Pride before a fall?

[RvWs 4 year contract 0]

In my experience as a Norwich City fan- going back to 2002- I can safely say that every time an opposition fan has mocked City before the game they have ended up looking like fools. Norwich 2 Man United 0Norwich 4 Ipswich 1Ipswich 1 Norwich 5Norwich 1 Arsenal 0Heck I can even include the FA Youth cup final in that as well- and there are other occasions, Leeds, Forest, Charlton. Confidence is only natural- healthy even but what I''ve seen on social media and from Norwich fans in general over the course of the build up to Sunday is confidence bordering on arrogance. This unsettles me somewhat- because every time I and other NCFC fans I know have been mocked going into a game, the opposition fans that have crowed about what they''re ''going to do to us'' just look like fools when it goes wrong.Remember how the blue and white filth were ''going to end our promotion bid'' on that April (not sure if it was April..) night at P*rtman Road? They wrote Paul Lambert''s pre match speech for him.Having been at the majority of Alex Neil''s matches - including Watford and Wolves- my confidence could not be much higher that we COULD get a victory againt the binners but I just hope that we dont go into derby day expecting a victory. The times we''ve come untuck this season are against opposition we''ve ''expected'' to beat and when the players and fans have believed the hype. As much as I hate to say this- Ipsw**h are above us in the league, they have the leagues top scorer and their defeats away from home this season have mainly been by the odd goal margin.Nothing is a given in football.

[TheRock 165]

I fully agree with you, Ipswich haven''t fluked where they are this season, this match will not be a walkover of any kind.I think the home advatange might see us through this one though. As posters have mentioned, the form-book is normally thrown out of the window for a game of this magnitude, even if our "last 5 form" is WWWWW.As you said, in football, you should take nothing for granted.

[sgncfc 1,223]

[quote user="TheRock"]I fully agree with you, Ipswich haven''t fluked where they are this season, this match will not be a walkover of any kind.I think the home advatange might see us through this one though. As posters have mentioned, the form-book is normally thrown out of the window for a game of this magnitude, even if our "last 5 form" is WWWWW.As you said, in football, you should take nothing for granted. [/quote]

I was quietly confident before both the Wolves and the Watford games - I thought if we could just keep them quiet for 20 minutes or so we would come good. Against Blackburn, it was perhaps only going behind which made the victory possible - otherwise I think we may have settled for a 0-0.

Ipswich worries me. They are a well organised, hard working outfit with a couple of players who are having the season of their careers. If they score first, I think we could struggle to turn it around.

Having said that, even if we lose I still think we will finish above them. And even if we win, I still think automatic is unachievable. During our recent run we have caught up only 1 or 2 points on the top two - we''ve reeled Bournemouth in, but their bad run will end and we can''t keep winning.

I still think we will end up in the playoffs, whatever happens on Sunday - and so will Ipswich.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

The time for bragging is after the game. I learned that many years ago. Anything can happen in a 90 min game of football. One of my top memories of derby games is the Iwan Roberts 2-0 at the portaloo in 2000 when they were nailed on to beat us. There were plenty of binners giving it the big un before that game.

Its only a week since a Watford supporter friend, who is well old enough to know better, was being Billy Big Bollox before we played them. Losing 3-0 was bad enough but even worse for him thanks to his ill judged comments.

[The Phantom 0]

At times I dispair at the negativity around some of our fans. We are on a run of form like we haven''t had in years, players confident, team organised, great manager. Not a time to be timid. On Sunday sing like you have never sung, gesticulate like you have never gesticulated to those horrible binners and the result will be a forgone conclusion

[Gainer the Gopher 0]

Well put, HC. The hand wringing ninnies who commented previous to you need to support our lads full force, the way the new and old messiahs approached the games.

[Crabbycanary3 994]

Sgncfc - I disagree about going behind at Blackburn, prompted us to go on and win. We were definitely the side in the ascendency, and the side who wanted to play football ,and look to win the game.

Yes, it took one shot (header) for Blackburn to score, and the same could happen again on Sunday, but if it does I would have every confidence, that this team would just re focus and have the quality to push on and score at least two goals.

The Binners may have one or two players ''having the season of their careers'' but don''t underestimate what Alex Neil is installing in our side, a belief, and no little plan, as to how to win games. We are also well organised. We are also hard working. We are on form. We have quality

If we lose or draw on Sunday, it will be because we won''t have brought our ''A'' game to the table, not because the Binners have found some extra ''X'' factor, to counter our ''A'' game. The Binners have accumulated a lot of points and are where they are, obviously on merit, but they haven''t got what we have, and IF we produce it, they won''t be able to cope.

We have put high flying Wolves and Watford away, recently, with some distance to spare. Neither were a fluke

Automatic is still achievable

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

''Pride before a fall'' - I prefer ''Belief before a win''...

[Highland Canary 76]

Yes, incredible negativity. We always had the players to finish in the top two - it was the manager that was missing - we will win 2-0 tomorrow.

[ricardo 7,348]

[quote user="Highland Canary"]Yes, incredible negativity. We always had the players to finish in the top two - it was the manager that was missing - we will win 2-0 tomorrow.[/quote]I hope you are correct but many years of supporting NCFC has shown me that nothing can be taken for granted.

[yoda 0]

Automatic promotion not achievable ? of course it bloody is !

[Horse Renoir 1]

Confidence was extremely high going into Colchester Away in L1 and we won 5-0.

Fans feelings really don''t matter to anyone bar the suspicious. We''re confident because we''re in form, at home and better than them in all areas. We can even match their work rate under AN. The players shouldn''t get complacent but I''m extremely confident our fans are in for a treat tomorrow

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Probably best to ignore this thread. Samir Osman is a complete tool. And that''s being nice.

[splutcho 173]

OH. Is that Samir? I remember him tearing into Bradley Johnson on Twitter for going out for a birthday meal. Absolute loony.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Well Highland, your hyprocracy takes the biscuit. Just 3 home games ago against Brentford, and under this manager, the negativity was rife both in the stadium and on here. Never have I seen such a case of fairweather support and singing when you''re winning.

[Daz Sparks 1,151]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]Well Highland, your hyprocracy takes the biscuit. Just 3 home games ago against Brentford, and under this manager, the negativity was rife both in the stadium and on here. Never have I seen such a case of fairweather support and singing when you''re winning.[/quote]

Quite.

Btw, I have PM''ed you NN

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Thanks Daz I''ve replied :)

[Highland Canary 76]

As has been said before, we always had the players to finish in the top two but lacked a manager. Thankfully, the board appear to have acted in time. Onwards and upwards.