The week after City had lost to Burnley in the league earlier this season, the Clarets’ strike-pairing at the time, Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes, were guests on Sky Sports Sunday morning show, Goals on Sunday.
It was the morning after we had lost 2-0 in regulation fashion away at Palace. Burnley had drawn 2-2 at Villa and Wood and Barnes were chirpy. At least I think they were… was hard to tell.
But it wasn’t their monosyllabic repartee that got under my skin, rather when they were asked to comment on City’s defeat at Palace and our start to the season in general. Barnes didn’t say much – he wasn’t a big talker – but it was Wood who could barely contain his contempt for our passing style and how we seemed to think we could succeed in the Premier League attempting to play that way.
In fairness, the presenters offered him the chance to say something positive about City but the best he could muster was “it’ll be interesting to see how they get on”.
What’s irked since is that for large chunks of the season, Master Wood has been proved right – at least in terms of results. If points were based on artistic impression and not goals, then we’d be top half for certain, even top six maybe, but until the Premier League make that obviously needed rule-change, we’re a bit stuffed. And Wood and his gaffer will justifiably argue their way is the best way.
But yesterday, in the FA Cup at least, beauty overcame the beast.
I hope Chris Wood thought it ‘interesting’, once he’d extricated himself from Grant Hanley’s pocket. And it was telling that in Sean Dyche’s post-match interviews, he made barely a mention of City, citing his own side’s defensive failings rather than any quality on City’s part.
Apparently, the “two best players on the pitch by far” were wearing claret [“Tarky and Westy”], whereas I could have sworn they were wearing yellow [“Super Mario and Big Grant”].
Both were outstanding in that morale-boosting and (whatever Dyche says) thoroughly deserved win; Vrancic, in particular, giving his head coach a timely reminder of what a special player he can be if fully fit and offered suitable protection.
Unfortunately for Mario, he was one of many who suffered in that dispiriting defeat at Old Trafford -damaging in so many ways – but yesterday was the Vrancic of last April, who can dictate the pace of a game, can create chances with his eye for a pass and who oozes class.
It was no coincidence that he was involved in both goals, although we could have all done without his assist for Burnley’s – a header so perfect Erik Pieters didn’t even have to break stride. But it was a minor aberration in an afternoon where he played himself into the starting XI for Newcastle.
Hanley, enfant terrible in the eyes of the Burnley fans for his Blackburn connections, was a colossus in a game that played directly to his strengths. While his ability to pass the ball has improved immeasurably under the tutelage of Team Farke, it’s when muscle, grit and the ability to win aerial duels are needed that he comes into his own.
Against Burnley, all of those qualities are required of a centre-back and he responded just as Daniel Farke knew he would. He and Christoph Zimmermann refused to be bullied and bowed – as all eleven were in those opening 15 minutes in September – and as a result, set the tone for the whole afternoon.
Those first 15 minutes were key again yesterday and Dyche will clearly have demanded the same, so for City to almost score from the first attack of the game – Josip Drmić slid his shot just wide – was an important shot across the Burnley bows.
That City then proceeded to create and miss an absolute hatful of chances was symptomatic of the last six months, but in between Ralf Fährmann did make one particularly good save from Jay Rodriguez and dear old “Tarks” [James Tarkowski to you and I] did hit the crossbar with a header.
But it was City who had dominated and when Hanley’s thumping header from Vrancic’s viciously arcing free-kick flew past Joe Hart, it for once had the feeling of a good day. When Drmic tapped in from close range, after Hart had saved from the excellent Lukas Rupp it had the makings of a great day.
Of course, there was the Keystone Cop defending for Pieters’ goal – this is City after all – but there’s this thing called game management and unless my eyes deceived me, they demonstrated it very well indeed. They kept the ball well, defended solidly without the need for last-ditch heroics and managed to run down the clock with the minimum of fuss. Job done.
So, we’re in the crazy position of being in the draw for the last 16, a feat so rare it’s only occurred three times this century. And it feels good.
Quite what impact this cup run – can two wins constitute a run? – will have on Premier League survival remains to be seen, but nothing bad can come out of winning a game of football in which we once again demonstrated we’re that close to being a really good team.
Danny Murphy, never the loudest of City cheerleaders, described us as “the best bottom-of-the-league side I’ve ever seen” on last night’s Match of the Day, echoing the similar sentiments of talkSPORT’s Paul Hawksbee after the midweek defeat at Tottenham.
This season still has legs.
To end, out of curiosity, I asked the question on Twitter last night, ‘would you prefer to get relegated playing Farkeball or survive playing Dycheball’. It didn’t receive a massive response 🙂 but, for what it’s worth, did reveal what I’d suspected…
Here’s one…
Farkeball vs Dycheball
— MyFootballWriter (@NorwichCityMFW) January 25, 2020
Dyche and Wood will think we’re daft. What do you think?
Got to be honest, Direche gets praise heaped on him by the experts and media, for playing old school type long ball up to a bruising striker, who bullies and fouls his way through a game. Had City been playing that way, we would be crucified by all and sundry.
I do not like the man one bit, never gives anyone credit especially when beaten by a side he clearly has contempt for. All I can say Burnley supporters but be easy to please there is no way I could see the Yellow Army settling for that style, We may go down, but our style has not changed. Give me that instead of getting neck ache and guessing if the ball has snow on. They will get found out eventually and come a cropper. I cannot wait for it to happen to HIm.
We are a couple of players from being half-decent, Good for Drmic to get on the sheet, he could hardly miss that one. I was extra pleased for Hanley, he has taken more than his fair share of crap, that game was tailor-made for him, and he took it gleefully. Not going to criticize anyone, because there is no need to.
If we were not creating chances I would be more worried, one of these remaining games someone one is going to be on the end of a thumping, one day it will just click into place. The chances will will lose a couple of exciting talents,, but those who remain will be all the better for this one season. They will have learned one hell of a lot, that cannot be learned anywhere else.
As final work Where is Mo Leitner, ? Something is a miss so
3
The MoD comment from Murphy leaves mixed emotions. Best bottom of prem team ever but can’t finish or defend well enough. I had a Triumph Stag in the late 70’s it looked fantastic but never really worked properly. I’m still pleased I had it just as I’m pleased to support City where ever we play Farkeball.
3
Hi Colin
I should be finishing off my piece about Burnley for tomorrow but your comment about your Stag has distracted me, he he!
I had one too around that time – old English white and it had already been converted to a Rover V8. A handsome, dare I say flamboyant beast, but bits malfunctioned at the most awkward moments in the most inconvenient of places. It had to go.
I also had a mimosa TR6 which went like dung off a digger. Same reliability levels of course.
The only decent Triumph I ever had was a 1974 Spitfire IV which as soon as I had a company car I got around 1990. I sold it to my mate’s son around 1998 and bugger me I saw it driving along Drayton Road around Christmas – it was resprayed from tartan red to BRG for some obscure reason. GYR 701N – I’ll never forget it.
Hopefully I’ll speak to you about football tomorrow:-)
1
It must be a thing on this site. I bought a new Spitfire in 1974 as a result of qualifying as an accountant that year. It was a bright red hard top. If I remember right it cost £1,250. Taking my now wife on our first date in that to the best restaurant in Lincoln impressed her so much we are still together. Norwich are definitely a Triumph sports car, great to look at, get you there now and then but ultimately their reliability left a bit to be desired. Burnley are like a Hillman Imp.
Lots of good performances from Norwich players, which will have given Farke some selection headaches. What is great to see is that the squad has not lost confidence in their ability. We could do with a result at Newcastle.
OTBC
2
Good to see Hanley back to something like full fitness. Apart from Klose I think he’s our best centre back as he attacks the ball in the air. He’s also a lot quicker and technically better than a lot of fans give him credit for.
When he returns from suspension, if I was Farke, I’d be tempted to play Godfrey in the defensive midfield role. His athleticism would be very useful in an area where we too often have lacked it this season.
4
Agree. I don’t think it’s our defence that is the main problem, more the lack of pace/athleticism in central midfield that means we can’t protect the defence properly. Although our ability to concede at set pieces needs to be rectified as well to be honest.
1
The comments from Farke after the match were quite telling. He clearly wants to see his full squad play their part and take their chances when they play. When we look back at that performance at Crawley, we did not see Farke explode with rage in public but many players never saw the first team squad again. A cup win is a great morale boost and I looked at the Wigan record for 2013. Although they ultimately went down their run to the Final coincided with an upturn in form that almost saved them. They were on 20 points after 24 games but won 15 points from the next 11 to give themselves a chance. We can do the same as we are still playing with a degree of confidence
4
John Holland’s point about players being invited to take their chances is spot on. Leitner didn’t really do so against PNE reserves, and although he’s always a nuisance and had some good touches Stieperman’s end product was disappointing yesterday. He looked like a good Championship level player and I suspect that’s what he’ll be again next season – even if we stay up.
But Jamal Lewis looked very much up for it yesterday, and as everyone has commented Vrancic showed exactly what he can do. Rupp also looks a very good acquisition – you’d think he’d been playing with the guys around him for years, not days.
There was about 15 minutes or so after Hendrick came on that we suddenly seemed to be giving the ball away a bit too easily, and we were sitting very deep.
But for the last 10 minutes just for once we were in control and I never felt we were going to let this one get away from us.
A good day out, but it’s sad that the FA Cup has become so insignificant to supporters that only 8,000 turned up. I see the next round of matches are being played midweek, which is hardly going to help.
0
Some really great comments to your article Gary and give me Farkeball ANY day and I know that ALL of the fans who sit near me at CR would agree 100%.
As Hanley said, the win will do wonders for the team’s confidence and I can see that we’ll give a good account of ourselves at SJP next Saturday.
I have to agree with @Lad (as MP calls him) in that one day the opposition GK will have a ‘mare’ and our GD will look a lot healthier.
0
Funny old game as Greavsie once said.
We lose to Spurs, and Mourinho is full of praise for us……then we go and beat Burnley, who, don’t forget actually made fewer changes than we did, despite them having the 2 best players on the pitch…
Really Mr Dyche?? Or could it be that following our previous appearance at Turf Moor this season you may have just underestimated us? Obviously you did, and given the woeful attendance, so did the vast majority of Burnley fans. Had we been the home team I wonder how many would have gone?? At least double, probably even more.
Hopefully this cup run might well kick-start something for the league, although all we need is a little bit of luck I feel. And is 2 wins a cup-run? Although given our recent performances in this particular competition, any win is most gratefully received.
O T B C
2
We should all feel a sense of pride in the way this city team strive to and stick with their brand of football.Burnley’s style is as gruff and rough as their managers vocal chords and I know which team I want to watch no questions asked.
There always a little part of me that thinks we can perform the miracle and survive and I will hang on to that until it is mathematically gone.All yesterday has done is get me to hold on a little bit more I’ve moved on to my knuckles rather than my fingertips. Come on you yellows
1
Yes farkeball indeed 100%
Oh dear hard to describe my feelings for this team atm down and angry lately but then hey the fa cup makes me have some positive thoughts at long last hallejulah so much so I don’t know what to say now apart from long may it continue lol OTBC 😉
1