Hey, no need to apologise (assuming that I am CanVietnam?). I'm thick-skinned - I've been patronised by the great and good on here many times and I keep coming back for more. And I still hate that away strip. And even more I hate the stupid Premier League rule that, apparently, demands that teams play in their second strip a certain number of times each season. With Wolves gone, we could play in yellow and green every week if we wanted, so why can't we? We don't even LOOK like City in anything else.
That's about where I am on this too right now, never was a prolific poster, but I do so even less now. For me three reasons:- - I'm depressed enough already about some of the performances and don't really feel like reading through all the vitriol and arguments that seem to happen as a consequence - I dont want to get pigeon holed and labelled as either a Happy Clapper or a Hootun outer. - Some of the regular contributors seem to want to have intense debates about the meaning of "must win games" or deep interogations and alternate interpretations of statistics - Life's just too short, I'm a simple soul, I just want my team to get a bit of confidence back and get a few good results going
A Great heartfelt Post GPB. There are some that take this football malarkey far too seriously! When you have 100s of people not yet knowing if their property and belongings will be floating into the Sea by this time tomorrow it certainly puts everything else into perspective!
It's a shame people are putting all their energy into a debate about the quality of our management team, instead of remaining united and having the stomach to face our adversity together, seeing us through a rougher patch than what we are used to in recent years. We've been spoiled in that respect. Those of us that can remember back past the last 4 years will know things can be a hell of a lot more ****ty than what they currently are. Regarding Hughton. My opinion is I don't think he's done too much wrong. We have day light between us and the bottom 3, 4 points off 11th, and a run of games where we can hope to pick up points. What won't help is a sour atmosphere which heaps pressure on the players. When you remove the comments from the doom mongers like what you find on the Pinkun (except Ricardo who seems a top top chap), and the ******s on canary call, step back and remove emotion from the debate and listen to neutrals on the radio/tv/other supporter forums etc.., you begin to realise things aren't as bad as what some people seem to hope. We aren't mentioned as relegation fodder, nor are we as euro hopefuls. We have good and bad days, like many other people. I checked a Palace forum last week and they were commenting on how well we kept possession, and how safe we looked, and how Redmond was tearing them a new one. To me they actually seemed like quite a grounded bunch. You read Villa forums about how our "messiah" doesn't have a clue. We will play poo from time to time. We're Norwich, it happens. We have more chance of being relegated if we continue the in fighting. If people were truly as infuriated as they claim, why did the AGM go by the other week without issue. Surely if you have a genuine grievance that is the time to take it up and be heard? I accept that we are on a par with about 10 other teams in this league, and club cohesion can certainly make a difference. I'll be at West Brom tomorrow, enjoying a curry and pint in the Vine before hand. Just appreciate the fact that our rollercoaster ride of the last few years was the exception and not the norm, and now we need to grind these seasons out while we find our feet in this league. Hughton is as good as any other manager we can hope for, and I don't personally believe any one else would gain more points than he has from the team at his disposal. We are a work in progress, and I can see what he is trying to achieve. Sack him now and we go back to square 1. Now pull your bottom lip up, suck it in and get on with it, we'll be fine. And be content at the face we are not the definition of mediocrity with a debt of £80,000,000+ Before I now get slaughtered, I just want to say I love all of my Norwich supporting bretherin, isn't it time you done the same?
Tend to agree, I am a little less optimistic about being on par with 10 others. I'd swap squads with all except palace, stoke and hull, and maybe West ham. it was always going to be a close call. Was at Anfield and still enjoyed it- maybe it was the scouse pie and beer at half time that made everything alright coupled with being in the presence of football genius. HAve to say though that the atmosphere at Anfield was ****e. My memories of going to anfield as an away supporter in the days of standing was amazement at the noise and atmosphere- it's a shame (in some ways) those days of 20,000 standing on the Kop are gone for good
I wouldn't swap with Fulham,Sunderland or Cardiff personally given no injuries to key players, in my opinion
So in that case we should expect to finish about 12th. If our squad is really that strong then we have been doing badly
maybe. on paper our squad is better than Hull but they are over-performing. Sunderland are possibly underperforming. of those 3 I mention, probably 2 would be the equal rather than better so more like 14th or 15th!
Agree with Cardiff and Sunderland (because the latter's squad is so imbalanced). Definitely don't think we have a better squad than Fulham. From Longsight's lot, I wouldn't say we have a better squad than West Ham - they've got some very good players. I think people are too swayed by hatred (justifiably) Another way to look at it is to write my bottom twelve in the prem (based purely on my own guesstimation of squad strengths): Swansea Newcastle West Brom Southampton Aston Villa (just because of Benteke) Fulham West Ham Norwich Sunderland Stoke Cardiff Hull Palace But I'd actually say the difference between all of them is pretty minimal. Given that the table will almost certainly look nothing like that at the end of the season, it shows how close it all is and how much is personal opinion. We're certainly not 12th, and I think 15th or 16th is about right. 11th last season was doubtless an over-achievement.
Quiet on here? Of course it's quiet. I'm abroad and deprived of regular internet access! While I have it just now, I wish you all a Happy Christmas and New Year.
So based on a few of the posts above, could we not agree that we are at least there and there abouts? Sure there is room for improvement, there always will be, I'm certainly not enamoured by some of the performances, but to expect us to have a blinder every week is a bit like expecting me to want to work hard and pull my finger out on a Monday morning, it just isn't going to happen. But can we not start enjoying the ride a bit more, instead of looking for problems where there maybe are none. At the end of the day, we are never truly far from ending back where we were a couple of years ago, enjoying mediocrity with our bin chums, and by the same token we are only a run of a few wins away from top half glory. Comparing our squad and situation with that of others mean that unity can count for a few extra points. I for one still love match days. Did I mention the binners debt issues
I think I agree with this guesstimate with the exception of the mackems; they have the potential to be a midtable side, but the managerial roundabout has not really done them much good- take note!!
I think a lot of people who are wavering with their opinion of Hughtona and many of them who want him firmly out don't necessarily think he will take us down, even quite the opposite. The worry is about his long term potential and, perhaps arguably part of that, the manner in which we are playing.
I would agree that Sunderland's players, individually, are pretty good. The only reason I wouldn't swap our squad for theirs is that theirs is horribly imbalanced and Di Canio really did make some dreadful signings. That's why I've got them only just below us.
Unfortunately the reality of premier league football is not the attractiveness, quality and style of the football, it's about staying in the league by any means necessary for clubs like ours, normally at the expense of these qualities. We are driven by money, not style. And that is a sad fact of the modern game.
That said we would still batter Ipswich into oblivion, so you need to weigh up the situation from all angles...
