Ollie Norburn

I watched him for a good 15 mins on Saturday and he seems remarkably unsure on the ball. For a player who looks a bit of a hard man, he is either low on confidence or is unsure of his own abilities and, for me, was a bit of a weak link.
I'd replace him with Morgan for the Pompey game and make Pennington the Captain.
 
FedoraExplorer said:
I watched him for a good 15 mins on Saturday and he seems remarkably unsure on the ball. For a player who looks a bit of a hard man, he is either low on confidence or is unsure of his own abilities and, for me, was a bit of a weak link.
I'd replace him with Morgan for the Pompey game and make Pennington the Captain.
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Agree. Thinks he is our midfield general but just lumbers about. Far too slow and nine out of ten passes go backwards or sideways. A really poor signing in my view.
 
Peterborough fans seem to really like him and given he was part of a team that made the L1 play offs last season it does make you wonder why he just hasn't produced here? I guess age and injuries make have played their part, he certainly seems sluggish. More worrying is how he seems to slow play down, when the game is a high tempo he tends to struggle. He has played a couple of decent forward passes so it is incredibly frustrating to watch him pass sideways or backwards, only to see the likes of Husband lump the ball forward aimlessly, surely it should be him trying to make these passes? Maybe it's the formation and midfield combinations, when I look at Byers he seems to offer much more both in and out of possession.
 
NewburyOne said:
Peterborough fans seem to really like him and given he was part of a team that made the L1 play offs last season it does make you wonder why he just hasn't produced here? I guess age and injuries make have played their part, he certainly seems sluggish. More worrying is how he seems to slow play down, when the game is a high tempo he tends to struggle. He has played a couple of decent forward passes so it is incredibly frustrating to watch him pass sideways or backwards, only to see the likes of Husband lump the ball forward aimlessly, surely it should be him trying to make these passes? Maybe it's the formation and midfield combinations, when I look at Byers he seems to offer much more both in and out of possession.
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I think that's a fair assessment, but I boggle at some of the other assessments above I have to say. Norburn does look lacking in confidence and is frustrating me also with a general urge to turn back towards our goal at the moment when the players in front of him are looking good options, but he's clearly a very capable footballer. When he arrived he looked like he had more time on the ball than those around him and bossed things, then he got injured and hasn't been playing as well since. To read he shouldn't be a pro footballer is just bizarre.

I also can't understand those slipping in the boot for Jimmy Husband, (don't they realise this thread is intended for sticking it to Norburn??). Hubby was brilliant first half of the season, and while not as good attack wise as the moment, he's consistent and reliable and I'd pick him all day long. I ask no one to agree with that assessment, but to read, bet his pass completion isn't above 5%, is a bit odd I think (FYI I had a look, his pass completion is 73.49%, which is top 5% in L1).

When he, or the other defenders lump it aimlessly forward, it's not cos they're useless, it's because as a team we've worked ourselves in a position where it's the only option left, and good players know losing the ball in the opposition half is preferable to losing it in ours. For me, that's a coaching problem.
 
I’ve posted this before, but I’ll go again ; in the first few games, he was immense. I thought that he was a REAL signing, but then he just seemed to fade. I am of the opinion that he is carrying some sort of niggle. One just can’t play at that early standard, and then become so ordinary without good reason.
 
hills98 said:
I think that's a fair assessment, but I boggle at some of the other assessments above I have to say. Norburn does look lacking in confidence and is frustrating me also with a general urge to turn back towards our goal at the moment when the players in front of him are looking good options, but he's clearly a very capable footballer. When he arrived he looked like he had more time on the ball than those around him and bossed things, then he got injured and hasn't been playing as well since. To read he shouldn't be a pro footballer is just bizarre.

I also can't understand those slipping in the boot for Jimmy Husband, (don't they realise this thread is intended for sticking it to Norburn??). Hubby was brilliant first half of the season, and while not as good attack wise as the moment, he's consistent and reliable and I'd pick him all day long. I ask no one to agree with that assessment, but to read, bet his pass completion isn't above 5%, is a bit odd I think (FYI I had a look, his pass completion is 73.49%, which is top 5% in L1).

When he, or the other defenders lump it aimlessly forward, it's not cos they're useless, it's because as a team we've worked ourselves in a position where it's the only option left, and good players know losing the ball in the opposition half is preferable to losing it in ours. For me, that's a coaching problem.
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Hubby was probably our best player over the 1st half of the season. It wasn't meant to just single him out, it could have been anyone of our defenders. If a midfielder isn't willing or capable of playing a forward pass, I'd argue he's not worth a place in a team that needs to start dictating games home and away.
 
NewburyOne said:
Hubby was probably our best player over the 1st half of the season. It wasn't meant to just single him out, it could have been anyone of our defenders. If a midfielder isn't willing or capable of playing a forward pass, I'd argue he's not worth a place in a team that needs to start dictating games home and away.
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Yeah agree with you, and certainly support any reasonable view such as whether fans would or wouldn't pick a player, that's what the forum is for and opinions vary!

My "against" point was aimed squarely at the evidence-free assessments like, probably 5% pass completion/worst player ever in Tangerine/how is he a professional footballer type posts.

To be clear, I also wouldn't be picking Norburn ATM, and I find it frustrating when we're 0-1 down, and Critchley sticks with a back three and takes Byers off for Morgan instead of Norburn, but that's another story! 🙂
 
Middxile said:
I’ve posted this before, but I’ll go again ; in the first few games, he was immense. I thought that he was a REAL signing, but then he just seemed to fade. I am of the opinion that he is carrying some sort of niggle. One just can’t play at that early standard, and then become so ordinary without good reason.
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Spot on. Early season Norburn was very strong in the tackle and was getting on the ball making stuff happen.

Must be a niggle which is easy to see how he got it by flying into tackles.

Kev Stewart was the same, he was flying into tackles, which was great for 5 minutes until he got injured again.
 
SIDEFOOT_SID said:
Spot on. Early season Norburn was very strong in the tackle and was getting on the ball making stuff happen.

Must be a niggle which is easy to see how he got it by flying into tackles.

Kev Stewart was the same, he was flying into tackles, which was great for 5 minutes until he got injured again.
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He suffered cracked ribs in the game at Bolton. They can take a long time to heal and be incredibly painful. It's not something he would broadcast either as it would no doubt be targeted by opposition players. I also saw the first few games and thought we'd signed the perfect L1 midfielder, something I commented on at the time. Whether it's injury, system or the right balance in other midfielders, we need that sorting. A fully firing Norburn, Byers, Morgan, Carey and Virtue should give us more than enough to compete with the top teams in L1.
 
Norburn is a good player. Many players this season have been affected by Critchley's oddball tactics and he is another example. He looks far more comfortable with Byers.

Let's remember, most normal teams play with proper wingers where as we can end up with a back 5 when we are in defensive mode. This really does limit Norburn and the other midfielders in terms of being able to pass the ball forward.

My biggest compliment to Norburn is that we would be a lot shitter without him.
 
Everything is Sadler's fault in some peoples eye's.....

The meat pies are rubbish......That's Sadler
Not scoring a clear chance from 90 yards out.....That's Sadler's fault as well
Cant pick my ticket up from the club shop....Oh that bloody Sadler...
Not playing a 3-4-3 inverted wing back formation......FFS Sadler, let it go!!!!
I wasn't entertained.......Get your clown shoes on Simon, you're on at half time, with some jokes and a few magic tricks.....!!!
 
Think about how many forward pass options he had a Peterborough. I'd imagine all but 2 centre backs and a goal keeper will have been ahead of him when he picks the ball up off the centre backs.

For us, he'll have the goalkeeper, 3 centre backs, at least 1 of the 2 centre midfielders and possibly the two wing backs not really available ahead of him.

That leaves him to pick out one of the three front men. Who will be marked as well as having other players opposition players cutting off passing lanes. No wonder the poor fucker is struggling to play his game.
 
Tango1953 said:
Think about how many forward pass options he had a Peterborough. I'd imagine all but 2 centre backs and a goal keeper will have been ahead of him when he picks the ball up off the centre backs.

For us, he'll have the goalkeeper, 3 centre backs, at least 1 of the 2 centre midfielders and possibly the two wing backs not really available ahead of him.

That leaves him to pick out one of the three front men. Who will be marked as well as having other players opposition players cutting off passing lanes. No wonder the poor fucker is struggling to play his game.
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👍
 
FedoraExplorer said:
I watched him for a good 15 mins on Saturday and he seems remarkably unsure on the ball. For a player who looks a bit of a hard man, he is either low on confidence or is unsure of his own abilities and, for me, was a bit of a weak link.
I'd replace him with Morgan for the Pompey game and make Pennington the Captain.
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He's been a major disappointment for me because I thought he looked a far better player when he arrived and is now a shadow of his former self.
 
Norburn is a weird one. I can’t disagree with what people are saying but I would still have him in the starting 11 as we just play better when he plays.
 
King Billy said:
Norburn is a weird one. I can’t disagree with what people are saying but I would still have him in the starting 11 as we just play better when he plays.
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Watch the game again on Saturday and watch what he does. He is covering every inch of space left by others always, he is the water carrier doing the unsung work in the team, better with Byers alongside who helps him out.
 
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Hazi said:
Watch the game again on Saturday and watch what he does. He is covering every inch of space left by others always, he is the water carrier doing the unsung work in the team, better with Byers alongside who helps him out.
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A very slow water carrier that struggles to make a forward pass. Byres a much better option and maybe Morgan, although he drifts in and out of games.
 
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