I doubted that we would get anything from the derby match at Ipswich tomorrow, even allowing for the fact that current form often counts for little on these occasions.
Any hope has now been totally extinguished by finding that it is being broadcast live on ITV1. I am struggling to recall the last time we put on a good performance for live broadcast on mainstream TV, let alone got so much as point.
Preparing for total humiliation in front of watching millions…
I was rather disappointed with Birmingham. Despite the big money spent, they seemed content to retain possession but didn’t seem prepared to risk losing it by getting the ball into the opposition box. Wrexham seemed content to allow Birmingham to have possession confident that they could hit them effectively on the break. Had their finishing been more effective - they had a great chance to go 2 up - I think Wrexham would have taken all the points. As it was, a lack of concentration at the start of the 2nd half enabled Birmingham to nick an equaliser (didn’t look at all like scoring in the 1st half) which lifted them. Overall, sharing the points probably fair but Wrexham will regret not putting the game to bed in the 1st half.
Fair analysis. Yes, we’re disappointed to not get three points but not that disappointed. One defeat in nine after an entirely fake Talk Sport, bookies and ex managers created “crisis” four games in is just fine especially when you consider:
Really feel we’ve the measure of Birmingham now despite not having beaten them. At their place last season we were undone by poor team selection. Once we got it right with the subs on second shift we were all over them. Last seasons home game was astonishing. They could have gone for the win but genuinely looked like they panicked, bottled it and went for the draw.
Last night slightly different I think. They’re still bedding in players like us and Davies is getting far more grief for it than Parky. At 1-1, if they’d pushed up and gone for a winner then our balls down the channels in that wind would have killed them. Very measured management by Davies to resist. His fans won’t recognise it or thank him for it but I thought he was spot on.
Bet you win now 
Bet we don’t…
Regarding your Doyle comments I thought that all last season but no matter how many games he played he still looked overweight and unfit.
Fortunately I’m watching the grandson play tomorrow morning so with any luck by the time I get home the derby will be over.
Yeah, i’m beginning to think that slow and overweight are his norm. Couple of lovely passes last night and he’s obviously a very classy footballer in some respects but there’s a switch off in every game.
He’d be a brilliant footballer if he had more pace. Has a really great left foot and hit a 25yd goal but was too often outpaced. Best position I think is centre back where he was decent.
Yeah I thought he might have been coming in as centre back when we released O’Connell but it seemed an odd choice given that O’Connell had to go because of his lack of pace.
The way Brunt started at left back it was a shock when Doyle replaced him. Doyle messed up badly within two games (and that first half at Norwich when he was exposed repeatedly) and so back came Brunt with three outstanding games in succession only to be randomly deposed again for last night. All very odd.
I don’t really see where Doyle fits for us tbh. Coady has been awful. Hyam has established himself very quickly and Scarr will be an excellent sub for him if needed.
Anyone won’t a tidy but plodding ex City player?
I’m glad we didn’t sign him. One of the few things Knapper has managed to get right of late.
As to dropping players after a good game it’s something Manning does on a weekly basis hence our current position.
It’s not a very Parky thing to randomly drop people but usually indicative that the data is telling them stuff we don’t know.
It’s very entertaining being told by countless opposition fans that we’re definitely the worst team they’ve played and that we can’t possibly go any further with Parky as our manager. After four years though Wrexham fans have a phrase… “In Parky we trust”.
He’s proof positive that if a manager is trusted to manage and given the resources to do so he’ll show you how good he is. Parky is very good indeed.
Sunderland and Bolton fans will always disagree but a basket case club isn’t really manageable by anyone.
Apart from owners who expect instant success, the biggest problem seems to be sporting directors who sack mangers in order to save their own skin, having provided the manager with a number of poor quality players in the first place.
This seems to be our current predicament.
A totally expected result, but never the less, disappointing.
We showed no sign of creating anything & the defence was split open 5 times with Ipswich only able to capitalise once. I can’t recall the last time a Norwich player got in between two opposition defenders & on the end of a defence splitting pass.
Ipswich only managed to find their wingers in acres of space either side of our penalty area twice but the nly occasion we managed to get to the byline, Stacey was closely marked all the way & was prevented from getting a cross in.
Nothing to suggest better times ahead yet but plenty to suggest a very tough time likely for the rest of the season. Careless errors, & there were several again today, must be eliminated if we are to avoid a regalation fight.
Very sad that Ipswich will probably not feel they have been in a particularly tough game today.
Tractor Boys hitting their stride. A lot of quality in their squad. I fully expect them to be near the top end of the table by Xmas and to stay there.
I think Manning is a very, very decent manager. I know someone who worked with him at Bristol and they suggested he has at minimum the ability and meticulousness of Eddie Howe.
Looking at your team the other week against us and what’s happened since I can’t help but think that, given his personal circumstances, he’s simply come back far too soon.
Over the years I’ve worked with lots of people who thought work was the solution to grief. Never came across an instance where it actually was. On reflection I think this looks very bad for the hierarchy at Norwich who have badly misjudged where he was at in reality.
“… outside of the goals there wasn’t an awful lot in it” is one for the ages. 
Unfortunately I think you are correct. To me at press conferences he looks detached and his comments tend to be repetitive.
I know passions run high in a derby but the City lads seemed to be getting some undeserved stick from the fans at the end.
I know what you mean Mike but take away the highlights reel it was very even - the City press forced Town into some woeful playing out from the back.
At key moments Town just had the more clinical edge and quality on the ball. Sargeant got no service but did win lots of long ball headers. I was impressed with Córdoba who was fast strong and no little skill.
