Scooby

Fer being out is a HUGE loss for us, make no mistake. Without him we are up **** creek., as was evident last weekend.

I''m going to have to go with Monaco this week and a nice home win. Good luck all

"Don''t worry boys, we''ll be playing Norwich soon". Probably the the most used line by every Premier league manager who''s side can''t score or is sitting in the bottom three.

Sorry, have to agree. Hoolahan has always been a firm favourite of mine but after that! I don''t ever want to see him in a city shirt again.

Late again, sorry. Barca to win for me please. Good luck all

By the way, when I said I thought you were wrong I meant the opening statement, not the whole post, which was good :-)

[quote user="Salopian"]Arguably Hughton is improving with experience, - he was not as experienced at the Premiership level as we had expected. He now seems to have got over the "defend at all costs, and see if we can nick one on the break!" approach, and with the signing of Yobo and the return of Tettey we seem to be able to play more attacking football because the defence is more secure. If we finish mid-table, I think that would indicate moving in the right direction, and he would deserve another year and millions to spend. If, however, we miss relegation by the skin of our teeth, and especially if we go on one of his poor run of results, then I am not sure. He certainly doesn''t fill me with belief that he knows what he''s doing, even now. So I do not share the view that any survival means he should carry on. It may be exciting to have periods of poor results finally redeemed by one or two good results which get him out of gaol, but this is no way to build for the future.[/quote] You have a point, the one I was going to make, but I think you''re wrong. Everyone is on about keeping us up being a success but is that enough and is it progress. We expect the players to improve and then the team to improve, but what about the manager? Shouldn''t he improve too? Should more experience in the premier league make him a better manager? Are we not expecting his tactics, game plans, whatever you want to call it, to be better than they were last year? You think he is improving, I beg to differ. He''s not, and therefore I think we need a change whether we stay up or not.

Some people blame it on the formation, some on the tactics. Some say he''s too slow, some he''s just unlucky, some he''s too lightweight and some say it''s just a matter of time. Now I like the lad, I really do and I''d love him to score loads for us, but have you watched him, I mean really watched him? The simple fact of the matter is that the lad just can''t control a football. You think I''m kidding? Just watch the next match, watch how many times, when he receives a pass, he can actually control it and then pass to one of his own team, or even shoot. Go on, I dare ya. It''s either that or he was so embarrassed by the awful rendition of ''''Ricky, Ricky, Ricky.....'''' etc to Karma Chameleon, when he scored on his debut that he has vowed never to do it again!!

[quote user="Yellow Wall"]Before the match on Sunday I wrote:Redmond left, Snodgrass right - inverted wingers ..........RvW is on a loser before he starts, as would be Hooper. ......... I hope I am wrong. The performance of the team on Sunday was good but it must be a nightmare being a lone striker in that team.Both RvW and Hooper are strikers who benefit from balls being played into the box, especially balls pulled back from the goal line.With the inverted wingers the amount of space in the box is limited and gives the main striker little space to move into and gives the midfield little opportunity to play balls into the box.It also stops the midfield making telling runs into the box, which is the main reason for our very low number of goals scored from the midfield this season. A prime example of this was Tettey (who had a good game) whose shot from distance that went miles wide from far too far out. He had little alternative except to shoot as everything had closed up in front of him and there was no wide outlet available.RvW and/or Hooper will not score many goals in that formation and I cannot think of anybody who would.Jelavic''s goals came from good crosses into the box, something we are still short of.I thought both RvW and Hooper did well considering what was being asked of them.Sometimes players have to sacrifice their own game for the benefit of the team and on Sunday both RvW and Hooper did his. I feel that their manager would be happy with their contribution.[/quote] Yup, what he said, sort of.

Thanks LDC! Magic.

Paddon was awesome in his day, he and Peter Lorimer of the great Leeds side, but Saf''s strike against Newcastle takes some beating.

I''m going to have to go to the Prem (hate that) and Man City to win at home.

No thanks. He hasn''t done anything except win a mickey mouse league with no competition.

Bayern Munich home win for me please

''''Normal service'''' will of course be resumed on Tuesday after we are soundly beaten at West Ham. We are all aware that the lads have the stomach for a fight against the big boys. Equally we are aware that we invariably follow up such a performance by being unable to put away sides at the bottom. A point against Man City is great. Taken in the context of 1 point from 6 against City and West Ham? About par for the course and relegation form. We must follow this up with a win on Tuesday or it means nothing. Oh, and in case nobody noticed, we still can''t score goals. I am dying to be proved wrong, really I am, but reality bites and the truth hurts.

[quote user="pablofarmer"]I''d like to add Ollson to the mix, thought he was outstanding today.[/quote] This. Definitely. Probably our most consistent performer this season and should be in with a shout for the BB Trophy.

Late again, must do better. Olympiacos to win away at Veria for me please. Good luck all

I agree too. Hughton does not know what to do with the squad he has assembled. He has bought 2 quality strikers but does not know how to coach a team, with some quality midfielders, to get the ball to the strikers. The quality that our squad possesses SHOULD be able to score goals, but it doesn''t. Wherein lies the blame? I think even the most ardent Hughton fans will see the answer to that. Give this same squad to a different manager? Who knows, but I would suggest that an attack minded coach would be able to get RvW, Elmander, Hooper, Fer, Snodgrass, Becchio, Redmond and Howson to put the ball in the back of the net. Is it not a concern that the likes of Rvw, Hooper and Becchio have alway been known for banging them in for fun? Until they came here that is and played ''our way''. The parts are all good (bar one), the sum, a disaster.

The simple answer is yes. You can''t win games without scoring goals. We can''t score goals, ergo we can''t win games.

[quote user="GJP"]Nobody in our backline is defending better than Bassong at the moment. While he may not have hit the heights of last season he''s still the best we''ve got, especially while Turner is out. [/quote] That, my friend, is absolute B***sh*t! Ryan Bennett has, in general, been outstanding when given a start. Bassong has been woeful. I like the guy. Last season he was class, this season he''s completely s**t. I''ve said it before and I''ll say it again. HE SHOULD NOT BE CAPTAIN! IT IS HAVING A HUGELY DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON HIS GAME! There, enough said.

The answer is simple. Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Trevor Brooking .............

Bayern Munich home win vs Frankfurt for me please.

Man city home win vs Watford for me please.

[quote user="wcorkcanary"]Very good point Kirku, we dont want to be thinking in 2 years time '' he was good wasnt he, why didnt we support him, he''s banging them in now for athletico/ lazio/lille''. we''re ok at the moment even with a misfiring attack, we''ll be flying when it clicks for them, the return of Tettey is crucial to giving Fer a more forward role...and therefore better service for our striker/s.[/quote] Very true, and having Jonny H back would be good (never thought I''d near myself saying that).

[quote user="Gingerpele"]Seriously. Lol. Becchio did nothing. Wolfswinkle clearly is quality. I simply cannot believe anyone who understands and watches football can think otherwise.[/quote] Oh I see Ginge. So those of us that are more than twice your age and have been going to Carrow Rd before you were a twinkle in your fathers eye (polite version), know nothing about football but you, with your two seasons in the school U16''s, know everything. Not big on yourself are you? Let me know when you''re managing City won''t you, we''ll still be going when you''ve taken us to the Toys R Us Eastern League ...... Division 3.