MATCH: Halifax Town (H) 12/10/24 - F.A CUP 🏆

[Scapegoat]

On 10/13/2024 at 9:30 AM, Londonboy said:

Yep...Your right....you won't.

 

Mikey's doing well at the moment and is indeed our top scorer abiet he's missed more than a couple of sitters. He gives his all every game and clearly loves playing for Oldham

Norwood is struggling getting properly match fit and seems a miserable sod at times as we know.

 

However would I prefer a fully fit James Norwood over a fully fit Fondop...absolute no brainer course I would, and I suspect most sane fans would also.

 

We just need to get him fit and playing and he will score plenty... and he may even smile now and again.

Mikey is a great impact sub but we are not going up unfortunately with him as our number 1 striker. Likelihood is he will get a red card soon anyway as that just Mikey!

And how can anyone judge what our best forward combination is until we have seen them start together once or twice.

 

I do agree though Mikey starts at Sutton as he deserves the shirt at the moment and if he keeps scoring then that's ok with me

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would have agreed completely last season - Norwood was showing signs of being a different level to anything else in this division, and Mikey looked like a a player that was not the level we needed.  However I think I am changing my opinion now....

 

Norwood hasn't delivered the same output post his injury last season, and given his age (34) he is going to get more injuries and recover more slowly as time marches on.  In addition we seemingly having found a good partner for him in the time he has been here?

 

Mikey has got himself fit, and is affecting games positively this season.  Goals and assists are decent (5 and 3 in the league; plus another 2 and 1 in the cup) and whilst yes he misses chances, the old adage of at least he is getting in the positions to miss is a positive - all players do (Cole Palmer missed one at the weekend).  He also seems to be able to work better as a partnership (did well with Garner last season before Norwood returned) with a variety of players.   He is also 4 years younger that James.

 

At the moment I still have Norwood in the squad and club, but he has to fight to get and retain his place.

[TheBigDog]

33 minutes ago, Scapegoat said:

 

I think he can play well for us AND Chesterfield don't want him.  They are doing OK at the moment in the League above, and might be looking for players they think can do a job in League One in terms of longer term planning - and a player scoring a few goals for a decent team in the NL isn't what they need.

Let’s hope that Chesterfield have a great run in the league with the players they currently have available - and no injuries to forwards…

[Fervid]

According to Cook after 28 days he can be recalled within 24 hr notice. 

[oafcmetty]

56 minutes ago, Scapegoat said:

 

Norwood hasn't delivered the same output post his injury last season, and given his age (34) he is going to get more injuries and recover more slowly as time marches on.  In addition we seemingly having found a good partner for him in the time he has been here?

The majority of James Hammond Norwood's goals last season came when Lundstram and Sheron were in centre mid behind him

[Monty Burns]

extremely suprised not to have seen Pawels Law aplied to Norwood yet

[Hemel latic]

On 10/14/2024 at 1:39 PM, oafcmetty said:

The majority of James Hammond Norwood's goals last season came when Lundstram and Sheron were in centre mid behind him

I didn't know that was Norwood's middle name but it comes as no surprise to me as I've always thought he's something of an organ. 

[Dave_Og]

39 minutes ago, Hemel latic said:

I didn't know that was Norwood's middle name but it comes as no surprise to me as I've always thought he's something of an organ. 

 

But he is very good, when he's in the Moog

[Hemel latic]

2 hours ago, Dave_Og said:

 

But he is very good, when he's in the Moog

Gah, he's all mouth.

[Worcester Owl]

On 10/15/2024 at 4:17 PM, Dave_Og said:

 

But he is very good, when he's in the Moog

Having synthesizer his smile when he’s happy, I don’t think he’s as fed up here as some claim.

[spanishfly]

5 hours ago, Worcester Owl said:

Having synthesizer his smile when he’s happy, I don’t think he’s as fed up here as some claim.

I don't think anybody would be particularly fed up playing non-league football on the reputed money he's on.

 

Simple fact is; he's worth nowhere near that money. The return on investment is shocking and won't get any better.

[Dave_Og]

11 minutes ago, spanishfly said:

I don't think anybody would be particularly fed up playing non-league football on the reputed money he's on.

 

Simple fact is; he's worth nowhere near that money. The return on investment is shocking and won't get any better.

He's no the first signing a club has made that hasn't quite delivered. Some of the comments suggest that he mugged Frank in a dark alley

[nzlatic]

24 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

He's no the first signing a club has made that hasn't quite delivered. Some of the comments suggest that he mugged Frank in a dark alley

I'll never really understand the anger about something like this. He's just a footballer who's been offered a contract and signed it.

 

Luke Beckett was talked about on the phone in this week, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything bad about him. Out of curiosity I thought I'd check his stats out vs Norwood's, seeing as Norwood is strongly disliked by quite a number of fans...

 

Luke Beckett's season (2005/06)
1 goal in first 15 games, then 17 in last 23.
Total scored, 18. Penalties, 4.

 

James Norwood's season (2023/24)
17 goals in first 29 games, then 1 in last 13.
Total scored, 18. Penalties, 4.

 

Is it perception? Is it that Norwood's scoring form tailed off and that coincided with our form doing the same and play off chances disappearing? So he (and his contract) become a figure of such dislike? Dunno. Like I say, I don't understand it really.

[Dave_Og]

25 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

I'll never really understand the anger about something like this. He's just a footballer who's been offered a contract and signed it.

 

Luke Beckett was talked about on the phone in this week, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything bad about him. Out of curiosity I thought I'd check his stats out vs Norwood's, seeing as Norwood is strongly disliked by quite a number of fans...

 

Luke Beckett's season (2005/06)
1 goal in first 15 games, then 17 in last 23.
Total scored, 18. Penalties, 4.

 

James Norwood's season (2023/24)
17 goals in first 29 games, then 1 in last 13.
Total scored, 18. Penalties, 4.

 

Is it perception? Is it that Norwood's scoring form tailed off and that coincided with our form doing the same and play off chances disappearing? So he (and his contract) become a figure of such dislike? Dunno. Like I say, I don't understand it really.

 

To gain popularity building from a slow start is probably the best plan.  Money and expectation based I think - personally I'd barely heard of him before he signed (like most of our players) so I had no pre-formed view.  Fair to say though that he hasn't got a great reputation down here from his time at Ipswich.  Six pints a night man - allegedly!

[disjointed]

17 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

 

To gain popularity building from a slow start is probably the best plan.  Money and expectation based I think - personally I'd barely heard of him before he signed (like most of our players) so I had no pre-formed view.  Fair to say though that he hasn't got a great reputation down here from his time at Ipswich.  Six pints a night man - allegedly!

Lightweight. 

[League one forever]

50 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

I'll never really understand the anger about something like this. He's just a footballer who's been offered a contract and signed it.

 

Luke Beckett was talked about on the phone in this week, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything bad about him. Out of curiosity I thought I'd check his stats out vs Norwood's, seeing as Norwood is strongly disliked by quite a number of fans...

 

Luke Beckett's season (2005/06)
1 goal in first 15 games, then 17 in last 23.
Total scored, 18. Penalties, 4.

 

James Norwood's season (2023/24)
17 goals in first 29 games, then 1 in last 13.
Total scored, 18. Penalties, 4.

 

Is it perception? Is it that Norwood's scoring form tailed off and that coincided with our form doing the same and play off chances disappearing? So he (and his contract) become a figure of such dislike? Dunno. Like I say, I don't understand it really.

The record is similar but the context is very different. 
 

Signing Norwood in the national league is akin to signing an ageing but prolific premier league striker in league one. Beckett wasn’t that. He was a decent lower championship/high end league one striker. He was a very solid signing. Norwood was a fantastic coup. So the expectation level is very different. 

Also, the debate splits into two when we discuss strikers. Do you want your striker to just be judged on the goals? Or do you want your striker to be involved in the game as much as possible. Beckett was involved much more than Norwood in my view and as we said the other week was more of a badge kisser- which endears players to fans. 

So - main differences. 
 

Weight of expectation. 
What each contributed outside of their goal return. 
Being a badge kisser or not. 
 

If we were league one now. I’d take Beckett over Norwood all day. 
 

 

[nzlatic]

6 minutes ago, League one forever said:

The record is similar but the context is very different. 
 

Signing Norwood in the national league is akin to signing an ageing but prolific premier league striker in league one. Beckett wasn’t that. He was a decent lower championship/high end league one striker. He was a very solid signing. Norwood was a fantastic coup. So the expectation level is very different. 

Also, the debate splits into two when we discuss strikers. Do you want your striker to just be judged on the goals? Or do you want your striker to be involved in the game as much as possible. Beckett was involved much more than Norwood in my view and as we said the other week was more of a badge kisser- which endears players to fans. 

So - main differences. 
 

Weight of expectation. 
What each contributed outside of their goal return. 
Being a badge kisser or not. 
 

If we were league one now. I’d take Beckett over Norwood all day. 
 

 

It’s the level of dislike I don’t understand, not those who would rate one above the other or any criticism of him as a player/person. I guess what I’m saying is that to me, the negative reaction to him is disproportionate to what he’s done on the pitch. 
 

The only other thing I’d say when it comes to expectations is that Norwood was just short of 33 when he signed. So is the level of expectation you talk about fair? I think for his age, 18 goals is pretty good for the season, especially given the team around him. Not exceptional, but certainly not as bad as the reactions to him have been. Maybe as Dave says that’s influenced by the way round it happened. If he’d had a slow start and a strong finish then maybe feelings would be different? Which might be what happens in the end this season with a bit of luck…

[League one forever]

19 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

The only other thing I’d say when it comes to expectations is that Norwood was just short of 33 when he signed. So is the level of expectation you talk about fair? I think for his age, 18 goals is pretty good for the season,

Every player needs to judged on their own circumstances. So for example some players at 33 are on the slide, hard a series of injuries etc. 

 

Norwood had scored 12 in league one the year before coming to us, and had another year on his deal. Conventional wisdom (which isn’t the best when it comes to football) would say he was fit & firing at a much better level, and therefore would do well dropping down. 
 

Mike scored 9 in open play.
 

Nors scored 14 in open play. 

Both had the same shit players, and Mike had far less game time. 
 

I agree that 18 in total for Norwood is pretty decent, just expected more. 
 

28 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

It’s the level of dislike I don’t understand

See previous post. He doesn’t kiss the badge. (I’m not arsed but understand why that doesn’t endear him) It’s debatable he hasn’t scored enough. (Given the money spent) He isn’t always in the game. 

 

 

 

 

[JoeP]

46 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

It’s the level of dislike I don’t understand, not those who would rate one above the other or any criticism of him as a player/person. I guess what I’m saying is that to me, the negative reaction to him is disproportionate to what he’s done on the pitch. 
 

The only other thing I’d say when it comes to expectations is that Norwood was just short of 33 when he signed. So is the level of expectation you talk about fair? I think for his age, 18 goals is pretty good for the season, especially given the team around him. Not exceptional, but certainly not as bad as the reactions to him have been. Maybe as Dave says that’s influenced by the way round it happened. If he’d had a slow start and a strong finish then maybe feelings would be different? Which might be what happens in the end this season with a bit of luck…

 

It's not one thing - there's a combination of factors.  Some are obvious, some are just rumours which don't seems beyond the realms of likelihood.

 

Yeah, the stats on paper are decent but I expected more than just purple patches of scoring.  The club were (are) rebuilding so it was a big investment and risk to sign such a player.  He's got his reasonable goals tally, but I was expecting a player who would use his superior experience to encourage (i.e not tell his team-mates they're shit), work hard and stand out most games to help a club in fluctuation go in the right direction.  That has hardly happened.  He has the aura of a man who thinks the club should be doing more for him, rather than he should be doing more for the club..

[Littlemoor Lad]

1 hour ago, JoeP said:

 

It's not one thing - there's a combination of factors.  Some are obvious, some are just rumours which don't seems beyond the realms of likelihood.

 

Yeah, the stats on paper are decent but I expected more than just purple patches of scoring.  The club were (are) rebuilding so it was a big investment and risk to sign such a player.  He's got his reasonable goals tally, but I was expecting a player who would use his superior experience to encourage (i.e not tell his team-mates they're shit), work hard and stand out most games to help a club in fluctuation go in the right direction.  That has hardly happened.  He has the aura of a man who thinks the club should be doing more for him, rather than he should be doing more for the club..

The vanity project hasn't worked and this clearly isn't Norwood's level

It doesn't suit him or him for us for that matter 

We'd do better with a reinvented Dieseruvwe who atleast knows his way to goal

[deyres42]

25 minutes ago, Littlemoor Lad said:

The vanity project hasn't worked and this clearly isn't Norwood's level

It doesn't suit him or him for us for that matter 

We'd do better with a reinvented Dieseruvwe who atleast knows his way to goal

Well it is as high as he'll get now so he should probably try and cheer up a bit and make the most of it...

[trickyrickyholden]

5 hours ago, spanishfly said:

I don't think anybody would be particularly fed up playing non-league football on the reputed money he's on.

 

Simple fact is; he's worth nowhere near that money. The return on investment is shocking and won't get any better.

This is the issue. He is proving to be really poor value for money.

 

As I've said earlier, hope he doesn't limp towards triggering another year. We need shot of him unless he is a 20 plus a season striker

[Dave_Og]

1 hour ago, Littlemoor Lad said:

The vanity project hasn't worked and this clearly isn't Norwood's level

It doesn't suit him or him for us for that matter 

We'd do better with a reinvented Dieseruvwe who atleast knows his way to goal

Vanity project? I don't remember people saying that when he signed.

[Littlemoor Lad]

10 minutes ago, Dave_Og said:

Vanity project? I don't remember people saying that when he signed.

Most didn't even know who he was when he did

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

6 hours ago, League one forever said:

If we were league one now. I’d take Beckett over Norwood all day. 

 

Not sure about that. His knees were shot in 2006. They'd be completely knackered by now.

[League one forever]

7 minutes ago, Frankly Mr Shankly said:

 

Not sure about that. His knees were shot in 2006. They'd be completely knackered by now.