Morph

From the Sky website a fact City don''t want to live up to tomorrow: "Norwich have won just one and lost seven of their eleven games live on Sky this season." Let''s hope it''s TWO won and seven lost after Sunday. ...

If it does happen and City can''t hold on to their Premiership status, who do you want to go down with us? Southampton haven''t looked good enough to stay up even if they did beat us on Saturday. West Brom, for me anyway, were the side quickest to tighten up and bring some solidity to their side. But they haven''t faired much better even under new management and clearly their run-in spells doom. Palace haven''t exactly been electrifying but again organised themselves at the back with more rapidity than ourselves. Unfortunately I can see them doing enough in the last two to pull themselves out of the mire. City have seemingly turned themselves around in the last four but has it all been too little too late? For me, it has to be the other two promoted teams, but..... ...

Beds, you have to wonder whether Hucks was best used in the first 60 minutes or whether he would have been better on the subs bench and used for the last 30 minutes. By the half time scoreline of 3-3 it would be difficult to tell. If he was knackered by the 66th minute then taking him off was the right thing to do, but was Jonson a better substitute selection than Charlton. We could only guess. If Charlton had stuck in the header there would be no discussion going on at all. Hucks is one of these players that you have to accept will always be better going forward. If in doing that he provides you with a two/three goal headstart over the opposition then he''s always worth a starting place. Worthy clearly set out on Saturday to win the game and Hucks inclusion from the off would back that up. However, if you''re trying to play a tight game then unless you''ve got Hucks mentally set up for a more defensive game, he''s probably better used as a substitute when the game can still be won in the second half. ...

For me Hucks needs to be on the subs bench from the off against Birmingham and Jonson on in his place to combat the threat on Birminghams right hand side of Pennant. Or Worthy has to acknowledge that you cannot play Hucks on the left against Birmingham and play him somewhere else. Actually what you could do is play a midfield four of: RM: Bentley CM: Safri LM: Jonson AM: Huckerby with Hucks given a free role to go forward instead of Francis. ...

[quote]I too would congratulate Zipper on his post. It has a more balanced view than my opinions and thats probably no bad thing.[/quote] Have to agree with you there FMF, Zippers post was excellently written and a good summation of a lot of people''s feelings about Worthy''s performance. There are always going to be those who post here whose corollary for success is simply to see City play, irrespective of what league they are in and how they are playing - the Beds, ncfc4prem, Gorleston Jims and DDiMs of this board (sorry if you feel maligned by that assertion). There are others like FMF, 1stWizard, Tumbleweed, silver fox and myself who want and expect more from their team than simply to turn up and play. And whilst FMFs initial post does seem ill-timed given the current run of form, it would be nice if the "green and yellow spectacle" brigade can accept that there are people who have a difference of opinion from themselves. Just seeing the team isn''t enough. Worthy is NOT perfect but he does appear to be learning, albeit slowly. For his part he seems to have turned the team around in the last few games and got them going in the right direction. ALL of us are happy for that. That doesn''t mean he and the team have met everybody''s expectations and so we have to accept there will continue to be critical posts. That said, don''t simply put those posters down with another "oh here''s another depressing thread post" reply - those replies are as boring and tedious as you feel the complaining posts are - accept that there will always be a broad spectrum of opinion. If we all shared the same view of City''s performance this season this would be a really boring place to come and read about the team. Keep it going Worthy and the team it''s all we can ask of you at this stage and maybe come the end of the season that 17th place that many of us "dissenters" have so vainly hoped for will be attained. ...

This is sad news indeed. I''d urge all of those posters who have had "run-ins" with 1stWizard in the past to set aside what differences they may have towards him and wish him the swiftest of recoveries. Whatever we may feel about his views, some negative, many positive, about the club, he is at heart a committed fan of the club we all hold so dear. Wiz, I wish you the swiftest of recoveries especially at this time when the club is enjoying this mini-resurgence, raising hopes once more of an extended Premiership stay. ...

Yellow, last night was agony and ectasy encapsulated in the space of 20 minutes. Listening to the radio commentary over CanariesWorld as Waller counted down the minutes left to play only Kluivert to pop one in and have it looking like it was all over. Then for Helveg to pop that cross into the box for, what is becoming, a trademark Ashton header. That was something else!!! The other thread maligning poor Holt is out of order. At the time I thought Worthington was making a sensible substitution. Lock up shop with 20 minutes to go. Irony of ironies, Newcastle then score. Not poor Holt''s fault however. If this keeps up it''s not inconceivable that we really could pull off the great escape. ...

[quote]Oh my...I wasn''t the only one thinking that then?! And there''s the U21 connection as well, so maybe there''s hope of Bents being here next season and I won''t have to chain myself to his car in the car...[/quote] Actually susie b you should probably chain yourself to his car anyway. Just think how the young lad would feel. ...

Actually I think his pass to Bentley was the right pass. Bentley was open. McKenzie had two defenders around him. Sure he may have scored, but with the space Bentley had a bit more care and attention from him and he also may have scored. Ashton''s first goal was a little bit of class. He made the run as if to go to the front post and took Fitz Hall with him. Then once Hall had latched mentally onto Francis and the ball Ashton peeled away. Great run. Who cares about the finish - from 6 yards out all that''s important is to get it in. His second goal was well taken as well. Mind you if the defenders are backing off you like that then there''s no reason not to keep on going. ...

Nicky Butt?Keeper gets sent off for Man U and outfield player has to play in goal....

Dean Ashton makes the list of candidates for Soccernet''s player of the week. Check out the following page and get Deano up there at the top of the list.http://proxy.espn.go.com/potw/vote?league=ENG.1&cc=5739...

Three inclusions from City for the Soccernet Team of the week.At the back our Jason Shackell.Up front our Dean Ashton.And on the sidelines, our Nigel Worthington.And here''s what they said about Worthy:"There were many worthy contenders for Manager of the Week. Compelling cases can be made for Sam Allardyce, Mark Huhges, Alain Perrin and Stuart Pearce. But there can be only one ''Special One'' and this week the honour belongs to Nigel Worthignton.Granted, United played poorly, but Norwich played very well. Critics will point out that Rooney, Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy started on the bench, but Worthington will point out that they all finished on the pitch and it mattered little as the Canaries worked tirelessly to close down their classier opponents.Crucially, Norwich showed no fear and a healthy lack of respect, they were in the right places to exploit United''s weaknesses when they emerged and for that Worthington is deserving of praise."...

[quote]Spot on Mook. Beds Canary we don''t hate Worthy we feel that he has wrongly stuck with under performing players for the majority of the season and that has resulted in our poor position in the leag...[/quote] silver fox and mook, you''re both spot on. The result on Saturday was music to all the supporters irrespective of whether they think that Worthy has done/is doing a good job. The reason the so called "moaners" are still here is because the club has still NOT met their aspirations for the season. In fact, Worthy himself has not met their aspirations for the season. So even though Worthy appears to have turned a corner with the team''s result on Saturday the jury remains out on his season long ability. Quite simply he has taken too long to make team adjustments. And yes, he hasn''t been helped by injuries to the squad but as an earlier poster pointed out some posters have simply blamed the lack of performance on injuries which was NOT the case. I hope the team can continue in the current vein of form until the end of the season. And then the 17th place that I aspired to at the beginning of the season might not be so out of reach. ...

I don''t think I would single out any one player from the game on Saturday. They all played their part.The substantial difference for me was simply the continuing harrying of the United player on the ball, from all sections of the park. It makes it alot easier for our defenders if the midfield are closing down quicker. When all four midfield players are doing the job in restricting the opposition then the defense are less likely to be caught out. That happened on Saturday.Personally I continue to have my doubts over Fleming, although his performance on Saturday was suitable. At this level he lacks the pace and more often than not is caught out of position when chasing players away from the box. However, if the midfield continue to play the pressure game like they did on Saturday, Fleming deficiencies might seem less apparent....

In the modified words of Mr Aristotle: "One result does not make a season." That said it was an awesome result. The second goal was just brilliant. Six more games like that and you could believe the Great Escape was possible. ...

Since my thread on the hopes and aspirations for the season didn''t quite get the feedback for some of the more polarised noters on this board, let''s try a different tack. Ultimately where do you want City to be as a club? I''m not talking next season, or the season after that, or after that, but in the longer term view what do you want the club to achieve? For me, I''d like to think they are a settled Premiership outfit challenging for a European place in the Premiership on a regular basis. I''d like to think they don''t fall at the first hurdle every time they play in the Cup, perhaps bringing home the silverware once in a while - irrespective of whether it''s the FA Cup or the League Cup. In all honesty I do not see City as a club that are going to be challenging for the Premiership title - yeah, in my wildest dreams, but realistically no. I''d like to think they will be a club that is a good source for international talent for any national team, producing from local talent or growing brought in talent such that those players make an impact on the international stage. If you look at the current Premiership table I''d like to see City in amongst the Bolton/Middlesbrough/Charlton/Tottenham/Aston Villa pack that sits outside the top tier of the Premiership, pushing each season at the ultimate goal of a Champions League spot. So what about you? Are you a supporter who is happy just to see them, even if they''re playing in the Third Division South? Or are you a supporter that is only happy if they''re Premiership title winners every year? ...

I''m a bit disappointed by the lack of responses to this post. Opinion on the board has become polarised of late around the issue of Worthy and whether he should remain in a job. I had hoped that my thread would, at least, shed some light on why people are some emotional about the issue. To me it''s pretty clear that several posters are worked up because the club aren''t where they expected them to be at the start of the season. Meanwhile other posters appear to be simply happy with the way things are because supporting City is the prime issue. C''mon guys do us the honour of showing us why you feel the way you do. BedsC, Goleston Jim, BarclayEndKid, 1stWizard, YankeeC and so on. It might help you to better understand the other members of our virtual community. ...

[quote]Next season success = Promotion , anything else is failure because if we dont come straight back Ashton and any other of the better players we still have will leave then your back to square one an ave...[/quote] Premier1, I was actually looking for views on this season.Mid-table mediocrity next season is a dramatic failure, that is taken and Worthy would be seriously typing up the CV. Promotion has to be the target. Anything less is, to me at least, a failure.How do you rate this season? And what did you expect?...

[quote]Funny how some people change their tune so quickly. At the end of last season when we lifted the division 1 trophy he could do no wrong, now when we are struggling in the greatest league in the world ...[/quote] Canary Jim, sorry but I''m going to have to disagree with you on one point you make. Specifically, "The bare facts are that we cannot compete at this level at the moment with the money that we have, I am certain that when we return we will be a far stronger unit in every respect." Staying in the Premiership is NOT all about money. It helps bolster your squad when you get promoted but I don''t think City did too badly on that score when they went up. They brought in three internationals and another Premiership aware defender (Helveg[87 caps], Jonson[44 caps], Doherty[29 caps], Charlton). Winning the Premiership IS all about money. But we never set out to win the Premiership. City, I hope, set out to survive a first season in the Premiership. With the squad they had and the performances in the first half of the season many of us would have believed that was a strong possibility. However, the most important thing to do on getting into the Premiership is ensuring that you are well organised defensively and bloody hard to beat. It is the ONE fundamental issue that the club have NOT addressed as the season has progressed. It is our achilles heel. Look at the clubs that have turned the corner and are now making a fight out of the relegation struggle: a) Blackburn - now out of the mire through their organisation. Last seven results 0-1 Chelsea, 0-1 Middlesbro, 3-0 Norwich, 1-0 Everton, 0-0 Liverpool, 0-1 Arsenal, 0-0 Man U. 8 points from 7 games. Goals conceded 3!!! b) Southampton - have been organised by new coaching staff. The biggest advantage they have is the Premiership experience. Last seven results 1-2 Birmingham, 2-2 Everton, 0-0 West Brom, 1-1 Arsenal, 1-0 Tottenham, 3-1 Middlsebro, 1-3 Chelsea. 9 points from 7 games. Goals conceded 9. c) West Brom - again new staff has got them organised. Last seven results 2-2 Palace, 2-3 Norwich, 0-0 Southampton, 2-0 Birmingham, 0-1 Chelsea, 4-1 Charlton, 1-0 Everton. 11 points from 7 games. Goals conceded 7. d) Palace - got organised the quickest of the promoted teams and made themselves harder to beat. Last seven results 2-2 West Brom, 0-1 Bolton, 1-5 Arsenal, 2-0 Birmingham, 0-0 Man U, 1-4 Chelsea, 0-1 Middlesbro. 5 points from 7 games. Goals conceded 13. And Norwich. Last seven results 0-1 Everton, 3-2 West Brom, 0-3 Blackburn, 2-3 Man City, 1-3 Chelsea, 0-1 Bolton, 1-4 Arsenal. 3 points from 7 games. Goals conceded 17!! Let''s just assume that defensively we were better organised and conceded one less goal in each of those last 7 games. 0-0 Everton, 3-1 West Brom, 0-2 Blackburn, 2-2 Man City, 1-2 Chelsea, 0-0 Bolton, 1-3 Arsenal. 5 points from 7 games. Goals conceded 10. Keeps us up with Palace. When you ship 2 goals a game it is bloody hard to win irrespective of what division you''re in. Ask Keegans Newcastle when their strikers hit a sticky patch! Strangely enough I''m not asking for Worthy to go, but I am asking for him to acknowledge and try to address the defensive issues. Why sign three experienced defenders only to leave them on the bench? The defensive frailities have not been addressed ALL season and their finally coming home to roost in a most dramatic fashion. ...

Beds, I''d ask Stringer if he''d care to take over the Academy. Promote Williams into the permanent coaching staff in some form - assistant manager or first team coach? If we''re looking for ex-Canaries - Ian Crook, Mark Bowen (unlikely to leave Blackburn), Mike Phelan, Iwan Roberts. Non ex-Canaries, ummmmm. Martin Allen (Brentford)? Gary Johnson (Yeovil)? Andy Hesentaler? How about a more radical step of appointing either a permanent or consultative Director of Football? Sir Bobby Robson perhaps? The alternative is that we look abroad and I have no idea where you look. Model the club on the Dutch top sides. ...

Saint, it''s hard to argue against anything other than results at present, although I still sit in the camp that wants his side to play with flair and style. At least with that you could believe our side capable of the right results. Any positive result would be good at the moment regardless of how dirty. Truth is it''s not happening though is it? ...

Opinions on where the club sits in terms of success this season seem to vary on the noticeboard although there hasn''t been topic that specifically addresses the question. It''s been more focused on the negative aspects of the team management. However, it does appear that a discussion of what metrics you use to gauge City''s success this might be of merit. It might help clarify why people think Worthy et al have done an excellent or awful job this year. In the long term view we could argue that relegation this year is part of the long term plan. The monies acquired by this one season in the Premiership will help bolster the club and the squad for later years. But is the long term view that we will be back again in two years time with a bigger and better squad that has taken the Championship by storm? The ultimate success this season would have been to finish 17th. I didn''t expect any more than that and seriously believed the club - squad, manager et al were capable of that - early season indications were that it wasn''t wide of the mark. Above 17th would have been an exemplary performance. A mediocre success would have been to finish somewhere other than last with a modicum of pride with positive results against the teams we expected to be fighting with - the Palaces, West Broms, Blackburns, Fulhams, Southamptons, Portmouths of the division. A success bordering on failure was to finish last not so far adrift of the relegation pack and with our personal pride in tact because we weren''t the whipping boys. Sadly, we''ve gone outside of any of the above because of where we sit now and how we look compared to the other teams in the bottom half of the Premiership. City must look like an easy three points on the fixture list at present. The season isn''t done and I really hope that some lost pride can be restored. We''re down and I don''t believe any thing other than relegation will happen. I''ll be amazed if it did. However, the signs aren''t good. So how do you measure our success this season? ...

[quote]Although Ridgeman picked up on this, Its not just one game we''re losing, is it King?. Its every bloody week mate!.[/quote] Actually Wiz I think there''s a little more to it than just the losing. I believe some of the Worthy detractors could take the losing if, I repeat IF, the team were playing anywhere near reasonably. They haven''t been. Too many of the losses of late have been capitulations - roll over and die type losses. That is what is getting the whingers back up more than anything. We can all take the losing to Arsenal, Chelsea, Man U and so on, if the team has shown a little effort and guile. But to perform like a Sunday morning pub side is not what we''d expect. In all honesty none of us truly believed this season was going to be easy (not even me BedsC) but I did expect a decent fight. 17th wasn''t beyond us - I honestly believe that. To get relegated wouldn''t have been seen as failure. However, if we get relegated bottom with a substantial gap to our promoted rivals I will be sorely disappointed. It''s not the relegation but rather the manner of relegation. We''ll see how people feel if both Southampton and Crystal Palace give us a doing away from home. ...

[quote]Definitely, do it, here''s a template you can use. Dear Mr Munby I am astonished at the performance of the team this season and feel something must be done. I fully expected us to be challenging for ...[/quote] Thank you I''ll use that as a starter ;-)Tell me ncfc4prem, are you happy with the way the season has gone?Yes, oh well then I guess there are a few posters on here who don''t have very high hopes for their club.I didn''t expect us to be up challenging for honours, but as Branston said it was not beyond us to expect us to be challenging for that 17th spot. I''d be happy if we were 20th knowing that at least the management and players had shown some guts and pride, but as so many have noted since Christmas the team hasn''t exactly been excelling. What''s worse is the management seemed to be reluctant to change anything - dare I say it scared to change anything.On Saturday we were up against class, not doubt about it but it only went to highlight how poorly we played. The whole incident with Henry towards the end when Safri then went and took him out - he was taking the p**s - a) because he could and b) because our players let him do it.Now you can''t argue that we were up against class against Bolton in the previous game, but a certain team in yellow and green didn''t appear to turn up - well a good half of them didn''t. Was that good enough? Was that what you expected? If it was, then is it too much for me (and many others on here) to hope for a little more? If you think it is too much to expect a little more then I think we''ll have another long season next season and that automatic promotion spot so many are expecting isn''t going to happen.Worthy needs a rocket. The players need several rockets - pure and simple.When the players pull on that yellow jersey I expect them to pull it on with a little pride and then to go out and give their all for that shirt. Play with some style, but most importantly at present play with some pride. We aren''t getting it and nobody, I repeat NOBODY, wants to take responsibility....

[quote]And you think playing Charlton, Doherty, Safri and Helveg who have all been cosistantly bad this season (with the exception of Charlie) will cause a miraculous comeback do you... dream on.[/quote] Beds, tell me would you be happy to see the same 11 fielded in every game between now and the end of the season, even if they are underperforming? Or would you rather Worthy accepted the fact that City are down and try to make some adjustments to pick an 11 who deserve a City shirt for next season? The reason so many posters are complaining about Worthy is his reluctance to change even when so many off the field see that something is wrong. I can only assume that you believe that everything is right on the field and there is nothing that needs to be changed. If that is NOT the case then would it be possible that you could suggest why you think all these "whingers" are so very wrong.