The 2019-2020 season.

Yes Rick, I read that when I was having my porridge earlier and I feel that we are extremely lucky to have such an excellent trio of journalists (ably supported by MFW columnists and fans) who write articles for us to consume.
I don't know if you've watched the TNC podcast with TC, but it really is worth watching. He speaks very highly of Neeyull during his early teens and the unity of the squad and the players on the bench.
I'm pretty confident that the fans will appreciate that we'll be competing in a league where most players cost several times what our entire squad cost and can expect some heavy defeats, but I also expect us to score several stunning goals of our own!

 

VAR has got to be a good thing. Top six sides get all the breaks when it's left to officials and that will even thngs out a little. Cardiff City is a case in point, bad referee decisions cost them at least three points, the difference between staying up and not.

 

But they gained from a poor decision on final day

 

Agree with this completely, though my concern is that the right decision is made, even if it goes against us. A wrong decision can change a match, inflating the team being gifted it and deflating the team which suffers the consequences. Rugby and cricket have been using it for years and it's about time football caught up.

 

Watching final score on Sunday and Kevin Kilbane (sp?) said Cardiff's penalty, although wrong, would have been upheld by VAR as the ref was not well sighted, it couldn't be overturned because you couldn't say it was a mistake by the ref!

 

I'm not sure he's right. The rules say:

"The standard for overturning the referee's original decision is that there has been a "clear error," sometimes expanded to "clear and obvious error."

Not sure the referee being unsighted would make any difference if a "clear and obvious error" has occurred.

 

Have just been looking at the last Premier league squad we had before next season and I think we have a much stronger squad considering we do not now have to put up with the likes of Whittaker, Bassong in defence leaking goals but have got players such as Aarons & Zimmermann instead, and up front do not have players such as Lafferty, Cameron (I need 20 chances per goal) Jerome & not forgetting Lewis (miss from 3 yards) Grabban but instead now have Teemu Pukki Party, Emi Buendai , super Mario Vrancic, Superman Steipermann & 1-0 1-0 (Onel) Hernandez scoring for fun. With this current squad plus a few sensible additions I believe we will see Premier league football in the 2020/21 season as well as the 2019/20 season

 

Robin Sainty puts another angle on this by comparing our present side with AN's side against Crystal Palace at the same point.

http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...-19-how-does-farkes-xi-compare-to-alex-neils/

That side was more experienced but lacked the creativity and slick one touch passing we have now. I'd also say the DF squad has far greater pace and technical skills. The key question is how much our players can keep developing to raise their game to the PL level. The talent and commitment is there, but will they lose confidence after heavy set backs? My feeling is that they won't, but we'll have to wait and see. The cup games against PL teams make me think they do have the capability, but they'll need it for the whole season now. The other key is how much SW and DF will be able to strengthen the squad with only £20m to spend.

 

That’s a terrific excerpt Rick and I’ve had a busy morning, so haven’t had time to read the article yet.
I pretty much agree with Robin in that this is a much more complete squad than we’ve had in previous forays into the PL and IMHO, I’ve a feeling that we may surprise some teams with only minor reinforcements – which is lucky, as it’s all we can afford.

Can the team keep developing is the question and I’m confident that they can, but ONLY if we can keep the nucleus ot the team together!!

 

FANTASTIC read - https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwi...ber-facing-premier-league-challenge-1-6052691

 

Great article JMF. SW brings back memories of McNally's early achievements ahead of schedule. SW said it would take at least 4 transfer windows but he did it in 3 really, with Heise the only addition in January. The difference is that SW's involved root and branch with everything going on at the club with an attention to detail in every aspect. Incremental improvements is his motto and they are going on all of the time. He also stresses how good D&M have been in supporting these huge changes, which shows just how comprehensive the changes are. It's all summed up in the final paragraphs:

"Hard work and togetherness. Nothing can be achieved if people don't stick together and go in the same direction. You have to have a real belief in the plan. Whether that is late goals, late winners or digging in for a clean sheet at some tough places."

IMO it's that "Hard work and togetherness" which is the vital factor for next season, not spending loads of money on prima donnas.

 

That final fifteen minutes has been so much in evidence this season that it is difficult to believe that it won't carry over into next. My own opinion is that clean sheets may well rival rocking horse teeth for rarity but as long as we score..am I bovvered?

 

Rarer than hens poo

 

I prefer mine well done

 

Great summary Rick and IMO, it's the togetherness throughout, the board, SW/DF, the players and last but not least THE FANS!!
It really is AMAZING to witness the colour of the Barclay from my seat in the River End and CR is a cacophony of noise from before kickoff until just after the final whistle!!!
I think I can guarantee there will be NO player signed with a big ego etc.

 

Excellent piece from Sky (eat your bloody heart out HITC and other shoddy sites )
including another chance to see Mario's blinder vs Blackburn and a short but eloquent interview with Webber. Why can't all journalism be of this quality?

https://www.skysports.com/football/...eague-transfer-window-who-should-norwich-sign

 

Good article from GG about how we are perceived by the media at large pending our imminent arrival in the Premier League.
Bournemouth flirting with the FFP rules gets a mention, which will go down well in Weston super Mare.
http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...-msm-are-already-assuming-the-worst-for-city/

 

A good, balanced article which touches on the key issues but still insists that we need to 'add quality' (the implication being that we don't have enough quality now). The awareness of the 'togetherness' factor and the footballing ethic and culture is very unusual (as Gary points out in his article). The key to getting the balance right could lie in this:

"Recruitment chief Kieran Scott has hinted that the Canaries' attractive style of play could give them the edge in the loan market. "One thing I am aware of is that the big clubs really like Norwich and how we play," he told The Pink 'Un. "So there might be opportunities for loans to come our way that might not have been, which you wouldn't say no to because it might be one of their exceptionally high-level youngsters."

 

Looking ahead, the Brentford boss is convinced that Pukki will do well in the PL and he should know, having coached him at Brøndby:

https://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city...success-brentford-boss-thomas-frank-1-6056267

 

I'm really reluctant to listen to Karren Brady. A woman who got where she is today by virtue of her association with a porn baron and sits in the HoL as a Tory peer doesn't exactly inspire confidence.