Crickmore Powell

Precisely Alex, whatever we think about the hideous non-season we''re having and who is the main point of blame for that (and writing as one who voted in the EEN poll for NW to stay but the longer we go on the more I think I may have been wrong), of course I want City to win, and never ever  do I want us to do anything but hammer the Suffolkers. Of course when things are off-kilter badly you can end up thinking unusual or extreme things, but come on folks, ever wanting to do anything vs Ipswich but win  is simply unconscionable. Ironic wasn''t it that last night there''s Dean coming on for his first game for West Ham as they win at Arsenal, while Bents (remember him?) scores a hat-trick on his first day as no longer an Arsenal player as Blackburn beat Man Utd again. Two Canaries recently gone to play for clubs who were in precisely the same dire spots we''ve been in not long back (how I remember coming over a year or so back to see the 1-1 draw against 10-man Blackburn, who began the game bottom of league,  what an indictment of us that turned out to be) but now making headway in the league some of us think we belong in (or did). Throw in Wigan too, where Damo scarcely gets a game now btw, and there we have three clubs who don''t seem to approach life upstairs as ''one place above relegation is the aim''. Funny how that seems to work out sometimes eh?

You think the decision has already been made on NW and Nigel will go?! I''d keep taking the pills mate.

Just to remember last time we played at Reading, top of the league of course, we were heading for a 0-0 draw until the ref stepped helpfully in and Mullers hit a beauty of a goal to clinch a 1-0 win at the death. And last time Ipswich came to Carrow Rd, we were top of the league too (top of the league at Portaloo Road, as if anyone will ever forget), and played nothing like it in the first half, when they really should have gone in at least a goal or two up. But they didn''t, we came out more like it second half, and even when they got a dubious penalty to bring it back to 2-1 near the finish, Hucks went off and scored straight after to make it 3-1. Of course we haven''t got  Malky around this time to pop up with two goals to help us along. I mention these games simply to remind us that you never do know what will happen, so while I don''t have a whole lot of optimism about these next games of Reading away and Ipswich home, we might surprise us! But yes, might is the word.

Robbo you sometimes just have to agree to differ mate, and personally I think Paul Rankin makes cogent sense with his points in reply here. ''Crapulent football'' eh Paul? Not a pretty term, but appropriate enough I''d say as neither has this season''s City football been pretty. And Mook I salute you - I often think nobody else ever had anything  good to say about Clint Easton and Mark Rivers, it''s good to know I''m not in a club of one! Hendo has taken on the role of ''instant carping from own supporters target'', and it looks like  he''ll probably end up being an under-used (not forgetting usually played in wrong position), unacknowledged and wasted talent too.

Exactly LinkNR9, it''s the going forward (will we?) aspect that is the real concern. And can I just say how remarkably misguided it is that we still have the hoary old chestnuts "too good to go down" "way better than..." being spouted by folk. As useful as coming on the field and expecting to win by being there.

Indeed we could, though I suspect we won''t. We''ll win some, lose plenty, and end up safely stuck in mediocre nowhere-land. Or surprise me and still make the play-offs - frankly I''m more confident Dean''ll still be here in February than that. Which I''m not at all confident of. I think it''s interesting that Ashton''s been a fair chunk less impressive this season for City than last in the Premier Lge, which I guess tells you all you need to know about the team he''s been playing in this season. I''d love to think we''ll be bubbling away hot in goals and form when I next head over from the Irish outback to see City play Stoke in 6 weeks, but I don''t think we will be.

I think my thoughts are roughly on par with your''s Matt, especially if that''s resignation that Hendo will make way for McVeigh. Don''t get me wrong here, I think it would be scandalous not to bring the wee man back, but Hendo should get a chance to play - upfront not as one in a  long line of right midfield fillers - too. That would be an exciting attack, Ashton McVeigh and Hendo upfront, with Hucks around as well. More forwards and attack-minded players than we usually see playing at once. And might offset the weak midfield line, which is not much with Saf but without him is stretched thinner than see-through. (Notice Damo is often the unplayed sub at Wigan now btw).Yup it might mean we leave gaps for Watford to attack, but frankly we will anyway and what''s the point of not giving City our best chances to attack too?    I''d love to see Michael Spillane or Rossi Jarvis getting a chance now, not when there''s nobody else fit to play. That''s the bane for me with Worthy, he''s so ruddy defensive set and can''t get away from the established players. Hence he signs Thorne, hence he''s apparently now looking at Gareth Taylor, which is truly stupid. Rather than throwing players in and trying them out. At Plymouth say, instead of the routine bringing Jarrett back. Agree it''s grim if Drury is out Saturday. He''s been much more like he was before this season, he probably suffered as much as anyone last season (I''d have him at the other end of the ''exposed by Premiership'' continuum to Holty, say)from being left unsupported but he''s rarely not up to mark in this league. Of course I''m trying not to think Malky''s bound to pop up and nod in a winner for Watford on Saturday, but.......

Yes he is, but he took over a half to look like it. He produced a glorious flash of him at his best to run at/past defender and then score a fine goal, but it''d be nice if Hucks managed to produce a bit more often. He probably isn''t helped by being under the NW play here not where you work best approach, which Hendo often suffers from too. Like today, he finally pushed him upfront after half time and he was much more involved from then. Big pity the neat chest ball back to goal, turn and shot at the end didn''t go in though, as I fear Ian will now be pushed back down the line of slim chances to play where he''s best, and McVeigh will surely return - rightly - next week.

Northern Canary that''s funny, you made me smile, always a useful attribute and especially as we bask in the utter predictability of being stuffed out of the FA Cup as soon as it starts yet again. And hey if Linvoy could keep goal too NW''d offer even more money plus Ashton! Gotta say I felt sure I''d log back on Sat night to find Dean had already gone, so still my cynical heart. But as for Primus, surely his ''handy acquisition?'' moment has well passed hasn''t it? Certainly Flem can only be on his last run in the first team (espesh if we do somehow manage to go up - you got to have a dream), but with Shackell already on board it''d be stupid to splash money on a central defender, unless someone like Davenport. Bring back Steve Walford I say - whoops sorry slipped into a time warp there.

Yes indeed, grand to pocket the win despite not playing that well; but getting there against average or poor teams is precisely what we''ve missed out on doing countless times, so yes like Rudolph I agree it''s in a sense the ''best yet'' to come though and win while not playing that well. The jinx continues though, there I was thinking beforehand that Robinson had maybe been the key addition to the mix lately and of course he''s promptly ruled out before we start at Leicester, and Jurgen Colin played well and then left the field on a stretcher. Hope he''s ok for Monday, with no Youssef we don''t need any further gaps. Peeved with Hucks getting himself booked for nothing (kicked ball away) and thus up to suspension level, probably be the Cup game he''ll miss? Thanks Hucks, you missed a sitter against West Ham in the Cup game a year ago and now you''ve gone and messed us up before the game even starts this time! Oh well, one pointless sending off and now another needless suspension and here we are in the new year, guess that''s not too much chalk and cheese so far! Nice that the goal at Leics was down to Etuhu and McVeigh too, a little reminder to some City folk that Ashton/Hucks aren''t always the basis for goals for us. OTBC, let''s make it six wins on the trot eh?

   You make some interesting points on Hucks Rudolph, and I look forward to seeing what responses you stir up. He is indeed an infuriating one, but then who hasn''t been till recently this season of course. For me his propensity to get caught offside so often is his worst feature, you''d almost forgive him if he lacked pace but for gawd''s sake it''s stupid of him to be fractionally in the wrong place so often, his pace and speed of thought ("basically thick"? I have to differ with you  there mate!) make it big odds on that he''d waltz beyond whoever he''s got just offside of most times anyway. And we could do with more of that anyway, he does seem to be doing so more lately in keeping with the team shift upwards, but his runs and crosses had been short on the ground this season.    And talking about comments after the game, could I just point out that Dean Ashton doesn''t have to be sold anywhere? It''s now routine that every Canary Call bod starts talking about "when Ashton is sold". As far as I''m aware, the "we don''t have  to sell any players" schtick from the summer still applies, and that was before the Francis £££s were banked, and if ever there was a case of DO NOT SELL THIS CANARY WHATEVER it is re- Dean and now. Signing him was one of Worthy''s best moves, and he is precisely the "20 goals a season man" NW kept chirping about wanting to get before the Championship-winning season. It was lucky for us that his several attempted signings that didn''t happen then left the opening for Crouch/Hucks to come in, and that was of course the crucial gear shift for City two seasons ago.    Dean is the banker goalscorer yes, but he is also the best player, seasons yet to play,  upfront we''ve had since Chris Sutton, as someone else said on here recently. And selling him would be suicidally stupid, as I said on here before. I try not to repeat myself if I can help it, but in this case I will, again: suicidally stupid to sell Ashton. If the club is serious about promotion, unless he has a burning desire to leave, he has to stay.

Colin''s just being himself isn''t he, and he probably is thinking "maybe I should''ve gone to Pompey". He always has loads to say and he always feels wronged by the ref and the other side if he hasn''t won, in the same way that we all troop out of Carrow Rd or the away grounds (and my hat I never wear is resoundingly off to those of you who keep going away this season, top commitment in the face of crap team response) muttering oaths about Worthy or the players who didn''t perform, and (mostly) want the same folk to do better next time not be dumped. There''s a long way to go yet of course, but we''re looking better than we have all season, finally. Bit peeved Saf got himself booked shortly after being warned today so he ruled himself out of next game, but that''s not the instant disaster for the next game it would have felt a while back. The  team is happening at last, and I wouldn''t mind at all if Rossi Jarvis gets the chance to make a start against Burnley. Burnley at home, remember last time? Crouch and Hucks first game for us, ah yes, the beginning of better times and a cohesive, effective side, which is where we seem to be now (infuriating inability to not concede a goal first aside)........

Indeed Big A, indeed. Same manager, same players more or less, much different outcomes. Well done for belatedly extracting digits chaps, and keep ''em there now for gawd''s sake!

   You could hardly have been more friendly in your comments Mook, so well done for that. No, Leon isn''t our ''2nd best striker'' as far as I''m concerned, Hendo might be if he ever got enough chances to play upfront properly (and without the instant derision from some City fans), Jarvis might be the closest to Dean if he too ever got free of injuries and/or chances too, and it''s one big plus of recent times that Squiz has both got a chance and done well, I rather like the idea of plenty of him on field from here on, he was surely the best forward we had in the not-quite-there season between Cardiff and Champions.    As for Leon and offside, well I think that brickbat belongs much more in Hucks'' direction. Hucks has the skill beyond Leon  and he sure has the speed, and so his propensity to always get caught offside far too often is deeply irritating. I wouldn''t say Leon goes headless chickenesque in his running, his eternal and indefatigible running is a boost to the spirits at the very least - of us off the pitch and surely to the other Canaries on it? - and does reap rewards sometimes. And in this season (till last few games), his absence and unstinting effort has looked glaringly absent set against a team almost full of no guts no shows several times, certainly once we''ve conceded the obligatory early goal.    His close control is, yes, his weakest point, and he may never get to be as good as Dean and a few others, but hell he came over well enough in some of last season''s games, not least scoring against Chelski and in the optimism-resurging win over Manchester Utd.    A fit Leon for the rest of this season I''d say will be a vital factor, and he''ll surely pop up with a keep-running effort somewhere or other that helps just shade a game for us a time or two. Starting on Boxing Day?

   Ok ridgeman, looking at most of last season and all of this one so far with a broad green and yellow brush I agree, we have been a fair bit less than we might have been. But hey, we won yesterday, Ash ended his 10 game drought in fine style, and personally I gotta say I''m well chuffed we won at all after the now traditional go behind almost as soon as kick off start to the game. And given that Flem was playing, pleasantly surprised. Cynical me felt less than hopeful with the unzippy Flem coming in for the vacated Davenport place, and for some reason my abiding memory from the Sheff Wed game (there weren''t many competing ones in that sorry performance) is early on when they played a routine forward ball and there was Flem already trailing the pesky rotund object not to mention the Sheff Wed bod by a distance. Of course I was bamboozled at why Flem was playing at right back to begin with but there we go.    So while this time we haven''t exactly gone top of the league at Pratman Road in our last  pre-xmas game, I reckon things are looking as promising as, no cancel that, better than they''ve looked since before the season started. Dean scoring goals, three goals for City in a single game!, Leon back, Squiz in form.......OTBC, and off we go to Sheff Utd to make it three wins out of three - of course I''m not joking, why not win up there?