I'm not so sure. It sounds like his attitude has been A1, but will he want to sign knowing that he is not only already second fiddle but there would be a fair likelyhood that further recruits could nudge him further down the pecking order. Much will depend on what Webber has in mind by way of striker recruitment. But mostly I think it comes down to, how much does JR want to play? He is pretty much guaranteed splinters with us. Both Srbeny and Morris, surely must go out on loan or leave, because I can't see either being used in the PL and both will go backwards if they don't get more competitive football. Though we will need at least 3 option upfront and I doubt we will chance Idah or Spyro just yet. Bah!
Marshall's departure will likely only happen as a loan as he may very well have got a pay rise with promotion and consequently be pricd out of any move. Or is Weber more canny than that? Bah!
Webber will certainly find the best deal going, but DH is right that we need to recruit for all future possibilities. What we also need is players who fit into our set-up straightaway. Here's an indication that the journos are finally realising what we're about: https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/2...have-learnt-about-table-toppers-norwich-city/
I see the 'Supercomputer' has been rerun since Leeds' defeat by the Blades and the final points totals are in!!!! Norwich – 92 Blades – 89 Leeds – 87 WBA – 82 Boro – 73 Villa – 70 I’m not convinced by this and still feel that we’ll be closer to 95 points. Villa to beat Leeds and win promotion anyone??? When you consider that Leeds finished with 17 points more than Villa!!! #travesty
Odd that our predicted total has reduced even though we've taken full points from all our games since the last prediction.
I thought the last prediction was too high. Over the season as a whole we've averaged 2.05 points per game. If we manage 2 points per game over the last 8 games we'll end up with 94 points and likely promotion. For the last six games we're unbeaten and averaged 3 points per game. I think 94 points is an achievable outcome and that would make it very difficult for the Blades and Leeds, who would need 20-21 points from 8 games to equal that (2.5-2.6 points per game). That's a big ask which would only allow one loss each over the final 8 games while we could drop 8 points and still reach 94 points.
Rick I’m going to go ahead and stick my neck on the line and say that if we get 94 points we are sure as hell going up!
I suspect that the ratings of some of our remaining opponents has improved and therefore the risk of us having a set back has increased.
Interesting article about the 'intangibles which have enabled our squad to excel this season. "Daniel Farke’s squad reinforces the fact that in football, as in real life, there is often more than what you can actually see. The mind can be a strong attribute, stronger than a player’s own physical limitations. So strong it is, that last season’s ordinary players in the Norwich squad have become over performers, surpassing their own limits and becoming the elite team in the division. Are the players special? Is the manager special? Will they be able to cope with higher challenges? To me, it feels as intangibles have made these players better, Confidence, Trust, Courage, Friendship, just to name a few. But as always in football, only time will tell and in a few years time I think people might well be talking about the curious case of Norwich City during 2018/19, underdogs and assembled on a shoestring budget with their brilliant Head Coach Daniel Farke, as being greater than the sum of their parts." Togetherness may be the intangible factor he left out. Full article here. https://norwich.vitalfootball.co.uk...-eye-to-norwich-citys-special-promotion-push/
I read that earlier Rick and what we have achieved so far this season is unbelievable Even as late as early December, you could have got odds ot around 4/1 that we'd be promoted - the last odds I saw the best the Bookies were offering was 12/1 ON!!
Our squad depth is also amazing especially considering the quality players currently on the bench. Leitner and Vrancic were amazing earlier in the season but McLean is keeping them both out at the moment. He scored a cracking goal for Scotland as well, so he should carry on for the run in. Rhodes is an excellent option at striker and I hope he stays. Pukki has had an amazing season, but his goals have dried up of late (though he's still been excellent). Keeping the squad together should be our priority, while adding a bit more quality at striker, GK, RB, the wings and DM.
David Prutton?? Why do these people hold so much store by his opinions? Mind you, it makes good reading https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/s...rdict-that-norwich-city-fans-will-appreciate/
The odds are starting to get silly - there are still 24 points to play for! https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sp...test-championship-odds-make-worrying-16024457
Apologies if this has been posted previously – From today’s MFW by Will Jennings – (Just for you Cromer!!) ‘Considerable bids for the likes of Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey, Jamal Lewis, Emi Buendia and co are inevitable. What is important is that the club resists the temptation to sell and instead maintains the core of this group that has brought such unity and joyous youthful spirit to Championship grounds across the country this season. If there’s one thing we’ve learned this season, it’s that Webber and Farke are deserving of our total and absolute trust. Together, they have assembled a young, buoyant squad on the cheap that has defied all the odds and may well win the division. And all that in an age of foreign riches and unedifying footballing rapacity. Why shouldn’t we be able to stabilise in the Premier League? Why shouldn’t we be able to do a Watford, a Bournemouth, a Wolves or a Brighton? Bar a few anomalies – Marcel Franke, Marley Watkins and James Husband the most conspicuous examples – Webber’s judgement since his tenure begun has not been far off flawless. Of course, he’ll have a reservoir of foreign names at the ready, a list of players who he believes can improve this already-brilliant squad he’s constructed. However, there is no need for radical change. Call me the arch-optimist, but I genuinely believe that at least half of our current starting XI – and a few on the bench, too – could cut it in the top flight. Cast your mind back to those games last season at The Emirates and Stamford Bridge, contests where City more than held their own and at times looked remarkably comfortable when faced with top class opposition. As many fans have alluded to, Farke’s footballing philosophy may even be more conducive to Premier League football.’
From today’s MFW - SW on his appointment is quoted as saying - 'First, that it would take three to four windows to create the right kind of squad. We didn’t necessarily need the best players (thankfully, given the financial situation he and Daniel inherited), but the right players for the club’s new philosophy and style.' #aintthatthetruth - And finally - Irrespective of the season’s final outcome, there’s another idea that’s grown on me. Never has it felt so difficult or inappropriate to single out one individual as Player of the Season. For one thing, there are at least five truly outstanding candidates in different ways (Aarons, Zimmmermann, Stiepermann, Buendia, Pukki). For another, this has truly been a team effort – including those not in the starting XI. You can probably see where I’m going with this. Should we consider replacing the individual award this season with a team award? I was sceptical when I first heard the idea, but I like it more and more. There’s some precedent at other clubs, including Bristol City a couple of years ago. This idea has been floated on social media, provoking strong and well-argued views on both sides. I’m wondering – and it would certainly influence my opinion – what the players might feel about it. Over to you… You'll just have to read the rest of the article Croner!! - http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...-norwich-citys-success-and-you-heard-it-here/
On the subject of SW/DF and the source of our success, Stuart rightly recognises that it was about assembling a team rather than a collection of talented individuals. Even more to the point is this: "Hence a central point of his recruitment: ‘we want players who are desperate to come and play here’. That might be a Max Aarons or Ben Godfrey who’s risen through the ranks; a Tom Trybull or Moritz Leitner whose career had gone off track; or an Emi Buendia emerging from obscurity. The common denominator is a passion to pull on the Canary shirt and show what they can do. Stuart promised that the team he and the Head Coach were going to assemble, over the next three to four transfer windows, would never give up on the pitch as he’d seen Alex Neil’s team do." That has been the other key to success 'for sure'. There has been an unrelenting hunger in this team which overcomes adversity such as when we go behind. 3-2 down to Millwall with 10 minutes to go we came back relentlessly to win that game 4-3 and there have been others like that. Even in the 3-0 loss to Leeds we never capitulated and then made sure to totally outplayed them in the return fixture. In that sense it has been a team accomplishment beyond anyone's expectations, and you could argue for a team award on that basis. But it is an individual award which for me means the three players who contributed most to our success. While many players have shined only a handful have done so week in and week out. Where would we be without Pukki's 25 goals and 9 assists? Similarly Buendia has 7 goals and 9 assists. Aarons has also been exceptional in both defence and attack after coming into the side at 18. It's significant that they're all new this year and all have over 30 appearances. There are others who have over 30 appearances, but for me it would be Pukki, Buendia and Aarons in that order.
Just seen a forecast by FM, is that Football Manager? in which whilst still winning the title, we lose three, draw one and win one of our last five games, thus ending on 88 points. Working it out this means we win two and lose one of the next three games. Played 38, lost 6 so far, so logically we are going to lose 50% of our remaining matches.
