BlyBlyBabes

...........Leon. We know you can make it in the Premiership. Keep on believing. OTBC.  

There are international keepers and international keepers. Gallagher is not in the top 3 for Scotland - FIFA world ranking #68 and falling. Ward is not in the top 3 for Wales - FIFA world ranking #57 and falling. Don''t hang on to the fact that they are ''internationals'' - are they any good?? Anybody know??? Remember its Premiership level we''re talking about. If Robert goes in January we are likely to have a problem that will make our current concern over strikers a very minor issue. Somebody please comfort me. OTBC.

..............after last night it looks as if Arsenal''s need for a decent goalkeeper is getting desperate. Worthy - don''t even think about it!!!!!!!!!! OTBC - never mind the danger.  

Robbo007. The big problem for City is that you can also pay big money and get an ''Adi Akinbiyi'' in pursuit of ''the answer''!!!!!!! Personally, I think that we should go for Dean Ashton since both David Platt and Peter Taylor rate him highly enough to start for their England under-21 teams. Otherwise go for a talented hungry loan signing with a point to prove (like Hucks & Crouch last year). I still think that Leon can make it and he should be given every opportunity until Xmas. OTBC     

Let''s not get things out of proportion! Today''s Premiership table shows that there are 11 clubs which have scored between 5 to 9 goals to date this season. City have scored 6. If our striker pool contained Jermaine Defoe, Robby Keane and Freddie Kanoute presumably many of us would be in ecstasy? But.......Spurs have scored 5 goals so far - and how much did their celebrated threesome cost? Chelsea have apparently registered the highest number of shots this year (128 I think). They have scored 8 goals. Enough said. Spurs have conceded 5 and Chelsea 2. Is there any food for thought there? City have conceded 14 and are amongst a group of 12 clubs which have let in between 11 to 18. I don''t have the answer except to suggest that blowing a small fortune on ''the answer'' in January will be akin to playing roulette (believe me, I go back to 1958!!!!). Back Leon and give him a decent run - instinct tells me that the guy has it and can work with Hucks. If not, move Jonson up alongside Hucks and bring in Helveg to right midfield. Midfielders and centre backs are also supposed to score a quota. Southampton with Beattie, Phillips, a certain Mr Crouch etc have scored 6. Oh, well. Lastly. Whisper it. Man Utd have scored 9. Wow. OTBC. Never mind the danger. Steady on......

Best ever player? In my view a toss up between Martin Peters and Kevin Keelan. I totally agree that Dave Stringer was our best ever manager. OTBC.

Peter The pitch does''nt seem to be doing Real much good these days!!! OTBC

The new pitch at Carrow Road cost a lot and is supposed to be state of the art. Anybody seen any opinions or reports?? OTBC.    

I read that Linvoy Primus strongly implied that City offered him a guaranteed 1st team place if he signed. Who in the current squad might have this arrangement - Hucks? Charlton? Bentley? Any views on the benefit/downside of such arrangements? Quite frankly I can''t make up my mind if I approve or not? Any views? OTBC      

Why on earth would he need height in midfield? OTBC  

Press reports indicate a capacity crowd for the England U-19 match tomorrow at Carrow Road! Wonderful news. Well done Norfolk. We''re on the right track. OTBC.  

Beds. You have to be realistic when talking to Santa or you will be disappointed - didn''t your Granny warn you?! Dean Ashton will do for me - or Alliadiere on loan. OTBC for ever.  

3 more points (1 win) would put us 13= on points. 6 more points (2 wins) would put us 6= on points. QED OTBC for ever.  

a1. Cheers. Paddington is removed from the sentiment and poses a riddle ; if City got Rio Ferdinand, who would you drop - Charlton or Fleming? The head says that if Doherty is a better central defender than either of them, then Doherty should play. The heart says carry on with the heroics and defend so deep that we can''t really achieve the adequate territorial possession needed to organise and perform. Eddie may be playing above expectations, but Helveg is captain of Denmark etc etc. Is Helveg better than Eddie or is he unfit/unmotivated/out of form - if none of these, then he must play. It''s difficult. It''s difficult. It''s difficult. But we have to back class whilst retaining the spirit in the camp. I read that Harry Rednapp has traded over 100 players since taking over Pompey 2.5 years ago. Anyway Norwich Teddy has fixed up himself and is ready for the ride on Saturday - rough or not!!!! OTBC for ever.  

Cheers Yankee. I will talk to Paddington, but Norwich Teddy says he gets confused sometimes. You see Paddington is only familiar with Highbury where they know how to keep the ball and pass to maximum effect and Lima, Peru, where they keep the ball and pass it ever decreasing circles to no effect. OTBC for ever.  

Agreed ny. What has Owen done in the past couple of years to expect to keep his England place? He''s living on reputation. Sven should put him on the bench and play Defoe and Rooney. OTBC for ever.  

Exactly Gazza. That''s what City should be about. Since 1958, the only time City ground and clawed their way to success was under Ron Saunders. That won''t work these days in the Prem. Look at the quality that Bolton, Portsmouth, Charlton and Brum have acquired. We must defend higher & keep the ball, then we will score goals and sock it to a few of them. Any player with an inadequate pass completion ratio must be consigned to Colney or the transfer list. When the going gets tough, the tough get going! OTBC for ever    

I understand that Steve has moved for Alliadiere on loan already (to replace the injured Forsell who''s apparently out for the season). Alliadiere is supposed to be fit again by the January transfer window, hence the Brum initiative. Initiative - now that''s a nice word. OTBC   

Agreed. But young Worthy could pass the ball to his team mates. If you can''t pass the ball at an acceptable accuracy count, no other combination of talents can justify your place in a Premier League side. Perhaps Worthy is keeping Holt''s hand in for next season (- oh dear, that''s far too cynical). Seriously though. Leave the ball winning this year to Saffri & Francis and let Holty follow Malky back to the land where he is best - driving on some other poor dreamers in the fizzy league. OTBC for ever.  

Could we swap David Bentley for Jeremie Aliadiere? If Steve Bruce wants him thats good enough for me. We need goals. It seems that Bentley is rather too rare and exotic at the moment for our tastes/needs. The need/desire/commitment to include him seems to unbalance the team. Now if he had the ''fizz'' and was ready for the rough & tumble like a certain Master Rooney that would be a different kettle of fish. Perhaps we could welcome him back next year after we have survived and are looking on and up. OTBC

Saint Lawro. My hero. Pompey must be quaking in their boots. Fingers crossed. OTBC for ever.  

In our house there is a Norwich Teddy resplendent in his scarf and tam who has sat on the back of our settee in the living room since summer 2003. About November last year he decided he could not take the pressure and pulled down his tam over his eyes until that wonderful day in May. He enjoyed the summer so much. He''s trying again this season and actually invited his pal Paddington to sit beside him. But poor fellow, he''s been staring balefully into space with his scarf all askew since last Saturday & he still hasn''t got over the shock. But he''s a wise young fellow. He says that if Worthy doesn''t soon start backing class, he will have to pull down the tam again and hold on for a rough ride. He says cut the sentiment and play Helveg at right back, Jonsonn on the wing, Doherty in central defence, and McKenzie as main striker (He says this tall target man stuff is foolishness in the Premiership). Also, Jarvis, Henderson and Shackell must be given adequate chance early enough to see if they can cut it this year. Finally, he says that the defence can''t be that good if all the back 6 (4 plus 2 defensive midfielders) can do is play too deep, indulge in a series of heroics and keep giving the d*mn ball away. He remembers the mantra from last season. Earn the right to play, and then get the bl**dy ball down and pass it. Norwich Teddy''s hanging on for dear life. But his heart is green and yellow. All he wants is for City to back class, defend higher, get the ball down and play, and sock it to some of them!!!!! His rant is over - and he''s convinced Paddington to join him again on Saturday, when Pompey come to town. OTBC for ever.            

Touche, Gazza. I believe at that time there was also a Norfolk Dumpling who wrote a column for the Pink''un/EDP. See you at Squares!! OTBC  

''Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive..................................'' Sir Walter Scott ''These lovely lamps, these windows of the soul.......'' Guillaume Du Bartas OTBC  

The mascot I remember from those times is the Norfolk (Norwich?) Dumpling. Any relation to Gazza? OTBC