Green Canary

Tbf if lufc had come out with 'On The Ball United' or somesuch, we would be having our fun with it. Fair play to them, even if they are Leeds

It's hard to judge this one. All we can see is that his level last season was on the fringes of being a starter - but often on bench - at League 1 level. Has Smith and the scouting team seen that he has progressed hugely in the last few months? Well, let's hope so, but he doesn't look like a first teamer yet to me.

5-1 win. I would love to justify that prediction, but I can't.

I think folk here were mainly a bit more nuanced than wanting more risk. Wasn't it more about wanting to be prepared to spend more in order to buy in some 'safer' options. Ajer was an example of that.

I'm keeping everything crossed that this is a great buy for us. But I worry that taking big gambles has become the Norwich way under Webber. It was clear last summer and seems like nothing has changed. I just hope it's not a self-destructive culture of risk taking we've fallen into. For now though, excited to see what he's like! Sounds like a new McLean 😆

Is the gap really so great between PL and champs that a team that would have had zero chance, even with an exceptional managers, will be challenging for promotion? Maybe, but I'm not sure. Are we as strong as we were two years ago? Almost certainly not. I'm not saying it's impossible but I think Smith has a tough job on his hands unless a few younger players really come through fast.

My guess is 10-15th based on the inability of this coach and squad to play to any kind of system or shapes with any kind of nous, discipline or ferocity, let alone flare. There is no way current performances or coaching is up to top 6 championship standard, even with the gap between that and the Prem. Can we rise magnificently from the gutter as we did 2 years ago? We can hope, but there is nothing in Smith's work or communication so far that gives me much hope. New plan needed, starting with new senior management structure to ensure better club governance.

I don't have a ticket for spurs game and no way I am paying £43 for one. I did go yesterday but only as I had a freebie. Fair play to ticket holders for turning up - I would never tell people they should stay away. That said it think the empty seats - second half yesterday - will be making a big impression. I have no info at all but a hunch that some serious reflection is ongoing, along the lines of 'Are we the team to start afresh with another grand multi-year plan?'. Well, let's see, but if ever there is a time to be putting a bit more pressure on (even if lacking a clear vision of what change is wanted), this is it.

The thing that struck me was the inconsistency of Sorensen, Gilmour, PLM, Dowell. All showed some good stuff but just as often misplaced passes or fannied around and got pushed off the ball by a stronger player. Yes, Sorensen too. Playing as they are now, none look like championship winning players. To me, Rupp looked best of the midfield on yesterday's showing.

I don't get this. It suggests our xGA last year was higher than 2018/19. Despite actual goals against being 21 less. If I am reading the table correctly the only thing it tells me is that the xGA figures bear no relationship with defensive performance.

That sounds broken to me

Hasn't McLean got a broken toe? I'm no medic, but don't you need your feet to work pretty well at this level?

Whilst I realise we will not get it, it would be good to have some explanation of what you were trying to achieve last summer. We do after pay for all this, through ticket purchases, TV subscriptions, merch etc .. So, I just want to know what the strategy was, armed with 30million from Buendia, plus a few bob more from down back of the sofa. What were you hoping for with Sargent? I like him. He genuinely plays for the team. But it seems clear you considered him a striker. Despite the fact that he had hardly scored any goals (deja vu Naismith). So what were you thinking? About the prospect of making a profit on him? And what about Tzolis? What did your team of scouts say about him? It took Farke 5 minutes to determine he wasn't ready. So, again, what were you thinking or hoping for? For a future profit. If you were expecting him to succeed in the Prem straight away, how did your team get misjudge this when it is so clear to Farke and now Smith? And what was really going on in that scouting team? Why the churn? Was it functioning well or falling apart and panicking? I must be about the 1000th person to pose these questions, so why no answers?

Yellows gallows humour

Inferior, disorganised midfield

Not sure really but voted for 21/22 as a fresh pile of c**p always smells the worst

Farke has proven he can build a team that plays to a particular football style/tactics and ingrains that in every player. Smith so far looks as if he can't, but will no doubt be offered the chance to prove he can do it next season in the Champs. I'm not convinced he can, but obviously hope he proves me wrong. I realise Farke totally screwed up this season, abandoning the style of play in a catastrophic fashion, in a desperate attempt to grind out some results in the Prem. But Smith has had enough time to at least start to establish some patterns of play, but has not. Sadly, it seems he is failing. Sure the squad is not of his making, but that should not stop a good manager imposing systems of play. ( And we are told we have a bizarre system in which Webber chooses players rather than managers recruiting to fit their strategy - if this true, we really are f******d until we change structure.

Blimey, there must be more nail than coffin by now. Let's face it, the high hopes some of us built up were dashed pretty early on (I was dumb enough to take the 'generous' odds and have a small flutter on a top half finish!). We might have expected to lose those early matches but our lack of quality and ineffective tactics were loud and clear. With the exception of the first few games under Smith, there was sadly no point in the season when you could really get excited about an escape. It's been truly dire, descending into what looks like a total absence of a playing philosophy/strategy. I'm looking forward to next season!

I'm glad we only loaned Normann. He has shown some class in patches. But the things we wanted from him - defensive midfield, long throws, defence splitting long passed - he doesn't actually seem that good at. And he does seem a bit fragile - I'm always a bit wary of those who seek a body beautiful by pumping iron. It does seem to trade off against stamina. Not that I know anything much about such things! As for Kabak, he looks like he has loads of potential. I would snap him up at anything like that kind of price if he was prepared to play in the champs.

I'm guessing 25. That's an ambitious 2 wins and 2 draws from our 10 games. Probably 10 points short if what we need. Anybody more optimistic?

Could be worse, could be Chelsea fans chanting Roman Abramovich. How many pathetics does that merit?

That might be it for me now. I don't have a ST and have been paying min £43 every home game. We had a great half hour last night, but these high spots where the team works with genuine spirit are few and far between now. So I'll spend my money on something else for now.

Krul Byram Hanley Kabak Williams Sorensen PLM Rupp Raschica Sargent Pukki With Rowe coming on as early sub to try and claw back the 3 goal deficit

I would maybe rest (i.e drop nicely) Pukki and give Tzolis a run out, with Sargent. Apart from that, the strongest team we can. Normann has never really looked fit enough at this level (though maybe stats say different?) and I would certainly get more game time in his legs. Hanley is a big loss - do we win anything without his leadership?

My heart says forget the league, it's over. Go all out for a cup upset. My head says... the same.