My next door neighbour in Mundesley, Matt, is pretty much like-minded to myself in that he watches Match of the Day either on Saturday night or Sunday morning and then takes his dog out to do the a.m. canine things.
Yesterday morning on Mundesley Rec, Oscar the beagle and Geezer the Patterdale terrier discussed their tactical strategy for hunting pheasants and intimidating the local cat population while Matt and I exchanged a few words about events at the King Power on Saturday.
“Inconsistent isn’t in it,” said Matt, a lifelong City fan like myself.
“How can we beat Man City, Newcastle, Everton and scare the living sh*te out of Chelsea and Arsenal but lose to every single side we should [on paper] at least stand up to and nick a few wins against?
“We could easily have beaten Leicester too. Although a draw was fair I guess. We might yet be alright”.
Well, the guy ain’t wrong.
In terms of consistency, we are like Forrest Gump and his box of chocolates. Or maybe more pertinently going into a takeaway in a strange town. You might get the tastiest crab meat sweetcorn soup and Singapore noodles or the soggiest burger with no onions that you’ve ever experienced. Both have happened to me. And I like onions.
We turned up all right. Big chief Broken Toe scored midway through the first half at the end of a sublime move started by Tom Trybull with as sweet a sweep out to Emi Buendia as you will ever see. Emi got out his slide rule and put in Teemu Pukki whose finish left Kasper Schmeichel rooted to his line.
Of course, merely ten minutes later there was the original along-come-Norwich moment when James ‘we all still love you’ Maddison put in a near-post corner which Jamie Vardy headed goalwards. Tim Krul did what any keeper would have done and tried to keep it out just in case but only managed to palm it into the net.
The rest of the game saw City slugging it out against one of the best sides in the Premier League.
We could even have won it at the death if the Stieperdude had found some power with his shot. But hey ho – a point and we’ll take it, won’t we?
Now we certainly learned a few bits and pieces from Saturday’s experience.
I never knew the Dereham Deco had such coals of fire burning within him. His reaction to the antics of Iheanacho was a picture to be treasured, for sure. And although VAR got it right, yellow on referee Andrew Madley’s original decision was totally correct. No review needed in my book.
Fight in the right way? Yes, we did and ended up with five bookings to prove it – well done Tetts, you kept your reputation up!
Has Buendia come in from the cold with a bang? I think so.
And does Sam Byram look as solid as I feel him to be? Yep.
Sheer guts kept Pukki going during that match. Some of us [not me] laughed when RvW stubbed his toe. I’ve done it myself and ended up with a break. It bl00dy well hurts.
I offered up a prayer to the Football Gods as soon as I heard the news and from what Daniel Farke said afterwards as in “he should be okay for Wolves”, I felt my plea had been answered.
Did our travelling Canaries chirp their hearts out? Yes.
There’s life in the old dog yet, to which Oscar and Geezer quickly barked agreement in Mundesley yesterday morning.
And what a lovely gesture from James Maddison to host little Sophie Taylor’s family at the game.
As much as the pros might earn, that kind of class comes for free.
It puts a different perspective on our game really.
ps Don’t forget your inside track, Ed!
Hi Martin
From MOTD it looked like City had as good a chance as Leicester of winning the game but hearing Rodger’s it was all them for the whole 90mins. As always it’s perspective and opinions and then managers putting a spin on things.
Maddison is showing class in most things he does – let’s hope he gets all his just rewards.
Krul is a good keeper but here I will throw in a little doubt -when at Newcastle he commanded his area with his physicality but now he seems to do it more by voice. I think at times he confuses the 2 CBs by not coming and taking crosses that he should his height – just maybe he could have punched the ball before it got to Vardy.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Hi Alex
I think Gary G was quite correct in being a little bit disparaging about Rodgers yesterday. While our Brendan stopped short of being patronising afterwards, the larking around with Madders and Vardy immediately prior to kick off when he knew he’d be on camera] seemed somehow wrong. He underestimated us, of that there’s no doubt.
Those whipped in near-post corners are never easy for the keeper but I agree Krul should probably come for a few more corners and crosses than he actually does.
Cheers mate.
Hi Martin
I just watched a few YouTubes of Krul at Newcastle and he was so confident taking the ball at corners and crosses. Since his major injury, he now seems hesitant which affects the CB’s – not sure wether if he is taking the responsibility and may react later than they should, but Zonal marking doesn’t help matters.
Then we have Ralf – maybe it could be time to give him a game or two
I bang on a lot about zonal marking at corners on MFW – I simply don’t like it, end of, really. The potential for the attacker to find that crucial yard of space is too great for my liking.
Fahrmann is an interesting one – will he stay or will he return to Schalke in January? A question we could easily ask about Patrick Roberts and Man City of course. We’ll find out pretty soon.
A great read on a dark Monday morning Martin and I loved your ‘Big Chief Broken Toe’ comment!!! #Priceless
What a terrific day out I had on Saturday, leaving home at just after 7am and getting home some 15 hours later, partly thanks to a train running late from Liverpool.
The LCFC stewards were very efficient in getting us in (just over 3250 of us) and made my way to my seat a few rows from the back.
JM got a great cheer from the visiting fans when his name was announced before kick off.
We endured a bit of an early barrage, but gradually made forays into the danger area, culminating in Pukki’s wonderful ‘finnish!!’. It was a fantastic pass from Buendia which created the opportunity. In the games against both Burnley and Sheffield United, the keeper was lucky and managed to get a boot on Pukki’s goal-bound shots.
Great to see Buendia back in the thick of our forward play.
Unfortunately, the lead didn’t last very long, but gone was our defensive frailty/only turning up for one half. There were some great tackles/blocks and I thought TK was fantastic apart from the misfortune of ‘scoring’ and OG!!
If the players can replicate the mentality/effort that they showed on Saturday on a more regular basis and against the other teams fighting relegation, I see no reason why we can’t escape the clutches of the ‘bottom 3’ in the next few weeks.
The fans were magnificent and hardly stopped singing –something that I’ve seen several of the players mention on Twitter. The same medium also showed that on one of the trains returning from the game all the passengers in the carriage were treated to a full rendition of ‘Twelve Huckerbys’..
I do hope we stay up, as I’d really like to go back there next season and I saw on Twitter that on one of the trains returning from the game were treated to ‘Twelve Huckerbys’.
My stopover in Peterborough for some ‘refreshment’ on the return journey was most enjoyable
I’m certain Leicester will do their utmost to catch Liverpool and their game at 8pm on Boxing Day (Thank You Amazon!!) is going to be PIVOTAL.
PS – JM’s gesture towards Sophie’s family was superb and shows the type of person he is, despite being seen in a Casino when he withdrew from the England team.
Hi Ed
Big Chief Broken Toe actually comes from the days of RvW. He used to live quite close to a well-known pub on Yarmouth Road where he sometimes went to eat with his girlfriend.
My mate Keith who has more front than John Lewis and [still is] a regular in said establishment once asked him how his toe was.
RvW replied with something akin to “that’s the least of my problems just now”.
We’ll never know the full story but I think there was an element of smoke and mirrors around that particular injury.
Great to hear the 12 Huckerbys was sung. I remember being on the train to the Boro play-off final when we stopped at 1p5wich station and everybody struck up with “who put the ball in the 1p5wich net” and me and a random guy I shared the journey with responded: “Super Bradley Johnson”.
The youngsters aboard took us to task by saying the latest response was “half of f*ck*ng Norwich”. Best train ride I’ve ever had. Apart from the one back home much later that day, of course.
As for Madders in the Casino? Simply a bad choice of venue for a beer and watching a footy match I’d say. He’s one of those who might return to the Carra one day. Total respect to him.
Thanks a lot.
PPS – Can we ‘outfox’ Wolves when they come to CR on Saturday??? 😀
Thanks Ed – thanks a lot in fact.
Really great to hear from “someone who was there” – especially as a couple of like-minded NCFC sites also boasted comments and reviews from match-goers!
I’m out all morning but I’ll get back to your main comment as soon as I can
Cheers.
The most frustrating thing about this season is the fact at times we are so near and yet so far.
Apart from a couple of games we’ve been in the hunt only to blow it with momentary lapses.
We could have done with a bigger squad. Youth needs to be carefully managed which I’m sure Farke is aware of this but is limited by the resources available.
Just hope Pukki can keep going with no rest.
Hi John
Yeah the so near but so far theme is something I have felt for ages and eridited last week. I think everybody [including your goodself] feels more or less the same on this issue. Or should I say topic?
As delighted as I am with the performance at the King Power [and Ed’s recounting of it above reinforced that view] we will remain in the doldrums unless there is a change of ownership.
This squad is giving everything they can. But as a certain Mr Lambert might have said, perhaps we need a few in to give the boys a hand.
But that won’t happen I’m afraid. Nobody will be arriving in the January window.
Ben and Max are the most likely to be sold off [Teemu too?] although the Joint Majority Shareholders might hold out until May on those issues.
Thank you.
Morning Martin,
Enjoyed reading your musings as always.
When chewing the cud with friends pre-match we pretty much all agreed let’s hope we don’t get walloped by 4 or 5 and why the hell isn’t Mario in the starting line up!!?
What played out over the 90+ mins just proves that DF by and large knows what he’s doing and err……we don’t !! 🙂
We were organised we battled and chased everything the way the boys worked was just impressive and if we ever needed proof that it’s the finest of margins that settles things in the Premier League it was this game……one defensive error leads to their goal that ultimately costing us a deserved 3 points. But going back to my conversations pre-match without question we all would have happily taken a point.
As for Brendan Rodgers I venture the view as other ‘better teams’ have done, he, perhaps arrogantly, underestimated The Nodge and thought he just had to send his men out to ‘do their thing’ (which has been very impressive by the way) and that would be enough to take the points…..HA !!
Paraphrasing what Gary Gowers said in his article – ‘It’s the hope that kills you’….Absolutely!!
I think every city fan will be keeping our collective fingers crossed about the recovery of Pukki’s toe for next week’s game against Wolves. Seriously, if Pukki’s injury does keep him out then we are sc**wed!!
Finally as you have already put there is still some fire in the belly referenced by the melee around Iheanacho and The Dereham Deco also when Tettey squared up to former nodge hero James Madderson a no quarter asked and none given moment – great to see, the boys still want it.
Cheers OTBC
Hi John
Sure DF knows what he’s doing – he’s proved that beyond doubt.
But when all he’s allowed to recruit are potential players for the future who are with the under 23s – and so far staying there – it must be so difficult for him.
Gary G’s reference to “it’s the hope that kills you” is spot on. Yes of course we have hope but when you see it constantly eradicated by those at the VERY top of the [Christmas] tree we all fear for our future.
Why are we the only Club in the country whose owners appear to despise the Premier League?
I guess all of us Yellows were born under a bad sign in that respect.
Thank you.
Martin,
I agree its is difficult for DF under the current financial restrictions. But, I continue with the view that that its the quality of your scouts that determines how successful our player recruitment is. However, obviously, extra finance gives us a larger pool to fish from. Personally I still want us to search for young talent, rough diamonds and those whose careers have for whatever reason hit the buffers because generally I think their attitude will be better than an expensive big time charlie.
Assombalonga or Pukki?
Butland or Krul?
As for our owners dispising the premier league I understand where you are coming from. But I don’t see it changing any time soon. Delia has gone on record more than once to say that the model she wants the club to pursue is that of Auxerre FC which is to develop players exclusively from their academy. Whether they still do that today I don’t know. Personally that’s too ideological and I’ll go back to my initial point….extra finance gives us a larger pool to fish from. If somehow we can survive this season we will be able to push on and the financial shackles will be taken off.
Sorry, I think we might have been over this before!!
Cheers
Hi John.
Yeah when you put it the context of Assombalonga and Butland you are obviously quite right and I’m not complaining about the scouting network, which has come one like a steam train since Webber arrived.
Delia’s comments about Auxerre I remember from what must be a few years ago now in a national broadsheet. Of course at one point back in the day she also wanted to emulate Charlton, but luckily failed.
The thing you are absolutely spot on about is the big-time Charlies. We don’t want them or need them. This squad sticks together and plays for themselves, the Club and the head coach so I am certainly grateful for that.
And don’t ever worry about going over old ground – it’s the nature of this particular beast that we call Norwich City!
Marty, being a City fan has always had its ups and downs, but it’s generally spread out over a season or two, so we’ve had time to adjust. This season its speeded up and I don’t know what to expect from one game to the next. The following lyrics seem appropriate;
One day, I feel so happy
The next day, I feel so sad
I guess I’ll learn to take
The good with the bad.
Hi Cutty
You’re spot on there. I think every NCFC supporter born before 2002 would most heartily agree with you.
My lyrics aren’t quite so apposite but they’ll do for me:
Make a joke and I will sigh
And you will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I cannot feel
And love to me is so unreal.
It’s how I feel every time we take to the grass!
Cheers mate.
Poetry in motion, eh! We’ll have to raise the bar at the Ribs.
Nah not really – mine came from Sabbath’s Paranoid as if you didn’t know, which I bet you did.
If I neck an extra pint of Rattler you might be able to persuade me to sing the Lobster Song – but that moment, that time.
Let’s hope we have the same level of commitment against Wolves.
Cheers.
It looks to me as though Krul stepped forward a fraction too soon, as if he was anticipating a ball swung towards the penalty spot. He was thus wrong-footed, and unable to get back quickly enough to get a strong hand on the ball.
As for the fracas, why didn’t Ricardo simply throw the ball back to Krul or Byram himself?
Iheanacho was a disgrace though, not only in trying to play on but in his theatricals afterwards – I really wish players could be booked for a reaction like that. It’s a deliberate attempt to get an opponent carded by exaggerating injury/contact and every bit as bad as diving for penalties in my opinion.
Hi Keith.
A couple of good observations there.
“Iheanacho was a disgrace”. Yep and although Rodgers tried to wheedle his way out of it later he knew what the young striker had done. Or tried to do.
In fairness I think Leroy Fer did something similar for us quite a few years ago – I cannot remember who it was now – QPR? It was definitely at Carrow Road anyway.
Iheanacho should have been booked for ungentlemanly contact imo.
Ironically if Krul had missed the Vardy header completely we might have got away with it. I’m still not sure if it was going in or not.
Thanks as ever.
I was there – Fer, aided and abetted by RvW I think, from a thrown-in which the referee conveniently decided was taken incorrectly.
It was against Cardiff, and I think Craig Bellamy had just come on for what I guess would have been his final appearance at Carrow Road.
I was there too but your memory is better than mine, although I do recall it happened at the River End.
Thanks.
Yes, I was pretty close to it, and as I normally only see about 3 home games a season I have rather less to remember than you!
As I think MOTD picked up (or it may have been Goals on Sunday on Sky) Tim Krul seemed to be looking to either fend off or “leave one on” Iheanacho, and was consequently a yard to far up the field to deal properly with Vardi’s flick on, and in scrambling back could only flap at it with unfortunate consequences.
Loved Farke’s comment about Pukki’s broken toe. “He’s Finnish. He’ll play through the pain” – sounds a bit callous, but a real tribute to TP’s commitment.
Hi Jim
I’ve watched the Krul incident a few times and I think I agree with you about him being a little too far off his line. Those corners whipped into the near post are a nightmare for the keeper if the covering defender can’t nut it out first time.
Love the way you got the word “callous” into your Pukki comment – although it was a bit “corny” imo:-)
Thank you.
Thanks Martin.
Why, oh why do we have to support such a totally frustrating set of players??
To perform as they did on Saturday, and against Man Citeh; Newcastle; Everton and Chelsea – and then not show up against those “lesser lights” who we think we stand a chance against almost beggars belief.
From what I’ve seen from Saturday they were strong; aggressive; creative and pretty clinical. Buendia is definitely better for his rest; Pukki is Pukki and did what he does!! Cantwell or Hernandez; Lewis or Byram are questions I never thought would be asked; and to do it with Vrancic; Leitner; Lewis; Steiperman or Amadou (given our supposed threadbare squad) not in the starting line-up has to be pretty good.
All of which makes the games against Wolves and Villa so so, whilst that against Spurs should be excellent!!
As all NCFC supporters know, it’s the hope that kills you.
OTBC
Hi John.
Can’t argue with anything you say… except that I don’t think Wolves or Villa are strictly “so-so” games. Wolves [as much as the Yellow nation might not actively like them thanks to one K. Muscat] are a really decent side and it should be a good game.
If we’re not fired up for Villa away after our 1-5 humiliation we never will be.
I’m hoping a couple of my old Spurs mates will be driving up for that one so I’m really looking forward to it tbh.
Frustration is indeed the key just now – we are really close to becoming a decent PL squad but our owners are actively/passively stopping that becoming a reality.
Thanks a lot.
What’s happened to Leitner by the way?
That, Dan, is a very good point to raise.
There are a couple of rumours floating around but I’ll stick with Daniel Farke’s official version as in “not everyone can make the matchday 18”.
I’m sure Patrick Roberts would confirm that.
A really good question but without any knowledge or proof I guess neither MFW or myself are in any position to speculate.
Thanks:-)
Confused.com , no more like predictably bloody inconsistent.com. just when you thought it was all over they go and do this. Well what’s next , don’t ask me if haven’t a Scooby.
Hi Bernie.
I like the phrase predictably bl00dy inconsistent. Sums us up to a ‘T’.
Thank you.
A very good point. Still, I’d like to see us grab a win when we play well, as we’ve not mastered the art of winning when we don’t.
Hi Dave
Yes Leicester could have been all three points and certainly Arsenal. We didn’t really deserve to lose against Chelsea either.
Thank you.