Dubai Mark

No doubt in my mind that with a fit Snoddy and Fer in addition to what we have now, we would already be celebrating automatic promotion......two excellent players.

The club will certainly want to be a club that can stay in the EPL for many years and without being involved in a relegation scrap each year, that stability will then give us a chance to also start taking Cup competitions seriously....and maybe pick up a trophy. The thing is, to do this....you need to spend money, not save it or think you can survive long term with a bunch of inferior players "working hard"....sure for a couple of season it is possible, but long term you must have some quality...

Thanks Ricardo sums it up nicely. For me Middlesbrough "did a job" on us and were exceptional until they got what they wanted and early goal, job done as they clearly have so much confidence in defence to hold anyone in this league...Ayala was superb. From then though, I thought whilst we gave everything we were a bit over reliant on the longer loftier ball, which played into their hands. This is one game where I would not have taken off Wes AND Dorrans as we needed guile on the pitch to try and work them out of defence and ping that elusive clever ball through.....that never happened and they just loved all the high stuff (Note to Manager....you got it wrong this time). As for the time wasting, I think we all acknowledge that we would have no problem with our side using this tactic and we have certainly done so....BUT....this was ridiculous and embarrassing with a couple of instances pushing wasting time to new levels, the Ref was weak, sure he added 7 minutes, but it should have been at least 10 and at least 4 of their players should have been booked....even a Red as a couple of them were multiple culprits who kept pushing it knowing the Ref was not going to do much about it. I now actually want them in the play-off''s...as I feel we would have learnt a lot from that and would beat them over two legs........but I think the same for all the other sides around us, with the free pass to the final being a nice match up against the boys in blue.

Love this thread, envious of you all going to Carrow Road tonight.....I will be with the UAE Canaries watching it live in here in Dubai and we will all be no less tense and as enthusiastic as if we were there.....huge match!!

I agree with that Morty. In addition, just to say, whilst its not job done this season yet, rarely have I been so impressed by an individual, any individual. I still have a huge portion of humble pie to eat as I had very little faith when his appointment was made.

Exactly NN, we have kept winning without Grabban and BJ......its about overall team performance tonight, being better than them and proving it......

.....and in this instance have been replaced by a "pathetic" !!!!

From what I remember,the thing with Ekoku was, for each of his good performances there was a toilet one to follow....so inconsistent....stunning one week followed by very little for a couple of games.

At this level there are few better than him at doing what he does best no doubt, and despite my and many others frustration with him last season, I am delighted that he has once again become a key part of things at our "shitty little club"......and long may it continue!

It is these types of responses to a reasonable, albeit a little premature post, that are the reason why this message board has seen a decline in traffic and also decent discussion and debate....

Nice one, credit where credit''s due!

Yes thank you Ricardo, I felt the match more through your report than the Pink-un report. I feel there are more twists and turns to go as we see things settled on the last day of the season.......

I hate seeing that word "plastic" thrown around, particular when who does it has no idea who they are calling it. If you have to use it (and in my opinion NO supporter of our great club is a plastic) then...fire it at me, and leave those who pay good money to watch the side live alone!

Certainly not over by any stretch, and that Loza goal could be the difference for being in the top two come the end of the season, rather than the Ruddy o.g. being the reason for not. I am very surprised however that we didnt get the three points last night, which for me means that where I saw us dropping points, in the week we play Bolton & Leeds away, we now must not if we are to stand any chance of an automatic. No surprise its a roller coaster........

NO...exactly the opposite

Agree next two up we need 6 points from, the two games I am a little worried about in particular are the away trips to Bolton and Leeds in the same week...very tricky.

Cool report and I too have that feeling. but see an ending with us going up without the need for a play-off. Whilst it must have felt like two points lost immediately after the game, I am going for the half full view, that not losing to a major promotion rival was key, and its a point won....come on!!!

Now I rate Turner and and am a little disappointed he has gone out on loan at this stage of the season, but can only assume Bennett is now back to full fitness. That said, I can see the thinking behind this move......Turner strengthens Fulham''s defence, they start winning including a couple of wins against two of our rivals for promotion...then, he cant play against us when we need the points to go up, drops out of the team, they are now safe and have little to play for, their defence is disrupted and weakened and we get the points we need to go up.......genius !

Yes, well deserved and hopefully the curse struck before he was named.....just a blip I''m sure!

AN is proving himself to be a classy operator. As for the team under NA, all that was generally missing was the ability to get the team to perform to potential enough of the time, and to play at a quicker pace.......which was why we were not dominating the league like we should have been......AN to date has managed to do this.

Other than looking a bit immature and naive at times, I thought he looked Town''s best player (not difficult I know) and I can see him doing very well at a bigger club in the future........and he will be at one next season with Town''s financial situation.

Great report, thanks as usual......and just about how I saw it too. BJ MoM for me though, but see your point with Bassong and also thought Wes and Howson had very good games too.

I can understand exactly how they have achieved what they have so far this season in this particular league. McCarthy makes the best of what he has got and they are very decent at playing the way they do....and DID cause us a few problems today....reminded a me a bit of the old Wimbledon and a poorman''s version of Stoke under Pullis. BUT...class tells in the end, particularly when you add in some excellent organisation and dont flinch at the physical challenge.....just like we did today.

I disagree with the statement, but, if City win it will certainly provide yet another bit of momentum for a genuine crack at an automatic spot. As for Town, they must be better than what we witnessed at Poorman Road earlier in the season, as they have had a great season since then, plus they have a Manager who really knows what he is doing at this level. So, based on that I expect them, after they suffer a heavy defeat on Sunday to still claim a play-off spot.

This game is of DOUBLE significance...... 1. its against a team currently in third place who we will leap frog if we win 2. its against our bitter local rivals who EVERY City fan wants to tonk....not just another team in my book :-)