Norwood

[oafc1955]

3 minutes ago, JoeP said:

"you're all shit

Not far wrong though is he?

[Wardie]

2 minutes ago, oafc1955 said:

Nobody is building a team at all so far!!

We live in the hope that Mellon can do just that and for what it's worth, I would have no problem with a team built around Norwood.

[Steve_R]

54 minutes ago, JoeP said:

 

Has he got the right attitude?

 

I'm playing devil's advocate here a bit and it's hard to tell really, but I sort of get the impression he thinks he's made a mistake coming here.  I think he thought he'd have players around him that can supply him like he's been supplied at his former clubs (as we are the division's big fish..) and it'd be less taxing at his time of career, because it's a lower level.  And it hasn't worked out like that.

 

Anger can be a positive energy.  But I don't think stroppiness can.

He came here to the win the league., or at least have a good stab at it. He mentioned it a couple of times not long after signing, one being after his goal at Chesterfield shortly before Unsworth conceded it.

We’re nowhere near that and the team is nowhere near as good as he was no doubt led to believe it was, so I can see why he’s frustrated m, and probably thinking “what the fuck have I done?”

 

[JoeP]

4 minutes ago, PeteG said:

He doesn't need to adapt his game to our level, he's proved he does it at this level. I'm happy if he thinking you're all shit and i'm even happier if he's telling them that. They need to hear it and then prove him wrong.

 

That's not always how it works.  The old "hairdryer/arm round the shoulder" argument, innit.

 

Course he needs to adapt his game.  He's part of this team, not the one where he's had previous success.  The players are worse and it is what it is.  Thinking he's got nothing to prove isn't going to have a positive influence..

[Wardie]

3 minutes ago, Steve_R said:

He came here to the win the league., or at least have a good stab at it. He mentioned it a couple of times not long after signing, one being after his goal at Chesterfield shortly before Unsworth conceded it.

We’re nowhere near that and the team is nowhere near as good as he was no doubt led to believe it was, so I can see why he’s frustrated m, and probably thinking “what the fuck have I done?”

 

He now needs to starting thinking "What the the fuck do I have to do to make it better?"
I'm confident Mellon will work with him, and the team, to make improvements.

[PeteG]

1 minute ago, JoeP said:

 

That's not always how it works.  The old "hairdryer/arm round the shoulder" argument, innit.

 

Course he needs to adapt his game.  He's part of this team, not the one where he's had previous success.  The players are worse and it is what it is.  Thinking he's got nothing to prove isn't going to have a positive influence..

That's exactly how it works. You don't get your best players to adapt thus diminishing their strengths. Many people have the misconception that in sport you should work on your weaknesses in order to become better. I once had an in depth conversation with a sports psychologist who had worked with the top tennis players in the world, the top golfers in the world as well as many footballers at the very top level and he was strongly of the belief that you should work on your strengths to the extent that they completely outweigh any weaknesses. The thought process behind this was that you can only improve a weakness by a very small percentage but a strength you can improve by a much greater margin. In our case we need to improve Norwoods return by playing to his strengths. I'm almost certain, Norwood would currently do a better job than Sutton at RB and even the vast majority of the midfield if you played him there but that would be plain stupid wouldn't it?

[League one forever]

8 minutes ago, PeteG said:

I'm happy if he thinking you're all shit and i'm even happier if he's telling them that. They need to hear it and then prove him wrong.

Thought you had some fair points before that post. 

 

To any Latics player- What do you want from your career? 
 

To prove Sir James ‘the footballing god’ Norwood wrong- because he thinks and tells me I’m shit.
 

Meanwhile, back in reality - resentment grows in the squad that the high earner keeps digging his teammates out while he isn’t playing to the very high standards he expects from everybody else. 
 

He isn’t in any way shape or form carrying this team to the extent that such arrogance would be warranted. 
 

 

 

[Steve_R]

5 minutes ago, Wardie said:

He now needs to starting thinking "What the the fuck do I have to do to make it better?"
I'm confident Mellon will work with him, and the team, to make improvements.

Oh I agree, but I can see why he always seems pissed off.

He can’t change it on his own though, and we need all the others to step up too, which show’s little sign of happening.

Hopefully Mellon can sort it out.

[PeteG]

Just now, League one forever said:

Thought you had some fair points before that post. 

 

To any Latics player- What do you want from your career? 
 

To prove Sir James ‘the footballing god’ Norwood wrong- because he thinks and tells me I’m shit.
 

Meanwhile, back in reality - resentment grows in the squad that the high earner keeps digging his teammates out while he isn’t playing to the very high standards he expects from everybody else. 
 

He isn’t in any way shape or form carrying this team to the extent that such arrogance would be warranted. 
 

 

 

Yes, a slight exaggeration on my part. We don't even know that he's digging anyone out or if his attitude is like some are saying. People are reading body language and putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 5. I actually think he's probably very popular in the dressing room and it's just his way. We are in danger of making up an issue that doesn't actually exist. There's been loads of players over the years who looked a bit disinterested or as if they thought their teammates weren't good enough. We only need to look closer to home, Roger Palmer barely celebrated a goal, just put his arm aloft, was the first out of the ground most weeks, didn't mix with players and nobody even knew where he lived. Willie Donachie used to pick him up on a street corner because he didn't drive but he would never tell Willie where he actually lived. Scholesy was another like that at United and you'd get the impression he thought some of his teammates weren't good enough. Didn't stop him performing though.

[League one forever]

1 minute ago, PeteG said:

Yes, a slight exaggeration on my part. We don't even know that he's digging anyone out or if his attitude is like some are saying. People are reading body language and putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 5. I actually think he's probably very popular in the dressing room and it's just his way. We are in danger of making up an issue that doesn't actually exist. There's been loads of players over the years who looked a bit disinterested or as if they thought their teammates weren't good enough. We only need to look closer to home, Roger Palmer barely celebrated a goal, just put his arm aloft, was the first out of the ground most weeks, didn't mix with players and nobody even knew where he lived. Willie Donachie used to pick him up on a street corner because he didn't drive but he would never tell Willie where he actually lived. Scholesy was another like that at United and you'd get the impression he thought some of his teammates weren't good enough. Didn't stop him performing though.

Yeah, important to not make a mountain out of molehill. 
 

He’s our best player, whose done fairly decent so far. 
 

Can he create and score more through attitude/application/leading by example being more consistent - I think he can. 
 

That’s all it is. 
 

 

[JoeP]

10 minutes ago, PeteG said:

That's exactly how it works. You don't get your best players to adapt thus diminishing their strengths. Many people have the misconception that in sport you should work on your weaknesses in order to become better. I once had an in depth conversation with a sports psychologist who had worked with the top tennis players in the world, the top golfers in the world as well as many footballers at the very top level and he was strongly of the belief that you should work on your strengths to the extent that they completely outweigh any weaknesses. The thought process behind this was that you can only improve a weakness by a very small percentage but a strength you can improve by a much greater margin. In our case we need to improve Norwoods return by playing to his strengths. I'm almost certain, Norwood would currently do a better job than Sutton at RB and even the vast majority of the midfield if you played him there but that would be plain stupid wouldn't it?

 

Adapt his game.  Not recreate it completely.

 

If he's making these "another level" runs and no one's reading them it's a waste of time so he needs to learn what his team mates are going to do.

 

And going round telling people they're shit doesn't always get a positive response, surprise surprise.

[oafc1955]

3 minutes ago, JoeP said:

f he's making these "another level" runs and no one's reading them it's a waste of time so he needs to learn what his team mates are going to do.

There in lies the problem…his team mates haven’t a clue what they’re going to do either!!

[PeteG]

2 minutes ago, JoeP said:

 

Adapt his game.  Not recreate it completely.

 

If he's making these "another level" runs and no one's reading them it's a waste of time so he needs to learn what his team mates are going to do.

 

And going round telling people they're shit doesn't always get a positive response, surprise surprise.

I've just said telling people they are shit was a slight exaggeration on my part, we don't even know if he's even critical of any of his teammates. As for learning what his teammates are going to do, no point in him going into the stand behind the goal as another aimless punt inevitably ends up there. He needs to keep doing what hes doing and we or Mellon more to the point has to find the right formation/players who can supply him. I'm almost certain Mellon will do and this thread will be something we are all laughing about in a few months. As for recreating his game completely, that was another exaggeration on my part but i stand by the point i was making, with the exception of the goalkeeper, if you played Norwood is every other position in our team he would be an improvement on the player currently playing that position. He's absolutely miles ahead of them all, it stands out like a sore thumb.

[PeteG]

1 hour ago, League one forever said:

He fluctuates in my view, between being the best player on the pitch to totally disinterested- (which isn’t about ability)

 

On his performances- Is 6 goals a fair return for somebody of his undoubted ability, and status? For perspective - Dicky has four from the non existent midfield. 
 

 

I've just noticed Will Grigg has only 1 more than Norwood playing for a free scoring team at the top of the table, so is 6 a fair return so far? However, for the sake of being impartial Manny whatever his surname is who didn't look the greatest for us on loan from Salford has got 12 for Hartlepool!!

[deyres42]

1 hour ago, oafc1955 said:

He has made a mistake, absolutely, so far anyway, Unsworth has obviously sold him a load of bollocks.

His “let’s go win the league” comment on signing gives credence to that too.

 

Now I know the money would have been the motivating factor but I’m sure he would have also wanted to end his career on a high.

 

I just hope we can utilise his scoring talents to better effect because to date, his signing has been a complete waste of money!!

Can't imagine Unsworth was much of a factor in him signing to be honest.

[Flemboy]

Norwood is a proven striker but needs desperately  the service from midfield plus I'd play Reid alongside him up front 

[oafc1955]

6 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Can't imagine Unsworth was much of a factor in him signing to be honest.

Thompson, Royle?

[PeteG]

1 minute ago, oafc1955 said:

Thompson, Royle?

More likely Frank tbh

[oafc1955]

5 minutes ago, PeteG said:

More likely Frank tbh

Frank doesn’t get involved in the football side.

[PeteG]

Just now, oafc1955 said:

Frank doesn’t get involved in the football side.

He pays Norwood's wage. Let's face it, he wasn't dropping down to the National League to play for peanuts.

[BP1960]

57 minutes ago, PeteG said:

Yes, a slight exaggeration on my part. We don't even know that he's digging anyone out or if his attitude is like some are saying. People are reading body language and putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 5. I actually think he's probably very popular in the dressing room and it's just his way. We are in danger of making up an issue that doesn't actually exist. There's been loads of players over the years who looked a bit disinterested or as if they thought their teammates weren't good enough. We only need to look closer to home, Roger Palmer barely celebrated a goal, just put his arm aloft, was the first out of the ground most weeks, didn't mix with players and nobody even knew where he lived. Willie Donachie used to pick him up on a street corner because he didn't drive but he would never tell Willie where he actually lived. Scholesy was another like that at United and you'd get the impression he thought some of his teammates weren't good enough. Didn't stop him performing though.

 

I remember reading Harry Dowd walked into the Boundary Park on match days and asked who we were playing that day, didn't stop him being one the best keepers I've seen here though.

Edited October 26, 2023 by BP1960

[Norewgian Gunnar]

Norwood is certainly our best player. I have been to most matches and he is always looking to get the ball to his feet. He needs a consistent partner and as others have said Reid is probably the one with Fondop used as an impact sub. 

 

Nuttall should be left go and we then have Willoughby as a young striker who can learn from Norwood and be used when required.  

 

Midfield need to be pressing more to get the ball to him and not passing sideways and backwards. 

 

I am very hopeful that Mellon will be working on this especially after the disaster on Tuesday

[GlossopLatic]

34 minutes ago, Norewgian Gunnar said:

Norwood is certainly our best player. I have been to most matches and he is always looking to get the ball to his feet. He needs a consistent partner and as others have said Reid is probably the one with Fondop used as an impact sub. 

 

Nuttall should be left go and we then have Willoughby as a young striker who can learn from Norwood and be used when required.  

 

Midfield need to be pressing more to get the ball to him and not passing sideways and backwards. 

 

I am very hopeful that Mellon will be working on this especially after the disaster on Tuesday

 

When you say young Striker you do realise Kurt Willoughby is 26 so he's kind of in his prime. I'm not sure if Norwood needs a runner like Willoughby or possibly Reid or even Hope next to him or a target like Fondop or Nuttall.

 

Part of me would like to see us try him in a 4-3-3 with playing in the central role and playing effectively the width of the penalty area.

 

I do believe that the introduction of 3-4 players will not only make us stronger in those obvious week areas we all agree on but will raise the level of performance from sone of those currently here James Norwood would probably be the one player who would benefit most.

[oafc1955]

54 minutes ago, GlossopLatic said:

target like Fondop or Nuttall.

Neither are target men especially Nuttall, I don’t know what the f*** he is tbh!!

[Bobledgersheart]

A striker like Norwood basically just needs the rest of the team to get the ball in the opposition's penalty area by whatever means and he'll pick up rebounds etc. and score plenty. 

Good strikers thrive by being a bit quicker than defenders and anticipating where the ball is going.