BlyBlyBabes

All three made the BBC Team of the Week - plus Green was one of the two reserve keepers. All four put in big performances. Congrats. Out of 11 selectees and 22 reserves Birmingham got zero picks. Now Steve Bruce, what do you make of that? It reminds me of three things: [a] Teams often win matches based on sheer team & fan commiment and big performances from 3 or 4 players. Formation play and serial passing often flatter to deceive. Just like when Liverpool beat Chelsea in the Champions League last week. [b] The hardest thing in football is to score goals and the scarcest thing a reliable consistent goal scorer. We have Ashton. Cool as cucumber. Enough said.                                        Morrison has spent most of the season in the reserves - why? Because he''s unreliable & inconsistent and misses too many chances - just like he did on Saturday. [c] There''s different valid ways of looking at things.  Steve Bruce as an British-born manager needs to be more analytical instead of caterwauling and whinging like Mourinho after Liverpool turned them over on a sea of emotion and big performances from key players. If I were his Chairman, I''d be a little bit worried. Now City, on to Fulham with bravery & commitment. The million dollar question is - will enough players put in big performances to tip the scales? OTBC. Never mind the danger. Steady on. Now''s your chance. Oh yes - now''s your chance indeed!    

It''s crucial that the staff find a way to settle the players nerves on Sunday to prevent them from tightening up again like last week. Although I don''t think all things considered that the performance was that bad. We had more than a few decent counter-attacking opportunities ourselves. It was not lack of commitment or desire - more nerves and fear (of making a critical mistake), Ithink. Whatever will work Delia, give it to them. Ambition before prudence please at this juncture! On the question of a straight money bonus, I would have thought that the severe reduction in wages resulting from a relegation would be a big financial incentive. Above anything else though Worthy has find the strategy to kindle individual pride and collective self-belief - one more time. Be brave City and we will be OK. OTBC.

At the end of the 1st half the Sky stats were:                                        Man Utd           WBA Shots on target                      8                   0 Shots off target                      8                   0 Amazing. OTBC.  

Good points, but I think that: We need to leak less goals rather than reinforce/maintain our scoring rate. Hence, Hucks should not start.  Drury will need reliable help in containing Pennant. Hence, Hucks should not start. OTBC.    

Please! OTBC.

Good news. OTBC.

If his predictions come true, then it''s all down to the last day. Wow! OTBC

I don''t think so. Let Jonson work up & down the left whilst providing solid support for Drury. Bring on Hucks for the last 30/45 minutes for MacKenzie or Jonson as the state of the game dictates. If he doesn''t like it - tough. He has no automatic right to a starting place. Next year in the Prem he must compete with Ashton, MacKenzie and X for a starting striker''s role - or settle for coming off the bench into left midfield if we need a more attacking formation. Heresy!? Maybe, but also the bold truth. We are simply not stong enough defensively in the Prem with Hucks at left midfield. [In the Championship it would be OK - but that''s not in our forward planning is it?] OTBC.

According to Worthy in the EDP he was not given ''a fair crack of the whip'' with money this year, and we have reached where we are by him ''pulling rabbits out of a hat'' - which he can''t continue to do. The Daily Express has picked up on this with the interpretation that Worthy was complaining about being hamstrung in his efforts to keep City up because the Board have not given him more money. Quite frankly I tend to agree with him, but I am far from sure about the timing of public comments on this matter. I have argued a couple of times before that the Board have got the balance slightly wrong in as much as a] There is a world of difference between the Board''s oft stated policy of ''prudence with ambition'' and the far more positive ''ambition with prudence'' which is what I have advocated as strategically and psychlogically superior. b] It is obvious in retrospect given Doncaster''s explanation of the mechanics of the financing of the Ashton deal that this deal could have been done last August. A policy of ''ambition with prudence'' would have in all probability have allowed the Ashton deal last summer - which I submit would have guaranteed  mid-table safety this season. By such slender margins does our future rest! OTBC. P.S Worthy - if you continue to be brave we can win the war to stay up. However, I can assure you that even a shattered Ashton is far more likely to score a goal in the last 10 minutes than Svennson. When the going gets tough the tough get going - and Dean Ashton is mentally tough. 

And just to keep the balance. Where were the following 7 current Premiership teams in 1994-95? - Bolton, Charlton, Birmingham, WBA, Middlesborough, Fulham, Portsmouth - certainly not in the Prem. Chelsea were 11th and Arsenal were 12th. At home City beat Blackburn Rovers (Champions) 2-1, beat Leeds (5th), Newcastle (6th), Chelsea (11th) 3-1 and drew with Arsenal (12th). City finished 20th of 22 teams after being 7th at Xmas, with 43 pts from 42 matches (1.024 pts/match). This year when we win our last 2 matches and stay up we will have 36 pts from 38 matches (0.947 pts/match). Comments GRASSROOTS MUST REPOSSESS THE GAME  AND RENEGOTIATE THE TV MONEY FOR THE SAKE OF THE FUTURE OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL!Delia must seek some investors with deep pockets to widen our financial base.Its not a question of whinging. It''s more a question of having high enough expectations - because without high enough expectations we will fall short of our goal of sustainable Premiership membership.  OTBC.                                                                                                                

If the good folks in the City stand would blow off their roof, then we could put on an extra tier next year, so more of us will be ableto watch us consolidate in the Premiership. Oh, the powers of positive thinking. OTBC.  

                                           ODDS               To win on Saturday  To be relegated    To stay up Norwich             4/5                        1/5                  10/3 WBA                  7/1                        1/10                 5/1 C. Palace            6/5                        4/9                 13/8 Southamp           7/4                        4/11                 2/1 So We have the best chance of winning on Saturday, but are still 2nd favourites for the drop!!!!!!!!!! Palace to stay up??? SOME GOOD MONEY TO BE MADE HERE - but only if Worthy is brave!!!! OTBC  

Just a little thought to take our minds off the relegation war (2 more battles to win!). I have gradually been coming to this conclusion about the relative values of these Chelsea and City strikers in recent weeks, and my view is entirely serious. Anybody out there agree, or am I losing my judgement? OTBC.          

All best wishes to you Wiz. Get well soon.  

So far, so good!!! 4 down & 4 to go!! Stay brave Worthy. OTBC has been ringing out too on both radio & TV!!! Great stuff, now you''ve chosen to be brave!! At last, at last, at last - MacKenzie, Shackell, Saffri, Helveg, Bentley, OTBC, Passion, Improved Green & Hucks. And Ashton. 4 battles left to win the war. It''s possible, my City!! OTBC. Never mind the danger. Steady on. Now''s your chance. Let''s go, go, go, go - 4 more times. OTBC. 

Neale Collins in the Mirror today predicts that City will beat Palace 2-1, but that we will still be relegated.  Personally, I think that if we can win on Saturday we will probably stay up if we can avoid injuries to key players. OTBC

CanariaGlorificus Maybe your tag line/post signature betrays your true allegiance? OTBC  

I wonder how many fans remember (or youngsters know) that there was a time when we beat Manchester United 6 times in 8 successive league games. Yes - Won 6, Drew 1, Lost 1. It was Alex Ferguson''s first 4 seasons in charge (starting in 1985, I think). That lends a little perspective to our current situation, I think. Wow. OTBC  

Blacko Damper? What damper? ''Saffri was not good at Liverpool'' - who was? One game. Poor lad. Has Holt had a good game since last season? Helveg is so obviously pure class, but has been slaughtered for a couple of misplaced passes. Eddy has been running around with great energy & commitment the whole season, but somewhat like a headless chicken. he doesn''t have the positional discipline necessary for us to maintain our defensive shape. Big problem is that in general Worthy does''nt really trust foreigners. But has he learned? - that is the critical question. OTBC    

Man of match The Independent:  Shackell Mirror: Saffri Sun: Ashton News of the World: Ashton Pink''un: Saffri Sponsors: Shackell & Ashton (joint) Sky team of week selectees: Drury & Ashton BBC team of week selectees: Ashton & MacKenzie Well done lads My favourite headline - The Guardian Ferguson struck dumb by Tweety Pies with Talons Well done the team Soooooo sweet. Sweet, sweet, sweet/ My man of the match - Saffri. Why? Because IMHO he had the biggest influence on the match. OTBC

According to the Sunday Mirror, Delia replaced her famed let''s be having you screech with the victory dance of the triumphant Canary. I wait with baited breath for the day we stay up! Any ideas what she may have in mind Good on yer Delia! Keep it up. We luv yer! OTBC.          

Who remembers when they set fire to the Barclay? OTBC.

Then Beds - who should we criticise for being rockstone bottom and playing like pansies? Maybe.......let''s see now.........Helveg, Saffri, Bentley and.........? Or should we jusy lie down like grateful country cousins on our way bact to our rightful place. Many of us are used to better.......and expect much, much better of City. OTBC  

Or how about ''Ash, Ash, Reds'' or even ''Mac, Mac, Ferdie.'' I wonder how many of today''s posters know what we ''oldsters" really talking about?! Ken Nethercott; Bryan Thurlow, Ron Ashman; Roy McCrohan, Barry Butler, Matt Crowe; Errol Crossan, Terry Allcock, Terry Bly, Jimmy Hill, Bobby Brennan. Together with Sandy Kennon, my City team for the ages. It was the beginning of the modern story of our Canaries.  Now, c''mon Ash or Mac, let''s be having you! OTBC.    

There is some merit to thinking about Helveg as captain. Did you see him come on against Arsenal exuding the class and confidence that said "I belong here". The problem is - could Worthy wear it. He seems rather uncomfortable with foreigners. I agree with Campbell about Shackell and have said so elsewhere. He seems to be a born leader and organiser. I would love somehow for Helveg and Shackell to be given prime responsibility for City''s defence next season, with Helveg mentoring Shackell with a view to the youngster taking over as captain. A word to Delia - while Worthy gets us back up in the next couple of years, please make sure Helveg stays around. he might just be the manager to keep us in the Premiership next time! Check it out! OTBC