BroadstairsR

It seems to be disappearing up its own backside, but the often predicted bursting of that bubble always seems the same distance away. While it exists, in whatever form, whether unsavoury or not, it is always worth City making it their aim to reach it, imo. The financial benefits are obvious as are the financial pitfalls. NCFC has experienced both, but as long as relegation from it seems a probability rather than a certainty existence at the top-table can be made to work even whilst avoiding the severest of such financial perils. I never minded us being labelled a yo-yo side or even the number one yo-yo side and have said before that if this status could be guaranteed for the next ten years I would be happy with it. The best of both worlds with the exhilaration and status of a promotion push from the Championship being lavished with the parachutes upon relegation. If managed correctly we may even be able to afford that new stand we so desperately need. I can't envisage any other way as things are. In the meantime we would see the crème de la crème playing at Carrow Road in front of full houses whilst having the club being recognised on the world stage. What's not to like? This stance is not one that is supportive of what exists now by any stretch of the imagination but just an attempt to find a credible way that Norwich City can benefit from it whilst being an obvious alternative to be coming mid-table Championship nonentities with the annual losses piling up. Mountaineers want to climb Everest, despite the perils, because it is there. NCFC should aspire to Premiership status, however ephemeral, because it is there despite the perils. That's my opinion. Others would disagree possibly because they are letting some hatred of the top league, the big boys and their backing and the way City have been humiliated in the past overwhelm the obvious benefits from such a financial and status enhancing experience. Little Old Norwich we won't be ... if only temporarily again.

The pertinent point about the Farke sacking for me is that I fail to see that we have appointed an improvement since that day. Dean Smith was a disaster and the jury seems permanently out on David Wagner. If we had appointed a manager capable of improving the team, it's results, and it's make up then there would be no argument. However, I feel that we would now be in a better position had we not sacked the man. Quite frankly it has been downhill ever since and I now envy Leeds fans. The reported manner of the sacking also angers me. He had clearly dug the club from out of a hole, resurrected its fortunes and served up memorable times for the support and therefore deserved far better treatment. Webber did not

Slightly premature but nevertheless it seems there are quite few who would opt for that were it possible. As we apparently have him locked for the season it is in our own interests not to be critical and wish the player well. We needed a Mbokani (I liked old Dieumerci) we got an Hwang. The former would have been perfect, the latter clearly needs time to shine Hopefully? Fingers crossed? Wishful thinking? It does seem that our team is to be primed for a blistering run-in in the second half of this season what with stalwarts coming back from significant lay-offs, players getting acclimatised and youngsters coming through. Good old Stuart, always thinking of the future. Hopefully? Fingers crossed? Wishful thinking? I advocate going ultra defensive and long ball 'til then. Forget all this slow messing around in midfield. Up and under should be the order of the day.. Get it up 'em.

Sounds feasible. Young upcoming coach who actually curtailed his (inauspicious) playing career in his mid-twenties in order to concentrate upon coaching. However, describing his role at City upon appointment in the following manner suggests that he might well have a lot still to learn when taking the last few games into account:- “My role will be analysing the opponents, find out what they are doing in attack and defence and then try to help him with the game plan to face them, to prepare the team well..... "

One way of partially mitigating this increasing anomaly is to increase the size of the league to 22 or even 24 teams, but the elite would never agree to this. Quite the opposite in fact. City suffered from the most recent reduction I recall.

I envy your clarity of thought and the sheer intellect that permits you to rise above the idiot masses.

We need a complete re-think until the Sargent/Barnes combo is back in full flow and ready for the run-in. It is a question now of grinding out results to make sure we are in there with a chance for the latter part of the season. Hopefully we can unload one or two and then strengthen in the January window. We need, imo, to go more defensive, stack the midfield, have one up-front and perhaps forget about being the league's highest scorers for the time being. The three injuries have been cruel for sure, pin pointedly cruel almost as if designed by a being who doesn't much like us and a Binner dream come true for sure, but trying to replicate the early season form with substandard replacements is naive in the extreme. Sara, our best player by some distance now needs to be utilised where he can most affect the scoreboard and that means further forward. Forshaw could become vital whilst playing to Idah's strengths such as they are seems to be the only option unless Hwang becomes anything more than the disaster that he currently is or one of the youth contingent bursts through the ranks. A complete turnaround of tactics until the New Year please Mr. Wagner. I lust hope that he does not see it differently.

Didn't Plymouth too? That's scant excuse, especially nowadays whereby it is a squad game more than ever before and more substitutes are allowed.

I just couldn't bring myself to watch the second half against Plymouth yesterday, so switched to the 1p5wich game for their second half desperately hoping to witness them drop points, if nothing else. They impressed me I am very concerned to say, but Blackburn did too. Most of all was the speed and accuracy of attack by both sides whilst the defences seemed vulnerable to this. Perhaps Norwich City with their often slow lumbering and predictable method of attack, lack of genuine metal in midfield, with Sara our best player somewhat misused and hopeless lack of depth up front are more off the pace in this league than we think. From what I saw yesterday it is not just the Binners who will finish above us this season but also Blackburn and a collection of other teams. The Rotherham performance has perhaps become the most indicative of exactly where we are now. I like David Wagner and feel that he deserves time, if not the whole forty-six games if we now repeat the end of last season's run, but I fear he might be a bit of a dinosaur in managerial terms and more Dean Smith than Kieran McKenna.

Ugh! I usually find your postings amusing, but by God you can be corny.

I agree with the O/P. Teams usually respond positively after such a headline grabbing defeat and it's a pity that this test comes in a fairly insignificant cup game. For this reason I would make even more changes than is usual for Fulham. Give even more youngsters an outing plus may be just Hwang (who seems unfit, mismatched and lost at the moment) and Forshaw for another run out and perhaps Placheta who continues to impress and, if little else, is an out-and-out tryer. Baht and young Hills (?) should be central defence and I would desperately like to see one of the few young attackers lead the forward line, but it's difficult to assess which one. I am now firmly among the growing number who do not think that Idah offers enough, despite yesterday, but needs must, and he has to be persevered with whilst every other option is explored. Perhaps even Fashnacht in the centre there for some minutes, at least he knows how to head a ball. For me the Fulham game now assumes irrelevance (except for being a test of what we have beneath the surface/ in reserve) in the grand scheme of things, whilst the Birmingham game at Carrow road is now a vital test of this squads metal, whilst indicating our wider prospects for the season. Quite frankly, if the manager includes the likes of Gunn, Gianoullis, Sara, Stacey, Duffy, McClean even for the trip it will demonstrate an unhealthy panic from an individual who has lost the plot .... a plot which is now revealed as being over reliant upon certain individuals and not really insightful planning. A performance like yesterday against the Blues and the place could get nasty with so many pent-up frustrations coming to the surface. Yesterday was that humiliating.

Ryan Hardie is the one to watch .... and not just today. He leads the 23/24 Chumps goalscoring list and seems on fire. Perhaps we could do with poaching him in Jan. Perhaps we should have done so earlier using Bali Mumba as the bait.

Fassnacht (after his last outing,) Idah (again) and Hwang (finally?) all have something to make up for /prove today. Not that confident ... have to hope! Far too adventurous for me for an away fixture and with our current resources, but perhaps the managerial team know more about Plymouth than I do.

But never actually played for them in the PL. I am slightly disappointed in this boy so far, and although it is admittedly a bit early in the day to make a proper assessment his impact has been negligible. We were never led to believe that he would be the new messiah, but we were told that he possessed similar attributes to Sargent and that he would therefore be a decent stand in. However, nothing of the sort has materialised so far. Actually this signing reminds me of that of Elmander, who had his moments but overall provided poor value for money. It seems that I am not the only one prematurely casting an eye on our youth prospects.

It's got draw written all over this for me. 1-1 or less. I think Wagner will go for one up front having lost our strike force in two fell swoops.++ Unfortunately he has little choice but to make that one Idah, but I just wonder how long the boy will last this time around before Hwang is used. If ready, I'd like to see Forshaw start as we have little choice but to defend it out in away games until after the festive season, it seems. My Fink tank today is: Plymouth win 25% Draw 50% Norwich win 25% I maybe should have edged a little towards the Pilgrims as they are the home team and have 'jack-in-the-box' Mumba, but I think I'll keep faith in our defence and a more defensive strategy being employed. ** "This term was used and probably invented by Shakespeare in Macbeth where the playwright likens the murder of Macduff's wife and children to a hawk swooping down on defenseless prey." Is that an allegory for Bali Mumba swooping down on our defence?