Phrases such as ceasefire, cessation of hostilities, or even invitations to smoke the pipe of peace have been much valued across the timeline of history, from the day Ug promised Stig he wouldn’t rob his cattle if he stopped trying it on with his life partner whenever they were alone together in the Big Cave.
It didn’t happen for this or any other metaphysical meaning – it was merely a football match, but Norwich City 2, Hull City 1 was the best thing that could have possibly happened for Norwich City Football Club Limited right now.
That single result, not least in the way it was achieved, almost instantly created the firmest of foundations for every one of us, whether player, supporter, or even board member to begin, at last, to pull together.
The merits of the Tigers on the day remain small beer. My highlights-only take on things would be that Hull were bad but not that bad, and in the shape of Manchester City’s Liam Delap they seem to have unearthed the very gem of a Premier League loan star that MFW Colleague Stewart Lewis and I were discussing briefly on these pages earlier in the week.
Liam Rosenior managed to get Delap in pretty much early doors in terms of this particular type of loan and Stewart and I agreed that if we are going to profit from a player such as this it will surely happen very soon now and is certainly worth hoping for.
Will we, can we, get somebody as goddamn good as the 20-year-old son of Stoke’s Rory, he of long-throw infamy? Could we possibly be as adroit around the negotiating table to attract two of these rare beasts simultaneously? Stew reckons it’s possible. Natural reticence makes me far more cautious so I’ll settle for just one young player who is:
- Not as injury-prone and downright unlucky as Isaac Hayden.
- Not as clearly over-rated as Marquinhos – in his own words he was going to tear it up, remember?
- Not as duplicitous [I don’t think that description is unreasonable] as Aaron Ramsey.
So let’s briefly return to that platform, that position from which we can all effectively join in with each other and support the team above all else for a while because although transfer dealings in and out and football’s many other side attractions will always remain of the greatest interest, nothing can be as important as this small but not insignificant early advantage we have been handed by the Football Gods.
I need to bring in another MFW regular at this point, Don Harold. Don gives his thoughts on his “matchday experience” later on but this little aside says a lot:
“I had joked that I feared our season could be over after about 20 minutes and, sure enough, our central defenders reverted to type after about 16 and there we were, one down, but the post-goal attitude was miles away from last season.”
And it was. Heads down, effort deployed. One charging, assist-earning run from Dimi Giannoulis and a sublime strike from Jonny Rowe later and we were back on level par just as the half-time whistle was about to blow.
Rowe, still just 20 [and I mean just – his birthday is on April 3] was delighted, saying afterwards:
“I’m speechless, literally the perfect way to start our season. The work we’ve done during pre-season, I feel like the team worked really hard to get three points, it was a mature performance.
“Especially winning like that, in the last minute as well. I’ve been working very hard behind the scenes. It’s paid off in training, and it’s magical just to see it happen in a real-life game. Hopefully there are many more of them to come, either foot will do!”
Rowe also had special praise for the Carrow Road faithful who gave him a standing ovation when he was replaced by Tony Springett.
“I’ve said to you time and time again that I love the fans. It’s a good feeling [to hear the chant]. It’s a confidence booster to play this well, and I feel we have a good morale right now which is always good. Hopefully we can continue that, and get more three points.”
There was an element of controversy that surrounded the winning goal, scored by another Academy product [see what I did there?]
It’s only 36 hours on, but frankly I’m bored to tears with it all already, although I bet Tigers’ Chief Liam Rosenior is still a bit waspy after being sent to the stands by a referee that City fans have no reason to recall with any great sense of fondness, one Keith Stroud [Gloucs]
Timewasting formed the fulcrum of Hull’s shithousing for a large percentage of the final half hour of the match so when the ref says he’ll play five he doesn’t have to halt play at plus five minutes, one second precisely. Mr Stroud didn’t and a cross from Marcelino Nunez came off a defender to Adam Idah, surely playing him onside.
Now I’m not sure if it was composure or a slice of luck, but young Idah held his nerve to stab the ball past the excellent Matt Ingram, who was playing his 100th game for Hull City. No points to take away this time Matt – the Football Gods had decided otherwise on this occasion.
Cue wild-ish celebrations [it’s been a long time, we’ll remember how to do it soon, and a very satisfactory start to the season was complete for the 25,082 happy punters who turned out on the day.
And no, you didn’t misread me, City came from behind and both goals were scored by Academy products as I am sure we all derive great satisfaction from.
The stats say we had 28 shots as well, which is awesome however you look at it. Possession? A healthy 57%-43%.
Don Harold – MFW’s Man in the Stands
“What an enjoyable day. From meeting in the pub, talking to the excited father of a very excited six-year-old attending his first match and the game itself, I was reminded that there are days when I bloody love football,” said my Man in the Stands, the aforementioned Don Harold.
“I had joked that I feared our season could be over after about 20 minutes and, sure enough, our central defenders reverted to type after about 16 and there we were, one down.
“The post-goal attitude was miles away from last season and the impressive Jonny Rowe scored a beauty.
“The second half was all Norwich, the crowd were noisy and supportive and Hull were chasing shadows and, crucially, wasting time at every opportunity. When their keeper got booked for delaying a 94th-minute goal kick they probably thought they had got away with an undeserved point. But City’s new found tenacity won the day with a scrambled goal that took the roof off the Carra and sent every Norwich fan home delighted.
“The new signings and formation worked well, and the players who were here in May looked like a different beast from last season – now where have I heard that phrase before?” 
David Wagner described it as an incredible afternoon.
“I think the atmosphere was electric in the stands and on the pitch as well. There was a real togetherness between the players and the fans.
“In the first half, we kept going and they kept going too. I think they’ve seen and felt how well we played.
“The timings of the goals were both very late, which might look a little bit lucky, but it was anything but lucky today. It was a well-deserved win, credit to the boys.”
Wagner was pleased to see some of his pre-season planning pay off with the defensive patterns showing, while the fitness showed with an added-time goal in each half.
“Offensively, they’ve done a lot of good things. They found a lot of good patterns defensively as well,” he added.
Wagner also said of Rowe: “It was a wonderful goal, and for 65 minutes he was outstanding. He was a threat offensively, and everything that he did was clear, and he looked very mature.”
So there’s the start we all so badly needed – and as these things should be, we had to work bloody hard for the points. Teammates slapped each other on the back and took the acclaim of the Barclay. It felt like a throwback to the good times and the memorable moments when this stadium rocked with passion.
It is incredibly important that nobody should get carried away, least of all Wagner or his players, but the platform for that togetherness is there, and none of us, whether players, supporters, or indeed board members should refuse the manna from footballing heaven that this win has given us.
We’ve been brought together so c’mon everybody, no nit-picking, faultfinding, or OTT criticism of a project that naturally remains merely a whisker past the embryonic stage
***
I got something through my postbox on Wednesday morning that I thought had to mean somebody out there likes me – and after the week I’ve had on MFW and elsewhere I need all the love I can get!
Judging by the size and weight it was a toss-up between a box of cigars or yet another one of those unsolicited Government Covid-self test kits – after all, they’ve got so many of them they have to do something with them I suppose – and who better to unload them on than the uncomplaining pensioner brigade?
The bright yellow box turned out to contain my 2023-24 NCFC Membership pack, and in all fairness to the Club, it was by no means shoddy in any way. There is a leather wallet to keep the card in – don’t lose it if you’re out on the lash after the match cos it’s a fiver for a reprint, which isn’t a ridiculous amount to anybody who remembers a few years back when they thought they’d try £50 a go.
Environmental concerns or blatant profiteering? There was quite a mid-range kerfuffle surrounding the strategy at the time, which predated the arrivals of Stuart Webber and Anthony Richens.
Also included are a glossy fixtures card and a useful list of what tickets go on sale and when. As part of a £25 annual membership package I reckon it’s pretty good value and fair play to those who produced it – it’s simple but classy, which is how these things ought to be.
And then you realise you’ve got that bloody uncut metal key in the box. Those of us with vivid imaginations would presume it is to provide a metaphorical gateway to the services of our 2023-24 business partners or something like that but there’s no mention of its purpose anywhere that I can find!
Does anybody out there know categorically what the key is actually for?
*** In order to make good a promise I recently made to MFW reader ScotCan, I’m going to close out today with a track from Tom Petty‘s 1979 album with the original Heartbreakers, the excellent and big-selling Damn the Torpedoes.
You might say I should go in hard with a bit of Bryan Ferry and Let’s Stick Together but I’m not going to as a promise is a promise, and I’ve used that particular track before, maybe more than once!
Tom Petty was never huge in terms of chart domination in the UK due largely to the all-too-obvious Transatlantic differences that affected Bruce Springsteen in the same way, but he sold quite a healthy load of units along the way. Here he is with my favourite song from the album, the enigmatic You Tell Me. RIP Tom Petty, 1950-2017.
Now that is classy, Mr P!
Cheers
I had great fun doing ir – I hadn’t heard that album in years 😀
And what a change from last season. My heart sank when Duffy sold Gibson and Gunn so short in the 16th minute but rather than heads dropping our boys just kept playing what (at least in relative terms) was a more swashbuckling style and recovered form going behind for the first time since I don’t know when.
Hi ScotCan
I think that was a large part of it: they accepted they had conceded but this time around decided to be proactive and did something about it!
Cheers
I don’t think the goals being late were in any way lucky. It’s what happens when the team are a) fit, and b) ‘on it.’
The manager must take credit that Norwich were both of those on Saturday-it’s been a long time since they were either of them.
Hi Don
Most people I know who went remarked upon how fit we were as well, and if this evolves into the Wagnerball of a few years ago with Huddersfield you can be sure they will only become fitter and stronger still.
There is no better time to score than 30 seconds before the whistle that ends the 45 – and we did it twice!
Cheers
Hi Martin big improvement sat we actually knew what we were doing and it’s was impressive. As I said to you last season that Rowe was a big miss you can see why he has electric pace and very strong and to think we paid £20m for rashica and tzolis sick . Barns and seargent worked there socks off many chances created a good watch . Minus points our 40grand a week man could have cleared the ball before there goal although it’s duff who slipped and McLean lost every meaty tackle as usual wish someone would take him but I’m now more optimistic for this season but need to take more of our chances.
Hi Kev
Yes I do remember you lamenting the absence of Rowe back then, and also that I just shrugged my shoulders as I’d hardly seen him play so couldn’t judge.
I know a bit more about him now!
I don’t think McLean pulls out of anything tasty but he does like to let the ball run across him now and again, which is an open invitation to the press to prod in a toe and nick it.
Two conversions in 28 isn’t really good enough, although I’d say only half a dozen at max were *proper* chances with a realistic opportunity to score.
Cheers
Morning Martin. There are lots of rumours going round about the new Sporting Director, and there were reported sightings of Rob Newman in the directors box and in the Gunn Club after the match. There’s a report from the Athletic from the time when Newman joined Wet Sham, saying what an asset he would be to David Moyes. Maybe your wishes will come true, and Webber will be on his way soon.
Newman has been involved in recruitment at Man City and elsewhere, and is reported to have a “bulging contact book”, so maybe if he comes on board we’ll get those Premier League budding stars you’re hoping for.
Hi Jim
Yes I’ve heard that one, but only as a vague rumbling without the detail you’ve just provided – ta for that.
I know Rob Newman is great mates with both Gunny and Ian Crok, but a lot of people use the Gunn Club on a match day.
Yes I would like to see Webber on his way, but if I’m imploring everybody else to concentrate on the football for a while I really reckon I”m hidebound to do the same 🙂
Cheers
Ah the Key, well I’ve got a brand new combine harvester .
Rosenior did seem a tad agitated over the awarding of Idahs late winner.Even wanting VAR to smooth over official cock ups, mind he’ed forgotten the clear handball from his defender when Rowe was playing keep ball by the goal line in the second half. In my book VAR would have helped us more than Hull.
Hi Adge, how’s Melanie these days?
The very $hithousing Rosenior employed only served to do for him in the end – hoist with his own petard as I can hear mediaevalists claiming from Cow Tower to Cromer Lighthouse!
I don’t know what he was trying to achieve by throwing ’em out of the pram, I realy don’t, as hell hath no fury like a Stroudian referee who feels his decision is being called out after he has made it.
Cheers
Hi Martin
Well an all-round solid performance for the opening game and a win is a win.
Still too many hiccups especially with the sideways passing from the defence and with a better organised speedy forward line, other teams with jump on this habit.
Chances created but no-one ready to take them, early-season rustiness or something else – we will have to wait and see. Then we can hope for a better return on those chances.
Loans in hasn’t been Webbers best recruitment type since Ollie Skipp – let’s hope that changes.
Tzolis finally got his loan to the Bundesliga 2, so is it the long goodbye or a chance to rebuild his confidence and return to dobetter things.
Latest rumour McCallum is a wanted man in South Wales by Swansea, so will this be another of those promising recruits to earn a profit that turns out to be a loss on £3m fee.
Then there’s Mumba – gone but not forgotten now; playing slightly forward of the main defence for Plymouth so has Schumacher found a better position fit his talent? But what a screamer of a goal against Huddersfield.
Overall, a good footballing weekend, some big scores and unexpected results and the Bluenoses got an away result that was extremely luck. Sunderland didn’t start to play til down to 10 men and deserved at least a home point.
Hi Alex
We’ve got enough to worry about right now without the Binners casting their unholy shadow upon our hallowed turf!
I don’t see any value in worrying about Tzolis either. It sounds heartless but he’s out of the picture for at least a year but signing for a 2,Bundesliga Club tells the story.
I don’t feel as strongly about McCallum as I did about Bali Mumba, but I guess the thinking there will be: if the manager won’t play him, sell him, and going forward Dimi is no slouch himself.
Cheers
Good piece. Agree 100% about fitness – and fighting back. My other observations were picked up, such as the missing person that is McLean in midfield. Offering neither penetrating passes nor defensive bite. Hopefully someone will finally see Sorensen is a better option if/when he gets back from injury.
We next go away to Southampton, long one of our least successful away trips. Let us hope we see the continuation of these early positive signs.
Hi Roger,
I’ve had to base my comments on extended highlights but I saw enough to know you’re right about Kenny McLean.
He has games like this occasionally and it’s a bit of a back-handed compliment when we notice he is going awol for spells
He’s still only 31 and has a megasafe conract with the club, so let’s hope he’s able to eep up with the Wagner training regime!
Cheers
I enjoyed Saturdays game more than any I watched last year. I think we are at last moving towards a discernible system of play that suits are resources.
I’m happy with the three experienced players as they bring a calm to the team as well as substance.
What worries me is bids coming in for Andy or Sarah. Andy is needed as we are currently short of central defenders and in my opinion he is the best we have. I’m afraid Gibson is clearly not up to championship standard. He’s too slow, hesitant and easily out muscled.
Sarah is the Buendia replacement. His control is excellent, especially in tight situations and his distribution and creativity is premiership quality. At the moment he is so far ahead of some of our players that what appears to be a misplaced pass are in fact our players not being able to identify the intelligence of his play. I can see bids for him coming in any minute.
I think Rowe and Springett will supply the pace and enthusiasm that were noticeably missing last season.
If we manage to get anybody in on loan it needs to be a Skipp replacement and then we would be a side to be reckoned with.
Hi John
Andy & Sarah? I know anybody can easily buy them, but not us please😏
As I keep saying I am worried about Gunny becoing a target as the three words *not for sale* don’t sit well with Webber but even our lot must understand how destructive that particular sale would be – in so many, many ways.
You also make a good point about Rowe and Springett supplying some much-needed enthusiasm – and it’s not a second too soon.
Cheers
Can’t seem Skipp like for like as Wagner has said many times his system doesn’t use a CDM he prefers 2 floating midfielders with one dropping into defence when needed and the other to play more forward.
Will it work I’m not sure only time will tell when we play against the better equipped teams in this league
Alex, I say Skipp but probably mean somebody more mobile than Kenny. Once or twice on Saturday he was done for pace.
Better teams will overload the back four.
Isaac Hayden is on a free he’s fit now so could be an option
Please no. Was relieved when we said goodbye to Master Hayden 😀
And it’s a ruddy great NO! from me too!
Kenny’s never been the quickest and he doesn’t always read the situation quickly enough to compensate, unfortunately!
Two goals for Skippy last night – I swear he leapt like a salmon for the header!
Morning Mr P.,
What a start…who saw that coming?? Definitely not this ex-ST holder.
After such an easy concession everything pointed to another weak submission…but it DOES seem that with the addition of some street-wise experience, we’ve actually started to grow a pair!
What a finish from young Mr Rowe, who I feel can have as much of an impact for us this season as Delap will surely do for Hull.
Other, harder tests no doubt to come (like this Saturday for starters), but from little acorns and all that….
O T B C
Hi John
Yes you’re quite right to say it is a case of tiny acorns and it comes to something when you’re scrapping around for a bit of encouragement like I was when I began to write this but it really started to flow.
I’m not dopey enough to get sucked in by false starts at my time of life, but this was, you feel, a very much-needed win.
Cheers
Nice to see how all the new players- including Sainz were celebrating at the end. Also the way ,even with five substitutes on, we were still dominant and trying to play the same way. Good work from the coaching team.
Delighted for Rowe and Idah who combined for an excellent (falsely disallowed) goal at the end of the friendly the week before.
Good news about Shipley and Hills at Accrington, I think Hills could leapfrog Tomlinson and Warner in the reckoning for centre backs.
It’s great to see the youth products doing well as that’s been key to any success that we’ve had, along with clever signings.
I saw Tom Petty in 1977, support group was the Boomtown Rats
I never saw Geldof’s lot. I was heavily into many Punk & New Wave bands but, erm, not the Boomtown Rats.
I thought Rat Trap was a good #1 pop record in its day but to think that having your keys player wearing PJs was cool was a bad career move all round!
Hi Gil
I managed to miss that Sainz was there tbh, although I wasn’t really looking very hard!
Yes the youth are doing well and a lot of it has been relatively low-key, which is why I think our Will Grant’s MFW Acadamy Updates are so useful in spreading the gospel.
I’ve heard something similar about Brad Hills in that good things are expected of him – just where he falls in the CB pecking order right now I wouldn’t really care to suggest but having two CBs coming through together is a luxury 🙂
Cheers
Martin, Shipley and Hills are out on loan at Accrington, and Hills got an assist and a goal line clearance in a 3-0 win on Saturday, along with the MOM award.
Thanks Jim
I think it’s a 12-month loan for both of those lads and at this rate Bali Mumba will be up there with the fan favourites like Bali Mumba was at Plymouth.
Best not talk along those lines 🙂
D’oh Brad Hills, not Bali Mumba!
Could Webber beat Farke to this signing?
Joel Pohjanpalo to Leeds or Norwich
The Finnish international scored 17 goals in the Serie B alongside seven assists in 2022/23 as his side failed to clinch promotion back to the top flight.
Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb are claiming that Leeds and Norwich are one of a handful of English clubs interested in signing Venezia striker Joel Pohjanpalo.
Maybe our Finnish friend might have an opinion on this.
AlexB, Pohjanpalo has 3 million euro non promotion clause in his Venezia contract. He makes promises to clubs how many goals he will score and I suppose at least about 20 goals he would promise in the Championship. He is fan favorite in Venezia. Very much opposite as a player and personality to Pukki. He is their highest earner and enjoys living in Venezia. That would be a very harsh transfer especially for Sargent. I dont know how he would fit in the Norwich squad and to live in general there. Kind of Mitrovic type.
Thanks for that as with all rumours, only time will tell
Hi 1×2
That’s not a rumour I’d take too seriously and if he’s anything like Mitrovic temperamentally I doubt we’d want him – the last striker we had like that was Nelson Oliveira!
Hope you’re keeping good.
Kiitos
Martin, just like you said very difficult to see this rumor be nothing much than waste of space. Temperamentally he dont do stupid things, but his ego might be too big for Norwich.
I was sure that like you say in England, football is coming home its going to happen in the world cup. Im not so sure anymore. England by the way is the 1 which is forced to travel all the time when most others have had a chance to stay longer in 1 place.
I watched the highlights of Norwch-Hull game. Norwich deserved to win, the last seconds winning goal was very lucky + bad defending. This season the Championship is higher level. I saw Leeds game and Leeds was much better than Cardfff. Also I saw the second half of Soton game, their quality was just too much even their playing was nothing special.
That’s a good point about the extra travel England are increasingly incurring, 1×2.
I grew up in an era when France were, frankly, rubbish and Argentina were experiencing a long time in the doldrums, not re-emerging until 1978 .
None of the African or certainly Asian nations could be taken seriously back in the 1970 either, so in my youth the winner was almost certain to be found between Germany, Italy and of course Brazil.
I am glad that nations that were on the fringe then stand a reasonable chance of a semi and very much so a Q/F now, for me it keeps the tournament interesting.
One other good point you make about the EFL is the improvement in quality over last season, but oh man 2022-23 was really poor!
An excellent and uplifting read on a Monday lunchtime, Martin.
I love the smell of victory in the morning, cue wagners flight of the Vallyries at full volume.
For once, the status quo supporters and the discontented rump can indeed relax and bask together in the real business of the day, a well won football match.
I went as far as describing this as a.must win. I truly believed that we had to end the horror run asap and get the monkey off our backs.
Farkeball it wasn’t but it was certainly football. After the 24 month pile of utter shite we’ve endured it represents a leap forward.
Finally I hope we can turn the page on Smithball, utter filth.
You highlight the contribution of Rowe, who was superb and exciting, of Stacey, who was energy personified and won the corner which settled matters, of Sara, who on that form would walk into any side in this league, even the 3 relegated outfits personally I felt the revelation was Giannoulis, who has been utilised in a role which accentuates his quality. Quality which has earned him many international appearances..
It wouldn’t be a Chris diatribe without a grumble. How on earth did Stroud not award a penalty for handball for the slapdown and clearance as Rowe threatened to bamboozle his man?
I swear the only way we will ever be awarded a penalty is if we draw a cup match.
Hopefully the big impact made by Idah will be the catalyst for great things. His instinctive reaction proves that he is at his best when not given time to think about his actions letting doubt set in.
So, chances galore, wicked intent and dark arts, pace and physicality, effort and a pride in performance. A willingness to please the support, which was engaging.
The bar has now been set, let nobody demand any less from the team this season.
*Smithball, utter filth.*
Oh well, that’s quote of the day nicely wrapped up early doors then 🙂
I agree with you about Idah too, for some reason it was the type of goal I could imagine Ted McDougall enjoying, as in before you have the time to consider where it’s going it’s already in the back of the net.
Is there a striker in there? I’d love to hope so but I’m still really not sure.
I hope my answer to your question about the handball surrounding Jonny Rowe will suffice: It’s Keith bloody Stroud. What more do you expect?
🙂
Cheers
By the way Martin, Tom Petty is an excellent choice. Perhaps, I won’t back down would be more pertinent?
I think we all owe ScotCan the thanks for Tom Petty. I used him once before with *I Need to Know* when questioning a lack of communication from the Board, as usual 🙂
Great analysis Martin.
I was smiling to myself grimly at around 4.50 when the name Mumba had already come up as putting Plymouth 2-1 up ( Later to be shown as a wonderful impersonation of The Red Sea by the Huddersfield defence )
It looked like it was to be another Along Come Norwich day. Totally dominant but only drawing in a game I really felt David Wagner needed to win. Certainly not must win by any means, but with all that happened at the end of last season all the positivity from the pre-season needed to turned into something really tangible.
But lose or draw at home to Hull and the usual suspects would be apoplectic come full time. Canary Call would have been a very different beast.
So up stepped Adam Idah to send Carrow Road into raptures. He and we needed that goal, big time.
I am always fair in my assessment of things City but Hull City had absolutely no case whatsoever for offside. Adam was way onside for Nunez’s pass and the ball clearly hit/was played by a Hull defender.
He was only offside in my opinion had he been at the time of the cross. So justice done.
Only a very one eyed Hull City fan could moan at the result. It should and could have been 3-1 at half time. We really need to improve our shooting accuracy that’s for sure.
So a very positive start, Duffy’s error apart, onto Southampton which really will be a step up.
Hi Tim
As it goes, this match was a watershed simply because it was the first game – Wagner did not have long to try and get the supporters onside and it’s worked as there are 40-+ comments on the article here and apart from the odd word here the Board are not even mentioned, let alone pilloried.
I haven’t asked him but you can bet as the MFW post-match writers both Gary and myself found our laptops bordering on the welcoming as we started to write yesterday – and that’s a rare old treat for us lately, so the team deserve our thanks too in a funny kind of way!
Of course Southampton ought to provide a sterner test but supporters will be aware of this and expectation levels should flutter around accordingly.
We’re at the races and we’ve got that crucial little bit of belief riding alongside us again – the *something to build upon* that we’ve all been searching for in fact.
Cheers
Conner Southwell said in his report that it was our best first half performance in two years (I believe he said since Everton in the Prem.) I’ve also heard other gushing reports.
I must have seen a different game. Not being a fan of constantly playing out from the back (no need to always hoof it, just mix it up), I noted that on many occasions we didn’t make it out of our defensive third, before gifting up the ball. We gave them one goal, but from my viewpoint, had Hull been anything other than a one-man team, we’d have been 2-3 down at half time.
To my uneducated eye, it looked like two teams, trying to play not dissimilar systems, and both doing so fairly poorly. Only a last minute deflection, from a dubious corner, and potentially offside position, had us avoiding a draw. It was nice to be on the end of one of those decisions for change.
Where we did see improvement was not in possession, but in defense, where we do look more solid. Again I wonder how much was Hull being fairly poor. Pre-season does suggest it’s us being more organized. Of course Rowe looked like a potential new star, should he remain fit.
I’m holding fire on my excitement until we score a couple past a top-half outfit.
Hi Dave
It’s important to remember here that our Connor is still ridiculously young and lives with the exuberance of youth.
If he DID say that was the best 45 he’s seen since Wolfie cricked his neck scoring his one and only PL goal then so be it, although you, me and battalions more might equally think he is talking out of his youthful butt on this occasion 🙂
I’m holding fire on the larger scale myself, although this particular microcosm leaves me feeling really rather happy – and there’s a good olf-fashioned word for you!
Cheers
I assumed that Connor was referring to the 2020/21 home win against Everton in which Idah got the winner and Michal Keane donated an OG. Unbelievably the brilliantly named van Wolfswinkel’s debut/only goal was in August 2013!!! How time flies.
I cannot believe that was 10 years ago to theis very month, I really can’t 🙂
I used to know Ug and Stig, Martin, ahh heady days never short of a sirloin steak or three – I think Ug is still trying to dig himself out of the dump Stig buried him under!
Great to start the season with 3 points, and everything sounds positive, the highlights on YouTube looked pretty positive too.
Gibson couldn’t do much about that dead man’s pass he received for Hull’s goal really, could he?
Tom Petty – great number to finish with!
Cheers,
KevH
PS – Congrats to England’s Lionesses for beating Nigeria in the World Cup q/fs, lets hope they go all the way as they did in the Euros!
Commiserations to Nigeria who apparently were the better of the two teams on the day.
We can’t get into this World Cup the way we did with the Euros.
There’s no novelty left to wear off so I simply dunno why we’re not enjoying this as much as last time around.
Time difference, perhaps??
O T B C
You’d think so, wouldn’t you, but at least one of us gets up early cos of the dogs every single morning so it’s not so much of a concern for us as maybe some folks and nigh-on impossible for those young enough to be working for a living.
Hi Kev
*Stig of the Dump* was a great kids book and I reckon the title character could easily have been played by Trevor Hockey – no costume change required!
On that occasion it is indeed difficult to point the figure at Gibson over that particular incident but the quicker Omobamidele’s future is decided the better.
I really think owning a left foot is the only thing keeping Gibson in the team and his apparent wages make me cringe :=)
Cheers
Trevor Hockey. Such a good example of the right player at the right time.
Hi Dorset
I wasn’t in Norfolk enough to have seen much of him, but he’s not the type of player you would easily forget!
Can remember Trevor Hockey charging through some team’s midfield with the ball, then beating off two defenders … before ballooning the ball high above us all into the Barclay Stand. But he was definitely a gutsy player, and deserves his place in the NCFC history book.
Like Duncan Forbes, Hockey didn’t take many prisoners.
Tettey & Bradders had their moments later on Kev, but you couldn’t really put them in the same category; not me, anyway.
Trevor Hockey at the start of each game . Walk up to the ref and say it’s spelt Hockey. You’re going to book me and it saves time later
I’d always thought that legendary comment belonged to Big Dunc so thanks for setting me straight on that one Bernie!