Reggie Strayshun

It''s always nice, not to mention easier for the maths, to look at round figures, and today it''s fairly easy to do.Since the start of December we''ve played 10 games, with 30 pts on offer. And we''ve taken 20 of those points, so exactly 2 per game.With the way the fixtures are now piling up, the next ten games will only take us to the end of March. If we take a similar 20 point haul during those games, surely we''ll be nailed on for the play-offs, but what extra haul would we need to be seriously in the running for a top 2 place ?

[quote user="Branston Pickle"]and the £££ involved seems to mean there''s only ever going to be a handful of sides ever capable of winning the title: it was far better as a competitive spectacle in the old days.[/quote]Well, that''s true, but isn''t that the case in other countries and other sports ? as an example, is there anyone in Spain going to win la Liga other than Barça, or the Madrid 2 ? Is anyone going to win tennis big titles other than Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, Wawrinka or maybe Murray ?Of course money comes into it, but was not that always the case, particularly in professional sport ? It''s just that the names have changed . In the early 80''s Nottm Forest were one of the big money teams . Don''t forget that it was they who paid the first £1m transfer , and not ManYoo, Liverpool, let alone Chelsea or Man Citeh.My only beef with average players getting top wages is only the same as  my beef with top price hotels that only give a mediocre service, and expensive clothes that do not last any better than moderately priced ones. I guess the only problem these days is that what we, as fans pay is only a tiny proportion of the cash that''s swilling around football, compared to a few years ago, so we have less and less say as to what goes on.

Completely impossible question to answer. It''s like asking  ''was music better in the 60''s /70''s or now ''?All you can say is that it''s different. Fitness levels are much higher than then.  Defences are better organised (though you might not have believed that if you were a NCFC fan at the City Ground on Nov 8th !).Players are certainly better rewarded. I''ve never had any problem with the top players getting megabucks. It happens in any profession. Where I''m a bit peeved is when average journeymen players from the lower reaches of the PL downwards are paid huge sums for doing an average job.

[quote user="chicken"]To be fair, up until the Brum game last week, I had looked at the stats and when you considered starts rather than substitute appearances, Grabban actually only had a handful more than Hooper. No more than five, and at that point a goal more.So it''s very easy to say he hadn''t scored in the last 16/17, but how many did he start or play more than say 20mins - very few I would guess.[/quote]Precisely the point I was making in the early part of this thread.You cannot score if you are not playing !

If this is a ''conundrum'' then it''s a nice conundrum to have. It''s the same sort of conundrum that Mourinho has when he has to decide whether he plays Oscar, Remy, Drogba,Cuadrado or Hazard. Or Pellegrini has whether he plays Negredo/Silva or has to make do with Dzeko, Jovetic and Aguero.The more options we have the better. I thought Grabban was superb yesterday, and would have no problem if he starts at the Valley. If Jerome is not 100% fit, then it makes no sense at all pitching him in  if we don''t have to. He will  be needed a lot between now and May.

Whilst I don''t agree with the guy on Canarycall last night who said it was a cr@p performance because we did not beat a poor Blackpool side 10-0, I suppose we do have to reserve judgement. That said, in the short time we saw TA, albeit against limited opposition he looked neat and tidy on the ball, quick to spot a pass and not afraid to have pop.Grabban had an excellent game, in my opinion. The only thing lacking was a goal, and if he keeps that level of performance up, they will comeI''m kind of assuming that both Charlton and Wolves will provide a sterner test for the defence, and let''s hope that Bassong''s injury is not as bad as it looked on the pitch yesterday ?

[quote user="morty"]When was the last time Grabban scored?Yes, working hard is all well and good, but he seems to have forgotten where the onion bag is.[/quote]Well, point taken. But it would be interesting to know from those who keep tabs on stats of that sort of thing how many minutes he''s actually spent on the pitch in the past couple of months.Like I say, he can''t score if he''s not playing !

[quote user="morty"][quote user="Reggie Strayshun"][quote user="morty"]Nah, sorry, for me Hooper is fine as a lone striker, Grabban''s lack of goals surely must be a concern?[/quote]Well, he''s certainly not going to put that to rights if he''s not playing......[/quote]Well, durrrrrr....[/quote]The thing is, that what all this conjecture proves is that, to a certain extent, we have an embarrassment of riches in the striking dept. It''s further back where we can be a touch threadbare. That was what was encouraging about last week. It showed that we have the ability to say solid for 90 mins and not give effin'' stupid goals away.

[quote user="morty"]Nah, sorry, for me Hooper is fine as a lone striker, Grabban''s lack of goals surely must be a concern?[/quote]Well, he''s certainly not going to put that to rights if he''s not playing......

[quote user="morty"]If Cameron Jerome doesn''t make it today I wonder if we will see Andreu feature just behind a lone striker of Hooper?[/quote]Doubt if he will start, but whatever the scenario, I''d expect him to feature. If we are struggling AN will presumably bring him on to freshen things up. And if it''s a stroll in the park, he''ll do so to give him a run out in time for Charlton on Tues.

[quote user="Daz Sparks"]Rich, I don''t honestly see that winning could damage morale. Maybe you could argue that 4-0 would boost morale more than 1-0, but any win is a boost.[/quote]Hmm...... around Christmas time we had back to back 5-0 and 6-1 wins, but that did not exactly boost morale did it ? Within days, we''d been outclassed at Reading , been turfed out of the cup at Preston and Adams had gone.So, Daz, I''d agree with your second point. We''ve got to the point this season where only wins will do. AN alludes to that in the press this morning. Really do not care how they are achieved, so long as 3 pts is the outcome, whether it''s Blackpool or Derby (or even Ipswich !!)

Hard work, narrow (1-0 or 2-1) win  , but that will do for me.

[quote user="lake district canary"]Its a song Reggy - and all the original innuendo has been removed, in case you hadn''t noticed.  [/quote]Not taking your own advice then Lakey ?? Just calm down. My comment was light hearted (in case you hadn''t noticed ).That said, can anyone ever hear any version of that tune without at least imagining Holly Johnson and the lads prancing about in a very camp manner ?!

Just in case there has not been enough homosexual innuendo on the site over the last few hours, old Lakey decides to weigh in with his rendition of Frankie goes to Hollywood''s homoerotic 1980''s classic......

Clearly we have not seen Monsieur Andreu kick a ball in anger for us yet, but, if the article this morning from AN is anything to go by, he looks likely to be a fine addition to the squad.Neil makes great play on his versatility. Whilst I''m perfectly happy to accept that players have a favoured position , I''ve never bought into the idea that they, at professional level, should be limited to one role . In the same way that I''ve never really understood that bowlers in cricket do not need to be able to bat or score runs (though that concept is changing these days). Whittaker''s performance v Brentford shows what happens if modern players do not have a good deal of versatility to them.AN implies that Andreu is comfortable in a number of roles and a number of tactical scenarios . Obviously that claim will be put to the test over the next few weeks, but for now it augurs well that an Alex Neil player must be able to play well in a number of positions.

[quote user="lake district canary"]Lets start again. "Alex Neil has only just arrived.  His assistant has only just arrived.  Andrue has only just arrived. Forget all that''s past and concentrate on the future - and give them all a chance to settle to the new job.   So if you are worried/concerned/frustrated or any other emotion, just remember they need time to instil their way of doing things, so put aside your own feelings about the past - for the sake of the club and its evolution." Now if the trolls would leave the thread alone we might get a few more genuine reactions about the post, not the poster.  [/quote]Agree with you about the personal stuff, Lakey, though I suppose it''s only to be expected from the individuals concerned.But, doesn''t the fact that the thread''s been running for well over an hour now, and you''ve not had one single ''genuine reaction'' tell you something about its value ?

There have already been far too many column inches wasted on this imbecile already.Let''s not have more.The only pity is that we have to wait till Apr 14th before Jerome can put him in his place.

I''m not entirely clear as to why you''ve felt the need to start a thread of this nature, Lakey?I suggest that the majority of posters will be of the same mindset as you are suggesting, and therefore do not really need to be told by you.There will be a tiny minority who, for whatever reason, will have written the Neil régime off already. And do you, in your wildest dreams, think that they are going to listen to you, still less care about what you have to say ?Total waste of time.

Apart from the petty bickering from the usual suspects, this is quite a thought provoking thread.And it got me wondering: about eighteen months ago there were a succession of threads on here which, in a nutshell , were debating which was better.......several seasons of mid-table mediocrity in the Premier League, and all the static tedium that would entail, OR  involved in the excitement of a yearly (or so) top of the table scrap in the Championship ? Both scenarios had their devotees.It would be quite interesting, particularly on the back of this thread, to re-run those threads from 2013 and see whether each set of devotees have changed their minds, or are still of a similar view, particularly as the unpalatable third option has now hoved into view......ie mid table mediocrity in the Championship.Another salutory lesson in being careful what you wish for, perhaps ?

[quote user="nutty nigel"] Are you saying you boo boys were the majority? Because you weren''t. But that doesn''t mean your booing and scapegoating of players doesnt have a negative effect because it does. The 4-4 against Boro came about because you boo boys fecked off at 1-4 instead of hanging around booing and scapegoating players. It was a joy to be part of and the unity was a major reason for getting that unlikely point. Perhaps if you boo boys had fecked off when we were losing to Brentford we may have won the game 3-2. After al, as the boro game showed, it was possible.[/quote]More lies and deceit from the ''king of honesty''. Just read the thread, Nige. Several times I''ve said that I, as an individual, do not boo, but can understand those who do. So to talk of ''your booing'' as such is yet another invention on your part.And, is that the best you can do to to answer my perfectly reasonable question ? One game against Middlesboro , ten years ago. And the game v Brentford  which you guess we ''may'' have won if the so called boo boys had fecked off. Hardly a ringing endorsement for your theory.Nige, no-one takes your threats re ''dishonesty '' seriously. Still less your homespun theories.Of course I accept that in an ideal world, positive support is preferable, and most of the time we all (inc myself) give it. But, when we are saddled with total no-shows such as Brentford even you cannot be surprised when things turn sour.

[quote user="Indy"]If we get 100% effort on the pitch, organised and a plan on the pitch then there''s nothing to boo....regardless of any result. Play a daft system and hoof the ball again it might then all count on the result to the reaction..[/quote]The thing is though, Indy that  the margin for error is so tight now, that the result is the main thing in the eyes of most fans. I''m condfident that AN is the sort of guy who will not tolerate any underestimation just because it''s Blackpool. But, in the end, if we win 1-0 from a late penalty or a hopeful punt upfield most fans will go away happy. On the other hand if we play them off the park but only draw (or God forbid concede a sloppy goal) there''ll be hell to pay.

[quote user="morty"].Don''t let the grey hair and slow shuffling movements fool you.[/quote]Didn''t think you were that old, Morty.You must ''ve had a hard life......?

[quote user="ricardo"]Very few are admitted to the "Inner Circle"[;)][/quote]I know, Rick.And I''m quite devastated that the envelope containing my membership card never seems to drop onto the doormat at Reggie Towers.

[quote user="TCCANARY"][quote user="Reggie Strayshun"][quote user="TCCANARY"] What about The Carrow Road Society of Justice?     [/quote]If the name of the ground is to be featured then I thinkCarrow Road Association of Pedantswould be more appropriate myself.[/quote]   All your ideas are cr@p.           [/quote]Well, that may, or may not be the case, TCC? Not for me (or you )to say.Just think my suggestion has a snappier, more memorable and appropriate title than your TCRSJ.Don''t you ?

[quote user="nutty nigel"]Did I say there was a mass of clapping and support during the boo boys performance or did I say there was a mixed reaction?[/quote]These were your exact words Nige:There were at least as many, probably more, supporters who showed their appreciation to Hooper and encouragement to Hoolahan as there were you boo boys booing the new managers decision. There were also at least as many, if not more, supporters who showed thgeir apprecioation of Whittakers efforts out of position and encouragements to Grabban replacing him as there were you boo boys jeering.So, as you can see , a little more than just a ''mixed reaction''.You were complaining about the level of booing, so, by tour definition above the opposite must have been pretty ''mass''.You''ve been asked where this took place, but, needless to say, never answered. Just like the other unanswered and non-proved allegations.And to think, you accuse me, Indy, and even Ricky of twisting and being dishonest .......