Top six side

[mr footy 36]

Next season this squad will without doubt finish top six.With additional players added during pre season ,we can look forward to at least the play offs.This season has been average ,but it has given players and coaching staff a taste of the prem.We now have a system of play which looks great.long may this continue. 

[Canary Wundaboy 1,423]

“We have a system of play which looks great.”

Does it though? Passing it between the back 4 and the keeper with just 1 shot on target all game begs to differ.

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

We had started to find some consistency prior to lockdown, which came at just the wrong time for us - something hasn’t quite clicked since, but it’s not just for us as Bournemouth et al have also struggled.  
It does seem some supporters only have a memory of a couple of games rather than a longer period - thankfully those making decisions do think a bit longer term and see the bigger picture.

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,616]

17 minutes ago, mr footy said:

We now have a system of play which looks great.long may this continue. 

At the risk of being suckered in by a wind-up merchant, you realise we've scored one goal in our last nine games, right? 

Also, all relegated clubs think they'll finish at least in the Playoffs, but history has shown that it's never as easy as they think.

[Capt. Pants 5,008]

5 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

We had started to find some consistency prior to lockdown, which came at just the wrong time for us - something hasn’t quite clicked since, but it’s not just for us as Bournemouth et al have also struggled.  
It does seem some supporters only have a memory of a couple of games rather than a longer period - thankfully those making decisions do think a bit longer term and see the bigger picture.

A couple of games? Most of 2020 has been turgid stuff.

[peter72 3]

27 minutes ago, mr footy said:

Next season this squad will without doubt finish top six.With additional players added during pre season ,we can look forward to at least the play offs.This season has been average ,but it has given players and coaching staff a taste of the prem.We now have a system of play which looks great.long may this continue. 

So many fans say this and are then in for a rude awakening. How many clubs actually bounce back at the first attempt? How many clubs struggle when relegated back to the  Championship ? Look at Stoke, Boro, Hudders, Wolves. These clubs have rich chairman also. etc.

You do have some really good youngsters at your club that i'm interested in us signing.. Then you have players who simply don't fancy the slog of the Championship. Mixed that in with an  extremely tight chairman who won't spend hardly anything. If your chairman isn't going to fund a spending spree in the richest league in the world he isn't going to do it in the Championship i can assure you.

You have a decent manager who i like  but there are also other good managers down there.

I think you will struggle personally. Probably float around 12th-10th. I'm normally right also. 

You got a bit lucky with the signing of Teemu Pukki who was terrific for you but looks a shadow of himself. Career taking a nose dive?  I've seen it so many times.

Edited July 5, 2020 by peter72

[Thumbbass 367]

Before lockdown the only teams we were embarrassed by were Villa at home (makes me sick!) And Man Utd home and away. We were more than competitive against some of the PLs top teams, Wolves, Chelsea, Man City, Leicester, and if you still consider them big, Arsenal, Tottenham. The results didn't necessarily go our way.

I would hope that we can start a new season with a fit back 4, no Drmic or Duda and get back to some performances with guts. Let's face it, a skeleton squad patched up with sub par players was never ever going to compete. It hasn't worked out, but damn we've been unlucky.

I don't see anything that says we can't get back to better form with our strongest 11 on the pitch. We're carrying two players all the time at the moment. Don't forget that there is a good team there, it's just not necessarily on the pitch!

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,616]

23 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

We had started to find some consistency prior to lockdown

Just out of curiosity, what consistency was this? Our results and performances were just as poor and inconsistent as they had been all season.

- Our five league league wins this season have all been in different calendar months and have come at least four weeks apart.

- We have managed to take four points from two consecutive games only once this season (win v Everton followed by a draw v Arsenal).

- We haven't managed to go three consecutive games without defeat all season. 

Our form before just before lockdown epitomised this inconsistency- lots of defeats with the odd win here and there.

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

22 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said:

A couple of games? Most of 2020 has been turgid stuff.

I guess you didn’t go to many games, then.

[mr footy 36]

The way we play will win the majority of games next season. Attacking play ,swift passing,play out from back ,retain possession.

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

Our 2020 pre lockdown form was better - we won through to the q-f of the cup, had started to find some solidity (Leicester, Bournemouth; Liverpool  Sheff U and Spurs were rather unlucky).  To say otherwise is ridiculous 

Edited July 5, 2020 by Branston Pickle

[hogesar 10,763]

53 minutes ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

“We have a system of play which looks great.”

Does it though? Passing it between the back 4 and the keeper with just 1 shot on target all game begs to differ.

However for balance also look at last season where we outscored the widely regarded best team to grace the division I.e Wolves a couple years back, and the absolutely scintillating football we delivered at that level.

[Canary Wundaboy 1,423]

3 minutes ago, hogesar said:

However for balance also look at last season where we outscored the widely regarded best team to grace the division I.e Wolves a couple years back, and the absolutely scintillating football we delivered at that level.

Present tense Hoggy. Last season we played great football. This season, especially the 2nd half, we’ve been awful.

[lake district canary 4,830]

Next season will be every much a challenge as this season. Remember we didn't even start to play well until after the Ipswich draw last season. That said, the potential to do well is plainly going to be there, but it will undoubtedly be a roller coaster and it may take the whole season to get into the top six. We could win the league or be in the top two, but the banana skins are waiting for us and plenty of good no nonsense teams to try and get in our way. 

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,616]

14 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Our 2020 pre lockdown form was better - we won through to the q-f of the cup, had started to find some solidity (Leicester, Bournemouth; Liverpool  Sheff U and Spurs were rather unlucky).  To say otherwise is ridiculous 

Our goals against record was improving, but our goals scored record was going the other way. 

Of course, our cup results were the exception, but our league results were actually getting gradually worse. They were certainly not getting any more consistent.

[Mason 47 1,924]

I think December killed us.

We had struggled up until that point, but through December was the time that we really did enough to win some games but we had that terrible run of VAR and things simply not falling our way.  If you look at the results from Everton A onwards-

Everton            W
Arsenal            D
Southampton  L
Sheff Utd         L
Leicester         D
Wolves            L
Villa                 L
Spurs              D
Palace            D

I would argue the first half at Southampton, first 15 minutes of the second half against Sheff Utd & second half with Wolves are the only times in there we really let ourselves down. Aside from that I would say we were desperately unlucky not to dredge more points out of this period and I think it knocked the stuffing out of the belief in the squad that we could win games. I've then heard some supposedly ITK stuff that there was a bit of unrest in the squad over moves not being granted and heads being turned (Webbers 'remember where you come from' interview in Feb quite poignant here) and from there it doesn't seem surprising that we've looked motorless. I also don't think the way we came back for the restart looking like a bunch of amateurs is unrelated.

You can't underestimate the Championship at all. What I think goes in our favour is none of the notable sides that have been relegated and really struggled spent the season before pretty much assuming they would be going down and planning for it; I think we'll go for really proven, strong Championship players alongside those deemed suitable from the current lot, as I believe they will want to weed out the sour taste in the mouth after how this season turned out.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

44 minutes ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

Present tense Hoggy. Last season we played great football. This season, especially the 2nd half, we’ve been awful.

The last five games I saw - Leicester, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Palace and Spurs we played great football and we're applauded off at the end.

[Kenny Foggo 1,194]

Depends on the summer business.... 

[Capt. Pants 5,008]

1 hour ago, Branston Pickle said:

I guess you didn’t go to many games, then.

Season ticket holder and have seen virtually every game this season by courtesy of dodgy streams.

I've lost count of all the goals we have rattled in this year 2020 such has been the entertainment.

Sole destroying stuff, especially since the restart no show.

 

Edited July 5, 2020 by Capt. Pants

[king canary 8,757]

Our play wasn't bad pre lockdown but we had the same issue we always had- nice play but no real end product  and quite easy to defend against. 

We've scored 3 league goals in 2020, 2 were penalties.

Edited July 5, 2020 by king canary

[hogesar 10,763]

1 hour ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

Present tense Hoggy. Last season we played great football. This season, especially the 2nd half, we’ve been awful.

Well technically all the games we've just played are also in the past. I also think we still played some good football pre lockdown, and were rewarded with a point away at Newcastle and wins at home against Leicester and Bournemouth. 

So last season and matches this season are all history. This season is more recent, but last season is more relevant as that's the level we will be playing at.

Like I say, I'm just offering some balance to the "we are awful at everything" line being thrown around by some at the moment.

[Crabbycanary3 994]

2 hours ago, mr footy said:

Next season this squad will without doubt finish top six.With additional players added during pre season ,we can look forward to at least the play offs.This season has been average ,but it has given players and coaching staff a taste of the prem.We now have a system of play which looks great.long may this continue. 

But we won't have 'this squad' next season.

Absolutely agree that you can't expect us to walk the Championship as teams have historically shown that a (relegated) losing habit can take time to shake off. 

We have looked woefully short of confidence for some reason, since restart. If we can regroup in the off season, and with new players coming in (mentioned on commentary of the Brighton game that we have signings already lined up - any ideas as to who, you itk ers?) and regain the confidence, then who knows? It'll be far more exciting than this turgid Premier League re start has been

[JF 694]

Predictions for next season are pointless until we see what squad we will be going with. Keep the majority of the talent from this squad with some quality new additions then we’re looking good. Sell the quality and replace with the level of acquisitions of this season and we’ve little chance.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

I've often wondered if people get home from Carrow Road and completely change their mindset. Perhaps they cheer and clap because that's what everyone else is doing, then on the way home wonder why they did it...

[Branston Pickle 4,150]

Quite so, Nutty, it seems I’m largely alone in having been generally happy with things In 2020 prior to lockdown - which is why I thought we had a fighting chance of getting out of it.  I certainly don’t recall all the lengthy moans at that point about how ‘soul destroying‘ it was...most odd.  

Edited July 5, 2020 by Branston Pickle

[Crabbycanary3 994]

10 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Quite so, Nutty, it seems I’m largely alone in having been generally happy with things In 2020 prior to lockdown - which is why I thought we had a fighting chance of getting out of it.  I certainly don’t recall all the lengthy moans at that point about how ‘soul destroying‘ it was...most odd.  

I don't think you are alone at all BP. I am of like mind. In fact, prior to lockdown, we were considered, by the neutrals, to be the best ( in terms of play) team to have ( ever) been at the bottom of the League.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Crabbycanary3

[wcorkcanary 4,784]

23 minutes ago, hogesar said:

Well technically all the games we've just played are also in the past. I also think we still played some good football pre lockdown, and were rewarded with a point away at Newcastle and wins at home against Leicester and Bournemouth. 

So last season and matches this season are all history. This season is more recent, but last season is more relevant as that's the level we will be playing at.

Like I say, I'm just offering some balance to the "we are awful at everything" line being thrown around by some at the moment.

Fair play  to you  Hoggo  , staying reasonable in the face of entitlement tantrums. 

[Foxy2600 376]

How many points did we have after the Christmas New Year intense "Four Games in two Weeks?" When DF declared we needed a miracle?

[wcorkcanary 4,784]

15 minutes ago, Branston Pickle said:

Quite so, Nutty, it seems I’m largely alone in having been generally happy with things In 2020 prior to lockdown - which is why I thought we had a fighting chance of getting out of it.  I certainly don’t recall all the lengthy moans at that point about how ‘soul destroying‘ it was...most odd.  

Sone of these  whingers ought to try something truly soul destroying, like working in a sweatshop for two and a half quid an hour.....in England!  The hand wringing  and bleating  is embarrassing, so many after the event experts. We were warned , clearly, before our defensive injury  crisis  that we stood a high chance of relegation , but there was a plan in place that allowed for that. I just dont understand why people are so quick to turn on their own Club. Not sure if I'd want many of them next to me in the trenches.  Gutless. 

[Alex Moss 2,167]

1 hour ago, nutty nigel said:

The last five games I saw - Leicester, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Palace and Spurs we played great football and we're applauded off at the end.

You’re right, Eddie - there was definite improvement prior to lockdown and it would have been interesting to see where that might have taken us. It is not as black and white as players ‘aren’t good enough’ as has been suggested - confidence and the corresponding form this can bring can mean everything. We most certainly were not playing like we are now, at that point I was still confident we could give any team a game. Still, if we were told NCFC wouldn’t be relegated in May 2020, we’d all have taken that!