• The forum upgrades are now largely complete.
    Please read this thread for more details.
    New user registrations are currently disabled.

O'Nien at CB


That SE rag write up just about sums up TM.

I find it hard to believe that he gave his blessing to this arrangement.....09 is not a CH.
 
Not a fan of O’Nien playing in a pair of CB’s, but the goal today was a result of our back four being all over the place - not an O’Nien mistake in isolation.

We’re looking very predictable at the moment and didn’t deserve the point we got.
 
Honestly not sure what your point is ? That your have O Nien in over Batth. Fair enough
Onien is here Baath isn’t
No my point is everyone is saying Baath is amazing ( he was great for us ) but since being at Norwich in the games he’s played he’s been in a team that’s conceded 5 in 3 games ..
 
Thought ballard was worse today tbh
Ballard did some good some bad. Was awful for their goal though, went steaming out, arguably lucky just to get a yellow.

The way teams get through our midfield though it's definitely worth trying O'Nien in there.
 
Very good and fair post

The ease at which the cross was put in was incredible

How many goals have Norwich shipped when big Danny playing ?
Defending is a group effort, and if we look at the goal again, here are my issues with it.

-Ballard has somehow ended up on the halfway line making lunging tackles, a good 20-25 yards ahead of his fellow defenders. That creates a big lane for their midfielder to run into.

-Even though O'Nien starts the move next to Nisbit, he is drawn toward the ball and that run even though Ekwah appears to have it covered.

-Huggins gives their lad a few yards too much space, probably because he's worried about Norton-Cuffy's speed.

-There's now significant distance between O'Nien and Nisbit. Trai Hume can see this but doesn't seem to alarm him or bust a gut to get round on the cover even just to provide a distraction.

- O'Nien is not a big lad meaning the cross doesn't need to be pin point. Nisbit converts.

The goal doesn't reflect well on any of the back four.
 
I’d honestly put O’Nien in the pivotal role in front of the back four.
I can’t see any reason he couldn’t play that role, his distribution is actually excellent.
He gets caught out of position now and then at centre back but I think further forward although it would cause an issue now and then the positives would outweigh the negatives,
His passing today was top notch.
 
Defending is a group effort, and if we look at the goal again, here are my issues with it.

-Ballard has somehow ended up on the halfway line making lunging tackles, a good 20-25 yards ahead of his fellow defenders. That creates a big lane for their midfielder to run into.

-Even though O'Nien starts the move next to Nisbit, he is drawn toward the ball and that run even though Ekwah appears to have it covered.

-Huggins gives their lad a few yards too much space, probably because he's worried about Norton-Cuffy's speed.

-There's now significant distance between O'Nien and Nisbit. Trai Hume can see this but doesn't seem to alarm him or bust a gut to get round on the cover even just to provide a distraction.

- O'Nien is not a big lad meaning the cross doesn't need to be pin point. Nisbit converts.

The goal doesn't reflect well on any of the back four.
Agree -why is Onien drawn towards the ball -not a natural defender ?
 
Defending is a group effort, and if we look at the goal again, here are my issues with it.

-Ballard has somehow ended up on the halfway line making lunging tackles, a good 20-25 yards ahead of his fellow defenders. That creates a big lane for their midfielder to run into.

-Even though O'Nien starts the move next to Nisbit, he is drawn toward the ball and that run even though Ekwah appears to have it covered.

-Huggins gives their lad a few yards too much space, probably because he's worried about Norton-Cuffy's speed.

-There's now significant distance between O'Nien and Nisbit. Trai Hume can see this but doesn't seem to alarm him or bust a gut to get round on the cover even just to provide a distraction.

- O'Nien is not a big lad meaning the cross doesn't need to be pin point. Nisbit converts.

The goal doesn't reflect well on any of the back four.
Noticed that,basic full back play just get round and cover the centre half, it just about sums him up at the minute.
 
Onien is here Baath isn’t
No my point is everyone is saying Baath is amazing ( he was great for us ) but since being at Norwich in the games he’s played he’s been in a team that’s conceded 5 in 3 games ..

I think we'd be more a lot more settled at the back with Batth. That said, I think we'd be more settled with a proper CB like Seelt next to Ballard.
 
Agree -why is Onien drawn towards the ball -not a natural defender ?
Honestly mate you could spend hours debating that.

I'd try to narrow it down to one of two reasons (in my opinion).

-As you say he's not a natural defender. He's a midfielder who thinks I need to track the runner from deep as that's the biggest present danger.
-He's just naturally made that decision of his own accord. Maybe he's been distracted by the run, maybe he's forgot he's there, he may even have thought 'that's a hard cross to execute he won't make it'.

We've got to remember this is all occurring in a split second. I don't doubt they'll do analysis sessions and this may be on the docket in terms of correcting mistakes. I'm no expert, so they may also argue that he's done the right thing trying to split the two and he's just been a victim of bad luck.

For that reason, I'd put it down to a lack of communication among the back four along with some poor individual decision making. Sometimes you get away with it and the cross is overhit or the shot goes wide, sometimes it all comes off and we're down a goal.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The thing that’s most infuriating about him continuing at centre back is that we’re clearly missing a defensive midfielder. We also have fullbacks who are probably better going forward than defending as well as plenty of centre backs.

So why not play him in defensive midfield, have him splitting the defence and allowing both fullbacks to push up wide (rather than Hume inverting)?

He’d be able to provide us something we’re missing in midfield (ball winner, energy, etc) - it’s got to be worth a try at least? I’m amazed we’ve not even given it a go at some point.
 
Never a CB
Should be shot with shit for allowing Batth to leave
Baath who has let 5 in as a partnership in 2 games
The criticism of Onien is way over the top
He was poor for their goal today but the full back was as culpable
V Huddersfield he put the best ball of the game through to Jobe who if he had scored and we win would have been a hero !but aye he’s now the scapegoat!
The whole team has been crap …
 
Back
Top