automatics gone

[The ghost of Michael Theoklitos 0]

[quote user="ruthers1"][quote user="The ghost of Michael Theoklitos"][quote user="ruthers1"]He''s dead right though.

One win in four since cruising past the Scum and unable to beat Wigan or Huddersfield?

Do we deserve automatic?[/quote]If we end up scoring more points than the other teams, then yes, we will deserve it.You understand how leagues work, right?[/quote]

Yes, but do you understand football? You don''t score points you score goals to EARN them - hopefully by beating inferior teams like Wigan and Huddersfield[/quote]Perfectly. You play each team twice, home and away. You end up at the end where you deserve to be. We''re still in the hunt, regardless of who we''ve dropped points against.Did you know that Watford lost against Huddersfield away 3-1 back in January? They also lost to Charlton, and only drew against Brighton. Do they deserve to be top of the league?We will deserve to be where we end up. It''s all still to play for

[havemyhowsonit 0]

Need 7 out of 8 wins to get top 2

[nutty nigel 7,510]

Do Derby need to win all 8 then?

[Branston Pickle 3,638]

There''s a long way to go and plenty of twists to come. I think we might need to win 6, we do have to catch up - and overtake - the top guys; it is certainly possible but needs another good run starting at the weekend.

[JF 694]

I can see us gaining 20 points from the remaining games which really should see us going up automatically.

[Highland Canary 76]

Amazing given what we did last Summer we''re even lookng at the playoffs - so if we achieve sixth that must be above expectations given what Neil inherited.

[YankeeCanary 0]

[quote user="Highland Canary"]Amazing given what we did last Summer we''re even lookng at the playoffs - so if we achieve sixth that must be above expectations given what Neil inherited.[/quote]

 

Just another poster who wants to re-write history.  Let''s look at the facts.

 

Alex Neil assumed official responsibilities on the sidelines after we won 2-1 at Bournemouth ( although he should be given some credit for coming down from the stands for that match when we went down to 10 men).

 

Now, let''s look at the points standings after that match:

Bournemouth    48

Derby                48

Ipswich             47

Middlesbrough  43

Watford             40

Norwich            40

Brentford          40

 

and now:

Watford             72

Middlesbrough  72

Bournemouth    70

Norwich            67

Derby                67

Brentford          65

Ipswich             64

 

Therefore, we were eight points off the top two position then. Now we are five points behind. We all know that Ipswich fell off their earlier pace, as have Derby more recently. In conclusion, as it relates to Norwich from a relative points standing perspective, there is not such a great difference in the standings between then and now. It feels like it is, it feels like it should be but, actually, it isn''t.

[Dubai Mark 0]

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........

[Highland Canary 76]

@ YC - I think you need to acknowledge both momentum and direction of travel under Adams and Neil. We were treading water under Adams, Phelan stabilised the club but Neil has seen us move forward. My recollection of Bournemouth is that Neil claimed that one, rightly or wrongly. I suspect you don''t believe that we would have had a chance of promotion under Adams?

[Buh 0]

And the OP was never seen again...

Just another venter, never been to a game in his life

Yawn

[Gordon Bennett 780]

Tettey needs managing carefully, if AN picks him every week without tactical rest he''ll get crocked and miss the all important last few games.

[Lessingham Canary 99]

Automatics gone ! far from it, last night was such a disappointing night, so many players having a poor game at the same time, yes its a little bit harder now, but still very much a possibility, all about Saturday now !

[NCFCgardener 0]

Incredibly ignorant statement, the season lasts 46 games, there are 8 left and with the run in that those around us have, there are gains to be made. We have the easiest run in (on paper) out of the top 6, so its certainly possible.

Ok, were going through a little blip, the first with AN in charge. It happens to all teams, but I''m certain that it wont last long.

On Saturday, its Bournemouth vs Boro, Watford V Ipswich and Derby play Wolves.

Assuming we do our bit and beat Forest, gains will be made on the top two.

Plenty of twists and turns to come, we could be 2/3 points off top come Saturday evening.

[Jim Smith 2,314]

I wish I could share the optimism that "others will drop points" and that there are plenty more twists and turns to come but I really feel we have messed up over the last 3 games. This should have been the spell where we took advantage of top 6 rivals playing each other and made up further ground on them but so far in the last 3 games we''ve lost 5 points on Boro and Watford.

If we do not finish top 2 this season we really will only have ourselves to blame. there seems to be a deep rooted complacency in this team that manifests itself in no shows against weaker teams every time we have an opportunity to really assert ourselves at the top of the table. Last night and Wigan are prime examples. IF you are going to get promoted then you have to seize the moment at some point and we seem incapable of doing it. Not helped by the manager resting our most in form/key midfield players for certain games against perceived weaker opposition which in itself sends out the wrong message.

We can still do it and of course we still have a chance because we are perfectly capable of winning every game we have left but whats disappointing is its much less of a chance than we had a week ago. Two poor sides have taken a point from us and instead of being 1 point off top we are 5 behind. That will take some clawing back now others have momentum.

[Jim Smith 2,314]

Sorry not last 3, forgot Millwall in between Wigan and Derby. I meant since we beat the sc*m really.

[Jim Smith 2,314]

And its 4 points. Doh!

[Mr Jenkins 0]

Duvet day I recon Jim!

[Jim Smith 2,314]

[quote user="Mr Jenkins"]Duvet day I recon Jim![/quote]

If only. Point is though that as we did earlier in the season after the win away at Brentford we have lost ground on rivals during a period where we really should have gained. The results and performances against the top 4 or 5 sides (even the Derby match which was a disappointing result but very solid performance) compared with the lower sides show very clearly our issues are mental more than anything and i think they may consign us to the playoffs whilst two poorer sides finish in the top 2.

Still maybe we will at least get to go to Wembley and i''d fancy us in the playoffs because when we apply ourselves properly nobody in this league beats us.

[Mr Jenkins 0]

Poor performance especially away from home against sides we should beat is a long running theme Jim, as is our ability to switch off in defence, it''s still there.

What is positive last night was that we did get the point, that last minute goal showed terrific character and whilst the point may be vital in the final table, the psychological benefit of it may also end up being crucial.

Who knows, but it makes for an exciting end of season.

[93vintage 16]

A chance to win was lost and we have one game fewer in which to get the required wins. We can''t be that open if we need to go unbeaten, especially away from home against a side seeking safety from relegation, so I''d have to question Alex Neil''s attacking strategy in last night''s game.We finished no better off than when we started, so one wonders if the gaffer is regretting not parking the bus and hoping to nick a goal. We should have been hitting Huddersfield on the counter instead of them doing it to us.The automatics are not gone just yet, but the pressure has increased by not winning.

[Haggerdoo 6]

[quote user="joe"]That is all I have to say to that didn''t even celebrate either goals, a point is absolutely useless, poor display again, 5 points of the top 2 is too much at this stage, completely gutted once again oh the joys of being a Norwich fan, hooper was terrible once again and tonight ultimately showed how much we miss grabban, the playoffs beckon I''m afraid[/quote]

Crawl back to the woodwork you binner

[lake district canary 4,531]

Automatics are definitely not gone.  Plenty of  time for things to change.   All we have to do is win our matches.   Not easy, but win our matches and we go up.  Let the others falter - and they will because they play each other more than us - then there will be space for us to move up - but we have to win the matches!!

[SwindonCanary 455]

Think I''ve seen this before earlier in the season !http://services.pinkun.com/forums/pinkun/cs/forums/3214175/ShowPost.asp     

[joe 0]

After having had a chance to calm down and reflect all is not lost but I really do think with the form of Watford and certain others above us we have made this an incredibly tough job to go up in the autos, Neil has done a terrific job recently but the change in team most weeks cannot be helping us for me hoolahan needs to start every game hooper doesn''t fit into the system we want to play, if we are to salvage anything this season we need another 6, game winning run but sadly I think we peaked a little bit too late a few weeks ago and the playoffs are calling now, its a shame as are squad is better than anyone''s in this league by a mile but mistakes are costly and there''s 2 teams currently making none and putting teams to the sword very quickly and consistantly

[......and Smith must score. 1,336]

Big ask to make the autos now.

Dropping 7 points from the last 4 games means there''s very little room for error.

Funny how we''ve not had sight nor sound on here from Tom " Old Almanack '' Moore since before the Derby game.

No doubt as far as he''s concerned it''ll all be alright on the night but I''m not so sure.

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

I had thought that the last 9 games would see us W6 D2 L1.  I am still going to stick with this, and that is 20 points, another 19 on top of what we have now.  So that would see us finish the season on 86 points.

 

Yes, we have seemed to have struggled more against the so called lesser teams.  But on paper I''d much rather have our remaining fixtures than either Watford''s or Boro''s. 

 

You couldn''t get a much worse set of fixtures if you tried, than Watford''s next 5.  Barring perhaps Millwall away, but even that one could surprise a few, with the pressure on Watford, and Millwall scrapping for everything and not expected to do anything other than lose.

 

Will 86 points be enough for top 2, who knows?  If not, it will be mightily close and if 1 of those 6 wins came against Boro, then we will have a very, very good chance.

 

 

[Nuff Said 5,092]

I blame the Manager of the Month curse.

[canary_1902 0]

I''ve started preparing for playoffs. I really hope we make the top 2 but i think playoffs seems a lot more likely.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

We need to make sure the playoffs don''t go too! Alot of people seem to think its a given we''ll finish in the playoffs. It''s far from it.

nothing is certain yet. We can still make top two, there''s a good chance we''ll be only two points outside again on Saturday as well as a chance of only being in the play off places on goal difference.

There''s enough games left. 6 wins will get us top two (providing one is Boro) and 4 to guarantee playoffs is my opinion.

Saturday is huge. We need a wolves at home type of professional performance.

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="canary_1902"]I''ve started preparing for playoffs.[/quote]What have you done? Booked time off work? Ordered tickets? Booked hotels?It would be a real shame for you if we made the auto''s. [:S]