Where has all the fun gone? - latest blog

[nutty nigel 7,509]

We''ve conceded more goals against the top 8 than we did last season. We''ve only conceded 7 goals in our 13 games against the rest including 7 clean sheets. Those things aren''t memorable like beating Arsenal 1-0 but are more likely to keep us up. I''ve seen many more seasons like this season than I have like 2009/12. Still love it though and have enjoyed each and every one.

 

I can''t identify with the blog. Maybe I''m different but I loved the game last Saturday. The team won the crowd over with a good display and some decent attacking football. The goal was deserved and celebrated such in the stadium. Even with the return of goal music. Can I ask if those who see it as a toilet break were actually there?

 

 This blog is another in a long line of blogs by Daniel concentrating on negatives. If I view the game through yellow and green specs then Daniel really does have those murky brown ones. I don''t know how to prove which of us has the right view. We probably both do. But I''m happy even when I''m not clapping...

 

 

[killiecanary 0]

An entertaining read Daniel - as usual. But I don''t quite see the matches the same way as you do. I still get a lot of fun at matches, and enjoy them as much as I ever did.

I wonder if we are guilty as a support of maybe being a little bit complacent. We are a recently established premier league side. We are not going to roll over all comers to Carrow road, and the quality of football played for me is probably so,e of the highest I have ever seen at CR - I have only been going to Norwich matches since making my home in the fine city some 10 years ago so admittedly I have no recollection of Norwich''s finest moments. But I do love watching good football (unlike many others I think the quality of football is better under CH than under Lambert - and it is that directness in our play that many fans miss) and I also enjoy watching my team mix it against some of the best players in the world.

But then football for us all is an intensely personal experience - I take my young son and we enjoy the match together. As a kids coach as well I certainly prefer that he is watching passing football than lump it and hoof it ball. But others prefer to see the ball forward at the earliest opportunity.

As for Wes, much as I love him, I just don''t see him as a regular premier league starter. Howson offers more. Wes is too inconsistent I''m afraid for me.

[Daniel Brigham 0]

Nutty. My last two blogs have certainly been negative, but I''m normally accused of being too positive though on here - especially last season. So it''s nice to occasionally be accused of the opposite!

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Daniel, if we all saw things the same there''d be no point to this messageboard which is a fantastic place and great online community for us to air our views.

 

Can I ask if you were at the game on Saturday because the last thing it felt like to me was the toilet break you describe. BTW me asking this isn''t a criticism of any view of people who don''t go to games. Just genuinely interested.

 

 

[Monty13 2,229]

I didn''t go to the game Nigel, the last one I could get to before deploying was the Fulham match. That could have only been less fun if someone had stapled my scrotum to my seat. That had nothing to do with losing, it was the fact that it was genuinely awful display.

Luckily I was just finishing work so ran just in time to get set up with NBC to watch the game against Hull and I have to say it was ok, that''s it. Understandable with the pressure all were under but still just ok. When their centre back got injured and they reverted to 442 it just felt like we were going to to tear them up, they literally had no response but our final balls and shooting was so woeful that when Bennett scored all i felt was relief (like manager players and most supporters i imagine!). I didn''t feel we''d played well, we got what we deserved though even if we did leave it late.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

LOL Monty.. are you Daniel''s mum[:^)] [;)]

 

By all the things you two measure fun by Boxing Day''s game was more fun than Fulham at home last season. And please don''t make the mistake of believing your view is that of most supporters. Because I would say a goal that brings about a deserved victory is more fun than an extra goal in an win or a consolation goal in a defeat. And like Mrs Slocombe I am unanimous in that..

 

 

[Bill 1,788]

"throwing the top down, turning up the stereo and

driving alongside all of the other Premier League teams in this

brilliantly unpredictable season."

would be rather a wide road

[Daniel Brigham 0]

I wasn''t at the game Nutty, was watching on a perfectly legal stream... Appreciate you don''t get a proper impression of the atmosphere when not at the ground, but what was happening on the pitch wasn''t particularly fun. We were so stunted in attack. Last two games I was at were the Fulham replay (not fun, but good atmosphere) and Man U at home (which was good fun despite the result).

My point is that while all the teams around us have had several high points this season we''ve barely registered any, and I don''t think we can just put that down to being in the bottom half. We''re not getting the most out of our attacking players.

[Monty13 2,229]

And once again Nigel you miss the point. I don''t care whether individually we play better this year against West Ham or we were worse against Arsenal.

The point Daniel was making is we haven''t had any stand out games where we have really outplayed the opposition, there just hasn''t been any.

And do you know what, if its all about results and most supporters are happy with what we have achieved and where we are, why is there such an undercurrent, from what seems a majority from polls, of desire to move on the manager? Could it be those supporters are not enjoying the football they are witnessing?

The funny thing is I''m not sure I agree with him being sacked, still now I wonder what the point would be and we should wait till summer to make any decision. But I''m balanced enough to agree that the football on offer this year taken as a whole is less fun than the last.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Once again Monty I haven''t missed your point but once again I don''t agree with your point. There''s quite a big difference between those two statements don''t you think?

 

I don''t know why so many people are unhappy about what we''ve achieved or where we are. But I do know I''m not one of them. I look to next Tuesday as an oppoerunity to get into the top half of the table. But I''ve been around long enough to know that if that happens there will be plenty with a downbeat view about that too. And I know that when this season is looked back on from a lower leagues viewpoint sometime in the future it will be something to aspire to.

 

I will go further now with my criticism of yours and Daniel''s viewpoint. It seems very much to me a case of "we won the game so let''s find something else we can moan about". But that''s just mine and Mrs Slocombe''s opinion. I don''t expect or need you to agree.

 

 

[Monty13 2,229]

"By all the things you two measure fun by Boxing Day''s game was more fun than Fulham at home last season." Repeatedly not what I''ve been saying so that''s why I said you missed the point, because if you believe that statement you wrote above, you have missed my point of view again.

I''m glad you don''t need me to agree because I''m not going to, I''m not sure where in what I have said I have moaned about the performance beating Hull, you''ll have to point it out to me, we didn''t play that well but we were better than Hull and got rewarded for it, I don''t consider that moaning, I''m sure most neutrals would agree with that assessment of the game and over 20 shots and only 3 on target would back that up.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

[quote user="Monty13"]"By all the things you two measure fun by Boxing Day''s game was more fun than Fulham at home last season." Repeatedly not what I''ve been saying so that''s why I said you missed the point, because if you believe that statement you wrote above, you have missed my point of view again.

I''m glad you don''t need me to agree because I''m not going to, I''m not sure where in what I have said I have moaned about the performance beating Hull, you''ll have to point it out to me, we didn''t play that well but we were better than Hull and got rewarded for it, I don''t consider that moaning, I''m sure most neutrals would agree with that assessment of the game and over 20 shots and only 3 on target would back that up.[/quote]

 

Did we have 17 shots off target then or what other point are you trying to make? The game I saw was some heroic defending from Hull which made the eventual break through such a release of relief and joy. The way you and Daniel describe your toilet break would be more apt for a game we stole and were hanging on for the three points. That''s the sort of game where the final whistle is celebrated with relief.

 

Our last six home games have been Hull, Manchester Utd, Fulham, Swansea, Palace and West Ham. That''s 10 points and also contains much the same ups and downs as you''d expect in a PL season. What really has there been to constantly moan about? I would think only the most miserable fecker would find nothing there to enjoy or be happy about.

 

Now off to the carsey for a break...

 

 

 

[Daniel Brigham 0]

We''ll have to agree to disagree Nutty. Nothing wrong with that of course. One thing I will say is I don''t moan for the sake of moaning, as my relentlessly positive pieces in the second half of last season will show. I just think things could be a lot more fun, a lot more adventurous this season. Whether or not it''s the majority or minority view, it''s my view.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

And thank goodness we have this great community on here where we can share these views Daniel. I wonder if you''d join me, Mrs Slocombe and her pussy in being unanimous about that..

 

 

[Bill 1,788]

"What really has there been to constantly moan about?"Well that hasn''t stopped you apologists constantly moaning about fans pointing out Hughton and the teams failings.As to the result being the sole arbiter of enjoyment then why go to the game, why not sit at home and wait for the result to come in ?What is causing concern for many and leading others to talk of there being a lack of fun is the dire way the team is playing. If that was all it was then even there there might be a case for accepting things, but it is because it should not be this way that people are worried. We have signed some quality players so it is no longer the cobbled together teams of yesteryear. But what do we get instead ?A culture of fear and defeatism. Wins at home against lowly opposition are greeted as magnificent achievements. Why, because we have set ourselves targets so low that scrapping the odd draw and a win is seen as successenough. Because the players are not developing and the team is not improving as a whole these result as seen as the best we can do.We are never going to have that kind of fun as before as that would require risk and the team being positive, but that is Hughton''s style. Better a 1-0 defeat than to risk everything and end up losing 0-3.Finally there is much talk of negativity, and to be honest and grateful, it is only down to a small minority of those who are happy with this kind of play and so endlessly talk of how we should be grateful for our lot.However for those of a positive and optimistic view then this is only a passing phase. A dark cloud that will pass. A manager will come who can maximise the talents we have. Who will believe that we can beat anyone, not that anyone can beat us. And maybe then the fun and true enjoyment will return and the negative nigels can reminice about the days when scrapping a win over Hull was our season long high point.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Calling people apologists for having a different point of view doesn''t really get your opinion off to a great start. In fact it''s rather like a penalty that''s going to weigh the rest of your post down. But I''ll move past that...

 

If you don''t enjoy going to games that''s something for you to deal with. I do enjoy it. I love match days and going to games. There''s nothing I''d rather do. Now I don''t know where you find your lowly opposition either. When we played Hull they were top half. Above us and nine other clubs on merit. Lowly opposition? How conceited is that?!

 

Every three points in this league is huge. There are no really poor sides anymore. There''s just 4/5 who are that much better than the rest. Accumulating enough points to survive will always be top priority. It''s not like we can make a sustained effort to win the league.

 

Not sure anyone suggests anyone else should be grateful. Would be a bit thick if they did. Gratitude is something that rarely happens anymore. Entitlement, expectation and disappointment rule the roost.

 

Set out in the morning to be happy and enjoy yourself and the chances are you will do just that.

 

 

 

 

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

[quote user="I Love Fernando Derveld"][quote user="Daniel Brigham"]So why, as Norwich fans, does it feel like we''re the only ones without a johnny at a bunga bunga party? [/quote]This made me lol[/quote]

That reference to bunga bunga; here''s a joke:

Three guys are captured by a tribe of natives in a far off land. They are brought before the tribal leader who gives them a choice. He says, "what will you have, death or bunga?". The first guys thinks, hmmm wonder what bunga is. "I''ll take the bunga". The tribal leader says, "good". Then a dozen tribal members line up and give it to him in the rear.

The tribal leader turns to the second guy and gives him the choice, death, or bunga. The second guy thinks, hmm, that bunga thing is pretty nasty. But death is permanent, "I''ll take the bunga". Tribal leader says, "good", and a hundred tribesmen line up and give him the bunga.

The tribal leader gives the choice to the third captive. He thinks a while, hmm, first it was a dozen, then it was a hundred, I don''t know man. Heck with it, "I''ll take death". The tribal leader says, "good, death .... by bunga".

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

Calling people apologists for having a different point of view doesn''t really get your opinion off to a great start. In fact it''s rather like a penalty that''s going to weigh the rest of your post down. But I''ll move past that...

If you don''t enjoy going to games that''s something for you to deal with. I do enjoy it. I love match days and going to games. There''s nothing I''d rather do. Now I don''t know where you find your lowly opposition either. When we played Hull they were top half. Above us and nine other clubs on merit. Lowly opposition? How conceited is that?!

 Every three points in this league is huge. There are no really poor sides anymore. There''s just 4/5 who are that much better than the rest. Accumulating enough points to survive will always be top priority. It''s not like we can make a sustained effort to win the league.

 Not sure anyone suggests anyone else should be grateful. Would be a bit thick if they did. Gratitude is something that rarely happens anymore. Entitlement, expectation and disappointment rule the roost.

Set out in the morning to be happy and enjoy yourself and the chances are you will do just that.

 [/quote]

Great post [Y] [Y]

[Bill 1,788]

"You are sounding more like LDC by the day. Even to the point of twisting things."Who said I didn''t enjoy games ?Why spin the words about lowly opposition into the Hull game. even by your reckoning you would recognise that Hull were not lowly ........... but Palace and WHU were." There are no really poor sides anymore" but relatively they will have to be other all the other 15 clubs will be relegated together ... or at least finish on the same number of points."Not sure anyone suggests anyone else should be grateful."Then you certainly have not read your own or other fellow apologists postsAs to you final advice then I am grateful - it is a step up from ''have a nice day''However I am very rarely about in the morning (bar Sats) so I''m afraid I won''t be able to heed that advice, though I am sure it was well intentioned ... as are your thoughts about the team I should imagine

[nutty nigel 7,509]

[quote user="City1st"]"You are sounding more like LDC by the day. Even to the point of twisting things."Who said I didn''t enjoy games ?Why spin the words about lowly opposition into the Hull game. even by your reckoning you would recognise that Hull were not lowly ........... but Palace and WHU were." There are no really poor sides anymore" but relatively they will have to be other all the other 15 clubs will be relegated together ... or at least finish on the same number of points."Not sure anyone suggests anyone else should be grateful."Then you certainly have not read your own or other fellow apologists postsAs to you final advice then I am grateful - it is a step up from ''have a nice day''However I am very rarely about in the morning (bar Sats) so I''m afraid I won''t be able to heed that advice, though I am sure it was well intentioned ... as are your thoughts about the team I should imagine

[/quote]

 

Well rather than suggesting I don''t read my posts it would be easier to link to where I suggested people should be grateful.

 

Palace and West Ham? We beat them. Not sure we should expect to beat them but we did. The fact that Palace only got one point out of a possible six against us is the reason they are below us in the table. It''s that tight. But you''re a brave man buddy so you tell me which three of the divisions lowly teams will be relegated and which one will finish top half...

 

No spin. Hull were the last team we played. That''s all.

 

Have a nice evening[S]

 

 

[Guest]

Yep, we''re having a poor season and the football has been dull. I''m still renewing my season ticket though. I took it out the season before we got relegated to League One so in perspective I''m not really that disappointed about our current progression.

[can u sit down please 0]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

Can''t be doing with this buddy. It doesn''t tally with what I remember seeing. We beat Man Utd last season in a game of football which was about as enjoyable as us beating Palace at home this season minus the prestige. We played much better football in the United home game this season but this time they got the break so we lost it 0-1. Same with Chelsea. Last season was a pretty drab affair which we lost 0-1. This season was a great game of football where we lost 1-3 because of two late goals conceded as we went all out for the win. To a certain extent the shackles have come off this season but it seems we''re now pining for them to be put back. It seems the grass really is always greener on the other side of the fence.

 

 

[/quote]

The shackles have come off? We are pining for them to go back on?

I''ll have whatever youre having Nige

[nutty nigel 7,509]

[quote user="can u sit down please"][quote user="nutty nigel"]

Can''t be doing with this buddy. It doesn''t tally with what I remember seeing. We beat Man Utd last season in a game of football which was about as enjoyable as us beating Palace at home this season minus the prestige. We played much better football in the United home game this season but this time they got the break so we lost it 0-1. Same with Chelsea. Last season was a pretty drab affair which we lost 0-1. This season was a great game of football where we lost 1-3 because of two late goals conceded as we went all out for the win. To a certain extent the shackles have come off this season but it seems we''re now pining for them to be put back. It seems the grass really is always greener on the other side of the fence.

 

 

[/quote]

The shackles have come off? We are pining for them to go back on?

I''ll have whatever youre having Nige

[/quote]

 

How would you view the difference between the two Chelsea games I mentioned then? The game I remember this season we got back to 1-1 and brought on Redmond and then Hooper in an attempt to win the game. The game I remember last season wasn''t nearly so exciting and we never really took the game to them just trying to absorb constant pressure whilst praying for a lucky break from the odd counter attack. How do you remember them?

 

 

[can u sit down please 0]

[quote user="nutty nigel"][quote user="can u sit down please"][quote user="nutty nigel"]

Can''t be doing with this buddy. It doesn''t tally with what I remember seeing. We beat Man Utd last season in a game of football which was about as enjoyable as us beating Palace at home this season minus the prestige. We played much better football in the United home game this season but this time they got the break so we lost it 0-1. Same with Chelsea. Last season was a pretty drab affair which we lost 0-1. This season was a great game of football where we lost 1-3 because of two late goals conceded as we went all out for the win. To a certain extent the shackles have come off this season but it seems we''re now pining for them to be put back. It seems the grass really is always greener on the other side of the fence.

 

 

[/quote]

The shackles have come off? We are pining for them to go back on?

I''ll have whatever youre having Nige

[/quote]

 

How would you view the difference between the two Chelsea games I mentioned then? The game I remember this season we got back to 1-1 and brought on Redmond and then Hooper in an attempt to win the game. The game I remember last season wasn''t nearly so exciting and we never really took the game to them just trying to absorb constant pressure whilst praying for a lucky break from the odd counter attack. How do you remember them?

 

 

[/quote]

Thats a fair shout Nige, but that one game doesnt represent our whole season and to imply that the shackles have consistently been off is a bit wide of the mark.

Man City away last year and this year could be compared as shackles off and on....

Our goals for column spells it out perfectly.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

It doesn''t though does it CUSDP. Our goals against have virtually all come in games against the top eight. We''ve conceded just 7 goals in the 13 games against the rest. That rather suggests we''ve gone into these games against the top sides more open but the results have been worse.  This was the opposite of last season. Even some of this boards harshest critics have accepted that we have played a more attacking style this season.

 

Anyway. I''ve got you down for the Norwich match bet next weekend if you''re up for it?

 

 

[can u sit down please 0]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

It doesn''t though does it CUSDP. Our goals against have virtually all come in games against the top eight. We''ve conceded just 7 goals in the 13 games against the rest. That rather suggests we''ve gone into these games against the top sides more open but the results have been worse.  This was the opposite of last season. Even some of this boards harshest critics have accepted that we have played a more attacking style this season.

 

Anyway. I''ve got you down for the Norwich match bet next weekend if you''re up for it?

 

 

[/quote]

sounds good buddy. Newcastle or Cardiff? I''ll still be on this rusty bucket, but give me a reminder on FB and i''ll get it done [Y]

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Cardiff for next Sat. If you''d rather leave it for the next week I don''t mind. When you back?