Are we over-achieving?

[Sooty57 403]

Firstly, I would like to point out that this is not a pro-Houghton, or indeed an anti-Hughton, thread, although I don''t doubt for one minute that I will probably still get a lot of flack.

Yes, no one can argue that the football this year has in the most part been absolutely dire - some days it is very difficult to even muster up the enthusiasm to attend the matches. Having said that, is that the very thing that has saved us? Despite what some posters seem to believe, we are not a side of any great quality when compared to our rivals. If you look at all of the teams above us (any many below) they all have several players that you look at and think "I''d like him in our squad".

At the end of the day Hughton''s main priority must be to keep Norwich in the Premiership. Perhaps the dross we are forced to watch each week is due to the team being set up in the best way to achieve that goal (no pun intended) with the players available to him on any given week.

We are currently 12th in the Premier League, with the possibility that we could be 10th after the weekend. Is it possible that the ideals of attractive football and PL safety are mutually exclusive without a squad costing at least a couple of hundred million?

One thing that I have noticed this year, that has not been apparent in previous years, is the depth of polarisation amongst the fanbase. e.g. Hughton in/out - RVW waste of money/not getting service - Hoolahan gamechanger/ball waster Elmander donkey/good hold up player. It seems that no one is happy, but there is no consensus of opinion as to what needs to be done to rectify the situation.

Yes the "heart" seems to have gone out of the team on many occasions, but is this because they are having to play in a way that is alien to them just to ensure survival?

If you check out a few other forums you will find that we are by no means in a unique position. Fans all over the place are wringing their hands and calling for the manager''s head - even the mighty Villa and, to a lesser extent, Man U.

Perhaps it''s just they joy of being in the top flight, where money is king and survival is everything - to the detriment of entertainment for all but the richest clubs.

[barclay_boy111 0]

This point has been discussed a couple of times however I still believe that the current style of play is not purely down to the pressure of survival, and it''s not just the lack of "attractive" football it''s the fundamental basics that the majority of our player somehow have forgot, first touches and passing are horrendous, the lack of pressure on the opposition any real fight to get the ball back instead of sitting back and trying to soak up as much pressure in front of goal until we eventually break and find our selves a goal down then continue to play the same way.

Last night we completely played off our own park how is that going to enable us to stay in the premier league or make any progress?

[Tetteys Jig 830]

I wonder if we have just gotten lucky, Cardiff game aside. We rarely have the best of any game we play and yet still we''re somehow stacking up them points.

I feel Hull were similar and have now been found out and lost their luck and are dropping at a rate of knots. After we''ve got the next two home games (Spurs and Man City) out of the way, the 8 games after that are the key ones. Win half of them and safety is assured.

[Sooty57 403]

I don''t disagree with any of your points. I was just throwing it out for discussion, without realising it had been covered in previous threads.

[Sooty57 403]

last port aimed at Barclay Boy