The Official Norwich City Thread
Discussion
Oh well, halfway through the season and we find ourselves bottom of the Premier League. I can't see us staying up and am now looking forward to playing in the Championship again where to be honest we belong. We are a Championship squad trying to live with the big boys. Rather like trying to win a Grand Prix in a Transit van. I don't blame the manager or the players. There has been no investment from the board. I would not be surprised if Pukki, Cantwell and Buendia were sold in the January transfer window.
Yep, it seems inevitable we will see the year out as bottom of the league. And to be fair given the lack of investment it is where we should expect to be. We went with last season’s squad ´on a wing and a prayer’ they’d be good enough only to have a shocking run of injuries smash any semblance of confidence in the first few weeks. Only recently have we been able to play a fit squad in their correct positions and are now playing some good stuff, only for Teemu Pukki to now go out of form (whilst playing with a broken toe), with no quality backup in place.
It’s difficult to see how we progress as a club from here. Our financial model is ‘self funding’ and as such we are in a good position. But it appears that to compete (or even stay in the PL) needs spending ´at risk’ (look how that’s worked out in the past- Bolton / Portsmouth etc) or a wealthy benefactor(s). Delia will not do the former, nor it seems sell her majority shareholding to anyone she deems unsuitable for the latter to happen. The best we can aspire to is to be a ‘yo-yo’ club, but let’s be honest we got lucky with the money from the James Maddison sale and a squad that just ‘clicked’ in the last couple of seasons, we may not get that lucky again. It’s just frustrating, we have a very good coach, a team full of excellent young talent, but no means to take it to the next level. I suppose football ‘was ever thus’.
It’s difficult to see how we progress as a club from here. Our financial model is ‘self funding’ and as such we are in a good position. But it appears that to compete (or even stay in the PL) needs spending ´at risk’ (look how that’s worked out in the past- Bolton / Portsmouth etc) or a wealthy benefactor(s). Delia will not do the former, nor it seems sell her majority shareholding to anyone she deems unsuitable for the latter to happen. The best we can aspire to is to be a ‘yo-yo’ club, but let’s be honest we got lucky with the money from the James Maddison sale and a squad that just ‘clicked’ in the last couple of seasons, we may not get that lucky again. It’s just frustrating, we have a very good coach, a team full of excellent young talent, but no means to take it to the next level. I suppose football ‘was ever thus’.
What a crap performance that was against Southampton. The club is only heading in one direction. Downwards to the Championship and on yesterday's performance it is what we deserve. No fight or intensity, too many mistakes made by our defenders and our forwards were playing like complete strangers. Drmic and Puuki appeared like they had just met 5 minutes before kick off. It says something when your goalkeeper is the best player all season.
Yep, it was dreadful. Playing like that we are stinking out this league and the sooner we are out of it the better. I really do not know what the problem was- they looked so apathetic, not up for the fight at all. Unprepared, or believing their own hype and already looking for the move to a PL club next
season.? Not that many will be able to do so after a display like that. Fancy passing football admired by all and sundry is all very well, but we do not have the quality to deliver it at this level. The midfield is so lightweight, there is no ‘enforcing’ DCM (we badly miss Tettey when he is not there) and having a defence selected for its ability to attack kind of misses its whole raison d’être. We are just getting physically muscled out of games, this happened last season at some games in the Championship, why did we think it was going to be any different in the PL?
season.? Not that many will be able to do so after a display like that. Fancy passing football admired by all and sundry is all very well, but we do not have the quality to deliver it at this level. The midfield is so lightweight, there is no ‘enforcing’ DCM (we badly miss Tettey when he is not there) and having a defence selected for its ability to attack kind of misses its whole raison d’être. We are just getting physically muscled out of games, this happened last season at some games in the Championship, why did we think it was going to be any different in the PL?
Your comments about being lightweight and outmuscled reflect my own opinion. It's all very well for outsider commentators to reckon that Lewis and Aarons are exciting youg players, but they are too small and poor defenders. Cantwell is a skilled ball-player but is always going to lose a tackle. They've got to learn to toughen up.
In my dreams I kind of hoped the break would do them good and other teams would come back unprepared. City didn't even look Championship last night, more like League One. My dreams saw them win 3 or 4 games and scrape up above relegation. Southampton aren't having a great season but looked a class above in the second half.
In my dreams I kind of hoped the break would do them good and other teams would come back unprepared. City didn't even look Championship last night, more like League One. My dreams saw them win 3 or 4 games and scrape up above relegation. Southampton aren't having a great season but looked a class above in the second half.
CooperD said:
Would agree that it was a better performance than the Southampton game. I think Farke dropped Pukki and Cantwell to the bench so they would be fresher for the FA Cup game against Man Utd.this weekend.
I agree with your thinking. Bit negative though - take the glory of a cup run over relegation issues. I
Well here we sit, top of the Championship. We are winning games by the odd goal. I don't think we are playing that well but that is often the sign of a decent team, when you can win you aren't playing too well. The defence seems to have tightened up. Possibly the influence of Ben Gibson joining from Burnley. OTBC!!
CooperD said:
Possibly the influence of Ben Gibson joining from Burnley. OTBC!!
Indeed. I never understood the hype over our young defenders. On the plus side, we've somehow managed to cash in £40m for Godfrey & Lewis, replaced with much cheaper options and now look stronger (go figure). Can't wait for Mumba to get fit again, he looked like the player we have been missing for years. Yep, we’re grinding out the results, ... without hitting anywhere near the form we are capable of. I’ll take as many nervy 2-1s that are going! Plus we have several to come back from injury or get back to full fitness. The January window is going to define our season though. Rumours are rife about Emi to Arsenal (... really, who’d want that move just at the moment? 
) and there must be a possibility of PL clubs returning to unsettle Cantwell (see his form dramatically improve in the next few weeks 
), Aarons and others. Given how sharp Pukki is right now you can foresee some interest there too. We’ll see.
) and there must be a possibility of PL clubs returning to unsettle Cantwell (see his form dramatically improve in the next few weeks ), Aarons and others. Given how sharp Pukki is right now you can foresee some interest there too. We’ll see. What a good weekend that was for us with both Swansea and Brentford losing. The wheels appear to have come off for Brentford. Could have done with Watford drawing or even losing to Derby. We seem to be grinding out results aside from the Stoke game. Great to see Pukki back on song and his partnership with Buendia is working well. Keeping clean sheets this season as well is also a big plus. Farke has certainly tightened up the defence with the addition of Ben Gibson and Max Aarons has certainly been very effective so far this term. Still a seven point lead at this stage of the season is very welcome. OTBC
(... not celebrating yet though, typical pessimistic Canaries fan here). Such a shame it’s still behind closed doors, Carra Rud would have been rocking tonight, the first half was a thing of beauty. 
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