Underwhelmed

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,609]

[quote user="urdie_Canary"]I understand a few of your points, but its pre season and all about getting the fitness up.

I would love to see a few proven premier league players arrive, I think this is a must if we''re going to better last seasons finish,
as everyone around us is strengthening quality which are proven at this level.



[/quote]

Like who? Apart from QPR no one has strenghten that much.

 

Southampton have spent £7m on an unproven striker. Reading have signed Nicky Shorey, Danny Guthrie and Pogrebnyak (all played in the Premier League yes, but are Shorey and Guthrie actually any good?). WBA have signed two players who have never played in England before. Wigan haven''t bought anyone and have lost Rodeaga and are about to lose Moses. Swansea have lost Sigurdsson and Rodgers and I expect Allen will be gone by the end of today. West Ham have done decent business but nothing earth shattering.

 

People are nervously looking at other clubs, but no one (apart from QPR who I expect to pull away) has done anything to get stronger, in fact most are looking weaker than last season. Sunderland have signed no one, Stoke have got Knightley, half of Villa''s squad are injured for the next 2 or 3 months.

 

As long as Norwich can continue to perform at the levels they did last season, there is nothing to worry about. The biggest weakness of lacking an expirenced centre back has been solved, and the only real gaps that need filling are the need for a back-up left back and possibly a defensive midfielder.

[ROBFLECK 132]

Well I think we agree that La Liga is up to the PL, don''t we?

Michu and De Guzman were starters for their respective clubs. I wouldn''t have mind Guthrie here... I agree with Rodriguez though, I would never have spent that money on him!

[Chip20 69]

Most of the teams who finished around us last season had already had several consecutive transfer windows in the Premier League in which to build a team stronger than ours, yet failed to do so. We have already shown ourselves to be capable of matching teams brimming over with ''proven'' Premier League players. These are teams who, as I have said, have been built up/enhanced/developed over several seasons. Why, after a single subsequent transfer window, do so many of our supporters suddenly start bricking it? Yes, some sides have signed some exciting-looking players, but is that really any guarantee that they will perform? Teams we finished above last season had signed some exciting-looking players too; fat lot of good it did them(!) We have added some quality individuals to our squad of now-proven Premier League players ourselves. Last season QPR added some proven Premier League players to their championship-winning squad while we added some Championship players and a couple from League Two to our team that had finished several points behind them, yet still did better than they did. I am actually really excited about Jacob Butterfield, who is a decent a prospect as anybody most of our competitors have signed.This whole notion that suddenly we will be less capable of scoring goals than last season is bobbins too. Even if you accept the contention that teams will have "worked us out" (which, imoho is absolute cr@p; are our players really so radically different from anything Premier League players have ever faced before!!!?)) surely the flip side is that our own players will have figured out how other teams work. Holt may score more goals than last season or he may score fewer. The same goes for all of our players. We may finish higher up the table than last season, or we may get relegated. None of us knows. There are far more factors involved than just what our squad of players looks like on paper compared to others.

[Shankslad 0]

Some people are concerned as they anticipate a tough season ahead.   Compared with what?   I''m struggling to think what an easy season looks like!

 

Some of the top teams supporters are no doubt worried about if they will make the top four.    Others worried their team won''t rise above the bottom three - it''s all relative, same sh1te just a different colour!

 

At the start of last season 17th was the target - Oh how some were doubters about even attaining that.

 

Perhaps NCFC should do away with the position of manager and form a management committee made up of those supporters who seem to know better, who obviously see things the manager can''t and instantly have the solution.   How easy it is to know best when being far removed from the reality of it and having no involvement or responsibility for ones ideas.   I do it all the time when it''s not my bo11ocks that are on the table.

 

The managers job is to manage and my job is to support.   Seems a good enough arrangement.   Of course I will be critical - when I feel it justified but before a season has even kicked off seems the wrong time to me.   Nothing is more designed to keep a man in everlasting ignorance than contempt prior to investigation and negative projections of what the future holds are just that.

 

This is the time to get behind the manager and the team - good, bad or indifferent as they may seem - matchday motivation comes from the terraces not the dugout. 

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,800]

[quote user="ROBFLECK"]My main worry is the leftback position, but we''ve done good bussiness in the transfermarket apart from that. I just think everybody''s looking at the signings that teams around us have made... There is certainly some class among them! But it''s no use looking at others and we''ve kept most of the team that finished 12th! But we are not a surprise package anymore, so I too fear there will not be as much goals in our forwards as there was last season! I don''t feel underwhelmed but I am anxious about the lack of goals...yes it''s preseason, but goals = confidence for strikers. I''ve got confidence in CH and I just can''t understand people slagging him off, before the season has even started!!! I do think he at least needs to get one more in before the window closes![/quote]

The problem here is the same problem as we had when Drury was here. If you have someone who is obviously 1st choice asTierney is now and as Drury was for 11 years ,who do you get as someone that is willing to come and sit in the reserves as cover?. Many "back-ups" came and went when Drury was here, i.e Heckingbottom,Brennan,Charlton,Wiggins,Rose,Smith but all left when they knew that they weren''t going to force him out. Lappin is clearly happy to be here in whatever capacity and Whittaker can play there too?. Unless we go out and get someone who is better than Tierney,I''m not sure what we''d do?

[Nexus_Canary 1,027]

For crying out loud !When our first 90 minutes of football are finished you can whine or revel in glory depending how you feel, but to complain over a pre season ?Christ I swear blind that some people dont understand Sports, Football or Fitness or anything like that !

Go back to posting on 4chan or something

[ROBFLECK 132]

@ GJL not a bad point, Tierney did well. But he''s only had a third of a season in the PL....

[Monty13 2,252]

Hello Broadstairs, here''s what I think in response to what you''ve put:

"Really think we need a class striker and if one isn''t purchased before the season''s start then we could be troubled. Not really a fact, more an opinion." I think this a fair opinion, many seem to have weighed up the evidence and come to this conclusion rightly or wrongly as it will turn out to be...

"Fact: Holty is a year older and may not reach last season''s heights." - Well it is a fact that he is a year older, and he may not reach the heights of last year but he has consistently performed at a higher level for the last 3 years. 31 isn''t old for a striker who plays in Holt''s style and doesn''t rely on pace, many big CF have continued to perform at the highest level well into their 30''s so personally I am not worried about him not performing this year and expect him to reach minimum double figures, based on his previous record.

"Fact: Morison remains an enigma so we do not quite know what to expect." I''m not totally sure what you mean by this, Morison definitely divides opinion so he is enigmatic in that respect but statistically 9 goals in 22 starts 34 total appearances shows that, although he had a dry spell, he clearly has proven goalscoring ability at this level.

"Fact: Vaughan''s fitness prospects are in doubt." No one can argue with this, he has had consistent injuries during his short career and whether unfortunate or worrying they were often not related.

"Opinion: C. Martin is not the complete article. There are flaws." - I''d say this is fact, who can demonstrate that he is the complete article, however Chris does still have potential, demonstrated by his previous performances and a good loan year at palace, although time is rapidly running out for him to prove it with us and I doubt he will get the run of games he needs to get the experience and prove himself with us.

"Opinion: As much as I like Jacko, I would not want him as a starter." - Can you just explain why? I find Jacksons contribution by far the most interesting when you look at the statistics. I can accept the fact that he doesn''t score enough goals, 3 goals in 26 performances is pretty underwhelming, but some of the results achieved with Jackson in the team are testament to his willing running and that his pace caused the opposition problems and space for other scorers. His SOG% is pretty week at 36% compared to Holts 48%, but interestingly is exactly the same as Morison but with half the number of shots and minutes played. I''m not sure whether Jackson just didn''t take his chances or didn''t have enough to time to perform. Of his 22 matches he started only 10 (and was subbed in all but 2) and his substitute appearances were predominantly in the last 15 mins of a game. Interestingly of the 10 games he did start we won 7 drew 2 (one of them Arsenal Away) and lost once (Man U). For me Jackson or someone of better quality but with same level of pace should be a nailed on starter with Holt/Morison when you look at the stats.

[ca 1]

[quote user="TIL 1010"]

[quote user="cityangel"]

 so far we''ve spent around £4m ish on Snodgrass, Turner and Butterfield plus wages [/quote]

Where on earth did you get the £4 million from Angel as all three were signed for undisclosed fees and surely you have no clue as to what their wages amount to.It just mystifies me at times how posters conjure up figures based on rumour and tittle tattle cleaned on messageboards and that wonderful social network called Twitter.

[/quote]

I did say ''''around'''' £4m which I arrived at from figures that Sky Sports had guessed at.

Snodgrass £2m plus add ons, Turner £1m & Butterfield £1m, Whittaker was free, as for wages I havent got a clue which is why I put ''''plus wages ''''

 

[TIL 1010 4,798]

[quote user="cityangel"][quote user="TIL 1010"]

[quote user="cityangel"]

 so far we''ve spent around £4m ish on Snodgrass, Turner and Butterfield plus wages [/quote]

Where on earth did you get the £4 million from Angel as all three were signed for undisclosed fees and surely you have no clue as to what their wages amount to.It just mystifies me at times how posters conjure up figures based on rumour and tittle tattle cleaned on messageboards and that wonderful social network called Twitter.

[/quote]

I did say ''''around'''' £4m which I arrived at from figures that Sky Sports had guessed at.

Snodgrass £2m plus add ons, Turner £1m & Butterfield £1m, Whittaker was free, as for wages I havent got a clue which is why I put ''''plus wages ''''

 

[/quote]

Exactly Angel ,figures Sky Sports have GUESSED at but the problem is you and others have taken them at their word and it quickly spreads and before long it is taken as fact.

This is the same Sky Sports that announced Lambert as Burnley manager,Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank as our next manager and Holt signing for West Ham for £6 million.All guesses and none of them factt.

[ca 1]

[quote user="TIL 1010"][quote user="cityangel"][quote user="TIL 1010"]

[quote user="cityangel"]

 so far we''ve spent around £4m ish on Snodgrass, Turner and Butterfield plus wages [/quote]

Where on earth did you get the £4 million from Angel as all three were signed for undisclosed fees and surely you have no clue as to what their wages amount to.It just mystifies me at times how posters conjure up figures based on rumour and tittle tattle cleaned on messageboards and that wonderful social network called Twitter.

[/quote]

I did say ''''around'''' £4m which I arrived at from figures that Sky Sports had guessed at.

Snodgrass £2m plus add ons, Turner £1m & Butterfield £1m, Whittaker was free, as for wages I havent got a clue which is why I put ''''plus wages ''''

 

[/quote]

This is the same Sky Sports that announced Lambert as Burnley manager,Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank as our next manager and Holt signing for West Ham for £6 million.All guesses and none of them factt.

[/quote]

 

Wasn''t that the red tops who reported them rather than Sky Sports, think the Buttersfield £1m ?

I still dont think those figures are far out Tilly but what do I know?

 

 

[ca 1]

Oh for an edit button, that was meant to read

Wasn''t that the red tops who reported them rather than Sky Sports ??

I still dont think those figures are far out Tilly but what do I know?

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="cityangel"]Oh for an edit button, that was meant to read

Wasn''t that the red tops who reported them rather than Sky Sports ??[/quote]

Nope CA, the single question mark in the first post was correct! [;)]

[TIL 1010 4,798]

[quote user="cityangel"]

Oh for an edit button, that was meant to read

Wasn''t that the red tops who reported them rather than Sky Sports ??

I still dont think those figures are far out Tilly but what do I know?

[/quote]

Well for starters Angel look on the " why are we reluctant to spend" thread and Mahogany has done some research on t''internet and apparently we got Butterfield ON A FREE would you believe. How ridiculous is that ?

[star_manic 0]

[quote user="cityangel"]

Oh for an edit button, that was meant to read

Wasn''t that the red tops who reported them rather than Sky Sports ??

I still dont think those figures are far out Tilly but what do I know?

[/quote]............this time last year norwich and swansea were favourites for relegation, QPR were said to be safe as they had spent more money than these two teams. well, we know what eventually happened to koops, so what makes anyone think that southhampton, reading and wet sham will be better than us. it''s purely guesswork at this stage. all i will say is that, overall, our team is better prepared to tackle the premiership than our squad a year ago, so i am not among the doomongers and have quiet confidence for the upcoming battle.[H]

[star_manic 0]

must have pressed the quote tag rather than the reply.[:$]

[Branston Pickle 3,690]

The point is that we don''t really know what we''ve spent, we always keep these things close to our chest.

Barnsley said the fee for JB was well in excess of £1m, Snoddy could be somewhere between £2m and £3m, I understood the figures bandied around for Turner were £1.5m-£2m so we could have either spent £6m+, or barely £4m.

As others have said, though, we have all our signings for less than Saints paid for Rodriguez, and I know for certain which I''d rather have.

As ever, it isn''t about how much you spend, more what you spend it on and I am sure we will have more new faces in before long.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

Back in the day, people used to go down the pub for a fight on a Friday night.

Nowadays they just go on the Pink''un.

Very happy with Chris Hughton. Really looking forward to the start of the new season, when the players will play with far more full blooded conviction - nobody wants to get injured in pre-season, if you catch my drift...

[Lambo 0]

I don''t think Hughton''s done anything wrong thus far. 

Whittaker, Turner, Butterfield and Snodgrass are all good additions to what is a solid squad. We''ve not spent the earth but the truth is we didn''t need to IMO, one of our biggest strengths over the past couple seasons has been the team spirit and togetherness of the team. They work their socks off for us and one another. Hughton would have been foolish to disrupt that, he''s more than aware Lambert has left him with some very good foundations on which to build.

I really don''t know what some fans expect at times? We''ve signed some highly rated players this summer. Butterfield by all accounts could have joined sides bigger than ourselves, Snodgrass wasn''t short of suitors and I doubt Whittaker was short of options (how often do you get to pick up and international defender with plenty of Champions League experience for nothing?) So we''ve brought in quality and still have some cash left. People forget Hughton doesn''t know this squad like Lambert did, he''s going to need time to get to know it, learn it''s strengths and weaknesses. In all honesty I''d have been more concerned if he''d spent £12 million pound on 2/3 players within a couple weeks of his arrival.

Don''t get me wrong, I personally don''t see us finishing as high up the table as last season. We''re in for a long hard slog to retain our Premiership status and we might all be very nervous going into the final games of the season but this squad showed last season they''re up for a fight and are capable of keeping us at this level.

I know I can''t wait to get down to Carrow Road and support MY team every step of the way.

OTBC