East Rider

There is certainly reason to see why people believe we are improving gradually this season, and in actual fact we probably are. BUT.....are we improving at a rate quicker than our relegation rivals. Are they about to find their mojo too. Do they not expect to 'gel very soon' too and can we do all this at a pace fast enough to obtain the points required to survive? We are a hamstring injury away (to Normann) from being completely gutless and non competitive in midfield. Burnley are probably thinking they have hit the jackpot with us turning up there Saturday. So, the question is. Are we improving at a greater rate than Burnley and enough of an improvement to obtain the required 3 points from a team yet to win this season as well?

He most certainly is not the answer for NCFC. But what he represents is an option. A big bruising, no nonsense, battling, heads up, in your face, experienced, battle hardened, non fancy dan, tud thumpnig, brave, non shirking, hardworking, scrapper fighting alternative in our ranks when we need to hold it up and force the issue against teams bullying us. 'Hope' is actually wandering aimlessly over the hill with toilet paper hanging from his trousers and someone needs to catch him soon. Unless we stand up and face the teams to come with a bit more steel to brace our weak spine, fight for the ball in each box soon then the likes of JH and his style will be required. He would have given the two Liverpool CDs something to think about the other night, rather than the decision on who's turn it was to pick the pocket of which ever city player wandered towards them. That he is not a fashionable player is understandable. However we, are not a fashionable team and being embarrassed each week is becoming tediously fashionable.

I do not feel he should go and yes, it is too early. However, yet we again need a plan B. Whilst he was everyone's cup of tea, Jordan Hugill would have relished the clattered a few of those yesterday and probably upset enough for us to get a foot hold in the game. We could certainly have done with him for our corners, or to win a few headers, a few 50/50s etc etc.

100% this in a nut shell Excuse my terrible grammar in the original post. Written once and not checked

Got back from Liverpool late last night (in time to see AJ outclassed unfortunately). We have the same old issues we have every time in the Pl and I'm not just talking about some of our team, more on that later. Without trying to sound too bitter we are a complete soft touch for officials and other teams sneaky little tactics. Other than DF losing his hair over some of the decisions the rest of the team just appear to bend over and take it, with a 'happy to be here attitude'. Some examples: Our free kick which Normann blasts over:- The ref, not wishing to upset anyone, marks the spot further back than the foul actually occurred, stands behind the ball then chats to some of our players over it (non of which appear to be particularly remonstrating about the foul). During this chat one of the Everton team picks up the ball and places it another 3-4 meters away from there goal, behind the ref. The ref looks for the ball, walks back to it the remarks the spot and none of our lot do a thing about it. Surely someone must have seen it? the free kick is therefore taken much further back. Later on Everton have a free kick, the ref jogs over and marks the spot 2-3 meters nearer our goal. None of our lot do a thing about it. The second yellow card:- clear hand ball stopping the cross. No unity in appeal from our team and whilst the ref is walking over trying to work out how to not give a card, Pickford cleverly pretends he is injured and falls over. This gives the ref the perfect opportunity to pretend he is now side tracked by the concerning situation involving the England keeper and thus allowing sufficient time to just give a stern waring and a Paddington bear stare in lieu of the deserved card. Following on from that free kick/no yellow-red card situation the ball 'disappears' and hardly anyone kicks off about it. The penalty: enough said, be surprised if it was the other way round but from our point it looked a clear dive. Time wasting: almost no control from the ref over this which commenced at the start of the second half. The referee have a tactic here where they ignore the time wasting by firstly turning their back to the offending goalie for long enough or initially ignore snail like sub changes until opposition fans make a racket or they start doing important things like engaging in conversation with random players from the winning side. All aspects were aptly demonstrated yesterday. After their second goal: their player picks up the ball from the centre spot in front of our whole team, then is aloud to walk away with it to the dug out and his manager and no one rugby tackle him or gives him a slap for his deliberate time wasting. The ref obviously doesn't see this! The disparity in professional foul decisions: You get the message, too many not given for us etc etc etc. Throw ins; any 50/50 was given against us. I said many moons ago that I do not believe the officials are corrupt or deliberately set out to show favouritism. However, every team we have played this season (other than Watford) will be in the Pl next and will be officiated again by the same referees etc. There is an unconscious bias as a result. There always has been except years ago it was far more 'in your face.' The point I'm making is that we appear to be able to do sod all about it despite DF highlighting certain points afterwards. However, the team, the captain, the club and the manager needs to get a bit of the old man utd/Ferguson about it and start picking fights and sticking up for each other, making it quite clear they are not happy and it will be highlighted. Everton were there for the taking yesterday, the crowd was nervous, players missing and yet again we failed in so many aspects. Our midfield other than hamstring hamstrung Normann, is too lightweight and PLM needs to be far more mobile. We are going down without punch being thrown. Frickin annoyed............ Mind you, the roads were clear on the return journey

Dedicated support indeed

I will be jumping around in the stands with the rest of the away support. OTBC

Would be fantastic if it happens

Didn't see any Watford half and half scarves. Now they would be a hard sell

Though he was one of our better players and for his first game was (mistake not withstanding) quite impressive.

I generally am a half glass full person and often agree with your stance on various aspects. However, consider this. Keown whether you like him or not was a limited defender and as such would have had to play literally out of his skin every game to make up the short fall in talent to stay in that team. As a result he became an absolute bas74rd on the pitch, worked on his strengths and was part of an extremely successful club. What does he see with us? We came up last time, understandably spent only a modest amount before the season and were taught lesson after lesson for most of the campaign (despite our injuries which I acknowledge do not get taken into consideration by pundits) especially after the restart when we actually had a slim chance. Keown and his ilk now see us again faffing about in the PL and failing in nearly every game to impose ourselves, give it a go, be street wise, take a chance or as he would have done in his day, let the opposition know in no uncertainty they are in a game. His comments were far less harsh than they could have been in my opinion, considering the chance we had yesterday. We need to be nastier in the right areas on the pitch, change it up and be far more direct when needed for a short period of time during the game and ruthless in team selection. We may change it around but it needs a kick start and that can only be done by a change in mindset and tactics. I think we have a talented team but am worried teams are going to try an steam roller us as we are seen as a soft touch. I'm off to Goodison and last time I went we scraped a last minute equaliser (Bassong). I'd take that right now.

How fricking embarrassing for them

If we make the atmosphere similar to the man city game two seasons ago, we will win. However, it will be a nervous afternoon, that's for sure

Good idea, however I'm not sure we have any. That's why we need to start straight away in case they bring this ruling in! How do you attract a plastic when you're a club like us?

With all the talk of the big 4 or 6 ruining the game due to the unlevel playing field regards TV money to appease the plastics, what about a 'Plastics Cap' being introduced? For example, each PL club could have a cap of 20,000 plastics per team (perhaps a slightly temporary higher number for plastics attracted to short European adventures) based on various criteria such as distance from club, loose (and likely bollox) family connections, half and half scarf collections, closeness of accent etc. If a team manages to secure a certain amount of registered plastics then they receive a certain share based on that each season. I'm sure there are better ideas for criteria. Of course when a team like ours reach the delights of the PL we could then try to recoup 'lost plastics' from our last venture here and hit that ceiling, therefore increasing our pot. Everyone's a winner. With some of the talented people we have had at the club I suspect we could make it a success. Certainly we would attract more plastics than clubs like Burnley or Brentford? The more I think about it the less flaws I see.

Spot on. And other than the dubious goal, we held our own in their own back yard. For me, things are looking up

Oh I certainly enjoy the fact they are seemingly dead and buried in league 1. I personally just have little interest in their day to day events. It's the same repetitive and boring story from/about them.

Another one what? My second sentence refers to my feelings which I have long held, regarding their predicaments and is in response to another posters comments. It certainly doesn't mean that I'm contrary in my own position on something, despite your personal narrative. As said, I have 'little to zero' interest in their plight. You have more interest obviously. Great.

Agreed. As sad as it may seem I have little to zero interest in them however, I understand if others are laughing at there plight. But I've said it before, until they stop believing every team they have is going to 'walk a league' or conversely comparing the current incumbents to 'the greats from the 60s/70s' , they will languish where they are. League 1 or chumps.

Unfortunately you're probably going to be right. However factoring in how well our Scottish two have just played and the point Krull will want to make, we could be in for a very interesting game. This will be the best chance we have, of getting something there, in a loooooooooooooong while

I can assure as a season ticket holder and supporter since the mid 70s I am a genuine, bona fide, 100%, you can't bend it Norwich city fan! The only reality is that we play a cr4p arsenal on Saturday who appear to be trying to prove a point and we just as likely to gain a point or three here as anywhere. You put your house on a 3-0 defeat and show us the conviction in your prediction. As I said it, could be worse that that. Especially if at least 8 of their team 'shows up'

Quite. It could easily go either way. It's obvious if they down tools, we win, he is finished there. However, they may just look at us feel they need a performance, change a few 'first choice' players to fringe ones and annihilate us as a result. Alternatively, the scenario might be that they put one past us then just sit in and deliver a poor 1-0 win, which again may be enough (against a team they see as relegation fodder) to shift him anyway. My prediction? We will win. We played well against Leicester and Liverpool in parts, so bring it on

Just over an hour and we are already 1 up! Lee Dixon is absolutely drooling over our superb performance.

Thank God for that. Will hopefully keep a lid on it for now

Malky Mackay was an expert at this side of the game. An underrated player in my opinion. Really do like G Hanley in our team though.