I’ve never been shy of saying I’m a bit of a pro/am chef so this revelation should come as no surprise to regular readers of MFW.
One of the finest things I ever bought for myself is an old-fashioned, traditional pestle and mortar. Make your own garlic mayo? Put together a mix of your favourite herb combination? Grind oriental spices?
It’s far superior to any modern electrical appliance but it takes a little bit of effort and indeed patience to reap the benefits.
And that technique’s exactly what we used the footballing equivalent of at Adams Park on Sunday when we ground down a very strong, committed and stubborn Wycombe Wanderers side. Subtle and patient, we got there in the end as we so often do.
I won’t dwell on the on-pitch action too much as Gary covered that yesterday, but I still have a few observations.
Mario Vrancic did everything right with the early free kick that David Stockdale got his left paw to. Any other day and that one would have surely been in – a lovely hit.
Emi Buendia was once again seemingly everywhere on the pitch and his telepathic cross for Teemu Pukki was dispatched via a wicked deflection that fazed the otherwise excellent Stockdale.
We were extremely lucky there was not a spot kick to Wycombe at 1-0. VAR would have awarded it for the Tim Krul elbow without a doubt. If we were playing Liverpool it would have been awarded twice.
Gareth Ainsworth’s bizarre decision to introduce all five substitutes at once confused me but I guess, if you’re going to go for it, but… their $hithousing started very early again and continued when they were only 0-1 down, even after the subs. I don’t get that, I really don’t.
An unexpected bonus was that we scored our second from a corner. Emi took it, the excellent Kenny McLean flicked it on and there was young Adam Idah to prod home from Stockdale’s block.
And that was that, as in three thoroughly deserved points.
I don’t often watch us via Sky but I did this time around and learned a couple of things whilst doing so.
First of all co-commentator Lee Hendrie was totally unbiased in the way the match itself unfolded, but was extremely complimentary towards us throughout, as were Curtis Davies and our very own Russ Martin immediately afterwards. Good coverage imo.
But what I really had no idea of was… the riddle of the socks. Max Aarons had a tape problem with his and I didn’t understand quite why until it was explained that he [and others] wear their own – more comfortable? – ones underneath and cut the feet out of the club issue nylon ones and gaffer tape one over the other. I simply had no idea.
I also learned that Emi hasn’t lost his charm. In his after-match interview, delivered with arms akimbo and a big smile, he said:
“It was a very, very good win. It’s always difficult in away games, today was a tough first half, they made things really hard for us and we kept patient in the second half to find the solution.
“One of them created space in behind for me to find Teemu [Pukki] to score the first one and the second one, [Adam] Idah was really aware in the box, he’s a good striker. It’s a very big win for us.
“Our relationship [Buendia and Pukki’s] is really strong. Everyone knows our relationship on the pitch, I always try to find him and in this case, I saw his movement and he was really focused to finish the goal.”
You cannot argue with that.
We all know who we’re playing next. The boys who until very recently inhabited Griffin Park. Now that one could be quite a game for all of the iFollow crowd to watch and I for one would take a draw right now – but only because it would suit us, not because I’m wishing for that type of game. Brentford will give as good as they get as we all know.
We won’t need my pestle and mortar to cope with the Bees – it should be a fine game of football and may fortune favour the brave.
Enjoyable read Martin. You should have mentioned had we been playing Arsenal the penalty would have been thrice awarded!
Hi John
Yes that was a bit remiss of me. Looks increasingly like we’ll have all that malarkey to deal with again next season.
Cheers
It’s a big game tomorrow Martin no doubt and like you. I would happily settle for a point. However the team are probably more relaxed about this fixture than the fans (on both sides).
It always seems very difficult to gauge your team against the other top teams until the day you actually meet on the pitch. I often cast envious eyes at Brentford’s pace of play but then liken it to our previous promotion season and think we are further along the development route to having a team that may just survive our next foray into the big time. If we can handle Ivan Tomey tomorrow then I think we will get something from the game. Incidentally should we get promoted and Brentford miss out Tomey would be a great addition to our squad as Pukki gets older. Much as I like the spirit and endeavour I don’t think Hugill is going to be the heir apparent.
Hi Delfie
You are quite right when you say that the teams will be more relaxed than us fans about this game – I’d like to think that to the players of both sides it’s *just another gig*.
Your thoughts on Ivan Toney are spot on imo [how much he might cost is another matter] I agree with you about Hugill too – WHU didn’t see him as a PL striker and nor do I.
Thanks – good comment.
So pleased you mentioned the socks, I never knew that happened. Has the Holy Grail been found? A warm, cosy pair of socks from Max’s Mum and he plays like Cafu and never gets injured!
Takes me 20 mins to get mine on each morning!
Hi Colin
I swear I saw Max bombing down his wing with a roll of tape in his hand – and if that’s not outside the laws of the game I dunno what is!
Modern boots fit the feet like kid gloves – a bit like the Nike 90 trainers we surely all had as street shoes 20 years ago I’m led to believe. I wish I could get a retro pair from somewhere.
I guess it’s all down to Max’s mum and *fine margins* 😉
Cheers
Hi Martin. I’ve been off the MFW comments for a few days, having just moved house – no fun in a pandemic!
The socks issue is a strange one, but I believe you can actually buy football socks that are cut off at the ankle, or so my grandson informs me. I guess that way you can always wear socks that don’t cause blisters and that you are comfortable in, rather than the normal type which would be different with all the different kits we have these days.
I never doubted that we would score in that game, we’ve demonstrated patience loads of times, and as long as we don’t do anything silly (Rupp, in the Derby game, for instance) we usually find a way.
Onwards and upwards (but I’m not looking forward to renewing our acquaintance with VAR).
Hi Jim
Moving house is never easy, pandemic or not. All the anticipation followed by the soon-come trauma of reality of course.
Our Mundesley house looked in perfect nick until I actually got the keys – the classy front room fireplace rug was there for a reason – there was a 3×2 foot hole in the otherwise immaculate oatmeal carpet underneath it. £500 for Carl and his laminate boys pronto!
I never knew you could actually buy cut off socks but comfort must be everything to the modern footballer so maybe NCFC and other clubs provide them for players.
Finally I reckon our Lukas should have well and truly learned his lesson from Derby – I find the Ollie Skipp take on the professional foul extremely effective as he knows when and where to make them if he has to.
Good luck with the new house!
Mystic kev says it will be a comfatable 31 win Martin sit there with your feet up and a glass of beer and chill it will be a breeze mate 😊🙌
Hi Kev
You’ve not been wrong recently so I won’t doubt you now…. but a breeze???
Hope so – I can rarely relax while watching NCFC!
Cheers pal
Hi Martin
A week if great sport just continues and let’s hope for no nasty surprises.
Another sad day as one half of Saints and Greavie has gone at the age if 82 it was an iconic prog back in the day, so I will add my condolences to his family R.I.P to the Saint.
Tomorrow game on Sky at
5-30pm not a great kick off time but the clubs at at the mercy of the media to get sheckles into the bank.
A you lad on the Wycombe team Memheti ex city academy looked up for the game and looked early on that he could get a goal which went wide I think he was in the squad with Aaron’s and co and now after his release is getting his career going so good luck to him.
As you Gary and a few others have said the dark arts started early but I think the Ref had an unusually good game never really lost control, I just wish they would jump on time wasting after the game kicks off Stockdale is a good keeper but like many keepers gang on to the ball much longer than the permitted time, and at free kicks Wycombe would always kick it back to Krul at the other end of the pitch book the first one for ungentlemanly and conduct that would soon focus the minds not to do it again.
2-1 for city tomorrow
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay Safe and Stay Healthy 🙏
Hi Alex
My ex bought me the Saint & Greavsie book one Christmas and Saint’s bits were every bit as fun as Jimmy’s. I might even still have it in a loft somewhere.
I got to see him play at my first ever match – Spurs v Liverpool in 1967.
I simply don’t remember Mehmeti when he was with us I am afraid but like all his blue-quartered colleagues he was well up for it, if luckily for us a bit wasteful.
The Wycombe $hithousing started so early but I’ll never know why it continued when they were 0-1 down with *nothing to lose* and five subs on.
RIP Saint.
Cheers mate
Maybe they continued the same style hoping to get a reaction from 1 or 2 players in that some one sent off, but we all expected it.
We have people saying Farke has no plan B poor old Garath Ainsworth is hoping to stay up but he is going to need all the luck he can muster for that to happen
I think I’d rather have Daniel’s problems than Gareth’s just now, but to caveat that I’d be interested to see what kind of job Ainsworth could do at a *bigger club* – and no, I’m not talking anything up!
Well Martin an excellent read on west was accepted rather dull morning, but looking brighter now.
My main thoughts drink the game on Sunday is the recurring one that we have to be testing the opposition GK much more frequently than we currently do. I follow the games on the EDP website and every game, CS. or DDF says ******** MUST score.
VERY astute of GA to send on 5 subs at once and remove the 3 players on Yellows.
Great to see Idah getting back on the goals trail and I would love to see DF bring subs on a bit sooner, but IMO that is a forlorn hope.
I’m certain that the vast majority of the ‘Canary Nation’ would happily accept a draw tomorrow night and even a defeat would not be too disastrous and I’d be amazed if it finishes 0-0.
Our current points tally is looking. very healthy, but IMO, it will take close to 90 points to win the title – I’d settle for 2nd 😃
Hi Ed
I only beg to differ in that we DO test the oppo keeper, but not always in the best way, if you see what I mean, as in far too many tame efforts and not enough from distance.
It must be very frustrating to follow the match online but I’m sure the Archant boys do the best they can. I’ve only followed one match that way and the way the fixtures are panning out it doesn’t look like I’ll have to do it again this season.
A draw tomorrow would suit me just fine as I have said – but a win would go down a treat. Let’s hope Mystic Kev [above] has his crystal ball in full effect.
Hope you’re having a good recovery from the ankle break.
Thanks a lot for posting, especially under the circumstances 🙂
This season we have the third meanest defence and the third most goals scored. Our goals total is well short of what we had in 2018/19 yet we have more points than at the same stage of the Championship winning season. It seems to prove that the subtle change to give us Farkeball 2.0 has been very successful. Our defensive midfield two are better defensively than what we had in 2018/19. Sheffield United built their first season success in the Premier League on a solid defence. It is not working this season, however.
The problem we face is keeping Aarons and getting Skipp on loan again. I think both are unlikely so we need two replacements of similar ability, ideally two big, pacy players.
We will need a back up striker and maybe another attacking midfielder.
If our defence cut out any mistakes then I think we can win tomorrow as there is no pressure on us. If we score first then we will manage the game and get a win. As Brentford press forward we will exploit the gaps and space. Hoping for a 2-1 win.
OTBC
It is also worth pointing out that our GD is now second only to that of Brentford.
Hi MGW
We were so far behind [relatively] on GD at Xmas I’d forgotten all about it as an issue.
But you’re quite right to highlight it just now of course 🙂
Hi Colin
Yes I like your scenario for tomorrow.
I also appreciate your other points too – many folks are already talking about what we will need *when we go up* but life with NCFC has taught me not to count my chickens although with the right result tomorrow I might be checking out the coop at first light on Thursday.
We don’t actually have chickens of course. With a Patterdale and a Jack Russell it would be too much of a short term exercise.
Cheers
Talking about socks reminds of the shorts worn by Raphinha for Leeds in there game v Villa on Saturday. He looked as if he was running around in a nappy!!
Hi Dorset
I get what you mean completely – one leg was pulled up to 1970s height and the other one was, erm, well, *normal*!
There might be a justifiable reason, but just like our beloved Todd’s Alice band I really do believe a few of them just do stuff to draw attention to themselves.
I’ve got several tattoos but never pointed to any of them when I scored – yes Paulo di Canio, I’m referencing you.
Thanks – good observation 🙂