Ernie

[quote user="grantroederdisaster"]Ayala will be out for a while because of what looked like a hamstring strain and with Whitbread previous record with injuries I''d not be surprised if hes out for a while so Barnet will be needed![/quote] But thats one of my points, I''m not convinced that he will play him even then, we shall have to wait and see I guess.  Another good point that was made is maybe we could use Barnet to get Bennet in sooner if Whitbread is indeed out for a while.

If both Whitbread and Alaya are out for a while I still cant see Lambert playing Barnet although of course I could be wrong, however I think he''s more likely to bring Ward in and switch Martin back to CB.  With Bennet coming in and Whitbread only subbed possibly just as a precaution the chances of him getting a game seem to be remote. He might feel if he cant get a game with 3 reconised CB out then with them all fit he''s probably 6th choice behind even R Martin and I wouldnt be surprised he''ll want a move, funny how things change so quickly as I remember not to long ago alot of opion had him as our best CB if not one of them.

Good draw, excellent chance to progress!

Holty is a real man, Colin is just a drag Queen na na na na Holty is a real man, Colin is just a drag Queen na na na na To be sung at the next cup game

Holty is a real man, Colin is a drag queen na na na na!

Just noticed that Ayala got booked again yesterday and I think he''s been booked in most games since he''s been back.  Is he close to getting suspended does anyone know?

Do think hes a closet drag queen with those eyebrows and shiny trousers?

Lambert now has a squad of 21/22 players at his disposal for the WBA game and without pulling individual players apart there are no real weak links, all of whom can do a job abet some slightly better than others.  Its all very positive and I think we can win this game and go on a cup run without jeopardising our league position.

I very much doubt you will see Lambert make as many team changes as my line up, but the point being we can still put out a very strong team and at the same time give some fringe players/back from injury, playing time to those he feels needs it.  We also a number of younger players out on loan as well and its been a while since we have had such strength in depth.  All good I say.

If you want to really mix it up how about!!! Steer R Martin Barnet Ward Dury Bennet Crofts Hoolahan Lappin Jackson Wilbraham Subs Tierney Vaughan Johnson Ruddy Holt Pilkington Whitbread Plus we also have Surman Fox Morison Alaya and Naughton (unavailable) With Howson still to come, looking good me thinks.

Whats up with Barnet, not played for the first team for a while not even on the bench and now he doesn''t even play for the reserves?

[quote user="The Jewish Cowboy"]I''m sure some of the more mature posters regard Keelan as the all time best keeper. [/quote] The cat without any doubt was the best Norwich City Keeper I have ever seen and by a country mile.  Woods, Green, Gunn were all excellent keepers but the only reason Keelan wasn''t Englands no 1 was a certain Shilton and Clemence.  Reeves, Mcdougal, Sutton, Drinkell, Fleck, Crook, Fox, Neighbour, Peters, Suggett, Eddie, Belleamy, Bowen,Watson, Bruce, Ryan, Sullivan, Bowyer, Phelan, Paddon to name but a few were all fantasic players in their time (and I''m sure I have missed out many others).  But given time maybe some of our current crop may be talked about in the same vein.

Having read so many posts regarding competing for player transfers only for wage their demands to be to much I for one am happy we are not going to go down that road, a road that I might add has got many a club into deep trouble.  For example if we were to sign a player on say £10,000 a week from the Championship/league 1 or even 2, thats the equivalent of £500,000 a year, is that not enough?  Now the average yearly wage in Norfolk is say £25,000 that would take you 20 years to earn that kind of money.  Now I appreciate footballers pay is driven by market forces but surely if your a young man given the chance to play and prove yourself at a higher level then it shouldnt be just about the money and if it is then we wouldnt want you here anyway, because as the club moves forward so to will your paypacket (to an extent) and if it doesn''t but your have done the business on the pitch you can always move on.  That guy, cant remember his name that went to play in the crap Russian league because he was offered something like £300,000 a week (£15,600,000 a year) as opposed to a paltry £150,000 a week (£7,800,000 a year) represents all that is wrong with not just football but bankers being paid ridiculous amounts of money for failure and the super wealthy individuals that have more money than some small countries and I just cant see how it can carry on like that.  People are getting really fed up with it and rightly so.  There are exceptions to the rule however a certain Darren Huckerby comes to mind who rejected the bigger paypackets to stay with us and I applaud him for that.  My point is I really dont think football can continue paying these crazy wages, the bubble will have to burst just like the housing market, the economy and to a degree even capitalism.  Even those stupidly rich individuals pumping their billions into clubs will end up being scourned by the general public as it will no longer be seen as acceptable, regardless of the club, Man City etc.  Anyway I''m glad Norwich are not going to be held to ranson as I believe there is alot to be said for the way we have equipped ourselfs, management, players, staff and the fans.  Rant over (by the way in my younger days I would have played for NCFC, given the chance, just for the priveledge as I am sure so to would many others!)

What a dilemma for Lambert''s team selection. Really didnt need that kind of draw.

Cheers just what we need!

[quote user="Ernie"]I must say how surprised I was at how many Premiership teams fielded such strong sides, Stoke, Swansea, Bolton, Wigan, Everton, us etc when more recently they would have fielded fringe/youth players etc.  Personally I am delighted we fielded such a strong side and are in the draw for the 4th round.  We''ve still got a week before we play WBA, we won convincinly against a good championship side and no one was injured win win all round![/quote] Oh and forgot to mention the extra dosh!

I must say how surprised I was at how many Premiership teams fielded such strong sides, Stoke, Swansea, Bolton, Wigan, Everton, us etc when more recently they would have fielded fringe/youth players etc.  Personally I am delighted we fielded such a strong side and are in the draw for the 4th round.  We''ve still got a week before we play WBA, we won convincinly against a good championship side and no one was injured win win all round!

Could be good for all parties as long as we have a recall clause.  With Martin gone and Vaughan out injured that would only leave us with Morison, Holt, Jackson and Wilbraham (dont really think he''s good enough at this level no disrepect) unless of course Lambert has already lined up a replacement!

If you want a massive shake up how about, Ruddy, R Martin, Whitbread, De Laet, Tierney, Crofts, Fox, Johnson, Pilkington, Hoolahan, Morison

My biggest concern other than whats already been mentioned ie: giving away penalties, individual mistakes etc is the lack of a real cutting edge up top, if we were creating and taking more chances as well as actually working the keeper then there wouldnt be so much debating of poor ref decisions correct though they may be.  We have only scored 3 goals, 2 were goalkeeping mistakes and the other was a header scored by a defender.  However we have played well in parts and although we have only 2 points from a possible 12 and have yet to win I wont be making any bold predications until we have played a few more games as to how I see the season turning out.

Oh dear it seems like alot clubs dont want to pay our asking price for Cody which is I believe around £500,000 to £600,000.  Well call me crazy but why is that deemed totally unrealistic to other club managers?  CMS went for £3 mil we have paid £1.5 mil and up for "unproven" strikers at prem level so how much do these clubs think hes worth £300,000 to £400,000 or even less?  He''s young, scored 25 goals last season and was Gillinghams player of the season and still had time to be out injured for a short while.  Strikers always comand a premium and I personally dont think we are being greedy, although I do hope he finds another club for his benefit and ours.

Personally with the players we have brought, the ones already here and with Lambert in charge I truely believe we will be alright this season and will surprise a number of doubters.  As regard to pre season I care not a jot about the results as many others have said as it matters not, I am of course more interested in how our new signings appear to be doing, although I will still reserve judgement on them until they have played at least a number of games in anger. 

So as I havent personally seen Morison, Bennet, Naughton or Johnson play can anybody who went tonight shed some light as to how they felt they did?  Oh and any general observations on tonights game would be nice to.  Cheers

So who went and more importantly how would you rate individual performances? 

In my humble opinion on the ball city has been ruined and I for one would love to hear the original played before the players come out and hopefully that way we could get the crowd to sing it as it should be sung, now wouldnt that be a wonderful thing.