'Tonights match will determine if we go up automatically'

[cambridgeshire canary 7,803]

Is something I just saw someone post on Facebook. Thought it might make for an interesting discussion. While I do not fully agree, I feel there is something of a feeling that despite being over half way through the season we have still not yet to get out of second gear.  While it's fair to say our defending his improved by a lot, it seems we have lost our cutting edge. Only winning by one goal quite often- Hardly blowing teams away, wins by the skin of our teeth and always looking tired and nervious near the end of matches.

 

Still, end of the day we are top of the table, and I for one don't think we will blow it. Or at least.. I hope not.

 

God the playoffs are awful

[Canary Wundaboy 1,423]

I am concerned that we’re taking this “not out of 2nd gear” thing for granted. Right now we don’t seem to have another gear to go to. Our forwards seem devoid of ideas, energy or forward drive. We are t creating chances and the ones we do are tame. Did we even test the keeper properly all game tonight? I’m starting to get worried that we’ve run out of steam far too early.

[Ian 1,212]

3 hours ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Is something I just saw someone post on Facebook. Thought it might make for an interesting discussion. While I do not fully agree, I feel there is something of a feeling that despite being over half way through the season we have still not yet to get out of second gear.  While it's fair to say our defending his improved by a lot, it seems we have lost our cutting edge. Only winning by one goal quite often- Hardly blowing teams away, wins by the skin of our teeth and always looking tired and nervious near the end of matches.

 

Still, end of the day we are top of the table, and I for one don't think we will blow it. Or at least.. I hope not.

 

God the playoffs are awful

It doesn't make for an interesting discussion. There is still nearly half the season to go; to suggest that any individual result, especially one in February, will determine if we go up is hyperbole at best, and absolutely ludicrous at worst.

[hogesar 10,770]

"Lost our cutting edge "

We've not scored for a couple games and people are making out like we've suddenly become Ipswich overnight.

We've not played as well as we can for a couple games. Guess what? That happens and has happened to everyone else in the league. In fact its happened more often to other teams which is why we're top.

[CanaryChris 147]

Was the Millwall game worth 20 points fora win and I somehow missed it?

Otherwise, no. One result does not a season make.

[AJ 1,359]

11 hours ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

I am concerned that we’re taking this “not out of 2nd gear” thing for granted. Right now we don’t seem to have another gear to go to. Our forwards seem devoid of ideas, energy or forward drive. We are t creating chances and the ones we do are tame. Did we even test the keeper properly all game tonight? I’m starting to get worried that we’ve run out of steam far too early.

I am also feeling the same, and it was the same problem in the Premier League where we have no plan B and just keep doing the same things. It wasn't down to missing Buendia last night, we haven't had any 'go' about us for the past 3 games, and Buendia was involved in two of those! I still think we've got enough quality in this squad to keep up pace of what we achieved in the first half of the season, but we need to see some results starting with Friday

[BigFish 2,283]

11 hours ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

I am concerned that we’re taking this “not out of 2nd gear” thing for granted.

Agree with this. Bad News is we don't have another gear, good news is the gears we do have are enough to be top.

Reality is, this is a very poor Championship. We are the best of a bad bunch.

[SplatCat 18]

I didn't watch the Norwich game last night, but I did see the Sheff Utd v West Brom game. Very competitive, very physical. Reminded me of where we're going if we do go up. My worry is that if we do go up we want some players to be really stepping up so we can compete properly next year. Players like Cantwell, Buendia, Pukki firing on all cylinders, some big players emerging. At the moment I feel like we're grinding out games but there's got to be more to come or we'll struggle again next year. 

[Capt. Pants 5,014]

16 minutes ago, BigFish said:

Agree with this. Bad News is we don't have another gear, good news is the gears we do have are enough to be top.

Reality is, this is a very poor Championship. We are the best of a bad bunch.

Spot on. The only thing that worries me is if the mentality of the players change should promotion become a battle rather than a given. 

[DraytonBoy 251]

I have no doubt that City will be promoted, the real concern is how will this squad will fare next season especially up front. Pukki will be 32 in a year's time, Idah is only really a 'prospect' and Hughill isn't exactly prolific.  

[AJ 1,359]

2 hours ago, DraytonBoy said:

I have no doubt that City will be promoted, the real concern is how will this squad will fare next season especially up front. Pukki will be 32 in a year's time, Idah is only really a 'prospect' and Hughill isn't exactly prolific.  

I would assume we look to bring someone in again like we did with Drmic, but this time, it won't be Drmic...

 

[Mullet 293]

21 hours ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

I am concerned that we’re taking this “not out of 2nd gear” thing for granted. Right now we don’t seem to have another gear to go to. Our forwards seem devoid of ideas, energy or forward drive. We are t creating chances and the ones we do are tame. Did we even test the keeper properly all game tonight? I’m starting to get worried that we’ve run out of steam far too early.

Totally agree, we have been waiting for a change through the gears but it hasn't happened. I'm now of the opinion this is how it is, there are no other gears in which case if we do get automatic it will be by hook and by crook and we may just collapse over the line or we may just fade away altogether. 

[Beefy is a legend 224]

These comments bear no resemblance with a side on a 6 game unbeaten run in which we've taken 12 points, 5 clear at the top, and with 2 defeats in our last 23 games.

We've struggled in a couple of games on poor pitches. It's nothing to get so concerned about. We haven't lost, or conceded a league goal in fact. 

[Mullet 293]

3 minutes ago, Beefy is a legend said:

These comments bear no resemblance with a side on a 6 game unbeaten run in which we've taken 12 points, 5 clear at the top, and with 2 defeats in our last 23 games.

We've struggled in a couple of games on poor pitches. It's nothing to get so concerned about. We haven't lost, or conceded a league goal in fact. 

I agree there is no need to get over dramatic but creating shots on target will equate to goals and goals win games. We aren't creating chances and although we aren't conceding or losing that form won't keep us at the top for long. Winning is more important than clean sheets and not losing

[Beefy is a legend 224]

Last 6 games - 3 wins, 3 draws. Scored 6, Conceded 2. Continuing that sort of statistic would be perfectly acceptable. 

 

[Midlands Yellow 4,682]

8 hours ago, DraytonBoy said:

I have no doubt that City will be promoted, the real concern is how will this squad will fare next season especially up front. Pukki will be 32 in a year's time, Idah is only really a 'prospect' and Hughill isn't exactly prolific.  

The reality is we will have to spend (bit taboo on here) If Emi does leave the monies need reinvesting. 

[corbs 147]

Things have gone amazingly well, but the spectre of our collapse post lockdown last season still haunts me. Hopefully it won’t bother the players who have been heroes so far this season in my mind. 

[Beefy is a legend 224]

33 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

The reality is we will have to spend (bit taboo on here) If Emi does leave the monies need reinvesting. 

I would suggest that we are already showing that we are in a different financial position now with decent sized fees already agreed for Gibson and Giannoulis. PL money plus potentially a £35m fee for Emi and/or Max and we should be able to bring in half a dozen quality players. 

[canarydan23 4,767]

On 03/02/2021 at 09:17, AJ said:

I am also feeling the same, and it was the same problem in the Premier League where we have no plan B and just keep doing the same things. It wasn't down to missing Buendia last night, we haven't had any 'go' about us for the past 3 games, and Buendia was involved in two of those! I still think we've got enough quality in this squad to keep up pace of what we achieved in the first half of the season, but we need to see some results starting with Friday

To be fair, Emi only played the last half hour versus Barnsley and obviously missed the last near half hour against Boro. But still, fair point.

Friday does not feel like it has a bit more significance now. Certainly not season-defining but it's not difficult to envisage a win triggering a huge amount of confidence going into some eminently winnable games whilst conversely a defeat would exacerbate the doom and gloom, both among the fans and possibly the players.

A win would be amazing, beating the second best team in the league at this stage, in their own backyard and without our best player would be one hell of a boon. We'd have basically overcome the toughest challenge of the season yet, and arguably the toughest challenge remaining, without our most effective weapon. Do that, and we can look at the rest of the season brimming full of confidence and belief.

[It's Character Forming 1,204]

So someone tell me after the last game, have we been automatically promoted or not ?

[Jim Smith 2,610]

I do feel that whilst if we lose tonight it won;t be the end of our promotion hopes, if we were to win it could be a fairly decisive blow in the promotion battle and would leave Swansea with a lot to do to catch us (plus hopefully give us our spark back after a couple of iffy performances).

[Jim Smith 2,610]

On 03/02/2021 at 11:33, DraytonBoy said:

I have no doubt that City will be promoted, the real concern is how will this squad will fare next season especially up front. Pukki will be 32 in a year's time, Idah is only really a 'prospect' and Hughill isn't exactly prolific.  

I know going over old ground is unhelful but you really can;t help thinking we missed a very obvious trick with Ivan Toney in the summer. I'm sure we could have got him ahead of Brentford had we really wanted to but it appears we were not in for him, or at least not seriously. 

[sgncfc 1,331]

Quietly confident about tonight; I think we'll be fine. Swansea haven't lost at home for 10 games so they are due one.

[1902 1,167]

Packed in season with an insane number of games and limited prep between them. Plus players living bizarre lives out of their usual rhythms (like the rest of us). It's pretty inevitable that there will be periods where sides lose steam.

The question is, do you do a Bournemouth and lose 4 on the trot, or do you cobble together a few ok results and pull yourself back to form. That will decide who goes up this year. So far Norwich have been the best side at getting a result in a difficult position, whether because of injuries, form or suspension. That's why we are top.

I also think that its because when we are not playing well we are still getting a point out of sides like Boro means we will probably end up in the automatics.

[......and Smith must score. 1,600]

2 hours ago, Jim Smith said:

I know going over old ground is unhelful but you really can;t help thinking we missed a very obvious trick with Ivan Toney in the summer. I'm sure we could have got him ahead of Brentford had we really wanted to but it appears we were not in for him, or at least not seriously. 

I'm not sure Ivan Toney would be a good fit at Carrow Rd personality-wise Jim. He fancies himself a bit too much and was holding out for a Premier League club to come in for him. None did so he ended up having to go to Brentford as I believe they were the only club seriously in for him. As things stand he's probably glad he did go to Brentford. He can't stop scoring in a team probably heading for promotion, and, according to the local sports rag he's on £38,000 a week which is not to be sniffed at.

I think it's a bit academic thinking we might pay out a potential eight figure sum on a League One player.

We'd want Messi for that..... 🙂

[glory.win or die. 273]

Beating Swansea will relegate us!!

Oh, sorry, wrong season!.

[Chip20 69]

3 hours ago, sgncfc said:

Quietly confident about tonight; I think we'll be fine. Swansea haven't lost at home for 10 games so they are due one.

Hoping 'along came Norwich' works both ways, right? 

[Ian 1,212]

21 minutes ago, glory.win or die. said:

Beating Swansea will relegate us!!

Oh, sorry, wrong season!.

Rest his soul.