Oliver Norwood

[Deleted member 875]

What a superb footballer he is. In all my years of supporting United I don’t think I’ve ever seen a midfielder who I’ve enjoyed watching as much as him. I spent 15 minutes just focussing on him during the match yesterday to watch what he does. He plays with his head up. Already knows where everyone else is and where the space is before he gets the ball. He very rarely wastes the ball, if nothing is on he isn’t afraid to play a short safe pace but if someone is free outside 40 yards away he isn’t frightened of pinging a long pass. If United are overloading forward he doesn’t mind dropping back to provide cover for the back line. I’ve been brought on a Uniteds midfielders usually being scufflers who telegraph balls down the flanks for people to run on to but he is too good to have to resort that, and he also knows what his limitations are. He isn’t quick enough to get on the ball and take 3 or 4 men on a mazy run so he doesn’t do it and his touch and control is good enough for him to kill the ball dead and use it properly. His style also complements whoever he plays alongside, the sheer brute force of Lunny, the tenacity and drive of Fleck, the attacking intent of Baldock and Stevens, and he is perfect in the same team as the other gifted artisan in the team, David McGoldrick

He is a player that looks every inch a Premier League quality player who has spent his entire career at the top level, and he is a proper Rolls Royce of a football. Stylish, graceful and elegant. I can’t even begin to work out how we got him for a meagre £2m. We are incredibly lucky to have a real maestro like Oliver Norwood in the middle of the Park and he is only going to improve as he gets older

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

He is absolute class, a proper 'baller. We're incredibly lucky to have him here for all the leadership he brings, his class on the ball, his work rate off it and for the price we paid! A fantastic bit of business by Wilder and Knill.

 

[Sheffsteel]

He has big strengths but he also has big weaknesses.
This is the reason why he’s always been deemed not good enough at PL level.

Fortunately for him Wilder is brilliantly using his strengths and has his weaknesses covered by his team mates.

He’s another one of our players that I don’t believe will attract large interest and transfer bids
and If he went to another team his form would flop and he’d revert back to average Championship level again.

Agree he’s been brilliant for us and he’s a decent bloke too....good role model in the changing room.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Since Man City introduced thd 'high press' there is real pressure where Norwood plays and it's harder than ever, in fact right there has traditionally been where you got time on the ball in the past.

He has a picture of his team mates in his mind before he receives the ball even.

 

[Breakingblade]

A small thing I noticed yesterday was the one time Stevens got out of position (came across to make a great tackle when Watford were on the break) it was Norwood filling in at left back. It's his defensive intelligence that allows our center backs to get forward as well as the beautiful passes that play them in

 

[Sheffsteel]

As we all know Norwood plays the pivot/ quarter back role pulling the strings, as they say in US football making plays.

Coutts was better at short passing and a slightly better dribbler with the ball
but Norwood is better defensivel and his main strength is his fantastic range of passing.

It’s really important to our style that we play short passing.....then intermingle this with long ball passing. Norwoods ability to spray it out to Baldock’s on 1 wing....interplay with Fleck/ Lunny then spray it out to Stevens on the other wing....makes us really effective and good to watch.

 

[Hilly]

One word 'Delivery'. That is all!

 

[blade67]

He has big strengths but he also has big weaknesses.
This is the reason why he’s always been deemed not good enough at PL level.

Fortunately for him Wilder is brilliantly using his strengths and has his weaknesses covered by his team mates.

He’s another one of our players that I don’t believe will attract large interest and transfer bids
and If he went to another team his form would flop and he’d revert back to average Championship level again.

Agree he’s been brilliant for us and he’s a decent bloke too....good role model in the changing room.

Wilder is good at that

 

[CarlMcBlade]

What a superb footballer he is. In all my years of supporting United I don’t think I’ve ever seen a midfielder who I’ve enjoyed watching as much as him. I spent 15 minutes just focussing on him during the match yesterday to watch what he does. He plays with his head up. Already knows where everyone else is and where the space is before he gets the ball. He very rarely wastes the ball, if nothing is on he isn’t afraid to play a short safe pace but if someone is free outside 40 yards away he isn’t frightened of pinging a long pass. If United are overloading forward he doesn’t mind dropping back to provide cover for the back line. I’ve been brought on a Uniteds midfielders usually being scufflers who telegraph balls down the flanks for people to run on to but he is too good to have to resort that, and he also knows what his limitations are. He isn’t quick enough to get on the ball and take 3 or 4 men on a mazy run so he doesn’t do it and his touch and control is good enough for him to kill the ball dead and use it properly. His style also complements whoever he plays alongside, the sheer brute force of Lunny, the tenacity and drive of Fleck, the attacking intent of Baldock and Stevens, and he is perfect in the same team as the other gifted artisan in the team, David McGoldrick

He is a player that looks every inch a Premier League quality player who has spent his entire career at the top level, and he is a proper Rolls Royce of a football. Stylish, graceful and elegant. I can’t even begin to work out how we got him for a meagre £2m. We are incredibly lucky to have a real maestro like Oliver Norwood in the middle of the Park and he is only going to improve as he gets older

Unbelievably his passing isn’t even his greatest attribute. For me his ability to always be available for a pass is vital to the flow of the team. When Lunny and Flecky come unstuck, he’s there for an out ball. When Egan is looking for options, Norwood always wants it.

 

[Ricky]

Didn't have a great game yesterday.

But he's an excellent penalty taker.

 

[Large Mendonca]

I think Watford realised Norwood's importance to us and "did a number" on him yesterday by doubling up and not giving him space. He still played well, mind.

 

[stringer]

That free-kick drilled across the box in the second half... my Lord

 

[Edinblade]

I've seen one or two say Ollie didn't play well yesterday. For me he was excellent, possible MOM. He rarely made a mistake, his passing was excellent and his penalty/freekicks were brilliant. Since the day he arrived he has been a revelation and for me a major reason for our success.

 

[Akinbiyi]

He was poor yesterday so I think this is a strange time to start this thread. But an amazing footballer generally speaking, at home at this level and as said previously that was an incredible penalty.

 

[Blend-it-like-Harris]

Best long-ball/cross-field passer since TC

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

He has big strengths but he also has big weaknesses.
This is the reason why he’s always been deemed not good enough at PL level.

Does he have big weaknesses though?

I accept that his fitness restricts how much he can do over 90 mins but he's still such a sublime and intelligent player you don't want a player of his talent leaving that deep position.

He's the type of footballer that I feel privileged to watch every fortnight. Pure class.

 

[Jason jacobs]

Also saw him in 1st half ,especially move to the right making deeney move with him creating that space for our defenders to move the ball to the left side to start attacks off.unselfish running.

 

[bramptonblade]

Didn't have a great game yesterday.

But he's an excellent penalty taker.

Man of the match for me!

 

[Akinbiyi]

If he was a yard quicker he’d have been a great old fashioned winger. His crosses are Beckham esque.

 

[Roygbiv]

Man of the match for me!

Thought he was comfortablely our best player to be honest. I was a bit pissed though.

 

[wizadry]

I thought Baldock, Egan and Fleck were all better than Ollie yesterday but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s been truly influential to everything we’ve done.

 

[Sheffsteel]

I think Watford realised Norwood's importance to us and "did a number" on him yesterday by doubling up and not giving him space. He still played well, mind.

We were saying the same at half time. We thought Norwood had a poor first half and Lunny hardly touched the ball.
But we gave credit to Watford for using good tactics to stop our threats.

Fortunately they couldn’t keep it up. We found more space in the 2nd half and Norwood started to stamp some authority on the game.

 

[bornablade]

The great tennis players are those that can 'return' the ball just over the net. This gives their opponent far less time to adjust and prepare for their shot. These shots are delivered like an Ollie 'ping'.

Those ordinary tennis players will just be pleased to get the ball over the net no matter how high the ball is.

Yesterday we didn't have as much 'ping' from Norwood. His passes out to Bash/ George and Jack / Enda were accurate but often delivered at such height there were extra seconds required to control. It gave the opponents an opportunity of adjusting their defensive position.

We're only talking seconds here but at this level it's crucial.

We should be making more of his crosses. Nightmare for defences.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Thought he was comfortablely our best player to be honest. I was a bit pissed though.

Did you notice there were two of him Roy?

 

[Sheffsteel]

Does he have big weaknesses though?

My impression of the PL is that it’s full of big strong athletes compared to the Championship.
Norwood is weak regards his physical attributes.....he has no pace....can‘t head very well....not the biggest or strongest....average stamina....can’t do box to box
can’t dribble with the ball...not the best tackler...although he’s clever at knowing when to do professional fouls just the right side of a yellow card.

His low physicality probably explains why many managers assume he’d never be good enough in the PL.

However Wilder has brilliantly looked at his weaknesses, so plays him in scenarios and with players where his weaknesses don‘t matter.
Then Wilder has brilliantly examined Norwoods strengths and plays him in a role where he’s using those strengths over and over again.
So now....even at PL level....Norwood looks an excellent player....really pleased for him that he’s now delivering on the big stage.

 

[Ricky]

Fleck was MOTM for me.

Norwood wasn't at his best, Lundstram was way off it.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Fleck was MOTM for me.

Norwood wasn't at his best, Lundstram was way off it.

Agree....Fleck comes back and continues his good form....our best midfielder yesterday.
Norwood poor 1st half but much better in the 2nd half. Lunny was the invisible man 1st half....improved 2nd half but still not good enough....although he did take some big knocks in the 2nd half so suspect he was playing with pain.

Everyone is entitled to a bad match/ off day....they all deserve support....so no concerns yet.
Its when a player had a run of underperforming in matches that we should be thinking about replacements.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Fleck was MOTM for me.

Norwood wasn't at his best, Lundstram was way off it.

Lunny had his worst game this season. Norwood was excellent, especially in the 2nd half. He’s our best player, makes us tick.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I thought Baldock, Egan and Fleck were all better than Ollie yesterday but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s been truly influential to everything we’ve done.

I thought Egan got caught under the ball too many times and left us exposed, wasn’t his normal solid self. I really don’t like him and JOC going for the same header as well, it happens at least twice a game recently.

Fleck would have been excellent had that chance gone in of course but instead he was average for me. Picked the ball up a few times and I expected him to drive forward but he didn’t, when he’s on song he glides past people.

Baldock and Norwood were the best of an average bunch. Norwood not helped by our tendency to ask him to play a 70 yard ping every time we wanted to try something a bit different.

We were just a bit sluggish, shows what we’ve come to expect though as it wasn’t a bad performance by any stretch.

 

[wizadry]

I thought Egan got caught under the ball too many times and left us exposed, wasn’t his normal solid self. I really don’t like him and JOC going for the same header as well, it happens at least twice a game recently.

Fleck would have been excellent had that chance gone in of course but instead he was average for me. Picked the ball up a few times and I expected him to drive forward but he didn’t, when he’s on song he glides past people.

Baldock and Norwood were the best of an average bunch. Norwood not helped by our tendency to ask him to play a 70 yard ping every time we wanted to try something a bit different.

We were just a bit sluggish, shows what we’ve come to expect though as it wasn’t a bad performance by any stretch.

Fair enough, we all have differing opinions, I just thought Ollie gave the ball away far too easily, in the first half especially, he also moved the ball a lot slower than usual, this was perhaps more down to Watford than himself though. I can’t recall Hendo having much to do to be honest so I’m surprised any defender will get less than a 7. Although Bash could’ve perhaps been a lot tighter on Deloufeu for the goal, other than that I’m struggling to see what they offered.