Norwood (4 Viewers)

[enefer_ccfc]

really refreshing to see such passion shown from a player who's on loan, especially coming from a club where almost everyone on their books are labelled as overpaid prima donnas.

just reading what he has to say on twitter and the way he's celebrated both his goals this week really shows he cares about doing a job for our beloved football club.

keep it up olly, pusb!

 

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[pusbccfc]

Great talent.

 

[Grendel]

Norwoods an impressive player. Shows that the age argument is a nonsense and ultimately quality is key. He is more impressive than some of our more experienced higher paid players - Clingan, Bell etc.

 

[@richh87]

Norwoods an impressive player. Shows that the age argument is a nonsense and ultimately quality is key. He is more impressive than some of our more experienced higher paid players - Clingan, Bell etc.

It doesn't show that the age argument is nonsense though - only in certain cases where youngsters are incredibly gifted.

Norwood has come from Man U - hardly your average young player.

Having said that we have some good youngsters coming through and If we can keep them we might have some very good players on our hands in a few years.

Experience is always important.

 

[DazzleTommyDazzle]

Norwoods an impressive player. Shows that the age argument is a nonsense and ultimately quality is key.

Norwood has done very well after a quiet start to his time at Coventry. Not one of his better games on Saturday but was in the right place to score a vital goal.

But "shows the age argument is nonsense" - really?

Presumably you think he's had a bigger influence on the season than Dennis Wise did a few years back?

 

[Grendel]

Norwood has done very well after a quiet start to his time at Coventry. Not one of his better games on Saturday but was in the right place to score a vital goal.

But "shows the age argument is nonsense" - really?

Presumably you think he's had a bigger influence on the season than Dennis Wise did a few years back?

He has had a bigger influence than Deegan and Clingan which is a more relevant comparison. Look at the midfield creativity before he arrived and since he came - there has been a significant improvement in results and performance. Wise was a one off. Putting a 38 year old in the mix very rarely work for you. Michael Hughes was slightly younger but really struggled for pace and then there is De Zeuw of course.

 

[stupot07]

Norwoods an impressive player. Shows that the age argument is a nonsense and ultimately quality is key. He is more impressive than some of our more experienced higher paid players - Clingan, Bell etc.

Norwoods 21 in a couple of weeks, Bigi and Thomas were 17 when the season started. In the old secondary school system of 4 year groups - bigi and Thomas would have been in the bottom year and Norwood (and Nimely) in the top year group.

 

[Grendel]

Norwoods 21 in a couple of weeks, Bigi and Thomas were 17 when the season started. In the old secondary school system of 4 year groups - bigi and Thomas would have been in the bottom year and Norwood (and Nimely) in the top year group.

I 100% agree but some people on here think Cameron, Norwood, Nimeley and Clarke are too young to be playing regularly. I don't. I have always said that Bigi and Christie were too inexperienced to be playing regularly and Christie has been over used. Thomas having had a loan at Liverpool last year and all the outcry that led to you would have expected to make a break into the team this season.

 

[stupot07]

Actually that is a really silly point Duffy - you could have put a 17 year old Rooney and owen in our side and say "look, age don't matter" and they were full England internationals at that point. The difference being their quality and the fact their quality pushed them into their first team/England not the fact their sides had a threadbare squad.

 

[Grendel]

Actually that is a really silly point Duffy - you could have put a 17 year old Rooney and owen in our side and say "look, age don't matter" and they were full England internationals at that point. The difference being their quality and the fact their quality pushed them into their first team/England not the fact their sides had a threadbare squad.

I don't see it as silly. I think generally 17 is too young but if you are at the age of 20 at that point you are going to have a career or not. Most championship teams have players in the side who are around that age. Has Christie always played as the squad is threadbare? Have there not been occasions when Wood and/or McPake have been on the bench and Keogh could have been moved over?
Players such as Norwood and Nimley have been preferred as well to older players. Don't get the response?

 

[DazzleTommyDazzle]

He has had a bigger influence than Deegan and Clingan which is a more relevant comparison. Look at the midfield creativity before he arrived and since he came - there has been a significant improvement in results and performance. Wise was a one off. Putting a 38 year old in the mix very rarely work for you. Michael Hughes was slightly younger but really struggled for pace and then there is De Zeuw of course.

I would agree that Wise doesn't prove that older players always work, in the same way that I believe that Norwood doesn't prove that age doesn't matter.

To attempt to move the debate away from the individual - I believe that if you have two squads that are equal in footballing ability/quality, then the squad with more experience (always assuming they're not all collecting their pensions of course....) will do better than the squad with less. That is why I believe that age and experience matter.

 

[covcity4life]

he cares

 

[sw88]

It's worked out better than the previous united players we had on loan that's for sure - Eddie Johnson, who was poor IMO, and Steele who was too young and also pretty poor (ironic I say that considering the above debate )

 

[rob9872]

Owen Walcott Rooneey Oxlaide-Chjamberlain and many more examples of top quality raw prospects at a young age performing at the top level.

Our problem was that we had so many together and were not necessarily playing them through choice. Fortunately they seem quite good and if they work hard can all have decent careers. They certainly look better now than six months ago and will likely be better again in another six months. The experience they will have picked up this season can be of huge benefit to them if they are students of the game. If we don't whore them about to other clubs, ethn even without significant investment it could be as an exciting time as 30 years ago when we had the likes of Thomas, Thompson, Gillespie, Hateley etc

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

I don't see it as silly. I think generally 17 is too young but if you are at the age of 20 at that point you are going to have a career or not. Most championship teams have players in the side who are around that age. Has Christie always played as the squad is threadbare? Have there not been occasions when Wood and/or McPake have been on the bench and Keogh could have been moved over?
Players such as Norwood and Nimley have been preferred as well to older players. Don't get the response?

One of my biggest criticisms of Thorn this season has been he has used Christie far too much. Should have moved Keogh over and played Wood/Mcpake/Cameron alongside Cranie for most of the season imo.

 

[wingy]

Bair ,Dyson ,Whitton, Mortimer?i'm not avers eto blooding them ,something other clubs have done regularly in this division with success ,would have insisted previous
managers adopted this policy ,Adams did a little ,Ruined WHing though in my oppinion,Dowie with Turner ,Aidy with Turner and Cameron

 

[oldskyblue58]

Watching Norwood you can tell he learnt his craft at a top club. His touch and movement is generally good and he has confidence in himself. He keeps his head up and isnt afraid to make a first time pass or hold to hold on to the ball. He is also reasonably articulate, passionate about playing, and willing to learn. What he does have in abundance is a winning mentality. I would guess the other young lads look at him and Nimely and see standards they can aspire to.... that is a positive effect for our club.

I dont think it should be an arguement should a player play or not because of age..... if that player is good enough he is old enough..... isnt that part of the skills of a manager - to know when ? The arguement for me is whether the young players play too much - youngsters need periods of rest, they need to allow their bodies time to build the stamina and strength - they need to be rotated into the side, maybe playing 5 or 10 games then rested. We simply have not been in a position to do that with our young players - for a number of reasons. I hope for all of them that no damage is done and that playing for CCFC first team so much ends up a positive experience long term

 

[ccfc2011]

Very good talent and a good person

 

[1nilandwe...]

I'd post properly, but I think oldskyblue has said it all really. We've had to rely on the youngsters far too much this season and they deserve a lot of credit for performing so admirably.

Norwood is a class act at this level. Do I think he's good enough to play in the Premiership consistently in the future? Unsure, but he certainly deserves to be at a club finishing much higher up this division. Fergie will be delighted at the experience he's getting though. Playing every minute of tough, pressure-laden football matches is priceless for the lad.

 

[kg82]

I'd post properly, but I think oldskyblue has said it all really. We've had to rely on the youngsters far too much this season and they deserve a lot of credit for performing so admirably.

Norwood is a class act at this level. Do I think he's good enough to play in the Premiership consistently in the future? Unsure, but he certainly deserves to be at a club finishing much higher up this division. Fergie will be delighted at the experience he's getting though. Playing every minute of tough, pressure-laden football matches is priceless for the lad.

Not just that, he's grown into the role. He was going around his job quietly and effectively, now he's added a couple of goals to that and you can see the confidence building in him every minute.

 

[sw88]

Tbf I didn't think Gardner was good enough for the prem from what we seen of him but he's back st Villa now and playing in the first team.

Albeit there is a massive difference between Villa and United, but Norwood definately better than Gardner, so who knows, he might make it (in a few more years admittedly)

 

[Sky]

I think your doing Gardner abit of injustice there he played what, 5 games out of position and score a goal which is more than most of our midfield this season. IMO gardner is a much better attacking midfielder than norwood

 

[WillieStanley]

I'd love to see Gardner and Norwood in the same side. They've both got great furtures ahead of them.

 

[sw88]

I think your doing Gardner abit of injustice there he played what, 5 games out of position and score a goal which is more than most of our midfield this season. IMO gardner is a much better attacking midfielder than norwood

Im not having a go at him, as ive said on another post Gardner was played out of position, where as Norwood, I assume, isn't and that's maybe why we're seeing Norwood perform better which makes me believe he is the better of the two.

I would have liked to see Gardner play a bit more, and in his best position, but we didn't.

 

[CCFC123]

Norwood has shown more influence and desire in 6-7 games than Bell and Clingan have done all season combined. Norwoods really shown those two wasters what there all about.

I can't be bothered to droan on about Bell and Clingan as there a disgrace to the shirt but Norwood has been true quality and a breath of fresh air.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

We didn't see enough or the best of Gardner to make a fair comparison imo. He only played a couple of games in a team where the rest of the players were playing shite at the time.

 

[covcity4life]

We didn't see enough or the best of Gardner to make a fair comparison imo. He only played a couple of games in a team where the rest of the players were playing shite at the time.

nail.on.head

 

[torchomatic]

True, but that's the way things pan out sometimes. Norwood is playing well, that's all we should be thankful for.

We didn't see enough or the best of Gardner to make a fair comparison imo. He only played a couple of games in a team where the rest of the players were playing shite at the time.

 

[covcity4life]

True, but that's the way things pan out sometimes. Norwood is playing well, that's all we should be thankful for.

whos not thankful??????????????????

give it a rest with your glass half full posts ALL THE TIME dude

 

[torchomatic]

Er.....no.

give it a rest with your glass half full posts ALL THE TIME dude

 

[LeamingtonBootBoy]

It does show - as is the case with Clarke - that you need to have patience with the younger players and give them a run of games to establish themselves, get used to the pace, and show what they can do.

 

[dongonzalos]

Norwoods an impressive player. Shows that the age argument is a nonsense and ultimately quality is key. He is more impressive than some of our more experienced higher paid players - Clingan, Bell etc.

For me the age debate is all about whether you want those players in your team or you are forced to have them.
You would chose to play Norwood as he has the quality and is ready.
Coventry due to player sales and a lack of replacements have been forced to play players who were not yet ready.
Hence Norwood was signed by AT to replace some of those such as Bigi/Ruffles/Thomas who were not quite ready yet to produce it consistently for a full season.
It was never just about age, it is about quality and if they are ready. If it was just about age you would quote rooney or giggs at 16 and the debate would be over.

 

[dongonzalos]

I don't see it as silly. I think generally 17 is too young but if you are at the age of 20 at that point you are going to have a career or not. Most championship teams have players in the side who are around that age. Has Christie always played as the squad is threadbare? Have there not been occasions when Wood and/or McPake have been on the bench and Keogh could have been moved over?
Players such as Norwood and Nimley have been preferred as well to older players. Don't get the response?

I think most the time Christie was played because of the lack of options in the squad.
Then on the rare ocassion when Wood and McPake did manage to make the bench. I think Christie had very good games and it would not have been fair to drop him. Also Wood and McPake were on the bench but not 100% fit.
At that time If Christie was dropped for a 70% fit centre half to play right back we would all be moaning about a bad decision by AT.
Or if he moved Keogh there and put one of the other 2 in at CB when they were a bit rusty. Again people would moan that Keogh was consistently man of the match and Christie was playing well at that time so why change it.
However once Chrities form dipped IMO Wood was injured, McPake had already spat his dummy out and left. Once Clarke was available AT dropped him.

So I disagree I think the fact he replaced him with Clarke shows that AT would have dropped him initially if his form dropped and if he had other options available to him at that time

 

[rob9872]

For me the age debate is all about whether you want those players in your team or you are forced to have them.
You would chose to play Norwood as he has the quality and is ready.
Coventry due to player sales and a lack of replacements have been forced to play players who were not yet ready.
Hence Norwood was signed by AT to replace some of those such as Bigi/Ruffles/Thomas who were not quite ready yet to produce it consistently for a full season.
It was never just about age, it is about quality and if they are ready. If it was just about age you would quote rooney or giggs at 16 and the debate would be over.

Agree with parts of that, but I think these players have quality. They have shown in glimpses what they can do and are definitely improving with experience.

The key differrence is that when Giggs or Rooney or Owen or Walcott went into the side they were surrounded by quality and experienced players who could overcome if they make a mistake or had an off day. Our guys were raw and all expected to learn in a struggling side that lacked the quality and experience around them and there was no place to hide.