Essjayess

This is good news for Harry himself, i believe if he was going to  be a regular or even cover player for City he would have done so by now, in truth his career  is receiving the hopeful push it needs. Millwall is certainly a step up from the Scunthorpes and Doncasters i guess.All the best to Harry in his new challenge.

[quote user="......and Smith must score."][quote user="Essjayess"][quote user="lappinitup"]The  cook has been here over twenty years and still knows NOTHING about running a football club. [8o|]And don''t even get me started about all this nephewism stuff. [:@][/quote]......... You want them out Lappin?..fine, but be careful what you wish for.[/quote]If only they were all as easy as this Lapps....[:D][/quote]Have no idea if Lapps one liner was tongue in cheek or an actual short and sweet statement on what he thinks of Delia and co..i dont really care...not been on these forums long enough to gauge other fans long term inclinations on Delia''s reign..it gave me the chance to spout my unimportant opinions in this topic...which after all is what any forum is all about.

Strange how the way points are picked up does not always follow the same path as fans feelings towards a string of results. We are now 3 games into probably the hardest run of 8 games of the season. If we had gotten 2 hard earned draws at Bristol and Brentford and a home win to Sheff Utd, it wouldave been 3 games unbeaten and 5 points and probably decently satisfied most City fans. But losing to United, coming as it did just couple of days after the awesome display at Chelsea, really did deflate  some fans. And yet we find ourselves with 6 points from those 3 games.Probably proves to us all that a 46 game season is indeed a marathon and with 17 still to play everythings still to play for.

[quote user="Mike "]"not only of course did City have to cut the cloth, but that its turning out to be a healthy, fascinating and for me, most interesting time in the history of our club" !!!!! 13th in the league, the most predictable boring football ever.... really more interesting that us in Europe, League cup final win, wembley promotion, Lambert years.... Oh well each to there own.[/quote]Mike, clearly you are just looking at what happens on the pitch, or more like, just since the summer. I am looking at the club as a whole, at one of the biggest shake ups in its history, certainly the biggest since those dark times at the start of the L1 season a decade ago. And yes, i find the whole picture interesting and fascinating, also im positive about the future 12-18 months ahead. Maybe you expected instant gratification, with City putting in barnstorming performances every week i dont know.As to your comments about the football itself...predictable?,,i dont know how many fans could have predicted us winning 4 at home but 7 away by end of January. As for boring..i dont know how many City fans were bored at todays match, seeing a positive display in 1st half with another Maddison screamer hitting the back of the net and yet another defend the Alamo type defensive display in the 2nd period. More nail biting than boring id imagine.

[quote user="lappinitup"]The  cook has been here over twenty years and still knows NOTHING about running a football club. [8o|]And don''t even get me started about all this nephewism stuff. [:@][/quote] Biggest pile of nonsense ive ever seen written. Our cook knows more than just about anyone else how to run a football club. These last 20 years her and hubby have been at the helm of the craziest ridden two decades of English football, with all the loopy Sky money making massive gulfs between the top tier and the rest, on top of that NCFC have for the last decade been in a yo yo situation, meaning each dang year or two the clubs finances are also in a yo yo like state. Its incredibly hard for even the most clever business person to plan to far into the future when the cash flow is hit with enormous spikes.Our cook has experienced highs and lows, the very low coming a decade ago, and absolutely she learnt from that and guards as much as humanly possible  for it never to occur again under her watch. Despite all the cloth cutting going on, despite the supposed notion that almost all other clubs in the Champs have, or are searching, rich sugar daddys, which in itself create more bad pressures on more and more clubs financially, despite all this, financially Norwich are right now 2nd best placed club in the Champs for lack of debt.Want a sugar daddy with hundreds of millions and whos had years and years of being in charge of a club?..walk down the road 40 miles to see the glorious world that is Marcus Evans domain.  Want to be a club thats had a decent amount of seasons in the Prem, so on that basis is assuredly sound and stable if it comes to a relegation?...take a hike up north and gander at the Black Cats, see how happy they are.All this "oh so many other clubs are getting huge investments so it means we are getting smaller and smaller" is total hokum. Any of us were put in charge of NCFC we would have the club liquidated in under a week, after 20 years our club is alive and well as it has been, under extremely trying situations, and it gets increasingly more crazy every year for anyone to sensibly run a football club. Delia and hubby have, and continue, to do a good job in running our club. You want them out Lappin?..fine, but be careful what you wish for.

Hmm..this will be a test for City..no Pinto, no Hoolahan, no Tybull, Vrancic semi doubtful.DF will need to be at his self tinkering best to cover the gaps and have a full bench, and of course Cantwell has gone out on loan. Seems odds on for Stieperman to fill one of the gaps, we have guys like Raggett and Husband to but, could be a time for a  new young face or two on the bench, outside of the 3 guys we signed yesterday.

I dont expect to many changes from last week. Leitner clearly needs at least a week or two to get up to speed. German clubs have just been on their mid season break, no idea if that includes 2nd and 3rd tier leagues. Maybe Hernandez needs a week or so also, but perhaps Srbeny could be on the bench.So prolly same as last week, with just a minor decision between Reed and Vrancic. Reports last week on how bad Trybull is would  suggest to me that hes out for weeks at least, but DF will no doubt fill us in at todays presser.

Just a comparison at how gullible and rising to uncredited bait fans are these days...this post is the 53rd in this topic about this bid which has zero credence...yet the posted Leitner topuc, which carried the news of him officially signing  on loan to City, as which started around same time as this one...gets 17 posts.Something is wrong with that...honestly.

This is just superb news...what a day! Welcome to Hernandez, Srbeny and now Leitner. Webber has proved again, 2nd window running, that hes fully able to bring in guys to the club pretty smartish after a few have gone out.Ummm Mr. Webber...any slight  chance of a RB before next week? That would make it a complete window.

Quite surprised its taken until the 25th day of the month for finally a sniff of gossip as to an actual bid price from any club for Madders. It means we''ve only 6 days to sit thru this Madders rumour carp before the window slams tight.City know come the summer a bidding war will ensue, they just have less than a week to say no thx.

I fully agree with Lakey and Indy in this topic, whats more im of the opinion that, not only of course did City have to cut the cloth, but that its turning out to be a healthy, fascinating and for me, most interesting time in the history of our club. To much money gone on high fee transfers on guys like RVW and Naismith and / or on guys on high wages who mostly sat around season after season  doing nothing, like Lafferty.Expectations? While any manager and board at a football club always wants positive results each week, as do the fans, im actually enjoying our current period in the Champs and honestly think if we  somehow miraculously made the play offs and won at Wembley, we would simply not be ready for the top tier. Of course id be elated at promotion, but soon thereafter a feeling of dread or at very least, apprehension, would set in at  the prospect of Prem footy next season.I just simply believe that DF ansd Webber are building a squad here full of youth and potential, but it needs another 12 to 18 months at least to see a true Farke squad that could gel into something pretty special...and all on a leaner, more realistic level financially wise to. Ive lived with the ups and downs of the last 6 months and can quite happily be patient with it for another season or two, for me its much more preferable to a team of Whittakers, Mulumbus, Bassongs  and Martins.

The Pink Un article on Bristol City''s failed Marley Watkins bid says there has to be 7 homegrown players in the 18 man squad on matchday, homegrown effectively meaning registered at clubs in England and Wales for 3 years under the age of 21.Im sure DF knows this,,,if he does''nt then it could cause a few issues, especially if we get a rash of injuries to our Brit contingent..may mean Jarvis getting his behind sat on the bench in some crazy scenario.

[quote user="lake district canary"][quote user="TIL 1010"]Except for the game on 18th February the season is dead and gone.[/quote]Is the point of following the club dependent on being involved in a challenge for promotion? Do the players think, it''s ok, we''re not going to get in the play offs, so the season is over?  No - at least I hope not - so why should we?  I just wish I lived closer so I could get to see Maddison play at CR.  We have a real star in the making there.  Trybull, Stiepermann are both excellent. Pinto is a real strong character and captain. Klose is a bit of a legend. Gunn is brilliant. Lewis is a breath of fresh air.  Hanley is a real defender''s defender.  We will probably have some new players in this week, as well as Edwards (who is guaranteed to give some excitement, loan or not).   Oliveira to find some form?  Murphy to become more savvy? If the players do show some gumption and start winning games, we will move up the table. Maybe not enough for the play offs, but never say never. The season over?  Doesn''t look it from here. Incredible and frankly ridiculous Til. So  a City season is over based on this stupid and very small issue when put next to everything else thats going on at the club?..the issue being this fixation that fans have with the "play offs, relegatiion mid table" end of season position? Just like  the other 91 clubs, City''s league position will be finalised after 46 games in May...and it happens once each year.A section of fans are quite entitled to opinionate the final position of their club after 46 games even in the cold dark reaches of January sure, but to say a season is over at that point in time is nonsensical rubbish.As for me, whatever position City finish come May, high, low or mid placed is just a small part of why i love being a fan of NCFC, and right now, amidst the ups and downs of each weeks current league standings, theres so much other activity going around the club that its interesting, fascinating, opinionating an engrossing, and looks set to continue  thruout the next few seasons, For me its even more than seasonal, its all year round, and it never ends. [/quote]

We did a similar type of signing with Raggett so dont see any problem with this transfer, it also is one less player on whom we dont have to spend time on negotiations in the summer, which is never a bad thing imo.  Look forward to seeing Kenny McLean  in the summer and next season.

[quote user="Hoola Han Solo"]You can blame our incompetent board for this mess we’re in. I’d be over the moon if Delia sold up to some owners with a bit of ambition and drive, and most importantly, cold hard cash. The English game is all about money now, whether people like it or not.[/quote]Quite so Hoola...money..the financial issue..absolutely correct. And our incompetent board, without  any sugar daddy rich investers, have put us in a position...financially...of 2nd best in the entire Championship...at least 5 clubs in this division have real debts of over 100 million. Long may they stay this incompetent.

Couple of points..keelansgrandad...you mention Webberlution..that is just a term a poster made to headline a topic and is a silly term anyway..there is no revolution at this club..its an evolve..the term Webbevolve would have been better, thou still wide of the mark. Its not a one man band change, its involved a whole  change in infrastructure thru the management staff to a complete overhaul of the team squad which is still very much far from done yet.Jim Smith...you cite to many have the attitude of we aint going up and aint going down..its not an attitude...its based on sound solid realism from looking at NCFC.s results this season. Nothing to do with attitude. Tell me Jim in all honesty and simply do YOU think City will get relegated or even reach end season in top 6?

With respect MP, i believe your very first sentence sums up what a fair few fans cannot  grasp as to where City are right now and where they have been all season. The times we were a bit in the lower  half of the table, the doom mongers were shouting relegation...then when we get  a bit nearer the last play off place points wise, albeit not position wise, to many start talking or dreaming of a top 6 place.We are neither relegation or promotion material, ive said this a fair few times this season, most recently couple days ago, agreeing with Bethnal in a topic. Its so obvious to see where we are that i just dont know why some fans dont see it. First season of a huge...HUGE...change at this club, which Webber and DF have said will take 2, maybe even 3 seasons. First job for Webber was getting rid of the old aged players, then the high earners, DF has  started to bring the squad age down, play younger guys. This club simply is not ready for promotion at this time.If you believe keeping CJ at the club would have changed the result today...or even have helped us climb into the top 6...sorry no, it would not have done. You think Webber and DF are blinded to the fact we have 1 striker? Of course they know we need more strikers and / or attacking ideas..and it''ll come, but honestly, we are mid table Champs this season and with a new set up that needs 2 or 3 seasons. That is the truth, in a nutshell.

[quote user="Ian"]We''ve not had an update on RvW for a while. Wonder how he''s getting on?[/quote]To be fair to RVW he scored 20 in 32 games for Vitesse last season and 7 goals in 10 games for Basel so far this season. Ive been keeping my eyes on Basel, i still fear they could come in for big Timm before end of month, February cant come soon enough in this regard.

Although this guy, Kenny McLean and Onel Hernandez are just names linked from rumoured sources in this past 24 hrs or so, it seems from this, and more especially from what DF said at todays presser, that we are leaving the "going out " phase and entering the "coming in" period.Would not put my trust in most of the links to rumoured  interest as most of Webbers arrivals are often unlinked and a surprise signing. We will soon see i guess.

As to what Bethnal has said and i think he would agree, and what i believe to be where we are right now, neither play offs nor relegation are anything but small, slim, possibilities so "effectively" take them out of the equation and we are where we will be come end season. He is correct in that X points from a play off place is secondary to how many teams lay between City and that play off place, right now its 7.At no time would Farke say there is no chance of a play off place until its mathematically  impossible, but he has been honest and realistic in saying fans talking about a push for play offs is not good right now, if nothing else it piles pressure on his young players and smaller squad. Our DF is pragmatic, he will take each game as it comes, and if it transpires that City get nearer 6th place  much later in this season, then sure , he will talk about it in a more realistic tone. Just way to early to even think of play off place. One thing Bethnal was right about also, City will not be doing high expensive bat s**t signings, those days are done.As to rest of this window, who knows, we could get 1 or 2 more in, if not we go with what we have. Sure, 1 striker and 1 RB is not ideal, but if push comes to shove, the existing squad have the means to shuffle players  around. DF mentioned about City having to be creative about new signings, that would apply also to any injuries in our weakened areas. No doubt about it, our set up is now geared for long term evolve over 2, maybe 3 seasons, not a "quick fix and rush that small shot at glory" attitude.

You also missed out Declan Rudd to Preston Woodman, so many in the summer and this window that possibly left out 1 or 2 more. Anyway, excluding Franke as we have 4 CBs so fine there, 5 main guys were shifted in last week to 10 days, Pritch and Jerome sold and Martin, Naismith and Yanic loaned. Assuming no more go out this window and that its likely those coming in may just be just a smidgeon less than the outs, id guess on Edwards to be joined by possibly McLean for the midfield / wing area, plus 1 RB and 1 striker. See that as the max for this window, although Webber did surprise me with how many came in last summer, so one never knows for sure.

Did not know that DF/ SW missed out on this guy Hercules, but then as not a part of their staff im not privy to who they are after, Tell em im sorry to hear of this news please :pAnyway jesting aside, doubt we would be seeing City sign anyone close to 5 mill for quite awhile from now on.

[quote user="daly"]Money is killing the game, its being thrown around like Monopoly money. The bubble will burst and the sooner the better[/quote]Maybe in the longer term daly, but in the short term its debatable if the bubble will burst, but even so, all the more reason to see our club dealing sensibly with the realism of its financial situation. As to killing the game, im not sure, but given the chance to compete against a fat cat club like night against Chelsea, we absolutely competed with them, equalled with them over 2 Cup games, despite the massive gulf in finance.

Lets not forget, Vrancic was actually physically sick after the Bristol game, so Bethnal''s observation of him last night was spot on. Guy was obviously carrying some kind of virus so huge testament to him for giving a splendid 2 hours of play against the English Prem champs. As for him and Reed not quite up to speed in first 20 mins or so, well DF did say was the entire team in those minutes, but as the game wore on  all the team got to grips with their roles and did us proud.Its a learning curve for all who have joined City since the summer, least of all DF, who seems to be adopting new formations to particular games, and he and his lads seem to be far more in tandem together than was the case start of season, which, when you think of it, and the huge  change thats swept thru the club, is like breath of fresh air after those 12-18 months of AN in charge, when he seemed lost as to what to do.Cant expect every single formation to always succeed and therefore cant expect every guy  to succeed with every formation, Mario V is prolly one of those types, but heck, im not going to criticise him or any single City player from last night, each one gave their all and gave us a lot of pride, and end of the day no football fan can ask more from them than that.

If nothing else, tonight must surely have shown and doubting City fans why DF needs as long as it takes to have a team to call his own, In just half a season he has stamped his persona onto the squad, he knows what he wants, unlike AN who lost it and stayed a year to long. Sure, lots of ups and downs performance wise in the Champs, but if we just stop and think a minute at how many players left in the summer, how many new ones came in, with it still ongoing, 5 out in last week to 10days then its no wonder theres been ups and downs.A huge upheaval right thru the club, but a night like tonight just shows the potential there can be at City. To see young guys like Lewis, Cantwell, Josh and Madders competing...yes, competing..with the English Prem. Champions brings joy unbounded. And was that a City defence?..just superb, the change since Millwall away is hard to put into words.Yup, we have some spaces to fill, DF knows it and im sure Webber does to, Nelson did good tonight, but my, he needs some strike support. Even at the lowest moments of this season, always believed we should go thru with this club evolve, a night like tonight shows why. But patience guys, more ups and downs ahead for sure and of course...never mind the danger.OTBC.