**Official Pre-Match Thread - Norwich v City**

[TDAGlobal Superstar]

First topic message reminder :

Can't see much change from the team that started at Chelsea, unless Malky feels that Kimbo for Cowie might be worth a punt. However, I see this as a game that Malky feels he dare not lose, so I reckon Cowie from the start.

Although this is a game that I feel we should be trying to win, I'll go 0 - 0.

[TDAGlobal Superstar]

It just seems to me that we are not playing like the runaway champions we were supposed to be. Yes, we are playing at a higher level, but £30m has been spent and I would expect to see more confidence carried forward into this season.......

[*** G L O V E S ***National Legend]

To be fair though, you need to spend money just to compete these days in the Premier League. Reading didn't, they went down. Palace didn't, they are as good as down. Sunderland, Norwich, West Ham have all spent more than us in the past couple of seasons - they are the ones we are fighting against.

At this rate we WILL stay in the division. We've yet to play the likes of Stoke, Norwich, Hull, Palace, etc at home - they are the games you go into to win.

It can at times be frustrating at times, especially in the short-term. In the long-term however, we will remain a PL team.

[Tans TacheNational Legend]

well said Gloves

[davewebber65National Legend]

we will remain in the premier league provided we have more points than three teams below us. we have to earn those points and the likes of norwich, sunderland and palace are certainly not going to give them to us, at their ground or at the ccs.

[Tyrion TannisterGlobal Superstar]

I'm in agreement with gloves and TDA in unison. A point is a good result against Norwich away. Disappointing considering that they are struggling, but at the start of the season they looked like they'd be a big threat and a point would of been just fine.

But the stats worry me. Without Marshall, we would of lost, and we would of lost badly. We suffered 31 shots against us, the highest of any premier league team thus far this season. Ourselves only had five shots, and only two of those found the target. We only had 40% posession. We weren't playing Bayern Munich - we were playing Norwich.

The result is fine, but drastic changes need to be made to midfield and attack to ensure we hold posession better. The defence try their hardest but if the rest of the team give them no support eventually they tire and shots start raining in. And if Marshall has an off day, we start leaking 4 or 5 goals a match.

We can't rely on Marshall to be superman every match. I said I'd judge us on the Norwich match and I am, we weren't good enough to compete in this division. I'm not saying sack Malky, he still has my support, I'm just saying I really hope he sees drastic changes are needed before the whole system goes down the toilet.

[TDAGlobal Superstar]

Red has summed up the situation and my concerns perfectly. I certainly don't want to see change for changes sake, but the apparent reluctance to try something different does appear to imply the lack of plan B.

We can't go on fielding 30-odd shots a game and not creating any chances......the morale will go and we will get truly battered, both away and at home.

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