Birmingham

[Baldyboy 1]

Interesting game ahead after the international break as they have been busy in the last couple of days signing players such as Dean, Jota and a couple of loans may come in too according to Harry on Sky just now!

Tough game ahead especially if we do let Oliveira or Jerome go!

[lake district canary 4,823]

It''s ok, we''ll have been working on possession during the break and will have 100% of the ball against Birmingham, so no chance they will score against us [:O] 

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

Vital game more like.

Will we have used the break to address weaknesses over and above the signing of Hanley and will we have turned the corner and become a credible force to challenge the top six?

Have enough lessons been learned?

Defeat will hit me in the nuts (organic btw) as it would seem that we are in for a hard season and that our fate will likely be mid-table at best.

[City 2nd 193]

A very brave post Lakey. Be prepared to be shot down!

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

Two very good signings.

Would have had those two over Franke, Steipermann and Vrancic all day long.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Will need full support then. Who''s going?

[Mr Apples 1,407]

"Would have had those two over Franke, Steipermann and Vrancic all day long."If we''d have signed those two and had the same start to the season you''d have been whining about not signing Franke, Steipermann aand Vrancic...Apples

[djc 0]

quote user : lake district canary "It''s ok, we''ll have been working on possession during the break and will have 100% of the ball against Birmingham, so no chance they will score against us"

Brum will have at least 1% possession, as they would kick off at the start of either first or second half.

And they may still win 1 nil if Russell Martin sticks in another own goal.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="Mr Apples"]"Would have had those two over Franke, Steipermann and Vrancic all day long."If we''d have signed those two and had the same start to the season you''d have been whining about not signing Franke, Steipermann aand Vrancic...Apples[/quote]

Nope, because I don''t follow second rate German football so I''d have never heard of them.

[FCC 94]

They will have to show patience, as it will take a few months for their new signings to settle in and get up to speed.

Or is that just us?

[ZLF 334]

Jota still only 26 is a great signing for just £6m.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="FCC"]They will have to show patience, as it will take a few months for their new signings to settle in and get up to speed.

Or is that just us?[/quote]

Jota and Dean have are experienced championship footballers. I''d expect them to settle very quickly.

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

Need we go over this again?

The mistake was surely to plant three Championship newbies from a foreign league into the fray straight away? two at the heart of defence and one in a crucial midfield role.

The merits or otherwise of these players should not be the debate as it is too early to make a final damnation of them.

The only one to genuinely disappoint seems to have been Franke. Perhaps he needs time, perhaps he''ll fail but I''m not prepared to write him off yet however easy it is to disparage his pedigree.

Zimmermann was brought in as back-up and as one for the future he has shown enough to suggest that he has surpassed this expectation already.

Vrancic is an enigma who it seems could be a match winner but could be a lost soul. Early days and judgement is needed once acclimatisation is complete.

The other two we have yet to see virtually anything of.

In the unlikely event that they all turn out to be failures then we will have not broken the bank. Only one needs to succeed and that will be a pointer at least towards a successful experiment, imo.

I anticipate that two or three will become squad stalwarts at least and cling on to the Farke dream by the skin of my teeth, even though it has become fairly clear now that it was all too much too soon.

[king canary 8,750]

I went last year- damned if I''m spending the money to go that hell hole of a ground again, especially after the performance I saw.

[Samwam27 605]

Agree Broadstairs. Even Farke said Zimmerman wasn''t expected to jump straight in.

Same can be said about Trybyll and Stieperman. Cameo appearances suggest they could be good, but time will tell.

Have said it before an will say it again. Even Thierry Henry had a poor first season, and look what he went onto.

Trouble is this game doesn''t give you much time to adapt, and if things go wrong it''s difficult to turn it round

[lake district canary 4,823]

[quote user="king canary"]I went last year- damned if I''m spending the money to go that hell hole of a ground again, especially after the performance I saw.[/quote]Fine way to talk about your home ground [;)]

[Mr Apples 1,407]

And what happens if Jota and Dean don''t settle in very quicky? Will they be become bad signings?Apples

[Herman 11,136]

Unlike Lincoln to be full of praise for other team''s signings.

[king canary 8,750]

@broadstairs

Zimmerman is 24 and actually older thank Franke, not sure how he''s one for the future tbh.

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

"@broadstairs

Zimmerman is 24 and actually older thank Franke, not sure how he''s one for the future tbh.2

I always thought the opposite especially since Farke''s "back-up" remark.

I suppose that this throws a slightly better light on Franke though.

[king canary 8,750]

@ldc

I can see I''ve got confused and thought Birmingham was an away game. St Andrew is a hell hole, Carrow Road is of course not.

Ring the shame bell for me.

[Dr Greenthumb 792]

I wonder if their board will tell them "patience" for the new players and philosophy

[lappinitup 629]

I wish we were Birmingham. [:(]

[hogesar 10,761]

[quote user="Dr Greenthumb"]I wonder if their board will tell them "patience" for the new players and philosophy[/quote]

''Arry''s never heard of the word philosophy. Unless it''s linked with spending all the clubs money on average players & long contracts and leaving them in financial ruin.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Yes Kingo. It''s at home. Here''s hoping it''s a sell out.

We will need a 12th man here. Where are you. Let''s be ''avin'' you...

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

I think what this does illustrate is the substantial shift of so called averaged championship clubs.

Teams we seemed streets ahead of only last season seem to have stepped it up another level, at least in terms of their transfer spend any way.

Bristol City, Reading, Birmingham, Fulham to name a few, we''re not such an attractive proposition this time last year, and certainly wouldn''t be spending anything near what they are now.

[Rogue Baboon 0]

''BREAKING NEWS

Sky sources understand Birmingham City are trying to sign Jack Wilshere on loan from Arsenal.''

This is starting to get ridiculous!

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,220]

Think Wilshere will end up at Wet Sham.......

[ZLF 334]

birmingham going all out to eclipse Villas efforts last season.

[Mr Apples 1,407]

Why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why didn''t we go for Harry Redknapp when we had the chance?Apples