Downs left boot

Come on Gunny, lets ring a few changes against QPR on Tuesday - whether its an act of bloody minded desperation, giving some players a rest or dropping the under-performers lets see a few changes...... Lappin, Pattison & Daley in - they have waited long enough and might just go for it with a little passion Starter for ten: Marshall, Grounds, Bertrand ,Doc, Shackell, Croft, Clingan, Pattision, Lappin, Cort, Daley  

In the first half the main probem was Clingan/Russell being off the pace - Bristol were running the middle of the park and getting first to everything. Clingan was particularly disapointing because we know he can do so much better  (did a decent job at centre back though) To give him credit - when Fotheringham came on he actually put a bit of urgency into the middle of the park that helped get the team moving. Full backs really let us down. Although Drury had some good runs forward in the second half he looked really shaky when defending - I think his days as a first choice are passed. Thought Hoolihan was just there to make up the numbers in the first half - did some good stuff in the second. Marshall - 4, Semmy - 4, Drury - 5, Doc - 5, Grounds - 7. Clingan - 6, Russell - 4, Croft - 7, Hoolihan - 6,Cureton - 4, Cort - 7 - subs Fotheringham - 7, Killen - 5, Gow - 4.    

if we survive it''s not as if we can just write the season off and look forward to the next one.... cos we haven''t got a bl**dy team!

We''re not in a position to rule anyone out from getting a chance. Lappin is a better player than Easton - better distribution, sweet left foot, better defensively. Put him in the sqaud Glenn

I always thought there were three reasons to get players on loan 1) cover for an injured player 2) to either save you from the drop or give you a push on to promotion 3) Check out a possible signing..... I never thought loan players were meant to be the backbone of your team. How ever hard Roeder & Clark work with the loan players - ultimately City gets no benefit, another club does. With the youngsters the policy is contributing to catch 22 - they won''t get experience without playing. The players we have on contracts who aren''t in the team won''t we gettig any better for sitting on the sidelines. Lappin for one could become a decent player if he got his chances. It is time for a change of policy - Norwich City in the past has always thrived on picking players up from the lower leagues and developing them. The players are still out there.

Roeder has made mistakes but we can only lose from a managerial merry go round. Some stability is the best hope. Roeder needs to ditch the loans policy  - a few is fine but we can''t base a team around them.

Doc could be our Emile Heskey ?!?   maybe not

Chadwick from the bench has the ability to turn a game - he should be back with us. I cannot remember a single city player having a future at the club after going out on loan... can anyone help me here?

Holt was a good championship player - he just wasn''t good enough on the ball for the prem. Always thought if you merged him and Mulryne together you would have a really good player. I didn''t like Safri in the championship - too niggly, too many fouls, too many moans, never really rolled up his sleeves to battle. Have high hopes for Pattison

Such a tight division anything could happen - a decent run could put us in with a shout - then again if we now lost 3 on the trot........... On relegation - all the lowly clubs can pick up points - no one is safe - not even Wolves Remember 81-2 - lower mid table at the turn of the year, then I think it was 8 wins in 9 to get promotion - but we signed Deehan & O''Neill - who is available who could do that for us now?

Thought I''d anglicise Bertrand - Bernard is a good strong British name.... either that or Bernard is just a general name for nameless fringe player - could be Rossi, Eagle, Murray, whoever...

Ok every game is important but some more so than others.... League points are everything and we are at a turning point. So.. question is should we save Dion''s legs for the weekend? Dare we pick a weakened XI against Bury? Back 4 should be unchanged because with some of the goals conceded lately the more games they play as a unit the better (strange logic I know but they are the best we''ve got). What about the rest? Not that there is much to choose from, maybe the "weakened team" would have Hux and Cureton in it... Main issue is we have to look after Dion? problem is I can''t see anyone else at the club playing as a target man on Tuesday (maybe put Jarvis on stilts??) Wouldn''t be that surprised if Tuesday night was Marshall, Semmy, Camara, Shackell, Doc, Spillane, Pattison, Bernard, Hux, Cureton, Jarvis

Marshall Otsemobor     Murray    Shackell         Lappin Chadwick   Russell (cpt) Smith   Huckerby Hartson   Cureton subs: Spillane, Brellier, Croft, Strahalka, Gilks    

Russell for captain - an example of a player who will get better when given some responsibility.

Nah, I heard he is going to Boro - Southgate has got 3 games to turn it round.