Yesterday was was a funny ol’ day. These are funny ol’ times.
City won 3-0, it was their fifth win on the spin, it took them to the top of the Championship – just three weeks after being bottom – and they still have some key players to come back into the team.
By almost any footballing barometer that’s a healthy position. By common footballing convention, the supporters of said team should be cock-a-hoop.
But they’re not. Far from it in some quarters.
In fact, midway through yesterday’s second-half, with City winning 2-0, a chorus of boos rumbled around the River End as a misplaced Andrew Omobamidele pass eluded Max Aarons and roled instead into the hands of a ballboy.
“Sort it out, Smith!”, boomed from the larynx of one particularly disgruntled gent (the same one who says “BOOT IT!” quite a lot).
And then, even with another goal added to City’s tally and a semi-decent end to the game, there followed an online dissection of the game that rattled on well into the evening.
One particular thread concluded that we’re a poor team in a poor league managed by a poor head coach who may still end up leading us to automatic promotion – but only because we have quality players (at this level) and in spite of, not because of, his leadership.
Now, I’m not here to argue everything in the Canary garden is rosy and everything is working perfectly because, as demonstrated by that 27-minute period in the second half, it evidently isn’t, but that level of scrutiny felt out of proportion – to me anyway.
For some to conclude that even if we do win the league it’ll have nothing to do with Dean Smith’s coaching tells me he’ll never win over the doubters. And if a three-goal win can still produce negativity, then what happens when we drop points?
Like I said, extraordinary times.
We’re so sure of ourselves in the Championship, we now scoff at comfortable home wins, complain that we didn’t score four or five, and question why we didn’t blast the opposition into oblivion by playing football from the gods.
Somehow, somewhere along the way, all sense of perspective has been lost.
Roll the clock back five seasons and we’d be ecstatic with a 3-0 win. Any 3-0 win. But now that’s not good enough. Wins at Carrow Road have to be achieved with style, swagger, swashbuckle and with a clear sense of direction.
To avoid any level of flak, Dean Smith needs to find perfection – anything less is not good enough.
Except in the maelstrom of the Championship that’s virtually impossible. Even Saint Daniel of Mönchengladbach had days when his City team didn’t play particularly well.
The only difference is that Farke was given more latitude than Smith and his football, when it clicked, was a bit more beautiful. At least that’s how we all remember it.
But, unless my eyes were deceiving me, we played some really good stuff from minutes one to 45 yesterday. Stuff that was not dissimilar to Farkeball.
Yes, we were a little lop-sided as a result of having two right-footers down our left side and so most of our attacking intent came down the right side, but it flowed nicely, the off-the-ball movement was good, the passing generally had a zip to it and there were several good individual performances.
In particular, Aaron Ramsey, who was asked to play the ’10’ role, justified his inclusion with some clever movement, good touch and inventiveness. Marcelino Nuñez, creator of the first goal for Teemu Pukki, also continued his rise to Canary greatness with a bright and breezy display in a slightly deeper role.
But there were good performances across the board. From my vantage point in the River End, it had a pleasing ebb and flow and, while Coventry had their moments, it was controlled and easy on the eye.
A 2-0 half-time lead was the least they deserved.
And then, yes, it did all go a bit flat.
Those who’ve played the game will recognise all too well that horrible feeling of having taken the foot off the gas just a bit too much and then finding it almost impossible to then squeeze the throttle to re-assert yourselves.
It’s an affliction that spreads and you end up with not one element of the team functioning as planned.
Whether by design, to preserve tiring minds and limbs, or whether subconsciously, because it was a game in which they felt comfortable, the intensity level dropped to that of a WI summer fete and it became an undeniably tough watch.
So deep was the rut, only a change in personnel was going to improve things and, sure enough, it did. The triple change that saw the arrival of Messrs Hernández, Dowell and Sara had the desired effect, and with the uplift in energy came a regained sense of control.
Jordan Hugill and Danil Sinani also joined the fray late on to positive effect, demonstrating that one of the big advantages we hold over the majority of the division is a strong bench that weakens not one iota the XI on the pitch.
So, yeah, it wasn’t perfect, and for 27 second-half minutes it was actually pretty awful, but that’s the Championship for you. Coventry, for all their limitations, were not here to roll over and let us tickle their belly. (And, by the way, their fans were absolutely magnificent).
We’ll have more days like yesterday and we’ll have days when we play well and lose. That’s how it tends to work.
But I fear this is destined to be a season of disharmony, even if we do remain near the top of the league.
As I said, funny ol’ times.
Deano an’t no Danny, thank goodness. When Danny was good he was very good but when Danny was bad he was awful. At this present time and place Deano will do for me, as Marty said yesterday ‘bottom to top in 3 weeks, gotta be a record achievement’. Like Lambo, Deano knows how to use subs, and like Danny, Deano knows how to produce attractive football. Of the W man I will not speak, nor will I worry about next season, OTBC.
As you say Gary, what will be like when we lose? We have the strongest squad in the league and expectations are high. However, Dean Smith still needs to use the players imaginatively and will need to make some tough calls once everyone is fit. So far, I think he has used the bench well and boos during a 3-0 win are a sign of entitlement that we could do without.
Very fair assessment Gary.
Very pleased with the first half but second half we seem to arrogantly assume all we had to do was roll the ball about at the back. The midfield movement stopped and Byram and Aarons had nobody to pass to when they broke.
Fortunately Smith is a lot quicker using the subs than Farke was and the arrival of fresh legs turned things around.
I was impressed by Ramsey who looks a very good player in the making.
I do however think we are missing a trick by not playing Pukki in the 10 slot and Sargent down the middle.
Great sum up, sadly after a season of being outclassed, receiving defeat after defeat, I would have thought a 3-0 home was more than enough to lift the doubters up to a new height of positivity.
Hell, how wrong I am.
OK a 27-minute lull, is better than 90 minutes chasing the shadows. Yes better sides may punish us during that time. But yesterday they didn’t, nor did a flag go against us, nice to have a decision our way and no darn VAR to overrule the live officials. It is done and dusted, what may have been doesn’t really matter
Had the coach not seen the lull and done nothing about it, then have a justifiable moan, but he reacted with the use of the Subs, and every one of them made a difference. That to me is good game management, with a week to get over the wrongdoings at Colney.
As booing a young player because of a wayward pass, is the way to encourage him ain’t, ignore it and shout out some encouragement. Booing one of our brightest young un’s is OTT. Gilmour still talks about his treatment, which had an effect on his confidence. How to help put down a young bright player in an easy lesson. I think people in the game know slightly more than us on the terraces.
From Bottom to Top in 3 weeks isn’t half bad no matter the struggles we have seen on the pitch, we still have learned to win. Whether the league is weak or not we can only beat what is in front of us.
Farke had several games, where we looked right off colour and sneaked a win or two out of them, it was not always plain sailing.
I still hope we don’t have to go up with Delia’s penny pinching but with another USA influence at the club things may improve. It isn’t as if we can refuse the promotion anyways.If the players etc eased right off so as not to get the promotion. The moaning would be louder
Sorry I forgot to add this to my post.
After 8 games in the championship
2018: 11 pts – 12th
2020: 14 pts – 5th
2022: 16 pts – 1st.
Several people are saying that under Farke we won 2 games 3-0 at home (not fact checked that )
Decent first half, a huge stroke of luck when Coventry’s goal was disallowed. Tim Krulls attempt to punch the ball out was absolutely pathetic. The sooner Angus Gunn becomes our first choice keeper the better. Could someone who knows a little more than me explain what the hell was going on with Max Aaron’s in the second half, it looked as though he had taken his bat and ball home.
Anyway as Gary says a good three points, we played well for 70 minutes. Job done.
A comment attributable to Chris Goreham, made in the mixed zone after the game, seems most apt. Flip those half’s around and the majority of fans would have left Carrow Road very happy.
Maybe Dean Smith is now a victim of, “we know what’s coming next”, should promotion be achieved (still a long way off, I know) but it’s the need to be so much better than we’ve been to date and that’s why many fans are setting the bar so high, in the here and now, even though we’re still in the Championship.
I’m sure that’s right, Gary. Saturday’s first half was scintillating.
No good ever comes from booing or discouragement. Equally it’s dangerous to think everything is rosy because you’re winning games.
I would rather us stay in this division than go up and repeat last season.
Hi Gary
Some people have selective memories and only want to pick the good ones, Like many I enjoyed the Farkeball reminded of the style from John Bond and Dave Stringer at times but they had howlers along the way.
DS&SS will never be my choice as City Managers but I will respect the job they do whilst at the club.
No one will have the personality that Farke had he took the club and supporters to heart and gave them respect and it was returned by the ship load.
The present incumbent has show little if any to encompass the supporters as he did at Villa, Maybe he sees that as being disloyal to the club he supports who knows.
Over the years city have had some P$$$ poor managers and some extremely good ones the jury is out on DS&SS and once their tenure is over will be the time to analyse how they have or haven’t succeeded and then the for or against can have their say.
Booing is a thing that happens at every game and most players say they don’t hear it I don’t believe that but they must learn to ignore it along with those on the bench otherwise they will not preform to their best abilities.
3 weeks from Bottom to Top some doing and long may it last.
Gassam Ahadme once of cities academy have joined some club in Blue from Burton another possible let go to soon.
I feel for Smith. 5 wins on the spin, top of the league and, largely, decent football.
Perhaps I am easily pleased, but that seems fine and dandy to me.
Quite extraordinary Gary, boos at 2-0 up !!!
Personally I think it is a hangover from last year. Not helpful, the booing but as I have said before the fans are entitled to feel betrayed by SW. His comments that the “fans deserted us” was disgraceful.
I have given him dogs abuse on here for an absolutely dreadful transfer window last year, but now I feel is the time to move away from that. The recruitment team have brought in Marcelino Nunez who looks a snip at £3.5 million. Yesterday’s first half we saw what Deano sees in Aaron Ramsey and the little cameos from Gabriel Sara are not without promise.
So while it is early days it looks to have been a much better transfer window, and we have Isaac Hayden to come.
To be fair it does seem that during every game this season we have 30 minute lull, lose focus and control of the game. You and I are aware of it so you can bet the coaching staff are trying to remedy that as we speak.
The squad is however rather unbalanced ( a lovely Lambert word, and Peter Grant😂) now no one can plan for losing 3 full backs but again letting Bali Mumba go out on loan looks a big mistake.
Funnily enough he and Placheta are both playing left wing back at the moment.
But we have 4 strikers, though after Adam Idah’s news yesterday thank god we kept Jordan Hugill. Many forward midfield options and unbelievably four centre backs available.
But we have no fit holding midfielders ( Kenny ?) and no left backs as Sam Byram is ostensibly a right back.
I do think Dean Smith deserves some praise for turning this around and using his subs brilliantly but as I said the other day Daniel Farke was so loved here it is hard for some fans to let go. Despite the EPL disaster’s, not his fault primarily, his era will be remembered as a fantastic time.
On the Coventry disallowed goal, cast our minds back to Norwich 1 Leicester 2 last season and King Kenny rose to head home a equaliser only for it to be ruled out because of Todd Cantwell’s proximity to Schmichael. If anything yesterday’s was worse, correctly disallowed.
Finally I love it that there are still some “BOOT IT” boys left at Carrow Road. Almost like an endangered species.
If those lads had supported Cambridge United back in the days of John Beck ( whose football made Wimbledon’s look like Farkeball ) they would undoubtedly say ” That Beck plays far too much bloody football ” HOOF IT 😂
OTBC
Great point re: The Mayor’s disallowed goal last season v Leicester. Saturday was almost identical. Correct decision.
In many other eras these would be great times. And I suppose in a way they are. It should be a fun season with a more than fair chance of a reasonably exciting league position at the end of it.
I suspect Covid income hits have finally filtered through to the lower divisions and teams are not as strong as in previous seasons. I also suspect the gap between that putrid amoral snoutfest (aka the Premier League) and the infinitely more morally pure (ha-flippin-ha) Championship has never been larger. Short of distributing money more evenly throughout the pyramid that can only get worse. Until we have only two mega-leviathan clubs left and they play each other every week endlessly and senselessly while the dazzled TV subscription-paying public wave their credit cards in blind obedience.
Nottingham Forest this year could be interesting. They’ve tried to give themselves a chance in the only way possible by spending close to £200M. Sadly that only increases their chances of staying up from ‘nil’ to ‘0.000000001’.
It’s a funny ol’ game, Saint.
You just have to remember that many fans of our club are at the happiest when they are miserable.
A number of City fans seem to have acquired a sense of entitlement akin to Man U or Liverpool fans. I wasn’t happy with Omabamideli’s wayward pass to Aarons, but I wouldn’t dream of booing him (even if I do sit in the River End). The second half wasn’t anywhere near as enjoyable as the first, until the subs came on, but it was hot out there, we were 2-0 up, and Coventry offered little threat apart from once, when Tim Krul earned his match fee.
Smith has shown that he understands the use of substitutes, and that includes perhaps not picking players to start in some matches, but knowing he can bring them on to change a game. Onel in particular seems to understand this. Maybe the team to start against Burnley will be chosen to match their physicality, with the option to bring on more flare later in the game. We have an interesting three games coming up.
We were fine apart from that 10 minute spell in the second half when I think everyone (players included) almost nodded off just watching us control possession. Suddenly the lapses seemed like calamities and at the same time the Coventry fans decided to sign through their sorrows – all adding to the sense of panic. When Robins began to add his subs, the game became really disjointed. Once we made our changes parity was restored – maybe if the boss had made his changes on the hour it would have injected a bit more energy on a warm afternoon, but it’s a shame if the game is remembered for a sloppy few minutes in game that was already over.
As you say, we should be delighted with a 3-0 win, but perhaps it’s the constant promotion/relegation rotation that is affecting expectations. Someone said yesterday that any team in the Prem would have beaten us yesterday, so although a 3-0 victory was comfortable it seems as if some people are judging us by the standard we wish to aspire to in order to be competitive should we go up again.
Allied to this there’s a definite split amongst a lot of fans as to whether Farke should still be in charge. For me the guy worked miracles getting us promoted the first time on an absolute shoestring. Assembling a team that could win the championship when arguably we should have been fighting relegation that season was nothing short of incredible. Understandably there are still fans that revere him and for some of those it’s going to be hard for Smith to win them over. Obviously we all want success and dominant victories with flamboyance and panache, I just wonder if Smith is being judged to a higher expectation at the moment that’s all?
Ultimately it’s about moving forward and personally my waning enthusiasm of last season has been rekindled due largely to the signing of Nunez, the emergence of Gibbs and the pleasantly surprising realisation that a confident Sargent looks to be ten times the finisher I’d assumed he could be.
OTBC
As we drove past the Cat and Canary yesterday I said, ‘Can’t imagine anyone painting a mural of Dean Smith.’ He’ll never be Farke – there was a kind of alchemy about his time at the club, and he engaged with fans in a way that Dean Smith doesn’t – but some of the football in the first half yesterday was great to watch. That’s not just players doing there own thing. Dean Smith may not become a City legend, but he makes subs earlier rather than later and we’ve won five on the trot. So much more enjoyable than last season…
Everything looked pretty good to me, S&S seem to be doing a good job – glad Pukki’s off the mark!
If we have a problem with left back cover, why don’t we go back and ask Brandon Williams if he wants to come back on loan till January. Apparently he’s just been removed from Man Utd’s first team.
COYYs !!
Too late for that, I believe – he’s a contracted player, not a free agent.
I right, sorry I thought the EFL emergency loan window closed a bit later.
An interesting summation Gary. In part I think we, as supporters are suffering a hangover from last seasons abject horror show.
A three nil win in any league is indeed something to celebrate and celebrate I did. Some of the football was in fact very good. When we slipped into gear we looked sharp and potent.
The return of Pukki should serve as a timely tonic and his goal was vintage
Yet still, the nervousness and unease brought on by the turgid 30 minutes post interval are indicative of the damage done last season to morale and belief.
The feeling is that when we take the foot off the pedal we get very sloppy and are almost certain to concede a goal.
Noticeably the output of Ramsey, so good in the first half declined in the second and with it went our momentum.
The game cried out for the introduction of Hernandez to provide forward thrust and liven up the slumbering crowd.
This he did and immediately set about attacking Dabo and instantly won the first of a string of corners to help get us back on the front foot.
By and large however, following last seasons force fed diet of defeat after defeat ill take 5 wins on the spin quite happily and give credit where due.