I was scheduled to pass my season ticket to a mate on Saturday. It had been an agreement for over a month as he lives in the West Midlands and rarely gets to Carrow Road at the moment. You don’t renege on a deal like that. But on Friday dinner time I was feeling the pangs of missing out at the Carra and fortuitously secured the only return available in the entire Barclay.
When you’ve been spawny enough to get a ticket in that manner you feel the Football Gods are smiling on you.
But then on Saturday morning, the twisty bits under the sink decided to have a row with themselves and we had to get Mrs P’s number two son to get it sorted before I could leave for the ground, so Don picked up my replacement ticket and I kept my own – there was no time to do it the other way round as we’d intended.
It seemed that the Football Gods were sending me some kind of signal through the Oracle of Dilham. And indeed they were.
James and Gary did the whole game to death yesterday, which leaves me with very little to add in those terms as I totally agree with both of them but I would like to confirm that things are looking pretty grim.
Some of the comments on those articles quite rightly question our ability or even desire to remain in the Premier League this [or any other] season and I am nobody to disagree with any of them.
Kind of optimistically hoping that something positive would happen against Watford, I’ve often proclaimed that we should wait until the middle of October before steaming in with judgements on recruitment, style of play and a word that is becoming a personal bête noir: formation.
It’s the buzzword of Norwich City aficionados right now and everybody has their own view on it. The only common theme seems to be is that 4-3-3 does not work for us and I’m in full agreement with that. It doesn’t.
We were so narrow yesterday that, at least on the break, we gave Watford the freedom of the flanks. Max Aarons was cleaned out twice in the first half and once more in the second. He’ll know he’s been in a game for sure and is unlikely to have spent the weekend dancing around his living room. Too many bruises for that I would imagine.
All the rhetoric from Daniel Farke just recently has been a little bit below par in my opinion. Where’s all this much-needed athleticism and physicality then Daniel? Sure Josh Sargent and Mathias Normann showed flashes of it before they tired and were withdrawn but Watford outmuscled us at every turn.
Where’s the promised tightening up at the back? We’ve already started four different centre-backs for just two places this season and while Ozan Kabak looked comfortable on the ball he was blindsided for Emmanuel Dennis’s headed opener while Grant Hanley appeared to contrive to duck under it.
If I were Andrew Omobamidele I would not be happy. The lad has done very little wrong thus far and if his reward is to *merely* be a spot against Liverpool tomorrow night my guess is he will feel cheated. I would if I were him, anyway.
Now don’t get me wrong, either Kabak or Normann could end up with the Barry Butler come May. But don’t get too attached to them my friends because if we don’t stay up we will not be signing either of them on a permanent and Brandon Williams will be back at Carrington with Man Utd training kit on.
I left a few minutes early so didn’t hear the booing, some of which was directed at Farke. It’s a bit early for that but if things don’t quickly improve there’s going to be one heck of a lot more of it.
I’ll end with a few quotes from friends who I spoke with over the weekend, every one of which is as loyal a supporter as you will find.
Steve on 87 minutes: “You off?” Me: “Yeah, I’m going home to see the dogs” Steve: “Don’t blame you. We were crap”.
Don: “Yep, we’re in the $hit”.
Scotty: “I look at the fixtures and find myself struggling to see where we will get any points from. I think we might beat Derby’s lowest points in the Prem record the way we are heading”.
Cutty: “Danny [Farke] may be the King of the Championship but he’s the Jester of the Prem. We were slow and pedestrian, Watford were slick and quick”.
And a random couple on walking down Prince of Wales: Him: “We created a new record today”. Her: “What’s that then?” Him: “Our worst ever start to a season, ever”. Me: “And 15 consecutive PL defeats in a row”.
Welcome to my first music choice of the season:
**Dedicated to the recently departed Jimmy Greaves of Chelsea, AC Milan, Tottenham, West Ham and England fame who I had the privilege to see play half a dozen times in the late 1960s.
Condolences to the Greaves family and all those who knew Greavsie well.
Thanks Mr P, I said a few posts ago, that 10 games in is a fair marker , that is half way to that, nothing has changed. Personnel changed on the pitch but end result the same, it will be a hard job to even get to 10 games without thinking we need a change on the touchline.
I said in my comment on Gary,s article, Farke has had in his time here at least 9 players at centre back, but still seeing the same results. So for me it isn’t personnel, it must be the system. Not being that easy to get a ticket for league games, I can,t say too much about his adopted style but take it is still revolves round zones ?
It is worrying and getting more so, I hold Farke in very high regard, but feel that the premiership is just out of his range. Confidence in players especially those who were here before, must be leaking away . The rot must be stopped but I have little confidence it will. A friend suggested to me that Eddie Howe is free., Another suggestion I am very unsure about
Hi Lad
Funny you should mention Eddie Howe – a friend and I were talking about him yesterday too and I’ll repeat what I said then, which was roughly that there is no way Farke is going anywhere at the moment and Howe might not be prepared to work under a Sporting Director system in any case.
As for defending at corners and set pieces, dear old zonal marking is still with us I’m afraid.
It’s a bit early to be talking about a change of head coach but one thing’s for sure we’re going to have to find a system that works pretty damn soon!
Cheers
Morning Martin, well 36+ hours after that debacle, I have but one question. Is Farke up to the job in the premier League.?.The record says no. Which is sad but the ongoing results don’t lie.
Our next 2 games on the road need to be played like cup finals, I wouldn’t mind seeing a raft of yellow cards for the cynical play disrupting challenges.
Get nothing from those games and it becomes 36 points from 29 games and every loss means we need a European spot challenging run of 8-10 games just to catch up.
Morning Bernie
I think those that said *we’re only four games into the season* after a reasonable performance against the Gooners had a point, but we’re now five games in and were so naïve against Watford it was ridiculous.
Really hate to say it but we’re unlikely to get much at Burnley or Goodison. Not at the rate we’re going, anyway.
Cheers me ole walrus
Good morning Martin on this gloomy Monday morning – I guess the weather pretty much reflects the mood of Canary fans up and down the country and around the world.
Some of my post match discussions with fellow fans match word for word what your mates said, but I’d far rather we have DF to try and resolve the problems rather than bring in ‘Big Sam’ or other failed manager as I’ve seen suggested. We were completely outmuscled by Watford and got zero help from the referee, but nothing new there!!
We’ve a small matter of a Carabao Cup game V Liverpool tomorrow evening and I expect we’ll see several changes in the starting 11. If we were to lose that by a similar scoreline to Saturday …………
Ignore the noise!!
Good morning Ed
I’ve heard the Allardyce/Eddie Howe/wee Jimmy Krankie comments as well but I doubt most of them are meant to be taken seriously. Like you, I hope not anyway!
As you’ll see from our MFW forthcoming preview , we won’t be seeing the strongest Liverpool side tomorrow night but they’ll quite possibly be strong enough.
Cheers
Pukki
Cantwell Sarjent
Williams McLean Normann Aarons
Hanley Gibson Kabak.
If DF takes us down playing something other than 4-3-3. If I keep watching that 4-3-3 dross for another couple of months I would like a change!
It’s getting Chris Hughton like, knowing I’m going to Carrow Rd to watch a repeat of a demoralising, inappropriate formula.
Hi Mike
I wouldn’t mind seeing a 3-5-2 myself and I certainly prefer 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3.
4-3-3 does not work and Farke must surely recognise that. It looked to me on Saturday that a few of the players looked confused over their responsibilities.
I don’t think it’s as bad as Hughton era depression levels – yet!
Cheers
Hi Martin
I know you don’t like the word “formation” but, like Midfield Mike, I’m finding myself getting fixated about it.
For the last five years we have played with a back four where our full backs spend more time in the opponents’ half than they do in our own. That worked a treat in the Championship where we played potent, attractive and successful football. It didn’t work last time in the Premiership and it certainly isn’t working this time!
I keep telling myself to give it time, let the new players settle in, etc. But it is becoming less and less credible. If we carry on as we are, I can only see humiliation ahead. Derby’s record of eleven (?) points in a season looks a challenging target!
Hi John
When I say I don’t like the word *formation* it’s only in the sense that I feel I’m slowly sinking under everybody’s understandable use of it right now!
I’ll repeat what I replied to said Mike above: I’d like to at see us at least try a 3-5-2. Maybe not for every match but certainly against the better sides.
Oh, hang on – right now there are 19 better sides than us!
Cheers
I have to admit that I left Carrow Road on Saturday feeling like I never wanted to return. Watford just looked like they wanted it more and bullied us off the ball. I’m fed up with ‘pretty’ – give me an ugly win or even a draw.
Farke is clearly an intelligent man, and yet he seems to have learnt nothing from his previous stint in the Prem. Something needs to change, I’m just not confident that it will 😢
Hi Jill
I never get so down that I don’t want to go back but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand exactly how you felt afterwards – I sulked all of Saturday evening which at my age I really shouldn’t be doing by now.
Watford did look like they wanted it more, agreed.
And as for Farke’s intelligence that has never been in doubt from day one. It’s how he applies that intelligence that counts!
Thanks
I have reflected on the game and the underlining problem. The only positive I can think of is that DF has had two dodgy starts to seasons that both ended up successfully.
The problem we have is the physique of our team. If you look at most run of the mill Premier League teams that stay up they have players that are tall, robust and quick. We have Cantwell, Watford have Sarr. We have Gilmour Watford have Sissoko. That is typical of our man for man match ups. So for me the problem is not the formation it is the type of player we have compared to other teams. It maybe we cannot afford or cannot attract the type of player we need. I suspect the underlying issue is that we are looking in leagues that are less physical and intense. The stats we look at are relevant to the league the player is playing in.
Would a new Head Coach make better use of the players we have. Maybe but it can only ever be maybe.
Hi Colin
Of course you’re right about the difference in physicality and sheer athleticism between ourselves and just about every other team in the PL.
Burnley will dish out just the same treatment as Watford did and it’s unlikely to end well for us. Especially as they haven’t won at home in a long time so we’re primed for yet another along come Norwich moment.
Your last line is a good one as Webber and Farke work together on recruitment targets so it’s not a case of SW saying to Daniel: here’s what I’ve given you, get on with it, or anything like that. Could anybody else do better than Farke with this group? That is indeed a good question and just like you I can’t answer it.
Cheers
Physicality…,, something SW promised us he’d resolve….
… but clearly hasn’t done so.
Morning martin yes its rough at the moment aint it and farke seems to think we are a lot closer matched with the possession and what not which annoys me , I wonder who’s idea this formation was ?
I think if we go down at the end of the season next year it will be we will lose more players this time around krull ,cantwell and pukki with losing heart in what we are doing .
So please farke turns this around quickly !!!
Morning to you Jim
I would imagine that the adoption of 4-3-3 lies fairly and squarely with Farke.
What we would be left with to fight yet another Championship campaign doesn’t bear thinking about really – most of the characters who helped us bounce back such as Emi, the Stieperdude and Super Mario are already gone and as you say many more would surely quit this time to as you suggest.
I’ve always thought *it’s always darkest before the dawn* was a dodgy old saying but let’s hope it might be true in this case.
Cheers
“We HAVE to learn lessons ” “we MUST improve” we WILL pick ourselves up and go again” blah blah blah etc etc, same old reteric from Farke and the players.
The players are not the problem Farke,Webber and the coaching staff are the problem, 15 Premier league defeats and counting what other club and fans would put up that??
Webber has managed to bring in new players for this season but it looks no different, a lot of the new lads are either very inexperienced at this level or lacking what most of us were calling for the size and the physical ability to out muscle the opposition…..even Normann isn’t what I was hoping for size wise in a defensive midfielder.
It may improve but I doubt it.
Hi Martin
I must admit DF is starting to sound a bit like Russ Martin when Hughton would wheel him out after every defeat.
As for Normann, well, Olly Skipp was slightly shorter and less muscly – although I don’t know for sure as unlike Normann he didn’t flash his six-pack on social media all the time. Shades of CR7 vanity? Maybe but I hope not.
Few of us can see where any improvement will come from right now.
Thanks
Sorry but I disagree with you on that you need giants for a physical game many of the best physical players have been under 6ft, it knowing how to use your body in a physical situation.
They are footballers not heavyweight boxers, hight and weight can help in certain cases but hinder in others so a happy medium needs to be found.
Rose is no bigger than Aaron’s but used his build to more effect, what undone city was defensive errors and pace plus a Ref who took the new rules on tackles in the box to the extreme
Danny Rose is quite a hefty old unit and was blowing chunks long before the end but we couldn’t exploit it. We didn’t even appear to try to overmuch.
I agree it’s more about athleticism than height but PLM at least was brought in for both and we’ve not seen that much from him so far.
As displacement activity on Saturday night I put this team together for Liverpool in the L Cup: Gunn Mumba Omobamidele Gibson Giannoullis; Rupp Lees-Melou Sorensen; Dowell Idah Tzolis. So no player from Saturday’s starting 11 but still a very decent Championship side. And there’s the rub: we have 2 decent Championship sides, but neither can compete against the powerful staple that comprises a PL squad.
So is the problem still recruitment? Are the new guns just water pistols? Are we ready to stomach another yo-yo cycle before a crop of youngsters plus cheap purchases ( and in PL terms ALL of our buys and loan to buys are CHEAP) develops into the powerhouses required?
Even our passive and reticent fan base may baulk at that.
It would be a shame to abandon the project, which if successful would place a lion amongst the pigeons, but maybe the reality of unfolding events may force the issue.
Still I have been supporting City in earnest since 1960. I can remember some extreme lows and 13000 crowds. Believe me things have been much worse……
OTBC
Hi Nick
Yes I was there in the days of 13,000 crowds too, sometimes as low as 11k for a night match against Palace or Wimbledon.
As for abandoning the project Delia simply won’t sanction it. It’s all totally dependent on player trading which we cannot expect to rely on forever. Many people are already saying that the value of Todd and Max will stall and that Andrew Omobamidele is likely to be the next big sale – and he’s barely in double figures in terms of appearances!
Thanks – good comment.
Hi Martin when we rely on player trading as we do would you think that we would have spent anymore then we have if not reliant on player trading ?,
Hi Kev
No of course not obvs but we surely can’t gamble on a constant conveyor belt of talent coming through or by buying in youngsters who we never hear of again.
Watch out for an MFW article during the October international break. With the help of Alex B there’ll be a whole piece on this subject which will attempt to address the success to failure ratio.
Oh well, being me it’ll just be a list of those who didn’t make it as I’m useless at maths.
Cheers
I hope your leaky sink is easier to fix than our leaky defence. I’m half joking, but wouldn’t it be an idea to get someone like Pulis just to coach the defence in keeping shape and stopping the other team going through like a hot knife through butter? I have felt worse at the end of a match, but not much.
The Stranglers are one of the great bands in my life and I saw them in a particularly notorious gig at St Andrews Hall in 77 or 78 (I was 13 or 14, what were my parents thinking of allowing me to go?). Something Better Change is an apt song to chose after a game in which we had no more heroes. 5 minutes here and there where we look golden brown is no good if our defence is just hanging around while the opposition is allowed to walk on by. We need some peaches to celebrate and, although there’s always the sun, the depth of our team’s confidence is merely skin deep. I just hope that things don’t get so bad that DF is told to go, buddy, go.
Hi Don
You’re a brave man to use the *P* word on here – half joking or not 🙂
You’ve got a point though.
Plenty of Stranglers references at the end – I’d forgotten about Walk On By!
Cheers
Marty, old Greavsie enjoyed his football and we enjoyed watching him, was also a great raconteur especially with ‘Saint’. Like your choice of music, I think City would be more in tune with the young Osmond and ‘Long Haired Lover From Liverpool’. Sorry if that puts you off your lunch.
Hi Cutty
If I didn’t heartily dislike the band I would have used Quo’s Roll Over Lay Down. I did think about it but luckily not for very long.
Nothing could put me off my lunch [hic!]
Cheers ole pard
Marty, I choose that nauseating tune because it was well nauseating, just like the stuff on offer at Carrow Road at the mo, you’ve got a stronger stomach than me but I’ve only been drinking cider in the last three years. They’ve driven me onto the rough stuff, 6% about the strength Bernie likes it. Maybe that’s what it takes to be a Canary fan.
Strong cider is essential to being a Canary fan, in my case anyway. It dulls some of the senses pretty well and therefore masks any sense of positive expectation while allowing the odd moment of hope to seep through.
I haven’t been following NCFC for as long as you I know, but I graduated towards Henry Westons Vintage at 8.2% several years ago. Probably towards the end of Hughton’s final season, I would imagine.
Assuming we started the season with some it seems the belief has gone, I wonder whether a change to the coaching staff may help? We’ve lost some big characters from the dressing room, half the squad, and there’s many new faces. On top of that, our two best players last term, Buendia & Skipp are both sorely missed.
It’s going to be a long season.
Loved Jimmy Greaves, always have, always will. As a boy had the absolute privilege of watching him with Gilzean at packed WHL and in 1967 watched his final game for England v Spain when he scored in front of a packed Wembley.
I said “Good Morning Jimmy” to him one afternoon in Harpenden back in the mid 90’s. I knew Ron Henry and he told me he would get together with ‘Greavsie’, Bill Nicholson, etc for lunch quite often. That Spurs side of the early-mid 60’s was fantastic to watch.
Hi Colin
Going into the PL without Emi and Skippy was kind of inevitable really as Emi wanted out [he’d done what he’s promised] and who can blame Nuno for holding on to Olly at Tottenham?
My dad and a couple of his colleagues once met Jimmy Greaves during their PLA police service. I cannot remember the circumstances surrounding it although dad told me at the time – he was made up.
Cheers
It wouldn’t matter if Pep was managing Norwich the results would be pretty much the same.
All the dissatisfaction should be aimed at Delia the true culprit in all of this.
Not long ago we had a good chance of beating Villa and Leicester were a league below us. The difference is they went out and found owners who could fund a premiership club.
We’re left with division one Delia if parachute payments should ever stop.
It’s time the fans stopped voicing disapproval at Farke and direct it at the one person who could and should improve the club by moving on.
Spot on!
I agree – see reply below.
Delia moving on would be like Turkey’s happy on Xmas Day
She has out lived her sell by date and when she goes she will be remembered for all the wrong reasons like number of relegation caused by lack of investment
Unfortunately, as right as you are, Delia will never see it that way.
Bit strong me thinks, why blame our owners, do you want Marcus Evans or Melvyn Morris?? We’ve proved we’re the best of the rest in Championship terms. If we fail again so will two other clubs who will have spent a bloody fortune and have P L quality players, Watford could well be one of them.
A single win will change the momentum, it looks a tough ask at present but my god, the players need us fans fully behind them more than ever at present.
It’s the owners responsibility to ensure there is sufficient funding for a business to carry out its objectives. Delia has proven on several occasions she cannot meet the financial demands to establish the club in the premiership and should therefore look for new owners who can.
Why do people always quote the minority transfer of ownerships that fail rather than the successes such as :
Manchester City
Chelsea:
Leicester
Villa
It seems that too many people have been convinced by Delia’s mantra that if she was to sell the club would collapse, whereas I’m of the opinion that if she’s here much longer we’ll be back in division one.
The majority shareholders are completely incompatible with the EPL, which is probably why they prefer the comfort of The Championship. As do sadly some of the fans…
I’ve never trusted the Stowmarket Two and never will. To think the effort that was made to get Chase Out, only to get the void that has followed ever since.
Hi IR
Absolutely.
I played a pretty active role during the *Chase Out* campaign all those years ago and as you suggest I do sometimes wonder why we all bothered. So many of us were involved in one way or another at that time.
It’s sacrilege in certain quarters to openly say you mistrust the *lovely village just outside Stowmarket Two* but if it means anything I haven’t trusted them from day one. I’m not saying they enjoy much – if any -personal financial gain but more a didactic sense of: Oi you plebs, we’re right and you’re wrong and we just love telling you that.
Delia’s occasional revelations about her politics and her religion kind of confirm to me that she has this FIFO attitude and is always, always right.
Me? I’m atheist, don’t vote as there isn’t a centre Left party I can vote for so I don’t care but I’ve never tried to persuade anybody ever to go to Church or be sponsored to travel to a political demonstration.
But I don’t count – and I’m kinda happy that way 🙂
Hi again John
Yes that’s on the money for me.
We’d all like owners like the Thai family at Leicester and they don’t grow on trees but the love they get back from Foxes fans must give them something from their investment that money simply cannot buy.
Surely if Delia didn’t have such an in-and-out scatterbrain approach things might become different. But as I repeat ad nauseum she thinks she knows best and unlike Chase she is immovable.
A nice con over the *nobody will ever own over 50% of NCFC shares* on her arrival as well. I have no idea if her and Michael Wynn Jones are married [none of my business] but whether they are are not I doubt they’re going to split their holding any time soon.
I wonder if they’ll change the constitution when it’s time for nephew Tom to inherit his 51%?
Thing is Colin we WERE right behind the team on Saturday and not just because of fighting talk from Farke and the scarf initiative of the admirable ACN.
It’s because it’s what we do – most of the time, anyway 🙂
Hi John
Awww! Delia is here to stay and when she hands over to nephew Tom [who hasn’t put his head above the parapet in a long, long time] you can bet your nuts that it’ll be same old, same old.
Many people cling to the idea that Delia saved the Club – which admittedly is technically true – and she can do no wrong in their eyes.
The trouble is that she knows best. Whether that’s good or bad for our support I’m not too sure, but she knows what’s best for the supporters and we must surely accept that without raising our voices to the contrary?
Cheers
While Saturday was undeniably disappointing, surely everyone needs to chill a bit and have a bit of faith in Farke. It’s nothing short of miraculous to have got us up 3 years ago on a shoestring. We had every right to be in a relegation fight and went up as champions. Year on year he gets players in that aren’t the finished article but has room for improvement. He coaches and develops players. How many of us thought Cantwell wasn’t up to championship football when he persisted with him? He will develop the players he’s got in. Gilmour, Williams, Tzolis, Sargent, Omabamidele etc etc will only get better. It takes time for new players to bed in. And yes it’s of course worrying to sit on no points yet, but arguably we had close VAR decisions go against us against Leicester and Arsenal that would have lifted the mood.
We were well beaten by Watford. As we are every time. We were outmuscled and exposed. But Farke will know that! He will address that as he did in his first season when we had players like James Husband in the team. Yes the formation isn’t working but he won’t keep with it forever. One thing he’s shown is that he isn’t stubborn or afraid to make changes. I hope he’ll play Kabak, Omabamidele and Hanley/Gibson if he wants Williams and Aarons to be up and down the flanks all day. We will see how he addresses it.
For people to seriously want Eddie Howe or anyone else in on the back of a poor start (that everyone knew would garner very few points before Saturday) is a knee jerk response. Howe failed at Burnley don’t forget. Managers often only succeed at one club. Farke gets us and what we’re about so give it longer. On a positive note I thought Sargent, Kabak and Normann look to have real potential when fit and integrated into the premier league. Tzolis looked amazing in the league cup. Gilmour hasn’t set us alight yet nobody is doubting him because we’ve seen how good he is for Chelsea and Scotland.
I’m as down as anyone when we lose, I’m as frustrated as anyone when things take time to gel. But let’s have a bit of faith that things might just click soon.
Hi Pete
Thanks for pointing out the positives that I largely neglected to mention simply because we are already playing a serious game of catch-up.
You make some really good points there – especially about some managers only ever doing the business at one club. Mike Walker and Paul Lambert spring to mind of course and no, I wouldn’t trade DF in for Eddie Howe myself.
Thanks – interesting comment.
Hi Martin
This will be a long hard season that’s for sure.
Yesterday I watched the Spurs V Chelsea game and it looked like a City game in the second half.
Spurs were on top controlling much of the game then Mount was replaced by Kante and they score and 2 more follow.
Again like city once Spurs go 1 down they have the same lack of conviction they can get back into the game.
Midfield Mike and others say it’s the system we are playing, others it’s the physical strength of the opposing teams and lastly it’s Farke not learning from his previous season in this division.
Where do we go firstly DF isn’t going to jump up and down and blame SW on poor recruitment, neither is he going to shout about lack of funds as he says he backs this model.
Can we agree or not that DF a yes man to keep his job not sure we can all agree he is a good youth coach just looking how Aaron’s, Godfrey, Lewis and Cantwell have developed and it seems Arthur O is the next off the line.
My only concern is that most of our recruitment came from clubs that had been relegated except for Normann and that was a mid table finish for Rostov.
Mentality of those getting relegated takes time to mend so Rashica, Sargent and Kabak not only have that to get over but a new country, Club and other things to adapt too.
Tzolis, Lees-Melou have the same plus new language and it’s their first time living away from home.
Gilmour to me is a good player with to much expectation on his young shoulders also he and DF are unsure how to use his skills best and will he be a success for us that I am not sure of at all.
A lot of comments have suggested what could be our best team for up coming games and many if not all leave Gilmour out, I just wonder if Pukki should become a super sub start with Sargent and Idah up front to cause problems with the defence and introduce him with 20mins left.
But my biggest concern is there seems no voice in the defence keeping everyone on their toes and Krul really needs to improve his distribution
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay Healthy and Keep Safe
Hi Alex
The concept of Idah and Sargent could work I suppose. There’s no way of knowing until it’s tried but it wont be against Liverpool as Sargent is still managing a slight hamstring issue and two games in three days for him won’t be an option.
Getting Normann in from Rostov? Well I don’t know much about Russian football but the usual experts say the standard there is nowhere near PL.
We certainly seem to be missing Ben Gibson and his megaphone!
Cheers
Farke has learnt nothing,Webber’s not much better in recruiting lightweight players.Most fans knew we needed a couple of brick outhouse’s in midfield,instead Webber brought in an over hyped youngster and an inexperienced cast off.Skipp’s replacement should have been sorted early,infact the first signing.Why oh why has Farke changed formation after 3 successive seasons?Daft idea imo.Either go back to 4 2 3 1 or try 3 5 2,the latter would work now we have 5 cb’s.Park the bus in the next 2 games and hope we can sneak a point or 2.I would give Farke 3 more games to get it right,,if he fails then that’s it,thanks and goodbye..Have not got a clue as who to replace him with though,that’s Webber’s job.
Hi Tony
You nicely sum up what a lot of us are thinking right now.
As for parking the bus I honestly don’t think we’re capable of doing it!
Cheers
Yes martin lets hope so , Is this another millwall we’ll see lets hope so . 😉
You had to mention Millwall, didn’t you 🙂
I left Carrow Road on Saturday absolutely dejected, not because of the result, we are all getting far too used to loosing, but the manner. There was a total lack of fight throughout, no desire no strength of character. We are still too lightweight, too easily pushed off the ball. I reserve judgement on Normann until he has had a run of games, but KM and BG both had mares in the midfield, particularly the latter who spent more time on his backside. All so depressing atm I am afraid. On the plus side the sun has just come out to brighten the day.
Hi Sean
I can’t disagree with anything you say so I won’t.
That’s probably the worst performance I’ve seen from the Mayor although there is some stiff competition if I look back to a few games two seasons ago. You are right about Billy Gilmour too.
Cheers
Hello Martin. As per usual I find myself nodding in agreement to your accurate summation. Thanks as well for the inclusion of a classic video. Brilliant stuff.
Coincidentally, something better change was booming out from my car cd as I picked up my brood on the way to the game. Something to get me up for it and in a combative mood. Unfortunately, my daughters first act upon setting foot in the car was to turn down the volume, breaking the first rule in our family outings. I.e. the driver controls the music.
I’ve been inundated since Saturday night with texts and emails asking what went wrong and if I think it’s terminal. The short answer, sans profanity is everything and yes.
The dumb assertion that Norwich city has spent the most money ever in a transfer window is beginning to grate. It’s almost as if we didn’t sell buendia for 35 million big ones before we started shelling out fees on incoming players, or as if we haven’t offloaded 20 odd earners from the payroll, permanently or temporarily, I can’t work out whether people have a basic lack of understanding when it comes to arithmetic or they are just bloody obtuse.
Whichever, it’s left a king sized hole and our business looks at best, hit and miss.
I can’t claim to have warmed to rashica, Williams or gilmour, and lees melou isn’t pulling trees up either. Rashica is a winger who doesn’t score goals, create goals or help out his fullback. Williams is back up at best and gilmour is all fur coat and no knickers, overhyped. Rumour has it the loan deals have clauses inserted to guarantee game time. If this is the case, our goose is cooked.
The debate about 433 is pertinent, surely a formation which allows goals to rain into our net at one end and be rare than hens teeth at the other is t fit for purpose. Change it now, either to shore up one end or free up Purkis to do his thing at the other. Preferably both.
Perhaps, given our sudden plethora of centre halves, we could incorporate three into the side? Who knows, that may eliminate the tendency our full backs have to forego their defensive duties by removing them.
I had a debate with Mike on Gary’s post match piece yesterday regarding the merits of omobamidele. I want him in the side, Mike urged caution. Both points of view were well made and had merits. I concluded that big Andy would benefit from being in a three, with Gibson supplying the constant talking and kabak hopefully the premier league quality. At this point we probably have nothing to,lose.
Put Normann in front of that lot and perhaps we have someth8ng approaching an obstacle to opponents simply walking through to rack up goal after goal as seen so far this season.
On the subject of walking, it’s likely that the bad tempered reaction to the display was in part due to the sight of several of our players giving a passable impression of fat boys football for the over 50s when chasing the ball might have proved beneficial. At the very least, when a team is breaking records and losing games with impunity the supporters at any club in the land will expect them to fight tooth and nail and respond with more effort…. Not less.
Those of a more delicate disposition had best avoid carrow road as winter draws on, because unless there is a sea change in both attitude and performance from everyone at the club it’s going to get pretty tasty.
Having harangued the support on Friday, the ball was firmly in farkes court to prove his point. Having totally failed to do that a reaction was inevitable. And right there, at that moment, a crack in the relationship appeared.
Seeing people I generally have little time for dismissing my club as an irrelevant laughing stock, glorying in its abject failure and it’s soft as crap small time image boils my piss. I suspect I’m not alone in this and inevitably the spotlight will turn once again to our uniqueness and twee little ways.
Perhaps it’s finally time for the Duchess to stop Hanging Around.
Hi Chris
Thanks for the compliment on finding the Stranglers clip. I hadn’t seen it in about 40 years and there it was, top of the shop on YT.
*Rumour has it the loan deals have clauses inserted to guarantee game time. If this is the case, our goose is cooked.* Doubtless true in the cases of Gilmour and Williams, but I’m not too sure about the others tbh.
As for the 3-5-2 we should at least give it a try. And if it’s at the expense of Grant Hanley then so be it – Scottish international and Swiss Navy comes to mind.
Another great Stranglers outro – two in the same article thanks to you and Don H.
Maybe we need a bit of the fighting spirit occasionally exhibited by J-J B at gigs.
Cheers
Excellent summary Martin.
I’ve watched the whole game twice now and neither viewing was enjoyable. And waited a few days to comment !!
So mitigating factors then =
Disrupted pre-season with a bad covid outbreak among players and staff.
Two tours and two freindlies cancelled because of the above.
Players signed late and not up to speed. (I know it was unavoidable as players weigh up their options)
A horrendous start against 4 of what has become the traditional top 7 in 5 games.
All of which I accept but Saturday was poor. Not the whole display by every player but we were out fought, out muscled and out ran.
My cousin Dave is a living reincarnation of Danny Mills and went as usual for a 1-0 win to Watford I went 2-0 to us but said no chance if they bully us again. And guess what.
I have said on here before we struggle to contain these top class players like Sarr. Look who has scored against us in addition to Sarr, Aubamayang, Vardy, Salah and Grealish.
I am not looking forward to St Maximan running at our defence.
We have all congratulated SW on his fine work in the transfer market quite rightly and some show some promise but others have got to start producing. Fast.
I felt angry, disappointed and finally today embarrassed by my team, that is not a nice feeling. Project Crapstart was a huge bloody embarrassment and here we go again ! to cap it all Brentford have made a brilliant start and Watford’s is decent.
We won the EFL by a canter last year but like last time in the Prem we are way behind our contemporaries again.
Here’s a question is Daniels’s football more suited to the Championship, were you get a lot more time, than the Premiership where it is 100 mile an hour ?
Daniel keeps tinkering with his defence, why ? Sure Dimitris and Ben were not great against Manchester City but last year was built on our defensive record. Dimitris was my MOTM against Liverpool.
The truth is Hanley/Gibson may not be good enough for the EPL but surely they deserve a chance especially when others are not match fit. I thought Kabak was at fault for the first goal and Grant was for the 2nd.
But Grant Hanley has now played with 3 partners already this season, it doesn’t help.
On a positive note Sargent did well as did Normann for 60 minutes. We also had with Sargent, Rashica and Pukki half chances in the penalty area just like Watford. Unfortunately they were ruthless and we were not.
Also it hasn’t been mentioned, even suspiciously missing from MOTD, was Danny Rose’s foul in the penalty area on Rashica at 1-1. It was a stonewall penalty.
I fear for us this season now, but Fulham made a similar start last season and nearly survived and Palace did survive a few years ago after an even worse start so there is hope.
It was mentioned from within the club that we cannot compete with Watford, Sarr was £27 million and we cannot pay Josh Kings wages or anything like it.
I am afraid this proves that as we agreed last week Martin self-funding is not possible way to stay in the The Premier League. Who says so, The club.
Hi Tim
You watched that twice? Once in realtime was more than enough for me!
*Is Daniel’s football more suited to the Championship, where you get a lot more time, than the Premiership where it is 100 miles an hour*?
My answer: Yes. But with the current squad maybe it won’t be quite so productive next time around, which is becoming inevitable even at this early stage in proceedings.
Cheers as always
The squad we have are capable of survival but we have play the right players in the right way. I was confident that Sorenson would step into Skipp’s shoes but not given a chance because we signed Lees Melou and he is definitely not up to PL standard. Idah can play internationally but gets 3 minutes a game. Most of us are desperately trying to believe Daniel Farke has what it takes at this level but simply persevering with a system that is failing shows he is not. As professor Valence says in COVID briefings “if things are going in the wrong direction you have go in hard and early” 3 more games and DF has to walk or be pushed. Like I said before the choice is Farkeball or Premier League.
I agree. Personally I see the cut-off as Brentford, not winning that would be inexcusable and the end. But I don’t see a point before then either.
My biggest worry, I’ve written an article on this but I don’t think it will be allowed to be published, is that I see Newcastle and Southampton both acting before us, taking the top 2 obvious choices.
I think the important thing is that Norwich act before they do, with a manager not adverse to relegation should it happen. Also, I do think we will see answers where we are surprised to still see questions with DF, if we do make a change.
I think we would be more desirable in January with a different manager, I have a real nagging feeling about our summer transfers and why Kabak and Normann, in particular, seemed to take so long. Were they waiting for other offers or were their clubs? If I was Pukki, Cantwell, McLean and Hanley, in particular, I’d be a bit perplexed about how DF is setting us up this season. It doesn’t suit any of them, and I feel a breath of fresh air, good solid English coaching, would spark them a little.
I am desperate for DF but I said against Liverpool on matchday 1 and I’ve said it numerous times since, 4-3-3 is about the most inappropriate formation I could imagine for our players and how they all combine into a team. I think his tactics are wrong, plain and simple, and that’s before the 2019/20 campaign which was pathetic.
I don’t care if DF takes us down, but do I care if we perseveres with a system that clearly won’t work.
Brentford look pretty useful………
Hi Cyprus
I never thought I’d see *Sir Patrick Vallance* quoted on MFW so cheers for that!
Seriously the lack of gametime for Sorenson confuses me as much as it disappoints me. Even playing absurdly out of position he never let us down once last season.
I watch all RoI highlights [with my heritage I would] and also the Irish national press have been raving about both Adam Idah and Andrew Omobamidele.
To me team selection is a muggers buddle right now and none of the summer recruits has yet to stand out apart from Tzolis against a deliberately weakened Bournemouth.
Cheers
Delia and Michael did save the club. I think Geoffrey Watling did to in his way. We did spend a lot of money in this transfer window. Thank god we are not a Man Citeh. If there is a trusted business consortium or person out there who loves our club and is willing to commit to decades of service, put their money in without asset stripping, then as always many of us would love to know the name. Without this unimaginative unambitious bale out I guess we just soldier on and live in the real world.
Hi Mike
I get where you’re coming from and there are many supporters who would agree with you, no, more than that, DO agree with you.
My feeling is that we are forced to soldier on living in Delia’s world – whether that world is real or not is worthy of consideration for each and every one of us.
Thanks – always good to read a different view to my own!