birchfest

Some say I'm a dreamer, and I'm not the only one...

You know what, I’m call this out for what it is; a really nasty, sneery way to try and insinuate something that is quite clearly not the case. I can see what you are not so subtly trying to suggest and it’s disgraceful. I don’t have any involvement with the along came Norwich guys, but I certainly respect and appreciate what they’ve done and keep trying to do. As opposed to others, who by jealous or just not being a pleasant person, see it fit to try and cause trouble. Pathetic

I shared this once upon a time, used the mirror effect to make the city stand the same as the south stand… not bad, would look quite the stadium!

A lot of people seem to be missing the OP's point; 'Would it have been better to use 5 million to add to the striker budget?'

Season long loan and then his contract is up. Pretty sure he hates us too so Im not sure you've got much of a plan there.

Every signing is a gamble and it can take players time to settle, you need only look at Buendia and how the jury is still out on him with many villa fans, despite us all know his quality. What I have found confusing is the logic behind some of the signings and how they match with the statements made by Webber at the start of last summer. He said something along the lines of wanting to have a small group with a higher quality of player within it, and that we need judge his transfer dealings at the end of the window as to if our 11 is stronger than the previous. I hate to say it, but I would take last years 11 over this years, and that includes Skipp over Normann and Buendia over rashica, though those are currently the two who look capable off making an impact. What I'm really struggling with is the considerable amount we've spent on what now appears to be players for the future in Tzolis and in a way Sargent, and also on PLM who appears to be a very Rupp style signing of having experience but not being better than anything we had at the club. Why have we spent close to 18 million on two players who don't seem ready for the top flight yet? We don't have that sort of luxury to hope they come good, it will be a wasted opportunity. Why have we got in a player who honest I think isn't much of an upgrade on what we have nor significantly better than Vrancic was at this level? And why oh why are we into a 4th season with Pukki and no realistic alternative as back up? Why have we started this season with a young lad who was expensive and has a poor scoring record and a youth player who hasn't played a full season of professional football?

All the sweeter if we can do what it takes to stay up. We don’t need anyone else backing us, just the players and the fans… I honestly think we can do it

Jed Steer, shame really that he left Norwich for Villa.. things might have worked out differently and he would be our first choice now.

A reputation within the club, the people that matter. He was/is highly thought of and it doesn't take much digging to find quotes to back it up. His reputation is meant to be the next big thing from the academy.. but so far it hasn't worked out like that.

No chance, I think even if there was a will (which I doubt there is from both parties) he is locked into a season long loan and then a free agent in the summer.

Indeed, I'm just thinking back to an 'Ashton' or a 'Holt'... perhaps a continental version, where someone who is unproven at top flight but tearing it up and in good form from a lower or lesser league. Surely for 8-10 million we could tempt one here, especially if we found a club who could desperately need that sort of money after covid.

Having a little look at some of the other threads concerning our overall transfer business, I can see many are holding reservations over players in certain positions who arrived in the summer, Rashica and Normann being the two so far that seem to have shown they are Premier league quality here and now. A few touched on the point I wish to get to, but I personally think it perhaps deserves a thread of its own, that being the lack of an heir apparent for Temmu. Watching on Tuesday night, what struck me most after Pukki's goal was once again that fear of what would befall us should he be injured. Sargent works hard and Idah has a reputation.. yet so far neither has done anything to suggest they would be able to fill the huge void and responsibilities of Pukki, if the worst was to happen. The frustrating for me though is that this is now effectively the fourth season we find ourselves in this position, we've tried Drmic, Hugill, Srbenny, Idah and now Sargent (with only Rhodes looking a strong alternative) and all so far haven't looked anywhere close to dislodging him or providing an effective understudy. It of course is such a difficulty position to fill without the ability to drop 20-30 million, yet at the same time we have the looming threat of what would happen if Pukki dropped out of the side through injury, we saw what happened in the second half of our last top flight season. I'm hoping that if we are still in the mix in January, any and all remaining funds might be diverted to the pursuit of someone else who can truly share the burden and be a threat from the bench. I know it would still likely be in the form of a bit of a punt on someone, but surely there has to be someone out there who's main strength is just banging them in, ugly and all.. I feel we have enough willing runners and workers, we need a poacher and someone who could be a viable threat from the bench, something I still feel Idah hasn't managed to become (though I dare say not having a loan hasn't helped him in this).

Whilst I wouldn't want to make an assumption of a time frame for either... ahem... issue, Ricardo, I think much depends on where we are next season. We saw the impact that loosing match day revenue during covid had, which goes to show as a club we rely heavily on it, along with the additional commercial income we create at Carrow road, both on and off match days. I'd hedge a bet that if we were to stay up and come next december be in a health position those plans would be accelerated. Especially if we were able to get another big money departure to cover a little bit of the cost, no doubt a bond scheme would also be used after the success of the training ground to help keep any potential bank loans to a minimum.

I think its been documented that he has a keen interest in F1 (something that has influenced how he does things with regards to high standards about Colney) as well as a personal mission to climb Everest for charity. Those would be the two things I could see him potentially leaving us for; a Charity mission or a position within an F1 team as some form of culture director etc. He hasn't gotten everything right, but on our budget who in football could? More hits than misses and frankly at this time a bit of stability is exactly what we need. He proves himself to our benefit, lets keep our fingers crossed for success.

Fairly sure that stat about Sargent is wrong.. I think we all know he's had one shot on target, just a shame it was rolling at the speed of an OAP in a micra on the way to mecca bingo tuesdays..

This has got 1-1 written all over it, they are a funny side at the moment.. every time they threaten going on a run they then snatch a draw or defeat from the jaws of victory. A playoff spot isn't beyond them, but I could see them lurking around 8-10th for most of the season, always on the cusp but just never getting going. A fourth season... I love it, largely as I remember them mocking us for celebrating winning the league in our first attempt when we went down.

Cant help but feel he might have been used by his namesake a little more before his last minute switch to Swansea. I wonder if Norwich might look to engineer a move to another side if he still hasn't had a look in for them properly by january.

The immediate issue with Cantwell needs sorting, too good to be out of the squad of a side languishing at the bottom and in need of goals and creativity. Gilmour needs to either be deemed good enough and worthy of a spot or sending back and that loan spot being used for someone else. Idah needs to be looked at and either needs to be deemed a serious threat to Pukki and worthy of 35 minutes plus in a game to impress off the bench, or if not a loan or sale. We need a decision made on who is our best option at LB and to an extent CB. We need LML and McClean to be looked at with objective eyes and decided if they are up for it. Sorenson, Tzolis and Dowell all also have a chance to force their way back into the starting/match day squad picture.

Sorry LDC, but thats ridiculous, for a starter we still have almost 2 months till the transfer window.. so thats no sale and no replacement. We just let him rot whilst the team cries out for a change in thinking and a bit of creativity. New manager is a clean slate, that means Cantwell, Gilmour, Idah, Giannoulis and Sorenson should all be looking to prove what Farke seemed to have made his mind up about.

Not enthused about this. Yes I can see some of the positives he’s done, but I’m worried that a manager who wasn’t getting the best out of a quality squad is going to struggle to do that with ours. He’s been on a losing streak and he needs to shake that as much as we have needed to as a club, starting up at a new premier club after one week seems rushed and not likely to put the odds in it working out in our favour. Also have to add my voice to the those asking, if this was decided on the Monday after Leeds, what exactly was the plan with regards a replacement if our new manager still had a job when we sacked ours. Could well be a happy coincidence, but Webber will face questions about this and have to appease a lot of restless fans who find it hard to see a step up in quality and a feeling of making it up as we went along.

How, he hasn’t come out and said anything. So far it’s all appeared to have been leaked from Lampard and Smiths end. The local press have had it nailed on, no announcement till the end of the weekend and a short list of more names than we currently know.

I think a bit like Lampard, we all need to be wary of the assured messaging it’s Smith.. the only places that seem to be insinuating that are the ones 24 hours ago talking about Frank’s Norwich. Can’t help but feel the Smiths agent is using us a foil to make others aware of his availability. Lead likely a short list of 2-3 with Dean smith hastily added to it, so to be honest we have no idea who first choice is or what is going on behind the scenes. Best just hold tight and see where we are this time next week, things will move and when they do it will likely be very quickly.

I few him as the most likely candidate to get a quick reaction in the short term, but in the long term I really have no idea how this works out. Anyway, the moment I see him with the scarf or shirt he's a yellow and I'll back him like any other Norwich player or manger. We really have to put our personal feelings about him aside and back the club now, get it rocking against Southampton and get Frank a win, then who knows what could happen.

How’s your mother’s basement these days? Do you have to bring a heater down there as the night draws in? Mum brings you a nice hot drink every now and then?

You’ve got yellow and green glasses on, I don’t think Palace are a big club, but in terms of current squad and money to play with, coupled with being in London puts them firmly ahead of us right now.