Well the fat lady is singing on full throttle. It could be Maria Callas, Mama Cass Elliot or even better the British original, Janet Webb on the Morecambe and Wise show. It doesn’t matter who assumes this particular mantle – we are well and truly done for.
There was more huffing and puffing than against Southampton and to give him credit Daniel Farke did select a starting side to keep it compact and not give Everton the freedom of central midfield the Saints enjoyed.
However the natural consequence of this was that our attacking fulcrum of Buendia, Cantwell and Pukki were relegated [see what I did there?] to the bench.
Gary covered the details of the game itself yesterday so I’m not going to do the same – it was such a boring match in itself that I’m not sure I’d care to if I’m honest – but I will proffer a few observations of my own.
Ondrej Duda. His corners were consistently the worst I think I’ve ever seen from a Norwich City player and that’s really saying something. And the free kick that pinged into the wall? It wasn’t worthy of Mario, was it? I’m sure Farke has his reasons for keeping Duda with us but for all his efforts on Wednesday evening his heart and head are surely very much in Berlin. The Stieperdude must be more than a bit miffed that he can’t get anyway near a starting gig just now.
Zonal marking. Oh why on earth do we persist with it? Yet again we were undone by a set piece – in this case a corner. It was just so easy for Michael Keane to rise more or less unopposed to give Tim Krul no chance whatsoever. It could have been two of course but for a pretty decent save from Dominic Calvert-Lewin courtesy of Krul.
Statistics. These are rarely for me – best left to Chris S and Dave B – but I’ve noticed that we haven’t scored more than one goal at home since – you guessed it – against Spurs in the PL in December last year. Apart from Man City, Newcastle and Arsenal [3,3,2] and Everton away [2] we haven’t managed that feat at all. And after 31 PL matches we have never once achieved a result after going a goal down. It’s really not good enough.
Two comments resonated with me after the denouement.
Daniel Farke said: “I felt we had quality players to come in and there were also some tactical thoughts as well. Everton is a team who have the most crosses in the entire league, particularly from their full backs, so we needed players on the pitch who were able to track those full backs.”
To me that reads like an open admission that Todd and more surprisingly Emi cannot fulfil this basic function.
Regular MFW commentator Dave B2 messaged me before the match to say: “I reckon if we can do the double over the sticky Toffees then we can win the cup too.” A couple of hours later I simply got “Pudding performance against sticky Toffees”.
To me that reads like a tacit admission that Dave opened a bottle of something for consumption during the match!
And for you youngsters – and others – out there this is the fat lady “singing”, which is up there with “a game of two halves” and “sick as a parrot” in classical football phraseology.
Janet Webb ending Morecambe & Wise
And now it’s on to Man U in the FA Cup quarters that we were all so much looking forward to. Every City regular I know was going but we’re not now of course. And nor are 2,500 from London so at least it’s even Stevens. Kind of, anyway.
I know it’s a cheap shot and I sincerely apologise to the many born and bred Red Devils but you don’t tend to take that many of your ilk away – you can’t get hold of the tickets cos you don’t live in Islington or Woodford Green!
Fresh off the back of a thumping 3-0 demolition of the Wilderbeests courtesy of an Anthony Martial hat-trick, Jolly Ole’s boys arrive at the empty Carra tomorrow to doubtless administer the lethal injection that will euthanise our season once and for all.
The sheer gap in resources was best illustrated for my by a couple of little news snippets that came my way.
We have apparently landed Bali Mumba for the under-23s from Sunderland for, wait for it… £350k. Plus add-ons, doubtless.
While United’s biggest worry just now [Paul Pogba aside] is what to do about the David de Gea/Dean Henderson situation next season. Looks like they can afford to let Henderson out on loan to the Blades again if the stars align. What a problem to have – Henderson was brilliant against us.
Of course United will have had the same time as us to prepare for the match. Everton had a 48-hour disadvantage to us, only made one change from the Liverpool derby and were at least our equals in terms of fitness.
I wonder sometimes.
Hi Martin
I made a comment on yesterday’s article about zonal marking. I am not a fan. Having said that, normally when Emi is in the side, he takes up a position at the post furthest from the corner being taken. If someone had done that on Wednesday, then Keane’s glancing header would have been easily blocked on the line. Zonal marking means the defenders are standing still, while the attacking players can stand off, and then get a running jump, which gives them more height than a defender jumping from a standing position can get. Just don’t understand the thinking behind it. My old French teacher (Jimmy Newell, played for Phoenix and Lowestoft Town) who took us for games as well, would be doing his nut! He was a great tactician, and my grandson has got a few goals by following Jimmy’s advice (passed on by me) and lurking around the corner of the penalty area furthest from a corner being taken by his team, as it’s an area the ball often drops into whether cleared by a defender or the goal-keeper’s fist. If Daniel is interested, I’ve got a couple more tips!
Hi Jim
Yeah that’s a very good point concerning “lurking on the corner of the box”.
When I was a kid I often stood around the penalty spot hoping a botched clearance would come to me and it was surprising how often they did. Under-13 keepers didn’t punch in those days but often didn’t catch cleanly either!
As I grew up things became different of course and I became an LB but would also hover in the zone you mention if it was a right-sided corner – with varying degrees of success 🙂
Thanks as always.
Well Martin – what can I say. How many hours is it since we last scored a goal in open play in the PL?? I dread to think. We huffed and we puffed, but apart from Onel’s snap shot in the first half, we never really like scoring.
As for the starting 11, I couldn’t believe my eyes – totally unimpressed with Duda and Rupp and Drmic needs his performances on the pitch match those behind a microphone.
We were poor in the league prior to the lockdown and we seem to have completely lost any sort of cutting edge since. I think in the 2 games, we’ve had about 4 shots on target.
Like you, I don’t envisage that we’ll cause an upset on Saturday and that will be the final ‘sucker-punch’ in a truly dismal season. There won’t be much time between the end of this season and the start of the new one, son I don’t envisage that DF would have time to change from the ‘dreaded’ which has cost us > 10 goals at a rough count.
Yes, I saw that we’re shopping in Aldi/Lidl for new players, though I also saw a rumour about a Dutch payer.
IF we can limit the number of players requesting a transfer to 3 or 4, IMO that can be seen as a success, but from what I’ve seen, most of the squad needs to get their passion /determination for playing in yellow and green back, otherwise, I can’t see us winning another game this season and the first few teams we play in the Championship will be trying their hardest to beat us – in the first few games anyway.
Hi Ed
I must admit I haven’t listened to Josip’s latest offering – I’m a Sabbath/Zep/Manics type of guy myself but I sure get your point.
As for why the passion – so evident last season – has evaporated I can only put it down to too many kickings such as the Villa 1-5 and the Southampton 0-3. A kind of “we’re beaten before we’ve started” kind of approach.
As for Soton and Everton I think it was one shot on target in each game.
I know he doesn’t fit in with Farke’s style but Sean Raggett might yet have a part to play next season considering the drop in level.
We need two CBs in the summer and that’s beyond dispute.
Will we get them? I very much doubt it.
Thanks mate.
Hi Martin, a perfect summation of where we unfortunately are, but of course do not want to be.
On Wednesday’s game I heartily concur with your (and I’m sure everybody’s) assessment of Duda…
Webber gets some good ‘uns, but also some who appear to be wanting.
I cannot see how/why we persist with zonal marking. It didn’t work for us last season in the Championship, so I don’t see why we thought we’d be better at it this time.
And I really thought that for such a free-scoring team, we would have had more success in front of goal this term.
The 2 games since we’ve returned have merely served to highlight how poor we are at creating any sort of chance from open play which means that we must take every opportunity we have from dead ball situations (see reference to Duda above). There was a pertinent bit of commentary on Wednesday when after yet another corner failed to beat the first man I heard that “and not one of the Norwich players is giving him grief or even seems bothered”.
We’ve lost our way even more since the break, and I thought our fitness levels against Southampton were not what they should be given how they over-ran us in the second half.
Yes,we’re down, although given the other results does any of the other four really want to stay up? And once we concede you just know that the game’s up…which must ask questions of the attitude of not only the players, but the coaching staff as well.
Man Ure tomorrow…will it be another dose of the same, or are we due an Along Come Norwich moment? Sadly, I fear it will be the former!
O T B C
Hi John
Yes Duda got a lot of stick from several quarters and what made it worse for me was his corner delivery which so many of us have already remarked upon.
The irony of how badly Villa, Bournemouth, Watford and West Ham are doing is not lost on me.
But we were simply too lethargic to take advantage and to be fair are where we are for a reason. The escape is only on for two of the above four clubs I’ve mentioned. Not us.
Man U? Rumours are they will rest several. That’s how seriously they take us.
Keep smiling!
Hi Martin
A good read on a sad subject another defeat something this season we have had to endure.
I know that you can only select a team from those available but it does seem that at times we have not had a great base to build from.
When Webber introduced Farker he mentioned his stats for building and playing out from the back and how few goals over 2 seasons his sides had conceded well those have been blown out of the water well and truly now.
Farke to give him credit gave all city supporters the season of a lifetime and won promotion ahead of a so called planned schedule, but once it looked like city could get promoted they must have revised those plans and known cities creaking defence needed a major rebuild.
Spending money on loans and large amounts at that could have got a couple of proven premiership defenders in there were enough unattached players looking for clubs to bring in 1 or 2 emergency signings outside the windows.
Amadou was a costly loan played out of position and went back to his parent club with a big smile on his face with all the money he had got them £9m reported with no refund on him returning early that could have got us a good permanent player.
Some has been German keeper not played a first team game in over a season we paid £3m for again no money back for an early return and we could have picked up a good third choice released premiership keeper ie VORM for nothing.
Give the players that won promotion was good common sence but not bringing in a couple of older experienced heads sealed our fate early on once injuries took effect.
Has Farke lost the dressing room, is he being a prima donna when it comes to team selection as it looks like have a bad game and tatty bye just look at Lietner the team conducter last season and not a sniff this, I suppose we would need 2 DM if he plays just in front and behind the forwards.
Tettey the other night earned his money never stopped trying but a couple really looked as if they needed a break to get over this lockdown.
Will Webber have big plans for next season, will he try and jump ship as at Huddersfield, will he stick with Farke or will Farke take up an offer from Germany there are a couple of openings or will there be a big overhaul of the defence, Zimmerman could stay, Hanley as well, Godfrey, Arron and Lewis could be a wanted men but just maybe teams will be put off by the costs or look at them and think 1 season championship wonders only time will tell.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Keep safe and well
Hi Alex.
I knew Fahrmann’s loan fee was off the scale but in a naïve way thought we might have got something back when his stay was ended early. I’ll take your word for it that matter didn’t end that way.
Who will stay and who will go is a great question none of us know the answer to. If I had to pick three they would be Aarons, Buendia and Cantwell but they were being touted at £30m each before Covid-19 and now we’d be lucky to get said £30m for all three of them.
I’m only trying to be realistic.
The way Stuart Webber left Huddersfield concerns me equally. It’ll be down to who wants him [and Ben and Zoe] tbh and I don’t see Farke remaining if SW leaves.
When it comes to making a good t’ing bad nobody does it quite like Norwich City – with apologies to Rastamouse.
Cheers mate.
At least Blackpool Airport was in the news for the wrong thing a Banner over Turf Moore saying white lives count which they do, but let’s all hope for a speedy out come to all things that we love about the game.
On the matter of the 2 loans Webber said just after both got cancelled that it was a one off payment for both players and no refunds if terminated but that the whole loan fee would could towards the permanent transfer if completed for Amadou.
We no longer buy expensive flops just take players on over priced loans which is worse I am not sure
Thanks for that.
I think the fee for Amadou was rumoured to be around £9 million so it might have been part of the deal but I’m pretty sure a purchase was never really on the cards!
I’m not a gambler so please don’t take this post as encouragement to have ‘a fun punt’ (as those venal exploiters of the vulnerable like to try and camouflage their blatant highway-robbery), but just to show how low expectations have dropped. Bearing in mind Norwich are at home and playing a team from the same division as themselves they are an astonishingly long 7-1 against to win the FA Cup tie against Man Utd! The open market obviously has little or no confidence in NCFC. A view shared by a fair few in the city now. My worry is it’s difficult to see that changing in the near future. And even worse, if it carries onto next season that could be an even more painful nine months. The goal of just surviving as a football club is a worthy opening ambition, but if that’s the only ambition, what’s the point? If you like, where’s the return on your investment? Where’s the joy?
The joy is in being opt I mist ic! Look forward to the underdog beating the odds and the zillionaires by excellent and cheap recruitment, wily tactics and vibrant youth. What’s not to like?
NB I’d forgotten the young striker, Sebastian Soto from Hannover. Apparently coming soon to this parish but might have take a loan detour whilst work permit is organised.
Yet another one to hope for in the next couple of seasons.
OTBC
Ah that’s better – you can never beat a bit of hope 🙂
Thanks Nick.
Hi Nick. I agree at heart. Where there’s hope there’s something to look forward to!
Hi – great username btw 🙂
I don’t bet either – I used to be a Saturday boy in FW Jordan in London’s Commercial Road back in the 1970s and I’ve seen what that habit can do to people. Although I smoke, and drink like a thirsty haddock, so I have no claim to purity.
What’s the point? Where’s the joy?
Two bl00dy good questions mate and right now I have no answer to either of them.
Good post – thanks.
Thanks Martin. had to get some negativity out of my system before the hope gauge can start to fill up again. Good times to come!
I’m looking forward to us playing Liverpool in the Community Shield.
Sublime.
End of.
Hello Martin, I don’t envy your task in trying to,come up with something different to say with regard to our performances. I suppose one could argue that it was better than the garbage served up against Southampton, but that would be damning with faint praise.
As we both mused prior to the game, some devil meant and physicality, allied to a bit of pace wouldn’t go amiss. This element was duly supplied by Hernandez, who displayed admirable effort and will to win and the grand old statesman Tettey, who does the ugly so well. Most of the rest simply just do ugly stuff.
Farkes preoccupation with bizarre practices at corners is starting to boil my p1ss, and that of many others I suspect. For Gods sake man, just let Klose, Godfrey, McLean et al loose, free to use strength, height, a good run up, their teeth if necessary, to stop any Tom, dick or Sally just mincing into our box totally unfettered and plopping the ball into our net. I don’t care how ‘pure’ it looks, or how aesthetically pleasing, how intrinsic to our ‘identity’, just clear the blighter.
While we’re at it, ‘ flick, fart and fanny’ is losing its appeal somewhat as well. The snobbery surrounding our style of play is misplaced, given our sterile output and the worst scoring run since 1908, when we plied our trade at Newmarket road. Goal equal entertainment, some wingplay and a bit of grant holt and Bradley are looking more attractive by the day.
The whole transfer strategy and the fruit it bore is a subject which will be explored feverishly in the summer, I for one can’t wait, we didn’t so much pay peanuts, we paid husks. Witness the monkeys that followed. The bunch that came in would rival the disasters heaped upon us by Hamilton, worthington and gunn, so poor has been their impact.m
Duda, for all his apparent reputation should learn another trade. Why on earth wasn’t he removed from set pieces after the first two or three? Pure, unadulterated garbage.
Farke, Webber and a lot of the players now have some serious questions to answer following these performances.
Hi Chris.
Yes it’s difficult, particularly at times like this – Gary went with Lewis Hamilton yesterday and I went with Morecambe & Wise today. I don’t always have time to read Gary’s stuff before I write my own [although I try to] but we haven’t specifically coincided yet. Apart from the football itself.
Corners are a joke at both ends of the pitch and have been for quite some time.
Some wag on a different site said that if we get a corner we might as well tap it to the oppo keeper and retreat to the halfway line en masse. And if the oppo get one we should just save time by advancing to the centre circle for the inevitable restart.
Something tells me the next few months will tell us a lot about our beloved Canaries, but with the immovable object[s] in place there’s nothing we can do. Not then, not now and certainly not in the future.
We all expected this scenario back in August but when reality hits, it hits hard, doesn’t it?
Thanks as ever.
Why so much negativity on player transfer fees. Sure the big boys will not have fans in the stadium , but the income they dop is but a drop in the ocean. If we sell to teams that qualify for Europe they still have income streams we can only dream off.
so be canny on who we sell to and the big money will still be there.
I know its only going to increase the gap betwen the top6/7 of the prem to the rest of us , but as we cant compete now , we should fill our boots with their cash.
Hi Bernie
That’s an interesting viewpoint and I get where you’re coming from but I have a huge problem with the theory.
If we did fill our boots with the super-rich clubs’ cash it would only be banked to help with self-sustainability with the biproduct of propping up the Smith dynasty for a few more years and I don’t like the thought of the biproduct!
Cheers.
There just doesn’t seem to be any passion there. I know that’s an overused phrase, and often meaningless. But: Big Dunc,, Bradders, Gary Holt, Big Holty, Iwan, thats what I mean. Is that too much to ask for? Godfrey may well get there in a year or two, for AN Other Club, but at the moment he’s too young/inexperienced/lightweight in that respect.
Hi Dan.
I think you’re right and it concerns me too. We had plenty of passion last season – those boys wanted that title believe me – but this term it seems to have steadily evaporated to the nadir of right now.
Put Godfrey as DM in front of, say, Van Dijk and Gomez and I think he’d show some passion right now!
Thanks
No fat ladies from me.
I’ll give you David Soul instead – Don’t give up on us Baby!
Ha!
Nice one.
Marty, I’m afraid our manager and most of our players have lost their way, the odd tweak here and there isn’t going to change things. As things stand we’ll be in the do do next season unless there are major changes. I hope Danny jumps ship over the summer and doesn’t cling on to a bitter parting, good try but the wheels came off, like the DeLorean.
Hi Cutty.
I wouldn’t give up on Daniel just yet. He may rise phoenix like from the ashes in August/September/October, or whenever next season begins behind closed doors.
However his personal resurrection may well be with a different club in a different country. And I wouldn’t blame him one iota if he chose that route. On a personal level I would guess he’s a bit pi$$ed off with the lack of financial backing he has [not] received.
We have to let said ashes settle but I wouldn’t fancy my chances of dragging this lot back into the PL in time for 21-22.
Although we had high hopes this time last year our fate was inevitable.
And so on to United 🙁
Seems like Aston Villa can’t get a win like us just need to win our game in hand to put some pressure on the teams above us there could still be a mathematical miracle
Nice thought mate but for me it’s us, Villa and Bournemouth!