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Thoughts on the season thus far ...

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Enter the doom and gloom merchant …

 

With Blackburn pulling themselves clear in recent weeks, Palace picking up occasional wins (they’ve had 5 now) and Southampton starting to show a bit of form, I can’t help thinking that the mini league at the foot of the table is getting smaller and smaller. 

 

Unless we can start putting a run together soon (ie, against West Brom), I can’t help feeling we could find ourselves adrift before much longer.  Safety, even with the low points scored predicted for this season, is starting to look unlikely …

 

Knowing this would be a hard season, I was determined to enjoy the Premiership while it lasted.  But I still can’t help feeling somewhat disheartened.  The team spirit that was so evident last year, and backed up in Iwan’s book (a fantastic read by the way), just doesn’t appear to be there anymore.  Maybe it’s the introduction of so many new players, maybe it’s higher than usual profile spats in the Press (Bentley and Helveg have both struggled to settle).  Maybe it’s even been the number of injuries we’ve endured of late, frustrating any kind of form.  Whatever the reason, I’m definitely struggling to enjoy this season.

 

I’m even starting to look forward to next season, back in the second tier of football (goodness only knows what it will be called next time around !).  Those players that only want to play in the Premiership will almost certainly (and hopefully) leave over the summer, and we’ll be back to a core of players that really want to get back into the spirit and really start playing for the club.

 

“Success to the City club”

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Sorry I strongly disagree. Norwich have shown lots of character in trying to mount a Premiership campaign with a side that needed lots of bolstering. They have brought in new players and significantly taken the available talent a few steps forward. Taking morale out of the equation- this side would thrash last years.

The morale has slipped- naturally- we are not scoring for fun anymore! What did you expect???

Anyone who thinks we should have bolstered the defence as well as buying Jonson, Safri, Ashton, Helveg, Ward, Gallacher, Charlton, Doc, Stuart and Bentley need a serious reality check. Or else they need to fund it themselves instead of whinging.

Add to that the terrible injury list and you can see why we have struggled. If we go down- and it is far from certain yet- my feeling is that bad luck will have played an equal part to inexperience.

Regardless we will go down much much stronger and more mature than we went up. Yes the memories of last year are sweet- but get real and get behind the board. The have busted a gut - as shown in signing Ashton- by far the best signing I can remember.

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It''s been a season of two halves for me. At the start we were playing well but lacking that firepower to win matches, we weren''t conceding many either. But as the season''s progressed we''ve brought in someone who looks quality up front but we''re now giving away far too many goals from set pieces and simple errors. If we don''t pick up anything near maximum points from our 6-pointer games then I think we''re gone. Obviously the injuries haven''t helped, especially in midfield but what it has shown is who is up to the task and who isn''t.

Should we go down then we''ll be in a strong position to come back up again with 3-4 new player''s and luck with injuries. But Div 1 next season will be a lot tougher with the likes of Wolves, Leicester and probably ambitious clubs like Hull coming into the division.

The way I look at is that there are still a lot of points to play for, last time we got relegated we were 7th at christmas so no one in the bottom half can consider themselves safe. I just hope that last Saturday is the shot in the arm we need to start believing. Hopefully the fightback starts tonight

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[quote]Sorry I strongly disagree. Norwich have shown lots of character in trying to mount a Premiership campaign with a side that needed lots of bolstering. They have brought in new players and significantly...[/quote]

Well said Vic,

I didn''t expect us to be far up the table this season, admittedly  I didn''t think we would be rock bottom, but as you say we haven''t really had the rub of the green (no pun intended).

However I did note a change last week when our first two goals were allowed. In the first Ashton appeared to me offside when waiting for Hucks'' cross, then in the second his foot was so high when robbing the goalie to score, that I expected a prompt "foot up" decision from the ref. Good signs !

So heres to tonight, 2-1 to City I hope,(Ashton first scorer 125-1), not winning is not an option now I think.

As I have said before, when the ball hits the post and goes IN then our fortunes will change.

I M V H O

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How can you be disheartened? Anyone who has been through the pain of the last 9 years should be loving every minute of it. My last game was the Liverpool game and I just sat there thinking how lucky we are again to be witnessing the greats of English football coming to our place.

We knew it would be a struggle, there can be no question about team spirit (how many times have we come from behind to get a win (once) or a draw (countless and what about THAT comeback the other weekend) and we cannot have expected to have won many games. The squad is now stronger, the stadium is full, the profile of the club is huge, we play Chelsea Arsenal and Man Utd in a few weeks time- what more do you want?????? You surely cannot be looking forward to playing Rotherham and Crewe again?

BTW, I agree about Iwan''s book its great. I nearly cried when I read the bit about not getting his new contract.

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Thing is Tumbleweed, Liverpool were cr@p.And we could have beaten them, or at least drawn, if we had some tactical nouse and some defensive organisation.That is why this season has been depressing for me, not because I expected to do well, but against the teams I have seen we could have achieved SO much more.

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Hey, don''t get me wrong.  Along with everyone else I could see that there were areas of the team that needed strengthening.  And I applauded the signings of Jonson and Helveg.  But now, with hindsight, I’m wondering whether or not foreign names looking to play in the Premiership is what Norwich is all about.  I know I’ve used these 2 players as an example, and I’m probably being unfair as I’ve not seen a great deal of either of them.  But for all our acquisitions, we still have issues at the back.  Okay, granted, injuries haven’t helped. And if (I’m still saying “If”, rather than “when”) we go down, will either of them be the type of player to stay and help the club come back ?

 

I’m much happier seeing signings like Ashton.  Young players who will benefit the club long term.  I do think the Board have been very bold and there’s no doubt they are doing everything within the club’s means to give Worthington the best possible chance of keeping us up. 

 

I was just wondering whether those early purchases have unsettled what appeared to be a very tight squad, and it’s that, as much as anything, that has left us where we are today …

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[quote]Enter the doom and gloom merchant … With Blackburn pulling themselves clear in recent weeks, Palace picking up occasional wins (they’ve had 5 now) and

Being slightly twisted, I''ve found it frustrating and enjoyable at the same time. We all knew (or should have known) it would be hard. But the opportunity to watch some of the world''s best players, has been a privilege.

The thought of going  back down so quickly, really pi***s me off, but if we can keep most of the team together, plus Worthy, we have just as good chance as any other team to bounce straight back up.

I should add, that I haven''t given up hope yet of staying up.

But I''ll guarantee you this: frayed nerves till May!. 

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