Semblance of Reason

Having had a gander around google, there are plenty of headlines saying Leroy Fer wants a move to Everton (around the middle of last month). Actually reading the articles, he is quoted as saying he would like to move to the "Premier League", and also said he thinks Everton are still interested. To me that is not actually the same as what the headlines are making out. I won''t say that means he wouldn''t choose Everton should they come in, but as far as I can tell he hasn''t actually said Everton are his first choice.Hoping for this one to go through, out of the names being mentioned right now I would be most excited by this transfer.

KEEP

Try to keep this short as this is a Ginkel thread, but I lived in Osaka for a little while and my wife is japanese so I generally follow how Japan are doing too. When Japanese players were mentioned, inui and kiyotake were who sprung to mind for me (though Bethnal is the Japanese master here). I''ve also felt tormented by being linked with a loan move for Miyaichi the last few windows, but then he goes to Bolton and Wigan. Judging by Arsenals pre season I won''t have to worry about that this summer.After the "exciting" season we have just had, only having transfers to look forward to now it''s over I feel alittle lost..

I''m not sure I would want to see Lowestoft - Ipswich play, as a neutral I would like to see a good even game.This month Lowestoft have beaten good old Ipswich in the Suffolk Cup.Norwich - Pride of East Anglia, Lowestoft - Pride of Suffolk.Ipswich - Jealous?

If he was a Norwich player it would have been a fine goal! Good contact, headed down, and seemingly aimed at the goal.Good thing for McAuley is that Foster was in the team too, doesn''t seem half as bad compared to our second.

Good report as always Ricardo. I''ve always enjoyed your reports with Snowy during my time lurking around these forums, When others are getting over excited or despondent at results your reports always seem to put things into perspective.It''s also nice to see Snowy mentioned on such a great day for our club.I''ve been behind Hughton from the start, though I''ll admit for the last few weeks i''ve been feeling pretty desperate for our safety to be secured by today.Much has/will be made of our "dire performances" for much of the season, but with one game to play we are higher than 8 other teams, almost half of them. Dread to think how bad their seasons have been! Despite everything we''ve ground out points even during the bad times, and after today we can finally relax and look forward to next season, and I really think it is a case of looking forward to it.I''m sure no one will begrudge you your peroni.

I will admit after yesterday I feel ALOT better, my one concern now is complacency.Yesterday morning we needed a win against West Brom, today a bore draw could do us.Wrong! Wigan could get something or three at Arsenal and as a club we have to be prepared for that, however unlikely it may be.If we draw, we draw, but I think we need to go into the next game as if we need a win. The pressure is off alittle, but lets not make it hard on ourselves and hopefully be safe going into our last game. Lets not go into the last game equal to, or a point ahead of Wigan with Man C as our last game because we assumed Wigan would lose.Arsenal have no more right to win against Wigan, then we do against West Brom (though refereeing decisions for them this year, not just against us, makes me think that maybe someone thinks they do).Until Wigan lose it is still up to us. I hope Hughton doesn''t use yesterday as an excuse to carry on as usual for WB.I''ve not followed Norwich as long as many of you here, but I always got the feeling before the Lambert era that if something could go wrong, then it probably would. I forget who said it, but someone on here said something like "Signing RVW early and then getting relegated seemed like "a very Norwich thing to do". I couldn''t help but agree, lets do all we can to avoid that.

Are we Premier League?A tough question to be honest, and I''m sure theres many different views on it. I''m my opinion we are on that very last rung of the PL survival ladder (17th).I think most of our players are good enough for the PL, they shew it last season and we aren''t relegated yet this year (despite some pretty abject displays thoughout).However as a team maybe we aren''t quite there. While our players are pretty good, hard working and functional, we lack maybe two higher quality "standout" players who can make things happen going forward, these could be a central playmaker, winger, or a forward.If we were more dangerous going forward it would take soooo much pressure off our better defence, and we would see a huge difference in results.I think thats the upsetting thing this year for me, do we have a better team than last year? I think so! are we a more organised and professional outfit? Again I think so. Have we progressed as much as other teams from last year? No. It''s not our fault, we had debts to clear and that has made life hard for us and left us in danger (though I''m open to arguements over the Winter transfer window usage).Would anyone swap our team completely for Astons Villas? I wouldn''t, maybe it''s a hint of bias but i think on adverage we are a better team in many positions. However Villa have players like Benteke, Weiman, maybe Gab Ab (the b*****d), who when the team maybe aren''t playing well, will just pop up and score or create something. We just never look like doing that. We''re good, but lack star quality to unlock Premier League level defences without leaving ourselves horribly exposed at the back. Our star man is Ruddy who has been injured and is a GK so doesn''t really count!I really feel that next season would have been Hughtons time to shine. This year was the monumental struggle for PL status, and next season with a few quality CH additions in key positions due to being debt free, we would be there. We would be more securely "Premier League". I think he could still do it for us if we get relegated, but CH seems to have lost alot the crowd, and despite my views, his position seems to be getting close to untenable for next season if we survive or not.So to be more concise (haha), I think the answer is yes, but it is a very close run thing. As other others have said if we go down we deserve to, if we stay up we deserve it. The answer will be more clear after West Brom and how we perform. It would be nice for Wigan and Newcastle to lose all their matches until the end of the season, but really it is up to us to show the world that we belong here. Never mind the danger!

YESWest Brom lost at home to Wigan it''s not inconceivable they will lose away to us. Have little to play for, and Clarke mentioned experimenting (hopefully he hasn''t learnt from that yet).Hoping for a good performance and at least a point (depending on other results before and during).However ridiculous it seems, losing to Villa (and Lambert no less) and Wigan winning, Saturday felt like a relegation weekend to me, just the worst case scenario I had in mind before. Just gotta dust ourselves off and go again, while telling ourselves constanty that we have 3 points that wigan still have to earn. We can do it!!! (I hope).

My first Norwich game (though my 2nd match at Carrow road - the first being an England youth game), was the 1996? Coca Cola cup match against Birmingham. I''d just finished work experience at school, and my manager for those two weeks took me with his son, So went proudly wearing my "bird poo shirt" (still my favourite design - don''t care what anyone else says about it!)1-1 draw and the highlight for me was Gunny saving a penalty.Not a classic game, but was a very different experience/atmosphere than how I would have imagined it would be when watching MOTD as a kid.

Hughton out? I know he looks rather nicely dressed when next to Tony Pullis but I wouldn''t say...Oh, Nope Hughton to stay. Thought he was the right man when we got him, and still think he''s the best bet we have now.I won''t lie and say this season has been easy on the nerves, or the style of football has been great for large parts of the season,or that our form isn''t a concern, but is this season worse than many of our previous premier league seasons or championship seasons? getting thrashed by teams like Port Vale? or capitulating at the end of many seasons when we really needed a performance? it''s like some people only remember the relegation season and the Lambert years.As others have said, If results are much the same next season then maybe I will change my mind. Until then we need to use all our Uri Geller powers to will that ball into the net.