Oliver Norwood

[guancheblade]

I've been critical but first half today we didn't have a clue without him

Clueless without Ndiaye you mean

That's why he came on before half time instead of Norwood

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Norwood is useless when pressed. As is Fleck. Neither can take a set-piece now.

It's a major issue and without a ball winning midfielder in the middle we're going to struggle against good managers.

I would put Basham in the middle with either Fleck / Norwood until we are at a point where we can bring in some fresh faces . We Need someone in there with with a bit of height & can put a foot in where required.

 

[sitwell]

I would put Basham in the middle with either Fleck / Norwood until we are at a point where we can bring in some fresh faces . We Need someone in there with with a bit of height & can put a foot in where required.

Guedioura and Norwood was the best the have played in midfield this season ,put Fleck in there instead of Osborne in a 3 with Ndaiye in front and a front 2 if he insists on a back 4.

 

[Zipwire]

Norwood plays a lot better in a 3
Fleck plays a lot better in a 3
Egan plays a lot better as part of a back 3
Basham is outstanding as a RCB in a back 3
Davies would be perfect as a LCB in a back 3
Bogle/Baldock are both genuine out and out wing backs and struggle as a conventional Full backs
Stevens/RND are both genuine out and out wing backs and struggle as a conventional full backs
Osborn would make a great defensive ball winning midfielder if he was complemented by a ball playing midfielder of two.

But obviously the smart suited guy in the dug out knows better

 

[essyoueffsee]

Crazy how opinions sway every week depending on the last result.

I'd personally play Guedioura as an anchor man, then go Osbourne, N'Daiye, MGW, McB/Brewster/Sharp up top.

 

[Wards]

Looked a prime-Pirlo compared to Hourihane.

 

[Torrix1889]

Everything good goes through him, he is our one genuine playmaking attacking talent, he sets up everything we do in the opponents half. And without him we look lost.

If that is genuinely the case we are indeed fucked and it shows how woefully weak our squad is that we have to rely on Oliver Norwood and John Fleck too for that matter...

Norwood may occasionally do some things well but he does some things very badly.....our midfield is in dire need of an overhaul, Norwood and Fleck are not the answer and haven't been for the last 2 years.....those two in midfield is our biggest problem, they offer little defensively and little offensively, can't take a decent set-piece between them and lose possession with sloppy mistakes far too often.

Nice of Norwood to tell the front row of the South Stand to "fuck off" as well last night...

 

[bertieblade]

Recently watched the program about the birth of the premier league and it eventually highlighted Cantona jumping into the crowd at palace. Yet again highlighting that it is seemingly ok for the crowd to dish it out but the player or manager is not supposed to respond. If you were in your place of work and someone told you to F off or give you dogs abuse would you just take it?

 

[true99blade]

Nice of Norwood to tell the front row of the South Stand to "fuck off" as well last night...

I’d’ve clapped him for that alone had I been able to attend. We have such babies in our fanbase who can’t wait to stick it into him, no matter what he does, good or bad, it’s met with unjust criticism and sometimes a bit of abuse from some. If you believe he isn’t performing 100% that’s fine, but it’s like some think he picks himself to be in the first 11 every week. The club has had plenty of time to find a replacement.

 

[Torrix1889]

Recently watched the program about the birth of the premier league and it eventually highlighted Cantona jumping into the crowd at palace. Yet again highlighting that it is seemingly ok for the crowd to dish it out but the player or manager is not supposed to respond. If you were in your place of work and someone told you to F off or give you dogs abuse would you just take it?

If I couldn't beat the first man then yes, I probably would.....

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

If that is genuinely the case we are indeed fucked and it shows how woefully weak our squad is that we have to rely on Oliver Norwood and John Fleck too for that matter...

Norwood may occasionally do some things well but he does some things very badly.....our midfield is in dire need of an overhaul, Norwood and Fleck are not the answer and haven't been for the last 2 years.....those two in midfield is our biggest problem, they offer little defensively and little offensively, can't take a decent set-piece between them and lose possession with sloppy mistakes far too often.

Nice of Norwood to tell the front row of the South Stand to "fuck off" as well last night...

Just the front row? That's quite a specific rebuke.

 

[Revolution]

Recently watched the program about the birth of the premier league and it eventually highlighted Cantona jumping into the crowd at palace. Yet again highlighting that it is seemingly ok for the crowd to dish it out but the player or manager is not supposed to respond. If you were in your place of work and someone told you to F off or give you dogs abuse would you just take it?

It would not be ok for the crowd to do what Cantona did.

And if Norwood doesn’t like it he can stop taking awful set pieces. Everyone in amateur football can avoid the first man on corners, for crying out loud.

 

[Black Cloud]

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, however, we need Ollie right now so lay off. I agree he’s past his best but we’ve known that for ages....
My problems lies with the expensive subs bench... embarrassing....that’s where our problems lies as this money could have been spent elsewhere.

 

[Torrix1889]

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, however, we need Ollie right now so lay off.

OK Mrs Norwood, we will.

 

[SouthportBlade]

Norwood plays a lot better in a 3
Fleck plays a lot better in a 3
Egan plays a lot better as part of a back 3
Basham is outstanding as a RCB in a back 3
Davies would be perfect as a LCB in a back 3
Bogle/Baldock are both genuine out and out wing backs and struggle as a conventional Full backs
Stevens/RND are both genuine out and out wing backs and struggle as a conventional full backs
Osborn would make a great defensive ball winning midfielder if he was complemented by a ball playing midfielder of two.

But obviously the smart suited guy in the dug out knows better

Obviously you have you opinions, and not going to say your wrong but few points....

Firstly Jokanovic knows so so so much better than you (or any of us) about the squad and football management. I can't emphasise this enough - to suggest otherwise is a madness.

A lot of the post alludes to the Wilder 532 formation, which hasn't been good since March 2020.

Baldock is the antithesis of an out and out wingback. He cannot take on a man, nor can he cross to any great effect.

Osborn is not remotely qualified to be a ball winning midfielder just because he runs around a fair bit.

Basham is outstanding as a right sided overlapping Centre Half, move him to a conventional three and he's a decent option.

Norwood and Fleck have both been bobbins in a midfield 3 for the last 18 months.

 

[ATL Recs]

Yes everything goes through him but that doesn't mean he's good enough.

He plays too many suicide passes and loses possession all the time. He's a liability.

His positives are that he always gives 100% and always wants to be on the ball but he's just lost a step in quality in the last couple of years and now isn't good enough.

We missed him tonight those 35 minutes

I've got to admit I still like Norwood, his dead ball delivery stinks the place out though, but we know what he brings to the table, ok he can't tackle but let's be honest none of the other midfielders can either, in his prime for us he was always regarded as a quarterback, but like a quarterback he needs a brick shithouse in front of him for protection, at one time of day fleck was that shithouse but not anymore, I don't think flecks drop in form and everyone highlighting Norwoods failings are unrelated, for me I think fleck should be dropped with this algerian fella given the role of enforcer

What a sensible post this is I have been saying it for the last 12 months Norwood hasn't dropped off really. His dead ball his tackling and recovery are as they have always been average but his ability to always be an option for the ball and making a complete pass far outweighs his poor passes though like a goalkeeper his errors are magnified so much. Get a replacement for Fleck is a priority not Norwood.
Last night all those first 35 minutes showed was how we missed him ( and how he is taken for granted)

 

[robbiez666]

I would put Basham in the middle with either Fleck / Norwood until we are at a point where we can bring in some fresh faces . We Need someone in there with with a bit of height & can put a foot in where required.

Sadly, I think Bash has pretty much gone and now too slow/clumsy to play CM. We need someone who can bite into a tackle.

 

[Bashamed]

I honestly don't think he's been anywhere near as bad as people are making out. He's just always the easy target now

 

[Stu_Blade]

Everything used to go through Monty but that was just his first touch but least he had the backbone to attempt to win the ball back.

 

[Darthblade]

It's too simplistic to label Norwood as the problem, imho .........
Frankly, there are several of the previously reliable players who are no longer "fit for purpose" and far from carrying one underperformer, we're carrying about seven.
Olsen, to be honest has never got started and despite being a full international, he makes far too many mistakes ad is beaten too easily.
Egan is no longer either solid or dominant and looks slow and can't win a header.
Norwood, Osborne & Fleck are simply not good enough and our midfield is overrun / outfought virtually every game.
Burke is a mystery .... blistering pace and no end product.
Didzy despite the cameo against Stoke can't hit a barn door at 2 paces and Billy is inexplicably missing chances that he's scored all of his career.
McBurnie & Brewster can't even break into a kit-kat let alone the side, and don't get me started on Berger, who should be absolutely mullering this Division but is currently on the "missing in action" list.
Regrettably, most of the above need to be moved on and replaced with players who can deliver the goods in the Championship and frankly, at the moment, some of the U23s would probably improve our first team if they replaced a few of the above, even if only through 100% commitment, effort and doing their job.
It's a very depressing time currently and there appears to be little "light at the end of the tunnel" because Slav persists in playing underperforming players
The only hope is part 1 of a massive clear-out ( to be completed in the summer) happening in January and we may then secure mid-table mediocrity for the season

UTB & FTP

 

[Caseh]

If that is genuinely the case we are indeed fucked and it shows how woefully weak our squad is that we have to rely on Oliver Norwood and John Fleck too for that matter...

Norwood may occasionally do some things well but he does some things very badly.....our midfield is in dire need of an overhaul, Norwood and Fleck are not the answer and haven't been for the last 2 years.....those two in midfield is our biggest problem, they offer little defensively and little offensively, can't take a decent set-piece between them and lose possession with sloppy mistakes far too often.

Nice of Norwood to tell the front row of the South Stand to "fuck off" as well last night...

Aww did the poor little innocent football supporter get his feelings hurt?

 

[Bladesman]

Norwood was excellent today, won loads of tackles and played plenty of through balls all when it was 10 v 11 men. Some people only see what they want to see, but if the future is Hourihane we are truly fucked.

Norwood wasn't that bad last night other than that most of his corners were poor.

Obviously when he did deliver his only decent corner that cunt of a ref stopped play.

 

[Toronto Blade]

Whether Norwood and Fleck are liked or not both have had their time and need moving on for better players We have a very weak,slow midfield with those two.

 

[Bashamed]

Nice of Norwood to tell the front row of the South Stand to "fuck off" as well last night...

Good lad

 

[Danetheblade]

If that is genuinely the case we are indeed fucked and it shows how woefully weak our squad is that we have to rely on Oliver Norwood and John Fleck too for that matter...

Norwood may occasionally do some things well but he does some things very badly.....our midfield is in dire need of an overhaul, Norwood and Fleck are not the answer and haven't been for the last 2 years.....those two in midfield is our biggest problem, they offer little defensively and little offensively, can't take a decent set-piece between them and lose possession with sloppy mistakes far too often.

Nice of Norwood to tell the front row of the South Stand to "fuck off" as well last night...

I bet 1000000000000 rupees that they were saying equally naughty things to him. He's a bloke, not an android and shouldn't be expected to listen to blokes and women shouting abuse at him.

Well done for giving it them back Olli.

 

[coolasanidiot]

Last night after 20mins - it was obvious the change up had failed. First half against Stoke was on a different level to the absolute gash that was levelled at us last night.

People quick to see all the downsides of Norwood- but right now forget the hollywood balls- the short balls and the always offering himself definitely is the best option.

Yes maybe move on but not until someone proves themselves- Olli is not as shit as some would have, Houriane embarrased himself.

If Norwood and Ndayie started last night- we win- why oh why did he listen to 'the boards'..

 

[Badger Blade]

He was fantastic when he first signed and was the Coutts replacement we desperately needed.

Great when we were top of the table dominating teams but for every 40 yard "ping", he gets shrugged off the ball, ball given away, foul and poorly delivered dead balls (which is baffling when you see how he puts the ball on a sixpence the rest of the time).

If he plays, he has to be next to someone who can be relied upon to do some dirty, defensive work. Fleck and Hourihane don't fancy it and he's not up to it so it leaves Guedioura to play bad cop and let Norwood do his thing.

 

[bertieblade]

Is Guedioura injured?

 

[coaxingstar71]

When Norwood first signed for us, I thought it was a great signing and this was proved right as he was brilliant and was a massive upgrade on Lee Evans and Lundstram that finished the previous season. For me, he was one of the main reasons we got promoted in 2018-19 and made the rest of the team more cohesive and play better. I thought he did extremely well, as did Fleck, in the Premier League right up to the lockdown in March 2020. Since then, for whatever reason, their form has completely deserted them apart from occasional flashes of their former selves. The drop off by both has been astonishing. Too often now I see Norwood receive the ball, take too long and inevitably give it away, get dispossessed or muscled off it. It's got to the point where in some games, he's treating the ball like a hot potato and can't wait to get rid.

We were one of the most innovative teams on set pieces a few years ago, now it just looks more hopeful than anything.

I've no idea why this has happened - it can't be age as neither are that old. As far as I'm aware neither are carrying injuries.

 

[Guesty]

Is Sander Berge, the Konami Code Kid, due back any time soon?