Away Day Specialist

A real rabbit out of the hat! It will be interesting to see how we fair over the next three months. So much to look forward to, especially seeing how well Huckerby did in the First division. Could he be the flair, pace and answer we have been looking for up front. A sound move by the nc staff, bring on Burnley!!!

It did seem quite odd that we didnt move for Bromby just after his loan spell. He effortlessly sloted into the back four and look imediately at ease (in such pressure games as the Derby game with the tractors). He is young, fast, has the obvious long throw and played for the wednesday when they were top flight and ''a good side still''. Strangely he did not feature in Turners plans last season (except a few starts after his loan) and seems just out of favour this season (I dont think he has made a squad yet). He must be begging to leave. He would make a good long term replacement for Malky (who I personally have never rated, he didnt set the club alight when he signed from celtic and seemed to end up in the side because the players infront of him in the queue left or got injured). Having said that Malky has worn his heart on his sleve and bagged some vital goals, he has been a true legend but he may have had his time......

Signing any hungary 23 year old with something to prove cant be all that bad, it has to be better than signing an average 30 year old on a permanent deal (Gareth Taylor - Why was he our no. one choice???) Roll on the burnley game, anyone know the bookies odds on a crouch brace on his debut?

Indeedy, I agree rich. I remember going to watch games through the late 80s and early 90'' and City would press forward onto teams and carve out thirteen or fourteen clear cut and well create chances. Now we are treated to a couple of scrambles and a few lumps into the box. It almost seems strange that we are still touted as a neat passing side when we can all see the lack of creativity and the inability to retain possession regularly during each game. On the subject of Crouchy, seems like there is a real lack of young quality strikers that we could attract to the club (now) with suitable experience. Although he have not played for Villa in any great capacity, he has a big price tag, was an under-21 (mind you so was Paul Dalglish) and has the premiership pedigree that could make others raise their game.

Funny that everyone is talking about the tight budget and purse strings yadder yadder. Weren''t we told that by terminating the contracts of unwanted players early that we were freeing up wage funds for new arrivals. Weren''t we also told that we would not sign players in June/July to avoid paying wages for pre-pre season. What has happened to these funds and why are they not now being made available as a matter of urgency. Considering we have a club that is "the envy of the first division" and "a sound financial ship" compared to other div 1 sides, and we have the catering booming at carrow road, season tickets to almost a record high. Where has all this newly generated income gone over the last few years?? And where would we be if the club hadn''t been overhauled a few years ago?

Dont know about them being happy at the dons though, not paid for two months, club uprooting to MK and no fans, they must have been screaming to leave. Over the last couple of years the club has had the tag of Costa del city - the easy life away from the hustle and bustle of the big smoke and no expectations or dog fight for relegation, just an easy time. That does seem to be changing, first the dead wood was filtered out. Then the couple of inappropriate signings were helped on their way. Now we just seem to be short of players, the current squad is ( at least the starting eleven) well experienced at first division level, but the bench is littered with injury comebacks or youngsters just building up on experience. Having said that no one could have allowed for the fact of losing four of our best attacking options in the last week, that is just plain bad luck. Amongst all the other concerns that have been discussed at great length is worthy. Hero or villan, astute or inept. Watching the forest game at the weekend there was not one city player that really wanted to attack the forest back four, wingers were not getting to the touchline to get crosses in etc. This comes down to basic tactics and strategy. Forest were camped in our half for most of the game and their back four enjoyed a lot of possesion in our half!! Sadly I have seen some second and third division teams that have more attacking hungar than we often show. I think that the players have forgotten the art of creating chances from nothing, passing triangles and outwitting the oppo. Lets hope for some improvement.

Dont forget though that we have been shafted in the past - many a time. David Connelly touted at £500k + and reading offered this eventually goes for £285K. Bournemouth wanted £1mill for Scott Mean a few years back and the went to West Ham for £150K. Gareth Taylor was rated at £1mill - for a 30year old in the final year of his contract and Forest did get him for £300K plus add ons. Clubs see us coming and tend to hike the price up. Remember Neil Emblem???