Is Norwood a little bit toxic to the team?

[itsinyerblood]

When the deal was struck to bring Norwoodhere I recall some Brighton fans mentioning that he blew hot and cold. We may be seeing evidence of this side of his game.
It doesn't mean that ON is a poor player, but it does say there are inconsistencies to his game. When we were having our purple patch in the first half yesterday, I recall someone writing that watching Norwood pull his foot back in anticipation of a pass was almost climatic! Sadly, that was almost prophetic for what was to come, and after about 40 mins the whole team seemed to forget how to play together. No one should isolate Norwood, he's a very good player, but maybe he needs to assess just why he allows himself to drop a level or two.

 

[LSF]

The figures for his successful pass rate and chances created speak for themselves, but does he really fit the CW criteria that his close-knit 'us' type team player needs to show?
More to the point, do the PLAYERS feel he does?
His so-called 'Hollywood passes' look great when they come off, but how much are they to do with 'look-at-me' than the best option?
Often they don't come off, sometimes there is a casual, almost cockiness about his style which, as we have seen can cause problems. Overhit free kicks and wild shots aren't unusual either.
I just wonder how much all that affects the team spirit?
CW has often said something like, "There are no star names, no big-time Charlies here"
I'm concerned there might just be a small time one though.

I would suggest your observations are wide of the mark.
Wilder does his homework on players before signing them, I think he'd have uncovered stuff, don't you?
Plus he makes him skipper when Billy or Leon aren't in the starting XI.
Not a role for a potential big time charlie wouldn't you think?

 

[SwissBlade]

Kinell Swiss, I'm not saying he's a bad player. I pointed out that the stats back that up. The question I asked was, "Does his style have an impact on the rest of the team (and particularly the team spirit?) Apparently, the last thing that CW says when they go out onto the pitch is, "Let's be us" I just wondered whether Norwood is more, "Let me be me" and whether that affects team spirit.
Just a reasonable question I thought.
No "Drop him he's crap" from me, just a genuine question about the possible effect of one player on the rest of the team.

You’re asking if he’s toxic for the team when all he does is play superb balls for his team mates. Ok that “look at me goal” apart at Brentford which was just disgustingly good.

Is he toxic? Nope, he’s chemically bonding the team with some quality footballing

 

[Sithblade]

Rather have Norwood than Lee Evans or Leonard as options in midfield.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

To answer your question, the answer is probably no.

There it is folks. That's all I was looking for. Thanks b67.......you sarcastic f****r

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

I would suggest your observations are wide of the mark.
Wilder does his homework on players before signing them, I think he'd have uncovered stuff, don't you?
Plus he makes him skipper when Billy or Leon aren't in the starting XI.
Not a role for a potential big time charlie wouldn't you think?

Good point LSF

 

[Rodley]

I’ve seen some shite in my time

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

Norwood is not toxic at all. He's been a great signing for us - made the odd error, but he is only human. He just needs a few better players around him.

Fleck for me is the biggest concern. Looks like a passenger at the moment.

 

[blade67]

There it is folks. That's all I was looking for. Thanks b67.......you sarcastic f****r

Everyone's getting likes since pog tonight.

Someone else's misery can be good for the mood somehow

 

[Topplayersleave]

Good player is Norwood
But the longer range passing needs pace in the team for us to benefit from

We saw Harvey Barnes make one touch on the ball and leave our defence for dead

Our players, (any of them) would have controlled it, mis controlled it, slipped, battled to get it back, chance gone, ball played back to Enda Steven's, start again

 

[coaxingstar71]

I love Norwood but I have to admit that I've started thinking that we're just a bit lightweight in the midfield at the moment. In the past, Fleck has been combative, but this along with the rest of his game, seems to have deserted him. The combination of Fleck and Coutts worked because Fleck would put some crunching tackles in and Coutts had that knack of spiriting the ball away from opponents. At the moment it feels like none of the midfield has that and we're getting a bit bullied in that area. Norwood clearly isn't a big tackler and I think you need someone who's going to do the ugly stuff alongside him, perhaps that's why Lundstram has been getting a few starts in away games.

Anyway, I don't know what the answer is.

 

[From the pig end]

We all know his main attributes but I also think he's one of the best tackles and interceptors of the ball in our team.
For a class player he's a tough bigger as well.
I don't know where that question even comes from to be honest.
The only problem we've had recently is that Duffy has drifted in and out of games and Fleck has been shit by his standards.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

The figures for his successful pass rate and chances created speak for themselves, but does he really fit the CW criteria that his close-knit 'us' type team player needs to show?
More to the point, do the PLAYERS feel he does?
His so-called 'Hollywood passes' look great when they come off, but how much are they to do with 'look-at-me' than the best option?
Often they don't come off, sometimes there is a casual, almost cockiness about his style which, as we have seen can cause problems. Overhit free kicks and wild shots aren't unusual either.
I just wonder how much all that affects the team spirit?
CW has often said something like, "There are no star names, no big-time Charlies here"
I'm concerned there might just be a small time one though.

Geyore GCB!

I know we’re all disappointed after that meagre second half last night but for heavens sake! We’ve had the squad being “mentally fragile”, we’ve had problems with “body language”. We’ve had Fleck being no good ever since he got the Scotland call up, we’ve had us missing Stearman and now we’ve got the best footballer at the club being toxic!

What next? a course of the Great Plague will strike and everyone will come out in huge black buboes and perish before our eyes.

We lost a match against a good team that we outclassed for most of the first half.

If we had been more alert to some of the many missed chances we’d have won that game last night by half time. If we’d stop trying to walk the bloody ball into the goal and try summat different we might have done better.

But we didn’t. And we lost.

That’s all.

No one is toxic. No one is suffering from mental illness.

It’s fine honestly! It’s just normal for football.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Nowt to see here.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Geyore GCB!

I know we’re all disappointed after that meagre second half last night but for heavens sake! We’ve had the squad being “mentally fragile”, we’ve had problems with “body language”. We’ve had Fleck being no good ever since he got the Scotland call up, we’ve had us missing Stearman and now we’ve got the best footballer at the club being toxic!

What next? a course of the Great Plague will strike and everyone will come out in huge black buboes and perish before our eyes.

We lost a match against a good team that we outclassed for most of the first half.

If we had been more alert to some of the many missed chances we’d have won that game last night by half time. If we’d stop trying to walk the bloody ball into the goal and try summat different we might have done better.

But we didn’t. And we lost.

That’s all.

No one is toxic. No one is suffering from mental illness.

It’s fine honestly! It’s just normal for football.

Thanks for your reassurances CB. To be fair, I've been a bit under the weather recently, feeling crap, sneezing and unable to sleep due to a group of strangers outside constantly singing ring a ring o' roses or summat weird

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Norwood is top quality and we are blessed to have him in the side.

No doubt about it.

 

[Laney Blade]

No Ollie has the difficult job of trying to drive forward when the rest of our midfield prefer to sideways pass on the edge of the pen area staying safe from criticism with hoped for praise for a load IG useless sideways passing. When they adopt Ollie's mindset & bravery this team can go places ! But he can't do it on his own !!!!!!

 

[Laney Blade]

I love Norwood but I have to admit that I've started thinking that we're just a bit lightweight in the midfield at the moment. In the past, Fleck has been combative, but this along with the rest of his game, seems to have deserted him. The combination of Fleck and Coutts worked because Fleck would put some crunching tackles in and Coutts had that knack of spiriting the ball away from opponents. At the moment it feels like none of the midfield has that and we're getting a bit bullied in that area. Norwood clearly isn't a big tackler and I think you need someone who's going to do the ugly stuff alongside him, perhaps that's why Lundstram has been getting a few starts in away games.

Anyway, I don't know what the answer is.

We need beefing up a bit the Champ isnt all about pretty footballers & pretty football. We need a fully fit Leon up front to keep BOTH centre halves quiet & Lundy in midfield so oppo doesn't keep scything through our midfield. CW is desperately trying to get Leon fully fit to save our season. CW is doing this .,...as Leon played brilliantly for Chris W & Alan K when they were management team ay Scunthorpe. But prejudiced folk forget this ....& forget last season when Leon had to play virtually every game when Billy was crocked & then so out of form he couldn't even hit the ball cleanly. I'm not into who is my favourite goody two shoes . I'm a Blade & I want my team to WIN. Not play well & lose or draw .... I can take a draw but want to win. The performance comes 2d for me. Points come 1st for me.

 

[Laney Blade]

After everyone has played 22 games we will be 5th

It's a disaster of titanic proportions and his goals and passes against villa, Brentford and wigan etc must be really demotivating for his team mates.

Quite frankly, he's a disgrace

Hes the only one who can take a corner free kick etc & he carries the rest of the easy peasy slow sideways passing midfielders. They were hoping to be the golden boys of the team ....not subject to scrutiny like the front 2 & back 3 .. but its not fair all criticism on forwards & defenders. BUT I trust CW ....he will get Leon fully fit to save our season. If it wasnt for a fully fit Leon ...as a a season ticket holder ....I wouldn't attend matches as there seems to be an agenda against CW & LC. And it stinks !!!

 

[Houston_Blade]

I just wondered whether Norwood is more, "Let me be me"

Is he Eminem?

 

[Slug]

Yeah let’s fuck him off, cancel his loan and recall Lee Evans.....

 

[LenTednTony]

Ollie Norwood is a midfield schemer with a range of passes that no one else at the club possesses. Like Coutts, he sees what will turn our possession into a scoring opportunity. It might not always come off and that is mainly down to the opponents defensive strategy and, occasionally, poor execution. It’s not toxic within the team at all. In fact, it’s more likely to be appreciated for changing the game pattern so others get the opportunity to make the net bulge thus giving the team some ‘win’ bonus!

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Jesus I had to look twice ..Toxic ? ...he’s instrumental to our team fits perfect in the holding midfield roll .. all players will have great / good / indifferent / poor games but the better ones ala Mr Norwood over 46 games will turn in the former rather the latter performances
With a few more options up front to offer different options you might find the true extent to his range of passing , yes one mistake on Fri but toxic !!! ... Apreciate wat your seeing ..one of the best in tthis division

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Jesus I had to look twice ..Toxic ? ...he’s instrumental to our team fits perfect in the holding midfield roll .. all players will have great / good / indifferent / poor games but the better ones ala Mr Norwood over 46 games will turn in the former rather the latter performances
With a few more options up front to offer different options you might find the true extent to his range of passing , yes one mistake on Fri but toxic !!! ... Apreciate wat your seeing ..one of the best in tthis division

Maybe you should have looked three times then JSWT
I'm not saying he's a bad player, whether after 1 game or 46.
He is a class player (though a bit frustrating at times)
I was just trying to gauge whether he's more about playing for himself than the team. I'm not saying he doesn't play for the team at all, of course he does, but is he fully into the team ethic ahead of a personal 'Look what I can do' approach.
I used to play with a kid who could do some brilliant stuff and when it came off it was a joy to watch and celebrate, but when he tried too much cute stuff and messed up, the rest of the players were soon on his back telling him to keep it simple.
That was/is my point. Could he be having a similar affect on the rest of the first team, albeit on a small scale?
Coutts, Fleck and Duffy seemed to have the perfect understanding/relationship which I don't see between Norwood, Fleck and Duffy.
Our success under Wilder to date (as much as the tactics) has been the incredible team spirit and it's always a worry that once that changes, the form changes.
No more than an off-the-wall thought from me mate to stimulate a healthy debate

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

The figures for his successful pass rate and chances created speak for themselves, but does he really fit the CW criteria that his close-knit 'us' type team player needs to show?
More to the point, do the PLAYERS feel he does?
His so-called 'Hollywood passes' look great when they come off, but how much are they to do with 'look-at-me' than the best option?
Often they don't come off, sometimes there is a casual, almost cockiness about his style which, as we have seen can cause problems. Overhit free kicks and wild shots aren't unusual either.
I just wonder how much all that affects the team spirit?
CW has often said something like, "There are no star names, no big-time Charlies here"
I'm concerned there might just be a small time one though.

I'm sure Norwood isn't big time but I reckon with him going for the glamour pass a lot of the time it's having an effect on Flecky's game. For me get Coutts back in and hopefully Fleck gets back to his best. When Coutts was in the start of last season we were beating the better teams, I think it's worth going back to Coutts and Fleck in the centre because this time around against the best teams we're coming off second best with Norwood as the mainstay in the middle.

 

[Ricky]

He's nowhere near as good a fit in this team as Coutts was pre injury. Consistency is extremely important for that role and he doesn't have it. What you get from him is more like what you'd expect from a winger.

That giveaway for the goal is something Coutts just wouldn't have done. It demonstrated the sort of laziness and complacency that creeps into his game far too often. I said his best years are ahead of him and the more I've seen, the more I've believed that to be the case. When he's 30 I think he'll make those sorts of mistakes less often.

 

[blade67]

He's nowhere near as good a fit in this team as Coutts was pre injury. Consistency is extremely important for that role and he doesn't have it. What you get from him is more like what you'd expect from a winger.

That giveaway for the goal is something Coutts just wouldn't have done. It demonstrated the sort of laziness and complacency that creeps into his game far too often. I said his best years are ahead of him and the more I've seen, the more I've believed that to be the case. When he's 30 I think he'll make those sorts of mistakes less often.

That's not quite true. Coutts did give the ball away on occasions (despite the song, and I don't suppose "he gives the ball away only occasionally" would scan quite as well), playing blind sideways passes and it's not surprising when both players have so many touches in a game.

Coutts was more consistent overall though, but perhaps generally his passing didn't cause as many threats either.

 

[GallonofMagnet]

I’m not sure toxic is the word I’d choose but I definitely agree with the OP to an extent.

Yes he knocks the ball about the pitch extremely well and, in some instances, it’s nothing short of world class. However, he chooses the pass over driving us forward far too often. For example, we may play out from the back with a slick 4/5 pass move which culminates in Norwood receiving the ball with acres of space in front of him. It’s fairly obvious what’s required of him/any CM from that point. But he simply doesn’t have it in his locker. He’ll favour another ball back to Stevens/whoever, almost as though he has to be part of the move. But it’ll undo the work done and the potential of a successful attack has significantly decreased.

It borders on the ridiculous the amount of times he gives the ball away over 15 yards when you consider what he is capable of.

I can certainly see why he has never cut it in the PL.

 

[Sean Thornton]

If he wears a jumper over his shoulders, we have the answer.

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

I suspect if Norwood was consistently playing at his best level we wouldn’t have him, he’d be playing for Brighton in the premier league