Surely the title of this thread should be "will City survive" not can they. Of course they can, but it seems increasingly likely that they won't. The stats from Saturday show the problem. 64% possession, 16 corners, 18 shots, 6 on target, 0 goals. Sunderland had 0 corners and 3 shots on target..
Is that ME as in you? Or ME as in the invisible man who skulks around the Portaloo withholding his chequebook?
That'll be me, ILD, fairly prolific goal scorer in my day, I'm 63 now and believe I could still perform better than Naismith. Always thought he was fishing around for the best deal for him rather than being committed to my team! As I've said many times before, he's taking his pension with us, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he suddenly gets an injury and never plays for us again!
He is playing badly and falling over like a jesse at the drop of a hat but, I don't believe anyone looking at us as his last payday/pension would not be busting a gut. Payday is bigger in the PL, he like all the others will lose out significantly with relegation. Bah!
You need to win as many games as you can - it's that simple. We've got four games remaining and we need to make sure we win at least two of them to give ourselves a chance. – ALEX NEIL, NORWICH CITY MANAGER See, I realise the gaffer is bound to say this and not be seen to have given up, but it all sounds a bit hollow with ManUre and Arsenal on the horizon. Had he said it two weeks ago, prior to games against Palace and Sunderland, both of who had been in absolutely wretched form thus far in 2016, (until they played us ) all well and good. But after two poor losses to bottom 5 clubs... http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2016...-fans-not-optimistic-about-survival-chances/?
I was really hoping you would stay up, so all 3 promoted teams could achieve that, probably a first. But I'm less disposed to be charitable since the one game that you expect to win is against Watford. Weird as it sounds - since Man U beat WFC twice, I think you'll find it much easier to beat them than us - even though we are not playing as well as when we won before xmas - quite easily as Hooligans antics didn't fool anyone. Everton are poor at home, so I reckon you can garner 6 points and maybe 1 at Arsenal. or 1 against WFC. After all that, I still hope you stay up, and all the ballyhoo about 'big' clubs can be consigned to the dustbin. Good luck.
Thanks for the sentiment, although I think it'd be the third time. We managed it in 11-12 along with QPR and Swansea. In 01-02, Fulham, Blackburn and Bolton managed it too.
Saturday couldn't have been more depressing, for sure, but in spite of that we are still above the relegation places. There's still a chance we could stay up, but that's about all after that.
Totally agree and it was the manner in which we lost that REALLY concerned me, hence why I've been staying away from adding any posts since the first page of the MTD!!!! I'll be back later in the week.
2 weeks ago I would confidently have said yes, but now I just can't see us surviving. Sunderland will do their annual great escape.
We have not addressed the same problem we had last time when we were in the league and that was scoring goals. Last time round we had problems with how the team was set up and creating chances, this season we created the chances but we don't have the quality to put the ball in the net. For a club who was supposed to be on the front foot I was embarrassed and angered by our performance on Saturday, we were not only too casual in possession but devoid of ideas, how often did we find ourselves playing header tennis against physically stronger team? It was utterly shambolic at times long balls being lofted into Mbokani was being absolutely bossed by Kone, who along with an atrocious Naismith done nothing but flung themselves on the floor at every given opportunity. We can blame many different area's firstly I think the board were never organised enough when we went up and hoped we could wing it with what I regard as Championship players, they are reactive rather than proactive in their decisions. I was big Alex Neil fan but how his tinkered the team this season has been beyond criminal playing Brady as a left back, using Howson on the wing rather then playing him in the centre with Tettey, I genuinely think if he addressed these issues earlier we might of got something out some of the games.
Apologies if this has been put up already. Melissa Rudd's take on Saturday. http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/..._for_a_disastrous_sunderland_defeat_1_4498777 edit. numerous responses at the end, one, plucked at random appears now : " I still can't believe we let Bradley Johnson go. If you have poor strikers you need your midfield to chip in and we sell our most prolific midfielder because he doesn't fit the system. Change the system then so it does fit him! The players we have let go over the years who would walk into the current side is shocking. Chris Martin, Daniel Ayala, Anthony Pilkington and Johnson would all walk into this side. If we'd got Grant Holt back when Wigan released him he'd offer more than the current lot are. Hooper is no worse than what we have, Lafferty not given a chance and all the youngsters loaned out. Both Murphy's could have been given a shout and Toffolo when Olsson was injured rather than wasting Brady there. It's so frustrating that they seem to let each manager destroy the club that little bit more." There's hope for us yet
Thanks for putting me right. I suppose my belief (without checking) that it was unheard of is based on the 'pundits' and bookmakers odds. As you know , Lawrenson has us nailed on to be relegated, (and liverpool to win everything). Anyway, you still have the points - more valuable than games in hand.
What a load of old beeswax! If we had a team with Chris Martin, Daniel Ayala, Anthony Pilkington, Johnson and Grant Holt we'd likely already be relegated. Remind me how many of those players are shining for their clubs in lower divisions than the PL. EssexCanary hasn't a scooby! Bah!
I'm going to move on from Sunderland. We have nothing to lose against Arsenal, so I'd like to see Jerome and Bamford for that game as we will need to defend in depth and rely on breakaways to have any chance of scoring. I'm not optimistic about a result, but I think that's our best chance.
For Arsenal I think I'd want: Ruddy Martin Bennet Klose? (if not fit) Wisdom -(he's too slow for RB, but might be useful at CB. Don't want Bassong or Martin there) Olsson Redmond O'Neil Howson Brady Jerome M'Bokani I'd want Jerome, M'Bok, Howson, O'Neil, Brady to really work hard and bully the Arsenal. Be physical and really annoying. Like Sunderland did to us. Obviously, the ref will give a lot of fouls against us, coz they always do no matter what happens. But I think we need to make it scrappy and use height, muscle and force against those delicate Midfielders and Defenders. I'd want Jerome and Mbok heading for the box whenever we have the ball. And I'd instruct Brady and Redmond to cross early, to them both. I'm fed up of seeing us play with nobody in the box. If a midfielder has the ball in the Arsenal half, make both show their physical presence in that area. If we play like we normally do, we will be beaten easily. Might as well go out there and scare the players.
FML I think Wisdom's out - knee ligaments too. I think we're probably going to see Pinto at RB and Martin CB with Bennett. Or Bassong. Wouldn't mind us trying out 5 at the back again - not got much to lose against Arsenal (except goal difference...)
Ah right. I think Wisdom's p*ss poor anyway. I think he looks too slow and sluggish for a RB, and I don't know if he is mobile enough to be a Premiership CB. I really don't want Sanchez running at Pinto!! I think Pinto would just run off the pitch and down the tunnel.
Well you do realise you guys beat Van Gaals side at Old Trafford. And United are even worse away from home so never say never
