Hard to believe…..

[Bradwell canary 112]

That after last nights win we are only three points from a play off place. I had to do a double take at the table.

Hard to believe after us witnessing such awful football this season. So what does that prove?  Does it mean that this league this year is truly bad?

One things for certain that if by an enormous fluke we went up via plays offs, we would come down even quicker than in our last two excursions to the PL.

 

 

[Sooty57 414]

5 minutes ago, Bradwell canary said:

One things for certain that if by an enormous fluke we went up via plays offs, we would come down even quicker than in our last two excursions to the PL.

 

 

Not quite sure how that would work; I'm pretty certain we could not actually come back down mid-season.

Mind you, the way they keep changing the rules I suppose anything is possible.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,786]

To be honest our form over last six has been playoff form. 4 wins a draw and a 3-2 defeat away at Watford. 13 points over 2 points a game. 
However - it has been against relatively poor sides. 
We haven’t beaten anyone in the top 6 and only beaten 2 of the teams above us. 
I suspect that won’t have changed by Saturday afternoon. 
Form is one thing but to get into the playoffs we have to beat teams around us. Which we mostly don’t 

[Jim Smith 2,599]

There are 3 or 4 decent sides. Positions 5 and 6 are up for grabs. 

[Dean Coneys boots 1,531]

We have played some real garbage and also ridden our luck. Even with the wins our midfield has been carved open with little effort. I suspect this Saturday will make clear how poor we are at present- and I predict we will finish above relegation zone but in the bottom half. Unless we sign 3 decent players in January. A CDM and 2 CBs

[daly 551]

3 minutes ago, Jim Smith said:

There are 3 or 4 decent sides. Positions 5 and 6 are up for grabs. 

Be more disappointing to get to Playoff Final at Wembley and get slaughtered  by Leeds

[Positive_Canary 48]

22 minutes ago, Bradwell canary said:

That after last nights win we are only three points from a play off place. I had to do a double take at the table.

Hard to believe after us witnessing such awful football this season. So what does that prove?  Does it mean that this league this year is truly bad?

One things for certain that if by an enormous fluke we went up via plays offs, we would come down even quicker than in our last two excursions to the PL.

 

 

Leicester might stay up, but scum won't have a hope in hell against the big boys even with McKenna. You can view it in different ways but promotion is an achievement in itself and keeps most seasons interesting to watch in a way that many fans of many clubs don't get to see. You could always invest £150 million of your own money if you want to see us give it a proper shot? 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Positive_Canary

[Capt. Pants 5,001]

Well the table doesn't lie so let's see where we are after having played the scum and WBA as at that point we've played every team once (Huddersfield twice) as will everyone else.

Worst case we'll still be within 6 pts of 6th - bearing in mind how ****e we've been that's encouraging. It also suggests to me that a better Head Coach would comfortably have us in the top 6.

However, with Sarge back and perhaps a couple of new signings to strengthen our CB capability and possibly out wide, we can have a go at the play-offs.

We have the quality but need to show it for longer periods. If we want to play out from the back then we have to have CBs who can do that. It's quite alarming how we've built a squad that doesn't fit how we want to play.

[By Hook or Ian crook 943]

55 minutes ago, Jim Smith said:

There are 3 or 4 decent sides. Positions 5 and 6 are up for grabs. 

I’d say the top 4 of Leicester, Binners, Leeds and Southampton is pretty much nailed on. The other 2 as you say is anyone from about 14 clubs. It’s not out of the realms of possibility for us but everything feels a little disconnected at the moment when compared to other promotion seasons. 

[Gordon Bennett 914]

I think it shows that things probably aren't as bad as people think. Or some like to think. 

[hogesar 10,754]

21 minutes ago, Gordon Bennett said:

I think it shows that things probably aren't as bad as people think. Or some like to think. 

Had we got a new manager 6 games ago and won 4, drawn 1, lost 1 as we have done, everyone would be claiming the new manager is the next Farke.

[Robert N. LiM 6,270]

8 hours ago, hogesar said:

Had we got a new manager 6 games ago and won 4, drawn 1, lost 1 as we have done, everyone would be claiming the new manager is the next Farke.

Can't remember whether it was on here, but I vividly remember someone saying that, contrary to accepted football wisdom, the very worst time to sack a coach is after a terrible run of results, because the principle of regression to the mean suggests that things will usually get better on their own. Despite what people said on here, this was never a relegation team.

That's not to say that we couldn't do better than Wagner - I'm sure we can. But I'm relaxed about Knapper replacing him when he thinks the time is right.

[Corbs1 167]

11 hours ago, Bradwell canary said:

Another way of looking at it is creep into or near the play offs and give it a go, and devil takes the hindmost 

 

[Canary Jedi 609]

14 hours ago, Bradwell canary said:

if by an enormous fluke we went up via plays offs, we would come down even quicker than in our last two excursions to the PL.

 

 

Given that the last 2 times we went up in style, but then we came crashing down, who’s to say that if we did ‘fluke’ going up that we won’t stay up this time?

[RobJames 922]

17 hours ago, By Hook or Ian crook said:

I’d say the top 4 of Leicester, Binners, Leeds and Southampton is pretty much nailed on. The other 2 as you say is anyone from about 14 clubs. It’s not out of the realms of possibility for us but everything feels a little disconnected at the moment when compared to other promotion seasons. 

However, only two of those go up automatically so we were to scrape into 5th or 6th there's no advantage.

There’s no certainty we would come down either, but there is an absolute certainty that we would earn a minimum of £140m (TV money, gate receipts etc) and a further £100m plus were we to come down. How awful would that be ?

And I get the sense that some on here are quite resentful of our current position in the table. Them having expended so much time and effort in slagging off the club, its owners, the manager and the squad They fall into the usual ragbag of malcontents and anti City saddos. These past few weeks must have been awfully painful for them, poor thing. Perhaps we will get beaten 6-0 by the binners, that should cheer them up over Xmas.

[Dean Coneys boots 1,531]

21 hours ago, hogesar said:

Had we got a new manager 6 games ago and won 4, drawn 1, lost 1 as we have done, everyone would be claiming the new manager is the next Farke.

For once we agree. Football is certainly fickle. 

[Positive_Canary 48]

4 hours ago, RobJames said:

However, only two of those go up automatically so we were to scrape into 5th or 6th there's no advantage.

There’s no certainty we would come down either, but there is an absolute certainty that we would earn a minimum of £140m (TV money, gate receipts etc) and a further £100m plus were we to come down. How awful would that be ?

And I get the sense that some on here are quite resentful of our current position in the table. Them having expended so much time and effort in slagging off the club, its owners, the manager and the squad They fall into the usual ragbag of malcontents and anti City saddos. These past few weeks must have been awfully painful for them, poor thing. Perhaps we will get beaten 6-0 by the binners, that should cheer them up over Xmas.

We all know the squad isn't as bad as the performances. Get a result there tomorrow and remain in contention until Sargent and Hanley are back and everything or anything is possible. Some of the movement against Sheff W was as fluid and incisive as anything I've seen in a while. IF we can find a way to bridge that midfield issue, we have as much chance as anyone of scraping 5th or 6th and then it becomes a lottery over three 'cup finals'.  One CITY, TOGETHER is the answer and put the dissent aside until the dust has settled in May. 

[By Hook or Ian crook 943]

9 hours ago, RobJames said:

However, only two of those go up automatically so we were to scrape into 5th or 6th there's no advantage.

There’s no certainty we would come down either, but there is an absolute certainty that we would earn a minimum of £140m (TV money, gate receipts etc) and a further £100m plus were we to come down. How awful would that be ?

And I get the sense that some on here are quite resentful of our current position in the table. Them having expended so much time and effort in slagging off the club, its owners, the manager and the squad They fall into the usual ragbag of malcontents and anti City saddos. These past few weeks must have been awfully painful for them, poor thing. Perhaps we will get beaten 6-0 by the binners, that should cheer them up over Xmas.

I don’t really get this reply to a fairly basic post that only 2 play off spots seem to be up for grabs.

in summary to reply to your own points with my views if you really care. 
 

No one would moan about getting promoted. Every professional should strive to compete at the highest level possible. Every fan should demand the highest standards from their club to drive progress. 

The club is poorly run at the moment in my view and needs an overhaul with new owners which in time we have on the way. This in my opinion was evidenced by the Webbers being in seeming total control of the club with little to no oversight. A protracted notice period and search for a sporting director and an unnecessarily long handover of ownership would also seem to suggest a lack of definitive leadership. 

There is a good team in this squad somewhere but I don’t feel Wagner is the man to get a tune out of them. I do hope to be proved wrong though as Wagner himself is very likeable. The reason I think it’s down to Wagner is the persistent baffling line ups and substitutions, a suicidal philosophy of starting play with our central defenders on our own goal line and the absolute lack of shape without the ball and basic understanding of modern day defending with little to no tactical fouls being made to prevent counter attacks. We do have good spells in games which I consider a sign there is a team in there but we are also dross for periods too. 
 

You come across rather angry. I suggest popping your feet up and having a glass of Baileys and some Yule log. Merry Christmas 

 

[norfolkngood 1,174]

On 14/12/2023 at 09:37, Capt. Pants said:

 

However, with Sarge back and perhaps a couple of new signings to strengthen our CB capability and possibly out wide, we can have a go at the play-offs.

 

That's the annoying bit for me All the CBs we have signed and we need to rebuild again ! all the money wasted on wide men in recent years only Rowe and Sainz good enough .

We wasted a so much money on likes of Rashica and Tzolis 

[Capt. Pants 5,001]

5 minutes ago, norfolkngood said:

That's the annoying bit for me All the CBs we have signed and we need to rebuild again ! all the money wasted on wide men in recent years only Rowe and Sainz good enough .

We wasted a so much money on likes of Rashica and Tzolis 

Why on earth we (Webber) thought Duffy and Batth would suit that style I'll never know.

To be fair Sainz has something about him but unfortunately Placheta and Hernandez show little or no end product in an attacking sense. Fassnacht, technically better but isn’t a flying winger. We need another if we are to threaten the top 6.

[ron obvious 1,711]

Hwang's the player I'm really looking forward to seeing back (though Sarge is more influential)

[norfolkngood 1,174]

1 minute ago, Capt. Pants said:

Why on earth we (Webber) thought Duffy and Batth would suit that style I'll never know.

To be fair Sainz has something about him but unfortunately Placheta and Hernandez show little or no end product in an attacking sense. Fassnacht, technically better but isn’t a flying winger. We need another if we are to threaten the top 6.

Webbers Recruitment since Kieran Scott left went down hill quickly 

[RobJames 922]

5 hours ago, Positive_Canary said:

 we have as much chance as anyone of scraping 5th or 6th and then it becomes a lottery over three 'cup finals'. 

err, that was the point I made. Just because we are not third does not mean we are out of it. Being 'nailed on' as Leeds & S'ton are for 3rd and 4th gives them NO advantage over a club like City who have only scrapped a 6th or 5th place.

[RobJames 922]

3 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

Hwang's the player I'm really looking forward to seeing back (though Sarge is more influential)

Will they both be played at the same time ? If so, then Barnes and Idah in the bench. Rowe should not be dropped to bring in either of those two. Hwang was also beginning to hit form. Should be interesting when they are both back, Our dreadful goals conceded might be countered by scoring a hatful each game ☺️

[Capt. Pants 5,001]

4 minutes ago, norfolkngood said:

7 minutes ago, RobJames said:

Will they both be played at the same time ? If so, then Barnes and Idah in the bench. Rowe should not be dropped to bring in either of those two. Hwang was also beginning to hit form. Should be interesting when they are both back, Our dreadful goals conceded might be countered by scoring a hatful each game ☺️

 

I wonder if Hwang could also be wide option, cutting in from the left?

It would be nice to have a selection problem and Hwang is actually an added bonus and I didn't think I'd be saying that!

 

[Sufyellow 250]

On 14/12/2023 at 09:29, daly said:

Be more disappointing to get to Playoff Final at Wembley and get slaughtered  by Leeds

As long as we knock Ipswich out it the semi final  , I would take it

[RobJames 922]

27 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said:

I wonder if Hwang could also be wide option, cutting in from the left?

It would be nice to have a selection problem and Hwang is actually an added bonus and I didn't think I'd be saying that!

 

It's not so much what space they are allocated, it is about how well they finish. Hwang seems able to create as well as score. Rowe certainly can finish (see Weds goal). He reminds me of Holt, able to score with all parts of his body, unlike poor Idah who has an ability to miss with all parts of his body. I would suggest Wagner cuts down on the training as well, to avoid putting so much stress on the players legs, hopefully then fewer injuries, as the thought will be that would we have conceded so many with Hanley, and maybe offered more up front with Sargeant this season.

[Keith Scott 294]

I've said all along there is enough quality in this squad to finish top 6. Unfortunately they are being managed by one of the most tactically inept managers i've ever seen. Results will inevitably turn for the worse again soon as long as Wagner remains in charge.

All the best.

Big Keith Scott.

 

[norfolkngood 1,174]

3 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

I wonder if Hwang could also be wide option, cutting in from the left?

It would be nice to have a selection problem and Hwang is actually an added bonus and I didn't think I'd be saying that!

 

i think in future we need a floating front 3 drifting and pulling CB's all over the place i think Rowe and Sarge can do that maybe Hwang 

our formation is a bit rigid and easy to mark need movement right across front line inter changing forwards 

[Nuff Said 5,957]

On 14/12/2023 at 23:16, Canary Jedi said:

Given that the last 2 times we went up in style, but then we came crashing down, who’s to say that if we did ‘fluke’ going up that we won’t stay up this time?

Absolutely. Two or three Pukki/Buendia-type signings, a couple of teams who have terrible seasons and it could happen. Buy one or two decent players the seasons after and it could be sustained. It’s unlikely, but surely it’s the hope that is why we go to games?