At half time on Saturday, I had both my kriss and kukri out, sharpened and most certainly ready for theoretical action against our current management.
What an abysmal first 45 minutes it was and I defy anybody to argue against that. We were awful.
Tim Krul? What can you say? If first goalscorer Freddie Ladapo’s pen had gone in, that would surely have been that.
We’ve had some great, great keepers over the years but never one quite like Krul when it comes to penalties. Even Kevin Keelan wouldn’t get near him.
Into the second half and [collectively having missed a few chances in the first] Max Aarons eventually swings a beautiful cross into the box from the right. Jordan Hugill wasn’t on the end of it but Rotherham skipper Michael Ihiekwe was. Head? Shoulder? Still not completely sure although I’ve seen it several times. Back of the net, anyway.
Then came the game-changer: a horrendous two-footed “challenge” on Olly Skipp from Angus MacDonald. A furious Daniel Farke yelled from the sidelines that it could have ended Skipp’s career, or something like that. Luckily that was wide of the mark and Skipp was able to carry on for a while, at least. Hard lads, these Tottenham boys.
A couple more fine saves from Millers’ keeper Jamal Blackman and an atrocious miss from a free header by Mario Vrancic meant that everybody was prepared for 1-1 and a point each. Or were they?
Our Emi wasn’t. He drew a foul beautifully on 90+4 and the referee quite rightly pointed to the spot.
Who wanted to take it? Emi. But Hugill over-ruled Buendia and scored a classic penalty. Cool or what?
I guess you could say it was a fortuitous victory. I wouldn’t disagree with anybody who did say that.
But, and this is a crucial but, we’ve proved at last that we can win ugly. We didn’t flow, we were not conjoined. But at half time we were looking down the barrel of no points but emerged with three. With a coolly-taken late injury time, match-winning penalty thrown in for good measure.
No I was not pleased with the overall performance but I’ve seen the first shoots of a repeat of 2018-19. Win ugly, get the points, come home and wait for Birmingham tomorrow evening.
Along with a Police colleague I once had the great pleasure of sharing a drink of Nepalese tea with a few members of a Gurkha regiment during a training operation at Lippitts Hill helicopter base in Essex in the early 1980s. They were very pleasant but remarkably taciturn fellas.
My mate Pete and I learned that the kriss and the kukri were to be appreciated, revered and respected. The Gurkhas we met didn’t carry either on duty [or off I would imagine].
So I’ve no knives out for Farke. I love winning ugly.
Well Mr P, a superb headline – courtesy of Gary??
Yes, not only were the knives out for SW/DF, but I heard a rumour that there was a growing band of farmers/farm workers assembling in the Lidl car park in North Walsham armed with pitchforks. As you rightly say ‘an ugly win’ – but what an excellent way to do it with almost the last kick of the game. The effect it must have on team confidence/morale is immeasurable.
I’m sure I’m not alone in being surprised by Saturday’s starting 11, but well done to DF for his selections and already he’s hampered by injuries.
Talk about doing things the ‘hard way’ – we needed an OG and a last minute penalty to bring home all 3 points from South Yorkshire. I see that once again, we have an opposition GK having a brilliant game and denied us scoring at least one goal in the first half.
I was following the game via the EDP website and I couldn’t believe that we gifted Rotherham the opener and then Idah gave away a penalty, only for Tim Krul to ‘ride to our rescue’ yet again – had it gone 2-0, I’m not sure we could have come back from that.
IMO, we need to take a minimum of 4 points from our next 2 games and after that the games come thick and fast, with another 4 games before the next international break.
At long last the transfer window has slammed shut (for TEN WHOLE WEEKS) and as I hoped back at the beginning of summer we have only lost 2 of our young stars (I hoped for 2 or 3!!). SW/DF tried to bring in another CB, but were unsuccessful, though Tettey can play there.
Reading an article by PD yesterday evening, it appears that TC has had a ‘clear the air’ chat with DF and let’s hope that he gets over his bruising and starts delivering the goods as we all know he can
I’ll end by saying how great it is to see our Under 23 team getting results this season after a disappointing time last season and they currently sit top of their section of PL2, having played more games. One defeat in 5 games and only conceding 4 goals in the process is fantastic. I used to go to any games that were at CR and saw the likes of both Maddison and Godfrey developing.
Sorry trying to get a CB in doesn’t cut the mustard city were Interested in Ryan Bennett and a young lad at ManC both went to Swansea then their is the Loan of Carter Vickers to Bournemouth two of our biggest promotion adversaries boost their CB options so there were players to get in but as usual with city to little to late or was it to say money???
Carter-Vickers to me would have been ideal as you and I have discussed before.
Maybe Jose felt Skippy was enough for us for one season!
Morning Mr P, as you say very poor, yep we won ugly, we can only beat what is in front of us, we got away with one. Hanley’s lack of game / training did show, but felt he grew into the game. Idah’s inexperience also showed, with giving penalty away. But than gawd for Krull what a game changer he is.
Young Master Skipp is quite a lad, seems a pity he isn’t ours, just got to find a replacement for him. Do not like loans to much
Rotherham will upset and put teams out of their stride that’s for sure, we are a big scalp to make the knotch for, plus the added Norwich connection of Warnes, made them give little bit extra.
Poor and disjointed, it was, but a dam good 3 points sorely needed
Hi Lad
We got away with one. Spot on.
You could say Krul changed the game twice!
I just hope that’s upped the confidence level as a team like us really needs said confidence to get us flowing.
Thanks
Hi Martin
Having invested in a new iPad, I was finally able to watch a match on iFollow. Although it took me until halftime to work out how to switch from the (awful) Rotherham commentary to the one on Radio Norfolk, the win made the £10 match fee seem worthwhile!
It was a surprisingly open game, wasn’t it, with lots of chances at both ends. Despite the changes in personnel, in the first half we seemed determined to try and play through the middle and expect Hugill to make the runs that Pukki would have made. In the second half, when the crosses started to come in, we looked more dangerous, I thought.
We desperately need to start scoring goals from open play because I can’t see our defence keeping many clean sheets!
Hi John
Funny you should mention tablets. I’m on Mrs P’s today cos number one laptop has decided to lose its mouse yet again and this time I can’t restore it😥
They’re great for many things [including Ifoĺlow] but not ruddy typing!
It was indeed an open game and Rotherham didn’t play as much long ball as I expected.
Goals will surely come. It’s a question of how many, of course. It might be a cliche but this is a tough old league to get out of. We’ll see.
Thanks
Hi Ed
The headers are always Gary’s, on my articles anyway!
You make a good point about the u-23s of course. I always watched a couple of games myself – when we were allowed to of course. The young keeper is on loan from Chelsea and I read somewhere that he’s never played for them but has been loaned out six times🤔
As for Todd this must be the original “the ball’s in his court” situation. It’s just possible that nobody wanted him at £20m!
Cheers.
I’ve juste watched the match highlights available on the EDP website and I feel that we were unlucky not to score in the first half as a result of some excellent saves and poor decision making by young Idah in front of goal, but I’m sure hee’ll learn from it.
Yes, several clubs were interested in TC, but the £20M was just too much for those interested.
I suspect Todd’s agent was stirring the pot at the time and sadly will again prior to January.
I hope Todd has learnt not to believe everything his agent tells him Martin.
Farke was explaining this many weeks ago, telling the players not to believe all you hear from your agent and he has been proven 100% correct.
To be honest it has made Todd look a bit of a chump. Just glad he didn’t turn up at Leeds on deadline day, like Peter Odemwingie did at QPR all those years ago poor lad.
Too true Tim. Too true.
Rio and his team handled the Godfrey transfer with pure dignity and achieved a great result for all concerned – NCFC and Everton included.
It’s a long time since Hucks allegedly [I believe it!] told his agent to go swiv on a large one.
Mayhap those days are gone. But “chump” remains an excellent soubriquet for Todd just now and a more polite word than I would have used.
If it hadn’t been an own goal, surely it would have been a Hugill goal-the build up play to it was excellent. Emi did well to draw the penalty and Hugill was calm in taking it (although I like to see penalties threaten to burst the net and take the keeper with the ball should he be daft enough to get anywhere near it).
The performance was ok, with the occasional spark of fluency. I think Rupp is ok but, if we’re going to play with 2 CDMs I would like one of them to be Tettey-his physical presence and ability to break up play makes me think we always look better with him than without..
I’m really glad of the 3 points. I’m glad that no one seems to be getting carried away on the back of it as there is obviously room for much improvement.
We now need to get our first home win. If we could get that tomorrow against Birmingham it would be a ‘lovely old job’ as I work with quite a few Blues fans.
Hi Don
You’re obviously from the Ray Stewart school on pens. Sometimes I wish we had Neeyul back. One failure in his entire City career!
OK is the best word to descibe Rupp.
Apart from the Farke Out folks I think most us are quite accepting of the bedding in period.
I too am really glad of the three points.
Cheers
I’ve only seen the 7 minutes highlights put out by the club but re. Rupp he’s clearly got a pass in him on either foot. Lovely right-footer to set up Stieperman and later an instant left-footed low cross. I’m not sure which is supposed to be his stronger foot but he’s clearly not one to hesitate and always try to move the ball onto that one first.
He’s not flash, hasn’t got the silky skills of a Buendia, nor the dead ball delivery of Vrancic, so his contribution isn’t as visible as some. But as a link player moving the ball quickly from back to front he might yet prove very handy at this level.
But that’s only based on 7 minutes. Maybe he was awful for the other 83….
Rupp didn’t get off to a great start but he looks so muuch better in centre mid and you make a great point when you say he can effectively use both feet. That is quite an asset which not every player possesses.
Think Wes, Bradders or even Leon Barnett if you will!
Hi Keith. When I said he was OK, in my mind I was responding to some fans who seem to think that he’s got the ability of a Sunday League 3rd Division player-I know he’s not one of those because I was! I agree with you about him and I think he has something to contribute, but I’d still like to see Tettey playing.
I too played at that very same level -but there were ten divisions in the Harlow League so maybe I don’t feel so bad.
Seriously to quote the Rich Kids you’ve either got it honey or you ain’t.
The only pro I ever played against to my knowledge was Ian Culverhouse. He was a few years younger than me and made me look even more stupid than I actually was. As he did with the other 10 of us tbh. He played midfield right that day and God he was good.
A “nosebleed when he goes over the halfway line?
Not that day, for sure.
Marty, as you say an ugly win is still a win, and it would seem that the Gods are favouring us again. It’s going to take a new squad time to find their rhythm and they got stuck in to the final whistle, where there’s belief there’s hope. Rotherham were always going to be a tough nut to crack and before the game I’d pencilled in a draw. A couple of years ago I would have said Krul was the weak link but how wrong, what a star.
Hiya Cutty
I too was expecting a draw. And I bloody nearly got one.
As for the footy gods I wouldn’t wish to question them but by Jeez we needed a break – and it finally arrived at a tough place to go.
Hope all is well with you and yours in Bruindale.
Cheers
Yes an ugly and lucky win and farke actually changed something but its injuries starting again already is it their training regime ???
Hi Jim
The jury is very much out on our training regime as I’m sure you would agree.
Trouble is without being privy to exactly what the sessions entail I haven’t got a scòoby.
Sounds like one for the Archant lads to me!
Thanks
Good morning Martin.
I didn’t see the match so I cannot comment how bad we were in the first half, but the general consensus was that it was dreadful.
Mark “Rivo” Rivers certainly thought we were, and Mark doesn’t mince his words. He couldn’t say it but I think the word he was looking for was crap.
But although I thought we were poor against Derby we certainly deserved at least a point so I suppose it kind of evened things up.
That win could be massive though, with Brum and Wycombe to come at home we must at least go into them games in high spirits, something that has been very rare of late.
I know football is a game of opinion but I was amazed by a comment by one of Rob’s regular Canarycall listeners.
Fair enough he wanted Farke out, that is a legitimate position but then he went on to say that the Championship winning season was awful football !!!
Fortunately he was pulled up by both Rivo and Rob Butler as talking rubbish, but this is were we are now. It wouldn’t take too many more poor results before the pitchforks come out.
One of the EDP guys said this win was reminiscent of our win against Middlesboro in that championship season. I remember that game well and I still think we are some way behind that type of performance. That match was when I first thought we can have a decent season here, no way did I see how good.
I still think the football tempo is too slow, more like Daniel’s first season. But to be fair there are a lot of new players to be bedded in and i’m afraid that injury curse has struck us again.
The next 2 games will tell us a lot.
Hi Tim
Totally agree on all points. Especially “the next two games will tell us a lot” of course.
I never listen to Canary Call [to me it verges on humanoid bear baiting] but I must agree with you about Rivo on the comentary with Chris G. Only a very rare appearance from Mark Walton tops him imo.
Thanks as ever
Hi Martin
Well a manger lives or dies by his decisions and sometimes by the decisions of other ie director of football and Farke has been left short in the CB department and compounded not getting another in by loaning out our two best up and coming ones so for the next 11 weeks we live in hope that no serious injuries to the 3 available.
Tettey and our man of mystery Sorenson are both said to be cover for CB but as with last season none of the cover proved adequate in the position.
There are more teams in this league that will be up for a fight just like Rotherham and city will need to out muscle them or get trampled underfoot.
Farke has to adapt to winning ugly and tomorrow will be another tough game at home followed by Wycombe another very physical side then the Wednesday a sky red button game so over this period any defensive injuries will really bite us in the rear.
With both Gibson and Hanley short on playing time and Zimmerman with a knock just maybe we will have to test our cover options or even throw in our young hopefuls.
As I said managers live by their decisions Spurs had a 3-0 lead with Nobele running their midfield ge gets taken off and Bale comes on WHU score 3 in 8mins and you look at their resources compared to city.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe and stay healthy
Hi Alex
Your point about the CB situation remains pertinent and valid. I’ve always felt this would be a transitional season while hoping for something better.
We just don’t know and not being able to see the players live doesn’t help in making judgements or forming cognative opinions.
I guess anyone who writes for MFW or similar sites has the same problem – I’ve never seen Rupp, Placheta or Skipp with my own two eyes!
To be brutally honest I don’t see us out-muscling anybody.
Seems like Farkeball or bust🙂
Cheers mate
One of the curiosities about Farke’s team in 2018/19 was that although they played some lovely, and at times irrepressible, football they rarely dominated a match. Rarely did they go out and you just knew, within the first few minutes, that there was only one team in the game. Yet in the end they dominated the league.
It looks as though it could be the same again – at least in terms of dominating games. Walking away with the league looks rather less likely, although I reckon in the end we will do well.
It’s easy enough for a team like Rotherham to come out all hard-working physical pressure, tackles flying in everywhere, when they are still fresh, 5 games into the season. They and Coventry also had a long rest from mid-March to help get rid of all the niggly injuries that build up in a normal season. Keeping that approach going after a run of 2 games a week for much of the autumn and winter will be a different matter.
6 more games in the next 19 days completes the bedding in process.
Cementing the defensive midfield pairing of Skipp ‘n Rupp. Cant see the mayor breaking that up soon, ,maybe he will offer something further upfield , but Buendia, Cantwell, Stiepermann, Idah, Pukki and Hugill will have something to say about that. The mayor might be set for a spell on the bench.
.
Hi Bernie
I’d prefer to see Tetts back should [heaven forbid] anything go wrong with Rupp or Skippy.
Apart from that lovely header against Citeh early last season I can’t think of much McLean has offered recently. Problem is none of Kenny, Tettey or Rupp are real box-to-boxers like say, Bradders or Damien Francis.
But at least we’ve got some genuine competition in that area – especially with Sorensen around as well.
Cheers me ole tusker.
I seen the club has announced that Charlie Gilmore has been released not sure on this he was signed and the club had great expectations for him and his last season in Holland/Belguim got rave reviews till an injury, a disappointing end to a city career
Another situation I don’t really understand. Gilmour helped attract a couple of Arsenal youngsters to us – Matthew Dennis for one plus somebody else I can’t remember.
I hope Charlie G prospers as well as Korey Smith did when he was strangely let go all those years ago. Korey’s never been a superstar but a bloody good journeyman until this very day.
Maybe they’re starting to wise up on the injury prone? I dunno
Hi Keith
Good point about Rotherham, Coventry and indeed Wycombe [to a slightly lesser extent] having a rest while we were well and truly annihilated in the maelstrom of project restart – aka the PL demands more money scheme.
I think very many of us realise DF’s problems right now.
Surely his job is not an easy one just now.
Thanks as always.
Always look forward to the MMM (Monday Morning Martin) article. Great stuff as always – and even better now there’s regular games to dissect and discuss.
Hi Chris
As we both know, MFW writing life is very much easier when there’s some actual, tangible footy for us all to discuss.
I can bullsh*t for England but even I like something concrete to write about sometimes!
Cheers 🙂
Managed to watch the game on the old I-follow and I certainly got my £10 worth that’s for sure!
But as many have alluded to, that performance wasn’t great in the main and result really harsh on Rotherham (not that I care about that!)
I think most fans will agree that when Farkeball works well it can be a joy to behold, but when it doesn’t it’s often head in hands stuff – I’m happy for us to knock the ball around in what I would term ‘neutral’ periods of the game, but a couple of minutes in against an opponent already pressing you seems ridiculous.
On a plus, thanks once again to Krul not just for an outstanding pen save but also that stop in the second half when we failed to clear a free kick, I still can’t work out how they didn’t score that!
My other general thought was that for all Skipp and Rupp’s individual merits, as a pair I’m not sure they’re right, certainly not for that type of game and our defence could have done with a bit more shied.
I’ve not seen Sorenson play so can’t really comment on his abilities, but most Norwich managers end up getting to October / November and realising the team can’t function without Tettey. Once again, I feel his time may be nigh!
Hi Segura
Just like you I have the feeling Tettey will be getting some match action sooner rather than later. As I said to Alex above, there are several new recruits I’ve never seen and as you rightly say of Sorenson it’s impossible to comment until you have seen them play *live* a couple of times or so.
The hard and high press is so much part of the modern game that we’ll be up against an awful lot of it during the season.
Thanks.
Good piece Martin…..(and I always thought the headline was yours too. Silly me!)
I think we’ll take those 3 points thank you very much. From the snippets I’ve seen, it seemed we were unlucky to get nothing from Derby, so 3 points in a game where maybe a draw would have been fair sits OK with me. (Amazing that Rooney now misses 3 games having scored that worldie against us).
The CB position is a little worrying, and one wonders if it did indeed come down to money. We know that Mr Webber (to Delia’s delight no doubt) will not pay over the odds. I read somewhere that he was after Harry Wilson from Livarpool on loan but balked at the price as we are seen as cash rich….and then Wilson went to Cardiff for a much lower fee. If that’s true, I wonder how much Brentford would have been quoted.
2 eminently winnable home games this week, and how good qould another 6 points be? However, apparently there are fewer home wins now we are playing BCD than there have been over the past 40 or so years.
O T B C
Hi John
Whichever way we look at it, the CB situation is from from ideal. We’ve got to limp on [sorry!] until January with the injury-prone Zimbo and Hanley plus Gibson who probably still has a few cobwebs to shake off. But will we reinforce or recall youngsters Rocky Bushiri/Akin Famewo from loan instead? I think I know!
To balance that jaundiced view I’ve only see Famewo once in what must have been the under-23s but he looked quite handy and is certainly highly thought of at City HQ.
No I don’t write my own headlines, as it happens – that’s very much up to Gary!
Cheers
Happy days Martin! I’ll take three points any way they come. After the all time low of the last months it’s a feeling that has become rarer than hens teeth.
I don’t feel we were lucky. Far from it, we registered three times as many shots, more than twice the number on target and had 63 percent of the ball. Those figures back up a deserved, if ugly, win.
Snippets of good stuff, some stiepermann moments, Krul the penalty King, Aarons class and the not incpsiderable addition of some good old no nonsense toughness in the shape of the two smoggies. About bloody time I might add.
The trick, if it needs to be pointed out to anyone, is to follow it up. One swallow most definitely not a summer make.
Hi Chris
Smoggies – ha! I’ve not heard that term in ages and I didn’t even hear it mentioned at Wembley by our lot or the Boro. I guess Ben and Jordan will appreciate it 🙂
Maybe weren’t lucky in the true sense of the word. We worked hard enough to have won the match and that’s for sure. But if I were a Rotherham fan I’d still be wondering how they contrived to throw the game away.
So the Bluenoses tonight and three of those big, beautiful points from another ugly win would do me just fine.
Cheers