I think we might be!
A long day of… typing.
Quite cross as I’d had a lovely email from Norwich City on Tuesday morning asking whether my day had been okay and whether I had any feedback re: their accessibility provision. I spent what turned out to be a disastrous train journey to North East Wales for the Carabao Cup game writing a considered response - basically it was excellent but with two big issues - only for the Apple email app to do one of its “I’m not going to send your email and I’m going to leave no trace of the contents” glitches.
So, as a courtesy, tonight I rewrote the whole thing from scratch and it’s definitely gone.
@JohnF, hoping you do us a favour tomorrow. Everyone seems to be letting us stretch out the lead each week.
Early days I know but it’s nice for once to have a good start.
Almost certainly jinxed them now!
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The way we are going I wouldn’t bet on it.
We’ve spent a fortune on players and half aren’t good enough for the championship and the other half are long term injuries!
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Up at 5:40am for a 12:30pm kick off and a visit to the new Wrexham superstore, which I failed to make it to pre match on Tuesday thanks to Northern and TfW. Left my book at home and spent Manchester to Chester finishing my complaint 
After today’s visit I’m £170 poorer 
.
Game characterised in the media as scrappy, and whilst that’s true, it was also a terrific, very watchable scrap with two great goals and plenty of action on and off the ball.
Derby fans are not worried at all at being bottom 3 as they’ve 8 new players and can see a clear plan from Eustace. His teams are always tough, physical and make full use of the dark arts and so it proved today. Ref had his hands full and given the two yellows inside 12 minutes we were lucky the reds weren’t flying.
Although we’ve yet to win in the league at home, we’ve lost one in six and the team which started the second half at Norwich must surely be the one we go forward with. Picked it again today and they more than suggested things are beginning to click. Were creating more chances than we have since we returned to the EFL, have more possession and the replacement of Coady by Hyam and James by Sheaf knits things together nicely. The only weak point is Arthur in goal.
Could easily have scored 5 but equally there were 2 outstanding saves from Arthur . Pre match we’d have taken a draw. Very, very happy with the one we got.
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Today our £17m pair were unable to get on the team sheet.
Two years ago we were promised exciting attacking football and since then sold all of our creative players and replaced them with more defensive midfielders.
I think it’s becoming very apparent where our main problem lies.
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Presumably you are referring to Mr Knapper?
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In the championship you cannot afford to spend £millions and end up with strugglers.
Three different styles of coaches have been sacked which has, I believe, hidden the real culprit.
We’ve probably allowed the Arsenal part of his CV to outweigh his actual experience.
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A lot of truth in your last sentence. If he was that good why didn’t Arsenal fight to keep him?
A bit like Man Utd, years ago now, off loading players not considered good enough to make the first team by giving them a couple of games in the first team to up their value when sold as ‘ex Man Utd’.
Times change &, currently, being ex MU, probably reduces rather than enhances the value!
As things stand I would prioritise getting rid of Knapper rather than Manning although I would not shed too many tears if both were to depart.
I wonder how much being able to add ‘ex Norwich’ after your name increases your value?
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A much needed win and relief at Luton today. Obviously nervy and confidence lacking after some poor results but will take the win and a better performance. Blackpool away mid week then a very local derby at Stevenage next Saturday which will be a stern test, assessing just how & where we are seeing how Stevenage are absolutely flying.
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Heading off to Leicester and staying over. Third away match in succession where I’ve had to email the club and say “this doesn’t look like accessible seating. Could you help please?” Southampton were perfect. Norwich were very good. Still waiting for an answer from Leicester.
Weird one for me as I’ve spent so much time in Leicester with eye appointments and surgery since 2010 and of course the rugby league stadium is next to the hospital. I have never even seen the King Power.
As it looks like we’re without Moore and Windass tonight, the consensus is that we could be engaged in a damage limitation exercise before Birmingham at home on Friday. It could be a week of zero points but, have seen enough in the past few games to suggest we have at least a shot at surviving this season, which was after all the aim.
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Saints are off to Bramall Lane. My over-riding memory of going there is that the teams come out to John Denver’s Annie’s Song…something like: ‘You fill up my senses, like a greasy chip butty…’
Yes, that is very weird as was the Norwich song the other week.
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Can now report that Leicester have come through for me. Goodness this is exhausting though.
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General enquiry regarding long term injuries. Last year I thought Norwich had a disproportionate number of long term injuries and the club confirmed this when they promised a forensic analysis of how they manage their playing staff during the off season.
Despite analysing procedures we already have five first team squad players out with long term injuries.
Do any of your teams currently suffer the same number of squad players out injured for several months?
Yep, Luton suffer the same John. We have one player out for the season before the season even started, another one we actually moved on before the transfer window closed, we actually signed a couple with known injuries (desperate I suppose to prevent anyone else signing them?!?), have one or two players that might make it back in the next couple of months and others that have now joined the injury list (one of them happened when he wasn’t even playing!). If everyone was fit then it would provide a bit of a selection issue but at the moment there is no idea what our first team would be. Had the same in the Premier (I know, I do have to gently remind myself that we were there… 
).
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Saints have recorded their second win of the season, away at Sheffield Utd. This after going in 1-0 down at half-time. The two substitutions at half-time, with Robinson and Fraser coming on, seemed to make the difference but I don’t know enough about football to know how. I take consolation from the fact that the BBC Radio Solent commentators didn’t appear to either.
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Watched the game on Sky Sports+. I thought Southampton were the better side but, despite several replays, I couldn’t see why Peck’s late ‘equaliser’ was ruled out. Blades fans will feel cheated by the ref.
Mike, these days, we’ll take whatever we can get!
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Excellent first trip to the King Power.
Hadn’t taken on board that my hotel was so close to the Tigers Stadium, which of course is next to the hospital and University of Leicester. Have had multiple trips here since 2010 for eye appointments and surgery and have only ever seen the latter stadium from the walk up from the station and a ward bed post surgery. Now it’s at the end of my corridor.
Despite the rumours, both Windass and Moore started. Lots of silly stuff pre match but it’s a very enjoyable stadium even if we did have to bring the atmosphere.)
Third outing for the team which definitely feels like it’s the right one. It’s not perfect but it’s definitely going to be enough. Leicester hit the post early doors. We nearly won it at the last but also hit the post. Wasted chances in the first half and we were pulled all over the place for the first 15 of the second half. You could see us growing into it though. A growing sense that Leicester were being urged on by their crowd but were struggling to get through some excellent defending. Matter of time before we hit them on the break and we did.
They came again but we gave as good as we got and left satisfied with another point and another performance.
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