Just to uinderline the fact

For the first 65 minutes today we were abysmal. For the rest of the match, we were slightly less abysmal but lucky. Wolves played brilliantly in the first half, should have been out of sight. We were second to everything, and whenever we did get possession the ball inevitably went backwards because there was just nothing on going forwards. Huckerby was successfully neutralised by their right back, nothing down the right until Croft came on, and with Russell and Pattison in the middle there was nothing creative coming from the centre. Dion came on and we started lumping it up to him, with some success. But I don't feel that this is a natural style of play for us. Marshall should have done better for their goal (but had made an tremendous point-blank stop earlier), and I agree with everything that has been said about his command of his box. The route one stuff paid off though. Cureton's shot, however, should have been saved by Hennessey, and he had two more gilt-edged chances - one after an amazing piece of Gascoigne/Hendry-esque skill. Wolves still threatened though, and you get the impression their plan was to go for it all out until they scored, then soak up the Norwich pressure, which would have worked because Norwich were completely impotent until the goal. Specific comments:

Mo Camara didn't have a good match - whenever he was in an attacking position he seemed scared to put in a cross, and defensively he had a couple of bloopers.

Otsemobor - see above, but reversed.

Jimmy Smith - completely invisible. Chelsea are welcome to have him back; the thought of him playing in their first team is risable.

Ched Evans is not a target-man.

Huckerby - either he has dramatically lost pace or is injured. If it's the former, then his time is sadly up, as he's never had a brilliant delivery, and if he can't beat his man either...

And finally, why are we not starting Croft?

Posted By: King, Dec 29, 18:32:54