MY VIEW: CLASS TOLD & NORWICH POSSESSION /FINISHING & QUALIT

MY VIEW / OPINION:


CLASS TOLD & NORWICH POSSESSION /FINISHING & QUALITY CAME THROUGH.


THE BATTLE OF THE BLUEBIRDS V THE CANARIES

CARDIFF CITY WENT IN TO THIS GAME AS THE INFORM TEAM V LEADERS NORWICH CITY


We gave our best, but honesty they deserved their victory, quality came through.

First-half: Norwich deserved their lead, but minutes before half-time Morrison nearly equalised, but McGoven made an incredible save.


Over all Norwich fully deserved their victory.


For me Top 2 is out this season, we have not got the strength in depth.


The difference showed today, Norwich fully deserved their victory, quality came through and City tried, but not good enough.



The truth is the best team won today and Norwich had far more quality in their team we did.

I honestly don’t blame Harris or the players today as they were just simply outplayed.



NORWICH CITY 2 CARDIFF CITY 0
H-T 1-0

Cardiff City : Smithies; Bacuna, Morrison, Nelson, Cunningham; Pack, Vaulks, Ralls; Wilson, Glatzel, Ojo.

Subs: Phillips, Bamba, Benkovic, Bagan, Patten, Whyte, Hoilett, Harris, Zimba.




First 25mins Norwich had the chances and most of the possession.



26th min: The Norwich midfielder ghosts through the middle of the pitch and City defenders stand off him. He drives towards the edge of the box and drilled his effort into the bottom corner, easy as you like, way to easy 0-1


Good save by Smithies



42nd min

What a save!

Wilson dinked a cross into the back post and Morrison headed from point-blank range.

But McGovern, incredibly, managed to pull off a ridiculous save!



H-T 1-0

Norwich continued to control the game, with Morrison being the backbone for Cardiff.

Pack made numerous mistakes.




Pack off, Junior Hoilett came on.




Harris came on for Ojo.



Another chance!

Pukki swivels and shot from close range, but somehow Smithies and Nelson manage to keep it out.


Norwich fully deserved their victory.

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Updated :

Norwich now 14pts ahead of us

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We were very poor again and the better team won.

Another bad performance and Neil Harris yet again didn't seem to know what he was doing.

The media :

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Agree about top 2 for us but definitely top 6 possible they were by far the better team but expected that as got two or three top quality players who made difference... we played to our strengths and on another day could have had couple of goals.... but this habit of letting players run at our defence is costing us badly as today showed again? Badly need bacuna back in midfield again today looked out sorts in defence and clearly not happy there.

We were very poor again and the better team won.

Another bad performance and Neil Harris yet again didn't seem to know what he was doing.

Ned, Sadly Norwich were a different level we were not in it.

Cant disagree with that summary. It could have been more if Nowich took their chances. Also City might have had one or 2.
Norwich deserved it.
What is frustrating is playing Bacuna at right back and including Pack in midfield. Bacuna has done pretty well at full back, but he is needed in misfield. Also Wilson needs to play as a 10. Surely (despite injuries) Harris can find a way of remedying this.
Please sell Pack in January and get a better midfielder. Finally,hope Moore is back soon - unfortunately Glatzel is a bit lightweight although, in fairness he got little service today.

Agree about top 2 for us but definitely top 6 possible they were by far the better team but expected that as got two or three top quality players who made difference... we played to our strengths and on another day could have had couple of goals.... but this habit of letting players run at our defence is costing us badly as today showed again? Badly need bacuna back in midfield again today looked out sorts in defence and clearly not happy there.

Allan , top 6 def possible

But today we were never in it .

Why oh why does he persevere with Pack ? 2 good games in 40 tells you all you need to know

We now have the slowest wingers/wide forwards since Malky played centre midfielders in there.

Is Bacuna is a better right back than Bennett, Cunnigham or Bagan ?

If we persist in just hitting it long just keep Morrison up there, absolutely no point in playing Glatzel unless we try to do something different.

This isn't just on Harris, but Ralls has never worked as a AMC, this is still on Warnock piss poor transfers from last season. Glatzel, Pack and Flint are piss poor and Nelson is only there because he can compliment Morrison. Forgot Gavin Whyte


Norwich just man for man better by a fair amount.

Last edited by llan bluebird on Sat Dec 19, 2020 2:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Second best for 90 minutes, come on Tan invest

Agree about top 2 for us but definitely top 6 possible they were by far the better team but expected that as got two or three top quality players who made difference... we played to our strengths and on another day could have had couple of goals.... but this habit of letting players run at our defence is costing us badly as today showed again? Badly need bacuna back in midfield again today looked out sorts in defence and clearly not happy there.

Allan , top 6 def possible

But today we were never in it .

Not sure not in it as could have had two goals with bit luck... the stats are quite good for us except possession as usual... we actually were in their pen area more than they were in ours! Both shot tallies not far away it's about perception? Norwich by far better footballing side but city played to their strengths and it caused them lots of problems...... expect Norwich in top 2 end season can see city winning more than lose so top 6 distinct possibility! Fans need to look at our style compared to teams like Norwich and judge us on that? Always going to be outplayed by a footballing side... but as we know that doesn't win games everytime...

Good analogy there, Annis

Although I will never prescribe to the view (of some) that we would lose before a ball was kicked, we all knew this was going to br a tough game against opponents that have 'got their gig together' right now

Buendia (my MotM) and Cantwell were the stand out players for Norwich with others playing more than their parts and they are the type of attacking side that we often see to struggle against with our formations

We had our chances but they were wasted and it speaks volumes once again when our biggest attacking threat was the almost unplayable at times in the air (in the box) central defender Sean Morrison

Norwich scored their first goal relatively early on and it was always going to be an uphill task from that point and their second goal came from the Bluebirds having to press more for an equaliser; it was the archetypal sucker punch from which the Bluebirds were unlikely to recover and Norwich could/should maybe have had another late in the game (maybe at other points, too)

I'm actually not too disheartened; I don't think we were ever going the threaten the 'automatics' this season and we are still 'in the mix' for the play-offs, which is about where we have pitched our current squad. We have some excellent, first class players but so little to back them up on occasion

The club need to make some serious decisions in early January and 'beef' this squad up to help those players who are more than capable in the Championship. The manager's position remains, for me, on a tightrope but he's still managing to stay up there as it stands with 5 from 7

Nelson and Wilson two lucky guys to remain on the pitch today, although I didn't see the intent in Nelson's arm catching his opponent and I thought he made a lot of it. Wilson's was a little frustrated and wholly unnecessary

Overall, another subdued game against 'flowing' opposition but we jump up, dust ourselves down and move on to Brentford, who will be another tough opponent but one we can take something off, if we are on our game

C'mon you Bluebirds...!

There is no question that Norwich were the better team, but how did we end up with four Yellow cards and they didn't get any. That Buendia committed at least five fouls in the first half just on Ojo, raised his arm to Cunnningham and threw the ball away after giving away a free kick without a word from the ref, and he then sets up the second goal... How can that be right?

Nelson was a liability again and Pack's distribution at the back was shocking and was lucky that they failed to take advantage of several one on ones. We created next to nothing and relied solely on set pieces which to be fair almost paid off a couple of times, but I find us a really difficult watch.

Stevie Wonder could see that Cantwell was running the show, but our players ignored him and got punished for it.

Problems everywhere, but the total lack of creativity in midfield is what kills us each time, particularly when we are up against the best teams who like to pass and move.
Today their midfield and forward line was full of pace, movement and skill, while ours was fairly static and predictable.
I've been a supporter of Harris, mainly based on his record last season, but anyone who sets up with a midfield trio of Ralls, Pack and Vaulks is asking for trouble. Perhaps on paper it looks reasonably solid, but when you go a goal down, I think that everyone deep down knows there's no way back against the better teams.
On top of that Moore is a big miss for us, as Glatzel offers very little.
Having said all that we had enough good balls into the box from free kicks and corners to have got something from the game, but do we really want to rely upon set plays all the time?
Norwich were a bit vulnerable today on our set plays and I feel that another aerial threat, such that Benkovic offers, may have been too much for them, as without Moore they only had to take care of Mozza. But Harris makes very few changes, and when he does they are the same predictable changes.
I really don't think we are going anywhere this season, so for me I'd rather change the manager now, before the transfer window, for a more progressive man who can bring a lot more creativity to our team, as I fear that even if we were to scrape into the playoffs it wouldn't end well for us.

I agree that the best team won but for me we made it easy for them. Their first goal could have been stopped if Pack had taken one for the team by taking Buendia out 30 yards from goal, nothing nasty just a shirt pull or trip but he just let him run, terrible defending from our defensive midfielder. Add to the Nelson not coming out to challenge a player approaching the edge of our penalty area, that is the 3rd time this week and Swansea, Birmingham and Norwich have all scored from this issue. Morrison is doing his best but he needs a partner who will support him.

NH deciding to play Ralls up alongside Glatzel just doesn't work and isolating Wilson out on the right well I'm sorry without Tomlin we have play Wilson in the number 10 role.

For me both their goals were preventable and in fairness to NH I thought we set up to play against a team who just pass you to death really well. On another day Morrison could have had at least a couple of goals. Norwich have superior quality with player who have better technical ability than us but we made them work for those points I'm just disappointed we didn't make it harder for them.

When we finished 2nd a few years ago we had a steely determination about us and at times dogged out results I just don't see that steel in this team.

After 5 wins in 7 we are not out of this and sort our midfield out, get a cb pairing that works and find that steel and who knows.

Problems everywhere, but the total lack of creativity in midfield is what kills us each time, particularly when we are up against the best teams who like to pass and move.
Today their midfield and forward line was full of pace, movement and skill, while ours was fairly static and predictable.
I've been a supporter of Harris, mainly based on his record last season, but anyone who sets up with a midfield trio of Ralls, Pack and Vaulks is asking for trouble. Perhaps on paper it looks reasonably solid, but when you go a goal down, I think that everyone deep down knows there's no way back against the better teams.
On top of that Moore is a big miss for us, as Glatzel offers very little.
Having said all that we had enough good balls into the box from free kicks and corners to have got something from the game, but do we really want to rely upon set plays all the time?
Norwich were a bit vulnerable today on our set plays and I feel that another aerial threat, such that Benkovic offers, may have been too much for them, as without Moore they only had to take care of Mozza. But Harris makes very few changes, and when he does they are the same predictable changes.
I really don't think we are going anywhere this season, so for me I'd rather change the manager now, before the transfer window, for a more progressive man who can bring a lot more creativity to our team, as I fear that even if we were to scrape into the playoffs it wouldn't end well for us.

The problem is there is no creative midfielder to bring in in the absence of Tomlin. Ordinary as it is Pack Ralls and Vaulks is as good as it gets.in midfield. Another problem is Glatzel simply can't play up front on his own in a 4-5-1 he is not that type of centre forward. Mark Harris is a willing runner and has some skill but he simply isn't a striker who will score goals. In all honesty Harris is doing just about as well as he can with the limits of our squad. Today our limitations were shown up me still might make the playoffs though as Mach of the division is no better.

Norwich looked like a side destined for the autos.

We look like one of a number of sides that could get into the playoff lottery.

The better side won on the day. But we still had a fair few decent chances. Not a great result but the credit is all down to Norwich being very impressive rather than us being particularly poor.

Very, very impressed with Cantwell, looks like one hell of a player.

We'll still be in the playoff mix end of the season I reckon though.

Anyone who finishes above Norwich this season will go up as champions. They are very good on the ball. They could have had another 2 or 3 today. That said though, their two goals good have been prevented. For me, pack has to bring down that player for their first goal and either morrison or Nelson needed to press for their second.

I know people love to have a meltdown whenever possible but we were well beaten today by a side destined for promotion. Just need to take some loses on the chin and move on....Brentford next

I agree that the best team won but for me we made it easy for them. Their first goal could have been stopped if Pack had taken one for the team by taking Buendia out 30 yards from goal, nothing nasty just a shirt pull or trip but he just let him run, terrible defending from our defensive midfielder. Add to the Nelson not coming out to challenge a player approaching the edge of our penalty area, that is the 3rd time this week and Swansea, Birmingham and Norwich have all scored from this issue. Morrison is doing his best but he needs a partner who will support him.

NH deciding to play Ralls up alongside Glatzel just doesn't work and isolating Wilson out on the right well I'm sorry without Tomlin we have play Wilson in the number 10 role.

For me both their goals were preventable and in fairness to NH I thought we set up to play against a team who just pass you to death really well. On another day Morrison could have had at least a couple of goals. Norwich have superior quality with player who have better technical ability than us but we made them work for those points I'm just disappointed we didn't make it harder for them.

When we finished 2nd a few years ago we had a steely determination about us and at times dogged out results I just don't see that steel in this team.

After 5 wins in 7 we are not out of this and sort our midfield out, get a cb pairing that works and find that steel and who knows.

Not recognising/playing to Harry Wilson's strengths will be play a major part in Neil Harris' eventual downfall

As you say, it's clear to everyone but the man who makes the final decision

As I said, we need a couple of smart additions and that may well include a more imaginative manager, who can get the best out of this decent, if not short in real numbers, squad of players

I agree that the best team won but for me we made it easy for them. Their first goal could have been stopped if Pack had taken one for the team by taking Buendia out 30 yards from goal, nothing nasty just a shirt pull or trip but he just let him run, terrible defending from our defensive midfielder. Add to the Nelson not coming out to challenge a player approaching the edge of our penalty area, that is the 3rd time this week and Swansea, Birmingham and Norwich have all scored from this issue. Morrison is doing his best but he needs a partner who will support him.

NH deciding to play Ralls up alongside Glatzel just doesn't work and isolating Wilson out on the right well I'm sorry without Tomlin we have play Wilson in the number 10 role.

For me both their goals were preventable and in fairness to NH I thought we set up to play against a team who just pass you to death really well. On another day Morrison could have had at least a couple of goals. Norwich have superior quality with player who have better technical ability than us but we made them work for those points I'm just disappointed we didn't make it harder for them.

When we finished 2nd a few years ago we had a steely determination about us and at times dogged out results I just don't see that steel in this team.

After 5 wins in 7 we are not out of this and sort our midfield out, get a cb pairing that works and find that steel and who knows.

Not recognising/playing to Harry Wilson's strengths will be play a major part in Neil Harris' eventual downfall

As you say, it's clear to everyone but the man who makes the final decision

As I said, we need a couple of smart additions and that may well include a more imaginative manager, who can get the best out of this decent, if not short in real numbers, squad of players

You know my views on NH Chris I want him out and a manager in who will get a tune out of Harry Wilson but that is down to the board now. Dalman said they would be disappointed if were not top 6 by January, well it looks like we may come up a bit short but in fairness to NH a lot closer than I thought we would be on 1st December.

We are close to the top 6. We are because the standards are mediocre not because NH is a tactical genius.

Updated:

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The truth is the best team won today and Norwich had far more quality in their team we did.

I honestly don’t blame Harris or the players today as they were just simply outplayed.

The truth is the best team won today and Norwich had far more quality in their team we did.

I honestly don’t blame Harris or the players today as they were just simply outplayed.

Agree .

Problems everywhere, but the total lack of creativity in midfield is what kills us each time, particularly when we are up against the best teams who like to pass and move.
Today their midfield and forward line was full of pace, movement and skill, while ours was fairly static and predictable.
I've been a supporter of Harris, mainly based on his record last season, but anyone who sets up with a midfield trio of Ralls, Pack and Vaulks is asking for trouble. Perhaps on paper it looks reasonably solid, but when you go a goal down, I think that everyone deep down knows there's no way back against the better teams.
On top of that Moore is a big miss for us, as Glatzel offers very little.
Having said all that we had enough good balls into the box from free kicks and corners to have got something from the game, but do we really want to rely upon set plays all the time?
Norwich were a bit vulnerable today on our set plays and I feel that another aerial threat, such that Benkovic offers, may have been too much for them, as without Moore they only had to take care of Mozza. But Harris makes very few changes, and when he does they are the same predictable changes.
I really don't think we are going anywhere this season, so for me I'd rather change the manager now, before the transfer window, for a more progressive man who can bring a lot more creativity to our team, as I fear that even if we were to scrape into the playoffs it wouldn't end well for us.

m

Good post, and I totally agree.