DCFC1388

Great to see Forsyth & Wisdom back. No Shinnie suggests he is injured?

We've brought a sub on at half time in 4 games this season. And in only 2 league games have we not used all 3 subs.

Liking Holmes in midfield, but Huddlestone being played is absolutely criminal. What does he have to do to lose his place? Not seen him play well at all this season. 

Been a bit disappointing to see so many fans (not too many on here, mostly on Twitter) hitting the panic button after two defeats. I appreciate that this week has been something of a disaster (two defeats in a row and conceding six goals is going to annoy anyone), but we really need to hold our nerve here.
When Cocu was appointed, many on here (and on Twitter) said they fully expected a transitional season. With so many players leaving as their contracts ran out, and the departure of our three most talented players (Tomori, Mount and Wilson), we should all have expected something of a decline in playing performances going into this season. 
And now, as we begin to show the signs of a team going through a transition (inconsistent performances, the blooding of young players, trying different formations) many of us are suddenly losing our heads. 
What did you expect? You've seen other teams go through this and come out the other side. So why the pandemonium? 
Transitions take time. TIME. Some of you are calling it quits on this manager when he's had less games than Nigel flipping Pearson!
We know what the modus operandi for this season is. We know what the aims are. They were communicated to us very clearly at the start of the season by Mel, Cocu and most of the players. We are trying to build something at this club now. We are trying to stop the constant chopping and changing of managers that has caused us to fall into the mess to start with. We are trying to finally utilise the incredible academy Mel has worked so hard to build, whilst building a footballing identity and philosophy and simultaneously stay competitive.
You expect this to happen after 6 games? Come on. Let's get a hold of ourselves here. We have to back this team.
Now, before you call me a happy clapper, I do think Cocu has made some errors. The first being some of the choices in the Forest game. I think he underestimated just how much that game means to us as a fanbase, and threw some youngsters in at the deepest of deep ends. He will learn from that. You could tell he had in the interview after the game.
The second is the current use of formation. The 4-3-3, and the 4-2-3-1 to a lesser extent, aren't working because we are lacking any real quality in the wide areas, and a creative outlet in the 10 position. He needs to figure this one out, and I think he will. Richard Keogh suggested that he thought we looked good in a 3-5-2, and I agree with him. We've got the attacking full-backs to play this formation. Plus it means we can play Bielik in his preferred position of centre-half, with Keogh to the right of him and Clarke to the left. We could also play Waghorn and Marriott up top with each-other (which many of you wanted to see this season), and Lawrence in that 10 role behind the two of them. TL flourished in that system at Ipswich, so this might suit him in the long run.
Regardless of this though, any system, formation, style will all take time. We all knew this at the start of the season, and we owe it, not just to the management, but to Mel and his vision, to not only give this time, but to back it. Back him. Back the club. Loads of you already are, so this post isn't really for you.
Sorry this turned into something of a blogpost, but I've been stewing on what I wanted to say about all this since yesterday, and I couldn't really make it any shorter.
Up the Rams! 🐏

Roos
Bogle     Keogh     Clarke      Malone
                      Bielek
       Holmes              Shinnie   
                   Lawrence 
           Waghorn     Marriott
 

A lot has been made of the starting 11 vs Forest and players being rested and then our first 11 churn out todays performance. So what would be everyones starting 11 when we have a fit team to choose from?
Mine would be 433, could also be 4231 :-
Roos - Bogle Keogh Clarke Lowe - Holmes Bielik Shinnie - Waghorn Marriott Lawrence
Imo that centre mid has a better balance to it, others may disagree. 
Can pick a pretty strong bench then from - Hamer Evans Davies Malone Huddlestone Dowell Knight Jozefzoon Paterson Bennett + Wisdom & Forsyth eventually

A lot has been made of the starting 11 vs Forest and players being rested and then our first 11 churn out todays performance. So what would be everyones starting 11 when we have a fit team to choose from?
Mine would be 433, could also be 4231 :-
Roos - Bogle Keogh Clarke Lowe - Holmes Bielik Shinnie - Waghorn Marriott Lawrence
Imo that centre mid has a better balance to it, others may disagree. 
Can pick a pretty strong bench then from - Hamer Evans Davies Malone Huddlestone Dowell Knight Jozefzoon Paterson Bennett + Wisdom & Forsyth eventually

Football is a simple game.
Usually the cream rises - as we can see with four of the top six spots being occupied by three teams who were in the top 8 last season and Fulham, who were the strongest team coming down from the Premier League.
The only real surprises are Swansea and Charlton, and probably both clubs have benefitted from not trying to change too much too quickly. A little continuity goes a long way. 
Sadly we have had the core of our team ripped out. It is probably easier to deal with if the manager is already in place and already planning ahead. But when you add a new manager to the mix, it complicates things.
A simple game is being complicated.
Some critical elements in the team have been replaced by two standout players from League 1 who are being relied upon to make the step up, and three players who offer no more than squad depth.
There is a big deficit in quality and as good a coach and a tactician Cocu might be, we are asking a lot from him when it's abundantly clear we haven't given him the tools to compete.

A lot has been made of the starting 11 vs Forest and players being rested and then our first 11 churn out todays performance. So what would be everyones starting 11 when we have a fit team to choose from?
Mine would be 433, could also be 4231 :-
Roos - Bogle Keogh Clarke Lowe - Holmes Bielik Shinnie - Waghorn Marriott Lawrence
Imo that centre mid has a better balance to it, others may disagree. 
Can pick a pretty strong bench then from - Hamer Evans Davies Malone Huddlestone Dowell Knight Jozefzoon Paterson Bennett + Wisdom & Forsyth eventually

Cocu showing some absolute fire with his post match interview.
But apparently he doesn’t have any charisma, so he doesn’t inspire. That post match interview showed me a lot about the man, he was p*ssed off, an angry guy.
Prove everyone wrong Phil and come back fighting in a couple of weeks.
COYRs!

And play who instead?
Shinnie? Paterson?
Bogle in a leg brace?
More kids?
The kids aren't ready. The senior players aren't good enough. The three loanees covered up the cracks last year.
None of that is Cocu's fault. He needs to be given time. He didn't have a chance in such a short preseason.
Those suggesting Pullis....I despair.
UTR 🐏 

Let’s give him proper time 

Norwich had 5 points after 6 games last year.  Perspective.

And it's only August.

Holmes best position is in midfield, would much prefer him in there over Dowell plus having Bielik in there he would be the person to win the ball back.

He picks this midfield due to the available options not just right back. Bielik will play in the middle as will Holmes when they are both fully fit

I'm sure the Charlton fans were saying his best position was defensive midfield, and that's ultimately where we'll use him, Cocu said pretty much that in the pre match press bits.

Was never about resting the starting XI - that shouldn't the argument. It was about getting minutes into other players we'll need this season. 
And yes, I still don't care about that decision 😄 Has no bearing on this game at all.

We don't have a fit right back. What do you propose he does? Play an injured Bogle or an unfit Wisdom?

Holmes is a good player, should be in every starting 11 when fit, or even not so fit

Dont you know? If he had not made changes on Tuesday we would be top of the league by now.
I cant give him stick for his players  being unable to make 10 yard passes.
However, if there are not at least 2 changes at half time I will wonder what he is watching.
In terms of abuse though let's not forget its only 3 weeks ago that our experts were telling us that we needed to get Marriott in the team and all would be ok.

Why is it so painfully obvious to us fans and not the management 
 

At no point have we had a fully fit team to pick from, having no natural right back has unbalanced the whole team. Once we get Bogle back & Bielik is fully back and in centre mid ahead of Hudd we will start to look better.
I understand we are getting battered but when the players cross the white line they are responsible for their performance and too many of them have been an embarassment this first half

At no point have we had a fully fit team to pick from, having no natural right back has unbalanced the whole team. Once we get Bogle back & Bielik is fully back and in centre mid ahead of Hudd we will start to look better.
I understand we are getting battered but when the players cross the white line they are responsible for their performance and too many of them have been an embarassment this first half