I knew the Stoke match wouldn’t end well for us when I attempted to leap out of bed to get the dogs up at stupid o’clock on Saturday morning. My brain (no comments please) emerged but my body stayed in its pit. Manflu. Of the very most serious nature.
Mrs P suffers on and off from rheumatoid arthritis and this requires me to have that wretched government-advocated flu jab every October. And to rub salt in the wound I have to pay for said injection. Seven whole quid at ASDA in this case. Within three or four days it always brings me down to the point of immobility for 48 hours but this time the effects coincided with matchday.
As I had planned to meet MFW reader, commentator and occasional blogger Don Harold and his friends at the Bell before the game I struggled to the bus stop with good intent in mind. No chance – I had to crawl back home while I could.
I can’t be precise, but I believe it was only the sixth home League match I have missed in 30 years.
So it was the delights of Radio Norfolk for me and I must admit I really enjoyed Chris Goreham’s commentary although as the final whistle sounded, off went the broadcasting source. Canary Call and I do not rub along too well together in all fairness.
I’d far rather leave with the experience of hearing On the Ball City and Yellas, Yellas, Yellas ringing round the ground at the end of a game we’ve lost than listen to a load of moaners on the radio, more than a few of whom I doubt would know their way to NR1 1JE.
I’ve since spoken to a couple of mates (who had no sympathy for my predicament whatsoever) who described Saturday as a “heroic and unlucky defeat” and a team “unsurprisingly running out of gas”.
So perhaps the International break arrives at a good time. But even in my currently befuddled state I would imagine Timmu Pukki (who is sure to be on Finland duty) needs a bloody good rest. As do Jamal and Max.
Todd Cantwell? I heard great reports about him yet again and one of my mates – who vaguely know him and his family – reckons he’s one to rest on the principle that the more minutes he gets the better he will become.
All these comments about spoiled little footballers who can’t play three games in a week grate on me. The game has evolved so much over the last, say, 20 years and the pressure on the guys on the pitch leaves them so much more susceptible to pulls, strains and rips and I wish some folks would understand that.
Football in 2018 is not a world in which George Best, Tony Currie or Rodney Marsh would survive, let alone thrive, as great as they were back in the day. Sir Stanley or George Eastham? No, it’s first and foremost about athleticism these days. Skill is the icing on the bake-off product.
Anyway as we “welcome” the next two weeks, I at least am pretty happy. Okay we sit eighth in one of the most compressed Championship tables in recent times but almost exactly a quarter of the way through the season I am quite content.
And Onel Hernandez is back, Grant Hanley isn’t that far away and when the medicos sort out Kenny McLean’s ankle ligament problems he will be back too. Ankles are bloody difficult to sort as I know from personal experience.
On the pitch? My glass is slightly over half full – well done Daniel Farke and colleagues.
Now if only I could get over the Man flu and sign the appropriate contract maybe I could dep for Jamal. In my dreams, anyway.
Only slightly over half full, Martin?
The five point gap between Forest in 5th and QPR in 18th is probably sufficient cause for caution. I think, however, if we can find a way to crack the cautious approach adopted by the likes of Stoke with more regularity, this has the makings of a really good season.
Thanks Gary
I wish I could have been there to see it!
In all honesty I’ve enjoyed the season so far. As a caveat I’ve never seen a league table quite like this one as it stands just now..
I completely sympathise with your manflu diagnosis: I hope the candle I lit for you has worked (and the copious amount of Punk IPA that we drunk in your honour).
I don’t think I have ever come away from a defeat feeling so good about the performance. The rest that most of the squad will have will be welcome and if they can come back and play with the same tempo, skill and organisation I think we have a good season to look forward to.
My metaphorical glass is fuller than my pint glass was most weekend.
Glad you enjoyed your weekend.
I’m still not too sharp by any means but good old Mrs P insists I help her run the dogs on Trimingham beach. The gradient to it (or more particularly back from it) is too horrendous. to contemplate so I’ll probably alert the Coastguard before we begin.
See you next time!
Having returned to Hull from sunny Cyprus we had the flu jab and it laid us out for two days too. As far as the match is concerned – you cannot win football matches on points and our Achilles heel is that despite playing some super football we can’t turn it into chances. We could have played another hour and wouldn’t have scored so this has to be the next “topic” for Farke to attend to. We do seem to have too many midfielders on the pitch and lack a bit of power up front I don’t think we are far off the position we were in last year at this point but I am more hopeful that we can sustain it this time around.
Thanks Cyprus and I pretty much agree with you.
DF’s use of the word “topic” is pretty much his own – it meant a red-wrappered chocolate bar to me back in the day.
I know there are some lovely places around the Hull area (I had to go to Immingham for work occasionally) but oh boy what a culture shock that must be for you.
I wish you all the best. and thank you for your post.
Hi Martin
Well I was offered the injection and after last years bout of Manflu decided against it will on know if it was a good idea come next spring if I don’t come down with the flu.
Stoke supporters have stated they deserved the 3 points and Rowett said a win is a win no matter how you get it, which is right I suppose but Stoke are anti football after all the years under Pulis.
All the moans about Farke and substitutions and when they could or should happen we all have opinions and he gets paid to make the hard decisions, as always it is a 50/50 call and at the end of the day he lives by them, he knows the players better than any supporter, my own opinion is do not do them in the 89th minute to waste time as it can also up set the make up of the team and give the opposition an advantage.
The good run had to come to an end at sometime I just a sad way to end with an OG from Klose(he did say he wanted to score more) now let’s hope the club gives the players a few days off somewhere warm to recuperate and those on international duty return fit for the next round of games and no injuries.
Hope city an an international clause for Maddison and hope he gets to show what he can do on this new stage of his career.
Thanks Alex and a great comment as ever.
I struggle to cope with not being at a home game – it’s anathema to me.
Of course all good stuff eventually ends as you say. And recuperation is indeed needed for all, not solely the youngsters.
Maddison’s star shines brightly – like you, me and hopefully every other NCFC fan we’re all so proud OF him and happy FOR him.
He outgrew us extremely quickly. But how wonderful it was to see him in our end against Derby with John Ruddy and Ryan Bennett. Amongst the NCFC fans. Brilliant.
Thanks again, Alex.
Slightly off-topic but in regards to the idea that George Best et al would not thrive, there’s a very interesting Ted Talk about the leaps in athleticism over the past 50+ years.
It’s a common misconception that sports people run faster, jump higher, and are fitter today than in years past. In fact almost all major leaps in performance have come from technical advantages (footwear, sports surfaces etc…) and if the playing field were level people today perform similarly to athletes of years past.
I think you are right David. When in the RAF and stationed nearby we saw a lot of Best, Charlton, Law et al (I was in the stretford end when city won in the cup) and I have not seen a better player than Best before or since.
Hi Dave
Can’t agree with you on this one!
Sure Besty made his own space through sheer skill and natural ability. But he never had a full back, a centre half and a defensive midfielder jumping on him at the same time.
In many ways I much preferred the game in those days but I stand by the statement that as talented as he was (I saw him live a few times and now feel privileged to have done so) he would be instantly closed out in the modern world.
George Best was a tough little (my height, 5’9″) nut but the John Terrys and (name your own full/wingbacks of the modern world) would make him toast these days.
I saw .George reincarnated in Hucks on occasions…
Sorry, Martin – I’m with Dave on this one. Tackling was clearly more brutal in the days when George Best was playing; even then, he found a way to be effective (and avoid serious injury).
He and Bobby Moore were the best players I ever saw live.
I do think players are fitter these days, but it applies all round – if the defenders are better prepared, so would be the attackers. A bit like the working of natural selection: both antelopes and lions are quicker than they were 1000 years ago.
Not the same antelopes and lions, obviously…
Hi Stewart – I missed your comment earlier.
It’s an interesting concept – I was considering Besty in his prime around 1968. Sure he faced some cloggers and was far too fast and tricky for them but I was considering that with his fitness level at that time he wouldn’t stand a chance today.
Of course if he had been reincarnated around 2000 and grew up in the current environment he would continue to thrill crowds and wipe the floor with opponents as he would have been just as fit as the current generation so very fair comment..
Bobby Moore is spot on. A few of us used to walk past his house in Chigwell on our way home from school and if he was out washing his bright red XJ6 he would always give us a cheery wave and an “alright boys!”
I saw him around half a dozen times as a youngster and as you say, what a player.
Hi Martin,
I was more referencing the ‘athleticism’ comment. There is a misconception that the older generation were less fit (and I’m sure some were). But I’ll poorly distill this Ted Talk down to one example..
People point at the four minute mile and state that since the four minute mile was broken it has been repeated frequently and the record lowered by 15+ seconds.
However, Bannister ran on effectively a dirt track, without the footwear of a modern runner. When scientific analysis was done most sub four minute miles today would not be under the same conditions.
Same leaps were seen when starting blocks were added to sprints, or new bikes entered cycling.
Put today’s footballer into the 1960’s game, with no subs, crap pitches, rough tackles, longer seasons (in the case of the PL), no special diets or highly paid physios. I’m not sure how they’d hold up. I would imagine a 60’s player would more easily adapt.
I thought it was interesting that the American’s were complaining that the rough was rough on the Ryder cup course. That their game had advanced beyond such issues!
Good (and often underestimated) points about equipment, Dave. But I’d also reckon that fitness and conditioning are significantly better these days.
When people like Arsene Wenger started putting focus on diet and lifestyle (remember the widespread drinking and smoking among professional footballers?) many traditionalists were sceptical. Then they saw the unmistakeable benefits, and followed suit.
I’d guess, for instance, that every player in the top two divisions now has an individual regime to follow during the off-season. As they say, it wasn’t like that in my day!
Thank you – a really interesting discussion.
Sorry to hear that Martin, I refuse the jab for that very reason. My worst case of manflu was that fateful day against Colchester at home. Only during and after the game. was I sort of glad I caught something.
Saturday was a different kettle of fish all together, I have been up and down to Carrow Rd since 1961 howbeit a lot less for the last 4-5 years, I cannot recall the ending to a game we have lost, as I did coming down the wireless. Now that told me all I needed to know, I would nt have needed a commentry on the game, that singing told me that the players had done everything they could possibily do to get a result, that means playing well ..more than well.
But I did listen as always now, Mr Goreham does a fine job and Mark Rivers always cracks me up with his blank honesty.
I look back and sigh and massive sigh of relief we did not employ a certain Mr Rowett, he has millions worth of players at his disposal, and he parks a bus, not any ordinary bus a bloody double decker. I reckon there won’t be many managers in the country who would love what he has to pick from. Talk about waste. Won’t be there long.
Not to going to go on anymore only to wish the Penny household a speedy return to fitness.
Hi Lad – you make some good points there.
Mark Rivers is indeed good. He’s very deadpan and makes me smile too. My favourite is that rare beast Mark Walton, but for geographical location reasons he tends to appear only when it’s Cardiff or Swansea away.
I completely agree with you concerning Gary Rowett.
And thanks for the kind wishes.:-)
Sorry to disagree with Stoke and Rowett,
Stoke have tried to improve there style of football since Pulis left and purchased some very good players but got relegated.
The supporters like the style thst kept them in the Premiership for nearly 10 years and the chairman said that changing style hadn’t worked for them so I can see Rowett being there for the long haul.
Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing Martin??
Given what you know now, I bet you’d have changed the date for your jab. In much the same way, given the time again I feel sure that Herr Farke would have rested the (now obviously) tired legs of two or three of Saturday’s starters. Given that Stoke had 24 hours extra recuperation to us, I was sure that he would, but given how well they had previously performed, can understand totally his reasoning. Stoke never looked like they would score: poor attacking stuff, or very good defending and I think the latter option wins. And for those multi-milllionaires to have to park the bus (and it seemed a very big bus) for so long was surely testament to how far we’ve come in a relatively short space of time this season. It was also good to see a “rookie” like Max Aarons totally unfazed by all of James McClean’s niggles, elbows, ankle taps and the like (are there any other Championship players so easy to dislike?).
I definitely have a glass which is more than half full, but my hopes for a 9 point October seem pretty slim now and Saturday was definitely an unlucky defeat.
Hope you are back to full fitness very soon (have had the jab myself and so far, no adverse effects!!).
O T B C
Hi John
I think we have indeed come a long way in a short space of time as you suggest and the emergence of Aarons and Cantwell makes Jamal Lewis seem like a veteran!
The “stick or twist” on selection was always going to be a difficult one. Who’d be a manager? (whoops, Head Coach).
The trouble with that jab is it’s a different vaccine every year and I had no idea how badly this one would get to me until it was too late!
Thanks, I’m back in the land of the living now. My reward this Tuesday morning: shopping at Cromer Morrisons (and knowing Mrs P several other shops as well). I might just fake a relapse…
Hello Martin, hope you feel better.
Some interesting points made by all. Personally, I would have preferred a few changes to the starting eleven, with trybull, Rhodes and Vrancic all pressing hard for action I felt that it would be the optimal time to make use of their good form and desperation to get more game time. Quite how I would have fitted them in is another story,
The effort and application were evident in spades, but gone was the sharpness and energy. Pukki looked well short of his best and Buendia and a couple of others failed to shine.
Stoke parked a fleet of buses after their lucky and unjustified goal and had the know how and numbers to see it out. They had an extra days rest and had made some changes which enabled them to look the fresher of the two teams.
Regarding Best, I’m of the opinion he would stand out in any era. Never saw him in the flesh. I recall the Friday evening before Manchester United visited carrow road, the news at six ran a story that Best had gone awol. I don’t believe he ever played for them again. Sadly Manchester still beat us, 2-0 with a goal from Bobby charlton as I recall. It didn’t help either side as we both got relegated at the end of the season.
Hi Chris
Not too bad now ta very much.
I saw the holy trinity that was Best, Law and Charlton twice. Both times at White Hart Lane.
I will always recall that TV clip of Besty in bed with a beautiful blonde, champagne and probably loads of cash and jewellery? The interviewer asked: “So where did it all go wrong, George?”
The original superstar in every sense.
Breaking Sky News is going to be a shock to supporters.
Steve Stone gas been the front man for this self financing model city sre now using, lets hope he wasn’t pushed out and will all the good work he has achieved at the club start to unravel.
The work he has done at city will make other clubs want to hire him and the question is has someone ie Villa who are looking for a new chairman already approached the club for him, if they refused possibly the reason for the gardening leave????
The news came as an utter shock to me.
This has got “we’ll never know the truth” written all over it.
The Stone story was reported on Sky Sports just ahead of the Wigan takeover one….