shortfatb

a quality center half and a creative midfielder, will we all relax a bit? I think I would.

I don''t know if anybody read this, but I''m even more sure now it''s going to happen.

If we do another League Cup 1st Round kamikaze act tonight, given we haven''t won all season and look less than likely to, does anyone think that Doomcater, Munby and even Michael WJ may start to wonder  about Nigel''s credentials to succeed and start to look elsewhere? Maybe even NW himself, he''s a proud and stubborn man, may start to question his future with City? Look what happened to Dave Jones at Wolves. What odds on Dave Williams to be in charge for Ipswich?      

Tumbleweed and the vicar have it right in that if this message board does not encourage healthy debate it becomes the refuge of those trading puerile insults and txt style messaging  like many other boards. To wonder why we have no creative midfielders, only 3 recognised centre halves and why Drury has to be replaced by Simon Charlton are valid questions, not the crazed rantings of non loyal supporters who need to pipe down until Nigel turns it round.  

I don''t believe that we will sell him, Worthy wants him to stay, Delia and Michael want him to stay, only perhaps Doomcaster would rather have the money but even he must realise the fans reaction given that we bought our season tickets on the promise that we had to sell no-one. I for one would return my season tickets and attempt through legal process to have the money returned as I wouldn''t want to go anymore and I believe that the NCFC contract, though only verbal, would have been broken.

I less a rater and more a ranter and I fear that with so many changes the team don''t seem to know each other at all, compared with Crewe who have probably been plying together since they were 9 or whatever age Dario starts to pick his youngsters. This can improve with time but only if the additions add value to the team and those who plyed in the Prem stiil perform. So Green and Shackell and Safri were excellent of the old guard, Hucks I thought looked good on a very slippery pitch, Fleming started well and got worse, Drury played like he did before he was dropped last season, McKenzie gives his all and performs well when instinctive but when he has time to think he''s awful and why doesn''t he practise crossing given that he lives on the wings for 75% of a game? Ashton was trying too hard and they knew how to handle him. The new boys, Marney was poor compared to Saturday and apart from the free kick, his tackling was liability, corners and crosses ill directed and he tried to run it into the net rather than passng to Ashton on several occasions. MLJ sometimes looks like Roberto Carlos and then again like Edworthy versus Henry, not convinced yet. Jarrett looked strong but unfit but will be fine but, Hughes is the biggest waste of money since Muzinic, he can''t tackle or pass, he isn''t the Safri / Holt holding figure nor the box to box creator or scorer, he''s a £500k headless chicken, come back Gary all is forgiven. My worry is that as he was this year''s dream buy for Worthy he''ll persist with him at the expense of Safri or Jarrett or perhaps worse try and play him on the wing instead of Marney who at least has the attacking potential to do damage. Is it going to take til after Christmas for Nigel to find out what our best team is again, god I hope not or some other team could be out of sight by then.

Whatever happens, Francis is being a pathetic n*b who''s options 2 years ago were staying at MK Dons or going to Stoke or us. Now on the back of one and a half good seasons ( half in the Prem) he now has a god given right to only play in the Prem. Let the b*****d stew.

Dicky your last comment says it all to me. Shackell can only improve, Fleming is just going to get worse. Also, he never takes any blame on the pitch or speaking to Roy Waller afterwards. Finally, he is the only player that I have seen driving a Proton. I rest my case.

I''m with Mook. He''s keen and committed but hasn''t delivered, like Holt, and he''s gone with most people''s best wishes.

We have signed an ageing midfielder who is worse than Friio or Evans or Southall (we have too many!!) in exchange for a Forest legend that never should have gone and wasn''t even transfer listed (Louis-Jean)!! How many more crazy transfers???

Call me ridiculously optimistic, but think he could probably stay. He won''t go to Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool because they want the finished articles and probably a foriegner, I don''t think Manure would want him, nor guarantee 1st team football. The same applies to Everton, Bolton, Middlesbrough, Man City, Fulham, Tottenham, Brum, Villa, Newcaste, Tottenham and Blackburn. Kiely is old but played all season bar one game when some 23 year Scandanavian prospect got a chance, which leaves West Brom, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Wigan or Preston/West Ham and even then it''s not guaranteed that he won''t be warming the bench. Beyond that Celtic, Rangers or abroad not of which I can imagine Green wanting. Anyone disagree? 

Great idea Rob, why not drop that Safri and young Shackell too and bring back Holt and Charlton. Yours sincerely,   Bryan Robson 

Yankee Canary, thank you for that, very constructive. For your information, I haven''t lived in Norfolk since 1979, through my work I travel at leat 40k miles per annum around the UK, so I am fairly ''au fait'' with the whereabouts of cities, counties conurbations etc. In addition despite living far away we hold 4 season tickets and I have attended an average of 10 away matches each season since 1981-82 season. So in essence, go and have sex with yourself, although your usual contributions to this site suggest this is more a way of life for you than an insult.   

I wasn''t at Highbury on Saturday, couldn''t bear to watch MOTD and saw the goals on Goals on Sunday with the sound down. Looking at how Edworthy was with Henry and the way he was given space for the goals, I wondered if anybody saw any tactical changes from Nigel for this away game following the 4-1 beating we got from the Arsenal at home. I would imagine other managers creating a plan which allowed Huckerby''s pace to trouble the Arsenal defence, as he did at home, and reducing space on the pitch for Arsenal to perform. I assume that this didn''t happen. 

DD and TwoSheds! Put them down and step away from your handbags.

I don''t think anyone wishes that we hadn''t got to the premiership but it is true that as well as the game timings being hassle for those living 3 hours away from (the previously) F CR, once the novelty had worn off of being in the Prem it has been equally draining to see the team almost inevitably implode in games they could have won and then drive 3 hours home in the dark. We all know the games, but particular lows for me were Blackburn, Fulham and Tottenham for various reasons, when the initial grit had disappeared and we started to become less effective Last season I was on a high every time I drove there and back. This season, like the team, I''ve slowly been ground down. Like a lot of things in life, sometimes the journey is better than being there.   

I must admit that we always groan in the car when the Diss equivalent of Roy Waller comes on when all we want to hear is about City and turnover to Radio 5, constantly switching back so as to not miss Nigel. I know that Radio Norfolk probably has a tight schedule of, "C&W lost hits of the 50''s" or whatever, but couldn''t they give City an uninterrupted hour and then tell us about Wroxham or whoever after it?  

I take it all back! We used all our luck up for the rest of the season, we were terrible but triumphant! Only Eddy and Leon weren''t poor IMO. Staying up,up,up. 

Thanks, we''ve sorted it out, problem solved.

I think they''d rather walk!

Sorry, I''ve put it on both forums as I''m desperate. I''m sure this is in vain, but I have to stay in Norwich with work on Saturday and my 2 sons need a lift back to Leamington, Coventry or even Birmingham on Saturday after the WBA game. Any City supporters going their way. I''ll obviously pay.

It''s not just being defeatist and it''s not a criticism of the team, it just seems that we have had no breaks this year from drawing on the first day with Palace, just losing at Old Trafford, the Arsenal defender (Lauren?) not being sent off when we were only one down a FCR, to Ferguson''s 2 late goals for Everton, the Blackburn equaliser and Carragher''s handball, nothing goes our way. The only luck all year was Bentley''s goal against Newcastle, beyond that jack. I don''t think that it''s just that we''re jinxed but also that officials seem to think that we are almost not worthy of getting the benefit of the difficult refereeing and line decisions as we are small, the next day fuss will be minimal and we are going down anyway! I hope I''m just paranoid and that the luck turns tomorrow, but I almost feel that we are battling against more than just the other team, they''re all out to get us!      

1.We concede too many corners and free kicks and our defence are incapable of dealing with set pieces as they are not quick enough, tall enough or good enough. 2. When we get crosses in we score goals, Huckerby''s corner and cross delivery was the best all season on Saturday, Jonson can''t cross, Edworthy can''t cross, Mcveigh can.  3.Fleming was so happy on TV and Radio on saturday night, but he is having a poor season overall, Edworthy is Gary Holt at full back, hardworking but often a liability. Docherty is actually good, slowish but reads the game. Drury demoralised but the goal will help. 4.Jonson ditto Edworthy, Francis not quite at precheekbone level yet, Mullers tried hard but plays Ray wilkins passes and disappears against a competitive midfield. 5.Hucks is still class, Ashton looked like goalscorer although first touch needs work, Leon isn''t Prem class but could cause enough hassle to create chances for him and Dean. 6. We can stay up with a Hucks on the wing 442 defending and 433 attacking, but we are one defender and one midfielder short unless we buy or loan or Charlton, Shackell, McVeigh, Saffri or Helveg step up the pace and style. 

Daniel Charlton, we understand about our heroes going to clubs that we haven''t particularly rated so I have little problem with your bitter little rants, my only question is why you suggest in block capitals that, ''Norwich are a joke''. In terms of what? Ambition, performance, ability, running of the club, supporters? er, no. piss off.  

I agree cityangel, I''ve not posted for a while, but always have a look and, since the initial euphoria and disbelief when the Ashton offer was announced, so many seem to want to moan like the worst old duffer in the City Stand or post excrement like Two Sheds sounding like the rantings of the smug supporters of the Prem top 4. We''re in the Prem, we''re spending money on real players with real potential, not Hulse or Scowcroft or Les Ferdinand when the board said it wouldn''t happen and there seems to be more to come. People seemed to complain that the board wouldn''t spend and now complain that the board mislead them.  Also there is no evidence that Green will go in January nor that Hucks is off, but he''s being slated anyway. I believe there is every chance that we will see the midfield and the defence strengthened too in the next 2 weeks, but probably not the right people for the moaners on here. Finally, I wasn''t at the game yesterday but the reports I heard during and after the game were suggesting that their goalkeeper was keeping them in it. Only Worthy and supporters on here said we were crap, so if he is that cross about losing 1-0 to West Ham who we didn''t beat last season either, I just don''t see the need for griping anywhere currently, just excitement and optimism.