SHOW RIVO SOME LOVE!

[a1canary 0]

I''ve got a feeling he may be on the bench on Saturday. What with the Crewe interest in taking him back, Svensson being out (Mcveigh, Hucks up front, brennan left rivo/hendo right?) and him scoring in the reserve match against the binners and then being taken off...
If we do see him, lets give him a big cheer and all our support. He deserves that even if he does divide opinions amongst us. And it may give him a confidence boost that he badly needs. He must be feeling very left out to want to go back to Crewe!! (No offence to Crewe, and much as Dario Gradi is one of the best manager''s this country has ever produced, but it would be a backward step).

[gazzathegreat 0]

am with you all the way on this issue A1

i think rivers should be used more, at his best he is far too good to either sit on the bench or go out on loan, whatever has transpired between him and worthy, i hope it can be sorted so he can once again get back into the team. We need him

[morty 0]

Agreed, he''ll get a cheer from me on Saturday, may he even get a start giving Mcveigh a rest??? Have Worthy and Rivo kissed and made up??? All will be revealed Saturday in another exciting episode of "The Canary promotion season" Now showing at a sexy football ground near you, book early to avoid disappointment.

[ca 1]

Quite agree with you A1 rivers has always been a favourite of mine!

[Marty 0]

I agree, he has a lot of skill and class and is a potential match winner, we can''t get carried away with the likes of Huckerby, we need a strong squad. In fact having Huckerby enables other players to shine because it can take the pressure off them a bit. Mark has too much talent to be wasted sat in the stand, hope he gets a chance soon, let''s not forget the blistering start to the season he had, probably his best spell in a Norwich shirt. Why don''t we actually play him as an out and out striker and not a winger?

[a1canary 0]

I wanted to see him given a run up front at the start of the season but once the loanees came that wasn''t required. Also, he would need to play alongside a target man so would have to go in with Iwan or Svensson. Which means he''s competing with Leon and Hucks so i don''t fancy his chances there. But as i said, i think he may figure on Saturday and if we get another injury up front or in midfield his chance will definitely come. Also, great tho Henderson has been and still is, he can''t be expected to maintain the level he started at and i feel he''s coming off the boil a little at the mo.

COME ON RIVO, STEADY ON, NOW''S YOUR CHANCE...!

[Tacklebury 0]

A potential match-winner?!? Come on, the man spends half his time standing on the half-way line, doesn''t protect his fullback, and can''t cross a ball. Now being able to run at a defender is a fine art and one which Rivers does occassionally show, but when his final ball gets no higher than knee height and is cleared by the first defender, or sails long and over everyone, he may as well have not beaten the man. I know there''s an argument for saying he''s better up front but, as has already been mentioned here, there''s too much quality up there now to put Rivers in.

Whilst I''d always encourage Rivers during a match, and wouldn''t boo him, I just don''t think he''s quite as good as everyone here makes out. I know the right wing slot is a bit of a problem, but with Brennan coming back there''s no reason why McVeigh can''t play there.

[Peter 0]

Show him the door, waste of space.

[Mook 0]

Hang on a minute, Tack! Ok, he''s certainly not David Beckham with his crossing BUT he is as good if not better than the rest of our squad in the right midfield position. And that''s enough for me.

Go on Rivo, good luck to you.

[First Wizard 0]

Show him some love?, I''d show him a close up of the Wensum, and not from the safety of a broads crusier either!. I''ve lost count of the number of times this guy has just stood about kicking his heels and doing s*d all. Get rid of him now, and use his wages for someone who''s prepared to work their guts out, like Hucks.

[Tacklebury 0]

Mook, you really don''t think a lot of the rest of the squad if Rivers can cross a ball just as well as anyone else in there!!!

[Marty 0]

I think some people have forgotten that he was an important factor in our good start to the season before the unfotunate injury, he is still our 2nd top scorer. Let''s be honest other striking options are not all that amazing, I think we are getting carried away, Roberts is not the player he used to be, Leon still has a lot to prove, same for Mathias. So before people say, get rid of Rivers, maybe take you blinkers off and turn you memories back a month or two. Glad to see Henderson doing so well, he has a lot of promise. I also think that Rivers has a lot more to offer, let''s give him a chance, i think we owe him that. At the end of the day we don''t have too many players who are prepared to take other players on, it would be a mistake to get rid of one.

[Tacklebury 0]

Yeah, and then turn the memory back even further and remember that string of poor performances he turned in. Ok Roberts isn''t the player he was but Rivers wouldn''t be the replacement for Roberts and to say Svensson still has a lot to prove despite having made an excellent start and having had Premiership experience and successful spells at other clubs in this division. McKenzie has made an excellent start and should be kept ni and around the starting 11 whilst he keeps scoring goals.

But yes, I suppose we don''t have too many players prepared to take people on. Well, once you take out Huckerby, McVeigh, McKenzie, Jarvis, Hendo......

[a1canary 0]

Come on guys, this is exactly the sort of thing i was trying to avoid by posting this thread! But surprise surprise wizard comes along with his admittedly amusing post and has to stick the boot in! Marty has pointed out the big part he played in our first games this season and i''d also point out the big part he played in the second half of our play-off season. He was awesome then.
And Tacklebury, you''re wrong. Only one of the players you mentioned will run straight at and pass two, three or even four defenders. I don''t need to say who. McVeigh and McKenzie can beat their man but that''s not the same thing. You can count players like that in div 1 on the fingers of one hand and we''ve got two of them. Granted Rivers has problems with his fitness and can leave his defender exposed but his other abilities are too valuable to throw away. Oh and one small matter - the manager wants to keep him and believes he still has a lot to offer the club. I agree with him. You don''t have to but there''s no need to lay into him.

[Marty 0]

Thanks a1canary you''ve saved me having to say pretty much what you''ve said in your reply. Mark is not the greatest player in div 1 but he does have some fine attributes and has put in some good performances in his time, let''s not forget his pace either, he may lack fitness for 90 mins but when he takes someone on he can show blistering pace. So when I remind others to rember his most recent performances prior to the injury and they go on about his less recent performances I have this to say, (pressuming you are employed!) "If you had an appraisal would you expect your boss to concentrate on your work 2 or 3 years ago or maybe more on your more recent achievements" ? One other point, I know Mckenzie has 3 goals but he still has a lot to prove, he was very quiet in the Forest game, I hope shows us how well he can play alongside Hucks tomorrow.

[Bomber 48]

I must admit I like Rivers and the manager must have plans for him otherwise he would have let him go to Crewe on loan and Norwich save his wages for that period towards going to NW promotion fund. I''m sure NW thought of that and would have been a good reason to let him go but he did''nt he kept him so must be in his plans. All this talk about Rivers not being able to cross a ball. Against Forest Henderson must have had at least 8 chances of putting in a cross and the only one he got (admittedly a peach) was the one for Mathias. Yes I admit that Rivers can be lazy but before his injury he had got four goals and yet as soon as he is fit he is not even considered for the subs bench - seems strange to me. Henderson is OK for a youngster starting out but certainly would not place him on my team sheet as an automatic choice but there again who am I.

[canary 1 0]

At the end of the day we dont see rivers in trainning, so we dont really know what his work effort has bin like, the manager does and so he decides, rivers needs 2 rasie his game 100 per cent for me to warrent a place in the team !!!!

[Tacklebury 0]

"Only one of the players you mentioned will run straight at and pass two, three or even four defenders. I don''t need to say who. McVeigh and McKenzie can beat their man but that''s not the same thing. "

Excuse me for asking, but when has Rivers ever passed 2 or more defenders? McVeigh and McKenzie can beat their men, which was exactly my point. That''s all Rivers can do. All I was suggesting was we already have players closer to selection than Rivers that can do exactly the same thing.

The only reason I''m criticising Rivers is there seems to be some very selective memories forgetting the rubbish displays that Rivers has given us in the past. And referring to the point about appraisals, if I performed as badly in my job as Rivers has done over the last two and a half years, with the exception of the odd day here and there, I wouldn''t have a job to be appraised in. If he gets back in the team and can consistently play well down the right, then I''ll gladly admit my error of judgement. But at the moment, I''m not convinced that he''s the solution. Sorry for having a differing opinion. Next time I''ll just agree. Heck, whilst we''re at it, let''s get Easton back in the team!! Remember that play-off game at Wolves? He set-up all three goals!! Come on, surely that deserves a recall?

[Mook 0]

Now then ladies, handbags down please. A1 has a point - Hendo can''t go past his man, you''ve never seen Jarvis or McKenzie in a string of games so there''s no point in commenting on them, McVeigh has guile but doesn''t "go past" people as such. But as you say Tack, Rivers has put in some bad performances in his time.

BUT

We need strength in depth, Rivers has some talent, and we will need him back.

Remember Kenton? USELESS (yes he was) for about four years until Worthy came along, busted his balls and dropped him, from then we got a different player. Perhaps this is just what Rivers needs.

[Tacklebury 0]

I think he probably does. And I''ll be happy to see the transformation. I''ll happily admit to being wrong if Rivers does eventually prove himself to be the player a lot of us feel he should be.

[Bury Yellow 2]

Ah. Dear old (or I think that should be young) Mook. Once again I disagree with your posts. Kenton actually was messed up by Worthy. You may recall that in the early part of that season Kents was King and then suddenly dropped in favour of Malky. Coincidentally our results slumpted and down the league we went.

Just splitting hairs now, you understand, as Worthy is now my hero, but it really is amazing how history can be distorted. Once again I worry that many opinions on this board, whilst very intersting and intelligently expressed are backed up by contributors who don''t go to too many games!!!!!

How many have you been to Mook?

[Steve White 24]

I think Rivers is an OK player, but one thing everybody is in agreement in, is that he seems to lack fitness for the 90 mins and he doesn´t track back - this is not acceptable at this level, and knowing Worthy´s ideas on work -rate, I am sure he has been told in no uncertain terms what is expected of him. Simply, the ball is in Rivers´court. The work rate of the team in general has been excellent, and when we are 1-0 up with 10 mins to go, we all expect people behind the ball when defending, it isn´t rocket science!

[Mook 0]

That''s a cheeky assumption BB. Anyway, you misread my post and it seems that you are the one who is confused.

In Kenton''s first few appearances he impressed greatly.

Then he got very lazy, in fact I was at one game in the bad old days when someone shouted that he was "a f***ing useless weekender" - and he heard because he looked up at him.

Then he was dropped, and slowly disappeared.

Then NW took over.

THEN he was revitalised into the player we all remember so fondly. So perhaps it is you who doesn''t know what they are talking about, as Kenton had been here for eight seasons before he left for Southampton, and I was not referring simply to last season. Then again, perhaps you have only been going to matches since we were successful and can''t remember the games when times were hard, Mr Belvoir? (I only put that bit in because old people get so wound up about how they''ve done everything longer than us "young" folk)

By the way, I''m 27.

[Creative Midfielder 1,985]

Anyway back to Rivers.

I really dont want to continue this trend of agreeing with NW but I think Rivers gave a pretty adequate demo this afternoon of why he hasnt been playing.

And reverting to type why on earth was he even on the bench when we should have started with Brennan on the left, McVeigh on the right and Hendo on the bench.

[First Wizard 0]

An apt song for the lazy idiot ''''Messing about in the river'' for when we chuck him in it!.

[morty 0]

Agreed on all points Worthyout, I suspect and also hope that we have seen the last of Rivers and when we free up his wages we buy Harper.

[a1canary 0]

Ok, i think we''ve got enough mileage out of this, he clearly still divides opinion amongst us!! Just one thing to Tacklebury who has his facts a little wrong. Easton setting up all three goals at Wolves? AT Wolves he missed a header into an open goal. Presumably you mean against Wolves at Carrow Road. The third goal was Malky''s injury time header, nodded in from a free kick out on the right by...

Rivers. Who socred the equalising goal as well of course. Go watch the video.

[Tacklebury 0]

Sorry for the confusion A1, I meant the first game at Carrow Road. Oh and the last minute header was from an inswinging cross from the right wasn''t it??? That means it must''ve been taken with a left foot, meaning that only Easton or Drury would''ve taken it?!? Maybe I''m wrong, but that seems to be my recollection of it. Malky was more or less over the goalline when he headed it - a right footed cross would''ve gone out of play and back in for him to be able to do that.

Anyway, I was being ironic about Easton in the first place. The exact details aren''t important, I was just emphasising my point.

[a1canary 0]

No worries, just being faceacious! But it was Rivers'' cross. I remember him celebrating to the crowd afterwards as if he had scored it. He''s certainly a cocky g*t! I don''t think him and Malky get on. There was a Rotherham fan on the away fans match report section saying the best bit of the game for him was Malky shouting obscenities down the wing at Rivers! It must be quite fun being so close to the pitch like that - you must get to hear everything!

[no1canary 0]

Yeah hopefully I can sit down there in the sheff Utd game and wind up their fans!