We've got Oli Norwood

[super_pig]

You're confused, I think you're getting me mixed up with someone else:

At no point have I said Ollie Norwood won't do well.

All I said is that I don't think the championship is faster than the PL.

ok i have re-evaluated my position.. i think it is more 'rough and tumble' then.. whether that equates to faster i'm not sure
will that do?

 

[Chali 2na]

ok i have re-evaluated my position.. i think it is more 'rough and tumble' then.. whether that equates to faster i'm not sure
will that do?

I definitely agree it's more rough and tumble. I'd guess (without looking at the stats) there are more fouls.

As for faster, I have my doubts. In my opinion, PL players are generally faster (physically), quicker thinking and move the ball quicker - all that would indicate that the PL is "faster" than the Championship.

 

[super_pig]

I definitely agree it's more rough and tumble. I'd guess (without looking at the stats) there are more fouls.

As for faster, I have my doubts. In my opinion, PL players are generally faster (physically), quicker thinking and move the ball quicker - all that would indicate that the PL is "faster" than the Championship.

fair point well made

 

[Harry's Game]

Great season. No doubt.

Even more so considering he has needed an op for months.

WILL get found out in the PL.

Sorry!!

UTB

What a little ray of sunshine you are

 

[Sheff de party]

Point is, he won't get a drastically different amount of time on the ball in deep positions. The mistakes get punished more often though, like West Brom at home.

I can’t believe this still comes up. That was on the halfway line before. West Brom player picked it up and the defending was absolutely shambolic.

If he’d blasted that clear and it only reached halfway, no one would think it’s Norwood’s fault.

At least five players can put their hands up for that one. He’s made mistakes but this wasn’t one of them in my view!

 

[Rodley]

I’ll be more than happy to be wrong on this.

My view stems from one specific “flaw” I see. Repeatedly unfortunately.

Give Norwood time on the ball and he can and often is devastating.

On top of which, his dead ball delivery is impressive.

That said, press him and his propensity to be both less effective and, even worse, turning over possession in dangerous areas of the pitch is both concerning and frustrating.

With the quality we will be up against in the PL, these ricks will rarely go unpunished. It’s an unrelenting division.

Ultimately I can see Wilder dropping the Coutts / Norwood deep lying quarter back role for a more defensive minded player. I believe you mentioned Obi-Mikel recently and while I’m not 100% sure of this individual, I believe your thinking is along the right lines. I wouldn’t dismiss OM btw if Wilder believes he would “fit” in terms of character (which is where my doubt stems rather than the ability to do the job).

Interesting times given the squad turnover now apparent after yesterday .

UTB

Agree to an extent, under a heavy press and will opposition running beyond he does lack a bit of athleticism. But every player has his weakness and he deserves a fair crack.

 

[Grecian2000]

I think Oli is a player that will have to improve as much as anyone next season, primarily because he is so important to the way we play.
He'll simply have to cut out the periods in the match when he appears to lose concentration and stops being able to pass. For his 80 minutes of great play that 10 minutes of mediocrity will be a serious issue at the top level.
Can he do it? I think he can because it's in the head rather than the feet for me.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

I definitely agree it's more rough and tumble. I'd guess (without looking at the stats) there are more fouls.

As for faster, I have my doubts. In my opinion, PL players are generally faster (physically), quicker thinking and move the ball quicker - all that would indicate that the PL is "faster" than the Championship.

An interesting debate. My recollection from 2006 is that the differences were:
1. PL players were (surprisingly) physically stronger - our players often bounced off them, because of the upper body strength.
2. The running off the ball was phenomenal, with strikers making run after run and not getting the ball, before finally receiving the killer pass.
3. The work-rate of box-to-box midfielders was phenomenal.
4. (Just as in our rise from League 1 to Championship) The cheating/fouling was more clever. Perhaps VAR will reduce that.
5. The speed of counter-attacks and the quality of finishing was terrifying. Except for Ronaldo, who could not shoot into an empty net from 6 yards.

I have no idea whether the same differences still apply.

 

[GrayBlade]

Facts are that nobody has a flipping clue how any of our players will perform in the Prem, it’s just their own opinion. Some players might not make the grade but others could with ease and might even excel. Who’d have thought that Morgs and Monty would look so comfortable last time around? They performed better than they did in the second tier IMO.

So let’s please let’s not be too quick to write off and pass judgement on individuals until they’ve played a few games and had time to adapt/settle guys. Remember all the posts this season where players and even the whole team was written off only to be proved wrong. Remember, opinions are like arseh....nah I’ll not go on.

 

[Sharrow Snuff Mill]

I definitely agree it's more rough and tumble. I'd guess (without looking at the stats) there are more fouls.

As for faster, I have my doubts. In my opinion, PL players are generally faster (physically), quicker thinking and move the ball quicker - all that would indicate that the PL is "faster" than the Championship.

There will certainly be more fouls spotted next season in the Premier League with VAR every game.

 

[SteveBlade]

This.

Which for Norwood, is an issue !!

UTB

Maybe. He's prone to the odd shocker, but he's by far our best passer of the ball. We need him in our side.

I reckon we need a quality player like Joe Allen as backup too, we can't risk anything with this position. We saw it earlier this season, the several games before Norwood came in were a mess, without a player like him in the side, we're half the team.

I'm just fascinated to see how it goes to be honest.

 

[Gimli]

I think that's a myth.

Agreed.

With the better quality of player in the premier league and their ability to pick a pass when given time, sides are hardly going to invite you to have as much time as you like.

Look at Liverpool and City, gegenpressing all over the shop! And whilst not everyone does it as well/with the same intensity as those two, it would be tactically suicidal to allow great passers to have loads of time simply because ‘it’s the premier league, you get more time’