Please Daniel, is there any chance of this becoming a regular experience?
You surely know what I mean – winning by the odd late, late goal and keeping up the improvement in performance levels on a virtually game by game basis. This grinding out of results is becoming very popular with us supporters, you know.
Of course although *grinding out* the result against Birmingham is technically correct, we actually played much better than that descriptive phrase suggests.
I’m never one for game-particular stats as such [although I love to read the analytical articles proffered on MFW] but even I was impressed with 73 per cent possession and something like 23 shots.
There’s parking the bus and there’s, erm, Aitor Karanka’s Birmingham City. If you come for a point and don’t get one that’s justice done as the toothless soothsayers of footy often say.
We’ll see a lot more of that this season, as soon as this Saturday when we encounter Wycombe and that’s for sure.
Many folks appear to have chosen the returning Todd Cantwell as their Man of the Match. Considering he’d been *off the scene* for a while he looked pretty sharp. He also drew the foul that invited a second yellow for Blues’ Adam Clayton and generally was always a threat as we tried to work it through the middle.
However my personal choice for pick of the crop on a night when no-one played badly would be Lukas Rupp. He looks so much better in centre midfield and at times seemed to have dancing feet – a side to his game I’d never seen before anyway. And although Emi Buendia will quite rightly claim the assist for Mario Vrancic’s winner, much of the credit was down to Rupp.
Before the dust had settled on Clayton’s dismissal Rupp won a crucial turnover that swiftly moved through Emi to Adam Idah. As Idah ran across the defender Mario nipped in to sweep it home. Jeez we deserved that.
Of course, being City we contrived to throw it away in the dying seconds when Emi and Xavi Quintilla made *a couple of bad decisions* at the back but luckily Birmingham’s Harlee Dean shanked the chance in a way I suspect Ben Godfrey would not have done. And yet again, Emi stormed down the tunnel. Anyone remember Edith Piaf?
I know we can’t get too excited about narrow wins over Rotherham and then Birmingham but these are our first back-to-back victories since May 2019. And our first home win since Leicester in our last game before lockdown.
I don’t expect Wycombe to roll over but a win against them will put us into the Top Six. No not that top six, the Championship version. And where we want and need to be.
A week is a long time in football, as they say.
I like the Edith Piaf reference Martin but, do me, he’s more Violet Elizabeth Bott from the Just William books running off to thcream and thcream ’till he’s thick …
Hi Adrian
I loved that comment – I grew up with the William books and you can blame Richmal Crompton for my [probably lack of] writing style. Really – I robbed the lot from her in so many ways. Not for hard news stuff obvs, but just about everything else.
I so nearly referenced Morrissey instead of Piaf. But then I thought 5″7″, football heaven so it couldn’t be the towering Smiths frontman so it was Edith.
Cheers – nice one.
The trouble with stats is that when you point at possession when you win AND you point at possession when you lose, it becomes meaningless.
I am truly glad I’m not a Birmingham fan. Setting up shop for a draw so early in the season would be soul destroying, let alone it not working. It almost worked, but I think we were always going to break through eventually.
Hi Dave
As I said previously I love our MFW stats articles when they’re analysed and explained – you have previous for doing some very good ones for us so you’ll now what I mean.
Karankaball can be dreadful as we found out at Wembley when it played right into our hands. I too would not like to be a Brum fan right now. That style is SO boring to watch and, come to that, hardly original any more.
Thanks a lot.
Should have been clear, my comment is not at the author or editor of this wonderful piece, but Farke’s insistence on pointing at any favorable stat that suits a story.
Yes I can assimilate that.
Several of us readers and writers on MFW have used/relied upon stats in previous incarnations. In my case if I needed a bulletproof graphic from data I’d outsource it – I simply couldn’t trust myself.
Arts v sciences?
There’s no clear winner. 🙂
Hi Martin
A good read and summary if last nights game and they are coming thick and fast with the Brentford game on sky Red button next week then a 12-30 game again on sky on the 26th.
Rupp across of Leitner and Trybull so someone said let’s hope it continues.
Many bluenoses are complaining about Cantwell theatrics last night but I will say he got some harsh treatment from Clayton.
Wycombe have a few bully boys in their collective choir boys ensemble and a very larger than life forward that will test our new found strength in 2 CB’s.
Farke ball two is live and kicking let it progress and hopefully the die hard Farkeout Brigade will soon change their minds.
There will be possibly 2 or 3 clubs saying why didn’t we take a gamble on Cantwell/Beundia if this form keeps up just maybe come the next window offers will come in and we have to hope 1 or both want to stay to finish off a season on a high note.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe and stay healthy
Ha!
Wycombe have got a *very much larger than life frontman*? Oh yes indeedy as our pre-match preview will mention. Maybe twice if our Allan K mentions him too.
I don’t see Grant and Gibbo having too much trouble with Akinfenwa if I’m honest.
We’d have to really be on the bottom of the Championship pond before I would shout for “Farke Out” which I feel is a perfect definition of be careful what you wish for.
Okay it’s not completely great but I can see some signs that we’re getting there.
Certainly improving, anyway.
Cheers mate
Couldn’t get an ifollow video pass last night – anyone know why they weren’t available to casual buyers, particularly members?
Rupp’s early critics all failed to allow for the fact that he arrived halfway through a tough season in the world’s most competitive top division. No wonder he struggled.
Let’s hope that after a couple of tense wins the guys can relax a little, and as a result perhaps be a lot more composed with their finishing. 23 shots is great, but about 1 in 6 on target isn’t. It would be nice to put a game to bed before the opponents go down to 10 men.
Hard to know at the moment how well we are doing. 2 years ago we played Leeds, WBA and Sheff U in the first 6 matches. Only Bournemouth we’ve played so far look contenders this year. Next week’s 2 away games, and high-flying Milwall after that, will presumably give us a better idea of whether we can make a serious challenge.
Hi Keith.
I can’t answer your ifollow question I’m afraid unless your email registered with NCFC is inaccurate [or not recently linked to ifollow] but I’m sure that’s not the case.
Ring the Club is my best advice. They’re usually extremely helpful.
I think we must all accept [whoever we support] that this is very much early days and with tongue firmly in cheek I’d add that if I were, for instance, a Royals or a Bristol City fan I wouldn’t be getting too carried away just now.
Relaxing as a supporter is impossible – ponder what it’s like for a committed player!
Thanks as always.
Could it have been on tv somewhere? Here it was on ESPN+ and not the usual iFollow.
Agree about Rupp,at the moment he’s a shoe in for a start every game.As for Cantwell on his day he is a better player than Buendia,infact if one had to go I’d rather it be EMI.All in all a good display,just wish Pukki would get back to his best,looked a yard off the pace last night,oh and let’s pray Gibson or Hanley dont get injured!
Hi Tony
It’s great to hear Lukas Rupp getting some positive vibes. He deserves them.
As for your CB prayers I’m sure we would all be with you. It’s crucial that the three muskateers stay fit/regain fitness as there’s no cavalry coming over the hill until January, if even then. We’ll have to wait and see on that issue to be sure.
Thanks a lot
I profoundly echo your prayers for Grant and Gibbo. They’re looking good.
Still dont know why I watched that game, because there were plenty of way higher level games played same time. Very one sided game, Norwich shot 23 times but they still not created many good scoring chances. Basically all of them went to Cantwell, who should have passed one to Pukki who were in way better place to score. Even Cantwell missed his chances, I would choose him as Norwich best player yesterday. Best player of the game was in Birmingham side, Maxime Colin really impressed. Birmingham also had just before full time whole games best scoring chance, but their striker proved that he is technically really awful player. It makes you wonder how is it possible to play as professional when your technical skills are so limited?
Norwich played with 2 strikers, Hugill seems more like a target player type who is also untypical short for that and that will not work together with Pukki. Pukki needs his striker partner to have excellent movement and great stamina. Pukki made couple of really good passes but that is not really his playing style to play so far from net. Injuries seems to be bothering him too all the time. In Norwich I can see that you overrate very much his importance for Finland, there is 2 bundesliga strikers and Forss (Brentford) and some other are also pushing for starting place. There is no way possible that a player who does not show much brilliance in championship level would play instead bundesliga players. He looks exactly like a player who needs change, if Norwich in january are still in race of promotion he possible stays even he should not. His own career is going now down because he does not use his full capacity. Its typical problem to his career and I honestly does not believe it will happen with Norwich.
Hi something
You constantly change your ID but I presume it’s you as you’re the Finnish guy who likes to keep tabs on Teemu Pukki and so you should 🙂
Of course Cantwell should have cut back for Pukki. Cantwell hit the goalkeeper’s body so it wasn’t even a proper save in that sense but Etheridge stood up and kept the effort out.
Norwich City are going through a period of transition and what that will mean for Teemu even us supporters, observers and commentators do not know for sure.
Teemu is coming up to 31 years of age and as you say maybe our style does not help him – he played in a kind of no.10 role on Saturday, very slightly behind Jordan Hugill.
Be reassured – Teemu left the field with cramp [dunno what you call that in Finland] so he’s nailed on to play again on Saturday. No further foot/toe issues that we know of just now.
Please continue to comment on MFW – we love to hear from supporters from other clubs, let alone other countries.
Kiitos!
Absolutely agree Martin a thoroughly well deserved win.
Anything else would have been daylight robbery. I love the fact Brum were trying to time waste so early on, dear old Karanka would love 15 minutes each half.
I agree Rupp and Cantwell were superb.
But, there is always a but with us. What other team would be caught out 3 defenders against 4 attackers in the 96th minute when they are 1-0 up ?
But don’t you still love them !!!
OTBC
Hi Tim
If we didn’t have two resident terriers I would have been thinking about having kittens with that last-gasp balls-up. We got away with it and it makes me laugh that so many folks have conveniently forgotten about it. It happened, oh yes.
Yes of course I still love them – I’d just like to be there to tell them so!
Thanks as always.
Thank you Mr P; very much as I saw it too.
Last night was my first experience of iFollow, and very good it was too…..especially when I worked out to catch up with the live feed!!
As for the game, thank goodness Karanka is not our manager. How can you honestly want to go and see that week after week? Considering the newcomers, I thought it a good team performance. So many a solid 7 or 8 out of 10, but MotM for me was Max Aarons. A superb outlet at any time, and in attack his end product is now so much better…….and an honourable mention to Emi; yes, he is VERY frustrating, but who was it at the very end with an important touch to deny an almost certain equaliser??
On to Saturday. Given what happened against Wayne Rooney’s Derby, and our subsequent “recovery”, does another Along Come Norwich moment beckon??
O T B C
Hi John
I’ve never had any problems with ifollow either. So far!
Max always looks so comfortable on the ball and is a joy to watch. I can’t believe he’s still here tbh but equally I’m glad he is.
As for an ACN moment, I’m not expecting one myself this time out – see the MFW Wycombe preview tomorrow!
Cheers
After the batterings of last season it’s a different world in the champs where opponents dare not step out of shape against us.
Fully deserved win but very frustrating at times, still plenty to work on.
On the subject of which is anyone else a little concerned by Quintilas defensive attributes? Crosses are coming in too easily from that side, not a left back in the Drury mould!
Hi Segura
Yes I’d agree with you about Quintilla. I suppose we’ve grown used to Jamal Lewis in that position and Xavi is a diffferent type of player altogether. I dunno the ratio of crosses coming in as in left v right but there seem to have been more down Xavi’s side.
Great shout on Adam Drury – let’s remember he played with Hucks in front of him too, which hardly made his job any easier 🙂
Cheers
Goodness Martin – a very interesting team selection by DF in the face of what he expected to be a very defensive opposition.
As it turned out, it was indeed quite a battle on Tuesday night at CR, but really good to see that we kept going to the end.
At long last, ‘Lukas came to our aid’ (I’ll get my coat) and robbed the defender which led to the goal by ‘Super Mario’.
IMO, it was quite interesting to see that MotM was fairly even between Rupp and TC and they both worked really hard.
We’ll never know what was said between DF and TC, but I’m sure I’m not alone in being surprised to see DF welcome back the ‘Dereham Deco’ akin to the parable of the ‘Prodigal Son!!’ I was reading an article I’d submitted a month or so ago where I felt that the outcome of DF dropping both Emi and Todd wouldn’t end well and as it has turned out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Thankfully!!!
I expect quite a few teams will set up in a similar fashion to Brum in the weeks and months ahead and we just need to be a lot more clinical in our finishing. I’m sure that one day we’re going to get a comfortable win. I have to admit that I was a bit concerned at times, as Brum could easily have taken the lead quite early on and Quintilla needs to work on his defensive duties
Hi Ed
I think a lot of us felt that Todd & Emi had gone too far and would be moved on.
For a variety of reasons it didn’t happen and as quite a few of us have said in the last 24 hours Farke has probably instilled in both of them that it’s best they put in a shift between now and the next window if they want a move.
To be fair both looked like they wanted to be a part of it on Tuesday and especially with Kieran Dowell out until after Xmas we sure do need ’em.
As for getting your coat – I would after that Lukas aid quip 🙂
Hi Martin. Just like London buses, you wait 8 months for a win and two come together!
I’m not too worried about the why and wherefores. After the projected misery of the longest losing run in City’s history, I’m just happy to get reacquainted with the winning feeling.
Yes, cantwell should have squared the ball, and I effed and jeffed almost non stop until the next chance came along as a result. Yes, Birmingham were woeful, indicative of the weaknes of this years league. Who cares?
Mario the rolls Royce, does the business yet again. Also credit where it’s due to Herr Rupp, who can be very pleased with his contribution.
Hi Chris
Growing up in London as I did I now exactly what you mean about buses but the City’s not really any different. Especially on the 28/29 route I used to use sometimes until Covid. Buses aren’t for me just now – I’d rather walk!
Rupp was understatedly brilliant to my eyes. As for Mario he’s a bit like an Alfa Spyder I once owned – unbeatably classy and full of real fun when it functions but prone to terminal rot and breakdowns.
But quite something to give a great 20-30 minute run-out to. Wish I still had it!
Cheers