On this chilly, miserable November Monday morning, I thought I’d cast my eye back on the events of a week without EFL Championship fixtures to pontificate about in a kind of That Was The Week That Was [TW3] style – and it’s not all doom and gloom by any manner of means.
We saw the departure of the FA’s Greg Clarke for making some of the most ignorant comments I can recall. Now if that isn’t a positive, nothing is and while the FA still has got a lot of improvement to put in place this was a pretty good start. 
Our very own Mayor of Norwich, Kenny McLean, scored the vital penalty [okay our ex David Marshall followed up with the crucial save] to see Scotland through to their first major finals since 1998. Many said the MD 20/20 will be out for a while and MFW’s Mick Dennis tweeted that Kenny will probably be pi$$ed at least until our game with Boro. Who’s on NCFC penalty duty now, I wonder?
It would seem that, in his own words anyway, our combative midfielder you’ll all probably have forgotten about [Louis Thompson currently on loan together with Carlton Morris at Cafu’s MK Dons] seems to have shaken off his injury problems at long, long last.
To come back down to earth a bit there have been a few less cheery things to observe as there always are in the grand scheme of footballing things of course.
We are surely all concerned that our extensive [for an EFL Club anyway] international contingent all return to Colney safe and sound. It’s natural we feel that way but to me the whole situation is exacerbated because many of these matches are meaningless friendlies, and in these Covid-riddled times I simply do not understand the need for them and I know from comments on MFW and elsewhere that I am certainly not alone in that. 
On the Covid subject, if it can happen to Mo Salah it can happen to absolutely anyone. He goes to his brother’s wedding, contracts the virus and obviously is ruled out of Liverpool’s next match against Leicester. Somewhat shamefully I feel forced to admit he is my favourite PL striker and I wish him all the best for a safe and easy recovery – even though he was pictured with a mask under his chin.
Closer to home regarding Covid, a very close family member is an NHS manager and tells me off the record that we will collectively be butthole lucky to be back at the Carra in August 2021. While she admits everything fluctuates from day to day, let alone week to week, her best guess is January 2022 at the earliest. Hopefully, that will not be the case, but her prognosis is not good.
Leigh Griffiths’ social media response to Kyle Lafferty the other day. I’m a massive Celtic fan but…
However.
We’re still in the top three with everything to play for over the next 35 [yes, 35] games and a little hunch of mine tells me that Grant Hanley, Lukas Rupp, Todd Cantwell, Ben Gibson and hopefully even Xavi Quintilla might all be back for Boro and/or Stoke. Both tough games in every sense but we should be well capable of getting a result at both places A couple of draws wouldn’t be a disaster.
And Daniel Farke has come out and said he wants seven subs to be used once more. Whatever his actual motivation that statement smacks of his confidence in the squad.
No-one knows how this season will pan out in any respect but if we could keep up our momentum and lose only one player in January – we doubtless will, Delia will insist – it could prove very interesting indeed.
An absolutely brilliant article Martin on this bright and sunny Monday morning and almost outdone by Gary’s headline!!
Yes, let’s just hope our troops on International duty return unscathed and that ‘the Mayor’ has recovered from his hangover. I see Pukki scored one yesterday and was credited with an assist for the other.
I was reading DDF’s (aka David Freezer) article earlier and boy are we entering a tough run of games. We firstly lock horns with Colin’s Boro before meeting the Potters (I see the Owls now have Pullis as their manager!! A ‘wise’ move – only time will tell?).
We’re now looking at 12 games crammed into 6 weeks, so the MFW team is going to be extremely busy in the run-up to Xmas and the New Year. At least ‘Matron’ should get a few days respite, as it looks as though Rupp, Quintilla, Gibson and Cantwell have left sick bay and are raring to go.
I see Stevie Gerrard is interested in taking the Mayor back north of the border and paying the transfer fee in instalments. Obviously he isn’t experienced in dealing with SW!! 😀
Morning Ed
Yes I read Dave Freezer’s piece this morning too and with those upcoming fixtures printed in large, bold type it certainly emphasises just how compressed and relentless everything is.
Given the sensitivities of *club v country* issues at such times I’m not expecting an update on Hanley until Friday’s DF press conference but the others should all be fine. Max Aarons also – it was only FA protocol that sidelined him from the England under-21s following his concussion against Swansea.
As for the Mayor I feel we’re better off with him than without him and to me it’s just the start of the silly season rumours. There’ll be more of those and that’s for sure.
Cheers
The McLean/Marshall penalty masterclass was celebrated long into the night at my party for one (two if you count Buddy the Border Collie). The Norwich connection made this rare international celebration a bit more special.
Clarke and Cummings clearing their desks was a bonus. Liverpool fans’ moaning about their injury list is annoying and, much as I like Klopp I find it hard to empathise with any squad shortages they may have-perhaps they should have sent a few £m more our way. They’re soon going to have about half the absentees as we had last season!
A tough run of games coming up for City-when isn’t there? However, we look as though we’re set fair for a good tilt at the top two and don’t need to look enviously at any other team’s squad. Strange that Sky haven’t got us lined up for any matches-iFollow it is then.
Hi Don
I could very easily have mentioned Cummings too but after last week with the demise of Agent Orange I thought I wouldn’t. Weasels tend to be very adaptable so I’m sure he’ll turn up somewhere else sometime soon. Unfortunately.
As for GKs I cannot remember the last time two Norwich keepers played for their countries on the same night – as in Krul [Holland] and McGovern [NI]. A first?
As we know Sky fixtures tend to be *acquired* at relatively short notice so we’ll see.
I’ve not had any problems with i-Follow myself and I’m quite grateful for it really.
I hope Buddy didn’t touch the MD 20/20 – in my experience Borders have their crazy moments even when stone cold sober!
Thanks mate.
A positive and a negative to add to your week, Martin.
If the Mayor was still inebriated after their penalty shootout, it certainly didn’t show in yesterday’s defeat. He was outstanding, unlucky with the deflection that gave Slovakia their goal (at least, unlike some of his team-mates, he was trying to block it), and really unlucky with a great header. Scotland’s best player in that game by a mile.
As for England, a real no-show in front of goal. I can’t remember Coutois having to make one real save, despite England having 16 attempts (only three on target). The commentators were raving about Grealish, but despite his dribbling and falling down skills, there was no killer pass or creative move from him. And why bring on a player in real goal scoring form and play him out wide. Calvert-Lewyn must be well hacked off.
P.S. Another positive – a Pukki goal and assist for Finland!
Hi Jim
Yeah the Mayor is definitely one to keep if we can. He just doesn’t stand out in matches simply because there’s nothing flashy about him. I somehow doubt Rangers would stump up the rumoured £10-£12million for him anyway and squadwise their midfield is as stacked as ours. I see this one as unlikely tbh.
I didn’t bother to watch much of the England game and haven’t opened my Red Top yet so I’ll take your word for it.
We’ve got a new commenter on MFW with the handle *1×2* so hopefully he’ll give us his take on Pukki and the Finland win later.
Thanks as always
Hi Martin
A good read up here in the Sunny but cold North and still to many day trippers.
As we all knew this was going to be a shorter tough season and 2 games aweek would take its toll on the squad.
Sheff U and wilder have ridiculed LIVARPOOL and ManC demand for extra subs telling them that clubs in the championship manager on smaller squads so why can’t the super rich clubs manage their squads better.
I have only one criticism about Grealish’s performance last night and that was he wasn’t a team player, couldn’t see another player that had a better chance of scoring he was greedy to make his claim for a permanent position and the Ref must have got fed up with him falling over at the slightest touch worse that Salah trying g to get a penalty.
Pulis a few Sheffield Wed supporters are really not sure on this one half my wife family support them only time will tell.
Sky were bigging it up that coco Chanel hand only 1 win this season and as we know that was a free kick at city to win the game by Rooney who is now interim manager with a reputed Wally with a Brolly to assist him, also Monk in the frame so possibly a hard season for both clubs.
Strange decision were made earlier before the transfer window closed
Sinina sent out on loan just maybe he would have save us money on Hugill
Klose last minute sale to Basel
Macullem loaned to Coventry
Fawemo loaned to Charlton
Let’s just hope these don’t come back and bite a big hole in our season.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe and stay healthy
Fawemo is a short term loan, and could come back in January.
Yes Jim, and Famewo’s not the only one on potential recall. I believe a couple of others *out* might be up for returning in January too – I think Danel Sinani is one such but we’ve so many out I tend to lose track tbh.
And I used to wonder what Neil Adams actually did 🙂
Hi Jim
Short or long term with or without a recall option with cities recent history in CB injuries I just think it was shortsighted
.
In live comments on the Swansea game someone asked either Davud Freeze or Paddy if they could see Famewo returning in January and the reply was they would expect there to be a purchase coming in with experience and he would continue at Charlton
Lee Bowyer seems to speak very highly of Famewo so while the Pink ‘Un guys might well be right nothing is sorted yet – it can’t be of course, it’s still November.
PS I never remembered Bowyer playing for 1p5wich but he did!
Ipswich Town and retirementEdit
On 10 July 2011, Bowyer joined Ipswich Town on a free transfer. He signed a one-year contract.[53] He scored his first goal for Ipswich with a late winner against former club West Ham United on 27 September.[54] He was released at the end of the 2011–12 season, having scored twice in 29 appearances, after which Bowyer retired from playing.
I should think playing for that lot would be enough to make anybody want to retire 🙂
Hi Alex
Yeah the day tripper thing is a large issue here too – Sue and I are superficially wary of going to Mundesley because the elderly curtain twitching neighbour next door thinks it’s a holiday home and called the cops on us back in April. Funny how my passport, DL and post are registered to that address as is my car and council tax and it’s my sole residence. Complete with my guitars and all my CDs! Case dismissed.
But enough of that – I’ve got a Wednesday mate and his take on it is that Pulis will be great for them in the short term – as in he will keep them up – but Sean is even less bothered that he can’t get to games cos he knows what the style will be. Says it all really.
The only decision of ours I feel that was really strange was the loaning of Sam McCallum to Coventry. I don’t know why we did that tbh. Maybe a gentlemens’ agreement on the original deal?
As for Derby only they know what they’re doing. Maybe, anyway.
Cheers mate