Rogers On The Rockos

Let me tell you about a rock. It’s a lovely rock. All smooth, grey and cold. Not sure where it is, but underneath it, reside smatterings of people who, despite the evidence, continue to scream numerous variations of GET RID OF IT when Tim Krul or our defenders have the ball at their feet in our final third.

I feel for the people who live underneath the rock. Not only have they missed this wondrous season and the opportunity to witness clear and measured change in front of their very eyes, but even when they are let out for the night, the sheer disappointment of being top of the league and scoring three great goals just isn’t enough for them. They need more. And they are angry and need to let everyone know.

These people, which I’ll call, Rockos, have no choice but to ignore the previous few months of Tim Krul’s excellent form and dressing room importance, and regress to questionable performances from August. Rockos like to complain about the whole philosophy of Daniel Farke’s regime. Because, for a Rocko, being top isn’t enough, we need to be MORE top.

Tim Krul made a mistake. We all saw it. He didn’t mean to make the mistake but he did. And because it had flavourings from the previous game and preservatives from August’s form, it meant Rockos needed to let him know that mistakes aren’t good, and that he shouldn’t do them.

Hot take there, Rocko.

During the last two games Tim Krul has been caught out by nippy strikers closing him down, just like David Marshall was by Teemu Pukki around the fifteen-minute mark against Hull. Sadly, nothing came from that.

The first instance by speedy sensation Dan James, who used to be a sprinter apparently, blocked a clearance.Luckily, nothing came from it.

Second, was from a heavy second touch in the 44th minute, which was miskicked to an opposition player. Sadly, something came from it – a brilliant finish in off the post.

Every player misplaced the ball on Wednesday night. Everyone. Even Emi Buendia’s outrageously naughty flick was followed by a Teemu Pukki’s outrageously clumsy first touch. Luckily he made an instant recovery. Tim Krul wasn’t allowed such redemption sadly, and although Hull had a lot to do, the ongoing reaction tainted the rest of the night.

Our style of football is going to produce more of these bum clenching moments. Tim Krul must be as agile with his feet as he is with his hands and it’s not easy to do. You will get urges where you might want to shout out KICK IT, but we’re big boys and girls – let’s leave it to the professionals, shall we?

We use the defensive unit to be rudimentary playmakers, to draw opposition away from our dangermen. Not to annoy you or worry you, because Daniel Farke demands it. We practice it. It helps us stay top of the league.

We don’t go backwards to be negative, we go backwards to start again. Refresh the play. Make it less congested like adding another carriage on the end of train in rush hour.

We can get into the reasoning why we go back to the goalkeeper more than we’ve ever done – opening and stretching the space between the three lines of opposition players so we can work inside them? But it’s boring. Dull as.

But what it is, is a necessary strategy that’s sprinkled with more risk than a timeshare in Greece. We don’t have lumps up top. We have the league’s top scorer, we have a player who takes five players on and scores, a player who can sprint 60 yards in four seconds and a player who can back heel balls 8ft in the air into the path of others. None of these have scored with their head (I think). We don’t score goals from hoofing it – and that starts from the number one onwards.

We play short, for the long-term future and without going backwards on the pitch, we don’t go forward as a club.

The people who put doubt, fear and indecision in the minds of players, aren’t welcome currently. It will only make it much worse for the squad and management to succeed.

Stuart Webber was interviewed on Thursday night and mentioned Tim was ‘our best signing’. This is from the man who could dine out for years on one of Pukki, Zimmerman, Buendia, Leitner or Stiepermann as his best signing but no. He chose who he thinks is the real rock at Carrow Road.

A playmaker in his own 18-yard box, a dressing room influencer, and a top-quality goalkeeper.

Our number one.