What is this Season Narrative

[Ulfotto 660]

So we are nearly a quarter of the way through the season and I will have no idea where we are going. What is the script?
 

It’s the first season in forever where I have no idea what is going to happen next. Last year doomed promotion bid was set early on, likewise meek relegation seasons, promotion challenge in lockdown. 18/19 is the only season at this point there was no knowing where it was going at this stage. 
 

It is very confusing.

 

[Midlands Yellow 4,118]

Try to make the top 6, we’re not a top 2 team.

[KeiranShikari 1,485]

It's clearly heading towards an East Anglian Derby in the playoff final.

Edited October 4, 2023 by KeiranShikari

[Satriales 710]

5 minutes ago, KeiranShikari said:

It's clearly heading towards an East Anglian Derby in the playoff final.

Nah, the binners will have been promoted as league winners well before the playoffs.

[cambridgeshire canary 6,865]

17 minutes ago, KeiranShikari said:

It's clearly heading towards an East Anglian Derby in the playoff final.

There is a tiny part of me that would like that but on the other hand..

God can you imagine the state this forum would be in?

[cambridgeshire canary 6,865]

Ignore this post, accidently posted the same post twice 

Edited October 4, 2023 by cambridgeshire canary

[Capt. Pants 4,325]

To be fair at this stage last season the promotion push wasn't yet doomed and indeed Wagner did still have a reasonable chance of reaching the play-offs deep into the season.

We need to stay in contention of the top 6 as a minimum, so that when Sarge returns the season is still alive. It's still a bit early to say anything is impossible.

Uncertainty if you want to call it that, is how it should be.

Just to add if the season was to end this minute we would be in the play-offs with Preston, Sunderland and WBA. I think many would bite your hands off for that.

Edited October 4, 2023 by Capt. Pants

[ZLF 281]

We are restricted by having no plan b for when a successful press closes off the supply through the midfield pivot making.  We also have multiple limitations, pace at cb, tendency to over commit fb forward and a midfield pivot who are  better on the front foot but have a tendency let runners go and rarely win the ball back and a preference for crosses and a squad susceptible to injuries.  But we have a squad playing to its strengths when it does work and that should keep us going.

As such a play off spot has to be the aim,  in an open season with all teams beating each (1 pt covering 4th to 10th atm) its gonna be a roller coaster.  More if we can evolve a way to circumvent a smothering press.

[mannings bandy legs 401]

Anywhere between 7th and13th. Don't feel we will beat enough of the top six to hurt them in their quest and our defence just does'nt give me the confidence to predict anything positive.

[Nuff Said 5,239]

1 hour ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Ignore this post, accidently posted the same post twice 

Think I prefer this one?

[NFN FC 1,123]

Start slow, everyone gets injured, carry one being poor, injured return, binners implode, a few good games, build momentum, play football, win games, reach play offs, lose. 

[ricardo 7,444]

Tears all the way as we trail in the wake of our Southern neighbours.

Boooooooooooooooooooo

[dylanisabaddog 5,055]

1 minute ago, ricardo said:

Tears all the way as we trail in the wake of our Southern neighbours.

Boooooooooooooooooooo

For God sake @ricardopull yourself together. It'll be fine........ 

[Old Shuck 192]

Can't see us finishing in the top 2-Leicester will walk away with then title bar something extraordinary happening, whilst Leeds as good a bet as anyone for second.

Then its a mad and undignified rush for the next four places with as many runners and riders in it as the Grand National-with lots of fallers and a few surprises along the way and at the end.

Sunderland, West Brom, Ipswich, Southampton, Swansea, Middlesbrough, Norwich amongst them.

1. Leicester,  2. Leeds, 3. Sunderland, 4. Ipswich, 5. Norwich, 6. West Brom.

A repeat of 1985?

 

[ricardo 7,444]

2 minutes ago, dylanisabaddog said:

For God sake @ricardopull yourself together. It'll be fine........ 

No mate, I've seen the future and it looks a bit blue. Ten games on the board and the stats don't lie.

Nothing lasts forever.

 

 

[BroadstairsR 2,225]

It is difficult to assess any narrative for this season as far as I see it. 

The team is quite difficult to define at the moment, as is the manager or how we will perform on the field of play.

There is a real danger of us eventually drifting into a  mid-table mediocrity, whereby we become more concerned with ITFC losing than NCFC winning. I suppose a lot depends upon the recovery levels of the strike force and just how new boys like Saintz, Forshaw and Hwang perform.

Even the ideal regards this would likely see us as play-off contenders only though.

That the club is in a state of flux at this moment in time is an understatement. A notable shift in ownership, a new Director of Football and a manager who never quite convinces and therefore seems to have the jury perpetually out trying to pass judgement whether he is up to the role in the first place. 

This could also actually be a season when a healthy number of youth players break through one way or another.

Accredited with three wishes I would want by the season's end and, in order of preference:- a few million in the transfer pot (who knows?) a D.of F. who is at least likeable and capable of maintaining the good along with adding fresh ideas with possibly a new young dynamic manager at the helm.

Norwich City Football Club is currently at a crossroads. No wonder few can foretell the outcome of this season

 

 

Edited October 4, 2023 by BroadstairsR

[dylanisabaddog 5,055]

2 minutes ago, ricardo said:

No mate, I've seen the future and it looks a bit blue. Ten games on the board and the stats don't lie.

Nothing lasts forever.

 

 

Dylan runs screaming from the room! 

PS I saw them last night and they played well. Nothing fancy or clever, just very quick and very hard working. 

We all worked out early on that we'd have problems if we suffered injuries and we've probably lost the most important 2 players. You identified Sargent as MOTM a couple of times I think.

The only chance we have this season is if we somehow manage to cling on till they're fit. I also think we'll have a battle to hang on to Rowe and Sara in January. 

As regards Ipswich, lots of mention has been made of the Everton job for their manager. Should we he adding Manchester United as a possibility as well? The penny may finally drop with United that big reputations are meaningless 

[Nuff Said 5,239]

59 minutes ago, NFN FC said:

Start slow, everyone gets injured, carry one being poor, injured return, binners implode, a few good games, build momentum, play football, win games, reach play offs, lose. 

My finger was hovering over the like button until I read the last word.

[NFN FC 1,123]

6 minutes ago, Nuff Said said:

My finger was hovering over the like button until I read the last word.

I'd rather that than another season in the PL in it's current format

[Sufyellow 242]

6 hours ago, Nuff Said said:

My finger was hovering over the like button until I read the last word.

You wouldn't want to win with this squad , would you?

[percy varco 203]

7 hours ago, NFN FC said:

Start slow, everyone gets injured, carry one being poor, injured return, binners implode, a few good games, build momentum, play football, win games, reach play offs, lose. 

Suit me. Need to build, not with Webber or Wagner. 
When we next go up Delia et al will be gone along with the little ol Norwich - we’re so happy to be here mentality. 
 

[nutty nigel 7,656]

What are expectations?

Only watched it on the wireless but from what I could make out it was better than when we last played Swansea. But improving on that won’t get us very high up the table. 

Expectations at the end of last season didn’t seem to include us troubling the top two this season.

Expectations pre season certainly didn’t seem to include us troubling the top two.

If we cut out stupid errors we could challenge for playoffs especially if we’re not too far adrift when Sarge returns. Nunez is a big miss too.

[AJ 1,235]

Milwaukee Mediocrity 👌🏻

[ged in the onion bag 862]

11 hours ago, Ulfotto said:

So we are nearly a quarter of the way through the season and I will have no idea where we are going. What is the script?
 

It’s the first season in forever where I have no idea what is going to happen next. Last year doomed promotion bid was set early on, likewise meek relegation seasons, promotion challenge in lockdown. 18/19 is the only season at this point there was no knowing where it was going at this stage. 
 

It is very confusing.

 

Its actually quite clear.... we are trying to pursue promotion one way or another, falsely believing that the team should have such aspirations, when quite simply it isn't good enough.    We did the same last season.    The upshot of such a flawed ambition is that it stunts proper development and clever judgement, it creates unreasonable expectations / pressure on the manager and players.   

There is a desperation about the club that reeks right now.   

The leaders have lost their way, run out of ideas and making poor judgements.... Wagner's ability is being exposed and whilst I appreciate we have injuries, the team is relying heavily on the likes of Sargent and Barnes therefore, we really are in decline.

Many on here have a promotion mindset which seems quite silly to me.... I would dread the idea of us getting promoted with this squad.... quality wise, it's arguably not much better than when Webber arrived.     Its not remotely functional for that aim so why not take stock and start developing again... change Wagners brief and take the pressure off. 

[Dean Coneys boots 1,421]

People talking about promotion are deluded. We are bereft of talent barring a handful of players, most of whom are now injured. And the old experience we signed for free is struggling to cope with the physical demands of the champs- hence performances drop and we ship goals. This is all heading the way of last season - we will fade in my opinion and finish mid table at best or down in the doldrums at worst - if you need a reason to be pessimistic we are currently in relegation form and confidence hasn’t quite dropped yet. 
 

we have a top six attack and a bottom half defence with a meh midfield. We still need a CDM 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Dean Coneys boots

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,311]

Wagner needs to play our talented players. He needs Sarge, Barnes and Nunez back. Nunez needs throwing in, he has loads of talent, and can play the high press. Gibbs too. Both need a run of games. Wagner has to be willing to change McLean to accommodate other players.

A team that has Sarge, Barnes, Nunez, Sara, Gibbs, and Rowe on the pitch will win a lot of matches at this level… if Wagner can’t find a way to win consistently with that lot, it’s on him. Problem is, it’s January untill he has all available. 

 

[DraytonBoy 167]

With the current squad, reaching the play-offs would represent a very good season. 

[Making Plans 942]

16 hours ago, Old Shuck said:

Can't see us finishing in the top 12

 

 

I've corrected yout typo

Edited October 5, 2023 by Making Plans

[Ulfotto 660]

55 minutes ago, DraytonBoy said:

With the current squad, reaching the play-offs would represent a very good season. 

Probably the most sensible thing said on this forum for ages. For me par is being in touch with the playoffs.

 

Maybe an emerging narrative is a team who is good at home but can’t win away.

[Wimbledoncanary 10]

I think the evolution of our defence is paramount. I feel Hanley coming back is so important and my hope is Wagner now has not much choice but now to start involving Baath and Warner more . I'm just not trusting Duffy/Gibson away from home , some of the mistakes made are horrendous. 

Fassnacht and Hwang , right now dont look inspired signings at all , mistakes and not looking confident . Focus on Springett , Gibbs , Rowe , Hernandez and to a degree Placheta on those attacking spaces (atm Idah and Sara have to start) and its got to be better then yesterday.

 

yes we have injuries but Norwich are our own worst enemy's when gifting the ball away and this has to stop or lower mid table awaits.