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WE WERE THE 6TH HIGHEST GOALSCORERS IN THE LEAGUE!!!!!Out of the strikers who played a part in that we lost a 1 goal contribution, Crofts didn''t score last season either. We''ve added to 2 goal scoring midfielders in Snodgrass and Butterfield.Honestly people. Some of you really are ridiculous.

LOLZ @ everyone on here moaning at the fact Wilbraham & Vaughan have left. How many goals did they score for us last season? ONE, that''s all.Quit being such a bunch of little bitchy drama queens. I hardly think our striking options have been severely weakened.

Carroll is a class player IMO. People forget how good he was at Newcastle, he rarely loses in the air to players, he, for a man his size, is actually a decent player on the ball and is better than any striker we have on our books (including Holt).   Yes, he''s not lived up to expectations at Liverpool but the end of last season he was showing that he''d started to settle and gave John Terry a torrid time twice in 4 days, played well for England this summer too. His problem is that to be truely effective he does need teams to play a certain way (and I don''t mean just pump it forward from the defence) the way we played last year would suit big Andy well IMO.   That said, I don''t see this move happening any time soon due to financial restraints, demands and I think he knows that he could probably get a move back to Newcastle and play european football.

Haha... this is the 4th season running now we''ve had this thread about Holty, every year he proves the OP & doubters wrong.   I really don''t understand some "fans"... they turn on players, the manager and the club at the slightest thing, last week it was Hughton getting the blame, this week it''s Holty. I''m tempted to do a Pink''un sweepstake every week as to which player will be the latest for fans to abuse. I''m gonna go with Pilks being next weeks, then Howson the week after!   As mentioned, it was good off the ball work by Holt which freed up space for Simeon for the goal on Saturday, and he had IMO a solid game. Cut the man some slack, some people will always slate him now because of this summers events, even if he scores 30 goals this season.    

Guidetti IMO would be the best signing this club has made in a long time. What a talent.

I like this signing. The lad was top notch and was a regularly member of the Spurs side that qualified for the CL, it was only the arrival of Gallas that dropped him down the pecking order a bit. Think he''ll be a good addition to our Backline.If we can bring in a decent striker and DM i''ll be pleased.

I don''t agree with that. A lot of people thought Jelavic would struggle at Everton but he''s been a success. I like Hooper, would like to see him here personally. Not sure he''s worth £8 mil though.

Unfortunatly we have a minority of fans who just love to moan, every month a different player seems to get targeted.

Sorry, wasn''t aiming my posts at yourself fella! Was backhandedly agreeing with you haha.

Would be a good signing but not at the expense of losing James Vaughan.

Fair point... and going off the fact Ruddy is probably going to make his England debut this week i''d suggest the moaning fans here bare that comparison in mind!

I don''t know why Hughton''s been doubted so much, he did excellently at Newcastle before getting sacked for no apparent reason. Getting Brum into last seasons play-offs was nothing short of a minor miracle with the constraints and embargo he had to work with in.   I have every faith he''ll do a solid job with us, as i''ve said previously i''ll be stunned if we finish as high as last season but I don''t see us getting relegated under him either. 

[quote user="jas the barclay king"]Why would a team who comfortably avoided relegation, held on to its best players and added to the squad suddenly be terrible? People haven''t accepted Hughton.... That''s why isn''t it?[/quote]   Agree Jas. We''ve only let go bit part players. Naughton the regular first team players are all still here and have had 4 good additions in Snodgrass, Turner, Whittaker and Butterfield. We, fingers crossed, have a fit James Vaughan who''s like a new signing. Hughton has in pre-season relatively improved us defensively which was last seasons weakest point. Our GK is about to win his 1st England cap in two days time. We''ve beaten and drawn with 2 sides who won their respective divisions last year and will be playing Champions League football. Yes I know people are frustrated at the lack of goals, however, we were 6th highest scorers in the league last year with by and large the same group of players, they haven''t suddenly forgotten where the back of the net is, the pre-season focus from Hughton has been to add some defensive solidarity to go with that.

[quote user="Brucie"] As a player pre-season serves one purpose and one purpose only, to ensure you are fit. Your priority is to ensure that you get through it unscathed and 100% fit and available for the first game of the season. No player in the squad has yet played at full tilt or pushed themselves in terms of commitment. Passing judgement based on a few friendlies where players are actively encouraged to "be sensible" is a waste of time so save your breath. Expect to see a more energetic, dynamic and ambitious performance on Saturday. I for one cannot wait. [/quote]   This!I''m not worried in the slightest about pre-season performances and results, as long as everyone is 100% match fit for the big KO it''s been a success.

When fit and healthy the bloke''s a goal machine, the problem is how often is he now fit and healthy?

I don''t think Hughton''s done anything wrong thus far. Whittaker, Turner, Butterfield and Snodgrass are all good additions to what is a solid squad. We''ve not spent the earth but the truth is we didn''t need to IMO, one of our biggest strengths over the past couple seasons has been the team spirit and togetherness of the team. They work their socks off for us and one another. Hughton would have been foolish to disrupt that, he''s more than aware Lambert has left him with some very good foundations on which to build.I really don''t know what some fans expect at times? We''ve signed some highly rated players this summer. Butterfield by all accounts could have joined sides bigger than ourselves, Snodgrass wasn''t short of suitors and I doubt Whittaker was short of options (how often do you get to pick up and international defender with plenty of Champions League experience for nothing?) So we''ve brought in quality and still have some cash left. People forget Hughton doesn''t know this squad like Lambert did, he''s going to need time to get to know it, learn it''s strengths and weaknesses. In all honesty I''d have been more concerned if he''d spent £12 million pound on 2/3 players within a couple weeks of his arrival.Don''t get me wrong, I personally don''t see us finishing as high up the table as last season. We''re in for a long hard slog to retain our Premiership status and we might all be very nervous going into the final games of the season but this squad showed last season they''re up for a fight and are capable of keeping us at this level.I know I can''t wait to get down to Carrow Road and support MY team every step of the way.OTBC

[quote user="Beauseant"][quote user="Scooby"][quote user="pete"]CH stated JV not going on loan, however I expect us to start 4-5-1 agaqinst Fulham with Holty ploughing lone furrow maybe even Moro with two upfront for last 20 minutes or so if kept tight.  A clean sheet away from home first game of season will do much for morale.[/quote] What? More than a 4-3 win?[*-)] [/quote]   I don''t really understand the obsession with clean sheets. As Scooby implies,winning is more important. Clean sheets become more of an issue when you''re struggling to score, which I don''t anticiapte as too much of a problem this season when you look at the added firepower provided by Vaughan, Snodgrass and Butterfield. That said, I think that last night showed that we may well see a much more disciplined defensive system this season which should bring down the goals conceded, although, like many, I''d still like to see more fullback options and fully expect at least one new signing in those areas.   [/quote]   Quoted for truth

Wow... certainly a few over-reactions to last night from people on here. Ajax were very unlucky not to eliminate Man U from the Europa League last season, completely outplayed them in one of the legs.   They''re taught and coached in a much better, more technical manner than the best clubs this country operate let alone us. We defended resoloutley and got a draw.   It''s going to be a much more difficult season for us compared to last season don''t get me wrong but I wouldn''t write the lads off just yet.

I don''t want him to and neither do I think Vaughan will go.   Don''t see it myself unless it''s as a makeweight in a deal that bumps him down the pecking order.

[quote user="ricardo"]Statto ratings put us 14th which I consider about right.Even without yellow and green glasses I can''t see many punters taking 6-4 for relegation.WBA at 9-2 and Stoke at 7-1 look better value to me.[/quote]Quoted for truth!

Just me. Dad doesn''t like Football, One Grandfather is an Ipswich fan the other was an Arsenal fan.

Joined. Feel a tad guilty as I''ve not put any City players in my team though.

Arsenal - Thomas VermealenAston Villa - Stephen Ireland Chelsea - Merieles Everton - Timmy Cahill Fulham - Dempsey Liverpool - Borini Man City - Kompany Man Utd - KagawaNewcastle - Cabaye Norwich - HoolahanQPR - Derry Reading - Le Fondre Southampton - Lallana Stoke - ShawcrossSunderland - Mclean Swansea - Joe Allen Tottenham - Kyle WalkerWest Brom - Morrison West Ham - Mark Noble Wigan - Figueroa (sp?)

... doing nothing for our county''s reputation there ;)Rosie Huntington-Whiteley for me though!

Ah, my apologies. Thought someone meant he was on 30K p/w now