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Given recent performances, results, preseason predictions and summer transfer business, were we guilty of underestimating the step up? When I say 'we', I'm referring to both us as supporters and also those running the club.

Despite the fact we had money to spend (allegedly), very little of it was spent, and a majority of fans seemed pretty content with the situation. We were happy to put our faith in the young talent we had, the players who performed so well last season, the coaching staff who performed miracles and the five players brought in on bargain deals.

During preseason, many predictions were made regarding our survival chances, and we were as good as  unanimous with our belief that we'd survive, with many tipping us for mid-table or even beyond.

Was this just the feelgood factor carrying on from last season and maybe us overrating our own players, or did we just underestimate how big the gap is between the Championship and the Premier League?

In hindsight, even our record against the rest of the top six wasn't great last season, with just three wins in ten games. We got promoted predominantly as a result of smashing most of the mid-table and lower end teams, but now the same players are unable to lay a finger on even modest Premier League opposition. 

The team against Brighton contained ten of the starting eleven during our eight-game winning streak from February to April last season, and no new signing has started a league game for us in one of the four attacking positions. We're using the same players as last season, and what was a free-scoring attacking side has registered just two goals in the last six games, and both of those were late consolations when we were already dead and buried.

Our players haven't got worse. By now they're no doubt seriously lacking in confidence, but ultimately they're the same players who scored an average of more than two goals a game last year and played some delightful football. 

So did we just underestimate the gulf between the Premier League and the Championship? It seems the vast majority of us (myself included- I predicted we'd finish 16th) thought that we'd be able to implement our style of football from last season and pick up enough points to at least survive and possibly more, but I think the reality has really kicked in that the difference in class between Blackburn, QPR and Bristol City when compared to even the Premier League's lesser lights like Brighton, Burnley and Crystal Palace is an absolute chasm.

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Nearly agree with all of that but necessary to confirm it is just how successful or otherwise we will be against the likes of Burnley, Palace and Brighton when they visit Carrrow Road? I believe that this (h/a) is a very significant factor in this inconsistent league, as ever. We were superb against Newcastle after all.

It does seem to me that, although by now we have come up against our fair share of the weaker sides, it has been on their home turf. and that our home fixtures have been against tougher opposition.

It is not all lost yet and with a fitter squad, including not having the need to play mid-fielders in the centre of the defence, an appropriate addition or two in the January window and a decent dose of confidence I do feel that we are capable of turning this around based upon the old "Fortress Carrow Road" syndrome.

I just wonder also just how much acclimatisation some of the players still need and whether we have seen them at their Premier League best yet. I will single out Buendia in particular. Last season's superstar still has a bit to learn, as yesterday especially showed, about not over doing it against tighter less compromising defenders. This fault was exposed a few times against Brighton, particularly when he should have put one on a plate for Pukki in the first half. It will be duly noted and commented upon in the team's re-run of the game session on Monday.

It's still fairly early days. A lot of learning still has to be done by players and management. This season we could well be a stronger Premier League unit after the turn of the year and some of these reverse fixtures might well yield better results.

We have to hope. 

 

Edited by BroadstairsR
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The players who "got promoted predominantly as a result of smashing most of the mid-table and lower end teams, but now the same players are unable to lay a finger on even modest Premier League opposition." beat Man City, dominated Newcastle, and acquitted themselves well against Liverpool and Chelsea. 

I think your comment about confidence is spot on. The downward spiral was sparked by the worst injury crisis that I can remember.

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It seems to have created a siege mentality among management, players and supporters alike. If it doesn't see us somewhat adrift it could well lead to:

A New Year. A new dawn once supplies have got through.

Edited by BroadstairsR

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Additionally to the great comments about confidence, comes this pressure to get results, it all mounts and a very young squad.

It should be the older players who take hold and help the slump, yet they’ve gone missing.

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There was a feeling last year that the squad was greater than the sum of its parts with us consistently performing better than clubs with much bigger budgets and stronger sides on paper.

You could say that this season we've been 'found out' and the big step up in quality has made some of our players look more like the lower league also-rans they were before they came here.

Last season it all came together in such a beautiful way with wonderful football and amazing results but it's looking like it was too much to ask the same players to perform another miracle against much much stronger opposition.

Edited by Peanuts

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If we assume that Norwich will be one of the teams relegated at the end of the season, it will be interesting to see who comes down with us, the way things are standing at the moment it looks as if Villa and Sheff Utd will do enough to survive, which means two of the more "established" Premier league teams will come down with us.........funny old game........

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People say the Champs. is the most physical league, but I don't think that's true any longer.

I said after our promotion that I was worried about our players competing against the sheer power & athleticism (as well as skill) I saw on MOTD every week.

Last season opposition teams simply didn't have the ability to press, harry & outmuscle our defence in the way every PL team can. They've rapidly latched on to this & use it to devastating effect.

Our insistence in always playing out from the back was personified by Jamal yesterday. He got caught at least a couple of times early on because their winger knew he would do anything rather than clear his lines.

This is where experience is invaluable. An occasional row Z clearance is far less harmful than giving the ball away so close to goal, & it makes the times when Jamal has a real opportunity to play out of defence far less predictable. Emi's another one who is too predictable - they know he'll go for the tricky stuff every time & thus are able to second guess him.

I'll never forget a few seasons ago when Wes suddenly changed his game; I'm sure the manager had had a word with him as he'd gone through a phase, a bit like Emi is now, where he was becoming ineffectual because of his inability to pass before beating a player 3 times. He started playing beautiful one-touch passes which completely flummoxed the opposition - they simply weren't expecting it. It only lasted a while unfortunately & he reverted to type  😞 which was a shame because if he could only have mixed his incredible dribbling skills with the through balls he was capable of doing he'd have been a world beater.

BTW does anyone know why Alex was playing RB most of the first half? It didn't seem to help get Max up the pitch at all as far as I could see.

Considering his inexperience at CB I thought Alex has done OK in that position (one or two hairy moments notwithstanding) & I'm wondering if it would be best to leave him there & play Ibrahim at CM till we get Zimbo back. I also wonder if it would be worth Byram into the defence? I've been quite impressed by him when he's been given the chance.

 

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We were the best team in the Championship last season. And we played the best of what is accepted as good football.

And we took on arguably the two best teams in Europe at the moment and gave one a bloody nose and the other a bad headache.

So you could argue the gulf isn't as big as we imagined. And we weren't far off the mark against Chelsea.

But the opposite of the same coin is that we have looked poor against teams who the aforementioned two teams eat for breakfast.

And I can't fathom out why. And I'm not sure the coaching staff have either, as yesterday was a lifeless performance against arguably the dullest side we have faced.

I wish I knew what the problem was.

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1 minute ago, keelansgrandad said:

We were the best team in the Championship last season. And we played the best of what is accepted as good football.

And we took on arguably the two best teams in Europe at the moment and gave one a bloody nose and the other a bad headache.

So you could argue the gulf isn't as big as we imagined. And we weren't far off the mark against Chelsea.

But the opposite of the same coin is that we have looked poor against teams who the aforementioned two teams eat for breakfast.

And I can't fathom out why. And I'm not sure the coaching staff have either, as yesterday was a lifeless performance against arguably the dullest side we have faced.

I wish I knew what the problem was.

The problem,  apart from injuries, is transition  . In DFs first season the problem was transition from one style to another , as the season wore on we did get better as the system started to 'click'. This season the transition is from playing  teams of similar or lesser abilities  to ones if not technically  better, are more physically  strong  and possibly  quicker, or at times technically  better and stronger and faster than us.  Those teams that are not necessarily  technically better than us but have been in the premier league longer, are more used to playing sides with our technical approach and have developed ways of countering that .  Hope that makes sense. It does to me.

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