I think you've really said how most of us feel China - nobody said it would be easy to stay in the PL.
You're right that we've been here before. With Hughton people were saying when things weren't going right for people not to panic and the board didn't. We went down and many people who were saying don't panic were then moaning at the board for acting too late. I wonder if we might see the same scenario again.
Some comments from our manager - “If we are going to have any ambitions of competing and staying in this league we are going to have to play better than we did in the first half (against Tottenham). It is simple as that.” Fragile confidence is not an issue worrying Neil after a desperate run of results. “They won’t take picking up. They are professional football players,” he said. “Whenever you are involved in football, see, all you do then is look forward to the next one because it is a chance to put it right. “That determination, that work ethic and pride you should have when you get beat comes to the fore. That is when the best players stand up and prove how good they are. “We have brought in some new players and I am happy with what I have done with the squad, but we don’t have time to let them settle in. They have to hit the ground now and perform and do what they were brought here to do, and that goes for the players who were already here as well.” I'm tempted to go to the bookies to put £5 on us avoiding the drop!!! Full article here - http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...y_if_this_carries_on_says_alex_neil_1_4404813
I disagree canario - I don't think it is the same at all. With Hughton there were large divisions in the fanbase with an ever growing number who wanted him out not just for the results but also for the style of play. At the beginning of January under Hughton, large sections the crowd was screaming for him to be sacked but the board ignored them and didn't, but also didn't really end up backing Hughton (we signed Gutierrez on loan was just about it if I recall correctly!) By that time I and many other posters on here who had been pleading for patience had long since given up as it was obvious Hughton was doomed. Under Neil, life was pretty positive at the beginning of January. We have had a rough run and a few are questioning Neil's ability (fairly) based purely on results as I understand it. If we don't bounce back with the slightly easier fixtures coming up then yes, it's going to look bad, but we've got loads of time.
A convincing win on Saturday would put a completely different perspective on all things NCFC. I was just reading this morning that Leicester's next game is against Citeh and in the corresponding game last year, Leicester were rooted at the opposite end of the table!!!
When we won 3 out of 4 games over Christmas, the talk was 'how can we hang on to AN'. Four losses later and it's the opposite extreme. Given that KIO also predicted that we wouldn't sign anybody in the January window, I wouldn't take the doom scenario too seriously either!
Let's hope that post gets 'blown out of the water' to the same extent as your one about us not signing anyone KIO!! Yes, I know they still have to prove themselves!!!
... ... Ten Yellow Cards ... ... ... Six Wolfsdicks FIVE HUCK-ER-BIIIIIEEEESS Four Bryan Gunns ... ... ...
At least that kid from Coventry isn't on loan to us from a bigger club. This means he won't come back and rip us a new one like Kane did.
I think PL or Championship, we really need to get this lad into the team ASAP. If we don't, then what other youth would see us as any sort of career prospect? Spuds, Southampton, Arsenal or Everton have all played players of a young age. Now maybe it's the lack of quality that we have had thus far but if he as a bright young thing doesn't make it into the team here, then it could become a cautionary tale for others. What with our Youth cup winners with so few appearances in and around the first XI. Bah!
Given that he's staying at Coventry for the rest of the season, he should get a fair crack during the pre-season. Next season and the one after that he'll still count as an under 21 so he doesn't have to take up one of the 25 place squad. He'd seem to have a good prospect of coming on as a sub for Wes or even Naismith initially at number 10 or out wide if he does get into the squad.