Absolutely spot on Rick, particularly the highlighted bit, and haven´t we just been saying so for years. Although the exaggerated sense of entitlement some seem to have, is beginning to wane somewhat, there still seem to be those on here, for whom every missed chance, every unmotivated tackle, every poor decision on the pitch, is solely down to A. Neil, which plainly it isn´t. He can only do so much, the players have to do the rest.
Here goes Rick!! We started at quite a frantic pace and most of the game was being played in the Zagreb half. Josh was making some excellent runs, but his final delivery was either overhit or blocked. JM pounced on a mistake by a Zagreb defender and fed Lafferty who's shot was parried, as was Jarvis', but Lafferty finally got the opening goal on 20 minutes. Just 10 minutes later and it was 2-0. A perfect cross from Ramsay and Lafferty headed in for his 2nd. Josh then had an amazing run and smashed it past the keeper. Only a few minutes later and Lafferty should have had his hat trick, but blazed over the bar from 6 yards. On the stroke of half time, JM was felled in the box and dinked the penalty over the keeper. Middleton replaced Jarvis at half time and had an almost immediate impact - setting off on a run and smashing in off the post (reminds me of DH6,!!!) We played it fairly safe then with Josh being replaced by Cantwell and Middleton switching wings and drawing several fouls in the process. JM was playing deeper, but charged into the box and was fouled again with Cantwell tucking away the penalty. I believe we play Porto in the semi final.
Well 6-0 was a cracking result to take them through to the semi-final against Porto, also at CR apparently. Ironic that Lafferty opened proceedings with a brace, followed by Josh and your man Maddison before Middleton (still only 17) scored the 5th and Cantwell the 6th to celebrate his 19th birthday! The crowd was 2,526! Great evening all around by the sound of it!
LATEST UPDATE (after tonight's results): The next two fixtures: 1 Newcastle(34-73): Huddersfield (a), Reading (a) 2 Brighton(34-71): Forest (a), Rotherham (a) 3 Huddersfield(33-65): Newcastle (h), Villa (h) 4 Leeds(34-61): Birmingham (a), Fulham (a) 5 Reading(34-60): Wolves (h), Newcastle (h) 6 Sheff Wed(34-58): Norwich (h), Burton (h) __________________________________________ 7 Fulham(33-53): Preston (h), Leeds (h) 8 Norwich(34-52): Sheff. Weds. (a), Bristol City (a) 9 Preston (34-52): Fulham (a), Derby (a), 10 Barnsley(34-50): Derby (a), QPR (a) 11 Derby(34-48): Barnsley (h), Preston (h) Newcastle's come from behind win at Brighton takes them back to the top. Derby lost at Blackburn so their game in hand is gone now as well. Other than that, things remain much the same. Fulham's game in hand is at Reading (tba later and they also have to play us at CR later). The 6-9 points is still a big gap to make up and a win at SW now seems essential, if unlikely. Lots of other head-to-heads on offer, including ours at SW, which now becomes an absolute 6-pointer. If we lose that it's really all over. If we draw, we still seem to be in mathematical possibility territory. Certainly the margin for error is narrowing further all the time.
Sneaking into the play offs, even by the skin of our teeth looking increasingly unlikely, according to Archant's David Freezer. You can make your own predictions in this article. http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/...norwich_city_at_sheffield_wednesday_1_4910399
Or if that doesn´t appeal, you could make them on the ´Don´t You Just Love Predicting´ thread, which was designed for just that purpose.
For me, it all depends on winning or at least drawing at SW and then winning the next 3 games. A win at SW is unlikely, but it's unlikely results we need to produce now. The players need to boost their skills with grit and determination to force a win. Will they? I don't know. That has been the problem this season. If they can't get up for this one, then it's very doubtful they'll get anything like the minimum 22-23 points they need to make the play-offs. They've got the skills to do it, but do they have the attitude and fight necessary? If not and we lose, then it's time to look to our young players who do have that fight and determination to come in alongside the likes of Dijks, Howson and Jerome who are willing to battle for every point.
Exactly Rick - it's ALL about attitude and IMO, our losses at both Rotherham and Burton shows that they HAVEN'T got the 'attitude and fight!!' They should be forced to watch the video of the under 23 game on Monday, which was a classic of a team playing for each other. They played so well in the first half, that they could afford to 'take their foot off the gas' in the 2nd half, especially after Middleton made it 5-0!!!
Just to be clear, our game in hand is at home to Blackburn. We've already played Reading away (and lost).
My mistake, Surlyc. I thought you had a game against Reading postponed. Not that it makes any difference to us now. Good luck to you though.
We did, but it was rearranged and played in January. We then had the Blackburn game postponed due to FA cup commitments, hence the continued game in hand. Do you think Norwich can still make a run? It does seem that you are trying to self destruct at the moment, but stranger things have happened!
Absolutely and unequivocally not! (Unless we sack Neil now and find some sort of inspiration from our cheaply and foolishly promoted internal candidate who will have little/no top level managerial experience) Bah!
