put our record of five wins, two draws, and four defeats into context, we won three and drew one of our first four. Since then we have taken seven points from a possible 21.
It’s worth repeating … seven points out of a possible 21.
It is what it is, nothing’s about to change it, but it’s certainly not what we expected from this team. So what’s going wrong? Why do we look like such an underperforming team?
Until Saturday our away form was falling away and it’s still not great. The 4-4 at Southampton was followed by a 4-0 win at Huddersfield. At that point, everything seemed okay in terms of picking up points from away games but then came Rotherham and Plymouth… later to be followed by Swansea.
But in terms of Rotherham and Plymouth… collectively, 135 minutes of no-show out of 180.
Is it the tippy-tappy football at the back that has already cost us 3-4 goals this season part of the problem? Or the problem?
The worst/best example of this was at Swansea where Angus Gunn had at least 10 touches of the ball in the first 150 seconds, and then the inevitable happened and we went 1-0 down.
Deep defending with all 10 outfield players behind the ball happens but is not ideal when all of them are within 25 yards of our own goal.
Where is the out-ball? Answer: There isn’t one.
The ball is guaranteed to come straight back to put more pressure on the defence and, guess what, mistakes will eventually happen and goals against will be scored.
At least put a couple of players on the halfway line when you are defending a corner. Simplistic it may seem but it takes at least four bodies out of the way and makes it easier for your defenders to defend.
Also, if a defender wins it and launches it up-field, you have the chance of a counter-attack.
At the other end of the pitch it’s all about ball in onion bag and, to be fair, we have scored 21 goals so far this season, But, again for context, 13 of those came in the first four games.
And then we lost Sarge and Barnes.
Now we score one goal a game and concede more – a recipe for a cake with a soggy bottom if ever I saw one.
Our midfielders are currently carrying the scoring burden, penalties aside, and are doing okay but the quality of our striking minus Sargent and Barnes is a huge concern.
Idah appears capable of getting into good positions but then lacks composure, and right now I can see no reason why Nottingham Forest bought Hwang in the first place. No wonder he’s never played a minute for them.
(As an aside, young Abu Kamara is getting decent reviews from the Pompey faithful as he holds down a position in a team top of League One).
So, now it’s international break time and then on October 21st, we welcome back the bloke on a horse, followed by four more games before the November break – Middlesbrough (h), Sunderland (a), Blackburn (h), Cardiff (a) – a run of games that will define our season.
If we come out of them in touching distance of the top six it will still be game on but if not the pressure on Mr Wagner will be massive. I like him as a person, but like other managers and head coaches before him, he has no Plan B to fall back on when Plan A isn’t working.
I say we bring in young Jaden Warner and play three at the back with five in midfield, but that would mean wingbacks and, as Bali Mumba found out, Wagner doesn’t do wingbacks.
At least that would have given us a Plan B. Nice idea… in theory.
Finally congrats so far this season to the Portaloo Boys who are ripping it up like a Paul Lambert team in the Championship after being promoted from League One.
(Yes, it does hurt).
***
As is traditional on a Monday, we conclude with a piece of music that’s tenuously linked to the prevailing mood among the faithful.
“The Only Way Is Up” by Yazz and REM’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It…” were a little too route one (even for me), so instead I’ll leave you with this little-known number which, for obvious reasons, currently ticks a couple of #NCFC boxes.
Good read, Bernie – I’ll put it in a nutshell. Even with the injured players back under this manager we will not achieve what we should do, which is playoffs at least. So basically get a new manager. Fed up with reading all the squit .
A thoroughly dispiriting afternoon. As the clock ticked down, I was thinking to myself how lucky we would be to get three points. As it was that did not happen and Coventry nearly won it. There was a total lack of ambition from start to finish. What Gunn and company are doing when we get a goal kick is beyond me. There were times in the first half when they appeared to be time wasting, which doesn’t really say a lot for a team seeking promotion. I am not a natural moaner, but that was as poor a performance as I have seen over the last fifteen years or so.
City had the most possession but it was in and around their own penalty area and Coventry didn’t need to win the ball back City’s passing was so poor they gave it to them.
Gunn touched the ball more than the midfielders only because he was the point of the triangle and had no out ball.
Are weworsenow than under Roeder or Smith, then Hamilton, Grant and a few others come to mind.
3 more years of Delia, Halloween has come early
In previous seasons we’ve been able to bring on Tettey to see out the game and it works. Now we bring on wingers and ask them to defend, which doesn’t make sense when you have Forshaw on the bench. We end up with no natural defenders in front of the back four and two full backs selected for their ability to get forward. We have players due to return that can put this right, I am looking forward to seeing Sorensen back in his natural position. We’re expecting a lot from Sargent and Barnes but Sargent’s form faded badly in the second half of last season and age is against Barnes, I think Sainz will do well and hopefully we will have learned from our substitution mistakes.
On the one hand, I really don’t like it when the manager/head coach is the problem. But, on the other hand, its a big worry if he’s not the problem as it means a much bigger mess to clear up. I guess I must pose myself this question; could/should this group of players be doing better? If yes, Wagner is the problem, if not, we really are just a poor side/club.
Personally, I’m starting to think he may be the problem as I believe we do have a good(ish) squad. Without the two strikers that are injured I still believe there is plenty left to put out a decent and simple 4-2-3-1.
I do think we overcomplicate tactics for championship football. 4 lumpish Centre backs don’t need to pass sidewise, and wingers should be allowed to play on their natural side.
Watching Placetta using the outside of his left to take Idah’s head off from the right against Swansea was the final inverted straw for me.
Hi Bernie
An enjoyable read.
Breaking News Birmingham have sacked Eustace which is no surprise considering that rumours last week was that Wayne Rooney was in pole position for the ride if he was sacked by DC United and he was dismissed 48 hours ago.
As I said in Gary’s articles yesterday this mess is of Webbers making and with my cynical hat on once the New Kid Knapper is in place I can see him having to do the dirty deed where Wagner is concerned similarly I suspect it the cheap option with his recruitment and could we see an ex Arse-nal coach in Steve Bould turn up at Colney before long at least no confusion knowing the training ground name.
Many said on Wagners appointment he was a poor choice, he got lucky at Huddersfield its a promotion and staying up for a second season, then he was found out big time with his next two jobs and it looks like City is his next compo cheque.
The mention of a Plan B do we really have a Plan A in place, a Keeper that’s hung out to dry by his defenders with so many back passes, A midfield leader who’s pointing out where the danger is coming from when he should close it down, and a creative midfield who has no outlet, then a Stiker who trys to pass the ball into the onion bag instead of putting his boot through it, don’t mention m8ssing a sitter it his head maybe the no heading rule in training is effecting that but other teams are still getting goals that way even Gibson scores with his head.
A week to reset, Hanley ahead of schedule Sorensen on the grass, Sainz ready after the break but will they look to bring in a freebie striker that can score but not signed by anyone due to his age or wage demands.
Webber will be on his conference call with Attanasio explaining how his plans are working or not and Delia will be planning an over priced Halloween Special for her catering Franchise and Knapper just might start to think what the he’ll have I taken on.
A good summary Bernie.
Wagner appears to be a one trick pony. If he wants to play out from the back why did he ok Duffy and allow Andy to leave.
Duffy panics every time the ball is played to him and is far too slow to play this system.
I fear our good start was because teams hadn’t worked us out and now they have we are easy pickings.
The first half at home to Birmingham was abysmal and it’s time our board realised it’s supposed to be an entertainment!
How we put things right is an extremely difficult to answer as twenty six years of Delia has left us with a £60 million deficit.
Answers on a post card to NR1 and if it’s like my emails concerning the lights in the City stand dazzling us in the south stand I doubt you’ll get an answer.
I think we’re supposed to renew our season tickets and be grateful for whatever Delia provides!
Wagner take another baffling comment why would you plan to concede possession
“It was a fair result, even if we conceded so late,” said Wagner. “I was very pleased with how the players executed our idea to give Coventry a little bit of possession and make sure we defend from a lower block and be a threat on the transition. They put in real shift.
“Obviously, you have to defend your crosses, and you have to have some blocks, but they were no real big chances. We scored a great counter-press goal and had two further golden opportunities from Adam Idah and a third one from Liam Gibbs, where we have to kill the game.
“Especially in the second half, we had this period of 25 to 30 minutes where we were very comfortable on the ball, and we have to kill the game.”
Good article which hits the nail on the head. These are decent players and if you set the team up to their strengths then you will succeed. Idah can score goals and contribute in other ways if you play to his strength.
Placheta has surprisingly made some good runs but he is on the wrong side of the pitch. He and Dimi could forge a good partnership but the manager constantly changes the team.
The geriatric recruits are just that and it is time for a major reset with a young upcoming homegrown manager. Living in Hull I can see it happening here.
Time for change no delays.
” Idah can score goals and contribute in other ways if you play to his strength.”
Cypress canary, please enlighten us as to what those strengths are, because I have been watching him for several seasons now and genuinely have not identified what his strengths are.
If a team is going to play out from the back almost invariably, you need players with a high degree of mobility and ball skills. Guardiola has been able to do that at Barcelona and Manchester City because he has world-class defenders he can trust not to give the ball away. We don’t. On Wagner’s stubborn refusal to make any adjustments to his favoured tactical approach, he reminds me of the schoolboy whose report said “tries his best but lacks the flexibility to cope with complex problems”. I am not looking forward to this season’s derby games.
Alan, re your closing sentence, I don’t think many of us are.
However in typical Along Come Norwich, you just never can tell.
O T B C
The Football club is a complete mess, embarrassing!
When Stuart Webber handed his notice in that should have been him out the door. We shouldn’t even be talking about him.
How he has managed to stay at his post, pick a new manager, recruit players then appoint a new sporting director is farcical?
In no other Business would that be allowed to happen?
Your wife your boss and 2 geriatrics who couldn’t make the right decision if their life depended on it.
Dabbling at running a football club, means we are in no man’s land!
This season is a right off!
Wagner is a gengenpress style manager.
The players we have recruited are nowhere near good enough for that.
Unfortunately webber appointed him because of the fans cry for attractive football.
What he didn’t take into account was the squad he was providing him to achieve that was like asking a mechanic to turn a food fiesta into a formula 1 car!
When was Barnes, Duffy ever playing that style of football?
Do we believe that Sara and Nunes we adapting that style of play on the beaches of Sao Paulo?
We needed a young hungry manager who could get the best out of what we have.
Total, total failure from top to bottom!
We are now waiting for the new Sporting Director to make his mark. Hopefully he doesn’t learn any bad habits from Webbers bargin bucket recruitment?
Wagner will be replaced and we can start all over again!
My hope is that we can finish the season in the Championship. Hopefully the new SD can lift some rocks and unearth some talent, the parachute gravy train is over and we haven’t got a pot to pi$$ in!
Bernie, can Wagner turn this around? The short answer is no. His tactics require a skill set his players haven‘t got. Will he change the tactics to suit the players he has? No! Are there funds to enable him to get the players he needs? No! Maybe Leeds will give us us a good thumping and the embarrassment will force us to find another Coach or perhaps the Binners will give us the same wake up call.
He’s safe in his job. If he can survive last seasons abomination he is probably fireproof.
Low standards eminate from the very top and they have percolated all the way down to the pitch.
Wagner isn’t the problem, he is a symptom of the disease that is eating away at the heart of the club.
Thanks Bernie
As per JohnF above I feel our plan A, no plan B has been sussed. Similar to last season it takes a few games for the oppo managers to counter our style, I presume after a few game videos. I do get bringing the oppo towards us to exploit the space behind, but it’s risky , or very risky with a Duffy or Handley or similar not so light footed , as mobile as others and lacking the passing pace needed.
Your listing of the next 5 games appears to put us really up against it and I can’t disagree !
Quite a lot of negatively always seems unfair when we are what 7th or 8th, I think we were 5th when Smith departed. All in all, have we been spoilt by a couple of good Farke seasons ? !
Thankyou all for your comments on this article . It’s really nice to get responses. Thanks