The Class of 2018 may not be making too many friends along the way but in their own gritty, defiant way there is no escaping that things are shaping up very nicely thank you very much.
Five consecutive Championship clean sheets is a ridiculous run when you consider its starting point, but there’s more to this groundswell of momentum than clean sheets alone. There’s now a togetherness and a collective desire that’s light years away from the ragtag, brittle, error prone shower that capitulated at Villa Park and the New Den.
Angus, for his part, has been simply magnificent since straining his back (through little fault of his own it has to be said) in the second city and Bermondsey, and it’s his name that will sit proudly alongside those five zeros in the record books, but he’ll be the first to laud those in front of him.
In that now much talked about international break some serious soul searching took place in the corridors of Colney, all in the wake of what I understand was the “riot act” being read by Stuart Webber to Daniel Farke on the touchline of a by then deserted New Den.
The upshot of said ‘chat’ was not only the costly arrival of Grant Hanley but a shift of mindset and a relaxing of ideals. It wouldn’t have been done lightly.
Upon his arrival Farke went to great lengths to spell out his Utopian view of the game – dominating possession, working it through the thirds, pass-pass-pass from back to front – but five games in it was not working and it didn’t appear it was about to. Either the penny hadn’t dropped for those tasked with delivering said style or those same players were not equipped to deliver it, or it simply wasn’t a style conducive to winning games of Championship football.
As it transpired the aforementioned soul searching delivered changes to all three elements; nothing that compromised his core philosophy but still changes that enabled a defensive set-up that was simply all over the place to become one that’s now not conceded a goal for nearly eight hours.
The first part – the penny dropping – will have formed the core of many a Colney coaching session since the New Den debacle and work around how Team Farke want this team to perform with the ball is far more evident now that it was a month ago. Now, every player appears to know his own role within the set-up, understands the roles of others and how the coach wants it to work.
But none of it would have worked without them conceding ground in their desire to embed a German style in the most English of English leagues. That there are now two defensive midfield players instead of the lone, stricken figure of the blameless Harrison Reed has clearly been key – even if it does come at the expense of an attacking midfielder – but so to the recalling of Alex Tettey.
While Tom Trybull has clearly, and deservedly, taken the plaudits, the guy in the trench next to him has quietly gone about his business in the only way he knows how. It may not be as aesthetically pleasing as some would like, and he will give the ball away occasionally, but what Tettey brings to this new party is priceless – especially away from home and especially at places, like Middlebrough, where you know you’re going to be under the cosh.
If I’m honest, I was struggling to picture the Norwegian’s place in this brave new world, and wouldn’t have baulked if he had been one of the summer departees, but right now the horses for courses approach to either him or Reed slotting in alongside Trybull is working better than anyone could ever have imagined.
Yet in addition to the tactical tweaks and the changes in personnel, assisted significantly with the timely return of a fit Timm Klose, there has been an even more seismic shift – in the mindset. The others were tactical and material changes but it was changing what was occurring between the ears that was the biggest defensive challenge. And five clean sheets in a row suggests it’s one that has been achieved.
It’s been a very long time, probably going back to the Lambert years, since a City side has displayed a never-say-die attitude as witnessed over the last few games; bodies on the line and bravery now occurring as a matter of course rather than something out of the ordinary, epitomised by the thankless but pivotal running and chasing of Cameron Jerome.
Last night said bravery, guts and heart reached a deafening crescendo. And in addition to the usual suspects stepping up to the plate, new heroes emerged. James Husband – him of the indifferent start to his City career – was given the sternest of tests from the flying Adama Traoré yet emerged with his colours flying, ably assisted by the hard work and energy of Marley Watkins, another who has frequented the indifferent category too often this season.
But the heroes didn’t end there. The 428 who made the biggest sacrifice were simply magnificent. BBC Radio Norfolk’s Phil Daley did them the service, as the game entered its final moments, of turning up the effects microphone and to hear On the Ball City ringing around the Riverside with such gusto and pride was sufficient to make the hairs on the back of the next stand up.
And then for it all to be rounded off with a Farke-induced huddle in the centre circle before, as one, the group made their way over to the away fans was a fitting way to end a memorable night, made more special by the quality of the brilliant James Maddison’s winning goal.
Boro are a good side, one awash with quality and will be right up there come the day of reckoning, so to beat them in their own back yard when they are not in the habit of losing there was almost as good as it gets.
This is starting to build.
Never mind the danger…
You won’t find me celebrating!
Well . . . . . not until I find out what time the Norwich team bus arrived, also, when the team sheets were handed in. I hope in the final minutes there was no attempt to ‘run down the clock’, a ploy absolutely, totally unique to a Norfolk football club, playing in yellow and green.
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Good point Nick… let’s hope there was no professionalism involved.
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Love the theft of Millwall’s song for your title, Gary!!
Interesting that as frustrated as Gary Monk must have been by our late ( two and a half minutes after Boro, I believe,) arrival for the second half, and obviously being in no rush for throw-ins, goal kicks, etc, and Maddison’s Robbie Savage impression when substituted, he didn’t throw a tantrum like a certain other manager.
I wasn’t aware of the touchline discussion at the New Den, but it’s good to see that such honesty is there, and that DF was able to take it on board and modify his approach. A very adult relationship and willingness to adapt. Plan B is working, now for plan C to get the goals flowing!
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A good piece, but Tettey gives the ball away no more than Trybull or Reed, His passing stats for this and last season do not bear out the myth that is so often lazily trotted out.
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Good point BG – you are spot on. What perhaps Tettey lacks is the passing range of Trybull or Reed but as you say the stats simply don’t show that Tettey is any worse or better than his other midfield partners over the past few season in loosing possession. Central midfields will naturally loose the ball more frequently simply because they are in possession more. Also, the ‘complete’ central midfielder who has the physicality and technique (e.g. a Lampard or Gerrard) is pretty-much beyond the reach of any Championship club and most Premier League club.
The other point about DF being given the ‘riot act’ after the Den horror show is interesting. As others have pointed-out, it shows that a good relationship exists between DF and SW. Thinking back to the Rioch-Hamilton days many moons ago, I’m not sure the same could have happened then! OTBC
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I was stuck in a meeting and absolutely gutted to have missed this one. Bravo!
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No goals conceeded in 5 some going for city a wonder strike by Maddison.
Reading the reports this morning Monks didn’t give any credit to city just blamed his own team for their slow start and an error by their defender for not kicking it into touch, it seems that in this day and age opposition managers can’t simply say well done your game plan worked or something similar.
Now lets look forward to Reading this Saturday evening another away win doesn’t matter if it is a clean sheet or not just would like the 3 points plus Ipswich to get beaten.
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To be fair had we lost the game to a single goal scored exactly like that we’d have been complaining about how useless our defence is at closing people down rather than giving credit to the goalscorer
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Hi Keith yes we would have moaned about the way it was conceeded.
My point is no manager these days acknowledge the oppositions.
Harry Rednapp always after a game would either say his team was outplayed in a loss or something similar and if he won would try to find something the opposition did well during the game.
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Farke does exactly that. Always complimenting the opposition.
Monk alluded to our goal being a “gift”. That made me chuckle. A gift from 25 yards. That’s a new one.
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This match certainly brings a transformation in optimism since the recent 0-0 with Bristol City. This new “clean sheets” record is a brilliant achievement. I am pleased that the long-suffering away fans have more recently had plenty to cheer about. … but now let’s hope the home performances can be tweaked to convert draws to wins ….
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I’d heard about the Webber-Farke “chat” myself, but considered it only a rumour so made no comment.
Having read Gary’s piece, the flesh is on the bones. And, Oh Boy, it’s done us the power of good.
What a magnificent result – and five consecutive clean sheets (stuff the League Cup) , which I honestly cannot remember happening before in a long lifetime of support..
As Gary so rightly says, this is starting to build.
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I was one of the 428 supporters at the riverside last night and am so pleased to have been there to see a this performance….phenomenal!!
The change in the ability to defend as a team since Millwall is huge. Could it be Daniel Farke has metamorphosed from Jurgen Klopp into Mick McCarthy in the space of six games?…..A scary thought I know!! But we might just have the best of both worlds here!
I’m struggling to remember a City side that has been capable of delivering a performance like the one last night, the discipline and effort was extraordinary and James Madderson’s goal was the icing on the cake!
DF was forced into changes in the team selection but this did not make any difference to how the team functioned as a defensive unit, this is significant.
However, the conundrum remains as to how DF is going to change our offensive behaviour at Carrow Road when teams ‘sit in’ like Burton and Bristol, if we can turn those draws into wins the proverbial corner will have been well and truly turned!
OTBC
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Nothing to add other than what a brilliant, professional display.
I wondered if Sheffield United was just a one-off, but to do the same at The Riverside takes some believing!!
As so many have said; is the momentum starting to build??
O T B C
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My father has been moaning for season after season about our lack of decent centre backs and now i think he can stop :))) i used to be a barclay boy in the days of woods bruce watson and linighan and i must say im starting to feel younger again 😉
Feel a bit sorry for farke getting the hairdryer off mr webber but fair play to both of them for how its going now .
Another point worth noting everyone keeps saying we should extend trybull’s contract with which i agree with very much but maybe extend farke’s contract too .
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Yes give both an extension to there contract especially Farke he is the coach getting the best out of the players.
Webberis an important cog in how the club is working at present but as with Huddersfield he has 1 eye on bigger and better things he will walk if and when a bigger club comes calling all city has to do is ensure they get the right compo for him and do as Huddersfield have done stay solid, at present they are showing no fall out since he left and Wagner is prove he is the main man.
Give Trybull a 3 + 1 contract and improve Team Farke backroom staff so all are on long term deals with good buy out clauses.
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Much credit to all. Hats off to Farke and his troops. Now, let’s treat Reading as if they are Brazil and do the same to them on Saturday.
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That’s the first I’d heard of the Webber-Farke Millwall ‘riot act’ but I would assume it was much more constructive than it sounds. Clearly they’re working well together & well done to all involved in withstanding a very difficult time. There was a lot of talk of needing to make a change there & then, but I’m glad they didn’t. There’s clearly a long way to go but at least we’ve got something to build on now.
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Is the momentum starting to build? Yes, but there may be backward steps at some point, because we won’t be able to play this way all season.
Our last 5 games, 11 points from 15, scored 3 conceded 0, is so welcome given what came before. The basis of that seems to be the return of Klose, the emergence of Trybull and Stieperman, and the use of two holding midfielders, backed up by more understanding of the need to defend throughout the team.
But there will come a point when Falke will need to get us on the front foot more. You can lose any chance of promotion in the autumn, and until 5 games ago that’s where we seemed to be going. So what has happened since has checked that.
But to earn promotion in the spring you need to win games much more convincingly i.e. win by dominating in attack, rather than shut up shop and hope for the odd goal on the breakaway. And to do that you need to have confidence in a defensive unit that’ s not quite as heavily manned as it is now.
I always believed that when Worthington won the league in 2004 the biggest factor wasn’t Huckerby, or Roberts, or even the impressive back four. It was Gary Holt. I think he played every minute, wasn’t even substituted. He had very few bookings, avoided injuries, and was simply immense. With him in the side we didn’t need two holding midfielders, one was enough.
Tettey and Trybull look great, I suspect Reed and Trybull would too. But what we need is for one of them to be able to do most of that job on their own so that we can safely play two out of Wes, Vranic, Maddison and (after Christmas hopefully) Pritchard, without going back to 3 or 4 goal trouncings.
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I’m not sure it follows that we need to change formation to become more threatening in attack. A lot of very successful sides use a similar formation. The focus was to become more solid (as everyone demanded) & now they can begin to look at developing our attacking play which will get an automatic upgrade when arguably our best 2 attacking players return to fitness
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