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As a Sheff Utd supporter - so pleased to see you get your result tonight and hope this kickstarts you staying up - well done, so deserved! Believe me I sincerely hope you stay up above the likes of CP, Newcastle, AV, WH - you are so much better, genuine supporters :) - also love the day out in Norwich - bit like us a proper football club...

https://buffstreams.tv/live-norwich-city

Absolutely love football for nights like the one we just had. One of the reasons why I simply couldn't understand supposed football fans ranting on Lakeys thread that there is nothing to look forward to....theres FOOTBALL to look forward to!

Right, cheerio, I'm off to hide behind the sofa for 25 minutes.

Masterclasses discussed many times a player’s net effect. This is precisely the kind of ‘stat’ that Managers calculate at the top level. Beckham was a wonderful example of a player who was hard-working and diligent defensively, with his set pieces and goals a bonus on top of that. He ‘costs’ you nothing and gains you a lot. He was deeply respected and loved for this in Italy, it is highly prized. The Premier League has very few ‘free hits’ in it. Teams are well-structured, carefully tactically drilled and designed to give little away. As the best teams gets richer and stronger, denying space and opportunity via drilling, physicality and regimented tactical positioning is a pre-requisite. It can be argued that you are often only as good as your weakest link in modern football at the top level and it will be exploited. Weaker teams may be considered to be most at risk when they open up their shape when attacking and trying to score. Fans love to see Emi driving at opponents and creating opportunities and this is great. However the equation remains how much do you gain and how much do you lose? Opponents certainly wait for Emi to over play and run off the back of him. At this level being a man down and out of shape tactically can easily and often cause you to concede. If your risk-taking scores you two and costs you three repeatedly and consistently, you will equally go down. Farke’s point is key, Emi does not score. He doesn’t often shoot. If he did you could conceivably play him at 10 and amortise his weaknesses. If he flails his arms around, sits on the floor, doesn’t track his runner and lets the opposition have a free overload at Premier League level he becomes a liability. Opposition teams - unlike fans - do not just focus on the good bits.. ..I would still start him tonight though 🤣... Parma

It is, but it's unfair because it's not the reason Farke gave, they've only taken one line from Farke - they'e cherry picking themselves then accusing Farke of the same. Regardless, he should start tonight.

Well played lads, excellent result. Hope the weekends fixtures go your way

Wish there was a couple of missing posters on this thread...

What a player Max Aarons is.

McLean is one helluva liability at times.

Haha, good man 👍🏼. Wish I was there tonight, but I had an operation (or rather a biopsy) the day before my birthday last week and have had to rest up. But fortunately I’ve been told I’m at last free to go down to my local tonight and watch it there on a screen that’s so bloody big it would make Grefstad blush 😜

Don’t think Farke’s in charge of the fixtures, who they are, and when they come. Tried to go a bit more defensively sound against 3 possibly 4 opponents in the hope of nicking points in games we’re not expected to get anything from (and also by many of our own supporters by all accounts). Bring Buendia back for the run against mid table and below where we can risk being more expansive and go for break. Especially against the strongest teams like Liverpool which will hurt you, I can quite see why Farke’s clearly fed up with Emi sat on his **** after losing the ball looking at the ref whilst the opposition attack - he should get up immediately and work hard to win the ball back, just like he did so effectively last season. There are no 2 ways about that, he needs to pull his socks up in that respect and most people can see that.

*stops reading*

I completely disagree with this assessment. In my opinion the quality of the also rans in this league is higher than it has ever been. This is an unusual season where even the weak are fairly strong and only one of the big six is head and shoulders above the rest.

It has been very damp in Norwich today and the rain was still sluicing down at kick off. To the unanimous approval of all around me Farke, had restored Buendia to the starting line for a game that was fast approaching last chance saloon status. If there was going to be a miracle escape we all knew it had to start pretty soon. The opening exchanges were very even with both teams looking neat and tidy in the build up but running out of ideas in the final third. City were the first to test the keeper when Godfrey got in a good header from a corner but unfortunately it was directed straight at Schmeical. There was some good work from Duda, Cantwell and Buendia but it was very congested through the middle of the field and despite some neat footwork the door couldn't be opened. It took a while for the visitors to settle but when they did, the home defence seemed reasonably comfortable. A couple of corners were defended without too much bother and we were almost at halfway before Krul had to pouch a cleanly struck shot from Praet. Barnes looked dangerous on the left but City were giving as good as they got with Aarons constantly finding room down the City right. Between 30 and 40 minutes the Foxes began to get on top and with Ricardo breaking down the right, Lewis often found himself outnumbered. From one low cross the ball appeared to strike the foot of Krul's left post but I couldn't see who got a touch from my end. Krul then had to go to ground to stop a shot from Perez who had jinked dangerously past a couple of defenders and for a while it was all hands to the pump. Thankfully City came forward again for the final five minutes of the half and both Pukki and Alex Tetty had shots blocked. All things considered I thought it was a decent half and although the visitors probably edged it on points City were still well in a game that already looked like it could be settled by a single goal. The rain had eased a bit when we resumed and City found great difficulty lifting the seige that Leicester put round the City penalty area. As the intensity increased, Iheanacho, latched onto a through ball and appeared to use his arm as he turned inside Godfrey. I couldn't be sure but those closer in the main stand were all appealing. The ref signalled for a goal but had a check with VAR. From that moment I was convinced we would get done but for once the men at Stockley Park came down on our side and ruled it out to tumultuous applause from all around me. From this point City began to get a second wind and as they created one or two decent chances at the other end. Buendia was putting himself about and although one or two passes went astray, you couldn't fault the effort. Just after the hour Schmiecal had to pull off a fine one handed save to tip over a goal bound effort from Duda. Five minutes later the City midfielder had an even better chance when he latched onto Buendia's pass but again could not place the ball to either side of the visitors keeper. It was rip roaring stuff with City defending manfully at one end and breaking forward quickly whenever the opportrunity presented itself. Rupp came on for Cantwell at the mid point and within minutes City were incredibly ahead. A superb thirty yard ball from Ben Godfrey, picked out Aarons on the right and his cross beat everybody but found Lewis in splendid isolation on the corner of the box. A chest down and a sweetly struck shot across the keeper and into the far corner sent the Canary faithful into raptures. As minutes slowly ticked by a wall of sound greeted every wild Leicester shot as Timmy Krul expertly ****housed a few extra seconds over each goal kick. The visitors swarmed round the City area but despite swiftly recycling the ball left and right, could not work an acceptable opening. Dr. Mick came on for Pukki and Stiepers for Duda as the sand ran though the eggtimer. The five minutes added was agony for some but every manjack in yellow and green stood tall as we sung the minutes and seconds away. Indeed it was the home side who came closest to scoring again as Schmiecal had to paw a ball away deep into added time. There was palpable relief at the final whistle and if not quite yet a relegation reprieve it was certainly a very large straw for the optimistic to cling to. Buendia gave his all for the cause and despite the odd forgiveable error he is my MOM. Closely followed by Aarons and Hanley.

Or why there’s any City fans that want rid of Farke. Look at the football he’s brought to the club and enjoy it while it lasts.

Lakey, I have one thing to say to you. Don’t ever let the negative mocking bastards get you down when you’re right me old mucker. You support the team as well as any season ticket holder, and I for one like your positivity. Now let’s have some fun in the cup! 👍🏼

🤣🤣You really are a total t*sser, we just beat 3rd in the league so just suck it up you loser 🤣🤣

Thanks for your input. How’s league 1 going?

THis is not in the Premier League script. Stockley Park now busy reviewing the last 70 minutes looking for an errant toenail in a previous move.

Same old same old. Plenty of good football with zero end product. I do hope that DF dumps the zonal marking system next season because we are woeful in its execution.

Think Cantwell has been great tonight.

Lewis needs to sharpen up.

Eh? No way. Just no. He may not be a fashionable furrenjur, but I don’t know how many times I’ve walked away from a game and thought ‘well, Pukki will grab the headlines but Kenny was quietly going about being at the heart of absolutely everything’. He’s a very consistent player, the thinking man’s footballer. Offers nothing in attack? He’s one of our best headers of the ball for starters, which tends to be quite helpful at both ends of the pitch (just ask a certain blue team in Manchester). And against Wolves last week, for the first 20mins before the team lost their way, I thought he was our best player, for someone who was playing holding midfielder and ‘offers nothing in attack’ he sure stung Patricio’s hands in that opening period with a fine shot from range. Do not be surprised if he is sought after in the summer window - we’re all talking about the kids going, but there’s one or two others that are flying under the radar too...

Personally Kenny has won me around with his performances ,it's just a shame he does not have many assists or goals to his name but I will bet on him to score Tonite.😄

Bud?.....I'm none the weiser....... He flu.....

I doubt Farke picks a team to prove a point. It's a tough one and I'm glad i'm not manager. Needing to win games in the PL of course means we have to score goals. But concede the first goal and we have a mountain to climb. I can see where Emi could get us the first goal. I can also see where he could cost us the first goal. Having said all that I hope Emi starts.

Simmo - your chat stinks

Got this letter today telling me the bank over charged me for house insurance. Look who its signed by!@!

Looks like Todd has aswell!

Hi Wooster/Nutty, the game is in their Premier League on Saturday (the Friday game is the second tier involving the same teams I think) and the odds are now up as on Bet365 as 4/9 (home win). 👍 Apples

Players like Buendia want to take on the world and his wife single handed. He needs to choose his battles and creating space for team mates to receive in space is just as important as a completed dribble. Or put another way, if you were an opposition manager where on the pitch wouldn’t you want Buendia on the ball with time and space. I would like to see him take up Defoe type positions, perhaps Pukki feed him🤞

He did, unlike Keith Scott who had an absolute mare 😀

F.uck off Keith 😀

Best performance by our youngsters in a while. Aarons was excellent, Lewis scored, Godfrey solid and Cantwell had his moments.

Cholwell was really on Max's case first 20 , 25 mins trying to soften him up but max got the upper hand in the end.👍⚽️🥅

Palace Chelsea Southampton Liverpool 4 wins over the weekend please

Well deserved 😉

£9.99 well spent, I take full credit, thank you VW!!

Emi MOTM for me. Industrious and a threat.

4d chess

I think it's the same as ever. No penetration. Something must change. Yes it may be Vrancic needed. Somebody who can and will shoot.

Everything is food in China if it has a face

How’s he going to get here in time for kick off ?

I'm not sure if this is the best premier league ever but I'd definitely suggest the average say 'quality' of the top 6 or 7 teams is now closer to that of the next 7 or so teams than it ever has been before. My point being that the league doesn't actually have to be at it's best for it to be getting harder and harder for teams like us to survive in. Credit to Sheffield United.

One of the all time classics -

But that's exactly what he did - folded when put in a corner (the Benn act) - with the Irish backstop! Yes he's trying to squirm his way out now but he has to honour his international treaty or trash the UK's good reputation. So Herman is right - history suggests he'll fold in all but name.

T seems to encapsulate the definition of a doofer

The point with stats is that you can be bombarded with them, cherry-pick specific ones and come to misleading conclusions - correlation isn’t causation and all that. It is clear Emi is one of our more creative players but he’s also rather prone to throwing his toys and sitting there or trotting back while play continues around him....I don’t suppose there’s a stat for those moments?! What some seem to have forgotten is that he was initially missing because of injury and I think I’m right that he hadn’t been deemed fully fit up until last weekend; whatever, I think we’d have lost by more v Liverpool with a different set-up. I would probably expect him to start tonight but happy to go with DF.