RobJames

Best praise I can say is that it is like reading the old print Pinkun sat on the Eastern Counties bus back home. Ours didn't leave until 5.45 so if you wre quick you could grab a coopy at the bottom of Surrey St. Just one thing old chap, could you put the goal scorers in bold and the final score at the bottom as well 😊

Some real excellent performances all round. I would credit Gunn with having another superb game. Out of his goal to block what should have been a clear goal, blocking another 'certain'with his foot and a magnificent slide tackle in front of the P fans when their attacker was through. The only fault was their goal. Watching the highlights he had three chances to save that header 😉

Another two points closer to WBA and 5th place. Down to one win now (g/d accepted) yet still most are focussed on scaping clear of those below. Set aside the Coventry v Hull game and the obvious implications, we are playing well enough to overhaul WBA. Does it matter 5th or 6th. Not positionally, we would srill be in the play offs. either way. However it would indicate just how good our current form is and so set us up in a strong position to take on the semi finals Having said that alot can happen, and will, over the next seven games, but maybe some might think about looking up rather than being fearful of what's below.

https://www.skysports.com/football/norwich-city-vs-plymouth-argyle/485164

/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/03/28/premier-league-tells-ball-boys-girls-stop-returning-players might be behind a paywall, so 'Premier League ball boys and girls have been ordered to stop throwing the ball back to players during matches, amid concerns that the “multi-ball” system is giving home teams an unfair advantage. Updated ruling states that players must now collect a ball from the nearest cone, rather than receive one thrown to them. “Ball assistants” as they are know in the Premier League handbook are no longer allowed to even be positioned next to the cones during matches. The league hopes this will make it clear to players that they must fetch the ball themselves during games. The change means that a goal such as Divock Origi’s famous strike for Liverpool against Barcelona in 2019, when Trent Alexander-Arnold took a quick corner after being thrown a ball by a ball boy, will not be possible in the Premier League. Earlier this month, Coventry City manager Mark Robins apologised for celebrating in front of a 13-year-old ball boy at the end of his side’s dramatic FA Cup victory over Wolves. Robins had said he was “really annoyed” by the ball boy, who had earlier dropped a ball during stoppage time. Gary O’Neil, his opposite number, said Robins had acted “disgustingly”. And earlier this season, Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was seen shoving a ball boy during his side’s defeat at Bournemouth. Marco Silva, the Fulham head coach, said at the time: “He wanted to play quick and the ball boys were … I don’t know who gave instructions to them for them to always hold the ball and to delay the [restart of the] game… “OK, we were losing, he ran towards the ball. I didn’t see him push the ball boy. He touched the ball boy, he didn’t push the ball boy – they are different things. I’m not English but I know the difference between one word and the other. We have to say the truth.” One of the most famous incidents involving ball boys took place in 2013, when Chelsea’s Eden Hazard kicked a ball boy during a League Cup match at Swansea City. Hazard was attempting to retrieve the ball from under the ball boy, who had fallen on top of it. The ball boy in question, Charlie Morgan, has since become a successful businessman and recently reunited with Hazard at an event to promote his drinks brand.'

is the season over already ?

eh ? who ?

Note " they might need to look elsewhere." and "Angus Gunn, could be a solid option" and " would be very much a possibility and an option that the Hoops should definitely consider." So nothing more than idle speculation

Make of this what you will, I am sure it is the first of many to come https://thecelticbhoys.com/posts/celtic-tipped-move-norwich-city-goalkeeper

Given that the final league positions are based onall the 46 games, then you could point to any lose of points as being the ones that cost them automatic place. The semi final at CR in 2015 saw the binners travelling more in hope than expectaion. Something that was not the case in 1985. They were favourites and th 2nd leg at CR was a to be a mere formality, Similarly in 2011 they felt they had a chance of beating us when we were heading to the PL. It was the humiliating scoreline that hit home. Conceding 5 in your own backyards, not a good thing. Best thing is to leave the shouting to those down the A140. Games between us have always meant more to them than us. Witness the pantomime there in December. Can you really see our lot getting that worked up about them coming here ? For me it is a bit like the racist uncle at Xmas, or the pssed aunt at a wedding. Something you tolerate as it is not for long We have eight games in which to get as many points as possible, this is just one of them.

err yes. Players are withdrawn quite often as they are 'shagged out' (Barnes), or to avoid over use/injury etc. That goes without saying. However what is being argued here is that players are on the pitch to get 'match fit' ie they are not up to it. Whereas the reality is the opposite. Hanley is clearly not up to it at the moment. Maybe it is his Achilles playing up. I don't know. What I do know is that to get him 'match fit' he is not being given 'minutes'. Quite the opposite, as Wagener stated "" he is not as explosive and as sharp as he was when he was on his best. " so. it is back to Colney, and in his case specialist training to get him back to that level. At Colney, not in a first team game as is being claimed

eh ? Hanley looks to be suffering from the long teem damage to his Achilles. Nothing to do with fitness. The pre season games are about getting to play as a squad and VERY little to do with fitness. Given that they are playing games it is assumed the coaches have judged the players involved are fit. Pre season games are played at a more 'leisurely' pace so the idea that those games would be anything to do with fitness is absurd. That is done at Colney, away from those games. I don't remember Gunn being asked to play the last 10 minutes or so of a game to get 'match fit'. He was ruled fit and started as do others returning back. So Sainz got fit at Colney but Hanley was not able to, so played when he was not fully fit. Others might suggest it was not any fitness problem with Sainz but merely one of adapting to the English game as so many slow starters for us have been.

Debts ? They are being managed 'in house'. I doubt you would sell your car to pay off a bit more on your mortgage. What will decide where Rowe and Tzolis are next season is them. If Rowe wants off then he simply doesn't sign a another contract, we then try to get the best deal. We could drag Tzolis back, but if he doesn't want to be here that would be pretty pointless. Whether he does may depend on Farke having left, as our Farke could be a 'prickly customer'and was known to blank players he fell out with. However, it is not Ebay. City cannot simply sell as the please, as master underwear stated above. There has to be a buyer, and I would agree that talk at the moment is just puff from agents. It won't be until the dust settles after the Euro thing that clubs start putting their squad together, learn who they have or will have lost etc

Norwich 6 - Plymouth (h)0 The battle of the seafaring folk - Nelson v Drake. Norfolk v Devon Another seafaring chap from Devon was old Wally Rayleigh. The man credited with inventing the potato, and the cigarette. Sadly he had his head chopped off. The very axe is still in the Tower of London, and is known as the Raleigh Chopper. Their shirts were originally a harlequin pattern, giving rise to the name Argyle. It should be noted that the distance from Plymouth to Carrow Road is around 340 miles and a straight 6 hour journey - (they'll be lucky it being good Friday) so every respect to those who make it up to our fine city. Great supporters, the backbone of any club. Maybe some might be staying for a few days "here's three nails, can you put me up for the weekend"

The question is would we take him on a free ? He has certainly looked better than many (Fassnacht) and has been excellent at CB. Any clear out will mean cost. Players maybe signed on a free, but that is because their wages are high - something I suspect with Sainz. All four will be back in the summer and the club will know if Gibson and Sorensen are staying, and what the state of play is with Hanley. Montoia looks to be 'knocking on the door' and with Fisher improving we have enough 'young uns' but are they ready for the rough and tumble of the Championship ?

The age was always going to be lowered, as the likes of Batth, Forshaw, Barnes and Duffy were only ever stop gaps to steady the ship, so to speak. Though neither of the first two has done any steadying, or playing come to that. It has to be that whether any of the 'youths' are up to Championship football, not just that we have a space that needs filling. It could be that one is left footed and able to switch the LB, which would cover for the departing Gino. But as said above, they are only playing L1/L2 football, so maybe another year on loan would better suit. It would see the departure f both Hanley and Duffy and open up a couple of places - assuming we are not in the PL, or everything then goes out of the window. I suspect Rowe will go in the summer. His agent will be advising him to turn down a new contract, and unfortunately him being out injured has taken the spotlight off him. However, no fan could have predicted his incredible performances this season, and thankfully we have now hit the ground running so, results wise he has not been missed. The transfer fee will come in handy if we can continue to find the likes of Nunez, Sara and Sainz. Products of, I have no doubt, and extensive scouting network - which doesn't come cheap. Angus is a City lad, so what happens will be done amicably I am sure. If we are still in the Championship he will get offers from the PL. I would love him to stay, but the bright lights will be beckoning, so good luck lad. The question is will Reyes be up to taking the number 1 spot.

I cannot recall any youth player being allowed to leave before he has been established in the first team - other than those thought 'not up to it'. There is also the no small matter the contribution former youth players make to the team when they step up. Not to be sneezed at, some might suggest.

You have gone from contradiction to making up stuff. ..."Players who return from a long term injury don't just immediately start first team games ". No one stated they do. Though all evidence is that when players ARE fit they return to full first team play. They do not return when less than 100%, so as to improve their fitness, that is an absurd thought. The reality is Hanley was judged to be fully fit and ready for first team games. However there is something amiss, as " he is not as explosive and as sharp as he was when he was on his best. " You will note that Wagner is talking about individual training, away from the first team, not about giving him 'minutes' in the first team over a player who is fit. And it is that comment from Wagner that backs my thought about Hanley being woeful.

Whatever way you spin it, players are not put in the first team to help their fitness. They are either ready or not. You even recognise that yourself. " then when our fitness team at colney believes that Hanley is ready" He was judged to be fit, however it would appear the injury 're-occured'. Hanleys play was woeful. Did you watch us v Boro ? As to playing someone who is not 100% fi, over someobe who is, so as to supposedly get him fit is utterly absurd

" as we will have to sell the cream to cover losses. " What losses ? Players will leave either way. Other clubs can offer more - that is the reality whatever league we are in. We have NOT put ourselves into a position where we cannot cover outgoings. As to us 'going all out for it', I would expect that approach for any competitive game

I do wonder if that is what has happened to Hanley. As to Gibson his contract is up in June. So any contract/wages, will be what is offered by us. He can accept, or move on. The question with the four 'youths' is whether another year out on loan is better than a season mostly bench warming. Though having seen how quick Omo broke through the club may feel one of those could follow the same 'fast-track'. Not a bad position for us to be in.

"minutes on the pitch" ? You do not use a first team place to improve players fitness, they should be fully fit BEFORE they are even considered. Building up fitness is done at Colney then youth games. Wagner and the coaches must have considered Hanley was fully fit, he was not, as was evidenced at Boro. How serious the injury/problem is we are not told, but it could be worse than feared. We shall see. But the idea that you put unfit players in the first team to give them 'minutes' is beyond ridiculous.

Mystig meg territory. Or horse racing tipsters stuff. There is only one certainty. We will achieve anywhere between 0-24 points. To predict what will happen v Leics is to assume everything is as it is now (no injuries) there are no dodgy decisions or open goals missed. Counting chickens, eggs etc. It will come down to who wants it more, underpinned by players having the necessary ability to deliver. It is more how each of us see these upcoming games. A chance to batter our way clear, or to humbly hope for sixth place by one point. As a positive City fan I would always lump for the first, though all evidence over rides that dogged faith. On current form we look capable of giving other teams a run for their money It's whether one thinks we should relish this unexpected chance, or one fears we might fail. Let's get at 'em.

I don't think players are being issued with anything. Elsewhere, there was a good write up on these types of injuries. The conclusion being that the intense training is putting too much strain on players leg muscles. That training is in response to the game also being too fast and intense. The FA recognised this a while back so increasing the subs to five. With the added time games now often last for 100 minutes. As to Nunez the club should tell respond to these mickey mouse games by telling them to fck off. We pay Nunezs wages, not them This worthless nonsense obliges clubs to concentrate games into tighter blocks, for what ? So countries FA's can line their pockets at our expense

I think thats what happens, I cannot recollect us ever playing games at the same time 😉