Unchartered territory

[unique 434]

For the past four seasons Norwich City players and fans have had to deal with the pressure of potential promotion or impending relegation in the latter months of the season.

We haven''t yet reached the middle of February and Norwich have all but achieved what they targeted at the beginning of the season, avoiding relegation.

The possibility of a Cup run aside, it will be interesting to see how the management and players approach the rest of the season. Suddenly home matches against the two Manchester and Merseyside clubs don''t look quite so daunting.

Do they continue in the same vein as much as possible? Do they become a little more gung-ho?

Does Lambert give as much game time to the fringe squad to test whether they should remain in the squad for next season?

What a benefit all the superb hard work of the season so far is offering Lambert for his preparations for next season. It has afforded the fans the opportunity to see out the next few months without any fear, anxiety or tension.

There is no excuse for negative vibes, booing, or criticism. The next dozen games or so should be cause for celebration.

[Aggy 752]

I don''t think anything will change. Lambert wants to win the cup, he wants to finish as high up the table as possible, and, most importantly for his ethos it seems, he wants to win every match. They won''t prepare for it any differently just because we''re almost as good as safe now. They''ll continue to want to win every game and will set up (in terms of tactics and lineup) in the way that Lambert feels we are most likely to do that. I don''t expect to see "fringe" players getting too much game time; we have rotated throughout the season, so we will continue to do that, but I don''t expect to see Wilbraham starting every game over Holt and Morison.

[Power Hamster 0]

Knowing what we do about PL, I would expect him to take every game as if it was a relegation decider. Don''t forget that higher league places are worth a lot of extra money - I think it is nearly a million extra for each place higher up the league, so we could give the transfer kitty a significant boost.Don''t forget the FA Cup as well - I think we could see full strength teams if we get any further, certainly not see a repeat of the MK Dons fiasco.

[pete_norw 0]

[quote user="Power Hamster"]Knowing what we do about PL, I would expect him to take every game as if it was a relegation decider. Don''t forget that higher league places are worth a lot of extra money - I think it is nearly a million extra for each place higher up the league, so we could give the transfer kitty a significant boost.

Don''t forget the FA Cup as well - I think we could see full strength teams if we get any further, certainly not see a repeat of the MK Dons fiasco.
[/quote]

Do all teams that stay up get an hand out or is it just the top half?

 

[Sing Up The South Stand 0]

All teams in the league get a handout, including the bottom placed club - it''s about 800k for each place I think.

[star_manic 0]

all teams from first to 20th get prize money. each additional place up the table is worth an extra £800,000 or so meaning finishing 10th is worth over £8M extra in the kitty.

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

It''s an interesting debate, players & teams can perform because of the fear factor but we are continually evolving under Lambert & pushing on. Now we''re secure in mid-table, we look to not only maintain it but improve upon it if possible.

Players are playing for the shirt and their futures. There is no doubt players will come in over the summer as Lambert looks to improve the side again, that means players will go or slip down the pecking order.

[Yobocop 1,096]

[quote user="Aggy"]I don''t think anything will change. Lambert wants to win the cup, he wants to finish as high up the table as possible, and, most importantly for his ethos it seems, he wants to win every match. They won''t prepare for it any differently just because we''re almost as good as safe now. They''ll continue to want to win every game and will set up (in terms of tactics and lineup) in the way that Lambert feels we are most likely to do that. I don''t expect to see "fringe" players getting too much game time; we have rotated throughout the season, so we will continue to do that, but I don''t expect to see Wilbraham starting every game over Holt and Morison.[/quote]

This

[Mister Chops 7]

It''s "uncharted territory", FFS.  You don''t "charter" territory.  You chart (map) it.Other than that, we''ll keep trying to win every game.

[unique 434]

''Uncharted'' - of course it is....how careless of me!

Good to see a resident ''grama queen'' on the case......

[Mister Chops 7]

I am nothing if not a pedantic pain in the ar$e.

[unique 434]

Noted.....but it was a fair shout.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Sooner or later PL is going to struggle to use the familiar motivations: this is new to us, look where we''ve come from, we''re not safe from relegation so he will need to use some new ones to keep his players grounded and feeling they constantly exceed.

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

[quote user="Mister Chops"]I am nothing if not a pedantic pain in the ar$e.

[/quote]

 

Not needed Mr. Chops. Keep to posting your well respected opinions.

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

Neglected to add that the O/P made an interesting point and one that had not occured to me. No edit  though.

It won''t be quite so "uncharted" if we progress in the Cup though. Still, as the O/P said, we are used to end of season pressure games, one way or the other, sowe may have an advantage come Wembley time.   [:D]

[Bill 1,788]

" Norwich have all but achieved what they targeted at the beginning of the season, avoiding relegation."That what might have been what a few of the feeble minded and the ever so ''umble were tugging their forelocks about but it WAS NOT what the club were targeting, hence the continued all out assault on the table through having a winning attitude to every game.Bear in mind that finishing 17th would have been a massive failure, not only in a loss of income but a recognition that we barely struggled to survive. The team that went down in 2005 went down because they were not up to it, from almost day one. Teams that are in that state rarely survive long as they are a reflection of things that are wrong with the club. Not simply ''on field'' deficiences.To claim that "17th place is ok and there is nothing wrong with the club", suggests that if the club is in a good shape and 17th is the best they can do then lord help us. If 17th place is achieved because the club is is a bad way then I doubt any lord could help us.Sadly a few of the habitually retarded have somehow convinced themselves that finishing 17th is somehow equivilant to be the last ball drawn out of the bag in cup draw ie if the first 17 balls pulled out of Premier bag are the 17 teams that are not relegated it matters little which number you are as long as you are one of those 17th.Thankfully Norwich City don''t see it that way - that''s why we are in 8th place.

[YankeeCanary 0]

"That what might have been what a few of the feeble minded..."

Good Lord!  After that little effort, City 1st, are you sure you''re not feeling a little feeble minded yourself. At least you could pretend to be a little ''umble.

 

[Bill 1,788]

Typing on the train does occasionally cause the odd typo, or two(nice though to see you always read my posts)

[YankeeCanary 0]

I do read your posts. I''m a generous person. Didn''t expect to see you posting this late at night however.

[unique 434]

[quote user="City1st"]" Norwich have all but achieved what they targeted at the beginning of the season, avoiding relegation."That what might have been what a few of the feeble minded and the ever so ''umble were tugging their forelocks about but it WAS NOT what the club were targeting, hence the continued all out assault on the table through having a winning attitude to every game.Bear in mind that finishing 17th would have been a massive failure, not only in a loss of income but a recognition that we barely struggled to survive. The team that went down in 2005 went down because they were not up to it, from almost day one. Teams that are in that state rarely survive long as they are a reflection of things that are wrong with the club. Not simply ''on field'' deficiences.To claim that "17th place is ok and there is nothing wrong with the club", suggests that if the club is in a good shape and 17th is the best they can do then lord help us. If 17th place is achieved because the club is is a bad way then I doubt any lord could help us.Sadly a few of the habitually retarded have somehow convinced themselves that finishing 17th is somehow equivilant to be the last ball drawn out of the bag in cup draw ie if the first 17 balls pulled out of Premier bag are the 17 teams that are not relegated it matters little which number you are as long as you are one of those 17th.Thankfully Norwich City don''t see it that way - that''s why we are in 8th place.[/quote]

What an arrogant, pointless and petulant post.

If memory serves me correctly, part of the '' 7-year plan'' was to plan for relegation from the PL after the initial promotion, then to return from the Championship a second time, wiser and stronger.

PL, on numerous occasions, has stated that 17th spot would be an immense achievement.

It''s all very well being clever in hindsight, but no Norwich supporter, if they were to be totally honest, expected the season to turn out the way it has,