Welcome back, idiots

[Buh 0]

I was just welcoming you back from your win induced exile

You aren''t real fans, there, I said it

[Van wink 2,994]

King Crimson wrote the following post at 19/10/2016 6:03 PM:

"Restores my faith in this board."

Yeah, the board on which your primary contribution is trolling and splitting hairs.

Goodness me man, if you want the board to be "better" then improve your own contributions first.

[Chesney Hawkes 0]

Well done on not making the thread title rapey. It''s a small step forwards.

[im spartacus canary 0]

Poor effort again buh, call yourself a wind up merchant ? First wizard will be spinning in his grave at such dire attempts at trolling 👎

[Van wink 2,994]

😀

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

My point was Ricardo you do have a record of changing your mind very easily for what looks like credible reasons at face value but are often very basic. As I mentioned on another thread you were sure we would walk the league (or words similar) when Adams was in charge despite imo us looking as defensively poor as this season. We let in a lot of goals then however because it was usually us coming back from a losing position to rescue points therefore it was always a more positive reaction from everyone.

Think back to the Birmingham game at home. We were awful in the first half and deservedly losing. 2nd half much better and rescued a point. To be fair there was talk then of improvements needed but you were adamant we were heading for a top 2 finish. What''s different this season? Is just because we''re acting the other way round? Yet we have more points at this stage and a much better squad. We have a manager (operative word) who has shown he can succeed at this level and improve a stuttering team (as he did that season).

I just feel there''s a lot more reasons to be positive this season and am baffled by your thoughts now that we''re heading for the play offs. Also your stat of letting in too many goals is irrelevant if we score enough to win games, which more often than not we are doing.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

[quote user="Hank shoots Skyler"]Threads like this just serve to drive a wedge between people into a bracket of either clapper and wetter, when really, 95% of the board are balanced enough to recognise both the positives and negatives of this season.[/quote]But then again, those people capable of reasoned debate have, remarkably, started having a reasoned debate.Those in the small minority who ONLY post when we fail to win deserve to be called out for it.I know I started an inflammatory thread calling out some of those people last night, but in the meantime I''ve carried on discussing NCFC rationally with that aforementioned large majority who have the capacity to do so.

[ricardo 7,385]

[quote user="Fiery Zac"]My point was Ricardo you do have a record of changing your mind very easily for what looks like credible reasons at face value but are often very basic. As I mentioned on another thread you were sure we would walk the league (or words similar) when Adams was in charge despite imo us looking as defensively poor as this season. We let in a lot of goals then however because it was usually us coming back from a losing position to rescue points therefore it was always a more positive reaction from everyone.

Think back to the Birmingham game at home. We were awful in the first half and deservedly losing. 2nd half much better and rescued a point. To be fair there was talk then of improvements needed but you were adamant we were heading for a top 2 finish. What''s different this season? Is just because we''re acting the other way round? Yet we have more points at this stage and a much better squad. We have a manager (operative word) who has shown he can succeed at this level and improve a stuttering team (as he did that season).

I just feel there''s a lot more reasons to be positive this season and am baffled by your thoughts now that we''re heading for the play offs. Also your stat of letting in too many goals is irrelevant if we score enough to win games, which more often than not we are doing.[/quote]Yes, in the Adams season I expected us to be promoted as indeed we were, albeit from the playoffs. At the same stage that season we had scored 22 against 12 ( close to the expected for auto) and only twice conceded more than one goal in a game. Apart from our mini bad run of one win in ten we certainly weren''t bad defensively. The facts are that we conceded only 48 goals which was 3rd lowest in the division and also scored the 3rd highest so in the end we narrowly missed our target.Yes there are many reasons to be positive again this season. However you

are mistaken if you think conceding goals as long as we score plenty is

not important. It is imperative that we slow down the rate at which we are conceding if only to bolster confidence in the players and the fans, at the moment we are going into games knowing that at some stage we will give away a goal. If you don''t think that is important then show me any example of the team with the sixth worst

defensive record ever gaining automatic promotion.We need to be looking for a goal average of 1.8 to 2 to be fairly certain of promotion by the auto route and if that baffles you then take a look at 20 or so years of stats and you will we see why I am more than a little concerned.

[Making Plans 936]

[quote user="ricardo"]at the moment we are going into games knowing that at some stage we will give away a goal. If you don''t think that is important then show me any example of the team with the sixth worst

defensive record ever gaining automatic promotion.[/quote]And just as importantly, our opponents, whoever they may be, know we are vulnerable when we get ahead and we''re even more vulnerable should they happen to get a goal back. Therefore, nobody we play is ever going to give up against us even though they might be 2 goals down. Sooner or later it''s more than possible that the "goals for" will dry up and we all know what happened at Birmingham when we didn''t score.Apart from Blackburn, Burton and Rotherham, 3 of the weaker sides in this league, we have only ever managed to win games by the odd goal.This is fine while it continues but the law of averages says it won''t last all season especially when it''s so easy for teams to see where our weakness is.The real test always comes when you play teams the second time around.We have much to look forward too but equally we have a lot to be concerned about.

[Lessingham Canary 99]

When i played we were always told that 2-0 is a dangerous scoreline, and all too often whoever scored the 3rd goal gained the initiative, and it is not unusual to see teams win from 2 down.

Overreaction on here is amazing at times.

[Indy 3,298]

That might be the case for the odd game Less but to keep repeating the same thing is not acceptable.

What is clear is even with Pinto & Klose we still leak goals, so what''s the issue?

Is it that our midfield don''t pick up runners? Is it we switch off? Is it just a state of mind of our players? Or poor subs at critical points?

[Van wink 2,994]

I think we switch off mentally, don''t know why, but it seems to be a problem with the squad.

[Indy 3,298]

It does appear to be the case Wink, even against Burton, 2 up and then we allow them back in with a soft goal!

So if it''s a player thing, is it down to coaching, is it that our coaching staff implement a state of mind, so if we go two up to make sure we don''t concede that next goal, which has an adverse impact on the players?

[Lessingham Canary 99]

Indy i believe the issue is more with the midfield, attacking we look good, Tettey can be a as poor as he can be good, Brady has not been player we expected this year, and with Pinto and Olsson both attacking more and more, the 2 CB''s end up exposed more than should be. Once we concede confidence seems very fragile.

I still believe we are where are (2nd) whilst only at 75%, and believe we are good enough to go the distance in this league.

[Indy 3,298]

I totally agree we are good enough to give it a damn good go this year.

I''m not convicted it''s the midfield, we have had Tettey, Dorrans, Howson, Mulumbu combo and still look fragile. I think it''s down to coaching, if you tell your team to shut up shop if you go two up, inevitably you drop deeper allowing pressure onto yourselves.

We''re a great team going forward and we have good players on the bench to cover tired players.

Whatever it Isi hope the manager can sort it out.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

I think Tuesday was a little bit unfortunate, as the goal to make it 2-1 wasn''t particularly sloppy on our part - some nice one-touch interplay on the edge of the box, and then I can understand the defenders not diving in to tackle Martin when two penalties had already been awarded. We forced him into a snapshot while heading away from goal, which was heading wide and was then deflected in.In any match, when you concede a goal at 2-0 up, the opposition is bound to go for the jugular, especially at home. If we immediately pour forward to try to restore the two-goal advantage, and then concede an equaliser, we will be rightly castigated - you inevitably sit deep for a little while to try and regain a foothold in the match.The general trend of conceding sloppy goals does need to be ironed out, for sure - but while we have a plethora of attacking talent, we should play to our strengths. Get a new CB in January above all else, but until then we have the firepower to go for wins and accept that the way we play will leave us more vulnerable at the back. In the nine matches since the Birmingham debacle, we have scored more than once in all nine of them, supposedly without a ''top-class'' striker. That''s a strength worth playing to.

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

Your implying you knew Adams would mess up, go and we''d get a manager in to rejuvenate our season and lead us on a run that would see us narrowly miss out on autos? Don''t think so.

And yes we were poor defensively under Adams, it took AN to bring Bassong back to actually solidify our defence and help lead us on the run that culminated in the Play off final.

Of course conceding less is important (no where have I said otherwise) but I also trust our manager will sort this out (as he did bringing back Bassong) and am not making different predictions depending on each weeks result.

[nutty nigel 7,533]

[quote user="ricardo"]We need to be looking for a goal average of 1.8 to 2 to be fairly certain of promotion by the auto route and if that baffles you then take a look at 20 or so years of stats and you will we see why I am more than a little concerned.

[/quote]

I''ll bite Rickyyyyyyyyy

Newcastle and Brighton are the only two clubs who have a goal average better than 1.8.  How confident are you that they will fill the two auto spots? The full list of clubs with a GA of one or greater (If I remembered the calculation correctly) is : -

Newcastle 2.45

Brighton 1.88

Brentford 1.58

Norwich 1.44

Birmingham 1.36

Bristol 1.33

Huddersfield 1.25

Binners 1.11

Barnsley 1.04

Wednesday 1

Preston 1

Wolves 1

So it''s not beyond the realms of possibility that only one team is promoted this season......

I would think goal difference would be a better indication. Just as you have also pointed out in the past. But to be fair that doesn''t tell a very different story.

Newcastle 16

Norwich 8

Brighton 8

Brentford 7

Birmingham 5

Bristol 5

Huddersfield 3

Binners 1

Barnsley 1

Odds for promotion : -

Newcastle 1/6

Norwich 8/13

Brighton 21/20

Wednesday 10/3

Huddersfield 4/1

Villa 11/2

Derby 9/1

Woves 9/1

Bristol 11/1

Brentford 12/1

Birmingham 14/1

Binners 18/1

So there''s some thought. I guess the binners goal average is only just above one. But in their favour they''ve dropped no points whatsoever from winning positions. So 18/1? Lump on??

 

[ricardo 7,385]

I agree with the bookies Nigel. They were favourites before the season began and remain so after 13 games.

It''s a three horse race with two winners and one loser. We need to be at least second best and I would be more confident of that if we tightened up at the back.

[Crabbycanary3 994]

There''s going to be 3 winners Ricardo, just that the 3rd, is a little unsteadier to predict

[ricardo 7,385]

[quote user="Fiery Zac"]Your implying you knew Adams would mess up, go and we''d get a manager in to rejuvenate our season and lead us on a run that would see us narrowly miss out on autos? Don''t think so.

And yes we were poor defensively under Adams, it took AN to bring Bassong back to actually solidify our defence and help lead us on the run that culminated in the Play off final.

Of course conceding less is important (no where have I said otherwise) but I also trust our manager will sort this out (as he did bringing back Bassong) and am not making different predictions depending on each weeks result.[/quote]Having re read my post I fail to see where I made any such implication. I merely alluded to Adams bad ten match period that ultimately led to his demise. Whether our return to previous form would have occurred with or without a managerial change can never be known for certain. What people forget is that Adams wasn''t sacked after that ten match run, he went on for a further five games, winning three, drawing one and losing one, scoring 15 against 5. You could therefore argue that our form was reverting to par.The difference between us seems to be that you are not much concerned with leaking goals and are confident that AN will solve it in time. For my part I am concerned and if AN is going to solve it he needs to get on with it PDQ else an auto position will drift away from us.

[Buh 0]

Did Alex Neil shag someone close to you Ricardo?

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

Wonder what Buh is like in real life..

Would be interesting to see if he''d ever show his face at a Pink''un meet and greet, and if so, would he be the same unpleasant, disruptive troll that he is on here?

Although I doubt it''d happen, not sure what the appeal is to pubs when you can only order soft drinks.

[Buh 0]

I''d meet you outside Carrow road if you knew where it was mate lol

[Buh 0]

Re-read that Ricardo post and tell me Alex Neil hasn''t personally insulted him in some way

Full of absolute backhanded bile. Really stupidity on show in that post.

[im spartacus canary 0]

[quote user="Hank shoots Skyler"]Wonder what Buh is like in real life..

Would be interesting to see if he''d ever show his face at a Pink''un meet and greet, and if so, would he be the same unpleasant, disruptive troll that he is on here?

Although I doubt it''d happen, not sure what the appeal is to pubs when you can only order soft drinks.[/quote]

calling this witless bellend a troll is an insult to proper trolls

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="PurpleCanary"][quote user="ricardo"][quote user="Indy_Bones"][quote user="Canary Jedi"]You can''t blame people for being upset, it sure feels like a loss.[/quote]No, Newcastle felt like a loss (and it was), but a 2-2 away result at Fulham is hardly poor, they''ve been one of our bogey teams for years, and yes it''s frustrating to let a lead slip again, but we''ve played far worse at times and somehow got a better result, which just goes to show what football can be like as a sport.
[/quote]

Its not the draw that was a problem. I forecast a draw on the scores thread and would have been quite content in the normal course of events. The persistent failure to close games out from comfortable winning positions is why we should be rightly annoyed at yesterdays results. The fact that this problem comes up game after game should be a worry and after almost a third of the season it hasn''t been addressed. 
[/quote]

We have failed to win when ahead three times. We have succeeded in going on to win after having a lead seven times, and eight if you include Everton in the League Cup. And we came from behind to beat Nottingham Forest. And this is in the Championship where, supposedly, anyone can beat anyone.
[/quote]

You may not have seen them in your sun soaked hideaway Purple but several of those games we won with two goal leads we had very dodgy periods when the game could have gone the other way, Wolves, Wigan, Burton, Cardiff. I would love to pretend that all is sweetness and light but quite plainly it isn''t. I have yet to witness a totally convincing performance this season.
[/quote]

 

This is it for me.  If you take Wolves, for most of the game we looked a class above them.  But then we conceded a goal and had a nervous end to the game.

 

The other thing is that it gives teams playing us hope.  Managers will surely be saying at half time, if they''re behind, "you can get back into this, look at the goals they''ve conceded..."