Highland Canary

2005 - January was too late and will be again.

Surman certainly did. We lack quality up front. We are over dependent on Holt. This was obvious pre season. We failed to invest. This is a failure on part of the football and/or board. January will be too late. It''s 2005 all over again. Such a pity.

Bottom 3 so we''re ahead of plan. To have a realistic chance of staying up I think we should have 6 points after the Arsenal game - so beat Liverpool Chelsea or Arsenal and we''re on track!

Standing at Newcastle station with some friendly Toon fans. They don''t think we''ll stay up, nor do I. Same old problems - not taking our chances; lack of quality up front; and no plan B from the management team. Anyone remember 2005?

As we reflect on our neighbours current difficulties keep in mind that football and supporting City has, and will continue to be, a cyclical business. Contrast where we were three years ago and today. Now if Ipswich make the right decision over their next football manager (and looking at it from a distance their CEO as well) and we pay the price this season of failing to address our striking options what might the landscape look like in another three years time? Even for me a lot of ''what ifs''!

It''s pace and quality up front we need.

Good player - still think we''ll go for CMS in January - as this seems McNally''s approach, presumably supported by the football manager, to pursue targets until we can reel them in. If Leeds takeover proceeds, their fanbase and with Warnock in charge, Leeds will soon be challenging for promotion. Another reason not to go down this season as yet another club is bankrolled by rich owners.

[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="lake district canary"]We need draws in these kind of matches. Spread the points as thinly as much as possible amongst the teams likely to be around us in the table. [/quote]This is exactly right.[/quote] No we need to beat the teams around us like QPR and West Ham. Agree anything tomorrow would be a bonus

Having ploughed through this thread, and not wishing to engage on the long-running debate about Delia''s ownership, as one of those accountancy types I think two points are of importance: 1. I tend to agree with TFAA that it was largely due to Bowkett that we managed to renegotiate the Axa loan notes due to his reputation as a successful corporate financier in the City. Thus, Bowkett provided credibility to the NCFC boards representations, business plans and forecasts they would have had to provide Axa. 2. I also tend to agree with shefcanary that the key reason ITFC seem(ed) less close to administration than NCFC notwithstanding higher debts is the alleged personal fortune of their owner to effectively underwrite the debt.

When Dave went up to the lift the Milk Cup we were there...

Super Ted and Phil - we always seemed to get lots of penalties as well!

Got to be Johnny Bond, for entertainment and for post-match interviews - ''the players they was brilliant today'' - always made me smile!

[quote user="BroadstairsR"][quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"] Martin isn''t good enough for the championship, presumably Hughton knows this too otherwise he''d have given him a chance ahead of Kane, Morison struggles to play up front with Holt ,so it''s a case of one or the other and surely you can''t think that CMS is more of a gamble than asking a 19 year old Spurs academy player to score the goals we need?.   The justification in paying that amount for CMS is the small matter of avoiding relegation. [/quote] I agree with all of that. CMS, or whoever, we might live to regret not getting that additional striker in. If Hughton prefers to bring a rookie on in a situation like last Saturday then it begs the question as to why C. Martin remains on the books. Surely that must have been a bit deflationary for the, reportedly, ever-egotistical Chris M. Let''s hope it spurs him in the right direction at last. He has talent. [/quote] £8m for Rhodes/ £4m for CMS - presumably more in January given his current form - are good value if it makes the difference between PL football with the new TV deal and the Championship. I hope January is not too late

I''ll be there again - don''t turn down the offer of the lift - and binos would certainly help. Hope we don''t go with just one up front like last time...

We don''t all see events in the same light or draw the same conclusions from such events. Hence, in a democracy competing poitical parties offer often radically different solutions to any given situation. It is therefore valid to challenge notions of progress, for example, that we are in a better state this season than last, as compared to what might arguably be termed more optimistic or faith-based perspectives, for example, our forward line is strong enough to score sufficient goals for us to be competitive in the PL. Alternatively, let''s not debate anything further and all agree that everything is, and forever will be, just perfect.

[quote user="Steady On..."][quote user="Highland Canary"]Jolly entertaining it was but it wasn''t a feasible strategy to play outscore the opposition after giving them a goal start again this season. This is especially the case against the background of Morison''s form disappearing post-Christmas, Jackson who lacks the quality to score 10+ PL goals and the loaning out of Vaughan. So some new defenders were needed but also a quality striker to support Holt. January - breaking the bank or not - will be too late (again).[/quote]   I find your lack of faith disturbing. [/quote] Don''t worry I''ll be up at Newcastle again following - and cheering - our boys in yellow. I''ll keep any less positive feelings for the board after the game - but hopefully I''ll be full of positivity!

[quote user="paul moy"][quote user="Highland Canary"]I agree with Lappinitup £4m in today''s inflated player valuations seems good value to me. CMS may cost twice that in January. It was apparent that we needed to strengthen but failed to do so. I fear we shall pay the price for our conservatism.[/quote] So in January CMS at almost 29 will go for 8 million. You''re having a laugh.   [/quote] Hold my hands up - yes a bit of an exaggeration on my part - but the direction of valuation upwards!

I agree with Lappinitup £4m in today''s inflated player valuations seems good value to me. CMS may cost twice that in January. It was apparent that we needed to strengthen but failed to do so. I fear we shall pay the price for our conservatism.

Jolly entertaining it was but it wasn''t a feasible strategy to play outscore the opposition after giving them a goal start again this season. This is especially the case against the background of Morison''s form disappearing post-Christmas, Jackson who lacks the quality to score 10+ PL goals and the loaning out of Vaughan. So some new defenders were needed but also a quality striker to support Holt. January - breaking the bank or not - will be too late (again).

I may be in the minority but don''t think Holt is playing as badly as many seem to feel. On the other hand it has seemed obvious to many of us that we were light in the striking department. It seems under Mr McNally that we seem to target players and get them eventually. One assumes CMS is one such player that we may target again in January. However, if we can''t score between now and then January will be too late - just like it was in 2005. I would have preferred us to sign fewer players - Bassong, Garrido, Bunn and Snodgrass - if that would have left funds to buy a pacy striker to play off Holt.

We needed investment as well as faith.

I don''t think they have. The point of message boards is to debate different perspectives. It would be a dull place if we all agreed. As for Holt he didn''t receive the service he might have had today. I think he remains the player most likely to score 10+ goals in the PL this season. My issue is that we needed to strenghten this department and failed to do so. We look unlikely to score sufficient goals at the moment.

[quote user="shefcanary"]Holt has paid the price for his performance last week - Morison in starting line up.   Ruddy, Drury, Morison, Whitbread, Surman, Pilkington, Fox, E. Bennett, Ward (C), Howson, Naughton   Surprised Ward has skipper''s arm band - hope it means shift in his work rate. [/quote] Hope Holt doesn''t pay the price again. Think he''s still not our best hope up front. Interesting only three of the eleven which started against Newcastle away in March  started today! Remember being disappointed after walking up all those steps last year to see Holt dropped. I hope it''s not deja vue next week. Think I might take the lift this time.

Will be untroubled by our attack.

[quote user="Ncfc"][quote user="kellybrook"]One more point than at the same stage this season, so forige me for not pressing the panic button yet.Pathetic.[/quote]But this time last season we had not already played the easiest two home games we will get all season  , far too many people still got the head stuck firmly in the sand , we are in big trouble and its as plain as the nose on most peoples faces .[/quote] Absolutely - still can''t understand why we allowed Vaughan to go. And it''s not big trouble, it''s massive trouble!