New manager bounce. Now that’s a short, sharp phrase to get the old grey matter working. Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed the effect with the arrival of Antonio Conte as have ourselves with the introduction of Dean Smith and Craig Shakespeare, who are very much a team from what we’ve seen so far.
But the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was the venue that showed us how this bounce factor only has a certain shelf life.
Did any of us expect a result in London N17? I certainly didn’t and was sadly proved right in an all too predictable fashion.
The stats say that we were well in the game, and in terms of possession, we actually bossed it in some kind of ironic fashion.
But here lies the rub.
Readers of a nervous disposition turn away now but for the remaining rufty-tufties who are still following I will for the only time in my life quote the late Max Bygraves, whose entrée to a poor joke was always *I wanna tell you a story*. So do I, and here’s mine.
Just over two years ago I was compelled, through previous and long-standing neglect of my oral health, to undergo [deliberate choice of phrase] a full dental extraction at the NNUH. Painful? Only when I woke up from the general anaesthetic and for a week or so afterwards. Covid-19 hit and the only option I had was to get a quick, cheap and cheerful set of NHS dentures courtesy of the admirable Mr Peirson in NR3 who has been Mrs P’s dentist for years. My own dentist in NR11 would only do it privately at an astronomical cost accompanied by a three-month wait for an initial appointment.
Said gnashers were ill-fitting and I cannot get on with them, so I only use them when I get a call to model the latest range of Adidas or Nike baseball caps. Okay, I don’t use the dentures at all, but being a bit of a chef I get by on the old nutrients front and it was quite a self-education to discover a great variety of things I can enjoy eating without resorting to a blender.
But even I have more bite than we showed at Spurs on Sunday. The comparative tale of my teeth and our assembly of strikers to get us through a PL campaign has a point to it – we just cannot cut it in the final third any more than I can eat steak and chips or a roast lamb dinner.
Teemu Pukki is who he is. He scored something approaching a worldy at Newcastle last week but this time around shot tamely at Hugo Lloris in only the third minute when he had to do better. We cannot afford a Harry Kane, a Mo Salah or a Gabriel Jesus so he is the best we have, and let’s be totally realistic – he has given us incredible value for money.
Forgiven for failing to convert the chance? Sure.
Adam Idah is still only 20. His close-range chance seemed nailed on but a complete mishit and possibly an air of panic saw another opportunity bite the dust. More of Adam in a while.
Josh Sargent is another young [misfiring] gun. When he entered the fray he had the last of our chances but it seemed the ball fell slightly behind him and, okay that’s never easy for a player to cope with but a lack of awareness rears its ugly head again. Right now he does not look like a well-spent £8 million and that is for sure.
We just don’t have a back-up to Teemu and from what I can gather there is nobody coming through the Under-23s either who might be able to step up at this level. The rumours of Jordan Hugill rejoining us from his loan to the Baggies next month do nothing for me at all.
Getting everything into perspective, we cannot expect the arrival of a new striker in January. It ain’t gonna happen so Dean Smith has to make do with what he’s got, which is simply not good enough for the task in hand.
Smith might well argue that the loss of Mathias Normann and Milot Rashica is exacerbating our recent woes and he could well be right.
Add in what seems like the consistent absence of Todd Cantwell for a variety of ever-differing reasons, the lack of game time for Christos Tzolis and the ever-growing feeling amongst the Canary nation that Stuart Webber has made a dog’s breakfast of our future profit-projected summer signings doesn’t do a great deal to elevate the collective mood.
Returning to Idah, certain sources claim that he will be sent out on loan in January with Forest the front runners for his signature. Already several Forest fans are complaining and saying they don’t want him as he won’t be an improvement on what they’ve already got, which to me means Lewis Grabban.
Nothing like reinforcing a young guy’s confidence, hey?
I get the feeling *new manager bounce* is starting to wear off a little more rapidly than I’d have hoped.
After all it’s only Captain Smug and the Red cohorts up next. I’d love nothing more than to turn them over but unless we sort it out in the final third that seems extremely unlikely.
I’ll certainly wear a toothless grin for a long while afterwards if we do.
A rarity from the SAHB to leave you good MFW folks with: Sharks Teeth. And oh man do we need some of those from somewhere.
Certainly a sobering experience Martin. Pukki’s chance was a lot easier than many others he has tucked away, but if he misses there is little other goal scoring threat. If you look back to Wolves and Newcastle, our midfield had chances to get four more points, which would be invaluable going into Christmas. I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry about Josh Sargent? Whatever confidence he arrived with is fast disappearing, and I am sure someone with better IT skills than me is in the process of making a comedy video compilation of his greatest misses.
Hi Andy
Yeah a Sargent showreel could be pretty gruseome watching right now.
That extra four points – which were quite obtainable – would have been very handy as you quite rightly say.
Cheers
I have to say I was delighted to see the team sheet when it appeared on my phone. At last a manager prepared to vary the tactics. I got into trouble on here yesterday for daring to question Teemu but I believe he is not at his best just now. He has to bury the guilt edged chance he had provided by good play from Aarons and Idah. The Idah chance came from a mis-hit Pukki effort which came so fast all he could do was stick a foot out. A very similar half chance came at the other end involving Son and Kane so don’t be too hard on the lad. Time on the field is what he needs and we didn’t waste 8 million on him.
I expected no points from this game but I was encouraged by a lot of our play. I think a lot of the passing between the back line was as much due to the Conte style of pressing as anything.
Despite the loss I am still encouraged by the new regime so let’s hope we have given them enough time to succeed.
Hi Cyprus
I realise the chance fell to Idah when he was least expecting it, but, even so?
No way am I piling in on him but I really think a January loan would be beneficial and wouldn’t keep him out of the RoI side as apart from Connolly, Stephen Kenney doesn’t really have anybody else right now.
Dean Smith would have known exactly what he was walking in to and of course he must be given time. If that’s a rebuild from within the Championship, so be it.
Cheers
Hi Martin. I didn’t expect a result at the Lane, though I did hope for one. Pukki wasn’t sharp enough, maybe because it was early in the game, but he should have done better. Later, His mis-hit shot came quickly at Idah, and his reaction poke at the ball was slightly unlucky. There’s no accounting for how Maura was allowed to waltz through our entire team (that’s what it seemed like) before letting go an unstoppable effort. How often does he manage that?
Smith still has a lot of work to do on the training ground, both defensively and in attack, and I’m not sure he’s going to be able to do it in time. I don’t suppose we have any funds to spend in January, and anyway, the sort of instinctive goal scorer we need would be beyond our means. I won’t suggest making a cheeky bid for Harry Kane, because this season he’s not delivering the goods either!
It will be Giannoulis at left back on Saturday, with Williams ineligible, so that will be interesting. It looks like Normann might be back, though if so, he’ll be playing with a pain killing injection to see him through, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing for either him or us.
Hi Jim
I think that every one of us who expected nothing wanted something – it wasn’t to be.
Lucas won’t get the freedom of Tottenham to unleash a shot like that every day. We just couldn’t get a foot on the ball. See what i did there?
The Normann situation continues to confound me. I have no idea what specific injections he receives but I’ve had old fashioned cortisone a few times and all I can say is that once it wears off you’re back to square one with a recurring problem. It hurts!!!
Cheers
Interesting note about Lewis Grabban. He is a very competent striker who arguably had, in his pomp, more to his game than even Teemu.
Idah is down with guys like Jamal Loza or Adrian Coote. I suspect if he wasn’t at Norwich, who need to prove and market players to get a return, he would have been released by even League 1 or 2 clubs. I’ve played up front my whole life and I’ve never seen anything in him, movement, intelligence, touch, INSTINCT, to think he’s going to make it.
However, I do think SW and S&S have a January spending plan and as long as we stay in touch, we will have a chance.
the woeful PLM will possibly be off-loaded, I expect them to cut their losses and get pennies to the pound for Cantwell, and a big decision needs to be made about Williams, who I love to watch. City have nobody like him, but his left foot is clearly only for standing on, which is crucifying attacking momentum on the left…. It’s a ridiculous exercise.
I’d argue right now the case of selling Aarons and playing Williams on the right, given the more important need to raise funds for at least one striker and midfielder….. but thanks to that much maligned recruitment over the summer, we would also, farcically, still also need a LB too…. Because neither Mumba or Byram are naturally left footed either, and should be ear-marked for when Williams returns to Utd in the summer.
This January, for me, is more about S&Sbeing given license to rebuild round pegs in round holes for next season….. because as Martin basically says, as was blindingly obvious in the summer ,we are going to score very very few goals in the next 4/5 months.
I just hope we can stay in touch until January when i expect S&S to come into their own.
Hi Mike
Lots of good points in there. The one I’ll address is Lewis Grabban in that I regularly speak to a Forest fan who has never really rated him.
All I’ll say is that Mr Grabban maybe doesn’t gel with his peers in the dressing room as well as Teemu Pukki does and that never goes unnoticed by a manager.
Cheers
I’m 100% aware of that mate, I simply said in his pomp, when he can rarely be arsed, Lewis was a naturally gifted, left or right footed striker. Remember Adel Taararbt or Ravel Morrison? If only they could have been arsed…. Same with Grabban and NEVER something I’d say about the GOAT ver 3.0 (behind Sutton and Holt… 😉 )
I read your comments with interest Mike. Something is clearly happening behind the scenes with Cantwell who needs a fresh start. I’m not sure there’s a willingness at board level to spend any money, (is there ever?) but I find it hard to believe that Smith would be happy to plough on with what he’s got.
HI Chris, I am writing an article about this. Don’t misunderstand about Todd, he is a brilliant player and I do not imply he will be sold on the cheap because of issues, I simply mean that S&S have looked into this Pandora’s box that is the first team squad. City cannot offload Rashica or Tzolis because they have spent big and are on brand new contracts yet they occupy a similar role to Todd (and Dowell and Placheta and Onel) and they would be impossible to offload anyway, whilst they are unproven. Then there is the tactical argument where, surprise surprise, 28,000 fans recently awoke from a slumber and realise that (almost literally) Pukki is the only goal scorer in the entire squad at this level, midfielders, defenders and all. And therefore tactically, S&S will be fully aware that we need to include a second striker from January, and S&S will want to know exactly what profile of player they want, Kenian Davis is very likely I’d say, but the moment such a plan goes into action, there is an imposition on the remaining outfield players and base formation. THAT IS THE POINT WHERE CANTWELL WILL STRUGGLE. Nothing to do with his own ability or application, it’s just there will be a marked change in base formation from January onwards. S&S cannot apply that presently (although they have clearly identified it and tried different systems already) but Idah, Sarjent and any combination of attacking, supporting midfielders lacks the potency required.
There will be an article as such to follow very soon.
I’m looking forward to it Mike.
I thought we were better at going forward than against Newcastle in this game ,apart from the end result. Idah and Sargent could be our only option for a strike partnership should Pukki get broken, that’s one I don’t want to see. Hugill ,at this moment in time could be a better option than the youngsters , or give Dickson -Peters a go
Hi Bernie
I’m kind of ashamed to say that I’ve never seen Tom Dickson-Peters play but nevertheless I kind of gather that there is nobody in the current crop of under 23s that could step up into this side at PL level.
But then again, Webber would have known this in June, let alone August.
Cheers
You should catch a glimpse of the under 23s on YouTube Martin, or occasionally at carrow road.
I watched them twice last week, on both occasions they scored five. It was bloody marvellous. The front three of Rowe, Dicksonpeters and Kamara are devastating at that level, Rowe has just won a monthly award. However, I would sound a note of caution having seen the career path of omotoye fall off the proverbial cliff after looking so promising last season.
I used to make a point of catching the under 23s a couple of times a season but Covid put a stop to that so I haven’t been at all for a couple of years now and you’re certainly spot on re Omotoye.
Thing is ,we will never know until the kid is thrown in . Sink or swim .
Hi Martin
Alex Haley now that did lose me especially the as I can’t recall this one and I do like them.
Rumours abound with every team looking to poach Aaron’s even Jose’s Roma the same person when at Spurs said he was too small for a defender but he could soon be at Ipswich, PNE or Everton depending on which Mystic Pundit you listen to.
Spur and Conte sucked it up and got 3 chances and took them City got a few more and missed everyone nothing new in that this season.
Can we still dig ourselves out well as people are saying lots of points to play for so hope is still there.
6 firsteam players and 2 staff isolating at Spurs after a positive test could be a few worries at city with their test I would presume ahead of Saturday’s game.
Other rumours are Drmic or Hugill could return but one is out of contract in May and really not setting the world on fire in a poor league and the other has lost his way since his loan to QPR or was that a one of season.
Could DS return to Villa for a promising young player that might be cheap or Hourihane but don’t we have enough in his position only time will tell.
Maybe Sargent or Idah just might get a lucky goal and kick on who knows if some one does please tell me
Hi Alex
Alex Harvey was like marmite and the prog crowd tended to sneer at him. I only saw SAHB once supporting The Who at The Valley and they were booed on – and off.
I liked them though – most of it anyway.
S’funny really, nobody has mentioned the sacking of Paul Cook on MFW or any other Norwich City website I’ve visited either 🙂
Deano looking at an import from Villa? We can’t rule it out, can we?
Cheers
Marty, the removal of your gnashers is a noble sacrificial gesture in support of our team, that’s the way I would spin it. You blend your food and Deano must do the same. Some very famous teams, I think the Spanish national side was one, played successfully without a striker. Looks as if we must learn to do similar. Our players in general must become goal hungry (a toothy pun).
Hi Cutty
Yes tiki-taka rarely involved a striker but Espania did have players like Xavi and Iniesta rather than PLM and McLean.
No blenders for me – smoked salmon & scrambled egg, parma ham & melon with brie or camembert, mussels, chilli con carne and chicken curry with rice are just a few examples of foodstuffs that go down a treat. Nut brittle is off the menu though.
Fangs for the comment
And that is just for breakfast!!
😀
Teemu is now 8th in premier league strikers scoring ranking. Norwich is 20th and clearly last one in scoring goals stats. I can understand relying, but when it goes to over relying and that means that people are expecting that 1 player should score everywhere, it just goes too far. There is understandable desperation behind that of course.
Playback speed is nice tool to use when you want to see what exactly happened. Teemus last vision is that Lloris covers right post and this is actually great goalkeeping because that is surely area where player in that position prefers to shoot. Im sure that if all those 3 scoring chances would have come to Teemu, Norwich would have scored at least once. Very good thing is that basically first time Norwich had 3 scoring chances. If you other games and highlights of those, you see there is plenty of missed scoring chances. 3 is not many scoring chances, but its a start.
Norwich has my opinion played better under Smith than Farke. Reason can be also just change, when you keep on loosing its difficult to stay positive. Level gap between Championship and Premier league is large, so if Norwich gets relegated its not really worrying thing. I kind of believe that you get bored of winning too easily because thanks to covid and brexit rules Championship and lower league clubs have not been able to buy any players. All new players there are free transfers and loans. That shows there is economical problems, all happened surprisingly fast. Next step to this is that there is going to be clubs which have only young players in their roster.
Hi 1×2
Please do not think that the vast majority of Norwich fans are turning against Teemu Pukki. We are not as we know he has one of the most difficult roles in the entire EPL!
As for the future of recruitment in football I fear you are right. There are also rumours that the EPL is being asked to withdraw parachute payments upon relegation which would hit Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham very hard indeed.
And yes we do look better under Smith than Farke, although you might not have thought that on Sunday of course.
Kiitos
Morning Mr P, I am so undecided about Master Idah. not being a pro or involved with the behind-the-scenes at Colney. I do not see what they see. They talk of potential, I have not seen enough evidence of that. He needs a long run of games and for sure we are not in a position to offer that, so getting him out on loan will be more ready come next season whatever league we are in.
As to our American cousin, he does not look like an answer to a striker’s problem we have, a massive difference between Bundesliga 2 and Premiership. Take it a digital stat was used to highlight him to the club.? Out all the money that was spent on players; Williams, Normann, Gilmor and Rashica look about the best of the crop. and 3 of them are on loan. I have not forgotten Tzolis. he may be ahead turner in a couple of seasons, but we need it now…. For me, it wasn’t the window we have been led to believe it was. Ignore the other noise as well. We apparently wasted lots of money in windows before The Wolf and Naismith top my list. But perhaps we have had something close to those.
As to the Bounce it was hardly a ball made of flubber (see Movie) not quite what I was expecting, After watching Tottenham several times on TV (probably watched more of their games than City’s,) I was expecting at least a share of the spoils. Thought we were good enough on the day for that.
I think Smith and Shaky are a top-class duo and full credit to Webber and Adams for signing them, there is only so much you can do with any player, Silk purse and Ear spring to mind.
As to Hugill returning, doesn’t fill me with excitement but the experience must be a better thing to have., plus the lad will run through a wall given the chance. Have to use what is at the disposal , cannot be any worse than we have .
Hi Lad
I didn’t realise you were a Spurs follower too until I read Gary’s article yesterday – with Alex B and myself that makes at least three of us!
Although they weren’t trumpeted or quite so expensive I’d add Wildschut and Mike Sheron to your short list of failures. There are many more, and that’s for sure.
Gilmour is becoming a bit divisive amongst us. A different player I know but Olly Skipp was head and shoulders above him and as we were saying on a different article last week only Hucks and Kyle Naughton got their own songs as loanees.
Kabak will go back and Normann [although I like him] – who knows!
Cheers
The lack of goals is very worrying. For example, Man City’s goal difference is MORE THAN 3 GOALS BETTER than Norwich’s FOR EVERY GAME PLAYED. The paucity problem has been there for some time though. I’ve never been keen on relying on one player for virtually all your goals, even during the good times. That makes it easy for the opposition; nullify that person, and there’s no more threat from little ol’ Norwich.
Hi Chris
Wise words mate, wise words.
Cheers
Morning Martin
SW & the recruitment team should have gone for better quality and fewer signings as in ignore Sargent and sign Ajer instead.
I feel we could see many fans leaving early on Saturday if we fail to score a few goals and ManUre get two or three.
Hi *Ed*
I’d love to know just how close we were to signing Christopher Ajer. If Brentford managed to afford him surely we could have done so too?
The only thing I can guarantee about Saturday is that we won’t be registering *a few goals*. What happens at the other end will dictate the result!
Cheers
Hello Martin, thanks for the parable of the false teeth😂 I had a laugh out loud moment as I read it.
A friend of mine with some Spurs connections offered me a place in a box a few weeks ago and I had the foresight to decline as I peered into the future and mystically predicted a defeat to nil. That and the fact that I wouldn’t make any effort to hide my allegiance and use profanity when displeased also had some bearing on my decision. While working with my son in the cold and wet at wymondham last week I casuAlly mentioned that we could potentially have been in attendance and he was less than impressed at missing out. However, his sister was in attendance with her other half and sent some nice pics before kick off of the stadium and environs, including the north face of the eiger behind the goal.
She also spotted byram, McGovern, rashica and Zimmerman close by, seated in the crowd. Good effort.
We all realise smith can’t perform miracles. I wouldn’t judge a manager forced to pick a midfield containing McLean, lees melou and gilmour in a premier league encounter. In spite of this chances did arrive. All spurned.
Who for one moment believed the club spin favouring Idah as number 2 striker to pukki, as opposed to purchasing a new one? Roughly translated we didnt have any money to sign one. Idah is woefully short at premier league level. The epitome of a toothless striker.
Sargent runs a lot. Period. I’m not even confident that either of these two could put a dent in charlton in the cup next month.
Let’s pray for Teemu and his continued match fitness and hope that he blows hot on more occasions than he blows cold.
Hi Chris
I wish the choppers story was journalistic license, but unfortunately not 🙂
Can’t copy & paste on the tablet but your line about McLean, Gilmour & PLM made me laugh. Maybe sometimes being a Scottish international is no great recommendation.
Right now I can’t see Idah or Sargent cutting it even in the Championship and no I wasn’t fooled by the hopes for the former or impressed with the purchase of the latter.
This is looking more and more like a rebuilding project within the Championship to me.
Cheers
;…. I wouldn’t judge a manager forced to pick a midfield containing McLean, lees melou and gilmour in a premier league encounter…..
Yeap, and the sad thing is that as armchair pundits, every single MFW contributor over the summer said precisely that as the summer unfolded.
The good news is none of this is lost on S&S and they will have a plan for January. The problem is that our squad is packed with this issues. For the midfield issue, there is the same that we have nobody that partners Pukki, who needs specific service, that we arguably don’t have. We have Tzolis and Rashica, who were added to the left side, when Cantwell already owned it, and Placheta is there too…. But a right footer? Errrr…… but on the right we do have 4 right backs, Aarons, Williams, Mumba and Bryan….. but left footed fullbacks? Gianouliss who can’t defend and Sorensen who is a midfielder that doesn’t play. Bonkers.
But it isn’t’ lost on S&S. January. Stay in touch until January. 🙏🏼
Afternoon martin after our last flirt when pukki pre Xmas scored a few then nothing after I would have thought that Webber would have got a least two strikers in instead of buying weak midfield options pukki gets injured and we’re stuffed .idah not going to cut it after all the hype remember Sutton banging in 20plus at 19years Old miles in Front of idah in ability keep Sargent for mick hucknall tribute nites perhaps not might fall off the stage was goin to buy you tootbrush for xmas have to get u something else😊 cu sat
Hi Kev
Good point about Chris Sutton – he was a pretty good centre back as well when he first started out of course and Mike Walker saw enough in training to push him up front.
My mate John the Postie [not our Barclay Alan] has already done the prank – he *delivered* me a tube of toothpaste about 48 hours after the operation. The banter I’ve had since is off the scale 🙂
Yep, see you Saturday.
Cheers mate
Webber sent Farke 2 years ago into battle without a gun,this time he had a gun but its firing blanks.SaS must be wondering
what to do for the best and probably cant believe the lack of quality they have at their disposal.Webber has alot to answer to,no Skipp replacement,no Buendia replacement, overall a poor summer transfer window and not his first I might add.Why do the club bother getting promoted?Oh yes I forgot…….Money!!!
Hi Tony
Guns, battle, SAS – that’s got me thinking!
Seriously of course it’s all about the money. We will seriously be in the most unpleasant of brown stuff if the parachute payments are stopped, whether by the governing authorities or our inability to re-emerge from the Championship.
Webber came in and said we have to pay for the £££ sins of the past. If we’re not careful we could well end up back at square one.
Cheers
Morning Martin, so sorry to hear about your teeth. It did remind me of when my lovely dear departed Mum had to liquidize my roast dinners etc when I got glandular fever as my throat was so bad. I sympathize entirely. But enough about that !.
On to as nearly a painful subject Spurs 3 Norwich 0.
It really is one of those great old football phrases, that you have to take your chances in this league. And sadly for us it is so true.
Look at the improvement from the boys at Newcastle once Teemu had equalized. Another 10-15 minutes and I think we would have won.
Fast forward to Saturday at White Hart Lane, Teemu puts us one up with that easier chance than the one at Newcastle and Spurs had to come out from their low blocks.
Or at 1-0 when poor Adam Idah miss- directed a Teemu Pukki miss-directed shot wide. At 1-1 who knows with the extra confidence we could have held on for a draw or even won.
I know that is extremely unlikely but in that weird stat “Expected Goals” we were 1.33 to Spurs 1.43.
Not looking like a 3-0 game. But that stat is irrelevant if we defend as poorly as we did.
The defence has looked a lot better of late and I just wonder if Normann was missed far more than we realize.
I don’t know how many times I have said on here that I cannot believe Stuart Webber didn’t get a like for like replacement for Olly Sipp/Alex Tettey this summer. Normann can play that role, and he is the best we have got, but he isn’t an out and out holding midfielder. Really he is better than that.
To be fair to Adam Idah he tried hard on Saturday and deserves another outing. He must be ahead of Josh at the moment.
I do believe that your analogy Martin, that this summer’s recruitment looks like a “dogs dinner” is absolutely correct.
And that makes me a hypocrite I’m afraid as I applauded SW for at least having a go this season regarding team strengthening. The beauty of football is that you can change your mind and I do think after 15 games it is a fair amount of time to get a sense of what these new players offer.
I just wish I had paid more attention to the ages of these lads. Lets be honest, poor Josh Sargent must feel lower than a snakes belly at the moment. He came with a high (for us ) price tag but he is only 21.
So is it fair too expect him to be our answer to the goal famine ? Most of his contemporaries are in the under-23 development squad and he hasn’t been a prolific goal scorer in his career to date.
And to cap it all we now face Manchester United with a proper manager. We are definitely not a luck team.
OTBC
The trouble with those “Xg” stats is, they are produced after the game, with hindsight, and they never take into account that if one “expected” chance is taken, then the whole game is different from then on. It restarts from a different position, the team that has scored gets a lift, the other team possibly buckles down and tries harder, anything can happen. It’s the most useless statistic ever devised, and I never take any notice of it.
I agree. I don’t really understand Xg and probably never will.
Can’t claim to *know* him but I met a guy in the pub a couple of times who scouted for both WBA & ourselves. He’s well-known in football circles.
Going back 10 years probably he explained to a fascinated audience in the Kings Head Coltishall that stats were important even then and a scout’s recommendation wasn’t enough unless primitive use of stats could back it up.
Hi Tim
No liquidisers for me although I do make a mean courgette & cumin soup. And Chinese style crab meat & sweetcorn – we live near an oriental wholesaler 🙂
Normann is very important to us because he possesses what I would describe as targetted, directed energy. The likes of which is not replicated by any of our current crop of midfielders. The last two games have indeed proved how much we are missing him.
Our youngsters are there for a reason – to put themselves in the shop window – but this season that policy really isn’t working out very well for Stuart Webber to the point that TC and to a lesser degree Max are actually falling in value.
Your comment about football reminds me of my favourite band of the last 30 years, Manic Street Preachers, whose Richey Edwards once proclaimed: *We’ve got an agenda but we’re the only rock ‘n’ roll band in the land that reserves the right to change our minds about every single thing we’ve ever said*.
There’s something in that somewhere in a NCFC context as well 🙂
Cheers – good comment.
Lucky !!
Doesn’t matter how you spell it, that’s one thing we very rarely are 🙂
Expertly summed up as always Martin.
I’m pretty sure that S&S would have come with their eyes wide open, thus knowing that their January window is going to be bl**dy tough.
Initially I thought that Webber had done it again – it seems he has, but without any thought to the “potential” being able to perform this season in the PL.
We now have “quantity”, but at present very little quality, and we can only have 11 on the pitch at a time.
I can see Aarons being sold in January to free up some funds, and quite probably Kabak’s loan being cancelled…..but neither of those things will lessen the ever growing burden on Pukki’s shoulders.
I feel that Idah needs game time, but the PL is a harsh environment for that.
Sargent will run and run, but his shot against Brighton still hasn’t reached the goalline – hence why no other teams looked at him as the answer to their goal scoring problems.
Undoubtedly the past summers permanent signings were made with relegation firmly in mind – so that if we were to be promoted in 2023 they would be primed and ready for another tilt at the PL and rather better prepared from the beginning.
Oh; and I wonder how many of Sunday’s starters might test positive given the news today from Spurs, and have to miss the Man Ure game!!
It never rains and all that…..
O T B C
Hi John
The covid rumours are not good for sure. A case of wait and see yet again I suppose.
If Max is sold on – which he might well be and he certainly deserves it – we will not see a single cent back in the kitty for January, believe me. The money will kind of disappear into the black hole that sustains, erm, self funding I guess.
I really hope Spurs come in for him in front of Everton but that’s just a personal wish because Max is a bit of a Londoner at heart.
What’s he worth now? My guess is we’d gobble up £15million, which is a far cry from the £30m we were banging on about in the summer.
Well *we* weren’t, but the Club were.
Thanks as always.
The thing is people, January’s transfer window is fifteen potential points away.
I find it hard to believe the skills we have seen from this Norwich squad against the likes of Brighton/Burnley/Brentford/Wolves/Southampton/Newcastle were just flukes!
I also find it hard to believe that ‘new-manager-bounce’ dissipates after a few games. If anything coaches like S&S will have noted what they need from the current squad to get us flying.
I have no doubt that somewhere in the UK there is a striker with the ability, experience, cunning et als, who would jump at the chance to spend the rest of this season playing in the Prem for a good wage and a survival bonus, and I’ve no doubt that player would have no problem working with Teemu Pukki.
COYY !!
Hi Kev
Webber has said for a while now that little will happen in terms of incomings in January while Dean Smith says it’s another couple of weeks before he can deliver his considered assessment of the squad – I’d love to be that proverbial fly on the wall when that meeting takes place!
As for strikers they have to do something, surely?
Thanks – good comment.