Huge summer ahead

[Dean Coneys boots 1,406]

Yes there were injuries but there is no hiding from the fact that the season ended in a pathetic whimper with the club in relegation form. My own belief was that the manager failed and should have gone when the final whistle blew. That didn’t happen so we must cross fingers and hope he can prove he still has it. Otherwise it will be another calamitous sacking mid season and we are back where we started.

so far we have made a few shrewd signings but they have not moved us forward. Barnes is not as good as Pukki, Duffy is a like for like swap for the injured Hanley, Stacey is not as good as the soon to be departing Aarons. So we are worse off on paper as of today if, as suspected, Max goes. 

that leaves a LOT of work to be done in the window. We still need a CDM - urgently. we need creativity (God help us if we do sign Ince) and we need goals. For me this means loaning idah and buying a 20 goal a season talisman. Only there is no cash for that. Fingers crossed again that Sarge comes good (I think he could if played as a striker not a winger) We still need a CB with some pace if Big Andy goes - I hope he will stay. Rumours swirl that both Sara and Nunez might go- disastrous in my opinion as that will see the last of the promise exit. 

my own feeling is that the club is realigning itself for a prolonged stay in this division and we look very mid table to me. promotion seems a million miles away so It’s all a bit gloomy. What do you think? What realistic business will we see? Where do you think we look like finishing? 

[cambridgeshire canary 6,794]

Feels like we say the exaxt same thing every summer yet nothing seems to change

[Worthy Nigelton 1,063]

I think this is over-simplistic. Yes on the paper the players leaving are better than the ones coming in, but you need to freshen up a team and those leaving need to move on as they are a bit stale. Those coming in will need to prove themselves all over again at anew club with new fans, so its not quite how it looks. 

Completely agree that a CDM is key. Without getting that right the other signings will prove largely meaningless, it is so, so important.

It's too early to tell how we'll do. I think we'll be up there but don't expect us to trouble the automatics.

[Fen Canary 866]

7 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Feels like we say the exaxt same thing every summer yet nothing seems to change

Doesn’t every club say the exact same thing every summer? It’s the hope and expectation of a good season that keeps fans of all clubs coming back each season 

[essex canary 505]

Make hay whilst the sun shines.

[non-scoring strikers 113]

I fear that the longer the current manager stays in his post it’s another season written off.

[Dean Coneys boots 1,406]

Agree. I just don’t see why he keeps the job after a lacklustre run that saw us amongst worst in the league and with no discernible signs of a plan. His recent record is woeful at other clubs too.. but I guess we have no option but to get behind him. It’s one hell of a gamble mind you…not least because he plays a distinct style which could see us lumbered with players another manager is unlikely to want. We have gone so fast from an open club with a set style that managers are hired to play- to a defensive board and a merry go round of managers none of whom seem chosen for the players we have. Ah well…over to you Webber 

[hogesar 9,737]

6 minutes ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

Agree. I just don’t see why he keeps the job after a lacklustre run that saw us amongst worst in the league and with no discernible signs of a plan. His recent record is woeful at other clubs too.. but I guess we have no option but to get behind him. It’s one hell of a gamble mind you…not least because he plays a distinct style which could see us lumbered with players another manager is unlikely to want. We have gone so fast from an open club with a set style that managers are hired to play- to a defensive board and a merry go round of managers none of whom seem chosen for the players we have. Ah well…over to you Webber 

I mean that's really not true in this instance is it? Most Championship clubs would take our signings so far if money was irrelevant - none of them can only play one style and they've all played multiple different styles throughout their career.

[essex canary 505]

46 minutes ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

 

We have gone so fast from an open club with a set style that managers are hired to play- to a defensive board and a merry go round of managers none of whom seem chosen for the players we have. Ah well…over to you Webber 

Wasn't it always that way?  Consider the change from Lambert to Hughton as an example. Whether Head Coach or CEO/DOF it always seems to take on the character of the new regime. Where is the overarching strategy?

Edited June 13, 2023 by essex canary

[Yobocop 1,105]

Are you going to rehash the same message every week until the season starts again? 

yes there were injuries, there were also players who needed a fresh challenge and new start hence weren’t motivated to perform - that was very clear of a certain Mr T. Pukki 

the manager had to work with that and was probably counting down the days until the season had finished 

were now in a situation where we can press the reset button; sara and Nunez will benefit from a rest, we’ve added experienced championship and in many cases premier league players and the whole squad can come together for what will be a gruelling preseason however one that will set us up well for next season 

there are a lot of back stories as well, will sargent finally be the main striker and can he flourish in that role? Is Jon Rowe going to be the player we all thought he could be a few years ago? Tzolis another one to watch out for, showed albeit not many glimpses last season 

One thing that sadly lacked last season was the connect between fan and club; I think a good start could go some way to repairing that 

[PurpleCanary 5,580]

2 hours ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

Yes.

For once I agree with DCB. Five tests against a very strong Australian side, with excellent bowlers and some battle-hardened batsmen.

[Yobocop 1,105]

2 hours ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Feels like we say the exaxt same thing every summer yet nothing seems to change

Other than the two times we’ve been promoted in the last 4 seasons 

stop pandering to people because you think it’s the popular opinion 

[Branston Pickle 3,684]

I think the point that’s being missed, unsurprisingly as it doesn’t fit the narrative, is that it was the PL season/summer window that we are and have been paying for.  Very few of the signings came off in-season and we needed them to if we were to have the slightest chance.  Indeed, several (Tzolis, Rashica) still haven’t (for us).   On that basis, the guys we got in last summer were actually successful overall - the two permanent signings being linked with £20m+ moves away.

[Dean Coneys boots 1,406]

Fresh rumours suggest a spanner in works might be Webber moving to Leeds- bad timing if true as regards the window. 

[RobJames 890]

I well remember the comments about the club signing freebies such as Krul and Pukki.. The howls about is signing Maddison then letting him out to Aberdeen. It is in the nature of the beast for people like the OP to make out City have an automatic right to a PL place, so when  not there it must be some intentional failing of the club. Yet they never tell us why clubs such as WBA, Boro, Blackburn, Swansea, Hull, Cardiff etc are also similarly failing. Does Webber manage them on the sly ? I doubt there will be any explanation either as to why cities with a population 5 times the size of Norwich (Leic/Leeds) cannot maintain a PL club. Maybe the reason is perhaps a bit more complex than theseEnid Blyton levels of comment from DCB

[essex canary 505]

8 hours ago, RobJames said:

I well remember the comments about the club signing freebies such as Krul and Pukki.. The howls about is signing Maddison then letting him out to Aberdeen. It is in the nature of the beast for people like the OP to make out City have an automatic right to a PL place, so when  not there it must be some intentional failing of the club. Yet they never tell us why clubs such as WBA, Boro, Blackburn, Swansea, Hull, Cardiff etc are also similarly failing. Does Webber manage them on the sly ? I doubt there will be any explanation either as to why cities with a population 5 times the size of Norwich (Leic/Leeds) cannot maintain a PL club. Maybe the reason is perhaps a bit more complex than theseEnid Blyton levels of comment from DCB

Maybe but then Zoe Webber said recently that she wouldnt be sitting here today without Parachute payments.