Friends, Norfolkians and Canary fans, lend me your ears.
I come to bury Farkeball, no longer to praise it.
The evil that a new system does lives after it;
The good is oft interred with its bones.
Thus Marc Antony might have spoken at around 4pm on Sunday if he had been a Norwich City supporter because Brutus, Cassius and their mates in the Senate of the Premier League have done a real good job on Farkeball, which seems to have been killed off for good.
Our last stint in the Premier League often saw us blown out of the water but the 4-2-3-1 of Farkeball remained in situ throughout and we had a few bright spots during the season, not least Manchester City [home, of course].
This time around does not bear favourable comparison with the Project Restart period. Let’s not kid ourselves, we ain’t nowhere near that good I’m afraid.
I really struggled to work out what formation we are attempting most of the time but whatever it was it didn’t work as a streetwise Leeds United did all that was required to accrue the three points. At times they reminded me of the classic [not] Don Revie team of the late 1960s who would take it in turns to get booked in order to waste time, break up play and frustrate anybody not sporting a white shirt. The Burnley of their time.
Revie would have loved a referee like Anthony Taylor, who missed so much, particularly what was going on off the ball. This incarnation of Leeds were possibly a little bit more subtle about their antics than Revie’s lot but employed the same dubious tactics nonetheless, didn’t you Kalvin Phillips? Add in Taylor missing a blatant handball from Daniel James and we knew there would be nothing going our way from that quarter. But I’m really clutching at straws here – Mr Taylor was not the root cause of yet, yet another poor display.
I might have this wrong but it seems like Daniel Farke has been forced to abandon his *philosophy*, which takes away a great deal of enjoyment from us, the supporters. Is this because Stuart Webber has signed a gaggle of duds that make his *quality over quantity* statement look increasingly foolish? It’s more and more looking that way I’m afraid.
Team selection was interesting, if that’s the right word for it. Like quite a few people I have spoken with since, I am struggling to come to terms with the choice of Andrew Omobamidele at left-back. The 19-year-old scored his first-ever senior goal for Norwich City and in the Premiership to boot. But he’s admitted himself that it’s proved a bitter-sweet moment as we hung on to parity for a whole two minutes after his excellent header from a Milot Rashica corner. No blame on Omobamidele who enjoyed a pretty reasonable ninety.
So Daniel, we had: Dimitris Giannoulis – a Greek international – Brandon Williams, on loan from Manchester United and dedicated full back/wingback Bali Mumba available. Also Jacob Sorensen who filled in at left-back perfectly adequately for several games last season. I’m not sure if Lungi is still at the club in all fairness. We get to hear more about Josip Drmic than we do Sorensen.
But you chose a right-footed centre-back to play there. Answers on a postcard from Colney please.
Plus many Chelsea fans are vocally and loudly proclaiming that they want to see Billy Gilmour back at the Bridge. I don’t often agree with those of the Pensioner persuasion but in this case, I reckon they’ve got a valid point.
Following on with the loud and vocal theme, City were so inept following the Rodrigo goal that when the fourth official showed there were five minutes of added time there was no roar from the Barclay, just a collective shaking of heads that wouldn’t have been out of place at an Iron Maiden gig. Or even Quo if you like that sort of thing.
The final third of the match left nobody with any illusion that we could come back and get something out of it.
And what particularly gets my goat is that Leeds were so bloody average but we didn’t have it in us to construct a response. Other than hoofing it up of course, which Peacock & Co lapped up.
Even the booing at full time was a bit constrained – I said last week that I never boo and I stuck to my principle but I swear that the lower Barclay had become so worn down that they couldn’t even be bothered to do that properly.
As MFW has recently been accused – rightly or wrongly – of negativity recently I’ll add a positive. Just one, but all articles should have a kind of balance so I’ve chosen a reason to be cheerful.
Rashica takes a pretty decent corner.
An old 1p5wich mate sent me a rather rude original Hallowe’en cartoon yesterday. I won’t offer it up for general viewing but suffice to say it featured Delia cackling on a broomstick doing a rapid nosedive onto Carrow Road while clutching a parachute pack with £££ signs all over it.
His team had been beaten by Plymouth Argyle on Saturday but he’s obviously got more spirit than I have. I’ve yet to respond.
Instead of Colin’s cartoon I’ll leave you with this.
Morning Mr P,. Just back in from clearing frost of car screen, cold work, bit like watching City labour to look like a serious premiership side. Dirty Leeds still live on, names have changed but the ghosts still working,. You said they looked “average” I would have said poor, but they had one bright spot in Raphinha. If they looked POOR they still beat us. They were streetwise where we offered very little in reply. I thought the naivety would have been a thing of the past,
.
That is the 5th game managed to watch on the box, only 3rd I stayed until the end, I am still confused as to he is doing with the players,. They look like I feel lost , there was only one player in my view that made the so called Farkeball really tick, as already mentioned, he looked as lost as city players in the Villa games I have seen..
We could go into the whys and wherefores of what is going tits up, whether the recruiting was good enough or not. On that note I had a problem, with several of these new boys we heard that they interested other clubs, but that interest never turned into anything more than that, they were still at their respective clubs – then along come Norwich. Speaks to me if nobody else. He has one of this Islands brightest prospects, a player who looks for that forward pass to split defences, but no Farke doesn’t use him. Makes my blood boil Farke seems as stubborn as a donkey.
I thank the footballing god’s for Farke, who brought some of the best football and times to Carrow Rd. But the longer this goes on, those great times will be tarnished it does not take long to spoil the goods. A teaspoon of sewage in a barrel of wine will do the rest in.
How will it pan out ? Everyone could hazard a guess, here’s mine. As per usual the Stowmarket Duo, will let it go on too long , Worthy, Roeder, Neil. Then they will turn to Neil Adams once again, to have a dozen games to do something. But being on 10 points the goal will be to get past the Derby,s 11pnts – which will be seen as a good positive thing to harp on about. I am dreading Saturday at Brentford, be prepared for another quite heavy loss. Hope I am wrong. In the future for games I will be in my workshop sticking with the wireless coverage. Can’t watch much more of this embarrassments.
Morning Lad
Bet Raphinha couldn’t his luck when he was up against Omobamidele. I forgot to mention our other two full backs – the Sams McCallum and Byram.
Your sewage and wine analogy is a good one – I haven’t heard that expression in ages – and it’s perfectly apt.
I don’t have a shed any more as it’s now used as a woodstore, but if I did I’d retreat to it during every away game for the rest of the season!
Cheers
Talk about two people too shoot themselves in the foot . It appears that they learnt absolutely nothing from their first season in the prem absolutely nothing ! It feels like the club is imploding on itself .
Its painful and very very sad .
Alas Webber and Farke Move over Mr Adams .
Hi Jim
The *redeployment* of Neeyul certainly points to a Webber departure in the summer. Six months ago I would have been petrified at the thought but just now maybe a bit of Staffordshire steel might prove useful – especially in the Championship, which seems to be our nailed-on destination for 2022-23.
Cheers
Last season, when SW knew of Buendia’s wants, and with Skipp only ever likely to be a loan, was the time to rejuvenate Farkeball.
Would we be promoted? Who knows. But without Buendia last season NCFC couldn’t hit a barn door. The writing was on the wall.
My opinion was that last season was a time to regroup and play a team adjusted somewhat so that pending promotion, they’d be better suited at the top.
I don’t want to detract from our game but pretty much every MFW would quietly admit that City have been no better, debateably worse, when they’ve gone toe to toe with Sheff Utd, Brentford and Watford these last few years. All those other teams applied tactics and formulas, not Farkeball, that saw them better suited to survive. They often best us on the day and their managers had the upper hand.
I’m very grateful for what work has been done by Df and SW and what remains is a sensational setup ready for the Premier League, but something has got to give. This season, in my mind, is still recoverable.
But it needs a new face that will inspire those here now, will encourage suitable signings in January, and in the worst case, be a coach or manager equally capable of attacking the Chump next season.
Hi Mike
When Farke got that new contract many of us were pleased – there’s no denying that.
But Delia has inadvertently put that proverbial golden rope around her neck.
I hate to think what the compensation for the coaching team would be if they were all dismissed. I can only guess but something like £5million.
Please feel free to offer a more accurate figure if you can.
Cheers
Morning Martin
Robert Chase took a risk and sold the Crown Jewels, for the sake of financial security. Chase would not have taken this decision in isolation….There is enough about us, we can weather the storm and then stabilise. That money is too good to turn down, and we desperately need it. A low risk gamble….You can imagine the back and forth inside the club. We all know what happened next. A sad end that can be viewed with more dispassion now. One thing is certain, that relegated Chase side would turn this lot over handily. That is how bad things now are. The Chase era was momentarily very good, reaching highs we cannot even dream of at the moment.. Stadium improvements, land purchases, much was done that has benefitted Norwich for decades. Chase never enriched himself, say what you like about that toxic end, he was always trying to do what he thought was best by our club.
And here we are again. Different owners, the exact same thing almost. It has all turned to disaster on the green stuff. The only place that really matters. Parachute payments, money, money, money…I have heard this all before. Farke is failing, but much worse, Webber is failing. Delia has given SW the whole show to run, shown great faith in him. Webber will abandon ship soon, Adams is being primed. Our current owners must be bewildered about what is happening. Norwich have gone for it, invested hugely (in Norwich terms), and it hasn’t worked out. They are probably as shocked as everyone else about our complete inability to show even a hint of PL quality.
As you will have gathered I was never Chase out. I saw what was done, and why. It was a judgement at the end of the day. The alternative was never simple. Just as now. Buyer’s regret? You better believe it. 4 year contracts all round. Farke and his coaching squad will leave with pots of gold. Delia will be as torn as Chase ever was. What to do now? This season is a bust. I hope it doesn’t end for Delia like Robert Chase, but I fear that it too easily could. Farke out, let Webber bolt, and try again with Adams. That would be my judgement this time round. History will judge, as ever., by the only thing that can really be measured, how well Norwich do on the pitch.
Hi Cobbers
Yes there were people who understood what Chase was doing and why he was doing it but unfortunately his personality was nothing like Delia’s so it was a little easier for us to focus our frustrations on him at that time than it would be with her now.
As I said to Jim [above] there is no doubt that Neeyul is primed and will doubtless be ready to go when the time comes.
More importantly for auntie D, he’ll be the cheapest of cheap options.
Cheers
I feel that Chase’s downfall was down to two moments in 94/95. First Bryan Gunn had a long term injury and second we failed to buy a central midfielder when Lee Clarke was a possibility. I believe he assumed that we wouldn’t lose 7 or 8 in a row and go down. The financial security you mention was ultimately sacrificed thanks to failure on the pitch which is just like this season. Another similarity to this season was that we sold 2 top players and brought in a load of players with the proceeds and in doing so disrupted the team significantly
Hi John
I recall the pivotal nature of Gunny’s injury as well – he badly did his shoulder at Forest, I think it was from memory. How we missed those Scottish tones bellowing at all and sundry, particularly the CBs!
Those were large boots that young Andy Marshall simply couldn’t fill.
Then there was the fire sale of course, with Ashley Ward and Jon Newsome the knock-down bargains. The rest is history!
Cheers
Good morning on this lovely sunny start here in Norwich and my last vestige of belief that we could survive in the PL was confined to the waste bin on Sunday afternoon.
Leeds were there for the taking IF we had had a player such as Gilmour who could create an attacking threat, but sadly there was none. Pukki had time to trap the ball before his shot that flew narrowly wide of the post and Normann’s shot wasn’t too far away either.
You touched on a theme that is prominent in most NCFC fans’ minds – yes SW has signed a glut of players, but other than Normann and perhaps Kabak, I think we would have been better off keeping Vrancic.
It’s no good fans saying that we should have kept Emi, he wanted to leave and he hasn’t exactly shone at Villa. I was reading the BBC Gossip column and Dean Smith is next in line for his P45 according to that. Sadly, we are lumbered with DF for goodness knows how long and I feel that casual fans will start thinking that £40 plus beer/food to watch another insipid display is just too much, especially with Xmas looming.
As you so rightly say, Farkeball is dead and buried and our game on Sunday was an opportunity for it to be resurrected, but as soon as I saw the starting 11, I knew that we weren’t going to be entertained by it.
I messaged another fan to say that I don’t know where our next point is coming from and he just said ‘exactly!!’
PS – Colin’s cartoon sounds brilliant!! 😀
Morning Ed
Yes, we’ve said many times that late October would be the time to judge so judgement has been made. I doubt there’s any coming back from this position.
I doubt the next point will arrive at Brentford, and that’s for sure.
I’ve sent you the cartoon – you’ll see why we haven’t published it on MFW!
Cheers
Good point about Sorensen (and much else – especially the ref). I had Sorensen down as a probable for the Skipp role this season. What has happened to him? I also think Omabamidele should be starting at centre back every week. Astonishing that Gilmour didn’t replace Dowell. In all the time I’ve watched Norwich under Farke I’ve never seen us hoof it up so much. and so aimlessly. In the last 3 seasons, even if we were down and in added time, we always played it on the ground (in fact I’d be thinking that we should hoof it up at that stage to get it into the box to hopefullyy get something out of a game). It was a very dispiriting final 20 minutes (and not a lot better before that. I think Farke will have to go if the next 2 performances are that poor. I love what he has done for us up to this season but we have to get some coherence in our play.
Hi Paul
Sorensen is a bit like Norman *Spirit in the Sky* Greenbaum, as in the question of whatever happened to him. I know Greenbaum became a farmer in the USA but I cannot fathom out the other answer.
I too thought Lungi was a *free* if you like replacement for Skipp but DF seems quite content to give him matchdays off, just like our Todd.
In the case of the latter I can guess why, but with the former I haven’t got a Scooby.
*Lack of coherence* is spot on, never more ably illustrated than on Sunday.
Cheers
The ref stood out on Sunday, it was an unusual kit. Why did he have number 23 and the word Phillips on his back?
I was ‘lucky’ enough to get a ticket in the Upper Barclay (I couldn’t find you Martin) and was taken at how quiet it was on the way out. No noise. No anger, no chatting, nothing but despondent silence.
I don’t think many supporters wants to give Farke a hard time or boo the team. It’s hard to get behind the team with any great enthusiasm, they’re just not good enough.
Hi Don
I was there but I didn’t venture into the bar which is probably why you missed me.
No we don’t want to give Farke a hard time and didn’t, but nobody could say we didn’t back the team on the field at the time.
It’s going to turn very fractious very soon.
Cheers
Totally Totally agree cobwatch looking back now how true ! And I was very much at the front of the Chase out campaigns, Ran on the pitch aginst the Villa when we went down and had my day in court along with 16 others , and do you know what I’d have them days back in a flash because we were a bloody good side !!
I never got arrested in those days but got involved in a few covert ops.
Like the TV interview in the Mustard Pot with Anglia’s Richard Futter, sneaking into the directors’ room by *winning* a pair of tickets from Radio Norfolk when Chase was too frightened to show and spent a good few minutes speaking with Jimmy Jones. And a very interesting conversation it was, too.
My mate at the time was a Norwich Union photographer and his brother, a big WHU fan who co-ordinated their balloons on the pitch demonstration, came along to speak at a NCISA meeting. He was put down by NCISA who said *protest’s not our way*.
I’ve had the horses coming towards me gaining momentum all the time, which with my working background I found particularly disturbing.
Hi Martin
It was mentioned in commentary that Normann was being targeted and Leeds had done their home work well on who cities main threats were.
Taylor seem to be very pally with a few if the Leeds players and it looked like he had given them licence to carry on and yes they had 4 players booked but that was only after they had taken the niggles to far.
Chase Purchased land for city and that has all been sold off to help the club survive but can anyone tell me what ground improvements have been done since his time I was told that facilities are still latec19th century and after a game the locals complain of the smell for days.
Has Farke lost his mojo or is it players are just not putting in the effort to get selected, Tuchel has backed Farke over Gilmour saying he has to do more to get into the team but that could change come January if he gets a recall this reminds me of Roberts and Edwards both poor loans.
Maybe something surprising might come out in the next week but with an international break coming up there will be a kick of numbers at Colney.
Cantwell needs to up the anti if he wants a big move come the summer
Hi Alex
Chase bought Read’s flour mill when the Riverside development was in the womb, let alone its infancy.
Nobody could ever prove what his motivation for this was, but when he was forced out it remained the property of NCFC, who later sold it off for something like £6million, which at the time bridged a huge gap in the club’s finances.
We can talk until we’re blue in the face about whether his intention was to repurchase the investment from the club at some point as some form of *called-in loan*. Tittle tattle that must remain for legal reasons. I’ve a view but won’t voice it publicly.
Builders/developers are canny people if they’re good at what they do. For what sometimes feels like my sins I’m custodian of an investment apartment on nearby Paper Mill Yard and luckily for myself and my kids they rent out like hot cakes with good rental return.
Mr Chase was doubtless ahead of his time with that particular purchase.
As for Todd Cantwell I’ve heard some stuff but it’s just rumour so I’m not biting.
Cheers
I heard that Colney was the minimum size for an out of town ground and that there was talk of the inner ring road being expanded with a plan to dual it up to Bracondale which could have taken it too close to the ground. I seem to remember it took a very long time to replace the ‘main stand’ after the fire. Toreplace it with one so small was incredibly short sighted. With an expanding population and regular PL games we could probably get 40,000 in a game (35,000 perhaps) but…….it won’t happen with this regime.
Absolutely true Paul – at least from my perspective. An architect I know keeps saying that Colney, the Nest or even the Showground could be suitable for a newbuild stadium [land already bought and paid for, not leased in the case of Colney] and you can just imagine the value of Carrow Road should it be sold to a developer.
Equally it could be a case of his vivid imagination and 2+2=5.
I really dunno!
Chase bought a lot of land for a small amount of money as it was at a point when the property market was still reeling from the crash and nobody was thinking about residential property. Apparently the plan was to build an indoor arena. Thankfully we ended up making money from the deal. In term of improvements in facilities after he left, we did build the South Stand and filled in another corner of the ground. The comment about the possible road was true but I think that was before we bought the property. Carrow Road and King Street being the one place where the Inner and Outer Ring Roads are the same so the idea was to separate them which could have impacted on the ground. Colney was also like to have ultimately been a new ground and it probably would have been a 20,000 capacity venue as that was what would have been regarded as enough at the time as it was pre-boom times for football. Ironically we might have had to move back to the city possibly at the Colmans site
Morning Martin.
As always spot on. At this moment in time Marc Anthony could get into the Norwich team, at least he would be of novelty value.
Of our 9 outfield signings loan and permanent in the summer two of them were Dimi and Ben, who were of course with us last season and of the other seven 5 were 21 years old or younger.
So over 50% of our incoming players were 21 or under. We need players for the now, not for in 3-4 years time.
That leaves Milot Rashica and Pierre Lees Melou as the only new experienced players.
Oh dear ! They needed to start the season up and running. They do not look any better than what we have got, other than a good performance by Pierre against Brighton. But that’s clutching at straws.
I have said on here on many occasions we have risked too much on youth. I see today Don Goodman has said the same. Now I hate listening to an ex-Wolves player, I still haven’t forgiven Muscatt, but I just do not know what the club were thinking.
Look at Burnley, they sign Maxwel Cornet for £15 million a ready made EPL player by the looks of things. Still think we would have got a 0-0 if he had been fit ? I don’t.
Surely it would have been better to get 2-3 really good 25-26 years old for £13-15 million each, finances allowing, rather than this scatter gun approach.
Are some of the players unhappy with the incoming lads salaries, they say it doesn’t happen but it does.
The trouble is the guy most responsible for this is no longer at the club, Kieran Scott who has high-tailed it to Middlesbrough. No doubt Stuart and Daniel must take a big part of the blame especially the youth angle, but as head of recruitment Kieran must take the largest proportion of blame.
My mate Trev wondered if the self-funding model is to blame and without a doubt it has a massive part to play, perhaps Ajer and Billing could have been persuaded to sign if the club could offer more in wages.
But we put in some good displays two years ago while still a self funding club, as we all know in the midst of a massive defensive injury crisis, so it doesn’t excuse this absolutely wretched run of results and performances.
We also seem to play a system now that Billy Gilmour and the two wide boys cannot get in, is that good planning ?
Years ago the Greatest manager in Norwich history (that’s a debate and a half) Ron Saunders was losing at home to Everton 1-3 so he took off our young striker Paul Cheeseley and sent on our right back Clive Payne to play as centre forward. This was to show the then chairman Sir Arthur South he needed help in the transfer market. It wasn’t forthcoming and Saunders left to lead Aston Villa to the European Cup.
My point is what message was Daniel sending and to who ? as you say Martin by playing a right sided centre half at left back ! Sky had Rashica as wing back. God knows what Dimi and Brandon privately thought of this.
Just knew Raphina would bloody well score.
I do not think Farke wants another Championship campaign, it’s just a hunch but where we go from here is fraught with danger.
We only get two years parachute of payments this time around as we have (will ?) gone straight back down. That’s roughly £ 70 million and its a massive advantage but only for two years so it cannot be wasted.
Now on Todd. We have to be careful as we do not know his circumstances and if he is suffering he has my sympathy but and its a big but I have heard its basically a falling out with Daniel. Now no player is bigger than the club but this must get resolved as we need Todd back on the pitch
Finally I urge all supporters to read the Q & A on the Pinkun yesterday. We all know the club need investment but what I read on there really worried me, Investment Groups buying clubs taking out huge debts and making money on the interest.
We need Delia to say what her plans are, she herself says she is not the owner only the custodian so perhaps it would be helpful to know what she has in mind.
I always said a poor transfer window would blow self funding away I never thought it may already have happened.
Very good points. Interesting comment with regard to farkes veiled messages.
His post match interview appeared to point more than a finger at self funding and the perpetual sale of his best assets. He seems to be fed up with the project.
Mention of cantwell leads me to a discussion I had with somebody yesterday while working in the village of Hockering.
At approximately 1.30 pm on Sunday he was walking his dog. While his employer and so called boyhood club was involved I a 6 pointer relegation battle live on tv. Committed to the cause?
A few similar tales doing the rounds. However I took Geezer the Patterdale out for a long walk yesterday and enjoyed it far more than I did being at Carrow Road on Sunday.
I bet it’s Todd’s parents’ dog though – you can’t have a four-legged $hit machine and play professional football at the same time, surely 🙂
😗 I got chapter and verse yesterday but I’ll say no more!
One verse would be better than nowt!
No, don’t do it, I wouldn’t 😉
It is a bit veiled right now, I would agree.
Hi Tim
Yeah Mark Antony would be welcome – I can’t remember a previous Italian player here before unless we count Gaetano Giallanza, but I think he was at least half Swiss.
I guess Cleopatra could have been good boardroom company for Delia too.
As for exactly what some of our squad are thinking privately just now I think we can all hazard a pretty good guess. Cantwell, Gilmour, Tzolis, Giannoulis? I’ll stop there otherwise it will become a litany of some length.
I’ve not had the opportunity to look at the Pink Un Q&A in any depth but from what I recall Paddy D is suggesting there will be something coming down the tracks from the Archant boys later this week but it will not be from Delia or MWJ.
Webber had his say last week and Farke’s been consistently squawking like a parrot so that only leaves Tom Smith – and quite what he might have to say is beyond my ken.
Cheers
Arturo Lupoli 🙂
Cheers mate – can’t think how I forgot him 🙂
I can
Don Revie was mentioned as England manager in those english league football documentaries, which are absolutely great. It was not mentioned about his tactical decisions, so once again many thanks Martin for sharing that. English 1st division games in 70s are like watching very good movie.
I happened to watch couple of english pundits videos as how they see Norwich. They were only Norwich bashing and that Farke must be sacked bla bla bla….Norwich surely seems to be getting relegated but its not so bad team as they are claiming. Norwich last 3 home games have been very even games, 7-0 loss to Chelsea has been over hyped very much thanks that all scorers happened to be english players. Once again im very sure those players will not play big part or any part when their most important games come. All this proved how important football is in England and how much drama they want to bring in.
Farkeball has been very much in my opinion build to 2 individuals, Pukki and Buendia. Buendia scored 24 goals and assisted 35 goals, Pukki scored 66 goals and assisted 16 goals. I kind of believe that biggest benefits have got other Norwich players and Farke + Norwich owners and staff. Now that its broken, its difficult to find solution and because contrast now to farkeball is so huge I can understand its miserable to watch.
Hi 1×2
English football tends to go through very identifiable eras.
We had the Tottenham double winners of 1961, progressing to the flamboyant West Ham team of the 66 World Cup era through to the Leeds I mentioned, who won very little, actually.
Then there was a period of domination from Manchester United, Liverpool followed by Arsenal, which kind of brings us into the present era, wherein foreign investment has fostered the deeds of Chelsea and Manchester City, with Arsenal, Spurs and Man Utd just about hanging on in there.
Leicester City’s EPL title was very much an anomaly.
Sure it’s miserable to watch Norwich City just now but the trouble is that whenever we get a chance to establish ourselves in the PL we simply cannot take it – and not always simply because of financial restrictions.
Kiitos
Hello Martin. What a total shambles we have become.
Yes, Webber has bought dreadfully. Yes, farke is managing the side as if he is an eleven year old boy on a computer game. Yes, the players are in the main in dismal form and failing to put in enough effort most of the time.
Following Webber’s criticism of the support, the crowd turned up in the usual good numbers and when given the slightest encouragement to do so by some rare good play roared the team on. The decibel level when Big A scored his goal nearly blew the roof off.
In his post match interview, Omobamidele, with maturity belying his 19 years owned the opening Leeds goal entirely and spoke of his desire to make amends as he strode forward for the corner gifted to us. For once we produced a corner worthy of the name and his powerful response was unstoppable. Another one for delias yearly sell-A-thon methinks.
Quite how many wingers were on the pitch by the end of proceedings I’m not sure. The sight of placheta was the most surreal moment. His only asset is pace and given Leeds blanket defence how on earth was he going to deploy it? Farke knows.
The shite is soon to hit the fan, in huge volume. The really unusual aspect of the implosion and subsequent acrimony is the timing of it. Normally crowds don’t turn until January at the very earliest. Following a short decline in performances and a run of poor results, stuck firmly in the relegation zone, board intransigence regarding the fate of a failing manager, no funds made available for bolstering the team. Top it off with a ghastly third round fa cup exit to some hick towns eleven and you’ve got all the elements.
As we enter November, our form has already transcended that mark, most of the other factors are already firmly in place too. Barring something approaching a miracle we are likely to be breaking all sorts of records by Christmas.
This isn’t a case of just seeing out a couple of months of unpleasantness and heading abroad for the summer, it’s a seven month open season on all those held responsible for making Norwich City a joke.
Hi Chris
There’s a lot of good old common sense in that comment, and that’s for sure.
Suffice to say I agree with you and my abiding imagine from the match will be Placheta failing to control at the far post at the death. At the same time, I think 2-2 would have been an injustice to a Leeds side who as always I had no affection for whatsoever.
*It’s a seven month open season on all those held responsible for making Norwich City a joke*.
No it isn’t mate.
The pundits will keep piling in from outside and with the best of good reason.
But while we have a significant number of supporters – and they are very much supporters just as you and I – that will prop up Delia through thick and particularly thin, there is very little the rest of us can do about anything.
There will be that *open season* but while MFW and other platforms give us the freedom to voice our views no notice will be taken of us where it matters.
As some elderly person said to a mate who was indulging in a rant at half time: *If you don’t like Delia buy her out*, knowing full well that would not be possible. She wouldn’t sell anyway.
My friend reacted brilliantly by saying *this is a private conversation and you’re not invited to take part in it*.
Such a pity we’ve sunk to this – again.
Thanks as always.
😁 your mate acted with much more restraint than I would have. I would have told them to……
🙂 🙂 🙂
Very interesting comments from all you seasoned contributers , and nothing really to disagree with.
One point that interested me was SW saying from day one that his ambition is to be sporting director at a Top Club. To hold this postion at a top club, I would think you would need to be able to prove to potential new employers that you can make difficult decisions. This decsion on the managers capability at this level , and to act promtly before it is too late to salvage the season .
It seems to me to be a number one test of a Sporting Director with ambition to work at the pinnacle of football .
The late Bill Shankly once said ” If you cannot make a decsion you should not be in Management you should be in Politics” .
Hi Mezz
I love the Bill Shankly reference – he came up with some crackers but I’d never heard that particular one attributed to him before 🙂
I am beginning to think the Webber bubble has burst. Certainly with us.
Only a few months ago I would have been sweating on his departure.
Now I’m totally apathetic.
Thanks – good comment.
Farkeball is – or should I say was – great as far as it goes. Which now, is nowhere at all. Leaving Daniel completely in uncharted waters.
Farkerball works depending on two factors:
1. You have the players to play it.
2. The opposition are no better than you.
3. Confidence
Add all those three and you’re laughing. If you don’t, you’re crying.
Where is it all falls down in the EPL for Norwich under Farke is that he doesn’t have the quality to play his type of football in relation to the opposition. While Stuart Webber deserves no praise whatsoever for an appalling transfer window in which players were bought primarily for the second tier – which is not what you do if you want to stay in the league – and we don’t – we do not have the funds to get enough quality and that all comes back to the owners and their doomed structure.
If The Stowmarket Two were savvy – and wanted a chance to stay in the top flight – they would get a manager who would work with what he had, rather than try to get them to play a system that aren’t good enough to play. Farke is totally blown because he doesn’t know what to do. He wasn’t and isn’t made that way.
Lambert was hardly given a top level squad, but never got them to play in a way that they weren’t skilled enough to play. That’s what we need, if we want any chance of survival.
Farke is the past, but he’s still here.
Finally, There was a very interesting piece on Alex Neil in The Sunday Times. He’s gives his take on Farke and recognises his own stubbornness when he was at Carrow Road. Neill learnt to adapt too late, but Farke is a dead man walking. He is only surviving by the weak board whose lack of desire for top flight football keeps everyone on the gravy train.
But that train, will sooner or later, hit the buffers. Farkeball RIP.
P Lambert is a busted has been and Keep harping on his achievements at city is futile since he fell out the his 2 able coaches at Aston Villa he has achieved more relegations that Farke has Ian Culverhouse was his architect of success on the pitch.
Has DF outlived his time at city possibly but so has the owners by 20years but people don’t like saying that
Sure Lambert’s a busted flush now Alex but if he’d had the right backing at the right time before he fell out with Cully and Karsa?
We’ll never know mate, we’ll never know.
Hi IR
Yeah, no arguing with that. I agree with you on all levels and I’m pretty confident in saying that many of our readers will too.
I haven’t read the Times piece but I’ll search it out now you’ve suggested it.
Retrospectively it’s such a shame that Lambert told the Stowmarket Two the truth and walked. Had they have splashed out on Michu and/or Benteke when he had identified them all those years ago who knows where we might be, especially if he hadn’t fallen out with Cully.
Then Chairman Alan Bowkett: *The most impatient man I’ve ever met*.
But is patience always a virtue?
Thanks – good comment.
As in life the decisions that other people make can have such a huge impact on ones own life. Spurs appointing Nuno as manager, for, as it turns out, a handful of games. Nuno liking Skipp and that putting any hope on him returning to NR1. Who knows how it would have worked out but if Conte had taken the job then instead of Nuno, I can’t see him wanting to keep Skipp in the building. The lad would probably be back in yellow and our season could have had a whole different tint to it. I blame :Levy for the mess we are in now!!!!! Seriously though, where do Norwich go from here? I have no idea. I don’t see the point in putting Neil Adams in charge again. Sure, take over from SW but not DF. I think NA would do a pretty decent job as sporting director. Could any manager come in and sort this mess out and save us from relegation? Highly doubtful IMHOP. I would argue they just need to bring in a fire fighter, short term appointment, for the rest of the season with the job of at least trying. Not popular option but Big Sam, Steve Bruce, Chris Wilder – a manager who would not take any c r a p from anyone and put a rocket up the backsides of the players.
Hi Tim
Some interesting thoughts in there for sure.
The football world is just like most walks of life in that the old bush telegraph has more truth in it than the job descriptions [or perceptions of them] on offer.
Even in the context of my early days in journalism, you’d know not to apply for certain vacancies because of who the boss would be. Same in the Police – word gets around and that’s why certain postings are never easily filled.
I’m not sure a firefighter would come here.
There’s only one available and I’m not sure even he would take this particular gig on!
Thanks
Marty, we were promised a new Norwich City, a Phoenix, a PC, community and self funded club, of which we could be proud. We would develop young players and play attractive football, and what have we got? A disaster! What happens next? Nothing but the same problems, again and again. We’ll not for me, I’m taking an early bath! When this lot have slung their hook I’ll give them another look. Until then I’ll keep in touch with your good self and a few of the other lads. But the Canaries can do their thing and I’ll do mine.
Hi Cutty
I quite understand your viewpoint, I really do.
Several people I’ve known for yonks feel exactly the same way and I too have moments of extreme doubt where the voices in my head say: *you’re being taken for a mug*. Mind you I’ve been hearing those supernatural tones since around 1995. If it wasn’t a good day out on a social level I would be tempted to jack it in too.
Please keep reading/posting on MFW even if only to see how increasingly pi$$ed off the rest of us are becoming!
Cheers ole pard.
Hi Martin , would have preferred the Bloomfield Stills version of Season of the Witch , and next week can we have something by B Bumble and the Stingers.
Music’s better than the football.., then there’s lots of fun with Shakespeare.
‘Is this a dagger I see before me, No Daniel tis a P45.
Hi Bernie
It’s been a long day in terms of keyboard conversation for me and I’ll openly admit I’m flagging but: *When shall we three meet again* does lead me towards a possible future gathering between Delia, MWJ and Stuart Webber.
SW: I’m away now isn’t it.*
DS: *No you must stay*.
SW: *@&£” you – I’m off*.
DS: *What did he say that for?*
MWJ *Zzzzz*
Cheers me ole Walrus
Clearly I’m still on the naughty step but unusually Archant published my article ….. for the first time in months. I guess my words are easier when they are fan opinion than paid journalist!
Mike Taylor: making it right when it has gone so wrong.
I did try and publish it on MFW first…..
I was going to post the piece on Wednesday pm. But well done on getting it posted by Archant. A bigger audience.
Great column Martin, and as always many excellent comments.
Is Farke so pi$$ed off with what he has to select from that he deliberately set Andy O up to fail on Sunday?? It doesn’t seem his way at all, and I wonder if he got some duff info on Raphina’s fitness (or rather lack of)….
And just how poor was the ref?? Phillips committed at least 6 fouls on Sunday, but didn’t even get booked. It looked at times as if he was the actual ref…oh; I forgot, he’s an England international which means when up against the lesser teams he can do as he wishes and is beyond reproach..
We are so poor that even 3/5 at the back does not work for us Surely we have to go back to Farkeball and find a way of accommodating at least one of Gilmour. or Cantwell?
I’d move Kabak from the back and have him a one of the holding 2 alongside Normann with Cantwell/Gilmour and A N Other loading the bullets for Pukki.
If Farke has to fall on his sword, Nuno is now available…..and with Conte’s record, I’m sure Nuno could get Skipp here in January.
Optimism or desperation – I’m not too sure but the last chance saloon is approaching very very quickly.
O T B C
Hi John
Raphina looked fit enough to me!
I was completely bemused by both the selection and the formation and don’t think Omobamidele played too poorly given the ridiculous situation he was plunged into.
I’d say that we’ve had our slug of hooch in the Last Chance Saloon and we’re en route to Boot Hill I’m afraid.
While there is time to turn it round I simply don’t think we’ve got the personnel – or, more sadly still, the motivation.
Cheers
I concluded a long time ago that not many other decent coaches would buy into the self-funding model which DF has. All credit to him at a personal level for doing so, but it JUST WON’T WORK in a Premier League context. i.e. a low/tight wage structure and “not spending money we don’t have.”
So, we fish in pools that no other self-respecting Premiership team does, and sing from the rooftops when we spend £8 million on a player …… excuse me??? As the saintly Chris Wilder said the other day: even if you can afford the transfer fee, if you’re not prepared to pay the wages (how I HATE that word…) the good players just won’t come. And that’s what we see before us right now.
Yes, OK, we did wonderfully well with Emi (£1.4 million in, £33 million out) but that was a one-off and look how poor we are without his creativity.
So, like so many others, I feel bad about trashing DF, He’s given it his best shot and – at a Championship level – he’s shown he can deliver, in style.
But until the Cook and her attendant Bottlewasher Michael move over and let some real money come into this club, we shall go through this same old routine season after season.
And if you think things can’t get worse….. just wait until Nephew Tom (why does he remind me of cousin Greg in Succession??) is let loose……
Hi Bertie
That comes from the heart – and all the better for it!
I have an equal dislike for the word *wages*. It doesn’t fit in with Premier League footballers to me. I struggle with *salary* as well in this context, but I’m quite happy with terms such as *pillage* and *robbery*.
One of my MFW colleagues has spoken quite highly of Nephew Tom and thinks we might be pleasantly surprised by his abilities.
I remain sceptical but am prepared to wait for the proof of the pudding,.
Thanks – I enjoyed reading that.
I am sure we could have had a different result with a sensible defence and sensible substitutions. As soon as you leave ‘AO let’s go’ up against Raphina in that game then it’s no wonder that he scores. I think the trouble is Farke did listen to the noise after Chelsea when he should have focused on building on the Brighton and Burnley performances. We played ok in the first half v Leeds but the writing was on the wall with the bizarre team selection. And the poor players have to try and make sense of it….
Hi Tony
You make a good point about the players struggling to make sense of things.
It’s easy for us as supporters to criticise but if the players cannot understand the plan either we are in big trouble. I was genuinely confused on Sunday and I’m not ashamed to admit it – surely the buck has to stop with Farke?
Cheers
Definitely but it means that some things had been going right prior to that. I think Farke lost his nerve just when he was actually getting somewhere. With all the chopping and changing it looks like he is floundering – when he should have stuck with his 5-3-2 again and saw what it delivered. Instead we were treated to that incoherent mess on Sunday, when we should have got at least a point.