Even before a ball had been kicked, yesterday’s trip to the Pirelli offered up enough juicy ‘along come Norwich’ potential to whet the appetite of the Burton faithful.
Not a single clean home sheet all season for the Brewers and eight home defeats on the bounce were sufficient to make the collective #NCFC sphincter twitch, and sure enough…
That City emerged from a truly dire afternoon with a point and a clean sheet was worthy of note, but that was just about it. In terms of performance levels it was ugliness personified. And I mean really ugly.
What began with Kyle McFadzean heading just over Angus’s crossbar and ended with handbags between James Maddison and Tom Flanagan was about as stodgy and attritional as it gets in the Championship. Moments of genuine quality were virtually non-existent.
Daniel Farke’s post-match justification of his team selection suggested he’d almost written the afternoon off as any sort of spectacle and instead had selected and prepared an XI for an afternoon in the trenches. The problem is, with a couple of notable exceptions who we’ll come to later, we don’t really have the personnel equipped for such a battle.
Anyone serious about going toe-to-toe with the Brewers and determined just to scrap it out wouldn’t ideally pick an XI than included Wes and Mario Vrancic. To describe the need for fighters and bruisers and then include two of his better technicians didn’t add up.
That we got a scrappy, untidy, turgid encounter in which the home side created more goal-scoring chances and shaded it came as no surprise at all. That’s what tends to happen when you set a team up to play in a way that has become alien to them and when you have players in there not really suited to it.
Unfortunately it was one that many saw coming at 2pm, upon the release of the team-sheet. Six changes from the side that emerged victorious at St Andrew’s seemed a massive missed opportunity to harness some momentum and that all-too-rare winning feeling.
Of course the workload of the squad had to be managed with hectic Christmas/New Year schedule but it would have been nice to have at least maintained the core of that XI and used it as a platform on which to build. Six changes took us all the way back to square one I’m afraid and it showed.
Alex Tettey, with his knees made of cheese, was a fairly obvious non-starter – although with Harrison Reed getting injured that didn’t work out too well – and there is a logic to Jamal Lewis being managed carefully, especially after him having had a long-term injury. Alex Pritchard too to a point.
Yet we’re talking here about super-fit athletes who want to play, all of whom would have been desperate to carry on where they left off in Birmingham.
Yes, victory in the second city was against a very ordinary side, and was indeed nothing to get too carried away over, but such has been the paucity of both performances and results it was something positive to latch onto and embrace. It offered hope where there had appeared little.
We didn’t lose yesterday but it still feels like the train has hit the buffers.
In reality however, and certainly in Farke’s eyes, we’re but half-way through a two-act play; the second half being played out tomorrow afternoon against the Lions of Bermondsey. And if – big if – City are able to snaffle three points from what promises to be another twitchy Carrow Road afternoon, then the head coach and his team will consider their negotiation of the Christmas/New Year period a job well done.
So, despite yesterday feeling a bit like a kick in the cojones, maybe we should keep the powder dry until 5pm tomorrow. A win and you know what we’re like… that chink of light at the end of the tunnel will reappear.
For those who like to scratch around for positives beyond the point and clean sheet there were a few, not least the Grant Hanley/Christoph Zimmermann partnership that was more than a match for anything the Brewers could launch at them. While neither possesses the calmness and class in possession of Timm Klose, both are dependable if there is a ball there to be won either on the ground or in the air. They were excellent, so too Angus who with every passing display edges himself closer to a Premier League gig next season.
At the other end of the spectrum we have James Husband and Marley Watkins. I’ll leave it there other than to say that I agree wholeheartedly with every word uttered by Wes in the face of Mr Husband after that theatrical and needless dive (even though I have no idea what those words were).
***
One more thought before I sign off and leave you to clear the decks for tonight’s celebrations. As ever, I watched Match of the Day last night – and obviously did the mandatory loving-it-and-hating-it-at-the same-time thing – but while watching Swansea beat Watford in a proper adrenaline-fuelled humdinger it dawned on me both were fellow promotees and in our last two promotion seasons.
While the Swans now face a relegation battle, they are actually enjoying their seventh consecutive season in the top flight during which time they have successfully mixed it with the elite and picked up a League Cup along the way. It’s been a success story. If the worst happens they’ll be in excellent shape to return.
Watford too now appear comfortable in their surroundings and are looking for more than being the 17th best team in the English game. The Pozzo family, while not everyone’s cup of tea, have turned Vicarage Road into a stadium geared for top flight football and have delivered a team on the pitch befitting of the surroundings.
The supporters of both teams have been living the dream.
Obviously there’ll be those accusing me of cherry-picking and, yes, there are far more clubs in a similar boat to ourselves but I can’t pretend I didn’t look on with envy last night and ask myself ‘why couldn’t that have been us?’.
***
Happy New Year to you all. Enjoy tonight. See you all the other side.
I think we we just need to write off this season and continue the reconstruction of ncfc. Farke will learn a lot and I’m sure will clear out the rest of the dead wood, allowing him to build a side and squad that can compete. It’s not money but continuity we need.
Season in transition? We have a 30m advantage on most of the other teams in this division! As for DF his many poor decisions this season have cost us at least 10 points through bad team selection, prioritising meaningless cup games etc. The team yesterday was all about him protecting his position not the team.. Until he comes to terms with the physicality of this division and stops trying to be clever we will not improve. Yesterday was a taste of what is to come in the years ahead under this utterly incompetent board of directors.. In my darker moments I did wonder if he was saving the players for the Chelsea game…
I just can’t believe people are going with this bedding in thing still. Its going to get worse!! Our best players will have to go and our squad will be far worse next year. Think things through, don’t just listen to what fools tell you.
Suffcan, I’m not sure how yesterday’s team selection was about protecting his position – my thoughts at 2.00 was that he was putting himself under more pressure.
“Clear of the rest of the dead wood”?
Yes, that Jacob Murphy and Johnny Howson were dead wood. And Graham dorrans. We need to get rid of more. How about Pritchard? Madison? Klose? Or maybe we go for a Murphy or Nelson?
This line of thinking is actually dangerous to the club.
Oh please. All this jumping to conclusions. I’m as unhappy about how we’re playing as anyone else. In fact I believe we’ve been getting it wrong since we failed to back Alex Neil properly when he took us back up. But unless we can bring in a hugely experienced manager (the fact that we don’t ever is something that exasperates me and has done for years) we’ll always be in this crappy boom and bust scenario. So I’m saying yes, wet your pants over a rubbish draw and poor team selection, but also remember things like how we played against Arsenal – which those of us who were there agree was one of the best NCFC performances in years and really showed what Farke can do. So my point about writing this season off is that we need to give Farke a season to learn and then he can properly construct a squad based on that knowledge. And before you sling the “it’s just going to get worse” pessimism, it’s worth remembering that Cardiff were in a relegation battle this time last year, as were Huddersfield the year before. It’s not money but organisation we need. And Farke needs to sort it out cos it’s rubbish right now but if we sack him we’ll just carry on this cycle.
PS – to the Jeffs of this world, perhaps we could have a New Year’s resolution to go back to doing what this site does best which is debating and reasoning and not just telling people they’re wrong? I don’t believe there’s a single one of us out there that doesn’t have a point the rest of can’t agree with but in the spirit of what Gary is trying to achieve with this excellent site it would be nice to be able to make points that can be discussed rather than trolled.
First of all, thanks for kind words, and secondly, I couldn’t agree more re the need to respect the opinions of others even if they happen to be the polar opposite of your own. No place on MFW for dogma. Keep it civilised or don’t expect your comment to be approved.
Spot on Cityfan
Someone needs to tell Farke that Burton and Millwall are both league games, worth the same amount of points.
Burton are down the bottom for a very good reason. They’re easy to beat. Before anyone says “it’s a difficult place to go”… Burton’s results scream otherwise.
Interestingly the point meant that we simultaneously went up the league and closer to relegation.
As for whether a win against Millwall would mean a successful festive period. Most people I saw said 8-9 points minimum. A win would make 7pts from 12 against very average to poor opponents. So I’d say that ship has already set sail to the land of missed opportunities.
Anyone who said we should get 8 points from the 3 festive period games could benefit from a lesson in maths. Unless of course you’re suddenly dragging in the pre-Christmas game – but that doesn’t fit your narrative, as you’re plenty intelligent enough to know that Brentford are not a poor opponent.
I suspect Farke realises that each league game carries the same number of points. He’s also smart enough to realise that some games carry far more psychological weight than others. After the poor show against Brentford, Monday’s game against Millwall has an importance well beyond the points at stake.
Happy new year Stewart!
I just report what I read. Pab said 10 points out of the four games and Cyprus Canary said 8.
If you go back and read what I posted I said poor and average. Prior to picking up 6pts in the last two games Brentford were in a distinctly average league position (and arguably are still).
As for Farke. Well he’s come out with some nonsense while being here. Banging on about possession when we’ve only won one game where we’ve had the most. He’s talked about “best away performances” when they weren’t. And at Burton he’s said the “plan nearly worked”, when we had one shot on goal.
Millwall is a big game for Farke and Smith. Sure. When we start resting players to ensure the home crowd don’t boo the owners, we know we’re in trouble.
What we saw yesterday was a preview of next season. No Klose, Maddison, Pritchard, Oliveira, Tettey and Wes. Not a pretty sight Eh? Wes looks well past his best and Vrancic is simply too slow for this level of football. Watkins looks poor and Oliveira disinterested. Patience has eroded and we should get the P45’s ready for tomorrow afternoon.
Happy New Year to you all.
And some wish for continuity,
Continuity of failure. A classic NCFC fans favourite.
Exactly what I’ve been saying in terms of playing personnel. I’m with you, but the board will only spend millions on getting rid and then serve up yet another experiment (aka cheap option). We need them to go so a new owner can come in and hire a fully fledged professional.
Just for the record Mr. Bowers, I said 3 or 4 pts over Christmas. I know Norwich too well and have supported them for too long. On paper, lowly, poor opposition, means very few points – mark my words, we´ll get a draw at best tomorrow. All of which means, that this season is continuing in its meandering, lost course, which also, many weeks ago, became a meandering, lost cause. Farke needs to up his game considerably, or leave, before things are likely to improve.
Hi Gary
Enjoyable read for the last day of 2017.
Burton are not as easy to beat as some people think especially for city it seems.
Yes it was a strange selection and maybe Farke was on the the safe side with a couple of the players but we don’t know if any where feeling slight niggles from the Birmingham game and also with Tettey he might have wanted to save him for Millwall we will never know Farke’s thinking.
Speculation is ripe for an incoming player in the name og Onel Hernandez his club has announced they are in talks does anyone have a clue who he is, it says he is a speed merchant and has impressed in the German league 2.
Does anyone think Klose will still be at city come February now that Southampton, WBA, Stoke all need a CB will they come calling if they do we will have gone from 4 CB to 2 in less than amonth but then we have Raggett coming in.
Maddison and Pritchard will be here till the end of the season and possibly next CJ and Oliveria could possibly both leave CJ not getting game time and Oliveria not scoring.
Glasgow Rangers are interested in Naismith and Martin that could provide some cash even with Farke saying the club captain isn’t leaving wait abd see??????
“Burton are not as easy to beat as some people think”
Well the last eight managers that went there before we rolled up certainly thought they could.
Read what I said and the quote finished “for city”
City don’t have a divine right to walk over other teams and it is still a 50/50 game both sides had few chances and most of the other 8 had a more settked side than city.
I almost felt yesterday that the club was in being brought into disrepute, but by whom?
Farke – quite rightly – came under a lot of flak for his seemingly bizarre team selection, which made no sense whichever way looked at it. However, is Farke wholly to blame? I’m not entirely convinced that the selection was 100% down to him and external influences were at hand. Farke is a toy.
Not to start Maddison AND Pritchard suggested to me that both are up for Sale in January, so Daniel may have been told it would not be in his interest to play them unless absolutely necessary. I don’t expect both of them to go next month, just the one that the club gets the best deal for.
Currently, NCFC is an absolute shower of a football club. It doesn’t remotely deserve the support it gets by its contemptuous stance on everyone that holds the club dear.
One thing I feel for certain, is that by the end of 2018 and cannot see the Delia/Balls/Webber/Farke surviving. Something has got to give after Balls’ ‘The Jury’s Out’ remark at the AGM.
When the Jury comes back in, it will give its verdict.
I would say the b-team we have lack quality. But you can’t completely detract from Farke himself. Borussia D 2 were renowned for their defensive capability. You can see the defensive side of things improved but we can’t score for toffee. This is our problem, we can’t put the game to bed so we all tentatively wait for the opposition to either score or let us in. Until Farke remedies this and marries the defensive resolve and the attacking quad up front moving forward I’m concerned we’ll be too predictable in our offensive play. But it is what it is, and eventually they’ll get it right. I think it’s worth pointing out Webber’s comments about transfer windows and how many pass before Projekt Farke is realised. The current setup does not suit Watkins and Vrancic that is for sure. Duds bought in a desperate cull on wages.The caveat being in those windows we will lose our better players, that is a fact. But this is a different argument for another day. And with that Happy New Year all, I hope you have a good one and the fortunes of the beloved hub of malcontent that is Norwich City swing favourably to the better times. MFW has become my favourite source of NCFC debate and long may the balanced and thoughtful prose continue! Hope to see some more podcasts in the new year and hopefully some different headline photos! ?
Many thanks for the kinds words Hilary and the same to you and yours.
A January podcast is already on the to-do list, fresh set of headline pics may be a more difficult nut to crack.
Most of those we use were taken at the home friendly with Brighton, where we were granted permission to send a photographer of our own. For league and cup games this is unfortunately impossible. I’ll attempt however to be as creative as I possibly can (while steering clear of any copyright infringements… 🙂 )
Thanks for reading.
A happy new year to all. Rather than keep going over old ground, I’d like to ask readers what strategy should DF go with against Chelsea? Me personally, I’d play all the fringe players, chuck in the unwanted and just field a team to fulfil the fixture. At the same time state that is the intended plan and get the humiliation out of the way. Fans can then decide whether they wish to waste their money or not by attending. Most will be wannabe Chelsea fans anyway. Should be interesting Gary.
Perhaps we can contact Chelsea and make a gentlemans agreement to play the fixture with our youth or under 23 sides?
It would probably be a more competitive game and would suit both managers who have tough games book ended before and after the tie,
Yesterday’s game was a taster for next season.
Owners have already admitted there will be a shortfall of £7million next year.
This means no Pritchard or Maddison next year.
0-0 away draws at Burton are acceptable to the current management.
Will next years team warrant the 8 th highest prices in the country?
In the long term interests of the club supporters should think very carefully before subsidising the current owners for another season.
Happy New Year!
Happy new year Gary and contributors,
Prior to 2pm yesterday I felt we might just get a win against truly poor opposition. After all, we had already beaten poor opposition on Boxing Day and as we have been informed, the team plays so much better away from the disadvantage of a “toxic” home crowd, upon whom the whole blame for city’s ills can be rested.
Upon tuning in to local radio my confidence waned somewhat on hearing that Farke had decided to ally the unholy trinity of Watkins, husband and Vrancic and remove all vestiges of pace and width by dropping Lewis and Murphy.
The first fifteen minutes were appalling – the groans of Cedrick anselin every time husband was involved told a tale. The flow of the game interrupted by the accidental but timely inclusion of tettey, with Tetteys appearance burtons best chance of winning went up the Trent.
In the absence of the dreaded snakepit, it was left to Wesley hoolahan to provide the heckling and booing after husband, with the goal at his apparent mercy and me off the sofa preparing to erupt with relief and joy opted to throw himself to the floor.
At that precise moment my mind wandered to thoughts of the three or four transfer windows that Webber apparently needs to sort out the squad. Given that the webberlution opts to replace the likes of Brady and olsson with the dreadful husband and Jacob Murphy with Jacob Marley, who has been ” dead to begin with” that fills all but the most ardent happy clapper with dread. Imagine a team of these tools.
Hanley and Zimmermann and on loan Angus aside, all the best players in the squad were signed by the previous incumbents. The self same incumbents so derided by Webber last summer.
Tomorrow is January and we await auntie delias new year gift to us all in the shape of more asset stripping. No true supporter would impose such a future on a club they profess to love, now would a true supporter fawn all over the architect of this misery in a pub or back her weirdo, hippy dippy, kibbutz commune for the self funded ideas.
Great comment mate but I think you blew it right at the end.
Weirdo, tick. Hippy dippy, tick tick. Commune, tick.
But Kibbutz? Oh no. Not in Delia’s mindset at all. It doesn’t fit in with her beliefs. Not at all.
I see what you mean, Martin!
Just read Hanley’s comments in the EDP.
He Says it’s time to kick on, that none of the players are strangers to the system, and the whole squad trainers together every day.
1) Why do the play like strangers on match day
2) Why is only now time to kick on
3) If the squad train together and know the system why in most games it it forgotten
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL
Lets kick on from the next game 2 – 0 to City (the forever optomist)
I enjoyed the read Gary, certainly more than trying to listen to the game , only Credric kept me awake and even his words of wisdom could not for the last 35 minutes. I woke up in time to hear Rob Butler doing a good job of being Andrew Neil and talking over callers, who keeps asking to ring in, then disagreeing and talking over them.
Why did I bother to wake up . I was enjoying in my dream of re-living better days.
Thanks to all the writers on MFW I have enjoyed reading and look forward to better things to write about starting tomorrow . or at least something to stop me falling asleep with absolute boredom
all the best
Hi Lad – Rob Butler does indeed divide opinion.
He seems to talk over and belittle people who often cannot defend themselves. It’s not a way in which I would choose to earn a living but I’m old school..
But he seems very popular in certain quarters and if that’s what folks want these days, then who am I to disagree with his stance?
He’s not for me but apparently many other folks like him so more power to his broadcasting elbow.
I wouldn’t offer him a cold cup of tea. But that’s just me.
Agreed. Butler is also frustratingly contrary and doesn’t respect the callers, whatever their views. I’m surprised he hasn’t been replaced as the co-hosts often outshine him and I’m sure they are all aware of Butler’s limitations.