What Are You Seriously Hoping For Today?

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

It''s part of the make up of supporters that we are eternally optimistic and only see the very best for our team. We want to beat Chelsea, of course, but if we did as West Brom did last week wouldn''t be be proud and delighted?

What are your serious and genuine hopes for today''s game? Here are mine:

1). Turn up and compete. This is my biggest bug bear - the no show. We had the first one under Lambert in midweek; we used to get them regularly and the last time I felt genuinely disappointed with City was when we lost at Rotherham due to a tactical balls up.

2). Don''t shoot ourselves in the foot. Helveg gave the game away last time we played at Stamford Bridge and we have been fulsomely punished for any errors so far. The players have to concentrate and get the basics right.

3). Don''t lose by more than two. This includes conceeding three goals or more - so long as we score too.

4). Don''t pick up injuries. Especially to central defenders; our survival this season will need as healthy a squad as possible.

5). Avoid red cards. Depends on the referee of course. Last week''s ref would presumably have sent De Laet off at Wigan who, as it happened, quite rightly in my opinion didn''t even get a caution. The problem has been strikers getting the wrong side of our defenders, from there they can ''win'' penalties.

6). Give the opposition something to worry about. We have the weaponry in Pilks and Bennet with the right balls and these two allow the full backs to stay deeper because of their pace. In other words - have a go because we will conceed goals so we might as well keep to the front foot approach that won us two promotions.

7) Keep the ball and have an effective outlet. If we lack possession or see the ball constantly coming back we are stuffed.

It is quite possible for our players to lose today and come away with enhanced self-belief and confidence. This could be the day when Chelsea finally click; they have so far failed to hit the ground running under a new manager and we all hope they are under par in addition to us being outstanding - it will need both elements.

In the past we have had some outstanding results at this ground, and history has a strange way of re-inventing itself. I hope the Norwich supporters there today have a great day out see a performance worthy of Paul Lambert and his team.

[Gingerpele 0]

All i really hope for (and expect) is a good game from the Norwich players.

If we can get a few decent chances, maybe even score and limit Chelsea to 2/3 goals with out them completely dominating us, that will be a success. Were not supposed to win games like this, any points would be a huge huge bonus, even expecting a good performance may be asking two much, John Terry could probably buy our starting X1 with 2/3 months wages...

[PJH122 0]

Be delighted if it''s 0-0 at half time, then they grab two in the second half. The only way we can ''lose'' here is to be demoralised by losing by four or more. A narrow defeat gives confidence in this sort of fixture.

That''s all we can really hope for.

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]All i really hope for (and expect) is a good game from the Norwich players. If we can get a few decent chances, maybe even score and limit Chelsea to 2/3 goals with out them completely dominating us, that will be a success. Were not supposed to win games like this, any points would be a huge huge bonus, even expecting a good performance may be asking two much, John Terry could probably buy our starting X1 with 2/3 months wages...[/quote]

I feel the same GP, just hope they play well and don''t concede too many, tough matches all the top teams.

[Mister Chops 7]

I seriously hope we don''t end up getting walloped, become Match 1 on Match of the Day and have to endure lots of patronising and irritating analysis about "punching above our weight" and "being in for a real battle to stay up" in between 7-8 replays of John Terry doing a fist pump and Didier Drogba pretending he''s not a c**t.

[hogesar 9,615]

[quote user="Mister Chops"]I seriously hope we don''t end up getting walloped, become Match 1 on Match of the Day and have to endure lots of patronising and irritating analysis about "punching above our weight" and "being in for a real battle to stay up" in between 7-8 replays of John Terry doing a fist pump and Didier Drogba pretending he''s not a c**t.[/quote]I don''t think i''ve ever agreed with a post on this forum as i do this one..

[YankeeCanary 0]

I think my expectations are a little lower than yours Rudolph but I understand all of your sentiments. I just want to see the boys giving their all and holding their heads up, whether the score is tied or we''re down by four. 

[ZLF 271]

All about showing we can compete, hold our own and take a battle to the teams outside the top 4.   We have the capability to do that.   Sneaking grabbing earning a point will rightly feel like a victory.

If we lose badly then we need to wipe it from the memory - it wont be a disaster and our survival wont be secured by how much we lose here,  but how we react.

[Twitchy 0]

Just don''t want to be too mortified come Monday morning that will do me.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Didn''t like the start system - I''m beginning to wonder whether we should just have the confidence to play our own systems rather than try to nullify the opposition so much.

Asking Chelsea questions has been in our best interests rather than letting them dictate while we defend.

Hopefully, Whitbread isn''t too badly injured.

De Laet is growing in stature every game - he is beginning to look to me like a key player this season.

[Gingerpele 0]

Whitbread walked off, didn''t look too uncomfortable, hopefully a couple of weeks before the next game is enough to get him fully fit.

[ZLF 271]

v happy - we played well and showed we can adapt to another formation. playing 5-3-2 we were the best team by miles; a bit more even one sicknote went off injured again. We merited a point and we need to take that into the baggies game.