the whole first game thing...

[smooth 114]

does annoy me

Yes ten games in we will know what type of form we are in etc but each game is vitally important.

(1) our team has had a long time to iron out a few cracks and fitness for a professional footballer should not take this long to find if that player has not been injured.

(2) 3 points is vital, against teams like watford who are a lesser team in this division we need to target games, I am sure lambert is funing after this game. With all the talk about being ready and putting in a performance on first game of the season. Yes we have the whole season but this brings me on to point three.

(3) The premiership season opener we drew with crystal palace and people were happy with that, I wasn''t we had to beat those teams around us to stay up. Alas we didn''t, I remember the blackburn game when we allowed dickov to score with two minutes to go, it took us 10 games for a win. I remember some people saying lets get the champagne out once we got a win, rubbish.

Each game is vitally important due to showing fitness levels, form, ability to adapt to different teams, individually but also as a team. The main focus though is the three points. It is early and I expect us to be in mid table but I do not except this whole it is the first game arguement.

Soundbites for the last two-three weeks was about being ready and that the result against watford was what mattered. Watford put pressure on us and we were left chasing.

(4) after preseason we have tried a few formations but as I mention, as others do, we will see our form in the next few weeks. But we do not have that many injuries as of yet, this is an almost fully fit squad, well some players still a bit rusty. I thought last year when holt was out we struggled and the diamond lacked the width that norwich is known for. But for the season it worked and we gained promotion with very few major injuries/ suspensions.

I know lambert will do us well, as will his team, but we are right to offer constructive criticism of them and results of every single game.

[Bobert 0]

Well you do not know Lambert will do us well or his team. Like Worthington before him going up a league is a whole new ball game and Lambert let go the two players who had a great deal of experience in Championship football.

I agree with you totally about the players and management being ill prepared for the Watford game and the Mackay factor. Each game needs to be won and I suspect Manager and Directors know this. I dont exepect the Directors will go about making friendships like Delia did with Worthington.

I am pretty sure they know the score.