Keep It Real

[djdalej 0]

As Lambert said on MOTD, fans have to be realistic. We are a new team in this league, with untried players at this level, yes we are doing ok so far. For us now to turn up as think we will easily beat an established team like Fulham, is a bit naive. We have done great so far, but remember where we were, bottom of Lg1 after a 7-1 loss a couple of years ago. Lamberts doing a fantastic job, and I can only hope we stay in this league and keep Mr Lambert at this club. Please don''t drive him out of our club because of getting to big for our boots to early!

[ryan1992 0]

Sorry but I disagree with what Lambert said Today. One of his favourite expressions is along the lines of ''we deserve to be here and competing with the best teams'' so when we do compete with them, why does he say things like ''we are overachieving'' or ''the fans expect too much''? Yes 2 years ago we were in League 1, but that doesnt matter, we are currently in the PL, and if we cant hope for atleast a point at home to Fulham this season, then who can we expect to pick points up from?If we lost Today, it would have been a very bad result (like the WBA game was). If we turn up to all games expecting to lose just because of what League we were in 2 and a half years ago, then what''s the point?

[Sjb 11]

Thats the problem with our success i guess we''re just used to winning every game we play, now we arn''t its hard for some fans to accept that we''re a bottom 7/8 side. Like the fans said behind me today "i don''t think i''ll bother renewing my ticket, i''m just not enjoying the football we''re playing now." Fans like those will be better off supporting chelsea or man u, oh wait they loose aswell!

[lcfcscott 0]

Exactly. Lambert''s head is screwed on correctly and it''ll only benefit what goes on the pitch.

Don''t be expecting a top 4 challenge guys. Be happy with mid table for a couple of years and then pounce for a Europa spot ala Stoke (who i hate).

Or be content with Championship football. It''s up to you.

[Yellowfuture 71]

[quote user="ryan1992"]Sorry but I disagree with what Lambert said Today. One of his favourite expressions is along the lines of ''we deserve to be here and competing with the best teams'' so when we do compete with them, why does he say things like ''we are overachieving'' or ''the fans expect too much''? Yes 2 years ago we were in League 1, but that doesnt matter, we are currently in the PL, and if we cant hope for atleast a point at home to Fulham this season, then who can we expect to pick points up from?If we lost Today, it would have been a very bad result (like the WBA game was). If we turn up to all games expecting to lose just because of what League we were in 2 and a half years ago, then what''s the point?[/quote]

He was talking about some fans turning up expecting a win against Fulham, thats a bit different to the way you have stated it as "hoping for at least a point"I am pleased he said what he did, there needs to be a reality check and nobody will gain from putting extra pressure on the players and manager when they are already giving it their best shot. I think he is a very honest guy and will tell it as it is, to the fans, the players, the Chief exec and the Board.

[Lincs CR 0]

Ryan, the reason he says those things is because he is a top class manager. He motivates and praises the team when we''re winning by saying we deserve to be here and we''ve earned the right, and when we lose he lowers the expectations and regroups everybody by saying this time 2 years ago we were in League 1.

[A Load of Squit 5,214]

A recent article on Football365 says

Norwich - Standing still is moving forward
A fairytale story that needs a lull. On August 14 2011, Norwich sat fourth in the Premier League. They had risen 61 places in the league ladder in a period of two years to the day. It is a phenomenal achievement for Paul Lambert, an early contender for manager of the decade.

But it is easy to get carried away as a Norwich fan. When the unattainable has been attained, expectations are dramatically increased. Norwich have not found the Premier League easy, but nor should they have done: the starting XI for their first game of the season contained just six previous Premier League starts (three for Ritchie De Laet and three for Andrew Surman).

Norwich''s form has been erratic, but if they learn the lessons from Blackpool last season, and at times that may mean being less exciting to watch, then they can survive. Norwich are yet to keep a clean sheet this season, and that must change if they are to be successful in their bid to remain at the top table.

Add some defensive stability, and Norwich can keep their heads afloat. And treading water has never been more positive.

I think they''ve summed us up quite nicely.

 

[Branston Pickle 3,680]

Have to agree with Lambo (and the majority) - some supporters seem to need a bit of a reality check: Fulham have been up in the PL for a number of seasons now and have far more resources than us - they aren''t a top top side but are a side with decent PL players who know what''s what. In fact, we could do worse than hope to ''be'' them for the next few seasons. Whilst it was an ''easier'' game than spurs it was never going to be straightforward- and looking at it the other way, their supporters would have probably been looking for and expecting a win against us.

[Gingerpele 0]

So Fulham at home isn''t a game we can expect to win?

Then we don''t deserve to be in this league, simple as that. Fulham have been in terrible form in the league this season, yet we managed to make them look like world beaters in the first half. We let them into the game, second half we showed how much better we really are, got stuck in and created lots of chances. We failed to take advantage of a gift (Fulham only being 1-0 up, could have easily been 3-0), like we failed to take advantage of away leads at Wolves and Everton.

I''m delighted with our position, and our progress. But at half time yesterday, it was the first time this season I thought we could still quite easily get relegated.

Know one should expect wins against sides like Spurs, they are just too good, you only have to look at the table to see the gap in points between the top 6/7 (Newcastle are ruining that a little), the money and the class of players they have is just too much. But the teams like Villa, Everton, Stoke we should be aiming to try and draw with, and then the teams below us like Fulham, WBA, Wigan, Bolton who generally have been very poor this season, at home we HAVE to beat. If we beat QPR tomorrow, a home draw against Fulham isn''t a disaster, but if we lose tomorrow, then don''t get more than a point at WBA, and then have to play Chelsea, who might have remembered how to win by then, were essentially right in the middle of a relegation battle. Something that we got ourselves away from early in the season, meaning its then up to us to keep ourselves away from it.

I have faith Lambert and the team will manage that, I honestly don''t think we have anything to worry about, but still 4 games, 3 points when it could very easily have been 6-9 points, you can''t help but be ever so slightly disappointed, I personally have a higher opinion of the team I support, than to think a home draw with Fulham is a great result. If I supported Wigan, I might still be celebrating a 1-1 home draw, but I support Norwich, 10th place Norwich.

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]I have faith Lambert and the team will manage that, I honestly don''t think we have anything to worry about, but still 4 games, 3 points when it could very easily have been 6-9 points, you can''t help but be ever so slightly disappointed, I personally have a higher opinion of the team I support, than to think a home draw with Fulham is a great result. If I supported Wigan, I might still be celebrating a 1-1 home draw, but I support Norwich, 10th place Norwich.[/quote]Well said!Except I don''t think anybody is saying "a home draw with Fulham is a great result."I think a win against Fulham would have been a great result.  I think all our wins this season have been great results, and the draws are good (Liverpool) to average (Blackburn) results.

[delboycanary 0]

Im not the only person to think that GOD has done a job at norwich that has just blown all expectations. Even Mcnally back in league one would admit that his 5 year plan would have taken 10 years from where we were if not longer.

I dont think there is anything wrong reminding fans of the squad we have and where we have come from but I like many other fans BELIEVE that the way we are playing at the moment and the commitment from the players is such , that when saturday comes, we can beat anyone. Im sure that lambert reminds his players everyday thats they can and its a game of football 11 vs 11.

[Hairy Canary 707]

You are exactly the type of supporter Lambert was aimimg his remarks at Gingerpele. You absolutely need a reality check.

Of course we can quite easily get relegated - that is true of every team promoted in the last 10 years. Our one and only aim for this season is staying up and it will be a huge achievement if we manage it. Every single point will be hard won and I''m happy to celebrate winning one yesterday.

[Howson is now! 0]

For me there is a very big difference between expecting a win, and believing that it''s a team we can beat if we play to the best of our abilities.

Fulham - I don''t expect to win as they are a decent side and if you look at the calibre of their players then it would be foolish to expect a win. However, as GP pointed out, they''ve had a bad run of form, had only won a shocking amount of away games in their last 46 away games (think I heard that stat somewhere but can''t remember it) and we were at home.

Why shouldn''t we believe we can beat them? In my opinion, it''s Fulham we should be looking to emulate rather than Stoke over the next 5 or 6 years if possible.

Never expect a win, but there are some teams you can believe you can beat more than others.

[Gingerpele 0]

[quote user="Hairy Canary"]

You are exactly the type of supporter Lambert was aimimg his remarks at Gingerpele. You absolutely need a reality check.

Of course we can quite easily get relegated - that is true of every team promoted in the last 10 years. Our one and only aim for this season is staying up and it will be a huge achievement if we manage it. Every single point will be hard won and I''m happy to celebrate winning one yesterday.

[/quote]

Well I must be supporting the wrong team then.

Why should we not expect to beat a poor Fulham team at home? I''m not expecting us to win every game, i''m not even expecting us to win every game against lower teams, but what I do expect/hope for, is that after being outclassed in one game, and losing the lead 3 times in the two games previous to that, we will come out and really bring the game to a poor Fulham side, instead we were crap. And it was Lambert/the players fault. Fulham aren''t world beaters, the second half showed that, even in the first half they kept making silly mistakes, it wasn''t until Holt came on, and the players started getting stuck in the second half, we looked like a decent team. Why didn''t we start like that? If we did, we could have easily thrashed Fulham.

Basically, the 1-1 yesterday, the 2-2 at Wolves, we let them happen. Before the Wolves game, I would have take a point, but after the first 35 mins, before the Wolves goal, I was expecting 3 points, we were playing so well, but we just didn''t extend our lead, and let Wolves back into the game and never took control of the game.

I''m not looking at where we were two years ago, or the money we spent, or even necessarily the position in the league, but at what happens in the game. Yesterday I just it was a game, a team aiming to stay up, a team in 11th, should be winning. A draw isn''t a disaster, but if we had started the game like we started the second half we would have, Fulham aren''t a great team, we made them look good.

I don''t need a reality check, if I can''t expect the team I support to win against Fulham at home, when we our in the position we are in, playing as well as we have, then I don''t want to support this club.

[ryan1992 0]

At the end of the day, failing to beat a side like Fulham at home puts more pressure on us to get a win at QPR, WBA or at home to Chelsea, all of which I feel will be a lot tougher opposition than Fulham. The less points we win vs the sides below us in the League, means we have to pick up more from the bigger sides towards the end of the season. Fulham have been on a very poor run of late, and Jol is under a lot of pressure, these are the perfect times to be playing the teams below you in the League. Would people be happy if we went through the season without a win because we were in League 1 2 years ago? They are below us in the League for a reason, because we are a better team at the minute than them. We could have been 5 points ahead of them with a win, now it''s still just the 2. I''d be very happy with finishing 17th at the end of the year, but you have to beat the sides below/around you at home, especially looking at our last 7 or 8 games

[lake district canary 0]

How about making a new year''s resolution -  "I will never ''expect'' to win a football  match."

As soon as you expect something to happen you are putting a false value on it.   It never works out how you think it will so what''s the point in expecting it? Instead of expecting a result, just enjoy the match for what it is - a match - 90 minutes - 11 v 11 - any result possible.   

Don''t care if we''re playing Manchester Utd or Sutton Utd,  never expect anything.  

Did we expect to win successive promotions?

Did we expect ity would be easy this season?

Should we expect to win against teams? I don''t think so.

We are doing great - as we all recognise - but lets stay in the moment and not get ahead of ourselves.  

 Don''t ''expect'' anything - it''s out of your control.  Football is unpredictable - enjoy the unpredictability!

 

 

 

 

[Boris 56]

eh what a debate.......no doubt we must try to win games like this.ideal moment play Fulham they miss some key players like duff.jonson,zamora etc+ have won somthing like 2 in 36 away games etcbut beeing 1 down all the time until 94 minute ....hey ofcourse we can be very glad with this pt same as Blackburn 3-3 home draw again lucky leveled in last secunds...