I told you to Keep the faith..its taking shape

[Huddy 0]

Glen''s beginning to get a side tgether that can compete at our level, and with the ltest signings and a comprehensive pre season win it''s time to be optomistic. No, lets not get carried away, the proof will be in the first game at coventry but the signs are good.

Falkenberg arent world beaters, Gorleston and Ahalfors even less os, but today we''ve taken it seriosuly, not messed about with subs and with a still depleted team came away with a decent victory.

I''m still not convinced about Huckerby''s departure, but Hoolahan appears to be good enough to replace him. Skillful creative player, dittio David Bell, if that transfer finallly goes through we will have signed two youngs creative wingers/midfielders. Something we have been short of. Both have championship experience and neither dissapolinted last season.

At the back we look alot safer than we did 2 weeks ago. We have Bertrand (who we have seen to be a very accomplished player), and Omozusi, two young, England youth full backs who im positive will more than hold their own in this division, the latter already with top level experience. In the centre i''m still concerned the Doc will play, with Dejan being leftfooted, but he is exactly what weve been missing. A tough, uncompromising, experienced Centre back, you dont play that many prem games without being decent.

Up top, we still look short, but If Lupoli can fulfill his potential, then the competition for the little man role up front will be strong, a fit Chrissy martin, and also hopefully inspirejamie Lad in to the form that lead to him winning the golden boot two years ago.

Now for the targetman....Glen, Im sure you wont disapoint!

[I beat Atalanta 0]

Well done Delia and the board

[Carlos Valderrama 0]

[quote user="I beat Atalanta"]Well done Delia and the board
[/quote]

I dont think she had a choice unless she wanted to field a team of kids and finally kill the club once and for all.  For me it is well done Glen for having a decent eye for a bargain, for Delia I reckon it is thank god Glen Roeder can find the diamonds amongst the shit.

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="Carlos Valderrama"]

[quote user="I beat Atalanta"]Well done Delia and the board
[/quote]

I dont think she had a choice unless she wanted to field a team of kids and finally kill the club once and for all.  For me it is well done Glen for having a decent eye for a bargain, for Delia I reckon it is thank god Glen Roeder can find the diamonds amongst the shit.

[/quote]

 

Exactly [Y]

[Buzz Killington 0]

Well done for appointing such a manager then, Delia.

 

 

Some people just won''t give credit when it''s due

[Buncey 1]

I agree Huddy and Carlos. Infact I was about to post something similar. I was skeptical about how good and how many players we''d bring in and I have been pleasantly surprised. If we add misfud or makiese and bell I will be very happy. I would prefer it if we got another CB but at the moment I am very happy about the direction things are taking on the pitch and am no longer dreading the start of the season.

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="Huddy "]

Glen''s beginning to get a side tgether that can compete at our level, and with the ltest signings and a comprehensive pre season win it''s time to be optomistic. No, lets not get carried away, the proof will be in the first game at coventry but the signs are good.

[/quote]

Loans return to their club at the end of the deal.. then what???? right back round to square 1...

Yes its nice to have Bertrand, Luopli, Ozzi in the side.. but they arent Norwich City players.. we have still spent sod all, relying on a free transfer, a buy out clause and a reduced fee for an old codger... once the loan signings go back.. be we in the championship or elsewhere its going to put us right back where we started from in terms of looking for players

We still wont have any money.. Roeder will still be weeing into the wind in the hope the board backs him....

so yes.. we can compete but only in the short term.. we need to be building for the future.. whcih costs money.. not relying on Favours from other clubs.

jas :)

[Jester 0]

Ra ra ra Loans

Ra ra ra Freebies and Old People

Remember we almost certainly wouldnt be in the Championship this coming season without last seasons loans. So they arent our players, what if we end up going up this season... we can then *buy* better. And if life isnt actually as wonderfully wonderful as Im making it out to be above, then they go back to their clubs and we get another crop of loans to try again.

Oh, and why not wait and see if our signings are actually bad before telling them they are... you might look silly. Wouldnt want that would we??

[KIZZY 77 0]

The loan players should do the job for us Bertrand certanly will do and by the sounds of it so will Ozzi as for Luopli not sure will GR blood some of the Academy boys?? Will GR unearth a few gems if he does this and save us a few quid?

[Buncey 1]

[quote user="jas the barclay king"][quote user="Huddy "]

Glen''s beginning to get a side tgether that can compete at our level, and with the ltest signings and a comprehensive pre season win it''s time to be optomistic. No, lets not get carried away, the proof will be in the first game at coventry but the signs are good.

[/quote]

Loans return to their club at the end of the deal.. then what???? right back round to square 1...

Yes its nice to have Bertrand, Luopli, Ozzi in the side.. but they arent Norwich City players.. we have still spent sod all, relying on a free transfer, a buy out clause and a reduced fee for an old codger... once the loan signings go back.. be we in the championship or elsewhere its going to put us right back where we started from in terms of looking for players

We still wont have any money.. Roeder will still be weeing into the wind in the hope the board backs him....

so yes.. we can compete but only in the short term.. we need to be building for the future.. whcih costs money.. not relying on Favours from other clubs.

jas :)

[/quote]The reality is Jas, is that we will never be able to sign somebody as good as betrand. Betrand is top ccc maybe even lower premiership level. He''d cost us a fortune and chelsea wouldn''t want to sell him. I welcome loan deals like that, at least until the entire system is overhauled (I''ve posted many times on that issue). In reality we aren''t going to be able to sign these £2 million players like moore etc. , because simply they are too good. If they were good enough to play forwba then they''re probably good enough to warm the 7 man bench for next season. Unless we pay over the odds for these players then we just aren''t going to get them. And to be honest I don''t want Aemobi for £2.5 million, because to be frank he''s carp, bonefide fishy carp. Sometimes the best players are the ones that are the bargains. I think hoolahan is a steal (I think the biggest steal last year was Halmosi, who I think was probably one of the best players in the league last year). Sometimes spending big is not what we need. I''d like to see us spend money and get new players in, but the right players.

[The Great Wall Of Tettey 0]

[quote user="I beat Atalanta"]Well done Delia and the board
[/quote]

delia has a profile on the messageboard !

[First Wizard 0]

Here we go, peeps getting carried away again, 3 wins in 3 meaningless friendlies count for sod all.

But then again so would 3 defeats also.

Friendlies should be used to shake off the old cobwebs and ''bed in'' the new boys, thats what is really important, not the results........and so far things appear to be ticking over quite nicely for us.

The acid test was always going to be the Coventry game.

[Carlos Valderrama 0]

[quote user="jas the barclay king"][quote user="Huddy "]

Glen''s beginning to get a side tgether that can compete at our level, and with the ltest signings and a comprehensive pre season win it''s time to be optomistic. No, lets not get carried away, the proof will be in the first game at coventry but the signs are good.

[/quote]

Loans return to their club at the end of the deal.. then what???? right back round to square 1...

Yes its nice to have Bertrand, Luopli, Ozzi in the side.. but they arent Norwich City players.. we have still spent sod all, relying on a free transfer, a buy out clause and a reduced fee for an old codger... once the loan signings go back.. be we in the championship or elsewhere its going to put us right back where we started from in terms of looking for players

We still wont have any money.. Roeder will still be weeing into the wind in the hope the board backs him....

so yes.. we can compete but only in the short term.. we need to be building for the future.. whcih costs money.. not relying on Favours from other clubs.

jas :)

[/quote]

Its all about gradually rebuilding.  We buy some we borrow some, every season we get stronger borrowing less and less.  You need a little more patience mate.  And in fairness at the end of next season we will have had Bertrand for a season and a half, thats the same amount of time we kept Dean Ashton. 

Hoolahan and Clingan are very good players and add a lot to what we already have, Stefanovic is the wise old head that I think you need at this level.  I also expect us to add some more, 1 or 2 permanent and 1 or 2 loans.

[Carlos Valderrama 0]

[quote user="1st Wizard"]

Here we go, peeps getting carried away again, 3 wins in 3 meaningless friendlies count for sod all.

But then again so would 3 defeats also.

Friendlies should be used to shake off the old cobwebs and ''bed in'' the new boys, thats what is really important, not the results........and so far things appear to be ticking over quite nicely for us.

The acid test was always going to be the Coventry game.

[/quote]

I agree with that.  But so far the signs are promising, Hoolahan in particular sounds like he is going to be a real asset.

[bassisbest 0]

im happy with the transfers so far.....but i still think we need at least 5 more players to sign perms. GK, CB, ACM, FW x2

[Unhinged Canary 375]

The way I''m looking at it with regards to the loan issue is, it''s quite often about the clubs profile too. Say (fingers crossed) if we have a really good season. If we finish in the top 6 or high top-half with these guys, then we may not neccesarily keep hold of  them, but we have a much better chance to replace them. Players are more likely to come to a club that''s skirting for promotion, rather than one that''s dicing with relegation. Also, I''m not sure the exact figures, but there''s more money involved in finishing in the top half etc. etc. Fairly obvious points really, but just felt they were worth mentioning. I for one am really happy with the way the team is starting to shape up. A couple more elements, and by jove I think we''re there! I''m certainly a lot more positive than a couple of weeks ago! OTBC [:D]

[Ivana_rubyatitz 6]

[quote user="1st Wizard"]

Here we go, peeps getting carried away again, 3 wins in 3 meaningless friendlies count for sod all.

But then again so would 3 defeats also.

Friendlies should be used to shake off the old cobwebs and ''bed in'' the new boys, thats what is really important, not the results........and so far things appear to be ticking over quite nicely for us.

The acid test was always going to be the Coventry game.

[/quote]

Could not agree more Wiz - a very balanced a sensible post (you want to watch out though mate you are beginning to sound like one of  the positive flock).  It is perhaps also slightly at odds with the assessment you gave immediately after the closed door defeat to Clyde though [;)]

Serious question Wiz (and genuinely not a dig) - you have been claiming (in spite of the evidence of published accounts) that the club is on the verge of going bust for some time.  With the signings we have made so far (loans and permanent) and the fact Glenn is on record as saying more will follow over the coming days - do you still feel there is no money available and that the coming season is going to be a long struggle?

 

[Evil Monkey 52]

The results of the friendlies are meaningless, but it does give us a little glimmer of good news at least.

What''s more exciting for me is not just the numbers that are being

added to the squad, but the quality.  For the first time in christ

knows how long neither the defence nor the midfield are going to pick

themselves.  Drury and Semmy will be under pressure to fend off

the attentions of the quality youngsters on loan, and Fozzy, Clingan,

Rusty, Pattison, Hoolahan, Croft, Chadwick and Bell (?) will all be

fighting it out to claim those midfield spots.

We still need another centre-back and at least two more strikers.  But we''re nearly there, people.........

[Show Me What You Gooot! 0]

[quote]buy some we borrow some, every season we get stronger borrowing less and less[/quote]

I think the exact opposite has happened since we were relegated. Since the premiership and the parachute payments we''ve become poorer, borrowed more and more players and got weaker and weaker. Lowest finish in several decades last season don''t forget.

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="Jester"]

And if life isnt actually as wonderfully wonderful as Im making it out to be above, then they go back to their clubs and we get another crop of loans to try again.

 

[/quote]

thank you for re-iterating what i just said.. Back to stage 1.

jas :)

[Big Down Under 0]

You will just have to get used to having loan players, they are now a fact of life. Used to be that players would work their way up through the leagues, now they get snapped up as kids by the bigger Prem teams, and sit on the bench or in the reserves, picking up a huge wage. Now the Prem teams can have 7 subs on the bench it will just get worse. Birmingham used loans to great effect last time they were in this league. Its not just us, is it. Roeder''s excellent connections with the Prem managers is paying off nicely.If we want to have exciting young skillful players who are on the up, we will have to mix the likes of Hoolahan and Bell with the likes of Omozusi and Bertrand.

[Stevie Wonder 0]

[quote user="1st Wizard"]

Here we go, peeps getting carried away again, 3 wins in 3 meaningless friendlies count for sod all.

But then again so would 3 defeats also.

Friendlies should be used to shake off the old cobwebs and ''bed in'' the new boys, thats what is really important, not the results........and so far things appear to be ticking over quite nicely for us.

The acid test was always going to be the Coventry game.

[/quote]

Quality post Wiz[Y]

Having said that for some reason I feel more positive regarding this years crop of new players than I did with last years. Perhaps because we are actually looking like having serious competition for places all over the pitch - subject to another keeper and 2 more strikers arriving.

[First Wizard 0]

[quote user="Pboro_Canary"]

Serious question Wiz (and genuinely not a dig) - you have been claiming (in spite of the evidence of published accounts) that the club is on the verge of going bust for some time.  With the signings we have made so far (loans and permanent) and the fact Glenn is on record as saying more will follow over the coming days - do you still feel there is no money available and that the coming season is going to be a long struggle?

 

[/quote]

I still hold to that P''boro, I honestly believe that there is very little money left in the vaults, the only two signings I''m happy with are Hooli and Stav, and I believe we only got them because they were cheap!

However..

After just watching CW footage of our 3 nil win in Sweden I must say the club spirit looked spot on and high, so thats got to count as a big plus, yes?

[scotty is here LOL 0]

 i know every1 is not happy with the loans saying there pointless and permanent should be the way i agree aswell but lets not 4get the year city won the league we had 3 loans , Huckerby, Harper, Crouch without them i doubt city would of gone up who knows ?

but the point is Loans do work lets hope City have a cracking season Come on City

[Carlos Valderrama 0]

[quote user="jas the barclay king"][quote user="Jester"]

And if life isnt actually as wonderfully wonderful as Im making it out to be above, then they go back to their clubs and we get another crop of loans to try again.

 

[/quote]

thank you for re-iterating what i just said.. Back to stage 1.

jas :)

[/quote]

But its not back to stage 1 because we are adding permanent players as well.  We have a minimal budget as we all well know.  Peter Grant showed us the error of adding quantity over quality, I would much rather add a couple of decent players every summer and borrow the rest that we need.  As time passes we will need to borrow less & less.  Its all about gradually rebuilding and doing so within your budgetary constraints.

And also the other good thing about loans is that if they dont work out we can just send ''em back, ala James Henry.