Season Predictions

[Petriix 2,840]

Calling all happy clappers, pant wetters and everything in between. It's time to make your predictions. Where will Norwich City finish at the end of the season?

[Petriix 2,840]

Heart says 3rd, head says 8th. I just don't think we've got the right formula this time.

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

I remember getting @NeymarSmith amused with my previous predo for a Championship season as I said I thought we'd get to the play-offs but lose the semis on penalties. Thankfully we did a lot better than that, but in Farke it turned out we had an excellent manager for getting rid of relegation hangovers and we did something very unusual in winning the league after being relegated as the Premier League's bottom side the season before.

Can't see that happening again, the absence of Buendia being the obvious reason why. There's a LOT of pressure on Hayden and Sara to hit the ground running, as it's clear to me Smith wants to make more use of the wings and widen the pitch somewhat compared to Farke, whose brand of possession play required a lot of quick, short passes in tighter spaces. Get that defensive midfield element sorted out, and it should enable Aarons and Giannoulis to bomb on, and then this should get the likes of Rashica and Cantwell the space they need to create.

I don't think we'll start very quickly and think we'll be solidly mid-table ten games in, but I think it'll click a bit better and we'll have a few games we grab wins we don't expect, but drop a lot of draws that should have been wins on the balance of play. I do think we could come up with a late charge as the team is more gelled in the middle of the park.

If you push me for an exact position, I'll say 6th after a late charge but fall short in the play-offs.

EDIT: I'll say third round of both the FA Cup and the Carabao. I don't think we'll go too deep in those as I suspect Smith will try to save his resources for the league.

Edited July 25, 2022 by TheGunnShow

[Midlands Yellow 3,995]

The midfield is key, all depends how good the new boys are there. The ones who start on Saturday won’t be good enough for autos. 

[sgncfc 1,228]

Our squad is good enough to win it again, they just have to play as they can. Champions.

[Capt. Pants 4,246]

I have no idea now. Pre season was mixed but we were very good against Marseille and looked bang on with our attitude and fitness, so there's something there.

Confidence and belief looks a bit fragile though which is to be expected after last season. If we can get off to a good start then we will be difficult to stop. It's worrying though that we go into it with injuries and a depleted midfield.

[Dean Coneys boots 1,400]

3rd- if the midfield is sorted sooner rather than later. Otherwise 13th

Edited July 25, 2022 by Dean Coneys boots

[Chichcan 148]

5th. Lose in the play offs

I think we'll not be terrible but lack a cutting edge and not score enough

[If wed kept Howie.. 208]

37 minutes ago, Petriix said:

Heart says 3rd, head says 8th. I just don't think we've got the right formula this time.

need to get both your heart and head checked mate

[If wed kept Howie.. 208]

Top 

Top after a few games - and staying there the whole season..

play-offs schmlay-offs

[Essjayess 307]

To early to say, the transfer window does not shut until end August, we have yet to see Hayden or Sara play for us never mind knit into the  team, there maybe one or two more incomings..all i can see is City getting off to a pretty disapointing first month or two...after that who knows.

No club in the English 2nd tier has ever been Champions for 3 consecutive seasons they played in that tier so i think that is not happening. Other than that predicting right now is futile but ok...somewhere between 1st and 24th.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

2nd.

[Ken Hairy 3,773]

14th

[Indy 3,301]

4th, up via playoff, (Robins manager by November 25th). 😉

[Midlands Yellow 3,995]

1 minute ago, Indy said:

4th, up via playoff, (Robins manager by November 25th). 😉

Not if Coventry keep their magic three, dark horses this season. 

[ron obvious 1,505]

I think our awful PL season has left a lot of you shell-shocked.

The difference between PL & Champs is the same as going from Champs to L3 (or even non-league).

We should walk it this year. But I've thought that before ........

[Indy 3,301]

14 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

Not if Coventry keep their magic three, dark horses this season. 

Indeed I too have them top 6…..

[Mason 47 1,382]

Top 2 is the only aim we should be contemplating. As such I predict to be around the top 6 until Jan, then start to turn on the afterburners as our depth of quality starts to tell.

Unluckily I may have to report this thread for animal cruelty, rendering all verdicts null and void.

Poor Splat.

[Midlands Yellow 3,995]

5 minutes ago, Indy said:

Indeed I too have them top 6…..

On a annual wage bill of well under £10m too, Robins is a canny coach. 

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

4th or 5th 

[GodlyOtsemobor 2,326]

4th and lose out in the play offs. 

[RugbyCanary 94]

If midfield can be sorted top 2. If not struggle top ten!

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

Top six

[Parma Ham's gone mouldy 2,220]

Very reliant on Pukki.

Farkeball well suited to Championship.

Prem lite football not special in the Championship. Though a better version of it might keep you up a year. 

Buendia a rare gem. No obvious difference-makers now. Buendia plus Pukki gold dust. Everybody else looked and felt better as a consequence.  

At least somebody will play the Skipp role this year. That facilitates everything else. 

Squad is deep, though not special. Asking players to ‘go again’ when they know - deep in their hearts - that the premier goal that they are asked to chase won’t include them next time is a tough sell…

We have proved we come up top level short. Most have proved they are not good enough. A massive overhaul is not financially viable.

Better players than others have are nice, though weapons remain key. It’s all on Pukki really. Smith has quite a tough job - and he’s a bit of a mercenary journeyman (which is football normal). 
 

Farke somehow wasn’t and we knew it. So did the players.

The club failed at the top level. The recruitment failed at the top level. The finances failed at the top level. So what does Smith now sell them differently that sticks?

A disappointing 8th. Or anything up to 1st if Pukki stays (fit and not-just-world-cup keen).

I’ll pay £5 to Rays Funds for every place Norwich finish above that… @nutty nigel 👍🏽✨

Parma 

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Parma Ham's gone mouldy

[nutty nigel 7,539]

Heart says first💛💚

That'll do me🙃

[Petriix 2,840]

1 hour ago, Parma Ham's gone mouldy said:

Very reliant on Pukki.

Farkeball well suited to Championship.

Prem lite football not special in the Championship. Though a better version of it might keep you up a year. 

Buendia a rare gem. No obvious difference-makers now. Buendia plus Pukki gold dust. Everybody else looked and felt better as a consequence.  

At least somebody will play the Skipp role this year. That facilitates everything else. 

Squad is deep, though not special. Asking players to ‘go again’ when they know - deep in their hearts - that the premier goal that they are asked to chase won’t include them next time is a tough sell…

We have proved we come up top level short. Most have proved they are not good enough. A massive overhaul is not financially viable.

Better players than others have are nice, though weapons remain key. It’s all on Pukki really. Smith has quite a tough job - and he’s a bit of a mercenary journeyman (which is football normal). 
 

Farke somehow wasn’t and we knew it. So did the players.

The club failed at the top level. The recruitment failed at the top level. The finances failed at the top level. So what does Smith now sell them differently that sticks?

A disappointing 8th. Or anything up to 1st if Pukki stays (fit and not-just-world-cup keen).

I’ll pay £5 to Rays Funds for every place Norwich finish above that… @nutty nigel 👍🏽✨

Parma 

 

Beautifully put.

There's still an outside chance that one or two of our signings might develop into genuine weapons. But it's hope rather prediction. Evidence suggests mediocrity. 

[Terminally Yellow 2,454]

1 hour ago, Petriix said:

Beautifully put.

There's still an outside chance that one or two of our signings might develop into genuine weapons. But it's hope rather prediction. Evidence suggests mediocrity. 

It's interesting how independent pundits are all, to a man, predicting top two. Yet our own fans are miserable ****ing ****s, with the only real justification for being so is their own pant wetting that we don't have an Emi Buendia. 

Edited July 26, 2022 by Terminally Yellow

[7HAR1980 102]

2 hours ago, Terminally Yellow said:

It's interesting how independent pundits are all, to a man, predicting top two. Yet our own fans are miserable ****ing ****s, with the only real justification for being so is their own pant wetting that we don't have an Emi Buendia. 

Totally wrong. As has been mentioned many many times on different threads and pinkun articles. The worry from supporters is the creativity for Pukki.

Who in our side can spot the clever runs that Pukki makes? 

I am not saying there isn't anyone that can or cannot create for Pukki to finish but based on last seasons evidence there is a genuine concern about creativity amongst this squad.

[Canario 205]

24 minutes ago, 7HAR1980 said:

Totally wrong. As has been mentioned many many times on different threads and pinkun articles. The worry from supporters is the creativity for Pukki.

Who in our side can spot the clever runs that Pukki makes? 

I am not saying there isn't anyone that can or cannot create for Pukki to finish but based on last seasons evidence there is a genuine concern about creativity amongst this squad.

There are two worries on the Pukki front...who will provide the service and what in God's name will we do if he picks up a serious injury?!

 

 

[TheBaldOne66 690]

4 hours ago, Terminally Yellow said:

It's interesting how independent pundits are all, to a man, predicting top two. Yet our own fans are miserable ****ing ****s, with the only real justification for being so is their own pant wetting that we don't have an Emi Buendia. 

You mean the pundits who pick 2 relegated sides to go back up every year because it’s the easiest thing to do and lazy journalism?

Personally, I feel we are one Pukki injury away from disaster and the squad doesn’t have enough goals in it but we should at least make the top 6 in my opinion, but we don’t have enough quality for top 2, although in truth I’m not sure who does as this league always seems to deliver surprises, I mean how many people  tipped Forest to go up or Huddersfield to make the play offs last season?