It's not just the results, you know
However alarming 23 points from 26 games with an FA Cup exit at home to a non-league side thrown in for good measure is. It's the whole approach.
That's why so many are rightly on Calderwood's back: because he's been the epitome of overly defensive hoofball s**te virtually wherever he's been in management or coaching. But in Hughton's case? Hughton's way is not Norwich City's way: it never has been.
A number of clubs throughout the world have a certain way of playing. Very often, that style leads them down a cul-de-sac; and in Norwich's case, taken to extremes, it's what's led us to be so infuriatingly nice and such a soft touch over the years. But there's a reason why so many fans loved John Bond or Kenny Brown - and why they're remembered so much more fondly than Ron Saunders, whose relentless hard work and no nonsense attitude kicked it all off.
There's a reason why Mike Walker's my favourite NCFC manager ever too - and it's not just that brief, golden era. Because Mike Walker WAS US: our way IS to say "you score two, we score three". Never mind the danger.
Now, maybe that's arrogant; maybe it's completely delusional; maybe it's just not do-able in the modern Premier League. But while he got the benefit of the doubt last season - his first year here, a clearly weakish squad with Holt all over the place and the priority just to survive - he won't now. Is constantly setting out for 1-0s at home and 0-0s away (usually resulting in 0-1s away) all there is? It can't be: not after the money we've just spent.
Lambert's Norwich were limited too - but you could never, ever write us off, and you knew we'd be liable to follow a poor performance with a great one. You knew we were never out of any game either. Yet Hughton's Norwich? Losing at home counts double given the way most away games are a write-off: we're close to the most predictable side in the league in that sense.
Those wins v West Brom and Man City at the end of last season only happened because CH finally let us off the leash - prior to West Brom, he'd left himself no choice - and what resulted represented a repudiation of what he'd been doing. Sadly, he didn't appear to learn anything from that.
Stoke lite? That's not Norwich City, and the fans won't wear it for much longer.
Posted By: thebigfeller on September 21st 2013 at 16:21:29
Message Thread
- It's not just the results, you know (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Sep 21, 16:21:29
- agreed (n/m) (NCFC) - Bungle, Sep 21, 17:24:05
- yep fair play bigfeller, goals win games. we need to score more of the fuckers (n/m) (NCFC) - shoddy, Sep 21, 16:58:37
- Excellent. (n/m) (NCFC) - bobble, Sep 21, 16:55:34
- Great post! (n/m) (NCFC) - Kirrie, Sep 21, 16:41:11
- Nice post but does any club expect anything other than "proper football"? (NCFC) - lurd, Sep 21, 16:34:02
- Nice post but (n/m) (NCFC) - lurd, Sep 21, 16:33:10
- errr.. we didn't play defensively today, we just showed how bad our final ball and.. (NCFC) - oli470, Sep 21, 16:28:34
- Our coaches are all defenders aren't they? (NCFC) - jamesward, Sep 21, 16:26:47
- in the end no-one cares if the results are ok (NCFC) - phrankin, Sep 21, 16:26:13
- Trollope has the reputation for being overly defensive (n/m) (NCFC) - Larry Hagman, Sep 21, 16:25:59
- POST OF THE DAY!! Sums it up for me (NCFC) - hoolahan, Sep 21, 16:24:58
- Yes... (NCFC) - Dandy Highburyman, Sep 21, 16:23:43
- Can't disagree with any of that (n/m) (NCFC) - Surrey Yella, Sep 21, 16:25:22
Reply to Message
In order to add a post to the WotB Message Board you must be a registered WotB user.
If you are not yet registered then please visit the registration page. You should ensure that their browser is setup to accept cookies.