As we were struggling a little, ostensibly collectively tiring and finding it increasingly harder to pull the boat to shore Brentford and, more poignantly, Sergi Canos threw us a lifeline.
Well, a bit more than a lifeline really – that result has helped us to achieve our dreams and justify Daniel Farke’s philosophy – as Fulham and Wolves have recently proved you can escape the Championship by playing Premier League football. And we’re on the cusp of affirming it.
We still need a point? Don’t make me laugh.
Leeds have choked as they always do and are seemingly beyond redemption this season. If they can overturn a goal difference of ten in two games then I’m a dead dingo’s donger, as Monty Python once said.
In fact, it’s actually eleven for them to sort out in terms of goal difference as we are the highest-scoring team in the league, and they aren’t within ten million miles of overturning that. We have both yet to play Villa so can assume both Leeds and ourselves will get the same treatment, e.g. rested players and all that. I don’t blame Villa if they do, but that’s up to Dean Smith of course.
As malicious as 1p5wich and Lambert might be, even they can’t concede more than, say, six against a totally deflated Leeds outfit who now have to hope the Blades slip up. I hope Sheffield United do just that as it would give us the title but in the greater scheme of things, it means zilch. Although our squad would doubtless like some medals – and thoroughly deserve them – I can’t worry about that just now.
While it might seem a little daft to concentrate on matters elsewhere, Nick Bruzon from a well-respected Brentford site made out a great case for how much the Bees would be up for Leeds. Scores to settle and all that kind of thing.
He was proved absolutely right after the final whistle and this comment about the performance of Canos is a classic:
It was also a mirror of their (Leeds supporters) reaction with several making hand gestures that, presumably, were to recognise how many times he (Canos) had found the net against them.
Sure we were off the pace at Stoke but to hold on to that vital point – and still pushing for all three in stoppage time – says so much about the mentality of our (and it is our) squad.
Gary G said yesterday that Delia, Michael and Ed Balls deserve much credit in setting down some different foundations from which we’ve achieved so much.
I’m been far more critical of that trio than GG but even I believe that, at last, our major shareholders have got it right.
Fret not folks, we are UP regardless of what happens in which for us are two basically dead rubbers at season’s end.
And just how important was Super Mario’s free-kick against Wednesday to the club, the supporters and everybody else with an affection for Norwich City Football Club?
Bl00dy essential, I’d say.
Anyway as I started with a remark about a lifeline from Brentford I’ll end with this, which is obviously about a lifeboat.
Enjoy.
Going Up Up Up 😎
Well Martin, we are now on the verge of achieving promotion to the Premier League – I guess as you rightly say in your article, we ARE PROMOTED!!!
The days of calling for Farke out etc after our defeat by Leeds in late August are consigned to the ‘best forgotten’ pile and we should consider ourselves lucky that Delia and Michael have taken something of a ‘back seat’ and leave running the club to others. I’m certain that many other club owners would have sacked DF then. Some 3 weeks after the drubbing by Leeds, we beat Middlesbrough who I believe were top of the league at that time and the rant that followed by a Boro fan was priceless.
Moving on – I was one of the 6,000 fans watching Monday’s game unfold at Carrow Road and a few highlights –
Buendia’s dribble across the edge of the Stoke box (including at least 3 tackles he hurdled!!)
Godfrey’s sprint to deny Afobe a crossing opportunity.
Last, but not least, Pukki’s superb header to put us back in the lead. I read somewhere that he had scored against 18 of the other teams in the Championship – some record!!!
So that’s now 12 games unbeaten and whilst it love us to win the title, IMO, promotion is much MORE important.
I’ve seen somewhere that SW/DF have their ‘shopping list’ for the summer, but what I feel is of equal importance is who to sell/let go –
Pinto – I can’t see him playing for the first team again.
Raggett – jury’s out
Passlack – only on loan
Naismith – Good Riddance!!
Klose – ??
Hanley – ??
Heise – ??
Thompson/Morris/Idah – I believe that all 3 would benefit from season long loans to a Championship Club which you hope would be challenging in the top half of the table.
Rumours re our starlets abound and I fear that their agents may well persuade 1 or 2 of them to try their luck in ‘pastures new’.
I’ll end by saying I read a tweet from @Madders10 which simply read ‘on the brink!!!’
PS – I thoroughly enjoyed Stewart’s article yesterday and some of his analogies.
PPS -I also saw this from a Leeds fan – ‘There’s always one team makes a late dash for the play-offs and this season, it’s us!!
6
Hi Ed
Some great observations there – I’ll pick up on a few of them.
MFW’s very own Stewart Lewis suggested seemingly eons ago how impressed he was on meeting Tom Smith and he has been proved right. I guess it was Tom who gently suggested to his aunt that she stepped back from direct involvement and let the professionals “get on with it”
I watch the rant from the Boro fan every now and then – it still makes me laugh to this very day..
As for the exits I totally agree with you but regarding your ??? section I cannot see Klose doing anything other than staying – there will be an increased wage and he seems to love it here.
Idah is the really interesting one. We’re not over-blessed with strikers and maybe Farke & Co might choose to keep him here. I’ve only seen him play once myself but he looked pretty much the part to me, but of course it was in an under 23 game, not the PL. Who knows?
I reckon Max and Jamal will stay with us for next season – if we come back down then they will quite correctly (for them) be off.
But the great thing is we have no need to sell anybody – and it’s been reported that our transfer budget including wages will be slightly south of £20million next season. Good. We can’t afford to “do a Fulham”.
Love the comment from the Leeds fan!
Thank you.
4
Thanks, Martin.
I was and remain impressed with Tom. Others have been instrumental in our bold new direction, though – notably Ed Balls. And as Mick Dennis highlights today: once Delia and Michael were persuaded of the arguments, they’ve backed the new regime and Stuart Webber to the hilt.
1
Hi Stew
A while back (as you will doubtlessly remember) I said on MFW that I thought Tom Smith’s appointment reeked of nepotism and little positivity.
How right you have been proved to be while cynical old me was so wrong.
I haven’t got humble pie for tea (crispy duck, hoisin, the works in fact) but if I had I would eat it.
I’m sure Tom will help us to further progress – and good luck to him.
2
Well said, Martin – and huge respect for the portion of humble pie that’s accompanying your duck in hoisin sauce! Top man.
1
Thinking about it, you’re probably right re Klose staying. It will be an interesting pre-season (once we’ve had the promotion parade and all and sundry have had their hols(apart from those on International duty) and I’m certain that if anyone proves themselves, DF will add them to our squad of 25 – do players under 21 count in that 25??
Some excellent comments from other fans.
0
Hi Ed
I’m not too sure about PL squad rules beyond the fact that the homegrown rule applies to the pre-season named squad, not the matchday “18” if you like.
Probably somebody on MFW will enlighten us at some stage!
Cheers.
0
“At present, Premier League clubs are allowed a maximum of 25 players in their first-team squad.
If teams want to take full advantage of that maximum player allowance, eight of them must be homegrown.”
0
Lambert and Ipswich are not intentionally going to lose 7-0 to Leeds. They simply wouldn’t risk it – it would be classed as match fixing and anyone who could be shown to have colluded would be banned for life.
I might put a bet on that result just so that there is some money in the market…
1
Hi Tom
Thanks for the laugh!
If somebody had told me at the start of the season that for 2019-20 we would be PL and the Binners (managed by Lambert) would be League One I would have brayed at them like a donkey.
2
Good read as ever Martin! I have to admit that I’m not ‘counting my chickens until they have hatched’ and whilst we are 95% there, stranger things have happened in football and Ipswich have proven prone to taking a beating in the past (didn’t United put 9 past them once!)!
Monday’s game was pure frustration as the first half we controlled and then just let Stoke back in by dropping the intensity and some defensive mistakes. I kept well clear of social media in the aftermath as I can just imagine the kind of comments that would have been fired off.
However in reality, is it really a surprise that hauling ourselves over the finishing line is proving difficult? To me absolutely not – finishing the job is probably more difficult than getting to that point. Other teams rightly see us as a scalp and raise their game and anyway 8 wins and 4 draws in the last twelve is still pretty hot stuff. Finally, looking down the first 11 over the past months then how many of them have been through this type of pressured scenario before? Tim Krul and possibly Teemu Pukki with his international experience but other than that nobody. That said, much as Farke’s faith in the current team is admirable I do wonder whether the experience and nous of players like Tettey, Klose and Hanley would add much needed on-the-pitch game management for the final 2 games.
OTBC
7
Great read Martin, of course we’re up now but I don’t see Farke or the players treating the two remaining games as dead rubbers when there’s silverware and a title to chase. I’m pretty sure it will be full steam ahead but thankfully with the shackles now off.
I realise it’s all about opinions but I have to challenge you on the remark about us being off the pace at Stoke. I was at the game and can’t remember seeing us being so much in control of a game as we were in the first half. We were certainly caught a bit cold for their first equaliser straight after the break and took a bit of time to recover from that blow but without the unfortunate slip from Onel and a rattling good finish I could really only see us going on to win the game. In all fairness Stoke have got some really decent players and after all they were the pre season favourites in many people’s eyes so all in all that was a good point.
I’m looking forward to seeing us hopefully winning on Saturday and then getting at least the point at Villa that will probably be required for the title. Envious glances from the Villa fans will be a sight for sore eyes.
2
Hi Bob
As I’ve remarked before, not being at the game leaves you with a potential disadvantage. as an MFW columnist which is why I never go into too much detail about games I haven’t personally witnessed.
I based my Stoke comments (which were few) around what friends who did attend the game told me. Hands up – journalistic experience dictated!
Truly I wish I could go away more often but a variety of circumstances dictate that it’s unrealistic.
I do know however that I’ve got a nailed-on ticket courtesy of my mate Dave for The Emirates (wait for next season’s MFW preview) when we play Arsenal. I’ll have to sit with him and Mrs Dave (no displeasure in that) but I’m sure to see the game.
Cheers for the comment and let’s enjoy Saturday night.
3
Thanks again Mr P for yet another enjoyable read. It certainly looks like we have crossed the biggest part of that bridge just through the gate. How can anyone with an ounce of brain power say we don’t deserve the promotion. I would very much love to see the players get something to keep, better than a line on a CV. If we slide into 2nd place hope the club will mark the occassion with a special cast.
Read earlier that the Daily Fail reported we have a £20 million budget and no more to use, (just how they know that when our local reporters have not spread the word). I see the point of not following the route Fulham did and failed terribly. With our scouting network who can say we won’t be seeing some new outstanding bargains to be found.
I hope that some will not start the moaning and groaning about not enough in the kitty, or highlighting silly money players. If we can survive the first season I can see the progression of transfer budgets will increase. The main goal is to stay there, and should that not happen the club can come down with solid financal state, and who again in their right mind would complain about that ?
I am sure I have not jumped the gun in talking about next seasons planning, I simply cannot see any way out events that are needed, happening .
1
Hi Lad
I somehow missed your comment – it must be the current level of excitement.
No we’re not going to go ape on spending and like yourself I am grateful for that. As I’m sure all the realists amongst us are.
I’m not too sure exactly what we need in terms of recruitment, although a bit of full back cover wouldn’t go amiss – hard to believe that both Max and Jamal have both come through this gruelling campaign unscathed.
This will be an interesting (but probably uneventful) summer!
Thanks as always.
2
Hi Jon
Of course I want us to beat Blackburn even if only for some childish sense of revenge for what they did to Leitner, Klose and Co. in the game at their place.
Your trio of replacements would go down okay with me if they weren’t collectively suffering from ring rust, but Blackburn wouldn’t get away with it against a back three (it’s not impossible) of Zimbo, Klose and Hanley with Tettey and Vrancic screening in front of them. Maybe this is a fixture to fight fire with fire. We’ll see, but Farke is not one for tinkering, let alone wholesale changes.
95 per cent? No, to me it’s 99.9 recurring.
Whatever happens my “DMs” for Blackburn would be Vrancic and Tettey.
Max and Jamal will always provide the width along with Onel and Emi so a back three is very viable to me, especially as it isn’t crucial to win the game. Sorry title-hunters, but it really isn’t!
And I think we’ll all find that the Brentford “favour” has released a lot of tension – especially amongst the players.
Thank you.
Thank you.
2
Loved the naughtiness of King Creole. I also loved the comment from the Leeds fan cited by Ed.
It’ll be great if promotion is absolutely confirmed at Carrow Road-I didn’t realise how rarely this is done and that every promotion in my lifetime has been finalised elsewhere.
The perfect end to a perfect season would be for Villa to have to give us a guard of honour as league winners-it would be great to discuss this with my AVFC supporting boss at regular intervals!
3
Hi Don
I’ve got a Villa mate (Pat) who did a preview with me for MFW last season.
He reckons they’ll steam through the play-offs and is as happy as a dog with two… tails. It’s hard to disagree with him just now.
But we – as in NCFC – have bypassed that situation and whatever some remaining detractors might say, we are already there.
Trust me.
2
Kid, not King. Me and my Elvis films!
Villa fans are never short of confidence. I hope either they or WBA come up, another local game for me next season.
1
Yeah
I think he ripped the name for the band directly from Elvis!
But the Coconuts were (in my opinion) far better looking than the Jordanaires. I believe Darnell was (and still might be) married to one of them.
Villa fans are not much different to ourselves in that they expect the worst while hoping for the best. I’ve quite a bit of time for that Club actually.
1
Martin, the goal difference statistic is only important if we lose both our games and Leeds win both theirs. If we lose both our games one nil, then the goal difference is eight. If Leeds beat Villa two nil, then it’s down to six, so it’s not inconceivable that they could beat Ip$wich by six or seven. They’d be up for it, that lot down the road would probably cooperate. If it’s six, then the goals scored figure comes into play. If it’s seven, we’ve had it. We need at least a point on Saturday, as they don’t play till Sunday, so we need to be sure.(It would help if Villa do their bit on Sunday, they probably want to finish ahead of the Baggies to get second leg home advantage).
1
Hi Jim
No, I don’t see the Binners folding to that degree. tbh. They will want to keep their few remaining fans onside for next season if nothing else.
They’d love to stuff us up but it WILL not happen, despite the presence of Lambert.
Who wants to pull a shirt on and endeavour to lose a football match by 6 or 7 to nil?
As you rightly say a point on Saturday will do it and I think we’ll get it.
Cheers.
0
Hi Martin
The trouble is, it’s very difficult typing with your fingers crossed!
0
Itz nOt tHat dificuLt.
Whoops!
Keep ’em crossed:-)
0
Call me a pessimist but I won’t be able to relax until promotion is actually confirmed – a goal difference of 11 is big but not impossible across 4 games – say we lose our final two games by 2 goals each that means Leeds need a total of 7 against Villa and Ipswich – I know it’s very unlikely but nerves have affected our play in the last 4 games and it’ll be squeaky bum time at Carrow Road on Saturday if Blackburn were to score first.
1
Hi Andrew.
A fair point indeed – but that unlikely scenario will not occur.
Thank you.
3
You are probably, hopefully, right. We are up…
But i can see Ipswich losing 5-0, and no one would be able to quibble with that given how poor they are…and a tired Norwich lose 2-0 to a very much on form Blackburn. A 7 goal swing. Improbable but not impossible. The Villa match would be a pressure cooker and i remember a certain match against Fulham…
I expect a home win to confirm promotion, and then Villa will probably be a battle for the title. Come on you Yellows!
3
Hi Cobwatch.
I remember the infamous Fulham 0-6 all too well – we watched it in the late but not lamented Broads Hotel in Wroxham, of all places.
Totally understand your thoughts but we ain’t gonna lose it (promotion) from here.
Thank you.
1
Spot on Martin.
Love the link, had me moving. might go get myself a white navel uniform in time for Saturday!
So happy Leeds are bottling it too.
I’ve a warm feeling of good triumphing over bad in the way we’ve gone about all this. Look at the carnage at Man Utd, a lesson in how not to go about things. They haven’t got a player we would want.
Your articles over the run in have made brilliant reading, thank you.
Enjoy the party.
0
Hi Colin
Thanks for your kind comments. I’m actually a deep-seated pessimist who has been entirely turned around by this season. Like many others, I am sure.
I was lucky enough to see Kid Creole aka August Darnell, (an ex-teacher believe it or not) back in the 1980s and he and the others put on such a show it was unreal
Good will (almost) always triumph. Lucifer had his moments but really couldn’t sustain too much.
Thanks a lot.
0
Hi Martin
Your headline are great and a very interesting read, and the comments are varied some pessimistic and others optimistic.
Blackburn on Saturday is a hard call as they have been cities nemesis on many occasions over the years and at times scored lots against us.
Mowbray being ex blue nose will not want to do city any favours either so will get them fired up for it and how much more of a hero would he be down there if he dented our promotion celebration.
I read that Leeds have accepted their lot for the playoffs and will fight to finish third for the best draw.
Ipswich will hopefully want to end the season on a high and not a whimper and L P will want to show his adoring supporters what they can achieve next season given the chance so just might get them fighting for a future at the club.
Fate is in our hand but Ipswich has to play both promotion hopefulls as do Villa a very strange end to season set of fixtures, Villa could be confirmed third buy the time we play them so could rest a couple of players but so there is no nightmare end to season we really do need a win on Saturday.
To many possibility to be work out but what a season
1
Hi Alex
The headlines are down to Gary G and not myself – I guess between ourselves we agree it’s much better that he composes them. Although I could easily write them, mine might be a little too fruity if the names of Wilder and particularly Eltringham cropped up in the article!
I guess the rest of this league will have to sort itself out.
We’re out of the woods mate, we really are.
Thanks!
1
Everyone is talking about a blip with 4 consecutive draws but just look at each match individually..they were good points in the end and we have not lost in 12.
Having got a chance to clinch promotion on Saturday…at home (a first) a situation not lost on the players, let alone the supporters. I think we will win quite handsomely and clinch the title… leaving us with another win against Villa as they will not risk injuries for the playoffs.
0
Hi Keith
I don’t think we’ve undergone a “blip” as such – but even this outstandingly fit group of mainly youngsters is running out of gas and understandably so,
The draws – all four of them, which meant NO defeats – are admirable imo..
Maybe we’ll win the title, maybe we won’t.
But I’m so happy I don’t care:-)
Thank you.
1
Just two songs for Saturday for the carrow road DJ to play ,Up by the Saturdays and Down Town by Petula Clarke.
2
Hi Bernie
I reckon David B’s Andy Williams one was better than those – crap music but a very appropriate title nonetheless.
Next season in the PL it will be Race With The Devil (Gun) but I’ll wait for a future piece to incorporate that one into an article!
Cheers.
0
Good stuff Mr Penney;
I look forward to the next article when we will have the letter P after Norwich in the Championship table.
Monday was a strange one; I was at The Carra, and whilst some very valiant attempts were made to get the crowd singing, it really seemed very odd to be doing so to some TV screens (is it me??).
I thought we saw some very tired limbs and minds amongst the City players, with the enormity of what they are achieving getting to some of them. Hopefully Senor Canos has made them all sleep somewhat easier this week!
As for next season, for once we’re hitting the big time with a young and hungry squad. With just a couple of tweaks I really do think that we will be good enough to finish no lower than 17th.
I suspect that even that will not satisfy Mr Webber, but am pretty sure he’s got another “Buendia” or two up his sleeves.
And to think that after the game at Portaloo Road in September, both teams were supposedly nailed on certainties for the drop.
O T B C
0
Hi John
Your point about singing at the beamback is an interesting one, mainly because I agree with you!
I sometimes meet friends at the Queen of Iceni before a game. We’re often to be found outside joining in with the pre-match chants and no-one has any inhibitions at all.
But singing at a beamback or even in the pub? I dunno about that. Not something I’ve ever done, although I always go ape$hit when we score. Mind you, so does the whole pub:-)
Yes we are tired. The first signs (for me) were in the second half against QPR although I put that down to playing mostly with ten men at the time.
I’m guessing – and very much hoping – there’ll be a renewed spring in our collective step on Saturday!
Thank you.
0
I don’t understand everyone assuming we are already promoted. A 6-0 win at Ipswich for Leeds is more than possible given the circumstances which may prevail. I sincerely hope we get the point on Saturday, because I fear for us if we don’t.
0
Hi sgncfc
I can’t speak for anybody but myself so I look at it like this:
If we lose 1-0 to both Blackburn and Villa, Leeds will have to find nine from somewhere in two games. Without conceding.
I understand the irony of the final fixtures but I guess it makes for some excitement, although doubtless like all of us I’ve had more than enough of that this season.
For once, I don’t have even a niggling doubt that we’ll be fine. And I am among the most pessimistic of NCFC supporters as anybody who knows me will tell you!
Thank you.
0
Additionally, we’ve lost only once in the league in 2019, and only six times in the whole season.
Why would we suddenly lose the last two?
0
Hi Scott
We might lose at Villa because by then we’ll be up, the squad will have trousered their alleged – and well deserved – £10million promotion bonus.
But we won’t lose to Blackburn!
Thank you.
0