ZiggyPiggy

[quote user="whistleblower"][quote user="Joanna Grey"][quote user="whistleblower"] 2) "Pennies" - again you misguidedly link premiership survival to progress in the Carling Cup - if the first teamers arent playing how can it be a distraction to them or impact them in any way. Any additional revenue is useful - the 13,000 last nite probably pulled in close to £100k, not an inconsequential sum.Its not 100k versus the premiership payment its 100k on top of that payment and this is in no way threatened by Carling Cup success [/quote] First teamers? Just who are our first eleven? PL has said (and this was telegraphed by the purchase of ''team'' players) that all of the Squad will be playing this season and our first two games bear this out. I don''t know where you get the figure of £100k from but if we go with that it really is peanuts compared to the money earned depending on where you finish in the league (an extra £800k per spot?). PL is rotating the players about in a sensible fashion, we have already picked up some knocks and a suspension but if we were to have two successful cup runs, and the reserve matches on top of our bread''n''butter we could be in serious trouble. [/quote] I''ll be surprised after the first half dozen games of the season, barring injury, if the starting eleven each week is not picked from this group each week Ruddy Naughton, Barnett, Whitbread, De Laet, Ayala, Tierney Johnson, Bennett, Pilkington, Fox, Hoolahan, Crofts Holt, Morrison, Vaughan Wigan was a "thanks" to the team who got us here - Stoke saw more of the team that will feature each week with a couple of changes specifically for Stoke The following will either not make the squad or barely play Drury, Ward, Korey Smith, Russell Martin, Chris Martin, Jackson, Simon Lappin, Wilbraham, Ollie, Cody, Andrew Surman (last 3 appearances he has been diabolical), Adeyemi, Francomb, Dawkin, Ball [/quote]The Wigan team was a "Thanks" - that''s bang on.Fox was truly awful last night, worst he''s ever been, avoiding injury doesn''t mean you can''t sprint after Chadwick whe he passes you in midfield, his "assist" in the third goal was as significant as Ayala, Drury & Surman''s assists. I agress that Surs was looking like a player with none of his assets, e.g. awareness/vision/passing. I think once Ward is fit that he will be well in with a shout at CB, admittedly Ayala set up a Dons goal last night, but I''ve seen plenty in Sunday and even a couple of passages of play last night where I think with age he''ll be a sound acquisition and possibly a regular later in the season.Lambert wanted us out of the competition. That''s why there was no ranting and raving and arm-waving from the siedlines as there is in a league game when things aren''t going to plan. The problem was the players were not able to work out how to find the appropriate balance between "get minutes in your legs lads" and "still put enough of a shift in to keep them out".R. Martin would have played on Saturday I beleive until last night''s performance. Would anyone complain if all 11 players who started agaist Stoke (who are fit) are selected against Chelsea? I was immensely proud of them all to a man. I can''t remember the last time I have left two consecutive games feeling so differently.

There''s 9-10 of us planning to head to Bolton (a), and considering getting a minibus rather than doing it in 2/3 cars.Can anyone recommend a company in Norwich for minibus hire based on a decent price or being able to pick up at 8am on the Saturday so you avoid having to pay Friday, Sat and Sunday for it? Cheers.

[quote user="Nexus_Canary"][quote user="Gingerpele"]Chris Martin won''t be playing upfront. He is (i thought clearly) being primed to play in the Hoolahan role, like he did today. And your points about Parma, well some of them are valid, but aren''t they behind in fitness? Which was our main excuse for not winning against Palace etc. (Oh and that world cup winner, played 3 games out of 7 isn''t it, scoring an own goal, and i believe has not been capped in competitive internationals since...[/quote]LOL, we have both been banging on about this for about half a season GP.Again, we both thought it obvious then so pretty sure its going to happen at some point. I think Wes might well be discovered for the one trick pony he is, especailly against Prem defences, so perhapsMartin will be a more viable / unknown option. Still think Martin has the best link up play at the club !Everyone knows the likes of Wigan , Stoke ( or teams we can sneak 3 - 6 points from ) will know exactly who Wes is and what his strengths. weakness are ![/quote] What????? Wes is a One trick pony? Presumably you think De Laet is going to get caught out with his carthorse pace? And Holt will be too short to win any headers? And Fox''s inability to hit a pass more than 5 yards will be an issue?

Just seen Michael Bailey say this on twitter- did think it odd that vaughany had gone so quiet himself, normally a few tweets a day. I think the first time we''ll see any real 1st choice combos will be the two home friendlies. This news doesn''t change my current prediction of "just scraping 17th".

The "commentators" said that Speroni had delivered a "masterclass" on about 86 minutes, and then at the full time whistle said he had nothing to do and we were shot shy!!! make up your mind. Will be interesting to see what those that travelled down there thought and if we were in pre-season stroll mode. Hope so, based on how worried they sounded about their upcoming season. Makes you appreciate how lucky we are to have Gorum + A.N.Other.

Yes Mervy, it''s been wind up statement after wind up statement. Bitter. I was at Selhurst last year though and this game sounds as awful as that one was.

[quote user="Twitchy"]Any link to that audio folks?[/quote] Go to Wrath of the Barclay, it''s easy to find.

It''s a real wind up listening to these two bumbling fools. They''re looking forward to Morison justifying that "HUGE" transfer fee. Getting the players names wrong and saying "not a player I know anything about". ''Adeyarni''. I think I''m going to have to turn this off. Though I really want us to score and hear how they manage to talk it down.

It''s not going to happen. Don''t waste your time on worrying about it mate. Doesn''t fit the Lambert mould, would think that (ridiculously) his wages wouldn''t match the structure either, this is one of those that I would be happy to gamble a large amount of money on not coming off.He did win player of the season at Wigan once though I think... [;)]

Whitbread over Ward? Wow. If you could give me a shout next time Zak wins a header that would be super, cheers.

I just hope that he proves me wrong. Same as I did with Anthony Mac. It hasn''t happened with the latter but I can see that if he works on heading and strength then he may well be a very decent back up to ward and barnett.

I rated him highly after his first spell but agree on Saturday he was woeful, lots of misplaced passes and shirked a lot of challenges. Was one of the key reasons we failed to win so many second balls, which is traditionally why we''re so effective on the road at imposing our games on the home team. I can se past one performance though, and am sure that his great form will return after a bit more time back training the Lambert way.

I was at the game on Saturday. Whitbread didn''t win a single header that I saw and had to be bailed out by Barnett a couple of times. I will still give him time to get match fit, and he can''t be as bad in the air as he has been so far in a City shirt surely, but "imperious" as the OP said? Deary me. Couldn''t disagree more.

[quote user="Yorkshire Canary"]Something is going on beneath the surface as Lambert could have killed the story stone dead in one sentence. This does not mean he will jump ship for Burnley he may bully the board into giving him better terms or more cash to spend. He could of course be flagging up he would be interested if a bigger club came along. Should the worse happen then it would be a massive blow but there would be no shortage of top quality candidates interested ie Houghton or big sam[/quote]Big Sam???!!!!!! Top Quality??!!! That is the most ridiculous thing I''ve ever heard.

Burnley fans are realistic on their boards: http://bit.ly/fJ3H80 "-Norwich have arguably the best facilities in the Division. -They play infront of sell out crowds every home game. -He is very popular at Norwich. -Has no pressure on him to achieve promotion. I don''t think the whole wife thing comes into it, he lives near the Airport in Norwich and let''s not go down that road." If he went to Villa, Liverpool or Chelsea, would understand. West Ham POSSIBLY if they told him he''d get millions of their money to spend in January to keep them up. But Burnley. No. Not a chance.I hope that he''s just staying out of it by leaving it to the club''s statement and rising above it and not giving them the credit of even suggesting he''d consider moving down to a smaller club in a worse position with lower attendances with worse facilities in a horrible part of the country.IF the unthinkable did happen and he quit in order to pursue the job, he would deserve the judas tag and I for one would be front of the queue for the February 5th game to give him hell.