Blimey, this game has come around quick, apologies for not getting the thread up and running yet, but here we go, let's see if we can make it six out of six and wake up on Saturday morning top of the table. Firstly I'd just like to say thanks for all the kind words about my threads, quite blatantly in the real world they have absolutely nothing to do with the outcomes, but I'm enjoying the banter and have always been a bit superstitious so hopefully I can keep this 'run' going another three games to get us over the line - I really don't want the play-offs, as memorable as a trip to Wembley could be, just want to get the job done in 'normal time', preferably with the big prize of the title. I'd also like to say that I'm not the only one who predicted that we could finish in the top two at least when many others had seemingly thrown in the towel, there were others with a simlilarly positive outlook - not many though I'll admit. Also I'm far from any kind of oracle, it to me it just seemed obvious that with so much of the season left to play - think there was about 15/16 games to go when it all started getting doom and gloom, after a draw against Birmingham I seem to recall - it was way, way too early to be writing anything off. We were only 11 points or so off the top, and about three off the play-offs so to me it seemed barmy that so many thought we wouldn't be able to catch up. I didn't actually said that we would catch up and win the title, more that it wasn't that far beyond the realms of possibility and that we had a chance, particularly with the depth and quality of our squad in the latter stages of the campaign, something many people had highlighted as something that would help us towards the end of the season, but then had seemingly forgotten when writing us off with so much left to play. I certainly thought we had a chance of the automatic spots, and boy do we have a chance if we can pick up maximum point in our final three games. Which brings me nicely onto the next of those, our third from last (hopefully!) 'cup final' that we need to win if we want to end the season on top of the pile. Next up is the visit of one of our rivals for those top spots, and the only team this season to have beaten us by more than a single goal - a pretty impressive stat if you ask me - in Aitor Karanka's Middlesboro. City will be looking to avenge that 4-0 drubbing at the Riverside earlier in the season under the stewardship of Neil Adams, and have every chance of picking up those precious three points if we can continue the form of late, which has taken us on an eight match unbeaten run at the perfect time, with wins in each of the last five. A good second half performance at Elland Road on Tuesday takes us nicely into the Friday night clash, and with Bradley Johnson back from suspension Alex Neil has a pretty much fully fit and raring to go squad to pick from. Lewis Grabban is surely a doubt after pulling out in the warm-up, but hopefully he'll be available to make the bench should we need him. Although in fourth place at the moment, Boro currently sit just a point behind us, and just two off the top so a win for them would see them leapfrog us, Watford and Bournemouth to take the lead as we approach the final stretch. A defeat for them would surely make a top two finish difficult, particularly if the Cherries and Hornets keep picking up wins. They have the tightest defence in the division by some margin, conceding only 33 goals in the 43 games so far, so it might take a bit of magic from one of our many magicians to open the door for us to get the goals we need. We certainly have plenty of firepower, and it will be interesting to see who makes way for Johnson - Wes or Redmond I'd imagine, I'd probably leave Wes on the bench to start with personally as he hasn't been quite at the top of his game in the last couple. What lovely options for our manager to have though, and whoever gets the nod will surely be putting in a proper shift so I'm as confident as ever that we can win the game and take top spot and hope one of our rivals slip up in their winnable fixtures against the Wendys and the Blue Noses - fingers crossed on of those can pull something out of the bag. Boro have won three of their last four, with a defeat against Watford being a setback in their promotion charge so they will be looking to take all three points tomorrow night which may hopefully leave some gaps for us to exploit. An early goal would be amazing, but just as important to not concede one or they could make it difficult for us. Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford has been arguably one of the best players in the division this season, they have their own flying winger in Albert Adomah who will be a real dangerman, and former Peterborough forward Lee Tomlin is having the season of his life and will also need to be watched. Veteran classy defender Jonathan Woodgate went off injured in the previous game so may be a doubt. Fellow classy sicknote CB and former canary Dani Ayala missed the Wolves game through injury after being replaced in the previous game against Rotherham, so there is a good chance he'll be out as well which would obviously be good news for us. I'm going for a 2-0 City win, actually scrub that - I'm going for a 3-1 City win, and I reckon one of our CBs will chip in with a goal. As always don't care who scores, just as long as it's us (and in the right net) so let's hope the boys turn up for the cameras and bring home the bacon. COME ON YOU YELLAS!!!!
Nobody thought we had a chance of promotion other than a few on here , let's just keep on hoping we will go up until the last kick. Next year do it all again , trust and belief is all that we can give.
This could end up as a repeat fixture at Wembley next month. It's always looked like a make or break fixture for auto spots - but in this league who would dare make any assumptions. The fear I have always had about Middlesborough coming to Carrow is they play such a countering game and don't need the ball too much. This has been exploited by some of the weaker teams playing here, let alone one challenging at the top. The question mark against Ayala and Woodgate is interesting. If either or both don't make it their resistance must be diminished. My heart and my head have done a marathon going round in circles figuring out how this one will play out. Bradders for a last minute winner?
I just hope that our FBs don't go marauding forward too much and so leave us susceptible to the Boro style of play. A draw isn't really much use to either side, so hoping for an open game. A nervy 2-1 I feel.
Normally, I'd have butterflies in my stomach and a twitchy rectum at this stage of proceedings but as Munky has done the match day thread, I'm as cool as a large Hendrick's gin Fingers crossed, bors OTBC!
Much as I'd love to see our form guide all W's again, I'm expecting a draw tonight. Fingers crossed I'm wrong, it's happened before, once in the 80's.
I'm trying to read/look at things that might ease my nerves. Our performances (for the most part - just ignore that red square saying '4-0'!) against the top teams are a good example: please log in to view this image
I wouldn't say that, as NCFC supporters we all on here believe we had a chance to go up and have the best squad in the league, maybe under Neil Adams it wasn't looking likely but since AN came here we all started to believe it's now possible. If NA was still here than I still think we wouldn't be anywhere near the play offs (imo).
Not 'bashing' the guy, but I agree with this. Adams would tinker with the squad in the hope that it worked out, whereas AN will 'tinker' with the squad if he believes it increases our chances of achieving a result. Poles apart
Yeah I like the guy, but I never felt like he was the right guy for the job. I still hoped it worked out for him but with the squad we had he really should have done better.
As one of Neil Adams strongest supporters I have to say that I can't really disagree with that, we almost certainly wouldn't be where we are now - though I wouldn't say for certain we wouldn't be in the play-off picture as we were never that far off and I don't think NA was doing as badly as some would like to make out - however he clearly isn't in the same league as AN, the guy is pure class and we are so lucky to have him. I'll stick my neck out and say if he'd been in charge all season we'd be homing in on 100 points with the title all but wrapped up by now. But obviously that is pure speculation.
End of September to end November we got 7 points from a possible 30 (W1, D4, L5). If that's not doing badly, I don't know what is. That's relegation form.
Does he start with Wes tonight, or is that a luxury we can't really afford - particularly with Bradley Johnson returning after his ban? {I'd call him Bradders, but some people take exception to it - formal Я us!}
I would've thought the likely lineup would be this: Ruddy Whittaker - Martin - Bassong - Olsson Dorrans - Tettey Howson - Hoolahan - Johnson Jerome (or Hooper)
I'm thinking 3-1 too TMC - I wasn't nervous this morning, but as the clock ticks on the butterflies are rising. Another must win to put us top for the night and see what pans out over the weekend. Boro too surely looking for a result, so the game could be very open. That said, it'll be 0-0 now
I think loaning out Bassong to one of our promotional rivals wasn't the best move either. I think we were very lucky no other team ran off with it and all dropped points.
Completely agree with you, though the one thing I would add is I don't think AN feasibly could have been here for the whole season, because it was only his incredible performance with Hamilton in the SPL that I think justified us recruiting him (though obviously he'd done well to get them promoted in the first place). So, overall, NA did the best he could to his limited (but by no means non-existent) abilities and left us in a position which was below where we should have been, but not a disaster. And having NA definitely meant we eventually got AN, because I suspect a slightly more experienced manager would have done a bit better with us to avoid the sack, but would not have done as well as AN...
