Man of the match - Norwich (A)

[Andrew_Owl]

Dawson 6

 

Iorfa 8

Lees 8

Hector 8

Palmer 8

 

Matias 7

Hutchinson 6

Onomah 6

Boyd 6

 

Forestieri 8.5

Fletcher 8.5 Motm

 

Pelupessy 7.5

Bannan 8

Joao na

Edited April 20, 2019 by Andrew_Owl

[Mike Hunt]

Only saw the second half so not voting but what I did see was a good display from Onomah until he went off 

 

Hope we get him for next season 

[Anus]

Forestieri, but as mentioned by others, there were some great performances across the team. Really enjoyed the match, and all things considered would have taken a point before the match. Also laughed watching them beg for a pen.

 

I would love us to show up like that against QOR. Roll on Mon!!

[OwlBiSeeinThi]

Difficult for me to separate anyone tonight. It was an immense team effort.

Fletch was amazing. Tenacious and should have had a goal.

Fessi's goal and other attempts and all round play was superb

Palmer was rock solid again as was Iorfa

Hector, total boss and Lees solid.

Matias and Boyd worked their arses off and Pessi, Hutch and Bannan did their jobs.

João looks a little to relaxed at times but made some running. Dawson, a bit rusty but made some decent saves. 

Onomah did well but you see he needs more game time.

 

For me it's Fessi and Fletch joint. 

 

[daleblue]

Bruce for me, done his homework and set us up right, and instilled a passion in the players not seen for a long time.

 

But if it has to be a player,

then Hec, Fletch, and Palmer 2, too,

sung to the trumpton tune

[jonesy87shef]

11 hours ago, A12owl said:

Everybody except Onomah.

 

I’m actually embarrassed to say I didn’t even realised he was playing.

 

I might have been a bit (very) pis*ed up and only half watching it, but I’ve never even half arsed watched a game of football and not noticed someone was playing until the next day!

 

 

[frastheowl]

 

Have to say, despite a decent performance with a patched up side, our inability to pick the right option or do the right thing has cost us three points. Epitomises far too many players in our squad...we just cannot rely on enough of them enough of the time. 

 

So here goes...

 

Dawson - 6 - Shaky start. Not sure what he was doing for the handball. Not sure he can be blamed for either goal (I know for sure, if Westwood had let those goals in, nobody would be blaming him!), but a really smart save to deny Pukki in the 1st half. 

 

Iorfa - 8 - Fantastic defensive display, and matched the explosive Hernandez for pace throughout. 

 

Lees - 8 - Another rock solid display. Dealt with the majority of difficulties Norwich posed. Just switched off for the MacLean chance in the 2nd half, that should've been buried. 

 

Hector - 8 - Seemed to start off a tad hesitant again, but stepped it up and read the game brilliantly. Lost count of the number of times he effortlessly stepped in front of Pukki and intercepted a forward pass. 

 

Palmer - 7 - On the whole, he did alright but he was one of the players who was guilty of totally unforced errors which presented Norwich with a way back into the game. He has to get rid of those lapses in the concentration. 

 

Hutchinson - 5 - Started the game poorly, got caught in possession and off injured yet again. 

 

Onomah - 4 - Looked ring rusty. His touch was off, he struggled with the pace of the game and his passing was poor. He needs games, I appreciate that...but he struggled last night. 

 

Matias - 5 - At times, he did very well. He was a good threat on the break, and used the ball well. But, in that last 20 minutes, he was Norwich's best player. He totally went to pot...and he epitomises the unreliability that is rife amongst the squad. It started with the needless header out for a corner, continued with the aerobatic shank of a volley out for another corner, then he went about constantly giving the ball away in midfield, and eventually culminated with a totally unnecessary foul which led to the equalising goal. So frustrating. 

 

Boyd - 6 - WHAT WAS HE DOING FOR NORWICH'S 1ST GOAL?! Just wandering around looking lost...almost bored. That said, I thought when Bruce switched to a 4-1-4-1 in the 2nd half with Boyd centrally, it helped us control the game much better. His work rate in there prevented Norwich from penetrating centrally, which meant we forced all danger out wide. 

 

Forestieri - 9 - Man of the Match - He's back. What a performance. He was busy and dangerous in the 1st half, where he was given licence to roam and go and find space. At no point did he play as a centre forward, and he totally suited his game. It goes without saying how good his goal was. However, the really step up in performance came in the 2nd half when he was moved out to the left wing. It is, without doubt, his best position, and Norwich couldn't contain him. He was finding space and time and he was causing numerous problems. Great to see.  

 

Fletcher - 8 - Another fine centre forward display. He's oozing with confidence and it shows. Holds up the ball brilliantly, and got a deserved (if rather fortunate) goal, and unlucky not to get another. 

 

Pelupessy - 6 - Stuck to his task, and did his job. He always looks half a yard off the pace, and he's extremely limited. That said, he sat and protected and diverted danger out wide. Which is exactly what was asked of him. 

 

Bannan - 6 - His total absence of a right foot, potentially cost us three points. Why didn't he shoot when one-on-one with Krul? 3-1 with 5 minutes to go...game over. Ridiculous decision to try and back heel the ball to Fletcher. 

 

Joao - 6 - Came on and provided a threat. Again, like Forestieri, I think his strengths lie when playing out wide. But, like Bannan, his poor decision making cost us three points. Great play late on, but kill the game. Instead he lost composure at the key moment, gifted the ball to Norwich, up they went, won the free kick, two points chucked away. 

 

Overall...there was so much good to come out of the match. Bruce's ability to keep eeking more and more out of limited players, and tactically looking ever more astute. Thought the switch to a 4-1-4-1 after the break really suited us...despite been forced to play Boyd in centre midfield. Forestieri back at his best, Fletcher continuing his fine form, and the back four, on the whole, looking very impressive yet again. 

 

But, the issues that Bruce is presented with are still prevalent and clear to see. Hutchinson will be worrying Bruce. His injury record is poor, and that now 3 games in the last nine games he's started, he's had to come off. Basic errors made by too many players. Reliability a huge issue. If we are to mount a challenge next season, we need players who make the right decisions, the majority of the time...at the minute, we don't have enough of those players.  

[belfast owl lad]

1 hour ago, hugeowl said:

Only saw the second half so not voting but what I did see was a good display from Onomah until he went off 

 

Hope we get him for next season 

Que?

[OWLERTON GHOST]

Iorfa 

All over the pitch ....

[FreshOwl]

4 hours ago, james o connor said:

So Dawson who pulled off two great saves gets a five yet Hutchinson who was abysmal for their 1st then hobbled off (shock) gets a 7 . Vintage owlstalk logic ...

 

 

 

forestieri m.o.m why can’t you do that more often pal? 

What game were you watching. Hutch wasn’t bad but abysmal? There was one moment where he chased one of theirs down by the corner flag and robbed him of possession - vintage Sam 

 

Dawson on the other hand should have done better with both goals (1st shouldn’t have happened), grabbed the ball outside the area (absolute lunacy, something you learn not to do when you first take the sport up), flaps at every cross, positional sense is wretched

 

He brings absolutely no confidence or presence to the team whatsoever. That’s not me being harsh, that’s bloody clear as day for all to see 

 

And what great saves? I only remember the Norwich player shooting at his feet 

Edited April 20, 2019 by FreshOwl

[McRightSide]

1 hour ago, hugeowl said:

Only saw the second half so not voting but what I did see was a good display from Onomah until he went off 

 

Hope we get him for next season 

 

Too much bait

[cowl]

Forestieri

 

It's no coincidence that he looks better when playing wider than as a central striker. Even in the first half when we played something closer to an orthodox 4-4-2, he still spent a lot of the time quite wide. I really hope Bruce has seen for himself now that this is the best place to play him. His strike for the goal was phenomenal.

[Russell Howes]

It was a brilliant team performance.  The likes of Boyd, Matias and Onomah are getting lower ratings but that system wouldn't have worked without their performances.

 

Dawson was at fault for the first goal, yes he saw it late but should still have done better.  He had no chance on the free kick though, that's going in 99 times out of 100 regardless who is in goal.  Its gone over the wall into the side that he wasn't guarding, had he stood behind the ball and it went in the other corner everyone would be giving him grief.

 

That was the best hold up play from a Wednesday forward that I've seen for a long time so MoM has to be Fletcher with Fessi very close behind

[Mike Hunt]

23 minutes ago, McRightSide said:

 

Too much bait

 

No bait here 

 

I think I will trust the judgement of Ponchieto Bruce and whoever picked him for the world  cup winning side all who rate him so highly instead of some nutter on here 

[Dutch McLovin]

2 hours ago, hugeowl said:

Only saw the second half so not voting but what I did see was a good display from Onomah until he went off 

 

Hope we get him for next season 

Agree he played well, look a much better side with him in there with Hutch. And if Lee was fit he'd be a better option than Onomah

[Bouncing Owl]

There were a lot of good performances last night. Fletcher edged it for me - it really was a superb, all action display from him. He put in a right shift and never gave their defenders a moments rest. Forestieri was excellent and his best performance in a Wednesday shirt for a long time. It was good to get reminded what a very good player he can be. Special mention to Iorfa who I thought looked a big, strong energetic player last night. He looked a presence. I’ve been critical of him as he’s looked raw but that was his best performance last night. 

[Lord Snooty]

2 hours ago, cowl said:

Forestieri

 

It's no coincidence that he looks better when playing wider than as a central striker. Even in the first half when we played something closer to an orthodox 4-4-2, he still spent a lot of the time quite wide. I really hope Bruce has seen for himself now that this is the best place to play him. His strike for the goal was phenomenal.

 

Agree totally, Cowl. Totally. 

 

Fernando has had his issues with injury and suspensions and not looked fully himself for a number of reasons this last 18 months, but last night he looked like the player we know he can be. When he's in that mood and afforded the role of going and drifting and picking up little pickets of apace to receive the ball in he looks a different player. He looks the player he can be - one of the most effective attacking players in the division.

[Snowyowl61]

What a stunning evening's entertainment. Difficult to single out anyone for MOM, but for heaven's sake nobody rated less than 7. It should not be forgotten that Dawson pulled of some crucial saves (he may not be Westwood standard but did pretty well after being thrown in at the last minute).

[roaminowl]

7 hours ago, james o connor said:

So Dawson who pulled off two great saves gets a five yet Hutchinson who was abysmal for their 1st then hobbled off (shock) gets a 7 . Vintage owlstalk logic ...

 

Why is it vintage Owlstalk logic? It’s one individual’s opinion.

[oldishowl]

Hutch gets cut a lot of slack on here.

He was clearly mainly at fault for their first goal,