There is much to admire about Wales. The superb band that are Manic Street Preachers, the awesome and atmospheric beauty of Lake Bala and the wonderful Treaddur Bay just down the road from Holyhead come instantly to mind as does the warmth and unique humour of the Welsh people I’ve had the good fortune to meet *on their own turf*.
But Saturday afternoon gave me a completely new perspective on Welsh football commentary. Like most of us I’ve listened to Iwan and Mark Walton [I don’t count Gossy, he’s about as Welsh as I am] on Radio Norfolk and all three of them seem to be clear, fair and incisive with their insights and make for great listening.
However I’d never come across Rob Phillips and Jason Perry on BBC Radio Wales before – probably because I’d never bought an iFollow pass for a Saturday away match in the Principality before!
The first half threw up a masterclass from Norwich. No Pukki no problem it would seem as we breezed into a two-nil lead thanks to Grant Hanley’s first goal for a year and a follow-up from Todd Cantwell when Alex Smithies could only push out a Jordan Hugill shot. Nobody would have noticed we had ten players unavailable and our alternation between the high pressing in twos and threes or defending like our lives depended on it was a joy to watch.
As Daniel Farke said, that half was about as perfect as it gets and if Neil Harris’s body language was anything to go by he agreed.
Enter Messrs Phillips [the Welsh equivalent of Chris Goreham] and Perry, who is an ex-Bluebirds captain. I don’t really remember him that well but I think he was a contemporary of Rob Earnshaw and, erm, Peter Thorne.
They had spent the entire first half contrasting how good we were against how poorly Cardiff were playing. The verbal boot was well and truly put into the boys in blue although I admit some of their comments were very funny, especially the one about how Cantwell and Emi Buendia had *diving and hitting the deck* as two of their training topics. And the line about new signing from Crawley Town, Max Watters [who was in the stands] still having time to change his mind.
As the second half kicked off very much in the same vein, we were treated to updates from Rodney Parade and the Racecourse and often reminded that Swansea’s trip to Barnsley was going to be *live on Radio Wales*. I suppose it’s no different to Chris getting an update from The Walks but it started to grate towards the end.
On came a sight I had been hoping not to see – the introduction of Kieffer Moore for Cardiff. Now this guy might be six feet six or something and a natural target man but he has a fair old modicum of skill as well. If anyone could put the willies up us, Moore could.
Suddenly the Welsh commentary team had turned on a sixpence, getting right behind their team. They couldn’t hide their deep feelings for Cardiff City any more than our Chis G can hide his for NCFC.
Then out of thin air, thanks to the only time Bacuna got free in the box Joe Ralls planted a low shot beyond Daniel Barden to grab the Bluebirds a lifeline.
Enter [or rather exit] Marlon Pack. The Cardiff skipper was given a deserved second yellow for following through on Ollie Skipp and we were treated to regular outbursts of how you’d think Norwich were the team playing with ten men.
Anyway we could have wrapped it up with two or three more but didn’t. Cardiff could have made something out of late set pieces but didn’t. It’s a shame the Swans won at Barnsley but I guess Rob and Jason would have been more upset about that than I was!
Another great team performance but I have to single out Todd Cantwell. He might have had better matches in a yellow shirt but I honestly cannot remember one.
And our very own Welsh lad, Daniel Barden, doesn’t look too shabby does he? 
******
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Gary
Morning Martin like north wales myself and i loved that performance sat cantwell Best game by a mile He was at it all The game not s few minutes here and there hes a keeper if He keeps that consitancy hugill had a decent game barden unflusted and to think binners up Road had moore and let him go for £75000 scored plenty for teams He player for since on Sky twice this Week bit of extra Money for our new fullback keep well mate 😊
Morning Kev
Yes a lot of folks, including me, tend to forget that Moore was a Binner. Perhaps he has a fetish for a certain shade of blue shirt!
Cantwell was on fire and in all fairness our Mario put himself about a bit more than usual and there was another fine game from Mayor McLean of course.
Keep good mate.
Good morning Martin on what looks like being a bright and dry Monday. Let’s hope the forecast heavy rain doesn’t result in too much flooding in other parts of the country.
Great headline from Gary as usual!! 😀
We were certainly let off the hook by Wilson’s poor initial touch, but having said that, Barden was in exactly the right spot to have smothered any shot
I can’t believe the space that Hanley was left to nod home the opening goal, but great to see us score from a corner since THAT match against Citeh.
We then proceeded to dominate the first half and the Dereham Deco (resplendent in one blue and one orange boot) was at the heart of most of it. It’s hard to believe that only 4 months ago both he and Buendia were dropped and publicly castigated by DF. Buendia has turned in such stellar performances last month that he was voted the PFA Player of the Month and it looks like TC wants to take over his mantle. Archant’s very own DDF commented that he is following the likes of Grealish and Maddison in being the most fouled player in the Championship, even if he does ‘make a meal’ of it occasionally.
I see more and more news articles commenting on the fact that it doesn’t matter who plays, whoever plays can slot seamlessly into the ‘Farkeball’ style of play. Also to DF’s credit is how he has succeeded in getting Sorenson to adapt to playing at LB and his header over his own bar may well have preserved our winning position
Interesting listening to the local commentaries and in the first half, they were overawed by the fluency and skill that Norwich were showing. Cardiff then get a goal back just after the hour mark and though it appeared that we were under the cosh for considerable periods, the stats tell a different story. In the 2nd half, we had 6 shots with 3 on target and Cardiff had 8 with 3 on target.
The sending off certainly helped and when Skipp was felled, he was going nowhere.
I was just reading through my comment of last week, when I said, ‘DF would have a problem with his starting 11!!’ I talked that one up didn’t I?? Hopefully, both Tim and Teemu will be fit for the visit of the Robins on Wednesday, but both Barden and Hugill did exactly what was asked of them.
Morning Ed
I’m sure one of our readers will know but I have no idea why Todd C wears one sky blue boot and one burnt orange one. Copying a hero? I don’t know which one if he is.
All knowledge/theories welcome.
The main Cardiff media [South Wales Online] has upwards of 30 comments this morning saying how Wilson has failed to deliver, any attributing this to Harris deploying him out wide and thus marginalising him. Interesting reading – it’s on NewsNow.
We can’t be sure Skipp was going nowhere when fouled – young Ollie always seems to be going somewhere for a reason 🙂
The thing I love that no matter who plays the Farkeball remains the same but it’s great to see that we’re mixing it up with a few longer balls on occasion although as Gary said yesterday the Cantwell goal was a perfect example of *the Norwich way*.
Cheers
I suspect the odd-coloured boot thing is merely a marketing ruse to get the player and brand (Puma) noticed. I seem to recall Puma doing something similar with other players under their umbrella either last season or the one before. Might be wrong 🙂
Makes sense and quite probably true – sounds about right for a sportswear manufacturer’s gimmick.
MInd you TC would have been noticed on Saturday even in my old black Pumas from the dark ages!
Haha…. Puma Kings per chance?
Yep, am guessing the execs of Puma (UK) also had smug a ‘job done’ type aura on Saturday evening.
Yes Gary – I also read somewhere that it’s a;; down to Puma. Mind you, I fell that TC’s love Vf all things fashionable , he was only too willing to agree. to wear them!!
Yes I think they were Puma Kings although mine were before the days of Euro sizes so I dunno for sure. Probably late 80s?
I understand that Todd’s fashion sense is not appreciated by all in the Carrow Road dressing room 🙂
Some wag on the Pink’un forum reckons the odd boots are to confuse the opposition when he’s doing his twinkle-toes stuff! I’m not convinced, I think it’s just that he likes to “do different” being a good ol’ Norfolk boy! Great performance, anyway, and managed to score 9 on the Pink’un player ratings, thoroughly deserved.
Let’s home that neither Covid nor the non-Covid flu that’s doing the rounds at Colney get too big a hold. I don’t want to see us end up with games in hand and a congested fixture list as we make our way to a Wembley cup final and the Championship title!
Blimey Jim that’s some strong old coffee you’ve had this morning – have you asked Frankie L about letting us through through to Wembley? 🙂
Seriously it seems Josh Martin and Emi have had a dose of *normal flu* and adding in the Stieperdude’s obscure ear infection virus [can’t remember the name of it], TK, Bali Mumba and Xavi’s Covid that’s quite enough viral damage in the camp already.
Cheers
Bore Da!
Good summary of the goings on in Cardiff, as always.
I too had to suffer the partisan witterings of the BBC Wales commentary! I had to smile in the second half where they declared Cardiff had us ‘rattled’ as another ball was lumped towards man mountain Moore and being cleared by Hanley!! I can only recall the move leading up to the goal where we looked indecisive and shaky in defence and a cross from their left wing which would have ended in the back of the net had it not been for an excellent interception/ header by Sorenson (I think!) in the six yard box. Otherwise Handley and Gibson coped with the long ball stuff pretty well and by far the best chances in the second half were created by us it could easily been 4-1.
In the post match interview DF was purring about the 1st half display, and rightly so, particularly with so many absentees. Max Boyce and his side kick in commentary want to be thankful we had so many players missing otherwise it could have got really ugly for them! 😂
Cheers for brightening up another dull Monday morning! 👍
John
Hi John
My knowledge of the Welsh language doesn’t go beyond Ivor the Engine and Jones the Steam so I’ll have to hope you’re being polite!
I actually have to admit I quite enjoyed much of the Welsh commentary in a perverse kind of way – F knows what they’d have been like if Cardiff had equalised 🙂
Hanley was very slow getting out for the block on Ralls’ shot but I think he was simply caught wrong footed.
Yes it was Sorensen with that header away although I think the Welsh lads on commentary claimed it was Ollie Skipp at the time.
I like the Max Boyce reference – I never found him very funny but he was quite popular back in the day with many medical students.
Cheers
Good morning Martin;
Given these very strange times, all in all (apart from Swansea’s win in the late game) a pretty perfect Saturday. However, according to some of the so called “experts” we are where we should be as we have the same squad as last season. What short memories these guys have. OK, Godfrey and Lewis were part of a pretty poor defensive unit last time around, but they still made up half of our regular back 4…and an Everton supporting friend thinks that Ben was an absolute steal for what they are supposed to have paid for him.
Oh; and nowhere can I find any mention other than locally about how many bodies we are (and have been) missing this time around. Covid is apparently in most clubs’ camps but nothing about us missing 4 players with it.
To go to Cardiff minus the division’s best ‘keeper and striker (not to mention the other absentees) and completely dominate for the first half was remarkable. Cantwell was by all accounts back to his best; Emi possibly played with the ‘flu (hope he’s OK for Wednesday) and the rest were (as we’ve come to expect) just as good as ever. Special mention also to Dan Barden who had little chance with the Cardiff goal and is proving to be a pretty good third choice!
And if Harry Wilson is really worth£30m plus, our current squad must be one of the most valuable ever seen at this level.
I was impressed!!
O T B C
Hi John
I reckon young Daniel B is now pretty close to establishing himself as a second choice to be fair, although he had a couple of nervies with his distribution early on but who am I to criticise?
You’re right – very little media highlights our absentees, although I guess as City fans we’re always more conscious of the injury/infection list than outsiders.
I’m inclined to agree with you about Wilson in all fairness.
Cheers – good comment.
Martin,
You and John fail to realise that only Liverpool have injuries.
Comment of the thread. Apply for your prize to Gary Gowers@MFW.com
🙂
Haha, thanks.
If you’re suggesting I might be able to write something, I’d love to have a go!
Hi dp3
You’d be more than welcome to write us a guest blog – several MFW regulars have done just that and woud tell you that the process is painless, honest!
Give Gary G a shout under the *Contact Us* button at the top of the page if you’ve got any questions or otherwise simply write something and send it to him. We usually aim for about 800-1,000 words and in terms of a topic the NCFC world is your lobster.
Cheers
Thanks Mr P another good coffee time read. I was listening to Chris Gorham commentating from monitor view of the game, which was quite well done with Darren Eadie wanting to work with Placheta to teach him wing play. Made a different afternoon. After listening to the two from the game at Watford, I would rather not listen.
Hugill had a darn good game, took a half decent save to keep him off the score sheet, but it was good to see the follow up in case coming off.
A good all round professional win. Darn pandemic, I would hate not to see Ollie Skip in the real before he departs back to North London. Starting to look more remote as we crawl on
Hi Lad – good to hear from you.
I missed out on the Norfolk commentary [pity] but I can imagine what Eadie might have said about Placheta, Knowing what Darren’s like I’m sure it would have been constructive!
Hugill was indeed the most involved I’ve ever seen which bodes well for the future. There’s no way we’ll be allowed anywhere near a football ground this season I’m afraid.
Thanks – keep good.
I have spent a lot of time in pubs in Glasgow and other Scottish towns, cities, villages and islands so I am somewhat surprised that the only time I have felt under threat because of my English accent was in a pub in Newport, South Wales. Actually, I didn’t feel under threat, I was under threat in a specific and unlimited way. I have never had a problem in North Wales and enjoyed going quite regularly when we were allowed-my nearest beaches are there.
I missed the first goal-obviously I have to allow iFollow more than 20 minutes to let me give them £10 in time for the start. I was then somewhat surprised to have Welsh commentators but that gave me the opportunity to appreciate Chris Goreham and his side-kicks (not Greg Downs) more. The first half display of Farkeball was, at times, exquisite and 2-0 could have been 5 or 6. Todd was doing a lot of what flu affected Emi wasn’t quite up to and Hugill looks as though the work at Colney is moulding him into a Farke type player. In the second half, we had to hold out against a much greater physical threat. Pack could have been sent off earlier, but his absence didn’t have much influence as Cardiff by-passed their midfield with hoofs upfield-not a criticism, just observation. We held out admirably and the first of hopefully many doubles is complete.
I hope the team doesn’t get as complacent as I feel. We’re 8 points-that’s 3 defeats-better off than 3rd place.
Hi Don
I used to work in Ruabon on occasions and would often stay over in Valley near the massive RAF base in a friendly pub/hotel. All staff were scousers, there were several airmen and loads of locals. Brilliant all round even though I was often the only one who spoke English in the bar. I don’t really count the scousers in that analogy 🙂
South Wales meant Newport for me too [a powder coating factory] and I never had a problem, maybe because I was often alongside local work colleagues in the pubs? The guys there would obviously take the pi$$ out of me for my English accent but never in a nasty way.
Dunno if Chris Goreham reads MFW but if he does he’ll realise how many of us love him. The culture shock was a bit extreme!
*I hope the team doesn’t get as complacent as I feel. We’re 8 points-that’s 3 defeats-better off than 3rd place*.
Couldn’t agree more mate – cheers.
Hi Martin
A good read and the weekend was completed today with the cricket 🏏 team getting the last few runs 🏃♂️ for a convincing win over Sri Lanka 🇱🇰.
It is good to see a city old boy get his career going again Reece Anthony Clive Hall-Johnson is an English footballer who plays as a right back for Wrexham. He started his career at Cambridge United academy and joined Norwich City academy at the age of 11. Hall-Johnson was part of the FA Youth Cup winning squad of Norwich in 2013, he has scored a few goals for them and now this team owner by a couple of Hollywood Actors just might be getting back in to the league.
I read today that an ex Arse-nal player is casting doubt on Buendia making it at his old club but says that is worth a punt if the price is reasonable.
So it has been confirmed we have a new LB who has passed his medical 🚑 and about to sign on loan so now we have 2 on loan with both to sign permanently if we are promoted I wonder if there is a get out clause for either and will it mean Mccullum stays out on loan next season only time will tell.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay Safe and Stay Healthy 🙏
Looking forward to an early kickoff on Wednesday 6pm so let’s hope Bristol City can be another double this season
Hi Alex
Yes the old bat ‘n’ ball ended effortlessly. Shouldn’t have gone into a final day really.
I heard the Reece Hall-Johnson goal for Wrexham mention too. Another released full back in Harry Toffolo is doing really well too and George Francomb is still earning a good living in the lower leagues – can’t remember which club just now.
Sam McCallum is a strange one. On the surface it seems like he’s a £3.5million player Daniel Farke doesn’t rate too highly but that very well might not be the case. We’ll see.
Let’s hope DF’s press conference tomorrow gives good news on the injury/virus front.
Cheers mate
I have wondered over the past two weeks with all the (unfounded) rumours of Emi going to Arse-nal……why on earth would he want to move to a mid-table side like that?!! 😂👍
I can think of a few reasons as in £££, assumed status and the London life some players are for some unknown reason desperate to acquire!
Spurs are my second team but I can see the attractions of the Emirates.
But: Please don’t take my Emi away 🙂
We achieved one of my 2021 wishes : We SCORED FROM A CORNER!!
Not so far my second : when we are so dominant in a game finish them off instead of sitting back and risking losing points. Thankfully Sorenson saved us this time.
Another wish: Todd to stop falling to the ground when touched by a feather! It spoiled a perfect performance from him.
Hi Cyprus – do I detect a justifiable element of sarcasm there?
Todd does go to ground like a winged pigeon as will Emi on occasions – genuine flair players tend to do that – Gianfranco Zola comes to immediate mind and Hucks had his moments as well but in the latter’s case usually after a serious battering 🙂
Thanks
Well written piece as usual Martin.
Given the injuries, Covid and non Covid viruses and issues overhanging from last season to have 50 points after 24 league games is remarkable and a testament to everyone involved with the club. Farke’s reputation must be growing by the minute. I can see his next job being a high profile one, probably in Germany. However, let’s hope he stays with Norwich for many more seasons.
Saturday’s win was well deserved and could/should have been by a bigger margin. In the Championship a good little team can beat a poor big team. Unfortunately that is not the case in the Premier League. So, if we go up we need to get some physically robust, energetic and tall players in our side. I think we will be spending more as we must keep Gibson and presumably the Greek left back, both of them will not be cheap. We will need to replace Skipp assuming Jose does not let him stay for another season. His loan fee will be a large amount after his performances this year. I can see us spending a lot more than last time without improving on the current team that much. Football economics are just crazy.
As someone wrote above it will be a shame not to see Skipp and possibly others live in a Norwich shirt.
In the Premier League we were poor in the games behind closed doors now we look almost unbeatable behind closed doors. Whoever is giving the players psychological advice needs to be employed by the Government to help with the whole county’s mental well being.
OTBC
Hi Colin
Yes I completely take on board your comment on the future of Daniel Farke as he will be extremely well monitored by the top German clubs in the Bundesliga and that’s for sure. I guess he’ll go when he goes if you see what I mean. The timing will be of his choice of course and I hope that just like Stuart Webber he would like another crack at the PL with a vastly improved array of resources. I hope so anyway.
From what I can gather from both Spurs mates and Mourinho soundbites there will be no chance of retaining Ollie Skipp next season and dear old Tetts might well have departed for Norway for the twilight of his wonderful career.
My knowledge of psychology is limited to dog behaviour so I’ll pass on that one!
Great comment – thanks.
I thought the Welsh commentary team were pretty good to be honest; they’d certainly their homework, even alluding to the Mayor’s nickname at one point. They certainly mentioned our Covid issues and Pukki’s strain a few times.
They were obviously fed up with our “antics”, and in the case of Buendia waving an imaginary yellow, they were spot on. I hate players doing that, including ours. They were wrong about Hugill though, who thought he’d been fouled (although he was probably lucky not to get a yellow given how long he kept the ball at the bottom of the scrum). They also spotted the off-the-ball where they reckoned VAR would have had one of their players (was it Bennett?) red-carded.
They were definitely getting more excited in the second half. Even after Pack went that last 15 minutes or so seemed a long time to me, and although we repelled everything without really giving them a clear cut chance, I wasn’t half glad to hear the final whistle.
By the way Hanley last scored at Burnley in the cup 51 weeks ago (which, given his Blackburn connections, went down pretty badly) but the cup games tend to be forgotten. Just re-watched the highlights and Vrancic and Rupp were superb, Farhmann did well in goal, and Hernandez looked a real threat – be interesting to see him back soon.
Hi Keith
Fair comment on the Welsh commentary team – even I had the good grace to admit they did the job – THEIR job – in quite an appreciable manner.
I think I was as relieved as you at the final whistle but we knew Cardiff wouldn’t lie down after they scored and they certainly didn’t. Nothing negative in any way towards the lad himself but I’m really glad Moore couldn’t be on from the start. Is he a handful or what?
Onel might well prove to be a great option from the bench very soon – I really don’t see him starting just now.
Thanks as ever.
Goreham is god! , my goodness I’ve never ever heard such an awful bias commentary as that on Sat. Chris would be better watching on IFollow and giving a commentary from that. OK not ideal, but you would not have to use the mute button.
It’s a pity Radio Norfolk and iFollow don’t sync. Still there won’t be a problem tomorrow night as it’ll be Chris G back, thank the Lord!