Freeza 0 Posted August 6, 2007 BBC Sport verdict: Boss Peter Grant moved quickly to replace Robert Earnshaw with Jamie Cureton but little leaps out to suggest Norwich will be anything other than also-rans. Key man: Jamie Cureton What do we think? A blast of realism or a tad harsh?They don''t seem to be very complimentry about many teams to be honest!Full story here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6229538.stm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Graham Humphrey 13 Posted August 6, 2007 Depends on how you define "also-rans"... if by not reaching play-offs then yes, but I think we''ll finish quite close to them so it may be slightly harsh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Kent 0 Posted August 6, 2007 Well quite frankly I don''t care what the media say and I pleased we are not fancied as we tend to perform best when the pressure is off. I think the most interesting thing about the league is the number of changes in the squads. There are also several cases of more out than in. I think with a defender or two the swaud looks very strong. That said I am more hopeful than expectant of a top six finish. I am excited and quietly confident things will go well, a good start is vital. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlyBlyBabes 0 Posted August 7, 2007 This season we have two of the top five strikers in last season''s PA Actim Championship Index - Cureton & Huckerby.Earnshaw was nowhere in sight in the Actim - even before he was injured. Mainly because he ''Doesn''t Do Defence''. And as a result he seriously unbalanced our team whilst he was here especially when Hucks (another DDD) was also playing.If Peter can get in 1/2 good central defenders and adopts an attacking formation & strategy (to deal with the Hucks DDD conundrum), I think there''s a chance that we can be more than also-rans this season.There. I''ve stuck my head above the parapet, albeit tentatively.Let''s hope we ''leap out'' this season.OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
london Canary 0 Posted August 7, 2007 A touch of realism i think......but i''d much rather be outsiders who nobody rates. Because thats when the pressures off and the fun can begin. Look at the year we got relegated, guanateed promotion! We all know what happened there!I''m always interested to know what others think of us though.....when really it is only us who know Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megson 0 Posted August 7, 2007 Bloody hell bly ;-)Agreed though.I give little weight to previews where are chances are summed up in two lines. He has a point with the lose of Earnie of course, but there''s been more to our close season than that. If he just mentioned the other signings made I''d give some credibility to the comments, even if his comments were negative.Same with most championship reviews, they pick out a few teams to do some indepth stuff on, then the rest of us get a line or two that looks like it was written 5 minutes before the print deadline!For me I feel a top half finish is on, probably top ten. If we can keep in touch over the first half of the season (I think we may start a bit slow with such a new team) there''s always a chance of a late run to the playoffs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tel 0 Posted August 7, 2007 Would not worry too much, a few years ago when City were top of the Premier League on MOTD, one evening they announced who was 2nd, 3rd, etc and then almost begrudgingly stated that Norwich were still top. BBC are very elitist when it comes to football they always have been. They are only interested in the so called big clubs. They think Norwich is a little old quaint town, out in the sticks, bit of an insult to 20,000 or so season ticket holders but there you are. Hope we prove them wrong you never know, personally I prefer not to be fancied as one of the leading teams. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Walking Man 13 Posted August 7, 2007 slightly harsh I think, but then who tipped us to win the championship when we did... On another note I see Norwich are priced at 25-1 to win the championship :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
7rew 0 Posted August 7, 2007 I don''t believe the research they did for that article since it says:We sold Earnshaw to NorwichReleased Andrew FriskOnly 5 teams have key men that are not new signings - Palace, Plymouth, Sheffield x2 and WBA.Odd - I think so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huddy 0 Posted August 7, 2007 Theres no pressure, we''re the underdogs and we have got the ability to suprise a few people. Lets just hope thew likes of Marshall, Russell and Cureton prove their worth and that the rest can get going as well. Alot still depends on hucks though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
a1canary 0 Posted August 7, 2007 [quote user="give it a rest"]slightly harsh I think, but then who tipped us to win the championship when we did... On another note I see Norwich are priced at 25-1 to win the championship :D[/quote]You beat me to it ''give it a rest'' - exactly what i was going to say. No-one gave us a chance and we went an won the thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ricky knight 0 Posted August 7, 2007 i see midtable thats it, as for quaint little old norridge, mentioned in this thread, this board does nothing to change that view, in fact it encourages it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0 Posted August 7, 2007 [quote user="7rew"]Released Andrew Frisk[/quote]We have?? (I think [^o)]) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
7rew 0 Posted August 7, 2007 Nope we released Fisk rather than Frisk - Was just pointing out the errors I noticed, how hard is it to copy and paste the list?My main problem was that It didn''t seem to explicitly tip 6 teams as playoff contenders (or better than mid table/also-rans). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0 Posted August 7, 2007 [quote user="a1canary"]You beat me to it ''give it a rest'' - exactly what i was going to say. No-one gave us a chance and we went an won the thing.[/quote]Well.... the squad that started that season wouldn''t have won anything... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve H 0 Posted August 7, 2007 This is a particularly poor preview, they have everyone except Sheff Utd, Watford,WBA and Wolves to finish mid-table or to be fighting relegation, and lets face it predicting the 3 relegated teams and the losing play-off final team is hardly a bold prediction.Lets face it BBC Sport is slow and lacks depth in it''s reports on anything outside of the premiership, just a few weeks ago they said our manager was Peter Taylor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Saint Canary 0 Posted August 7, 2007 [quote user="Citizen Journalist Foghorn"][quote user="7rew"]Released Andrew Frisk[/quote]We have?? (I think [^o)])[/quote]I think the point being made was that his name is Fisk, showing how little effort has been put into this "report".I see no reason to get upset about anything in this article. It''s hardly in depth and you would question the journalists knowledge of any football outside the Premier League. Hardly any revelations in there either. Tipping Charlton, Sheff U & Watford for automatic promotion and last years play off teams. There is no mention of any dark horses but as we all know they come along in this league often. Us when we won, Reading storming to the title, Watford going from relegation candidates to promotion in one season and I could go on.Frankly it''s some the laziest journalism I have seen for a long time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alex_ncfc 662 Posted August 7, 2007 [quote user="Citizen Journalist Foghorn"][quote user="a1canary"]You beat me to it ''give it a rest'' - exactly what i was going to say. No-one gave us a chance and we went an won the thing.[/quote]Well.... the squad that started that season wouldn''t have won anything...[/quote]Exactly, we would have finished midtable at best with the squad that started 03/04.Why are people getting so wound up about these "predictions" from the media - a) they are just that, predictions, we have to wait 9 months to see what unfolds, but on the flipside, b) they are all pretty much spot on. We are not that great. It might do you good to take off the green and yellow tinted specs every now and then, you know... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
7rew 0 Posted August 7, 2007 [quote user="alex_ncfc"]It might do you good to take off the green and yellow tinted specs every now and then, you know...[/quote]Just ''cos you''ve lost yours. Have you tried down the back of the sofa? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites