Old Shuck

We got through the whole of the 1988/89 season using just 18 players-47 games in total and 7 players who started at least 35 of our 38 league games. Of those 18, three of them only started 1 game! They were mighty fit and we were mighty lucky, I guess, with injuries (or not) that season. 18! You can use 14 in just one game now!

Pretty certain terms of the deal when we signed him from Coventry was that they'd get a percentage from any sell on clause we had as well as whatever cut they got from the fee when we sold him. Do wonder if Liverpool might be a little too high tempo and press press press for his game?

On and on and on they drone about their "history". Every time they do, they think it strikes home and hurts.... ...never has, never will. Now it's "...how many England managers?" ****s sake, what next? "Yebbut, yebbut....how many stars do you have on YOUR shirt?" None but we do have the Premier League badge. Which counts for a whole lot more.

That's why I want them to get him next. See what he has to say and answer the claim that he has dismissed us from his CV.

Yes, enjoyed it as well-looks like it was one of the last things Michael Bailey did for Archant before he moved to the Athletic. Sutton suggested Lee Power for a future instalment, given what he has done outside playing, that would be interesting. Who else would be worth an episode? Martin Peters for me although, sadly, he is, as I understand it, rather poorly. Andy Townsend, Tim Sherwood and Chris Woods too.

"I told you all well before the season started Norwich City were going to come a cropper because of the lack of defensive preparedness for this season at this level." Well thank **** you flagged that up because no-one else did. Fans, opposing players and managers and every pundit you could name was saying our greatest asset was our defensive strength and resolute determination not to even let an opposing player cross the halfway line, let alone have a shot on goal. It meant we would have comfortable wins in each of our opening three matches, especially after showing our ham'bition by signing Harry McGuire and the boy Busquets.

European Cup Winners Cup (much missed and a superior alternative to the UEFA Cup IMHO) was regarded as the "next best" European trophy to win back in the day. Ipswich's motely crew can bang on about winning it all they like-when they did the clubs joining them at the QF stage included 1x from Switzerland, 2x from Belgium and 1x from the Netherlands-and not Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV either. So about the equivalent to winning the old Intertoto Cup. They were lucky to have got that far, having already lost to Greek footballing giant Aris in the 1st round 3-1, and 2-0 to the mighty Bohemians of Prague in the 2nd round. They lost a couple more as well, including one of the legs in the final to AZ67. Liverpool 'only' won the European Cup that year by virtues of wins that included a 5-0 at Aberdeen (who went onto win the ECWC and had won the Scottish title with Fergie) and victories over Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. So yes, on reflection, Binners were easily 'Champions of Europe' that season.

Dave Watson.

LAWRO'S PREDICTIONS All kick-offs 15:00 BST unless stated. Norwich City 12:30 Chelsea Norwich got lucky against Newcastle last Saturday. Pukki's wild hoof at the ball in the 1st half would have gone over the stand 99 times out of 100 whilst Newcastle would have got a deserved equaliser through Joelinton's bullet like header had the goalposts at Carrow Road been in the correct position. I don't get the fuss about Pukki. He's got lucky four times this season, he won't do it again whilst the Norwich lads and their mates who make up the team under manager David Fork will struggle against Kerry Dixon's power and the pace of Pat Nevin on the wing. Norwich 0 Chelsea 3

It's maybe not the best of comparisons (OK, it isn't, but indulge me!) but the great Liverpool teams of the late 70's and early 80's were always being refreshed with new signings but they hardly, if ever, took their place in the side straight away, no matter who they were and often had to contend themselves with half a season or more in the reserves before their chance came in the 1st team. This also helped them study the players and work out the best way they could use them. Ray Kennedy was signed from Arsenal as a striker but he eventually featured for both Liverpool and England as a midfielder after his time 'settling in' in their central league side. Webber speaks of focusing on the root, not the fruit-in the case of the squad, new players are putting down roots and settling into all things Norwich before they get a 1st team chance. Roberts might, given his reputation, gone elsewhere and featured straight away. He seems happy to bide his time here but will know that, if and when it comes, he stands out, then whoever he replaces will then have to wait their turn. One of our core strengths is that we are a 25 man squad rather than a starting XI or featuring 18. Looking at Vrancic and co celebrating Pukki's goals on Saturday, that togetherness seems stronger than ever.

That HYS poster stands out amongst the many utter c0cks who post on there by very deliberataly putting in an obvious error in all of his posts so he gets downvotes. BBC HYS has more ****** postimg on it than all the other football forums put together.

Slightly OT but amused at a BBC summing up of the weekend action which had us "thumped" 4-1 by Liverpool yet Chelsea only "lost" 4-0 at Man Utd.

Better him being up front and saying he didn't fancy a move here now rather than deciding it was something he didn't want after he'd signed on the dotted line. He's cost us very little compared to what our outlay might have been if he'd come for the money and then not bothered to put much of a shift in. And we've had a few of those.

Thinking more of Xanadu by Rush than ONJ's....

I forgot Vince's posts, despite blocking him, would still sneak through if someone quoted him-so cheers, Well b back... Typical Vince cobblers mind. Must be a world record for a stuck needle on the record... 92/93 swung on that one game, the comeback and win against Arsenal on day 1. It gave the players the sort of surge of confidence and self belief that clung to them for the rest of that season. I know Liverpool is a nothing to lose fixture and if we lose but play well then yes, its room for hope, regardless. If we get battered then we have the players and coaching staff to turn the negative into a positive thing and they'll sure as hell react in the right way. But what if we were to get a point, or, miracles can happen, managed to win? What would that do for everyone? No one game will ever make a season. But it could help define one. Here's hoping...