I’m not going to trot out the three-word phrase that begins with an A and ends with a H. That would feel like making light of a situation that’s anything but.
Everything about yesterday’s surrender at Millwall was predictable. Everything. And that includes a full legion clad in yellow and green who made their way to south London to roar on their heroes. They rarely fail to deliver.
But what occurred on the green stuff took the Norwich City myth – the one that begins with A and ends with H – up a level. The Villa fiasco was excused because it was still ‘early days’ and Steve Bruce’s men, despite a rocky start, do have a squad that’s laden with expensively acquired. Millwall on the other hand apparently have no such strength, depth or Championship quality.
Yet the Lions were easy winners. They coasted. Time for a cuppa and a fag. And now we have two weeks to mull over an away-day debacle that bears too many hallmarks of too many away-day disasters of the last decade.
We kid ourselves these are blips and it’s all going to be okay. But we’ve been here before. One year ago today, Alex Neil took an XI to play a Birmingham side that had not won at St Andrews since the preceding March. City had 66 per cent of possession. They lost 3-0.
It was a starting XI that included just one of the New Den Brethren – just one. Wes. Yet here we are, one year later, with a new team, a new management team, a club with a new direction and philosophy, almost everything different except from the colour of the shirts, and nothing changes.
And that’s the bit that hurts.
The Webberlution – a phrase I suspect the man himself is no fan of – has been a breath of fresh air, with fresh being the operative word. Fresh ideas, a fresh approach, fresh faces. Yet still the same inability to defend collectively as a unit and also as individuals is still there for all to see.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
And for all the pretty patterns, the aesthetically pleasing toing and froing across the pitch (occasionally up and down) and the silky smooth inter-changing, if it’s supported by a defensive set-up with all the menace, power and grit of Jacob Rees-Mogg then it’s unfit for purpose.
Soft goals courtesy of individual errors are painful enough, but when there are question marks over the solidity of the starting XI even before a ball has been kicked then it’s perfectly reasonable to question the current direction of travel.
The most obvious raised eye brow was of course the decision to slot Russell Martin in alongside Marcel Franke – and more on that in a minute – but arguably an even bigger issue was around the make-up and lack of balance in that midfield.
Millwall away is, in soccer parlance, the original away-day scrap. It’ll be rough, tough, raucous and not for the faint-hearted. Everyone knows it. There are yet undiscovered tribes in Papua New Guinea who know that. Yet we enter the Lion’s Den with a midfield that’s laden with skill and flair but which – with the best will in the world – is powder puff.
And powder puff v Millwall is only going to end one way.
That Harrison Reed was given sole responsibility for providing the ballast in that midfield looks like an error of judgement now just as it did at 2pm yesterday. Wes, James Maddison and Mario Vrancic can play – skillful, creative players, who’ll weave the aforementioned pretty patterns – but don’t expect any of them to offer unyielding support to a back-four that’s already creaking.
I’m loathe to do the Russ thing because 1) he’s already top of the scapegoat chart and 2) he’s already had unhealthy levels of flak heading in his direction, but I will just say one of the great plusses of the summer overhaul was that there appeared to be an acceptance that his days at centre-back were behind him. In fact, one of my barometers of a successful summer was that we wouldn’t have Russ at centre-back again.
I disagree with those who claim he’s a good reader of the game. I consider him slow to spot danger.
Therefore to see him slotted in alongside an already under-pressure and struggling Marcel Franke with a fired up Steve Morison to contend was another cause for the alarm bells to ring before a ball had been kicked. Christopher Zimmermann, for all his own travails, would surely have been a better physical match-up with Morison.
As it transpired, everyone’s worst fears came to fruition and to concede two goals in such quick succession effectively killed the game stone dead right there. And, as I seem to write in every piece, I’m not convinced the new style/philosophy is really geared up to chasing a game.
The naysayers have naturally been out in force but the very loud calls for change just five games into the season are plainly ridiculous. What is needed over the next two weeks however is an appraisal of where, with no tweaks or changes, this current course is taking us.
Because I’m not sure it’s the direction we all want.
Let’s cut through the inevitable name calling and try to assess where the problems lie. We need a good big centre half who can marshal the defense and show some leadership. We need a left back (Toffolo?). We need a defensive midfielder to play alongside Reed someone like Tettey or Godfrey (oops we’ve sent him on loan). We need a British member of the coaching staff who understands the vagaries of this division to explain them to this German backroom team. And of course we need patience but the only P being used today is Pathetic!!
The break down in relationship with the captain impersonator and the fans is great. It will fast track his permanent expulsion from our beautiful yellow and green, assuming Webber and Farke are more ‘clued up football people’ than they are human based after shave wafters. I’ve heard that smell good.
I have followed City since 1960, and my late father since the 1930s. We have NEVER been comfortable with direct and aggressive play. But yesterday was as predictable as GG states even to a coaching team which has no experience of the inherent softness exhibited by the men in yellow for decades. DF and co. must wise up pronto or this already unpredictable season will. seem awfully long and paradoxically very predictable. I’m glass half full but there is a worrying leak…..
great write, I said before a ball was kicked we need at least centre half who had some savvy of this league , who would stick his face into players faces, like Morison. Do we really expect anything with two guys from the lower levels of German football to suddenly become competent Championship players ? They were in the lower leagues of Germany for a reason, they may have looked good at that level when scouted , but this is another ball game all together.
The question of there being no leadership on the pitch is still there, nobody to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and push, or run back to give some a kick up the butt or an high 5 in appreciation, There has not been one since Grant Holt and Bradley Johnson. The hand should go into the purse and get Johnson back to Carrow, it has been suggested the player himself would be open to that.
Get the defence out of this crazy zonal system, to me listening yesterday , a couple of the goals came from players being all alone to score (perhaps someone who was there can help) , that more than likely comes from this failed way. We need good old fashioned defending and not being scared tpo hitting row Z when needed. it is the only way to play this league.
Agree completely with this, said much the same on here a couple of weeks ago replying to another writer on MFW, he was trotting out the patience line which is all well and good if you give yourself at least a fighting chance. This is not hindsight, a lot of transfer money has come into this club and at the very least some should have been spent on 2 experienced championship/league 1 centre backs one of who I would like too think could be captain and organizer of the team, I suggested McDonald from Barnsley (other centre backs are available) Webber had had a lot to say but not since the season has started !!! Now is a good time for him to explain their transfer thinking regarding the defence, surely they were not going to go with Klose/Martin and 2 untried inexperienced players
Excellent summary Gary. I guess most of us feel lower than the proverbial adder’s abdomen this morning.
It’s going to be a long two weeks…
It needs to be a long two weeks for the management team to look back at the videos of the games and put in place a plan based on reality and not on philosophy. I like the coach and his methods and want him to be given some time to succeed but as I said above there are some holes to fill first.
Farke has 2 weeks to save his job, everything yesterday from the slow progression up the pitch to the zonal marking at corners, smacked of a coach imposing his philosophy on a team regardless of their ability to apply it or the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition.
The open palmed shrug from Josh as he clapped the fans yesterday says to me that Farke has already lost the Anglo-Portuguese element of the dressing room – I think he’ll be gone before those Farkelife T shirts have been delivered.
Myles: I doubt he will be gone tbh. Change isn’t something our Board embraces easily and since a radical revision has already been made, they will stick rather than twist, believe me.
I still just about believe in patience, but the early signs are not looking good. At all.
I sure didn’t expect to be in the bottom three after five games but I’m not panicking yet. But as Gary says, when you send out tissue paper against wire brush and dettol, don’t be surprised at the outcome.
The word naive comes to mind.
No Myles – the reason why Josh gave that shrug was because he was getting verbals and hand gestures by the bucket load, after being the only City player to come over to the visiting fans after the game. A case of damned if you do and damned if you don’t from a different players perspective.
I agree they’re damned either way, but I think yesterday was one of the situations where they need to come over, even briefly, take what comes their way then get off. It’s better to be damned doing the right thing.
Yep, you can see it, I can see it, 99.9% (a guess!) of the Norwich fans can see it, but Mr. Farke apparently can’t, and it’s him who decides the tactics and picks the team accordingly. This is starting to get VERY worrying.
Well put Gary and what an utterly depressing Saturday out. Yesterday must have been record that a side one 4-0 with only 28% of possession. That said, fair play to Millwall, they ruthlessly set about their game plan and executed to perfection.
Lots can and will be said about the players no-show and I don’t really want to dwell on that or individuals other than nobody came out of that with any credit.
For me, the big issue is with DF. Does he really get English football yet? Perhaps this defeat will be a blessing in disguise highlighting that a philosophy is great but it has to work and be effective. Like you, I looked at the team sheet before the game, saw the ‘same-as’ line-up and knew we were going to be in for a very tough afternoon. Why Tettey wasn’t in from the start was nativity and with Godfrey out on loan we have a horrendous midfield in-balance in our squad. The next few weeks will be telling…..can DF adapt?
As you say this was completely predictable to anyone who has seen any of the previous games. Like everyone else I was keen to buy into the new direction. It was exciting to see new, unknown players coming in who could be the next bargain. Unless something dramatic happens in the next two weeks and we improve radically we are on course to be the easiest touch in this division. We have nice players but as Bryan Gunn proved nice only ends up one way. Yesterday was the day the scales fell from the eyes of the fans. They suddenly realised that DF is more Zola or De Boer at Palace, Solbakken at Wolves than Wagner at Huddersfield. It is clear to me and a lot of other fans that a catastrophic mistake has been made. DF is an idealist but life isn’t like that. We have players lacking in courage which is just unacceptable for this football club..
We also have to question whether Delia has been seduced by a smooth salesman in Webber who does not actually know what he is doing.. He is a chancer who struck lucky with Wagner who is managing fine without him now.
Answers? We have to learn from Birmingham’s experience last year and get rid sooner rather than later if results do not improve. Short term we need at least a couple of decent centre backs who can play in this division. If we continue down this blind alley we will be relegated. Yes it is a work in progress and I expect the MFW patience merchants will question my supporting credentials and suggest I support Man City but I would urge them to take a step back and consider if this was another team doing this what would we think? I spoke to some 1p5wich fans yesterday and they are bemused by what we are trying to do. They know it can’t possibly work but they are happy that they will hammer us twice this season if we are stupid enough to continue. Over to the patronising patience merchants..
It’s a shame you feel the need to be hostile to a fellow fan who may have a different view to you as I thought sharing views was one of the purposes of this site. As it is, while I disagree with you, you do make valid points.
Suffcan: I’ll disagree with you (am penning an article as we speak). But I won’t question your credentials – if you weren’t a real Norwich supporter, you wouldn’t feel the passion (and pain) that you obviously do.
I don’t know what people are moaning about! The owners and directors go into pubs after games and sometimes talk to supporters. That’s all that matters surely?
Yesterday was all too predictable and proves my theory that Farke too methodical to be a successful manager at this level as we do not and will not have the players to play his type of football. There is a very big danger that this system will get us relegated.
Farke knows only one way and that will send us only one way.
Webber must be alarmed as he is using NCFC as a show piece of how he can sort failing clubs out and move on the next, bigger and financial more rewarding project. If it fails at Carrow Road, then what will become of him then?
The masterplan of becoming the next West Brom – a model that the club based itself on – is in bits with the knowledge that as much as the board claim they want to be in the PL, they know they cannot stay there.
While Rome wasn’t built in a day, there is no evidence that we will get even any foundations.
Action is required – and fast. This project cannot succeed.
I see the doom and gloom merchants are out and about this fine Sunday morning.
I read that Farke said he doesn’t need anymore players this transfer window but he obviously does.
It also seems that SW is getting all the players in and it said somewhere rescently that he is a qualified coach and knows what gaps norwich-city need to fill, This is I hope in conjunction with DF approval of the players he is recruiting or as someone mentioned on another site has DF got no say into the players that are signed.
The EDP was quoted as reporting Dortmund didn’t want to lose Farke as a coach and that other clubs in Germany were interested in him before he signed for city just maybe these clubs are now smiling and thinking that could be us with him in charge, or did him let himself become a yes man for SW chance at glory.
Looking at the available choices of managers/coaches about I think the wisest thing would be to go to Allan Irvine offer him a 1 season contract to work as a consultant with Farke so he can learn about this league.
City can’t afford all the compo it would take to dump the new coaching setup and SW, we now have a few days to get some help in either a couple of players or a defensive coach with championship experience it is time to get tough.
There were also a few things that were obvious before a ball was kicked at Millwall. We have replaced an expensive team of underachievers with a cheap team of …..underachievers. Whilst we persist in trying to do things either a) on the cheap, or b) without any apparent level of competence (Husband, what is that all about?) the chances of getting promotion will match the chances of getting car drivers to turn left out of Church Street in Horsford. What is critical is to take a bigger picture than discussing crap managers, crap players, players playing without desire, etc., etc. That bigger picture has to consider Delia’s role in all of this. We have an owner who does not appear to like what’s happening in the Premier, someone who does not have the money to get, and keep us there; most importantly will not sell to someone (with due diligence) who can invest in our club. Instead she will pass in on through the family (when things won’t change). That condemns us to a life in the Championship – at best. Surely as Norwich City supporters (in my case since 1959) we deserve better?
Good comments from several contributors. I find myself nodding in agreement with Myles and Suffcan, amongst others.
Having seen Farke in the flesh I was impressed by his charm, wit and intelligence, an engaging, genuine man if ever there was one. I was less enamoured with Webber, who came over as brash and a bit full of himself and the dull Stone. More in hope,than expectation I prepared to support the new men. The start we have made is nothing short of disastrous and will take a massive effort to turn around, even if such a feat is possible. This morning somebody who went to the den described the game as probably the worst he has seen in 35 years of supporting the club, not just an abject defeat, the like of which we are used to, but a line crossed, a total and utter lack of professionalism, effort, application, ability, nous and all the other ingredients one should expect.
Looking at the whole picture, is it resonable to expect an rookie coach to come in and take over a decimated squad, newly populated with fifth rate, cheap signings and squad fillers and meld them into a fighting unit capable of holding its own in a tough league? It would,appear that we have got precisely what we have paid for this summer. Webber is not a prolific spotter of diamonds in the rough and we are in trouble.
Last night some ugly rumours resurfaced that Reading, a much smaller but vastly more ambitious club were ready to take Nelson oliveira off our hands. The sad fact is that many of us are quite prepared to believe that this could well happen on Thursday night, without the expedient of a 20 year old German from Rot-Weiss Erfurt or wherever being drafted in for 100k euros for cover. The trust many have for this board and ownership are so low that even that cretinous decision is seen as a strong possibility.
Even if we survive Thursday without further asset stripping, a week next Saturday has all the hallmarks of an extremely unpleasant unraveling. Anything but a red hot start and a convincing win will bring the frustration and anger to the surface, delayed by the new set up but fuelled by the failure and realisation that it’s mostly just hot air and a sell off of such magnitude that Rpbert Chase is taken aback by its efficacy.
Good post Chris and nice to see you back.
I was expecting much more than we have achieved, to be sure.
No way am I getting into the financials (I leave that to the experts) but my warm fuzzy has gone stone cold, to use 1980s terminology.
The “Webberlution” simply doesn’t seem to be working.just now. I’ve picked up on much of the same rumour as you by the feel of it and I’d be surprised if we hang on to Nelson tbh – and how gloomy a thought is that?
As most have already pointed out on here and elsewhere, an experienced Championship CB is a must before the window closes. I also worry how poor we look in the full-back positions. Husband hasn’t settled, Toffolo has hardly set the world alight when out on loan, and Pinto is a constant in a back line that has been abysmal for the last 2 seasons. Martin is past his best and Godfrey has been sent out on loan.
Worrying times.
Oh dear, is it too early to decide the NCFC train has derailed? Are we as a Club in that notorious position of trying to balance the books off the pitch whilst thinking our recruitment policy will continue to find and sign “rough diamonds” who will turn out to be “24 carat gold nuggets”?. For my part the jury is still out. So where to next? Ditch the no hopers in favour of youth and inexperience and keep the fingers crossed for a positive outcome. Looking at most of the other Championship sides including those down the road it seems to suggest experience is the key to success and in truth we only have a modicum of that available. So maybe our expectations are founded on the sandy stuff rather than something more substantial and we are in for a long season. Perhaps we all need a reality check and that “P” word remains in current use up until the beginning of November. Apologies if that all sounds a bit negative but a “silk purse from a sow’s ear” was never going to happen overnight.
Whoever was responsible for
a)loaning out Ebou Adams ( a young hungry combative midfielder)
b) ” ” Ben Godfrey (a young combative defender)
c) Loaning back a young promising CB to his Club as part of a small fee deal(Raggett)
needs their head examined.
All 3 are deperately needed at present.
What happened to our youth policy.These guys are men in physique and had something to prove.
Very disappointed that Russ Martin can still get in the team ,along with Naismith.
Tettey and Trybull would surely have deserved a start after the Charlton game.
As soon as I saw the starting line up against Millwall My first reaction was “we are going to get “steamrollered”. Does the new coach understand the Championship?
Time for a realty check on the new system which relies on tight ball control ,accurate distribution and a thorough understanding by the players of what they are (supposed to be) doing. At present they appearhave none of this.
Time for another “Agincourt” speech Mr Farke or I fear you will reach your “Waterloo” (apologies).
Not much more than a month into this sea change for our club and the doom mangers seem to outweigh the optimists. It ain’t pretty what is happening at the moment on the pitch but it will get better. Of that I’m sure. This team is still in its infancy and must receive encouragement when deserved and an understanding when days like yesterday come along. And if you don’t like it there’s not much of an alternative out there given the financial constraints of the club and the shrinking transfer window. It’s ok to keep moaning but negativity never solved anything.
The board isn’t going to sack itself, nor change the new structure. So like it or lump it, that’s what we can support or try and destroy. Your choice.
In an earlier comment I suggested we get a consultant to help DF out and put Irvine forward and forgot that Mike Phelan was out of work.
Pardew, Pearson Mcclaren, Hodgson could be available even Moyes is out there somewhere but all come with varst experience and even bigger egos plus they would expect there own backroom teams to be employed with them and more money than city can afford.
I remember last season, early doors everybody was up for promotion, top or 2nd in the league in the early weeks. Look what happened to that!!!! Also look back and see where Huddersfield were early last season.
Oh no! who remembers all the great words spouted after the fighting come back at Fulham where we always get beat.
Somebody mentioned Rome, no it wasn’t built in a day, nor will the new look NCFC.
This is only my 60th season as a supporter, seen it all before, heard all the moans and groans, grow up and grit your teeth, nothing in life is that easy.
Either be a supporter or go and watch football in Suffolk and least you won’t have to moan, just look where you would be the league, but if we stick with it I bet we will finish above them come the end of the season.
Unless we can sign an experienced centre back I truly fear for us this season, in 40 years of support I cannot remember a more disjointed and poor quality defence. our centre halves are totally out of their depth, and full backs, while passable going forward. in Pinto’s case, are utterly inept and the defensive side of the game, our only alternative, Klose, hardly covered himself in glory last season, the protection from the midfield is lamentable and it is difficult to see where any inspiration will come from, Heaven help us when we come up against some genuine quality.
I have commented several times that I am no fan of the football director and coach model and some of the reasons are now becoming clear from comments above. Who is responsible for buying players? Whose neck will be on the block if this run of results continues? Chances are it will be DF not SW but is this fair? This is of course the reason why no manager worth their salt will go anywhere near this type of set up and why we have an inexperienced overseas coach.
I still hope to be proved wrong and we simply must reserve judgement until 10 – 15 games have passed but one thing can be said with certainty……there is no substitute for experience. We should be able to sign an experienced centre back and we would have learnt from bitter experience over many years that an inexperienced coach /manager never works. We may never be a top half premier league club but we should have enough about us to recruit better than we have both on the field and in the dugout. The football director and coach structure now mitigates against us ever getting an experienced manager but surely a couple of defenders is not beyond us?
Hello Martin, I was holding fire until a few games had gone by but couldn’t keep my counsel any longer!
I’m sure if Nelson is sold he spin machine will find some way of telling us it’s for the good of the club and will improve the team. Sadly, some will swallow the line. Probably the ” go and support Ipswich” merchants. So boring.
Yes Chris, Reading reported to be still interested from a Stamm interview, plus I read the club have offered Tettey for sale at £1mill knock down price . The one guy who would give the defence a little protection . There isn’t anyone near to being able to that on the books.
Bad Canary, the sale of Tettey, who would have helped on Saturday and Nelson, our best striker could only be described as a fire sale. Questions have to be asked if this is allowed to happen.
Agreed Chris says. It would not surprise me one bit. I can remember one John Newsome being sold for the same price (£1mill) I have patience but really am struggling. It might be agent,paper talk given the frustration and even anger flying about a word from the Sports Director certainly would not go a miss
I can’t believe that so-called NCFC fans are already gunning for the head coach. This is a club in transition. Let’s see where we are in 12 months time. Surely we expected the going to be tough this past weekend.
As for the booing we had to endure yesterday. What sort of mentality is it suggests undermining our team will encourage them to perform better?
So-called supporters underminned Chris Hughton and Alex Neil. Why not destroy another NCFC regime’s hope of rebuilding the club some of us genuinely love.
?!!
And as for booing our wonderfully loyal skipper… well, God help us. Those responsible should hang their heads in shame.
The board has taken a massive step to rebuild the club. Why can’t real supporters get behind them and ignore the brain-dead boo boys?
OTBC
I’m not too worried about league position. It’s so early that a few wins and you’re top half.
What’s really concerning is that we’ve let so many goals in against teams that are themselves not doing well. Things could go further south once we start playing teams in the playoff spots and above.
Great debate – but was is the “three-word phrase that begins with an A and ends with a H”?
The OP mentions it a couple of times and may be obvious to everybody else – but frustrating when you don’t know!
Cheers
Along come Norwich
Eddie. I think it means “along comes norwich”
Excellent – cheers Chris!