ABC (A Basingstoke Canary)

FAO TFAA   I think you will find Sir, that I have not mentioned any posters, nor have I listed any posters, therefore, I have not been bickering with anyone.   Perhaps I should have been more specific when I asked for any names that I may have missed out - I was referring to Norwich City squad members, not the names of posters.[8-)]   But thanks for trying anyway!

It''s like half term really!   Deprive decent people of their regular fix of competitive football and they look for something to bicker about!   So far today, I''ve seen the following:   1) Cody MacDonald being jeered at for his lack of goals at Coventry (what that''s got to do with us only the afflicted know!)   2) Chris Martin being slated for his lack of goals, lack of speed and pretty much lack of everything else. The fact that the guy is 23 seems to be irrelevant - he''s over the hill (according to some). Crystal Palace, Derby, Notts Forest etc obviously haven''t a clue according to some of the pundits, who waffle on about his lack of goals in the Championship last season. (Oh dear, oh dear!)   3) Andrew Surman is cited as being a "Namby Pamby" (I ask you, with tears in my eyes!)   4) Over and above that there is also the considered opinion of some posters, that a clutch of players including; Smith, Ward, Lappin, Drury, to name but a few, should be shipped out in the January window! I do recall Paul Lambert saying that the team needed a "helping hand" - which, by implication, I''m pretty sure he meant by bringing IN some players, not shipping OUT members of the squad! (I also recall Paul Lambert saying that the WHOLE squad would be needed this season)   Any names that I''ve missed out?   Oh well, thank goodness term restarts in 5 days time[;)]

[quote user="HoltsRightFoot"]I don''t know if I should take that as Sarcasm Swindoncanary or not, but personally yes I am confident and can see us possibly coming away with 6-7 points if we play our cards right.[/quote]   I''m with HRF on this - in fact, it wouldn''t surprise me if we got 7 or 9:   Aston Villa (A) - I am confident that we will get a win - I think McLeish, and the crowd, will put too much expectation and therefore pressure on their team.   Arsenal (H) - 1st game after the international break - it may take Arsenal a game or 2 to get back to their best, so I would plump for either a disappointing draw or an unsurprising win.   QPR (H)  - With our game with them being sandwiched between Stoke away and WBA at home, I think they will consider it to be a "non-pressure" game and I fancy this being one of the best games and biggest wins for us of the season to date - especially as they already have had 11 goals put past them in away games this season.

Despite all the "expert" opinions that have been raised about our lack of Premiership quality goalscorers, isn''t it interesting that:   Norwich have scored 14 goals and are currently 7th equal (with Liverpool)   Swansea have scored 12 goals and are 14th   QPR have scored 8 goals and are 2nd bottom   Emphasises the point that PL has us operating as a team with all the players on an equal footing.

Interesting to note that several reports are now starting to filter through on NewsNow regarding PL''s comment that "We need a hand" ...... [^o)]

Without necessarily naming players, what positions do you think PL is looking for "a helping hand" with in the Jan window?   I refer to Michael Bailey''s article in the Pinkun today http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/paul_lambert_premier_league_new_boys_still_have_much_to_prove_1_1113504   Reference was made to this in the paragraph "The City board has already pledged funds for “one to three” new signings when the window reopens at the turn of the year and Lambert has acknowledge work has already begun on who to bring in"   Any advance on:   A solid "Duncan Forbes" type central defender (because we want the opposition to "think twice" before trying to get past him)   A cultured "Martin Peters" type midfielder (because we can''t put all our creative eggs in the Wes basket - although Foxy is a good playmaker, I think we need someone with that extra special "something")   A pacy "Darren Huckerby" type winger / forward? (as an additional option - especially if anything happens to Pilkington or Bennett)   Bearing in mind that these type of players would either cost a small fortune - or would need to be plucked from lower league obscurity - and I prefer the latter option.

[quote user="87canary"]Could always get the reserves for both teams together and have a game like this: [Link] [/quote]   Had to look at this a few times - I really thought the one guy falling about was Suarez - or certainly a good impersonator! [:D]

[quote user="lake district canary"]Ruddy! Can do no wrong! :))[/quote]   Be a bit of a bugger if their goalie saved it then hoofed it straight down the ground.....[:$]

Wes of course [:D]

[quote user="peter2704"]And Rose, Bates, Nelson, Stefanovic, Pattison and Cody Mac!!![/quote]   That''ll make Paul Moy happy [:D]

We also had this "6 pointer pressure" against Swansea - and the lads came through it.   I feel more comfortable this season about these so called "6 pointers" than I have for many, many, years.

When Morten Gamst Pedersen made his dismissive comments about NCFC in 2004 ("A club like Norwich would have been out of the question....."). I realised he was an idiot - no intelligent person would make disparaging comments about any prospective employer. I also found his "superior" attitude highly irritating.   Then, watching him dive in 2009 in the match against Arsenal when there wasn''t anybody within 10 yards of him, made me glad he didn''t come here. Such blatant cheating would make me ashamed to be associated with such a player - and it wasn''t even convincing, even the Italians would have been embarrassed by it!   In case you need reminding http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2574874/morten_gamst_pedersen_the_worst_dive_ever_vs_arsen/   So, MGP, you are the one player for whom I will relish looking out for when we hammer you next week!

[quote user="Chelmsford Canary"]Why do you care? I really don''t understand why people are bothered! Its all about NCFC I could give a monkeys whether they play for ROI or get called up to play second fiddle to Joe Hart. It makes no difference to our team. The less noise about our team get call ups the better. If they get more exposure, these are good chance a bigger team will come in and poach them[/quote]   Chelmsford - we care because theys have shown that they care about us - every one of them! So if they get international recognition, then we should be overjoyed for them.  

Is Wes our most successful PL Captain on the field - given the number of games he''s captained?

[quote user="Cantiaci Canary"]Ruddy''s got the best chance of the lot but will never get a game whilst Hart is available. Tierney would add the passion, freshness, bite and hunger that England desperately need but Capello won''t glance at him until he signs for bigger club. Johnson has a LOT of competition ahead of him.[/quote]   But, fortunately for England, Capello won''t be around much longer!   By which time, we will have become an established PL team and the likes of Ruddy, Pilkington, Tierney and Johnson will have proven themselves, continuously, against the biggest names in the game.   (Also, with a bit of luck, we might have a British Manager - and I say British as I wouldn''t object to Martin O''Neill becoming next England Manager)

Not only was I there, but I some how ended up in the Stretford End!   I recall remonstrating at Lou Macari for a dirty foul on Kevin Keelan - when all of a sudden the crowds parted and I found myself in an awfuly large free space, waving my green & yellow scarf (which I still have). It was at this moment that the realisation of where I was slowly dawned on me & I could feel the beads of perspiration trickle down my spine.....   My method of extricating myself from this predicament was to feign a coughing spasm, crouch down as if to draw breath, whilst simultaneously stuffing my scarf into my coat pocket, and to plunge into the sea of red and hope for the best. Keeping a low profile thereafter was only achieved through an overwhelming sense of survival, instead of my usual manic support.   It was one of my proudest moments - being a Norwich City Supporter, at Old Trafford, in the Stretford End, and still being alive to talk about it!   Furthermore, Man U were lucky to get the draw or, conversely, we were unlucky not to win - and watching Tommy Docherty''s reactions - I think he felt the same!   Finally, it was a great pleasure to watch George Best play - and not score against us!

Absolutely brilliant for the NCFC players - they want to play against the best of the best - that''s what its all about!   Furthermore, the travelling supporters also want to see the star names in action - live - against the Canaries.   I for one am delighted - anything less and I would feel cheated of a great opportunity.   ....and it would be great to watch us win against the full force of Man Utd on MOTD tomorrow [:D]

as well as:   "We''ve earned the right...."

Another thing in our favour is that we seem to have a similar upward trend to our season that we had in the last 2 seasons. On that basis, we could become "the team to beat", as we steadily rise up the table to finish in 3rd....[:D]

Pity there are 2 threads with the same title.   However, for once, I have to wholeheartedly applaud FIFA - if Jim Boyce (vice president) has his way. He is talking of supporting Man City by potentially banning Tevez from playing anywhere, if Man City want to fire him. Man City need to send them the necessary information, and if appropriate, Mr Tevez will get his wish of leaving Manchester City - but at the expense of probably never playing again. Who, in their right mind, would EVER want this person poisoning the atmosphere of their team?

Don''t think so - doesn''t seem to like to work when his boss tells him to.   Can you imagine him on the checkouts, throwing a tizzy fit if you have 6 items in the 5 items aisle....

As evidenced by Elliott Bennett''s comments in Rick Waghorn''s post: http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com/2011/09/28/premiership-team-spirit-alive-and-kicking-in-norfolk-as-bennett-keeps-his-fingers-crossed-for-his-team-mate-vaughan/   Our team''s overriding concern is for their fellow players wellbeing - demonstrating how there is a complete team ethos within the squad.   Compare that to Mr Tevez and his little spoilt brat, temper tantrum antics from the Champions League match!   How much of the hundered''s of millions that Mancini has spent on his squad would he swop for the Norwich "Team" attitude within his squad? You either have that ability or you don''t, looks like we have a manager that does!

Harry,   Got to say that your use of graphics has constantly had me in admiration! Absolutely brilliant - keep up the good work.   As for the "Sufferers" from Suffolk, I do feel for them. In my youth (and beyond my control) I spent a few months at school there (more years ago than I care to remember) with the net result being that we had to emigrate to Southern Africa for over 30 years to recover! I still have nightmares though - do I have any grounds for a claim against their local Education Authority / NHS for mental cruelty?

[quote user="YellowLittle1"]Also, it''s not technically that I doubt him, it''s mentally. I think he is mentally weak and needs to improve on that side of the game. That''s why he can show signs of indecisiveness and his commandment of his area[/quote]   Maybe his "mental weakness" is attributable to some weird sort of thought process that if he gives 100%, then the fans will support him - unfortunately, because his name is not FF, some fans will NEVER forgive him for not being FF and therefore will always knock his ability!!   All of that contributes to a person''s confidence - and if one''s confidence is shaken by people who SUPPOSEDLY support the team, but always slate the one individual - then it''s little wonder that he may be a little low on confidence and hence his perceived indecisiveness - never sure if people are going to have a pop if he makes the wrong choice.   I am sure that every current NCFC player gives 100%, 100% of the time, and the need to constantly find a whipping boy is beyond belief. Look at how PL treats every player - even those who have left - with respect and appreciation - resulting in team confidence. Why is it beyond the wit of some "supporters" to do the same?

Whatever people may say about Delia''s and MWJ''s ability to run a football club, those 2 have NEVER turned their backs on NCFC and it is obvious that everything they do for the club is with the club''s best interests at heart.   How many other club owners can genuinely fall into that category? (Maybe Dave Whelan by my reckoning)   We are where we are because of a concatenation of events which serendipitously has bought us back to the Premier League. I believe that the whole framework of the club - owners, board, management, team, fans and infrastructure is the most healthy that I have ever known it, and, as such, have no qualms whatsoever about confidently predicting a top half finish.