There is something extremely pleasing about winning 4-0 away from home, especially when Saturday’s defeat of Huddersfield Town saw us hit second spot in the formative EFL Championship table, thus lifting us one point and four places above the Binmen to put them back in their box – for now at least.
Equally pleasing were the demographics of the goals scored. Beautifully spread throughout the front line, we had the pleasure of seeing Josh Sargent, Ashley Barnes, Jon Rowe, and Adam Idah register strikes, and the “nicely spread out” theme wasn’t prepared to run out of gas yet.
The goals were timed at 11, 17, 49, and 84 minutes with the ages of the scorers having a rather endearing ring to them as well with Rowe weighing in at just 20, Idah 22, Sargent 23, and the father figure of Ashley Barnes clocking on at 33.
Several readers followed author Gary’s lead yesterday when they came clean and regretted questioning where the goals might come from this season, so I’ll quickly say I am in the same category as the rest of you good folks, and there were loads of us. Sorry Messrs Webber and Wagner, you appear to have got this one very right while cynics like myself were equally wrong.
I was equally as worried about who would be putting the ball in the net as I was about actual chance creation and was reminded of this by a comment on Gary’s piece. So thanks Gordon Eagling, it’s much appreciated.
What might the fall-out be from what looks like a potentially serious ankle injury to Josh Sargent?
Obviously, the ankle injury sustained by Sargent on his death-or-glory, Forlorn Hope-style charge into battle*** against Terriers’ keeper Lee Nicholls looks serious, which because of the nature of Sarge’s rapidly progressing on-field relationship with Barnes takes on more significance than it otherwise might.
David Wagner wasn’t unequivocal after the game as such but nevertheless said:
“I think we are covered in this area quite well. You’ve seen Adam in this game. He has done fantastic. Ashley is in top form. Liam Gibbs can play in that area of the pitch, like Marcelino Nunez and Przemyslaw Placheta. We are quite well covered. Obviously, Josh is a top, top player for us.
“He is in top form as well and this hurts if we will miss him for a longer period. But this happens to every team. Now we have to look, assess him, and hopefully it isn’t super serious, or not as serious as it looks.
“But I don’t think that we have to be busy in this transfer window because of this injury.”
And herewith opens maybe not precisely a can of worms, but certainly a topic for discussion.
After such a successful start we must not allow it to be undermined by a situation we have time to address
I reckon our Head Coach is swinging the lead just a little bit here. Sure Messrs Gibbs, Placheta, and Nunez can play the role, but they cannot bring the physicality that is such a crucial part of Sarge’s game. Should anything happen to the only other up-front aerial target we have, the willing but not always productive Adam Idah, we could be in the deepest of doo-doo.
Taking a look at the under-21s, the cupboard is bare.
Ken Aboh, Kenny Coker, and Tom Dickson-Peters are the names and a quick delve into our Will Grant‘s excellent Academy pieces will quickly rule out the first two, TDP seems to have followed up his 2022-23 loan to Grimsby with another stint at Colney. Stagnating? I don’t know. Raring to go against Rotherham in the Championship on Saturday? I really don’t think so, even if only because he so rarely gets a mention anywhere these days.
Could we use that final loan slot to attempt to allay any fears? It’s certainly a possibility but a Premier League starlet will not fit the bill in this particular case.
Maybe we might even find another free or actually buy somebody with a bit of a track record at this level?
I doubt the latter is a viable option as our marvellous start has done nothing to negate the fact that we are skint but you never know. It’s taken this injury to the unfortunate Sargent to make me realise exactly how thin we are up top but that situation appears to be all too real.
Wagner – Our experienced players do their job fantastically and show how to fight for every single ball
Back to a very contented – and understandably so – David Wagner:
“The players have shown today another very good performance. A very focused performance. And I know how difficult this place can be if you give some chances away or if you don’t take the lead. The players were very focused, they defended the goal with everything that they had. In attack, we created very good situations and scored wonderful goals.
“Our subs made an impact again. And I think, overall, it was a very good performance and obviously a very big win.”
Wagner added that he was pleased with his defensive players.
“Our experienced players do their job fantastically. How they set the standard, and the demands which they have in terms of working hard and how to fight for every single ball and every single second ball.
“It’s great to have such experienced players in the squad, and how they set the standard for the rest of the team is great too.”
By the way, anyone who thinks the drum doesn’t improve the atmosphere is wrong.
Another gentleman who thoroughly enjoyed himself was our very own Don Harold, who felt the need to channel his inner Phidippides:
“Hi Martin, I bring joy from the North!
“Huddersfield were set up in a way that didn’t surprise anyone who has seen any of Colin’s previous teams. A load of big blokes, a tricky winger, and someone who can throw the ball a long way. Their opening salvos resulted in them hitting the post from a good move, but otherwise, it was typical Warnock.
“I was reminded of Timm Klose being asked what he thought of things after his first few Championship games and he replied: ’I didn’t expect my head to hurt so much!’
“Sarge charged and scored a brave one, Barnes was cool from the spot, Rowe got another [obviously] and Idah managed to not mess up a one-on-one and the loud, plentiful away support went away happy. By the way, anyone who doesn’t think the drum improves the atmosphere is wrong.
“So 10 points from 12, second in the league, consecutive away games scoring four, highest scorers and best goal difference. There is absolutely nothing not to like about this season so far and plenty to love.”
ADAM IDAH – You have to be ready to come on to the pitch, and I think I did that quite well today
It seems fitting that from a choice of four different goalscorers on Saturday Adam Idah was selected for post-match media duties as the injury to Sargent is almost nailed on to make him the centre of attention, at least over the course of the next two matches. Both are away and at opposite ends of the earth to each other as in Bristol City away in the surely unwanted Carabao Cup fixture against Bristol City tomorrow evening and Rotherham in the league on Saturday.
“It was a fantastic performance, we showed quality throughout the match and the goals we scored were all fantastic. Everyone put in a top shift from the front to the back. It was excellent, and we need to keep going,” said the Irish international.
“I wasn’t expecting to come on. When Josh went down injured, I didn’t think it was that bad at the time. In my head, I thought I’d give him a couple of minutes to see if he could keep going.
“But that’s football, things can happen really quickly. You have to be ready to come on to the pitch, and I think I did that quite well today.”
Idah also spoke about Ashley Barnes, highlighting his experience and how good it is to play alongside him.
“It’s been unbelievable. He’s a top, top guy on the pitch and off the pitch. He’s great. When you play with him, his experience is unbelievable and he gives you that extra boost when you’re playing.
“Off the pitch, he’s like a big brother to me and Josh. He’s great to have in the changing room, and all the boys in there love him.”
The man from Cork highlighted the positive sense on and off the pitch, with the atmosphere from the fans being key.
“Once you can feel that atmosphere in stadiums, it gives you a massive boost. The away fans were outstanding today, and it gives you that confidence to keep pushing and keep winning games. They give us that feeling every week, and it’s a great feeling to have.”
*** Back in the days of the Napoleonic Wars some poor sod was always designated to lead the Forlorn Hope, a band of men selected to be doubtlessly sacrificed by throwing themselves against guns, ramparts and all the other weaponry your average fortress would possess back in the day.
There was a twist though.
You’ll notice I said selected rather than chosen and that is because these crackpots sometimes actively wanted to do it!
As well as being used as a punishment or to eliminate the mutinous the Forlorn Hope could be a way to get a desperately-needed promotion, escape the noose, repay a financial debt [the one in ten or thereabouts successful Hopes were incredibly well rewarded] or of satisfying an “honour debt” over the cuckolding of a more senior officer.
This gory old tale was latched onto by Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, who set their zombie monster Eddie into battle in the Charge of the Light Brigade.
Whether it worked out better for Eddie or Sarge will be revealed in a few days’ time.
Great review, Martin
Another stat is that we are still in the Carabao Cup. Maybe this can present an opportunity for Tom Dickson-Peters to show his prowess?
Hi Paul
Thank you!
Yes the Carabao could prove very useful in this respect, not only for TDP but also a few of the others, such as us getting a look at George Long and seeing how well Placheta might fare from the start,
What worries me about TDP is that he’s had a very disjointed last couple of seasons and I at least have no idea what to expect – so tomorrow could be handy like you say.
Cheers
Hi Paul
Just reviewed TDP two loans both half season
Gillingham January 2022 till end of season,
9 games involved in no goals.
Grimsby January 2023 till end of season,
4 games involved in 1 goal
I think it was the Gillingham manager that said he has everything to be a good class striker but lacks self motivation.
I hope he’s wrong but at Grimsby most of the games he didn’t even make the bench so is it self-motivation or thinking he should be at a better level and city have had a few good academy strikers that are now out of football due to lack of self-motivation.
It’s rather scary that weve got nobody – and it really DOES look like nobody – coming through as a young striker.
We’ll have to ask our very own Will Grant to take a look at how we’ve arrived at this situation when he gets a minute or two.
Things are moving nicely in the right direction, but what’s caused it . Maybe and this is a long shot , some of us fans have done or worn the same stuff on every match day so far this season . I have ,and I’m going to wear my short sleeved last season third kit top twice again this week . Superstition , maybe but I’ll stick with it for as long as it takes.
We all hope our very own road runner ,Joshua Sargent , is back in fighting form as soon as possible as the way we play means that it takes two to play up front and while we all hope Idah can rise to the occasion the back ups mean a significant system change in the final third.
Hi Bernie
The mirrors in the Owen household must put in a shift during the working day!
I agree with you about the need for change in the final third, but if Idah stands in that shouldn’t be quite so much of a problem as the one thing they do have in common is their physicality.
Should he be faced with Nunez or Gibbs alongside him that keeps the ball on the ground and it will be interesting to see if they can find a way to make it work under those circumstances.
Cheers
Morning Martin.
Another great result, long May it continue! I hope the Sarge’s injury isn’t too severe, but I’m a bit worried it might be ankle ligaments, in which case we won’t be seeing him in action any time soon.
I’m going to put my pedant’s hat on again – the charge of the Light Brigade wasn’t a forlorn Hope, it was a breakdown in communication. The officer in charge misunderstood an order to prevent British guns being captured by the Russians, and instead charged the main Russian battery, with disastrous consequences. Forlorn Hopes were a deliberate tactic to get into a fortress once a breach had been established in the walls.
Hi Jim
Let pedantry take centre stage!
You’re right.
I was stretching a point because Maiden’s song was a mish-mash of a few disparate chunks of history used to create an atmosphere with an underlying message;
If you take me out I’ll get you too.
It was about the futility of war past, present and future – and not bad considering it was written by an avid West Ham fan in Steve Harris 🙂
As for the Sarge injury all I now for sure is that it will be bl00dy painful for the poor sod and I agree with you he is unlikely to be back for quite a while if it is indeed ligament-related, hence my appeal for a temporary replacement in the original article.
Cheers
Good ol read Martin International break coming up Good for josh but us ? Not so sure need to keep it goin they’re are really in the groove at the moment so a break properly not ideal . Have to say loving all the different goal scorers wasn’t expecting that at start of season and Barnes had 3 disallowed as well. Off to Scotland for week now looking forward to next trip to cr keep well mate .
Hi Kev
I don’t think the timing of the break here will affect Sarge too much unless he is really lucky – he could be out until after the next one if it’s ligaments I’m afraid to say.
We haven’t got too many joining up with national teams this time around and plenty of useful stuff can be done at Colney in training during a whole free week.
Enjoy yourself in Scotland 🙂
Cheers
At the game, I didn’t realise that Sarj’s injury might be serious. He limped round to the dugouts and stood to watch the penalty. Hopefully his absence will be short and the international break helps him. He usually comes back from injury strongly. Perhaps we’ll find someone to sign before Friday. If not, in Idah we trust (I didn’t think I would ever write that a month ago).
Hi Don
*In Idah I trust* does seem like a strange old motto to adopt but me too – what flippin’ choice have we got anyway? 🙂
From what I can remember you’re right – along with Max, Sarge has always been a quick healer,
Cheers
Hi Martin.
Well Farke did himself and us a great turn by beating a team in blue, and so keeping his record against them.
Leeds are still trying to build late in the window.
Leicester, after a summer of big sales, seem to have got the recruitment right and their mojo back.
Southampton is a combination of both of the above – still selling and still building an RM team but getting points on the board.
Ipswich have done well so far but now they have to show their mettle in how they respond to a narrow defeat.
Leicester are still unbeaten, so max points, so in a still-formulating table with a few teams not registering a loss. Once that happens then we’ll see how the squads cope.
You just have to like Warnock blaming their defeat on a couple of shoelaces, and saying a loss of concentration but they were well beaten on the day by the better team.
Watford struggled against a poor Blackburn and haven’t hit the ground running yet – can we see their carousel of managers starting up early this season ?.
Early days lots of twists and turns yet to come and hopefully Sargent Bilko will soon be back fully ready to bulldoze a few more lost causes into the onion bag.
Great team performance.
OTBC
Hi Alex
Yes it was a great team performance and reading between the lines that’s what understandably pleased Wagner the most.
I’m really not bothered about any of the other sides, with the caveat that it’s always good to see the Binners lose out in a best of seven 🙂
Cheers
One thing that keeps hitting me as you watch the highlights that is not so obvious in real time is how good Fassnacht is. A couple of flicks in key moves last week, and it was he who anticipated what looked as though it might be a slightly short pass into midfield and sent it first time with the outside of his boot for Sargeant to chase. He seems to be a really intelligent player, very aware of what’s happening, or could happen. Come the end of the season he may not have many goals or official assists, but if there’s an award for “making an assist possible most times” he’ll probably get it.
Hi Keith
Yes, we’ve had a few players like that over the years.
I’ll pick out Holty, Wes and maybe Ian Crook. Looking at Holty yu woldn’t expect the subtley that often lay within, Wes saw more visions than the Julian of Norwich and Chippy wasn’t all about pinging 40-yarders.
The Stieperdude had it too, albeit in a different way, as awkward as he sometimes looked at first glance.
I’m looking to see a lot more of Fassnacht as I’m sure we all are.
.Cheers
Morning Mr P. and thanks for the mention, forgot to add my handle to box underneath. I also said in Gary piece of the strong spine running through the team. from Duffy, The Mayor and Barnes. slightly older and experienced through the centre. The younger ones around that. Surely learning from these guys, even Gibson seems a little less prone to errors.
My concerns also stretched to losing Krull, being a huge fan of him, I did wonder if Gunn was enough to be number one, but surprised to see he is 27, in his prime years, proved wrong again happily.
I don’t know much about Long only that he was down the order at the New Den, is he happy to play
2nd fiddle to Angus ?
We all wait the updates on Sargent’s ankle, Wonder if it is the same one her injured in World Cup, when he stepped on the ball, plus he previously injured his ankle at the end of the previous season. Has the lad got weak ankles, I sprained mine countless times during my playing days spent many times at the old N&N with a foot 3 times it’s size. Heavily strapped every game after that.
As to Wagner’s comments about not going for another striker, I like you think he is not giving anything away. He must know the same thing what we feel over Idah, not consistent enough, I have looked for him to kick on since his hat-trick at Preston, still waiting.
The others mentioned can play there very true, as I said yesterday so could I lolol. Rowe will get kicked pillar to post even with his minder alongside him We do need a regular striker in there. a quick look at the available on frees I see Chris Martin and even Shane Long are without homes, I believe. Would due for a month or two.
Early morning rumour according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano. we are looking at Kasey Palmer Coventry midfielder before the transfer window closes. Had it been anyone else I would have ignored the report, but this guy has a habit of being right. There was me believing our midfield was finished then in comes Forshaw not a bad signing in my view, so not discounting this one.
Hi Lad
Long is confusing. MFW’s Millwall mate Nick Hart reckons he had lost a lot of confidence and realised it was a long way back to the #1 slot for him at Milwall, while Gary Rowett said he was going somewhere to become that #1.
Either way he’ll struggle to oust Angus. Impossible just now, I’d say.
I’d rate Chris Martin as a ‘no’ and probably Shane Long the same as the latter is far too ponderous. He was hardly quick as a youngster, but now? 🙂
Pink Un were fast out of the traps to put the kibosh on the Kasey Palmer story so I’d suggest that, for one, they know something.
Fabrizio Romao does have a good record though, I’d concede that much.
Cheers
I can see that Norwich have started a season greatly! I watched highlights of the Hudds game and Norwich surely deserved to win but was not 4 goals better. The ball looks to be bouncing now Norwich favor. Sargents injury does not sound good, if its long term injury I would be surprised if Norwich does not try to find another striker before deadline day. That Rowe boy has been your surprise package x factor, I suppose he has scored in every league game so far this season?
This season looks to be like predicted, very hard to get in the top 2 places. Foxes and Saints keep on winning, Leeds finally took a very important win. Norwich, Preston, Birmingham and Ipswich are trying to hang against those 3. Brum actually has quite ok squad to the Championship, Preston would be a massive surprise and Ipswich was predicted to do well. Bad Boro is not very surprising, loan players made the difference last season and they are having a mental hangover too. Luton did it, but honestly I hate to watch Luton, ShefU and Burnley trying to play their desperate football in a worlds best league knowing they cant compete there. Nottingham on the other hand invested heavily and its paying back.
Hi 1×2
Jonny Rowe – yes one in each league game and one in the League Cup to give him an incredible five in five.
As for promotin yo woud be safe to dismiss Preston and Birmingham but we shoudn’t rule out our dear friends from Ipswich just yet.
I understand what you mean about Luton, Sheffiel and Burnley. Their supporters will not be enjoying many games this season I’m afraid.
Kiitos
“Managed not to mess up” ? Sorry but that is an awful way to describe a well taken goal by a player in a team you’re supposed to support, particularly after he set up the previous goal. Idah is the player most in need of our support at the moment. 2 goals and an assist in zero league starts is productive enough for me.
Hi Gil
I think when you highlight the responsibiity Idah will carry for the duration of Sargent’s injury as I did in the original article, I felt compelled to describe him as “willing but not always productive*, which I think is pretty fair.
He has been crying out for a run of starts but was never going to get them with Pukki and Sarge around, or indeed with the departure of Pukki and the arrival of Ashley Barnes.
However his moment has finally arrived as he will surely get that run of starts he so much craves now, albeit through circumstances none of us supporters would have wanted to be the cause of it.
Adam Idah has the most incredible opportunity and let’s all hope he makes the absolute most of the situation.
As you so rightly say, a goal and an assist wasn’t a bad start, now was it? 🙂
Cheers
I forgot to mention that when our Man in the Stands wrote his words for us I very much doubt he was having a considered go at Adam Idah in any way.
I,d prefer to describe it as a *byproduct of euphoria* if you see what I mean! 😉
A fine read Martin.
The injury to Sargent is the cloud on the horizon, given that the whole system appears geared to his particular strengths.
Wagners post match assertion that placheta, gibbs or nunez will be able to deputise is rather troubling. It would be tragic if our momentum was curtailed yet again by funding issues.
That aside, it is only fair to highlight the performances of Gibson, Idah and P
Placheta, all of whom have failed to.impress over time but who all contributed fully to thw won with excellent performances.
This team and the manager and staff are doing a lot to repair the significant damage caused by 2 bleak years and longer it continue.
Hi Chris
I remember all those years ago when we fiished third,
Dave Stringer knew Flecky desperately needed help with the physical and mental workload towards the end of a season where he’d been constantly kicked in places he didn’t even know existed.
Chase splashed out on Dean Coney.
Like you I really don’t want a repeat of that situation, ta very much,
You make a good point about Gibson, Placheta and Idah, the latter of whom I have been praising to the hilt today more than I ever thought would prove possible.
On-pitch credit where it’s due, full credit to both Webber and Wagner. too because it is tangible to see that even the few remaining *old soaks* have fully bought ito the plan.
Long may the damage repair continue indeed.
Cheers