If Carlsberg Did Weekends....

[TIL 1010 4,721]

This was surely one of them ?

City win convincingly in front of the cameras.

Leeds lost.

Sheff Utd lost.

Scum lost.

Now where did i put my Lotto ticket ?  😜

[Van wink 2,994]

Great...and Ricky got a new job.

[lake district canary 4,531]

Very satisfying, let's hope we can capitalise on it further next week.

 

[SwindonCanary 455]

Funny, I am having a can of Carlsberg right now !

[Crabbycanary3 994]

and Monday to come yet (I know it's not technically a weekend, but)

[River End Canary 18]

And my stalker Fenway Frank has disappeared indeed a fabulous weekend 

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

I don't drink much these days, however a bottle of wine has been opened...

[FenwayFrank 2,456]

23 minutes ago, River End Canary said:

And my stalker Fenway Frank has disappeared indeed a fabulous weekend 

Yawn

[hogesar 9,618]

Yeah, certainly a better set of results than many of us would have predicted Friday morning.

Which goes to show should we somehow not win in the next 3 games; the unpredictability would mean we'd still have autos to play for. Yet should that happen some on here will act like we've completely blown any conceivable chance. 

[Canary Wundaboy 1,358]

44 minutes ago, hogesar said:

Yet should that happen some on here will act like we've completely blown any conceivable chance. 

I don't know, us and Leeds have been in front for so long this season anything less than top 2 will feel a bit like we've thrown it away...

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

The Sheffield United  defeat was the biggest bonus of yesterday. It's nice being top of the tree but more important is that that gap between the top two and third  gradually widens.     

Edited January 19, 2019 by BroadstairsR

[K Lo 221]

Furthermore, without me noticing until now, Norwich's GD is only 1 behind that of Leeds & Sheff U, with only West Brom having a convincingly better GD.

Maybe a good thrashing of Ipswich in a few weeks will help us further. 

[splendidrush 699]

I still see us as a mid table Team punching above our weight, long may it continue and credit to all. Can't see us not making the playoffs, which is what most people would have seen as a good season. In other words I don't see it as our right to be top two and, equally, should we fail to be promoted, wouldn't be too disappointed. Ultimately it's been a fantastic season and it's not finished yet. 

[Bill 1,788]

The Boro game can be included in this lot. Watched the game and only a silly push in the last minute gave them a point.

Naturally this rather upset el Fatti bin Lardee, Boro's resident Taliban look a like

Who stated, outside Carrow Road, that we would be relegated this season 🤔

Here is in full rant once again (speaking to Ronnie Barker's grand dad)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_-GHLbRdQ4

[splendidrush 699]

Great watching as always Bill.

[hogesar 9,618]

9 hours ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

I don't know, us and Leeds have been in front for so long this season anything less than top 2 will feel a bit like we've thrown it away...

We've been in the pack but rarely more than a couple of points ahead. It's not like a Wolves situation who were something like 12 points clear at this stage.

[Bill 1,788]

6 minutes ago, hogesar said:

We've been in the pack but rarely more than a couple of points ahead. It's not like a Wolves situation who were something like 12 points clear at this stage.

yes. it has been noticeable that no one team has broken clear by a large margin as is often the case

in fact up to this Xmas the top spot regularly swapped between various teams

and as yesterdays results (and our four before) show no team is safe from a stumble or two

so all to play for as we head towards the final lap

[paul moy 235]

6 hours ago, splendidrush said:

I still see us as a mid table Team punching above our weight, long may it continue and credit to all. Can't see us not making the playoffs, which is what most people would have seen as a good season. In other words I don't see it as our right to be top two and, equally, should we fail to be promoted, wouldn't be too disappointed. Ultimately it's been a fantastic season and it's not finished yet. 

I see us as the best footballing side in the Championship and the most entertaining since 1993.  Anything else is a bonus.

[kick it off 1,948]

6 hours ago, splendidrush said:

I still see us as a mid table Team punching above our weight, long may it continue and credit to all. Can't see us not making the playoffs, which is what most people would have seen as a good season. In other words I don't see it as our right to be top two and, equally, should we fail to be promoted, wouldn't be too disappointed. Ultimately it's been a fantastic season and it's not finished yet. 

I find this perspective really weird. We've lost twice since august, both times by one goal in games we have played very well in and deserved to win. We have dominated almost every game we have played in and even when we've played badly we have managed to pick up at least 1 and often 3 points. What part of that says 'midtable'? Not many midtable teams go on 13 game unbeaten runs. We had a bad start but since then we have been flying.

From someone who whinged that i wasnt given Krul enough credit and was qualifying praise with criticism, you will forgive my hypocrisy and irony alarms going off simultaneously im sure. 

[Bill 1,788]

6 hours ago, splendidrush said:

I still see us as a mid table Team punching above our weight, long may it continue and credit to all. Can't see us not making the playoffs, which is what most people would have seen as a good season. In other words I don't see it as our right to be top two and, equally, should we fail to be promoted, wouldn't be too disappointed. Ultimately it's been a fantastic season and it's not finished yet. 

Whereas since we played the binners our points average per game would amount to 102 points over the season !

Maybe not ' a right ' but a good indication of how well we have done since then, and very good indication of how well we may finish.

And for those wondering .................. if we stay with the points average since the binners game we would finish on 93 points

Top two certainly, and most likely Champions

So given how we seem to be improving by the game, how players like Trybull, Gordon and Vrancic have stepped up when needed and we have one of the league's top scorers I don't consider we are punching above of our weight

More a case of getting it right far more than other teams

 

[splendidrush 699]

Wow,bearing a grudge much? My point stands, at the start of the season most supporters were hoping for playoffs at best,based on last year's finish and our activity over the summer. Sure,our record has been fantastic but based on last year there's no guarantee that we can maintain it. Clearly you see more than I do but we shouldn't take anything for granted, there's nothing 'weird ' about it, just a different perspective. As for the Krul thread,I don't remember aiming any criticism at anyone specifically, if I offended you please accept my apologies. 

[cornish sam 944]

Also worth highlighting that after this round of games we have now got the lowest number of losses in the division, which isn't bad considering we lost 3 of our first 5...

[splendidrush 699]

10 hours ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

I don't know, us and Leeds have been in front for so long this season anything less than top 2 will feel a bit like we've thrown it away...

For what it's worth, my comment was in response to the idea that if we don't finish top 2we will somehow have failed,  yet as you've pointed out it's been a great season,  regardless of where we finish. The entertainment is back and we've plenty to look forward to. Unfortunately, there are half a dozen other Clubs who feel the same. 

[Nuff Said 5,089]

13 hours ago, SwindonCanary said:

Funny, I am having a can of Carlsberg right now !

Oh no, condolences. Could you not find anything with taste?

[littleyellowbirdie 2,510]

36 minutes ago, kick it off said:

I find this perspective really weird. We've lost twice since august, both times by one goal in games we have played very well in and deserved to win. We have dominated almost every game we have played in and even when we've played badly we have managed to pick up at least 1 and often 3 points. What part of that says 'midtable'? Not many midtable teams go on 13 game unbeaten runs. We had a bad start but since then we have been flying.

From someone who whinged that i wasnt given Krul enough credit and was qualifying praise with criticism, you will forgive my hypocrisy and irony alarms going off simultaneously im sure. 

I sort of see where he's coming from. Purely on paper, looking on market value and so on, we're middle of the pack. 

Appropriately, there's a good German word for us. gestalt, which pretty much means greater than the sum of its parts. The success of Norwich is as much, if not more, about the interplay of the players as the players themselves. That has to be down to really good quality management. I do also think the players themselves are growing individually as a result of it. 

Edited January 20, 2019 by littleyellowbirdie

[lake district canary 4,531]

My view is that the players were never just "mid-table" players.  Pukki, Buendia, Leitner to name three are brilliant players.   Add to that Vrancic, who has a sublime touch and a great left foot (of which there was evidence last season), the ability of Tettey, the experience of Krul who has done it at the top level, the technique and desire of Stiepermann and Zimmermann, Klose, the young lads who have been brilliant.....Rhodes who is a proven top striker in this division....

Whatever happens this season, we have an excellent group of quality players.  Credit to webber and Farke for that of course, but they are excellent.   Add to that the expertise of the coaches and we see why we are doing so well. 

It is not just down to one thing - it is the complete package and is the only way we can compete - be clever in the transfer market, have a good coaching set up and have a togetherness that is hard to match anywhere else.  That is the formula we will always need to keep an advantage over the many who have much more money than us.  We have it right at the moment, long may it continue. 

 

 

 

[splendidrush 699]

10 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

My view is that the players were never just "mid-table" players.  Pukki, Buendia, Leitner to name three are brilliant players.   Add to that Vrancic, who has a sublime touch and a great left foot (of which there was evidence last season), the ability of Tettey, the experience of Krul who has done it at the top level, the technique and desire of Stiepermann and Zimmermann, Klose, the young lads who have been brilliant.....Rhodes who is a proven top striker in this division....

Whatever happens this season, we have an excellent group of quality players.  Credit to webber and Farke for that of course, but they are excellent.   Add to that the expertise of the coaches and we see why we are doing so well. 

 

 

 

 

Couldn't agree more with every word ldc but let's go back 6 months. How would you have written that? Pukki, a freebie who didn't impress in Scotland, Buendia, who no one had heard of, Leitner, didn't hit the heights last season. Vrancic, lightweight last year and not a regular this, unless Leitner is out. Tettey wasn't a regular and shared duties with Trybull. Krul, a total gamble after years out with injury. Steipermen, left back last season, most fans had no idea how that would turn out. Zimmerman, a fans favorite last year and Klose who may have been sold. Finally Rhodes, 'proven at this level ' but not good enough for Sheffield Wednesday. Based on that I'd say we mid table and the bookies agreed. 

[kick it off 1,948]

1 hour ago, splendidrush said:

Wow,bearing a grudge much? My point stands, at the start of the season most supporters were hoping for playoffs at best,based on last year's finish and our activity over the summer. Sure,our record has been fantastic but based on last year there's no guarantee that we can maintain it. Clearly you see more than I do but we shouldn't take anything for granted, there's nothing 'weird ' about it, just a different perspective. As for the Krul thread,I don't remember aiming any criticism at anyone specifically, if I offended you please accept my apologies. 

Not offended or bearing a grudge. Just found it a bit surprising that you were engaging in exactly the thing you accused me of. 

I understand what you mean regarding the start of the season but im surprised your perspective hasnt shifted further. Given that we have maintained it for half the season and where we are in the league i dont see any reason it should stop. We've maintained the points and largely the performances through various injuries to key players without really breaking stride. 

Regardless lf where the players came from, Pukki is up there for golden boot, Buendia looks like an unbelievable talent, Zimm is a very competent and assured champs defender, vrancic is a slick operator with a great range of passing, vision and will punish any team silly enough to give him a yard on the edge of the box and hes not even first choice. Not to mention our fullbacks and the rest

Youre entitled to your opinion, but player for player we have one of the best squads in the division. How many other teams in this league could afford to leave jordan rhodes and Onel on the bench? Theyd walk into most teams in the top 6, let alone the league. 

As I say, i dont actually think this is players playing above their ability, i think we have very good players playing very well together and therefore we are where we deserve to be, and where we should be looking to finish the season.

[splendidrush 699]

2 minutes ago, kick it off said:

Not offended or bearing a grudge. Just found it a bit surprising that you were engaging in exactly the thing you accused me of. 

I understand what you mean regarding the start of the season but im surprised your perspective hasnt shifted further. Given that we have maintained it for half the season and where we are in the league i dont see any reason it should stop. We've maintained the points and largely the performances through various injuries to key players without really breaking stride. 

Regardless lf where the players came from, Pukki is up there for golden boot, Buendia looks like an unbelievable talent, Zimm is a very competent and assured champs defender, vrancic is a slick operator with a great range of passing, vision and will punish any team silly enough to give him a yard on the edge of the box and hes not even first choice. Not to mention our fullbacks and the rest

Youre entitled to your opinion, but player for player we have one of the best squads in the division. How many other teams in this league could afford to leave jordan rhodes and Onel on the bench? Theyd walk into most teams in the top 6, let alone the league. 

As I say, i dont actually think this is players playing above their ability, i think we have very good players playing very well together and therefore we are where we deserve to be, and where we should be looking to finish the season.

Agreed again kio, what I'm saying is that at the start of the season neither you or I had any idea how this would turn out. They've surpassed anything we could have expected so far,  however I'm reluctant to  'expect ' this to continue.  Sure I'd like it to but that's a different conversation. 

[lake district canary 4,531]

35 minutes ago, splendidrush said:

Couldn't agree more with every word ldc but let's go back 6 months. How would you have written that? Pukki, a freebie who didn't impress in Scotland, Buendia, who no one had heard of, Leitner, didn't hit the heights last season. Vrancic, lightweight last year and not a regular this, unless Leitner is out. Tettey wasn't a regular and shared duties with Trybull. Krul, a total gamble after years out with injury. Steipermen, left back last season, most fans had no idea how that would turn out. Zimmerman, a fans favorite last year and Klose who may have been sold. Finally Rhodes, 'proven at this level ' but not good enough for Sheffield Wednesday. Based on that I'd say we mid table and the bookies agreed. 

I always fancied that Pukki was going to be a hit.  His time in Scotland wasn't a disaster and he still scored 8 goals in something like 35 matches - and his ability has always been there as evident by the goals he scored at Brondby and for Finland.