Not sure about second team, but what a great occasion for the region. Some nice comments from the binners, and I'm feeling too conciliatory to be mean.
Okay, I think I'm feeling better today. First things first, congratulations to Norwich City for reaching the play-off final (although I won't be cheering you on ) and particularly to the conduct of a majority of their fans on this board. I read through some of the comments on here and, thankfully, most of the Norwich fans seem very dignified in victory. I hope most Norwich fans would think a majority of us, on this board in particular, would conduct ourselves in much the same way, had the shoe been on the other foot. Secondly, it was a scrappy, close first half, and extra time/penalties looked more and more likely. However, money and attacking football soon won out. I must say, this Norwich starting eleven looked incredibly potent and dangerous. Should they go up, I think they could survive a couple of years in the Premiership, should they keep hold of their best players. Likewise, a defeat against Middlesbrough could have serious ramifications for our friends across the border. Ruddy, Redmond, Howson, Hoolahan, and Jerome still seem cut out for top-tier football. Anyway, back to the match, and the sending off of our best defender and the subsequent converted penalty clearly affected the remainder of this match and disrupted our organisation. But I think, had both teams kept eleven men on each side, Norwich would still likely progress. With the benefit of hindsight, Berra should have kept his hands by his side, but when you're on the goal-line, trying to prevent a goal, then an unfortunate incident like that is probably more down to reflexes and instinct than a malicious intent to stop the ball. Still, there can be no complaints about the sending off. It's a shame that the tie was effectively settled by that incident, because, for the first time in a few encounters now, we'd been giving our rivals a bit of a game. Thirdly, investment is clearly needed in this team. I believe we could do with a new goalkeeper. Gerken and Kenny should both be offloaded and maybe we could persist with Bart, but he had a poor game yesterday and could have done a lot better with the second and third goals. Chambers and Mings, who I thought did brilliantly in the first leg, had pretty poor games. It's evident that we need a natural, accomplished right-back who can maraud forwards and put in a good cross. With regards to the midfield, this is where my main concern lies, namely with a deficiency of pace and creativity. Bishop was anonymous, but then again, he is a teenager and still developing. Skuse has had a good season, but is there an affordable target who could do his job and produce a bit more? Tabb, the Hunts, and Anderson (despite a good game yesterday) should make way for fresh recruits. I hope the likes of Cameron Stewart and Henshall are given opportunities next term, as their pacy threat down the flanks is what we need should be play in a 4-4-2 formation. Hopefully we can keep hold of Murphy, Sears, and McGoldrick because, if all three are fully fit, they look like they could make a very potent and dangerous attacking trident at Championship level, should we start in a 4-3-3 formation, which, with those three strikers on the field, would be my preferred side. Finally, I said regardless of the result yesterday, I think we could chalk this up as being a good season, and I stand by that comment. Considering the little amount of money put into the club over the past few years and the extensive cost-cutting we have enacted since McCarthy joined, it's an impressive accomplishment to have secured a top-six finish. I just hope Evans can put up a couple of million, and maybe most of the proceeds from a likely Mings sale this summer, to strengthen the squad in the required areas, otherwise, I can sadly see this season being a bit of a 'flash in the pan' kind of campaign. I also hope McCarthy stays with us. I know he has come in for a tough time in some quarters on this board, namely for his 'negative' tactics and long-ball philosophy, yet it has taken us far and, with this squad of players, such tactics clearly play to their strengths. The 'McCarthy to Fulham' rumours seem to be making the rounds again, so I just hope we can tempt him to stay with a decent transfer war chest to enable us to progress and push on.
