With four games left to go (yes, just four) I’ve noticed something quite uplifting – a statistic that cheers me immensely.
After what was apparently a crazy game on Tuesday night at Sunderland complete with Fog on The Tyne (sorry, Wear), Ivo Pinto’s last-gasp strike means that still, as of April 12, no side has done the double over us. Only two teams have the chance to spoil that record and both will have to do it at Carrow Road.
Yes, you’ve guessed it: one of our least favourite teams, as in d*rty Leeds, and one of our least favourite managers as in Colin and his Cardiff crew. To maintain that record would be quite an accomplishment in any season let alone this topsy-turvy, transitional and thoroughly inconsistent one.
There were a few sharp intakes of breath when Tuesday’s starting line-up was announced. Was Daniel Farke offering the QPR starting XI the opportunity for redemption or merely resting the right people for Saturday? I’m hardly sure but he sees the individual recovery rate from Saturday to Tuesday and I don’t, so unlike quite a few others, I’m not complaining about the selection.
I suppose I could form a band called Nelson & the Missed Chances. We’d call our debut album The Iberian Enigma, of course. I would recruit one of my favourite guitarists as in Jeff Beck, which brings me neatly on to my Black Cat Moan.
The moan itself: James Maddison flunks a couple of chances and some people on other media are up in arms about it. Surely, they should realise what this guy has brought to the Club and put the complaints firmly back in their pockets.
Of course, Maddison will end up as a one-season-wonder purely by virtue of being sold on, but when you consider what he has done for us he really should be beyond criticism from our own. Barely 22 and featuring in his only full season thus far at this level – having a pop at him is ludicrous.
Moan over.
Interestingly there are a few rumours floating about that our support at the sparsely-populated Stadium of Light was bolstered by a couple of hundred cheeky Magpies who wanted to gloat over their rivals demise at first hand. Oh well, it takes all sorts, I guess. Nothing would get me into Portaloo Road if we weren’t playing there.
I think Ivo Pinto has put the final nail in the Sunderland coffin, and as Gary said yesterday the SAFC supporters are a fine bunch of people. However, there is no sentiment in football and we should consider ourselves first, foremost and solely.
We can only look forward now and let’s be honest that means next season.
Despite what Farke has said in terms of a quieter summer transfer window than this time last year, I simply don’t buy into it. We have no clue who might comprise the in-list but in terms of potential – and I stress potential – outs could be:
McGovern, Angus, Harry Reed, Husband, Franke, Martin, Klose, Tettey, Leitner, Naismith, Wildschut, Maddison, Oliveira, Josh Murphy, maybe even Sean Raggett and all or any of the U-23s who they don’t think will make it. There’s a whole starting XI there without the U-23s.
Plus, our blessed Wes, who will doubtless have a word with Hucks before jetting across the pond to enjoy the well-deserved twilight of his career in whatever they call that league these days.
No Daniel, it will be a very busy window as we will all discover, and thus give the MFW team plenty to write about over what passes for our summer.
As for Marcus Edwards, it might as well have been Marcus Evans. Something was very wrong there from the beginning, but I doubt it cost us anything in real terms. File under N for Nevermind.
So, let’s go and stamp on Colin’s crisp packet on Saturday.
I take your point about Colin, Martin, but you can’t knock his record at this level. He’s done well consistently for 25 years or so. And as for the Dirty Leeds, I was brought up to hate them (my Dad was Chelsea), but again no-one can argue they’re not a Prem Top 10 Club as their natural state. Big City, one-Club City even, great support, proud history.
Absolutely agree Dan.
I think Mr Warnock is going for a record ninth promotion (I could be one number out on that).
Your Leeds comments are spot on as well – one of my finest memories was d*cking them 4-2 at Carrow Road in the 1990s, and then there was Chrissy Martin’s late header that snatched us a win back in the Days of Lambert.
I didn’t put it in the article but I would agree a somewhat grudging respect is due to both.
Thanks for your comment.
I think I could argue that they’re not! They have spent more seasons (13) out of the PL than they have in it (12) three of which were in lge1. Incidentally all 13 out have been the last 13. They like many others had a purple spell with an irresponsible owner who broke the bank to try to buy success. Now they are rank and file also rans in the Championship. They might have big ground and the current highest average attendance in the championship and that might place them 10th in the PL but financially they are a mile away from the haves that make up the top ten in a Premier league world where your natural state is predicted by the size of you owners wallet.
You sound like a binner, who might define a club by its past not present. 13 years out of the top tier suggests they have found a natural home away from there.
i wouldn’t want Colin running our club, but you can’t knock his results and general career. Would we be where Cardiff are this season if we had appointed Colin instead of Farke? Actually I rather think we would be. Not to say I would make that switch, but he is a canny operator and vastly experienced at this level.
Bah!
Thanks General – but it’s unfair to suggest Dan is a binman, ha!
Leeds deserve to be where they are but when we were younger they were mightier. All in the past now and I have no love for them. Never will have I’m afraid.
It’s also funny how we all dislike Colin but many of us have that grudging respect for his achievements.
Like you I wouldn’t want him here either – we’d be playing Angus plus Zimbo and nine clones every match.
Good comment.
No way a Binner, chaps, Canary since ’73 though no Family/Home/Work ties at all! My point about Leeds, simplistic as it is, is that its a Big City – 5th in the Country maybe. So it annoys me to see small town clubs like, Watford, Swansea, Bournemouth (for Heaven’s sake, Bournemouth!), Huddersfield, in the Prem. Even Brighton, though fair play they do get 30,000+ gates. And don’t get me started on Wigan – my nearest club as it happens. The Top division should have Big City clubs with big fanbases, Leeds, Derby, Villa, Forest, Sunderland even. And us of course.
Agreed.
I don’t think the General or I really think you’re a binner!
When the big guys stumble others step in.
Really?! Is it not better for the teams in the top division to be there on merit?
Ooh ooh I’ll play!
Need to be a bit careful with that “small town”angle – Bournemouth is larger than Norwich (187,503 V 186,682) I have to say that a Premier League based on this would be much more fun. We would have Luton (211,28), MK Dons (229,941), and the might of Bradford (349,561)
By the way Leeds would be 4th in the UK (so including our friendly Scottish neighbours) at 761,481.
I’ll go for a lie down now.
Which single Club would you choose to represent London?
And as for Liverpool and Manchester it doesn’t even bear thinking about:-)
Good idea though!
I was at the Wolves v Derby game last night courtesy of a Derby supporting friend of mine. It was strange to go to a game without having any emotional investment-I don’t care much about either side.
What struck me was that, for a top 6 team, Derby didn’t have very good players. This gave me some hope for next season as even without Maddison and Murphy, we should be able to challenge. If DF can firm up the playing style, learn from some of the horrors of this season and create a Plan B & C, and the recruitment team do a decent close season job the future may not be as bleak as I spend half my time fearing.
The Wolves fans in my local claimed that Neves’ goal last night is goal of the season. I was happy to point out that the goal of the season was scored by Josh Murphy at Carrow Road on Saturday. I was also very happy to point out that it wasn’t even the best goal at Molineaux this season-nowhere near as good as Nelson in the 94th minute.
Thanks Don
I would find it hard to judge between the Murphy strike and the Neves one but because I’m biased I’ll give it to Josh.
I’m surprised you haven’t been barred from your local – but naturally I’m glad you’re still welcome to fill the publican’s coffers.
Your list of possible summer departures makes interesting reading, Martin!
I would love to see us keep one or more of Gunn, Leitner and Reed for another season but I suppose that’s wishful thinking.
Klose would be a big loss, wouldn’t he? Particularly as Farke doesn’t seem to rate Raggett.
I thought the Sun piece on Maddison and Leicester had a ring of truth about it. In all fairness, Leicester would be a good choice for Maddison. He would get plenty of playing time in a side unlikely to be threatened by relegation. Surely better than sitting on the bench at a “big six” club? And close to his old stomping grounds!
I’m sure we will get a proper chance to say goodbye to Wes. Whatever some fans may think of Farke he has a lot more class than Roeder.
Thank you John.
I would rank the chances in this reverse order: Angus Gunn, no chance. Harrison Reed, yeah maybe if Soton stay up and want to offload. Moritz Leitner might be a possibility if Farke (rather than Webber in this instance) can exert some influence in Germany!
My money’s on a guy with “Matthews 1” on a padded NCFC shirt emerging from the tunnel next season. He’s enjoyed an excellent loan spell at Plymouth and if we can’t offload McGovern we’ve got the back-up in situ. PL clubs never do repeat loans to the EFL so that is Angus gone. God he’s been good.
Probably because Spurs are my lifetime second team I hope he goes there but I do agree Leicester would be a good fit. Not for the media-quoted £17m though, we want more than that.
Of course Farke has more class than Roeder: one is a gentleman while the other… oh well, you can complete that sentence for me:-)
I too saw the reported £17m and thought we’d all been transported back to April 1st!!
Totally agree with the Gunn/Matthews appraisal/situation. I think strikers next season will be Srbeny with A N Other and the excellent Idah to (hopefully) do a Jamal Lewis – provided we can off-load Nelson and a few others.
Here’s hoping this Saturday can see a repeat of last.
O T B C
Yes Idah looks a prospect.
I really should get off my butt and go and see him play. I haven’t yet but I think I’ll correct that quite soon. I do know that the Irish national side are keeping tabs on him which has to be a positive.
Plus the Nigerian press seem interested in his progress too and again that can’t be bad.
Fine piece, Martin. As energetic as City’s performance against Villa, which we all hope was a sign of things to come next season.
Agree about the summer, by the way. I don’t think Stuart Webber does quiet transfer windows.
Ha! I’m by no means suggesting all of those I mentioned will be leaving.
There are two on my list where it’s all crossable bones crossed that they do depart, however.
The guys with the links to Scotland, ‘fraid to say.
Always enjoy your stuff Martin. Some good points.
With regards to the starting line up at the SOL, I winced upon hearing it, realising, as I did, that it was the same one which performed so dreadfully in west London. Within seconds the sloppy start brigade nearly cost us a goal with gunn having to look lively to prevent Sunderland scoring.
With our finishing so off kilter, thank god for Ivo and his cool slot in the last minute. The list of culprits was even longer than usual, but when Maddison features prominently in the running one instantly knows it’s not our day.
How anyone can reproach Maddison this season is beyond me. If he contributes nothing else between now and may he is the runaway player of the season and has been a pleasure to watch or indeed listen to. He has been kicked from pillar to post, remained remarkably free of injury, when all about him resembles a clearing station in a war zone. He says the right things, he conducts himself in a manner beyond his years. If, or indeed when he does depart this summer I am sure my opinion on the ownership, board and direction of the club will darken even deeper than it is now.
The list of potential departees is frightening. If we lose all, or even most of those players, we will indeed be in the deep s***. If our glorious owners make only a fraction available for replacements don’t kid yourself that it will end well, it would take more than the odd Trybull and Zimmermann style bargain to alleviate vandalism on that scale.
Marcus Edwards is an interesting one. Presumably sent here as a warning to him that if he doesn’t knuckle down, the bright lights and lamborghinis may well pass him by. I can’t help but think that this episode is in some way indicative of some sort or relationship with Tottenham, who knows? But it seems an odd one.
Dans comment regarding Leeds is totally correct. Like a good few clubs that find themselves in the championship, ourselves included, they represent for many the real face of English football, the iconic games long before the premier league in the seventies featured clubs like this regularly. I can recall Leeds at carrow road in Saunders first season in the top flight. A huge crowd, atmosphere one could cut with a knife, Leeds lining up in the middle of the pitch prior to the kick off waving to their fans and taking dogs abuse for it. Fantastic stuff.
Contrast that with sky’s “super Sunday” offering, which could conceivably offer the likes of Bournemouth v Huddersfield or such like.
Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.
Hello mate – do you realise if you tripled that wordage you would have given MFW that long-promised article:-)
I’m only going to pick up on one of your points: re Madders.
He’s been kicked from pillar to post as you say. He’s roughly like me as in he’s five feet nine and I guess eleven stone. He plays with a target on his back and the on-field thugs “want him”. No doubt about it. But he’s as hard as those things you buy at B&Q and has the endearing quality of not shooting his mouth off or bigging himself up in the media.
I admire James Maddison very much and I wish him all the very best for the future. He’s been brilliant for us and unlike some I feel if he goes to Spurs or Liverpool he will not be on the bench for long.
Involved in the usual open game style in the PL? Watch him go.
While Marcus Edwards goes back to his PlayStation (couldn’t care less).
Yes Martin, I believe JM is THE most fouled player in the Championship (if not the EFL), but he mostly just gets up and gets on with playing, whilst just enjoying the fact that he is playing regularly and he’s always going to have an ‘off-day’ and I hope he can atone for his wayward shooting on Tuesday, by scoring on Saturday.
I can see sense in him going to going initially to the likes of Leicester for something North of £20M and I imagine Webber would insist on a decent ‘sell-on clause’ plus England appearances etc.
As you say, Gunn is unlikely t be at CR next season, but Matthews seems like a capable No 1 and I’d quite like us to keep Klose, but Godfrey/Thompson (if he recovers from his injury) should be adequate replacement.
I expect a hectic summer of ‘ins’ and hopefully not too many ‘outs’.
Hi Ed
It will be a hectic summer window however much they are trying to play it down just now.
Personally I feel Klose will stay – but that is the original “what do I know?”
Thanks for the comment.
I’m with you Martin, I think this summer could be very much as crazy as the last. The trouble being that it gives Webber, Farke et al a similar excuse for failing again.
Our reality is that we now must accept that every player on our books has a price, for that reason no one is sure to stay. Anyone who has impressed may be courted.
Zimmermann was spoken about in glowing terms after our cup exploits,
Lewis is such a bright prospect that PL clubs will certainly have a look at an homegrown qualified youngster
Hanley could surely be coveted and who in the top half of the championship could not out bid our wages and still offer him first team football.
Watkins only a lunatic would want to sign, but surely we must want to move him on, no excuses about adjustment period, he has just fallen well short.
How much of our best XI will be left, for arguments sake I will name one and star* the those I think will still be here.
Gunn
Pinto* Hanley* Zimmermann*/Klose Lewis*
Tettey Lietner/Trybull*
Henandez* Maddison Murphy
Oliviera*
That may not look so bad, 7 positions covered but then when you check where all our goals have come from this season and who our best performers have been the picture looks very bleak. (Best performers for me have been: Madders, Tettey and Gunn followed closely by Hanley) Its the loss of our best that troubles me most.
Bah!
In fairness, Stuart Webber has always said he likes a summer window he can plan and set up months in advance, enabling the Head Coach to have his playing staff close to complete when pre-season starts. He clearly didn’t have that opportunity last year at Norwich, but has it this time.
So no “similar excuse”.
Yes General this is a strange one. A bit like playing “Bullsh*t Bingo” in boring work meetings as in you always knew what might be enunciated but not what definitely would ensue. Hence the fun of crossing off the phrases on the cards and quietly coughing “line” or occasionally “house”. The stuffed shirts on the podium never worked out what we were doing.
I am not sure what will occur during the summer window which is why my list in the original article is so lengthy. Watkins and the “unfortunate” Jarvis have impressed me so much I inadvertently omitted them from said list.
While we are in austerity mode (eg as long as the Smiths are in situ) it will always be the best who are sold off. Taken straight to the till, maybe with a courtesy copy of Sainsbury’s magazine for the purchaser.
“Hanley could surely be coveted and who in the top half of the championship could not out bid our wages and still offer him first team football.”
Well I would assume Milwall, Preston, Brentford and Ipswich for starters, and probably Sheff Utd and Bristol C (who are well managed, well run and well funded, but I don’t think they splash the cash so much).
Why would Hanley want to go anyway? He seems to have settled in very well, and he’s getting games, which I suspect is every bit as important to players of his age as earning another couple of grand a week. You can’t get appearance, win or goal bonuses if you’re not actually playing. Nor can you impress your International manager (although Scotland are so desperate he’d probably be an automatic pick even if both his legs were broken)
Maddison will be coveted, of course he will, and I’m sure there’s a watching brief on Josh and Jamal.
Josh has had one, just one, game recently when he looked as though he might be ready to sit on a PL bench (if that’s what he wants), He will surely need to have quite a few more before anyone is willing to pay £10m to make that happen. Jamal is very young as defenders go, and I’d be surprised if he is ready for PL action yet.
If Maddison goes then I’d hope we can get Leitner permanently. Apart from that e all know it’s firepower that is really needed.
I’d like to see a deal where someone like Marriot comes in from Peterborogh (maybe with Morris going the other way as part of the cost – League One is his level in my view). 44 goals in his last 120 games suggest he at least knows where the net is.
Hi Keith I’m in short-time reply mode just now (terriers don’t wait when they want to do what comes naturally to them and I don’t just mean hunting squirrels and rabbits) but:
Marriot (as much as I’d like him here – he’s sharp, lively and a genuine poacher) is quoted by Posh at Five Million Quid. Five Million Quid. Plus all sorts of sell-ons of course.
Our days of going for even this type of player are long, long gone.
Thanks as ever for your comment.
Heck Martin when you see that list of those who could be off to pastures new, It does make you wonder how on earth is this going to be a quiet close season. Of course there will be Thompson (hopefully) Adams , Godfrey, Morris, Jaiyesimi Matthews Cantwell and Mclean to come in or back
Not many of those will be up to the mark, but certainly have very little experience of what will be needed in a championship season.
There is going to have be some money spent and some very careful scouting completed.
I am sure that despite what Bob Rutler said on canary call , “that we love Sunderland”, I am not in the WE, they are a team that looks set to fall through the trap door, and that means one space we are not filling. that is as far as my sentiment goes, and I am more than confident they would feel the same if the tables were turned. They have diced with relegation for a few seasons from the Premier, just like Wigan did. they have taken the mantle of being like the big one that won’t flush away no matter how many times, the chain is pulled.
Love or hate good old Colin, he is a character, and the game has lost so many, whatever is said about him he knows his stuff, might not be enjoyable to watch all the time, but it has worked over the years. There have been more than a few games, I would have enjoyed watching him strutt our tactical area, ranting and raving , perhaps not for a season though. I don’t think Mr Wildshcut has pulled up many trees up, since Colin heaped some praise on him when he first moved there.
I read a few Scottish reports of our Rangers loanee Russell Martin, seems as if he was soon found out to be lower than what they expected, many were saying it here, but I tried to put that down to the need of a scapegoat. But it looks like his playing days maybe lower down the pile, or taking a PR job with a club. He had his good days here, and few can argue, I always thought he was a well spoken footballer, sometimes rarer that unicorn droppings to find.
Hi Lad.
Yes if you have more than one dance with the devil you will end up where SAFC are now. Cack happens, I’m afraid. Not our problem as we agree.
I wouldn’t mind if RM came back here in some coaching or advisory capacity later on, but I don’t think that’s the way Stuart Webber works. I can only think of a few former players as articulate as him (eg ones I have met) and they would be Iwan, Cedric Anselin, Elliott Bennett and Mark Rivers. Plus the excellent Mark Walton of course, who I haven’t met.
Thanks as ever for your comment.
Hanley is clearly enjoying a new lease on life at Norwich. Given that Stuart Webber has highlighted right back as an area to strengthen, it wouldn’t entirely surprise me to see him as captain next year.
We’re no longer big payers in terms of basic wages. I’d imagine, though, that we’re offering very large bonuses for promotion – so the feeling of certain players about their options will be coloured by how much faith they have in Farke to produce a challenging team next season.
Agreed Stewart.
I’d love a look a look at our current – and indeed projected – wage and bonus structure – but I doubt I’ll ever get to see it:-)