In my time covering the Norwich City academy, Alex Matos has always been portrayed as one of its top talents. This was also the case at Luton Town where he always played with older age groups prior to joining Norwich. But not only was he seen as one of City’s brightest prospects, England thought highly […]
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No white smoke yet on the new share issue, so the void is filled with conjecture
Football supporters love nothing more than a good conspiracy theory. Or even a bad one. Our sport is fertile ground for rumour and conjecture. At Norwich City, we’re no different. We can do conspiracy theories along with the best of them. Remember the mother of them all? The one where Dean Ashton mysteriously picked up […]
Norwich City Fans: Entitled to expect more from their club? Or just entitled?
Our club is exactly where it was nearly 60 years ago when I started supporting it – mid-table in the second tier. But then Ron Saunders was appointed as manager in the summer of 1969 and everything changed. We had never been in the top league in our history and the resulting promotion in 1972 […]
Wonderful, horrible, uplifting, gut-wrenching – the world of the Championship
Football people – not least we fans – are notoriously poor at learning from history. But there’s one mistake I’m determined not to repeat. At this point of previous Championship seasons, with City still having a prize to play for, I decided it would help to predict the final outcome if I listed our and […]
So many unanswered questions right now for City fans (and others)…
The fourth international break of the season is with us and, as ever, fans all over the country will have different hopes of what the period will bring for their clubs and equally for their personal supporting aspirations. Burnley fans might well use the fortnight to add some new apparel to their collection, or in […]
In an already surreal season, yesterday we entered the realm of a Mike Bassett fantasy
I need to be careful how I word this. I (and some of my MFW brethren) have been accused in the last week of being overly focused on City winning, of having unrealistically lofty expectations for the Club, and of being professional miserabilists. So…… On second thoughts, if you’re one of those people, look away […]
MATCH REPORT: STOKE 0, CITY 0
Today’s report begins with a bit of Paddy Ashdown-style hat-eating. The most promising news out of Carrow Road this week was that, despite my prediction at the end of my last report, Marquinhos had had his red card overturned and was available for the Stoke game. Given his less-than-stellar performance against Huddersfield, you can see […]
CITY v STOKE (A) – THE PREVIEW
With nine games to go in this ever-interesting Championship season, it feels like City are truly in must-win territory now if they are to give themselves even the slightest chance of finishing in the playoffs. David Wagner will take his men to the Bet365 Stadium to face Alex Neil’s Stoke City off the back of […]
ACADEMY: From 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-1-2, the Under-18s are taking a different path
The general assumption about academy football is that it’s a stepping stone to the first team, and so ideas and philosophies within the club are all connected. However, the 4-3-1-2 formation used by the Under-18s has absolutely no correlation to how the first team plays. So why is it frequently used? Despite this season containing […]
Remember those new shares? When should we expect the white smoke?
Our older readers will know exactly what a B Movie was/is. It has now gained the title of “straight to video” and both are appropriate articulations of a cheap film with a virtually unknown cast, no penny knowingly overspent on scenery and “on location” entailing a short trip to Martha’s Vineyard or Brighton beach depending […]
A new low in a season that’s been jammed-packed full of them…
Just when you thought this lot had exhausted every possible way to lose a game of football… Last night they achieved what the entire Universe assumed to be impossible: conceding a goal after having limited your opponents to zero shots on target. It’s a statistical quirk of course – Martyn Waghorn’s shot that hit the […]
MATCH REPORT – HUDDERSFIELD 1, CITY 1
It was a night for reunions at the John Smith’s Stadium. David Wagner and Stuart Webber returned to the club that established their names and reputations, while Jordan Rhodes and Waghorn (Martyn not Rick) both played south of the border, each remembered by City fans for very different reasons. And of course, there was Colin […]
Sunday was the step back. Can Warnock’s boys stop us taking the next one forward?
Well, having endured the one step back that this squad Ioves to provide, we can probably expect the two steps forward that they also enjoy teasing us with. Huddersfield are an absolute mess at the moment. With a transfer embargo, potential administration, and Neil Warnock having put down his jigsaws and Werthers Originals to try […]
CITY vs HUDDERSFIELD (A) – THE PREVIEW
City will be looking to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat to Sunderland at Carrow Road as they are hosted by relegation-fighting Huddersfield Town tomorrow night. Both sides come into this game with a 1-0 loss in their last fixtures – Neil Warnock’s side falling to defeat against West Brom at The Hawthorns. The last […]
Credit due to the Black Cats? Or a display lacking in fortitude and guile?
It’s a fine old line to tread. The difficult one of deciding whether to give credit where it is due to a pretty average side – and promotion rival, in this craziest of EFL seasons – for doing a job on us, or to charge in with all available weaponry and rip our own side […]
The Not-So-Friendly Cup heads north as City serve up 98 minutes of stodge
Classic Norwich City. Classic Championship. Following last Saturday’s gritty win at a place few dare to tread, which made it three wins on the spin, we all fell into that same old trap – getting giddy with belief. We started to dream. Big mistake. Always is. Because… BANG! In a flash (or the space of […]
Sunday’s the day to remember the good times…
I should have been anticipating the footballing trip of a lifetime but I’d picked up a free Eastern Evening News and was instead distracted by the front page headline. It never dawned on me at the time but those four words would have major repercussions for our football club. You could argue they have lasted […]
CITY v SUNDERLAND (H) – THE PREVIEW
As ever when Canaries and Black Cats meet, it’s to my old mate from the brilliant Wise Men Say podcast that I turn, Stephen Goldsmith. We managed to have a whole conversation without mentioning the Friendly Cup – which was a first. *** G. When we last spoke, in August, you’d made a decent start […]
WE MEET AGAIN… SUNDERLAND
Next up, on Sunday, it’s a footballing giant with six top-flight titles and a couple of FA Cups in the bag. So famous they even had their own Netflix documentary. Yes, a club we have a deep-rooted and unusual friendship with – Sunderland AFC. There’s only one place to start when talking Norwich and Sunderland. […]
Wellington’s Redcoats … a goal of the season? … and some set-piece heaven!
I am starting to take this David Wagner geezer just a little bit seriously. Since arriving in early January his record stands at: Played 9: Won 6: Drawn 1: Lost 2: Goals for 19: Goals against 10: GD +9: Points 19. But that record is not the only reason I am ever-warming to our new […]
Canaries win at The Den as Infantino samples delights of the Old Kent Road
We knew it wouldn’t be one for the lily-livered. Games at Millwall never are. Add in the scent of promotion the Lions of Zampa Road have in their nostrils and what greeted City and the 3000 was precisely what we expected: a maelstrom of testosterone and hostility. That City emerged from it with three points […]
MATCH REPORT: MILLWALL 2, CITY 3
The talk going into this game was how Norwich had only beaten one team in the top six all season. That team was Millwall. It was also how Millwall had scored more goals from set pieces than any other in the league. And how this could be the defining moment of City’s season. Win and […]
CITY v MILLWALL (A) – THE PREVIEW
In MFW’s latest encounter with Nick Hart – creator of the brilliant Achtung! Millwall podcast – we have sensibly put the ball entirely in his court and asked him to give us the lowdown on how things are going down at the New Den. What follows is enlightening enough for us to allow Nick’s opening remarks about the […]
WE MEET AGAIN… MILLWALL
Be it the Old or the New Den, like this Saturday, games against Millwall hold plenty of happy memories for the boys in yellow and green. The most recent meeting between the two came earlier this season when, on a Friday night in front of the Sky cameras, Josh Sargent’s brace saw City through to […]
Two Brasileiros on the scoresheet and some words of wisdom from the Mayor
Correct me if I’m wrong – and I know somebody will if I am – but I’m pretty goddam sure that Norwich City created a record at Carrow Road on Saturday when they comfortably put Cardiff City to the sword, albeit after a stuttering start. Whether it’s an all-inclusive UK footballing record or just an […]
Some Brazilian magic, three more points, and the Carra becoming a ‘fortress’ again?
Three home wins in a row! Who saw that coming? Again we flitted, in the space of 93 minutes, between the beauty and the beast, but amid it all there was sufficient good stuff to score two good goals and enough of the ugly side to grind out a clean sheet. Job done. The range […]
CITY v CARDIFF CITY (H) – THE PREVIEW
Norwich City will be looking to win three successive home games at Carrow Road as they host relegation-fighting Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon. Both sides come into this game with wins in their midweek fixtures – Norwich beating Birmingham City 3-1 while the Bluebirds beat Reading 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Romaine Sawyers […]
A good first half, an iffy second, but three points and smiles on faces
Tuesday night’s 3-1 win over Birmingham will probably only be remembered for one thing and that of course is the thunderb@stard from Marcelino Nunez. You know, the one where John Ruddy remained rooted to the spot as it flew over his shoulder and into the River End net. The worthies in the Regency Security Stand […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 3, BIRMINGHAM 1
If there is one thing you can say about the post-Dean Smith Norwich City, it is that you genuinely don’t know what you are going to see. International internet meant that I only saw around half of the Wigan game. That was enough. Contrast the two most recent midweek games. You could watch them all […]
Two for Núñez, one a real humdinger, on a good night under the Carra lights
Unless you’re a supporter of one of the ‘big six’, in particular Man City or the late Liverpool FC, then football is less about trophies and more about moments. The special ones don’t come along too often but when they do, you remember them forever. You know what moment I’m talking about. In the absence […]
CITY v BIRMINGHAM – THE PREVIEW
The matches are hitting us like a rivet gun at the moment and the latest quick turnaround pits us against Birmingham City at Carrow Road tomorrow night. I rather insensitively described the Brummies as “dung” recently when I suggested on these very pages that everyone, coaching team, players and supporters alike, would benefit more from […]
An ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ performance if ever there was one…
Kenny McLean had a superb game in midweek against a Hull City side who didn’t pay attention when doing their homework, allowing him the time and space he needed to do his best impression of famous NFL quarterbacks Dan Marino and Joe Montana.*** At the DW Stadium on Saturday, he got no room whatsoever and, […]
Time to accept our Class of 2023 is just a bang average Championship team?
I’m not sure of the name of the individual charged with putting together the club’s official highlights package on YouTube, but whoever he or she is, I salute them. They performed an online miracle yesterday and somehow found six minutes and 31 seconds worth of content from a game that had zero highlights. Any performance-related […]
Still some unknowns, but a landmark moment for our football club is weeks away
Norwich City Football Club and general meetings are beginning to resemble London buses. You wait an eternity for one to arrive, and then two come along almost together. On the surface, they probably don’t seem to be of any significance. September’s meeting, which lasted barely fifteen minutes, with less than 30 in attendance, was surpassed […]
ACADEMY: All change in the Under-21s striking department
City’s Under-21s have had a promising season so far and currently lie in 3rd place – contesting the automatic promotion spot. Ten points from their last four games have propelled them from play-off contenders to candidates for automatic promotion. But this position is all too familiar to the Canaries, as they spent the majority of […]
A second 45 with nothing not to love – a very welcome Carrow Road rarity
We have a new contender for the Best Norwich City 45 Minutes of the Season award after that second-half performance at Carrow Road under the St Valentine’s night floodlights, which fittingly gave us the opportunity to fall back in love with our team and celebrate with David Wagner at the end. Wagner does not seem […]
108 days of hurt – ended in a high-tempo flurry of Carrow Road goals
October 29, 2022, seems an age ago. A lot has happened since then in the life of Norwich City. That was the last time City won at home. Ironically, it too was a 3-1 win, but it was peak Smudgerball – passive, scrappy, and uninspiring – and ended a run of six games without a […]
NORWICH v HULL CITY (H) – THE PREVIEW
One of my pet hates is the over-hyping of a single game’s importance. To describe a match in the middle of a 46-game season as “make-or-break” or “a six-pointer” is ridiculous. Unless it’s referring to the employment prospects of a Watford manager, of course. Then “make-or-break” may be fair enough – but absurd if it’s […]
A percentage game. City 65% and nil points; Delia and Michael down to 40%?
In the week leading up to our visit to Ashton Gate, I enjoyed a lengthy discussion with the Posse about exactly what is essential to successfully deploying a 4-2-3-1 system. I argued that the striker and #10 forming a fluid partnership was key but Bernie Owen quickly put me in my place when he said I had […]
A grim one in Brizzle but hope springs eternal in the shape of an EGM
Wagner’s honeymoon period is officially over. While last Saturday’s whooping was assigned to the ‘Premier League bound/better than us’ drawer, away days in Brizzle are supposed, for us, to be standard Championship fare. The games in which we can successfully compete. Our record against teams in the top six is woeful, so logically it’s against […]
CITY v BRISTOL CITY (A) – THE PREVIEW
If nothing else, we live in interesting times with Norwich City. Following the euphoric triumphs against Preston and Coventry that washed away much of the negative detritus of Smithball, we promptly got our backsides handed to us last weekend. To be fair, it was a bit much to expect us to ride that wave of […]
WE MEET AGAIN… BRISTOL CITY
It is one of England’s largest cities and home to two professional football clubs but neither Bristol City nor their city neighbours, Rovers have played in the Premier League. The closest Saturday’s opponents have come was a play-off final defeat in 2008. Norwich’s first visit meeting with Bristol City was at Ashton Gate way back […]
GUEST BLOG – The (not so) Beautiful Game
It’s been a while since the pages of MFW were graced with a guest blog, but they’re back and back with a bang! City fan and MFW reader Trev ‘Demo’ has let forth on his view of the modern game. All yours, Trev… ______________ This article has been at the back of my mind for […]
Steetwise Burnley … Tim’s assist … diplomatic Dimi … (& an Oasis ‘meisterwerk’)
Us Norwich City supporters are well known for our ability to give credit to the opposition where such credit is ostensibly due and that certainly applied to Vincent Kompany’s Burnley outfit on Saturday. They are a bit of an anomaly in the Championship this season in that they are head and shoulders above every other team […]
MATCH REPORT – CITY 0, BURNLEY 3
Let’s face it. Burnley was always going to be a tougher test than that posed by either Coventry or Preston. And so it proved. From the off, the Burnley game plan was evident – you may say a taste of City’s own medicine. Their backroom staff had obviously done their homework on City. They deployed […]
Some achingly painful lessons learned on another grim Carrow Road afternoon
Ouch. That stung. Football’s ability to bring you crashing back to Earth if, or when, you’ve been getting overly giddy rarely fails. Two four-goal wins in two games had us believing that David Wagner had sprinkled over Colney some of the same magic dust he used so successfully at Huddersfield, but Vincent Kompany’s Burnley took […]
CITY v BURNLEY (H) – THE PREVIEW
It’s been a long two weeks. While the extra seven days spent on the fields of Colney will have hopefully worked well for David Wagner as he looks to embed Wagner-ball in the psyche of his new squad, for the rest of us it’s felt like an age. Given the excitement generated by the German’s […]
WE MEET AGAIN… BURNLEY
Norwich and Burnley have often found themselves on contrasting paths although over the last decade, our yo-yo existence has meant we have met on several occasions. For most of our early days, City were marooned in the lower leagues, namely the Division Three South, while Burnley were regulars in the top division, winning it in […]
Sarge now channelling his inner Stiepi?
In one of my previous MFW missives, I wrote about City’s rich heritage in the attacking midfielder/no 10 role and how this current squad was desperately lacking just such a player, particularly as Todd Cantwell had so obviously failed to live up to both hype and expectation. At the same time, many writers and commentators […]
Time will tell. Will Marquinhos and Tzolis Mark II make Jan ’23 a good window?
While City’s business in this transfer window has been less crash, bang, wallop than most, I guess we ended up in a decent place. The general consensus on #NCFC social media appears to be that the net result of the comings and goings leaves us, at the very least, no worse off than we were […]
Not a #NCFC window for the ages … instead, one that’s likely to only include ‘outs’
At this late stage of the previous half-a-dozen transfer windows, I have rounded up the Posse to see what their thoughts and feelings have been on our dealings in that window. This time around I haven’t had the bare-faced cheek to ask as I don’t want to waste their time on expressing their views concerning […]
Is now time for the Attanasios to strike?
It’s all about timing. In my case, almost always of the bad kind. The ink had barely dried on my Friday piece, in which I expressed my ongoing fear over our club’s financial future if promotion is not achieved this season, when they go and announce an Extraordinary General Meeting for 13th February. The purpose […]
Two fine wins in two for City but the wider concerns still linger … for some
We don’t require a statistician to tell us our chances of achieving automatic promotion are slim. While, on the face of it, there are still 54 points to play for, the gap between ourselves and Sheffield United is 15 [fifteen] points. So, basically, we need a minimum of five matchdays where City win and the […]
Go well, Todd. You’ll forever be one of our own
It was a moment we could scarcely believe but also the moment we dared to believe. It was 19 September 2019. The two previous home games of that Premier League campaign had been hugely encouraging: a triumph over Newcastle and a narrow defeat by Chelsea. Now the Champions, Manchester City, were strutting about at Carrow […]
A helter-skelter first half… well-oiled Maybachs… and our Todd to Rangers
As the Mackems inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light yesterday, Norwich City rose to the dizzy heights of fifth in the Championship table, exactly where they were on November 12 when everybody who is anybody downed tools for the World Cup break. Then we were ten points behind Sheffield United […]
Wagner’s wagon rumbles on… another four… and the formation of Amber’s Army
I have rotten memories of Coventry (a). Long story, but in the 1970s I had an uncle who lived in Warwick and was a Cov season ticket-holder, so Dad and I would stay over and go to the games. Five times we made the trip; five times we watched the Canaries stink Highfield Road out. […]
MATCH REPORT: COVENTRY 2, CITY 4
The planets aligned for me this week. Not only was I in the UK and not working, but there was an away game within striking distance AND easily available tickets. As a result, I got a break from Canaries TV over sketchy hotel internet connections or the ‘wisdom’ of Andy Gray on Bein sports. Instead, I had […]
CITY v COVENTRY (A) – THE PREVIEW
Could someone please explain this weird feeling? I refer of course to that rare phenomenon known as looking forward to a Norwich City game. To use the common vernacular…“buzzing”. I should add, as a City supporter it’s an emotion to be very wary of because it invariably ends in disappointment but, as hard as I […]
WE MEET AGAIN… COVENTRY CITY
Next up for Norwich, a team that plays in sky blue but isn’t Manchester City. FA Cup winners in recent memory, once top-flight regulars and Premier League founder members, Coventry City fell on hard times and, prior to returning last season to the CBS Arena, spent eight homeless seasons bouncing around the lower leagues. But […]
No more timourous beasties in Yellow. Instead a Canary resurrection
This time next week a small contingent of Norwich players of a certain heritage will be looking forward to Burns Night in order to celebrate the life of what many consider to be Scotland’s greatest-ever poet, Robert Burns. Known as Rabbie to those from north of the border, Burns is honoured with his own valedictory night every […]
A win… four goals… and a display of unity… which was nice
What a difference a week on the fields of Colney can make. Wow. Obviously, it’s important to not get too carried away – just three points – but so gloomy and miserable have the last 14 months been, sod it. Let’s dream. It was the type of performance we’d spent the last year and a […]
MATCH REPORT: PRESTON NE 0, CITY 4
As I write this, I’m having to reach for a metaphorical book of superlatives, unused for quite some time now. Spoiler alert. In 90 minutes, David Wagner delivered more from his team than Dean Smith managed in what was a miserable last 14 months. Perhaps the biggest surprise in the starting lineup was Tim Krul […]
CITY v PRESTON NE (A) – THE PREVIEW
David Wagner is set to take charge of his first league outing this weekend as Norwich City’s head coach, facing Ryan Lowe’s Preston North End. After a home defeat to Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup in his first competitive game, Wagner will be desperate to begin his league campaign in a more positive fashion, […]
ACADEMY – January report card for the Under-18s and Under-U21s
Despite some setbacks, 2022 was a hugely encouraging year for the young Canaries, with them making it into their first-ever PL2 Division 2 Play-Off campaign and many players committing their futures to the club. However, the most satisfying thing was seeing Jon Rowe, Jon Tomkinson, Tony Springett and Liam Gibbs making their full debuts for […]
The mystery of the medical matchday shirts
What do popular TV historian Neil Oliver, actor and enthusiastic amateur archaeologist Tony Robinson of Blackadder and Time Team fame, and Martin Penney of MFW “I always make sure to blame the Board before it blames me” infamy have in common? We all love a bit of the jolly old British history, that’s what, and discovering the odd long-lost […]
The reset may be underway on the grass, but issues aplenty to address at the top
During Monday’s Colney presser, when David Wagner was formally introduced to the local and national press, Stuart Webber directly answered questions asked of him by Paddy Davitt and Michael Bailey. I’d like to think of it as a sign of a minor thaw in the spat between the Club and the local press. We’ll see. […]
A sea change is on its way in NR1… but City fans shouldn’t expect a smooth ride
Back in the day, when I had a mortgage to service and a couple of dependent youngsters to keep warm, clean and healthy, going to work was a necessity. Always being lucky in that respect, I enjoyed myself at work more than was really strictly allowable. Once or twice I had a little bit too […]
A promising debut from Wagner but old habits die hard in the Class of 2023
So much for the magic of the FA Cup. And so much for footballing fairytales. If David Wagner was under any illusions as to the size of the task that awaits, then he’s not anymore. Under their current guise, and with their current fitness levels, this group is a million miles away from being able […]
FA CUP MATCH REPORT – CITY 0, BLACKBURN 1
So the start of a new era at Carrow Road. Having only held one training session, it was always expecting a lot from David Wagner to have much of an impact on City but, as they say, it’s the hope that kills you. From the off, there was a lot to like. While City weren’t quite […]
CITY v BLACKBURN [FA CUP] – THE PREVIEW
It’s hard to know where to begin. I mean, it is the FA Cup Third Round, which for some is the ‘best weekend of the season’, but for Norwich fans that’s been almost lost amid the hullabaloo of a new coach arriving. It may have been the most dragged-out saga since Edward III first invaded […]
For the Wagner reset to have a chance, the Club needs to do four things…
It was Norfolk’s worst-kept secret. David Wagner has finally been named as Norwich City’s new head coach, with Christoph Bühler as his assistant and Andrew Hughes as first-team coach. While his appointment probably won’t set the pulse racing among a lot of City fans, it makes sense and is probably the best option available right […]
Will Wagner be helped in the window? Or another case of as you were?
With the hunt for a new head coach to replace the belatedly-dismissed Dean Smith having finally reached something of a low-key conclusion, any hopes of much transfer activity this January are now even more misplaced, methinks. So far young left-back Saxon Earley has been recalled from his loan at Stevenage specifically to be sold to […]
The David Wagner story … so far
So, while it’s not yet official, the good folk of the EDP and Pink Un are reporting that David Wagner is now in Blighty and will be confirmed as our new head coach once that pesky paperwork has been completed – probably tomorrow. When not if. And so, for me, that’s a strong enough signal […]
Farke a poor man’s Wagner, or Wagner a poor man’s Farke? We’re about to find out
As I write this, the news of David Wagner’s pending appointment has begun to seep out. Hopefully, the intervening hours won’t age this article too quickly… During the World Cup break, I wrote an article about where City as a whole came unstuck. Now, with Dean Smith behind us, we can look at where he went […]
Only two numbers that matter in football?
It was a typical New Year’s catch-up with mates in the pub. Tales of overindulgence, weight gain, and the annual competition to crown the most random Christmas present. My son’s new STATSports tracker vest didn’t claim the dubious accolade, but once we got past the petty sports bra jibes, it did prompt a lengthy discussion […]
No lack of effort against Hornets’ Reserves, but still we get bashed and bullied
It’s hard to believe that it was only on New Year’s morning that my first article of 2023 included Reasons To Be Cheerful in the headline – and this was not merely an excuse to feature one of my favourite Ian Dury songs. Fast forward exactly three days and I feel like we’re back to square one. […]
The new head coach can’t arrive soon enough but won’t right all the wrongs
It was always going to be the toughest of gigs for Allan Russell and Steve Weaver. Two games and not many more training sessions to make a positive impact on a group of players who had underperformed for the first 24 games of the season. And, to be fair, in both games, the players have […]
If it is to be Wagner, then revolution rather than evolution is needed
I wrote my previous MFW article before the David Wagner rumours started circulating in earnest. In that piece, I highlighted my issues with Stuart Webber and made references to Wagner and the promotion he’d earned at Huddersfield. Specifically, I emphasised the fact that Wagner didn’t coach the squad he inherited but that Webber allowed him to sign […]
CITY v WATFORD (H) – THE PREVIEW
If you find yourself on the rota to preview a Norwich-Watford, game, the cardinal rule is “Don’t write it too early”. The usual reason is the likelihood of Watford changing manager in the days before the game. Though it would be rash to discount the possibility of Watford carrying out one of their regular executions […]
Reasons to be cheerful? Or just some temporary, low-level feelgood?
Friday night’s official Carrow Road attendance was promptly announced as 26,218 and by every account I’ve heard, the occasion was very much enjoyed by one and all. Yellows supporters enjoyed the sight of their team getting the ball forward a little earlier than of late, Max Aarons rediscovered his ability to cross the halfway line […]
Names aplenty in the mix, but not all of them appetite whetting
The Bermuda Triangle, Roanoke, The Marie Celeste and Donald Trump’s popularity are all huge mysteries of the 20th and 21st centuries. We can now add the question as to why couldn’t Dean Smith impose a good playing style at Norwich City. He was well-loved at Walsall, Brentford, and to a degree at his beloved Villa […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 1, READING 1
Dean Smith has gone. We are now in the awkward period of caretaker management while we await the appointment of a successor. Steve Weaver and Alan Russell have had barely two days to work with the squad so the question always was going to be what they could do in such a short space of time. […]
An infinitely more buoyant Carrow Road but the same old problems linger
Well, the atmosphere was much improved. I’ll say that much. And there appeared more energy in the team’s performance. But in terms of productivity, the removal of Dean Smith alone was never going to be enough to get a tune out of this group. Renewed effort and vigour can only get you so far. Allan […]
Smith may be the first domino to fall but there is an even bigger problem…
The Dean Smith sacking is an article for others to write. I was an advocate, a big fan. Then I was patient, flirting with the benefit of doubt. Then I was sceptical. Then I was confused. Then I got bored and, eventually, agitated. It was worth a punt, it failed. We move on. I […]
It’s now up to us to turn Carrow Road into the place we know it can be
It’s always easier to highlight problems than offer up solutions. Over recent weeks and countless column inches, we have collectively dissected and debated the factors that led to the departures of Smith and Shakespeare. The more difficult challenge is to identify exactly what should happen next. This a challenge I’ve conveniently sidestepped in recent articles. […]
CITY vs READING (H) – THE PREVIEW
Norwich City play their first game since the inevitable sacking of Dean Smith as they host Reading at Carrow Road tomorrow night. They come into this game off the back of losing to ten-man Luton Town on Boxing Day, while the Royals beat Swansea City 2-1 on Tuesday. The last time we played Reading at […]
Do we actually want to get promoted?
It’s no secret that Norwich City is in crisis. By initially refusing to do the right thing and relieve Dean Smith of his duties, Stuart Webber did nothing but amplify the ridicule and toxicity that clouded the non-existent relationship between the head coach and fanbase. And regardless of the fact that change has finally been […]
So then, the big question. Who’s next?
So, what has felt inevitable for a long time has finally happened. Dean Smith is no more. What at the time seemed a baffling decision has ended as many predicted it would – in disaster. Smith’s record as the Head Coach of Norwich is abysmal, finishing his tenure with an average of 1.09 points per […]
One player, above all others, epitomises our club’s current plight
That player is Ben Gibson. I was delighted when, in September 2020, it was revealed City were going to sign him on loan after he’d endured a tumultuous time at Burnley where, after impressing for Boro, he was the Clarets’ record signing. I also couldn’t have agreed more with the then-head coach, Daniel Farke’s statement: […]
Where do we go from here?
It was clear for some time that the tenure of Dean Smith as head coach of Norwich City was coming to an end. I described us as being in a holding pattern following the Blackburn game where we were simply awaiting the end of his era. It has also been clear that just replacing Dean […]
Farewell, Deano. I’d love to say it’s been a blast…
It was inevitable in the end. The only thing that could have saved Dean Smith was if his prophecy that his team would emerge from the World Cup break a “different animal” had come to fruition. It didn’t. The exact same animal emerged. A muddled, half-hearted, and miserable one. The one that played turgid football, […]
Silence from Carrow Road as a rough patch turns into a crisis
When I was a young lad we had a mobile library that used to stop on the corner of my street once a fortnight. I came across loads of books there but one that particularly impressed me was a hardback with this guy on the cover throwing fireballs at what seemed to be a selection […]
The final straw… and not just for Dean Smith
As I write, Dean Smith (as far as we know) remains in situ. Whether he will be by the time I finish this piece… who knows. But if he is and, more importantly, if he is still here on Friday when we face Reading, then no one wins – unless, of course, you’re a stubborn, […]
CITY v LUTON TOWN (a) – THE PREVIEW
Where to start for this match preview. There’s been a host of excellent MFW content in the aftermath of City’s placid defeat at the hands of Blackburn Rovers, and the Dean Smith disasterclass that followed in his media interviews. Though, despite the cries from thousands – and the empty seats from others – Dean Smith […]
MyFootballWriter’s… A Christmas Carol
As supporters, we see ourselves as more than just paying customers. The relationship with our football club is completely different to any other business we use. But imagine if it wasn’t. [Gary, cue up the transition to the dream sequence, please]. ____ It’s the weekend before Christmas. After a long week, my wife and I […]
Unrepentant and doubling down. No olive branch from Deano
Oh, Dean, you’ve done it now haven’t you? If the post-match comments after the Blackburn defeat weren’t enough, then the ones he made in his pre-match presser this morning have taken Old Yeller (or should I say Old Yellow?) behind the woodshed and put us out of our misery. Except, the misery remains for Norwich […]
If Deano can turn this around fair play, but who genuinely believes that he can?
I’m slightly reluctant to submit yet another article, focusing on our much-maligned Head Coach and add to the hostile narrative theory. But I’ll try to remove any emotive vitriol and hopefully dispel the notion that those of us calling for change are rabid maniacs, who are out for his blood. So I’ll channel the spirit […]
All about opinions… but is it really a well-run club, managed by good people?
After reading Mick’s piece I thought, “Go on then, I’ll comment”. However, my response was long enough to put together a piece of my own. So here goes… Firstly, Mick was right to say his piece. We expected it and, to be fair, the one-way traffic was… well, one way. But I’m sure he’ll understand […]
If nothing else, dwindling crowds should send a message to NCFC’s Big Four
Famously, Winston Churchill once described Russia as a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. The New York Times put a modern spin on this at the start of the millennium by suggesting that the Churchillian words of 1939 were carefully chosen to speak eloquently of the Western sense of Moscow as the other – an inscrutable and menacing land […]
Why are Norwich fans so fed up?
It’s just not fun anymore, is it? But then it wasn’t exactly a barrel of laughs for much of the time between 1995 and 2008, barring a couple of years under Nigel Worthington. So why, despite sitting fifth in the table – which we’d have killed for in most of those seasons – is it […]
Remember those heady days when Norwich fans weren’t seen as the Club’s enemy?
Gary doesn’t tend to allow his writing team to use the F word but I’m going to anyway. Farke! This isn’t a gushing eulogy on our long-since departed German but for those looking for reasons as to why there is such a disconnect between the club and its supporters, I’d suggest he remains a major […]
Blaming the fans usually spells the beginning of the end…
On Saturday night in the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings trailed 33-0 at home with five minutes to go in the first half. The crowd were stunned into silence, except to boo their own team before the half-time whistle had even blown. In the second half, Minnesota rallied to win 39-36, and complete the biggest comeback […]
When the head coach speaks in an indecipherable tongue, the game is up
Dean Smith has long been able to speak a language that is used only by a privileged few in the way that an adherent of the dark arts might use certain words during an important ritual to sacrifice a goat in order to ensure some evil spell proceeds along the correct lines. Geezer Butler once […]
Us and Them
This is the first time in a long while that I’ve been tempted to write anything for MFW about Norwich City. I’ve consciously made the effort to insulate myself from the swirling vortex of opinions that follows on from being a fan of a club struggling on and off the field, mainly because football isn’t […]
MATCH REPORT – CITY 0, BLACKBURN 2
Dean Smith elected to field an unchanged team from last week’s insipid performance in Wales, albeit lining up in a slightly different formation. No Todd Cantwell in the squad again, but Marcelino Nunez made it to the bench. Blackburn took the kick-off, and the initiative straight to City. They pressed energetically and aggressively and for the […]
Smith is part of the problem and should go, but is far from the only problem
For someone who’s not always the quickest to embrace the spirit of the season, I confess to feeling slightly Christmassy as I walked over Carrow Bridge and was greeted by the unmistakable tones of the Salvation Army band. Norwich’s equivalent of the ‘the boys of the NYPD choir’ delivered. Traditional and heartwarming in equal measure. […]
CITY vs BLACKBURN: THE PREVIEW
Saturday will be our 23rd league game, marking the halfway point of the season. At this stage, we should have some clarity about City’s prospects and the way forward. Except that we don’t. Three times in recent years Norwich have gone into a Championship season with a very strong squad for the division. At this […]
WE MEET AGAIN … BLACKBURN ROVERS
It’s hard to believe now, but City’s next opponents can boast a Premier League title. The 1994-95 season was a historic season for Blackburn Rovers, while for Norwich it signalled the end of ten consecutive years in the top division. Rovers were themselves relegated, among growing fan/ownership tensions, in 2012 and have not since come […]
Remember those heady days when we used to be entertained?
Saturday was a really strange day. I had a bad feeling about our match at Swansea. As it turned out I was wrong, thankfully. But it really got me thinking – what do Norwich City really supporters want? Later that evening, England went out of another World Cup valiantly, despite playing reasonably well. Compare that […]
Not exactly a “different animal” but can a few tweaks win over the doubters?
Those hoping that the World Cup amnesty would help rebuild some NCFC bridges will have been disappointed. Despite City beating Swansea, the level of performance was such that I suspect not a single view will have changed since that disappointing 2-1 defeat by Middlesbrough just over a month ago. Those who are content with the […]
Three points… the Russ mystery… Deano’s lovable 1-0s… and still no brick!
I have never thought of South Wales as a particularly mysterious place – anything but in fact as the folks I met there through work journeys to a long-gone powder coating factory just outside Newport in the late 1980s were as straight as they come, saying what they thought with great clarity. Everything about the […]
The light and shade of being a football fan … in the space of four hours
Well, that was emotional. I say emotional, what I really mean is heart-wrenching. And all within four hours of having been on a Championship high. I say high, what I really mean is being massively relieved that an ordinary performance somehow yielded three vital points and upset Russell Martin in the process. Let’s start with […]
MATCH REPORT: SWANSEA 0, CITY 1
It’s been a funny few weeks. A winter World Cup. Normally feverish excitement in the country has rarely raised above tepid. I fail to get excited by England at the best of times nowadays and this tournament has done little to change that. With one exception. That display against Wales. For me, it was a microcosm of City in […]
CITY v SWANSEA – THE PREVIEW
Forget the Brazilians dancing with joy. Forget plucky Moroccans defying the odds. Forget England looking like actual contenders at a World Cup. It’s back to Smithball tomorrow. (*World’s slowest handclap* – Ed). It feels like when you’ve been on holiday, but now it’s back to work, and your job is unblocking toilets. In all fairness, […]
ACADEMY – Finley Welch, an artistic central midfielder with a promising future
City’s Under-18s have been thoroughly enjoyable to watch so far this season. Each player in the team brings their own personality to the table and collectively they have produced some good matchday performances. One player in particular who has shone is central midfielder, Finley Welch. We saw glimpses of his flair last season but not […]
A final Carrow Road hurrah… another brick in the (South Stand) wall… and England win!
Yesterday Gary asked whether or not we folks of a Canary persuasion, aka the Great Unwashed, are ready to re-engage with our Club as we head towards the resumption of EFL Championship season 2022-23. He expressed some natural and quite understandable doubts about whether many of us are actually looking forward to the restart. Based […]
With season ticket renewal just around the corner, an interesting few months await
As one who frequents Twitter far more than is healthy, it’s become clear over the last few weeks that there is little appetite right now for anything Norwich City-related. MyFootballWriter’s Google Analytics page confirms as much. Numbers are at quiet-period-of-close-season levels. All of which is fine but not ideal if you’re the editor of MFW, […]
Upsets, thrills and spills at the World Cup, plus sycophancy of the highest order
For the many reasons we’ve already discussed on MFW, and as highlighted perfectly by Robin, this World Cup, on a wider scale, has been a tough watch. FIFA and the state of Qatar have made it so. But for those who’ve been able to strip away all the bad stuff – an inept, corrupt governing […]
GUEST BLOG: Any chance of movement at NCFC before battle recommences?
It’s a big MFW welcome back to guest blogger, Alex Bain as he voices some thoughts on how and why team selection is what it is at the moment and ponders a few problems that might add to or detract from the very essence of Norwich City FC in the future. Over to you, Alex: […]
Qatar reverting to type… Infantino rambling… and FIFA being FIFA
We’re still in the group stages of the World Cup but already the pre-tournament concerns that Qatar would revert to its standard approach of oppression of minorities and strongarming journalists, and that FIFA would simply roll over and do nothing about it have been shown to be totally accurate. A Danish film crew filming a […]
No Rangers return for the Mayor who extends his stay in the Fine City to 2025
It’s nice to be proven right occasionally and I am no exception to enjoying that all-too-rare feeling. It did not take the scrying glass of Nostrafarmus [or Chris Sadler’s dodgy old sphere of clear plastic from the charity shop] to predict the obvious but ’twas a week ago to this very day that I loudly proclaimed on […]
Remember that community club that prided itself on being transparent & open?
It was nice to be able to afford MyFootballWriter readers a glimpse behind the Iron Curtain. When I say Iron Curtain, what I really mean is an account of City’s open-to-all, 90-minute training session in Tampa, but the fact Dave Bowers’ much-appreciated account of events and a few posted images on social media are as […]
A Black Friday in Tampa… with Norwich City
Yesterday, between fifty and one hundred Norwich City fans travelled from across the US to Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida. Two weeks prior, the club announced they would hold an open training session “allowing football supporters in the area a chance to meet the Norwich City players” at the home of the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The date for the […]
Deano’s stats are as grim as his Smudger-ball, yet we plod on regardless
The Posse and I have enjoyed many a recent conversation about the merits or otherwise of the various Norwich City managers from Ron Saunders to Daniel Farke, while all the time considering how Dean Smith has fared in comparison with the others. As I hinted at the end of their article last Thursday, you only […]
Why did England have to go and play well and offer us all hope?
Just typical of England. In a tournament that just feels (and is) wrong on so many levels, they go and turn in a performance that gets some of us interested and engaged. Not how I’d imagined it or even really wanted it. I’ll be honest, my patriotism is not unconfined – particularly at the moment […]
How has the Club ended up in this state? And what will it take for a reset?
The World Cup is upon us. Domestic top leagues are paused and we are left with a few weeks of reflection. The headline act has to be the fact that Dean Smith has utterly failed to connect with the City fans. It may be easy to blame this upon the often turgid football his team has […]
MFW… and the World Cup break (we’re going nowhere)
You may or may not have noticed that the Sunday stripes this week have been passed to our Martin. For reasons too trivial to mention, he and I have swapped for today and I’ll be here in the week. In fact, we, as in the MFW team, will be here for the duration of the […]
Who stays and who goes? Either way, the door is ajar for the stars of the Academy
Friday turned out to be the most exciting day I’ve had for ages. Why I [faintly] hear you wondering? It’s because I went to Riverside for a first solo excursion in over three months – the first time I’ve driven by myself during that period due to a lengthy period of acclimatisation to the effects […]
The Posse speaks out… on where the land lies at Carrow Road and Colney
As we are surely all thoroughly mentally exhausted by considering matters both on and, particularly, off the Carrow Road turf, I thought I would turn to the Posse to provide a bit of light relief. Or to be strictly truthful, Posse member David C, better known to MFW types as Cutty, turned to the rest of […]
Happy Anniversary?
It’s a year to the day since Dean Smith and Craig Shakespeare rocked up at Carrow Road. The Club decided to commemorate the anniversary with a tweet of a beaming, yellow-and-green-scarf-adorned Deano standing in the tunnel. If you can stomach it, it’s at the foot of this piece. You don’t need me to expand on […]
It rarely gets better from here so twist sooner rather than later
While to me it feels pretty clear-cut that the club as a whole, and the team in particular, needs a change, there are still people urging the Carrow Road hierarchy to show patience and back the current manager through this period of underperformance. I do, however, also think that’s irrelevant. Simply put, I have never […]
Time for the Club to change direction or face being stuck in a cycle of toxicity
We’ve all been there, sadly. That time when a relationship starts to turn sour: a bitter taste left in the mouth where there had previously been an intoxicating sweetness of optimism and hope. Who hasn’t suddenly been stranded in a position when you know things need to change despite having wanted it to work out? […]
Should now be the time to pull the trigger? Yep. … Will it be? Not a chance
Instead of a nerve-steadying three points at Carrow Road against Middlesbrough on Saturday, we were served up another four weeks of angst and anxiety concerning our beloved City between now and a trip to play Russell Martin’s Swans on December 10, thanks to a soul-destroying but ultimately deserved 2-1 defeat. So it will doubtless be […]
Disharmony off the pitch, two wins in ten on it. A long 28 days awaits
In the aftermath of Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Wolves last night, Mikel Arteta was asked the reason for his team’s outstanding start to the season. His reply was obvious, yet telling. ”The unity… from the top of the club through to every single member of the team and the staff”. Something that, right now, we […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 1, MIDDLESBROUGH 2
I usually write my match report immediately after a game. My thinking is a bit like The Likely Lads – I’m trying to avoid seeing the reaction of others which may colour my judgement. Well, it’s 7.30pm here now. While I have avoided all other reports on the game, I’m still not even sure what I […]
Delia versus the media
As football fans, we’re familiar enough with the scenario. A seemingly soft foul is followed by much weeping and gnashing of teeth; a picture resembling Sauchiehall Street on a Saturday night ensues as foreheads are thrust but braked a whisker short of a full Glasgow kiss. The fans chant ‘off, off, off’, red cards get […]
An AGM, but not as we know it…
Over the years I’ve been to a fair few Norwich City AGMs – the annual opportunity for shareholders to gather to approve the latest set of accounts. Normally, they’re quite staid affairs, with the formal business typically taking less than 20 minutes, often followed by brief presentations, by various people within the Club’s hierarchy, and […]
CITY v MIDDLESBROUGH – THE PREVIEW
I always look forward to City v Boro, and not just because we have a good recent record against them or because it gives us a chance to rehash that now-famous YouTube clip of that Boro fan telling us “yous is shite”. While all of the above contain elements of fact, my real reason for […]
So many questions to be answered, but none will be asked at tonight’s AGM
On guest blog duty today is Mr Tim Ball – who some on MFW may recognise as one of our regular commenters. On the eve of a #NCFC AGM like no other, he asks some very pertinent questions… *** Tonight is the Norwich City AGM. There will be no local media there for the simple […]
WE MEET AGAIN… MIDDLESBROUGH
Saturday’s opponents need no introduction. We played them in one of the greatest games in our club’s long history. Think Middlesbrough and your mind will be cast back to a glorious day in the Wembley sunshine. It was a day when Norwich played with confidence and style in front of a yellow wall numbering 40,000. […]
Green shoots of recovery or a pleasant respite? Either way, let’s enjoy the moment
My Sunday morning Norwich City media digest is normally a short, sharp but comprehensive one during which I take in all I can from a rich variety of sources in order to keep my finger on the pulse of the Canary nation. This process normally takes around half an hour, then I fight shy of […]
City edge a feisty one in Rotherham
Wins in Rotherham don’t come easy. They never have. And in recent times, Paul Warne or no Paul Warne, any point there is hard-earned. While to the watching world, the Millers are not considered Championship hopefuls, anyone who’s made the trip to Millmoor or the New York City Stadium will know exactly what I mean. […]
October Loan Update: How are Messrs Mumba, Rashica, Tzolis et al doing?
This is the last full month of evaluation for most of these players until after the World Cup. This is how City’s loanees performed in the month of October. Christos Tzolis It’s been a disappointing month for City’s Greek winger, on loan at Twente. He had a combined 23 minutes in a 3-0 win against […]
CITY v ROTHERHAM (A) – THE PREVIEW
Saturday sees the travelling Canary faithful embark on the tortuous [no hyperbole here as any poor soul who has attempted it will confirm] trip along the A47, A17, and A1 to the New York Stadium, the home of Rotherham United – now known as the AESSEAL New York Stadium for naming rights purposes. This has been […]
Ever-decreasing triangles … missed chances … and Angus excellence
For the opening 20 minutes, it was good. Excellent even. But the old adage about having to capitalise on your good spells is an old adage for a reason. We didn’t capitalise. As Teemu Pukki’s brilliantly self-made opportunity slammed into the post and escaped the overtures of Seny Dieng’s goal line, so drifted away City’s […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 0, QPR 0
The games continue to come thick and fast in this weird, World Cup-affected season. Following a morale-boosting win at the weekend, Smith put our a team that was evolution, rather than revolution, and one that few fans would have disagreed with. The game exploded into life with a horrific-looking challenge on Sam Byram by Iroegbenum. At […]
CITY v QPR (H) – THE PREVIEW
Just one win in eight, and then a confidence boost for Dean Smit and his men came along in the form of a 3-1 win against Stoke. What next for the Canaries? Well, QPR at home – a real test. City will take with them the momentum from the win over Stoke, but an in-form […]
ACADEMY: A draw with West Brom and defeat at Forest for City’s Under21s
City’s Under-U21s have had an impressive start to the season, and after eight games were unbeaten after collecting 16 points. It left them in second place, six points behind league leaders, Leeds United, with City the only team to have taken points from them. Throughout Leeds’ Premier League 2 campaign, they have used a high […]
Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose … as they say in the Snake Pit
They’ve always had a way with words, have the French. Be it Voltaire, Baudelaire. Rimbaud or my good friends Maxim and Bénédicte when I worked with Publicorp on the Rue Rosenwald in Paris, somebody has a poignant expression for seemingly everything. I’ve never known who was responsible for originating one of my long-time favourites, so […]
Well, it was a win…
For 15 minutes it was pretty good. In that respect, it felt like we’d been transported back to the heady days of the nine-game unbeaten run. A win but an underwhelming win. The type to which we’ve become accustomed. But so poor has been the run we’ve been on, it was just a relief to […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 3, STOKE CITY 1
It is not often that I find myself staring at a metaphorical blank screen, unsure of what to write about a game. I think that probably tells the story of this game as much as anything. I watched the game from Delhi, with my Liverpool-supporting friend. After my groans of despair when the team news […]
VIDEO – ‘CREATORS OF THEIR OWN DOWNFALL!’ NT Podcast #68 | Norwich Talk
Norwich City find themselves in a pickle. Fans are fed up with the lack of narrative and voicing concern – the club is essentially rejecting the idea of a disconnect between the two. You see where this is going? We are joined by Archant’s Connor Southwell to discuss all aspects of the club. Give our […]
CITY vs STOKE CITY (H) – THE PREVIEW
Alex Neil faces his old club for the first time this season as he brings his Stoke City side to Carrow Road. Since his appointment on the 28th August, it’s been a mixed bag for the Scotsman. In his opening 10 fixtures, the Potters have been unable to find any sort of consistency but have […]
How can we unconditionally support an approach that we don’t fully understand?
As the criticism of Dean Smith’s Norwich intensifies, perhaps it’s natural that shots are fired back towards the dissenting voices. There has been a narrative playing out in some quarters that City supporters are unappreciative, expecting too much, and acting like spoilt, petulant children. That accusation is easy to shrug off when it comes from […]
Time for Smith to go. Players going backwards rather than even treading water
Before I pick up the theme of dissatisfaction and malcontent with most things Norwich City that I, unfortunately, feel duty-bound to employ these days, I thought it might be fair and reasonable to allow Dean Smith to get his theoretical mitigation for Tuesday night in first. The absentee list against Burnley at Turf Moor was […]
W’as gorn on in traynun, Neyull?
I didn’t get to see the whole game last night, despite being frustratingly close to Burnley earlier in the day but too late to secure a ticket. A dash home through the traffic ensued to catch what I could on TV, so no detailed match report today. Last January, I wrote an article where I […]
Time’s up for Deano and Shakey
I don’t say it lightly. I’d resisted the urge to demand change longer than most because I wanted to see a side with a Dean Smith imprint on it, and by that I meant one that contained Isaac Hayden, two fit South Americans and a proper left-back. I’ve seen it now. Amid the barrage of […]
CITY v BURNLEY (A) – THE PREVIEW
A quiet revolution has taken place down Turf Moor way. Where once the Burnley faithful saw hoofing, now they see passing: that extraordinary phenomenon where one footballer uses his skill to pass the ball to another, the idea being that Player B then uses the same technique to pass to Player C and so on. […]
Draws at Bramall Lane are not to be sneezed at but it was still an ‘if only’ day
Malaise, apathy, inertia and ennui are four descriptive words that refuse to leave the sides of many Norwich City supporters this season. They cling on like Winston Churchill’s black dog of depression, which faithfully but disastrously refused to leave his shoulders until it was well and truly ready before returning again and again with monotonous […]
A point at a feisty Brammall Lane but the malaise runs deeper than a chaotic 45
If you’ve not seen Robin Sainty’s EDP column of yesterday, then I strongly urge you to give it a read. As ever, he nails it and one sentence, in particular, stood out: “What should be a pleasure is becoming a chore for many and that’s not good.” Too right it’s not good, but it’s absolutely […]
MATCH REPORT: SHEFFIELD UNITED 2, CITY 2
Following last week’s dismal no-show against Luton, something needed to change. When Dean Smith emerged from the Brammall Lane tunnel before the game and acknowledged the travelling contingent, it seems that if nothing else, he has recognised the necessity to engage with the fans. Both Isaac Hayden and Dimi Giannouloi, described as not ready to […]
Is Dean Smith really the problem? Is it not a much wider issue?
Dean Smith is a good manager at a club who thought they could beat the system. As a write this on the train to Sheffield, with a group of excitable young Norwich fans sipping from their first lager cans of the day, it’s difficult to see – on the surface at least – anyone unhappy […]
CITY v SHEFFIELD UNITED (A) – THE PREVIEW
After the lacklustre performance against Luton Town in midweek, Norwich City travel to Bramall Lane in a top-six clash with Sheffield United this Saturday. Both sides come into this fixture having lost their last game 1-0 – City losing to the aforementioned Luton and the Blades losing to Coventry City. The last time we collided […]
Horrors of Tuesday: Part of a malaise that doesn’t begin and end with the head coach
I am not really one to appreciate the cinematographic discipline in any great depth, the intricacies of a Carry On film or a Ben Stiller movie usually being more than enough for me to contend with. However, I have made one glorious exception to my rebuttal of the finer points of movie-making over the years. My favourite […]
Where from here after another pre-Halloween horror show at the Carra?
Dean Smith was right in saying that last night’s performance was not dissimilar to those we put in during the nine-game unbeaten run. But that’s part of the problem. The performances during said run were okay for a few parts of a few games, but were generally accepted as being uninspiring, tepid, and disjointed. It […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 0, LUTON TOWN 1
It’s amazing how quickly things change. Only a week or so ago, City were nine games unbeaten. Whilst the performances were not totally convincing, City were widely expected to kick on from there. Now, coming into what looked like the easiest game of a tough October they were without a win in five. Dean Smith […]
CITY v LUTON (H) – THE PREVIEW
By nature, I much prefer to play things down rather than up – probably part of the reason why I only ever made it to the very lowest levels of sports writing – but even I’m struggling to downplay the importance of tonight’s game. A good win and the ship (for a few days at […]
City not quite in Disasterland yet but failure to beat Luton and it could quickly turn
The incessant and sometimes tedious debate about whether it is points or performances that matter the most has surely dragged itself towards the most unwanted conclusion of all – that Norwich City are now equally ineffective in both respects. One point in nine backed by dire consecutive offerings against WBA, Preston, and now Watford have […]
A miserable night for City at Vicarage Road. More questions than answers
It was almost a game of two halves. Almost. But almost was not enough. And the first was so poor, it would have been nigh on impossible for the second to be as bad. To make it doubly disappointing, Watford are not the Championship galacticos Mick McCarthy would have us believe. They’re an okay side […]
CITY v WATFORD (A) – THE PREVIEW
I want to like them, I really do. Watford’s the local team where I live and many friends support them. As foreign owners go, Watford’s are decent on community involvement and support. And, of course, the club has followed a parallel path to City’s in recent years. We should feel some solidarity. There are three reasons, of […]
WE MEET (YET) AGAIN… WATFORD
When City beat Watford 3-0 at Vicarage Road in late January of this year, Roy Hodgson was holding the yellow and black reins. When we played them earlier in that same season, Xisco Muñoz was in charge, and between those two games, Claudio Ranieri made a brief appearance in the Hornets’ dugout. Since then, Rob […]
Big Dunc still front and centre of all things good – CSF the latest to pay tribute. Part 2
Duncan’s league debut for Norwich was in the 3-1 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on October 12th 1968, his place in the side and the number five shirt that he went onto wear being relinquished by Laurie Brown who, after nearly 100 league appearances for Norwich saw the writing on the yellow and green […]
Big Dunc still front and centre of all things good – CSF the latest to pay tribute. Part 1
Football elicits strong emotions and forges memories that can last a lifetime. Whether it’s from a single moment of individual brilliance or a distinguished career representing the football club, certain players live long in the memory. One such man was City legend and Hall of Famer, Duncan Forbes. In this two-parter, and as part of […]
City joint top, but no disguising the overwhelming sense of frustration
At the time of writing, City sit joint-top after thirteen games of a gruelling, compacted season. In any other season, this would be met with widespread approval by the fans. So why does a large proportion of the fanbase feel a bit ‘meh’? I’ve thought long and hard about this and come up with a […]
A bit of Bully… say what you see… some argy-bargy… and Angus in for Watford?
Gary’s comment yesterday about bloopers from the early eighties being collected and released as video nasties by the likes of the admirable Denis Norden struck a chord with many of us I suspect. It put me in mind of that triumvirate of great early evening TV quiz shows –Blankety Blank, Bullseye and Catchphrase. The Blarney stone charm of […]
City lose their first in ten on an ‘along come Norwich’ afternoon at the Carra
Before I start I should warn you I’m not as angry as some. If you’re looking for some Dean Smith-related rage look away now. Yes it was disappointing, and yes we were profligate in front of goal and sloppy in defence, but those of a certain age have seen this a hundred times before. It’s […]
Time to try Pukki and Sargent up front together?
Even though City currently find themselves on a nine-game unbeaten streak in the Championship, securing seven victories within that run, it is difficult to ignore the fact that some supporters feel underwhelmed at the moment. Of course, the midweek round of matches worked out well for Dean Smith’s men in many ways, with City earning […]
WE MEET AGAIN… PRESTON NORTH END
The first ever Norwich v Preston fixture took place on 11th November 1961, a routine 2-0 win for City. It was Preston’s first season since the retirement of footballing legend Sir Tom Finney. It was a fixture that would become a regular feature in the Division Two calendar over the next decade. Incidentally, we have […]
CITY v PRESTON (H) – THE PREVIEW
Okay, not to be simplistic but Preston are the dullest and least inspiring team in the league. These are their results so far: Wigan A 0-0 Hull H 0-0 Luton A 0-1 Win Rotherham H 0-0 Watford H 0-0 Cardiff A 0-0 Coventry A 0-1 Win Birmingham H 0-1 Loss Burnley H 1-1 Sheff Utd […]
Entertainment v Points – another night when the latter was victorious
Hhmm. Traditional footballing convention tells us we should be happy with that. A point away from home against the side who were third, just two points and one place below us, sounds fine. So too the fact the league leaders lost at home, which means we’re now level on points with them and only second […]
MATCH REPORT: READING 1, CITY 1
The joys of international travel have restricted my opportunities to watch the last few games apart from the odd half here or there. But normal service was resumed last night. Dean Smith made a key decision when it came to his team selection. Few would argue with the inclusion of the fit-again Liam Gibbs, however […]
A midfield workhorse? International quality? Or a pointer supreme?
Maybe it was the rain swirling around the Lancashire sky? Or maybe it was the delusional thinking of a 40-year-old bloke who’d left Norwich at 530am and only reached Blackpool at 130pm thanks to never-ending roadworks and dropping the wife at the Cheshire Oaks shopping centre. Either way, I found myself turning to a mate […]
WE MEET AGAIN… READING
Tuesday night and the Championship’s relentless march continues to a town where I lived for a decade, Reading – a team managed between 2019 and 2020 by Norwich City Hall of Famer, and arguably Norwich’s greatest-ever left-back, Mark Bowen. Our first meeting with Reading came in the 1908-09 FA Cup. The two were drawn in […]
CITY v READING (A) – THE PREVIEW
Not many were predicting an early-season promotion charge from Reading and, in fact, the bookies and experts were talking up a right Royal battle at the opposite end of the table this season. But something is stirring down Berkshire way and a home win at the Madjeski tomorrow night would see Reading leapfrog City in […]
Still not perfect but three more on the board as our own Oktoberfest begins
With eleven games played, this season is no longer in its infancy as we enter the Oktoberfest period of the Championship. Nobody of a Yellow and Green persuasion is unaware of how crucial this month may prove to be with regard to our promotion credentials as the matches keep coming thick and fast. We must […]
Pukki is the difference after another gritty afternoon of classic Smudgerball
And on we plod. No trees being uprooted, not too much swashbuckling, the entertainment meter only occasionally flicking into life, yet another three points on the board. Those in the ‘Smith out’ trenches are still able to hold the line after another afternoon of carelessness, blunders and staccato football, while those for whom three points […]
September’s loan evaluation: How are Messrs Mumba, Tzolis, Płacheta et al doing?
It’s October! September was a slightly shorter month, with many away or not playing due to the international break, but still lot’s to report on for City’s loanees. Christos Tzolis It’s been an average month for Norwich’s Greek international at Twente. He wasn’t selected to represent his country in the September international break, so only […]
ACADEMY: Early days, but promising signs for the Under-18s
The Under-18s have had a positive start to their league campaign and currently sit in fourth place. Two wins, one draw, and one defeat have enhanced the mood for the games ahead. The U18s are in three different competitions this season, the league ([U18 Premier League South] and two cups [U18 Premier League Cup and […]
CITY v BLACKPOOL (A) – THE PREVIEW
The Canaries pick up the post-international break baton against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on Saturday afternoon and there is a nice little bonus on offer for supporters. For the princely sum of £90 [£75 if you’re a season ticket holder], you have the chance to join Norwich City legend Wes Hoolahan for a pre-match meet […]
WE MEET AGAIN… BLACKPOOL
We come across many familiar faces when we (almost inevitably) return to the Championship but this being football, there are always a few new(ish) faces and, as such, offers an opportunity for a brief return to our ‘We Meet Again’ series. So, if you’re one who enjoys footballing nostalgia, join us on a trip down […]
How long before Norwich City Women get to grace Carrow Road?
International breaks often divide opinion among football supporters, as the hectic routine of following your club as they play twice-weekly – almost every week – is disrupted in order for a number of international matches to take place. Personally, I found it difficult to get excited for England’s games against Italy and Germany because, while […]
City’s Broken Line of Succession
While watching a laborious City side try and break down the massed ranks of the West Brom defence, something was missing. I yearned for someone to conjure up a little bit of magic; someone to do something unexpected but brilliant; someone to take the game by the scruff off the neck and have the confidence […]
The mystery of the club shop… the three missing players… and two surprise City fans
After reading Gary’s sobering article of yesterday in which he accurately summed up the current hopes and fears of Canary fans everywhere, I thought I’d take a look at some of the recent mysteries surrounding events [and indeed a couple of media-driven non-events] that are pounding the corridors of Carrow Road and Colney right now. […]
Second in the table, a new investor on (the) board, but nowhere near our happy place
We find ourselves in what my dad would describe as a rum ol’ place. Some would call it a rut. Second in the league; averaging two points per game; a new, vastly wealthy American investor on board (and on the board), yet there’s barely a hint of joy evident across the Canary nation. Wins are […]
A Top Five Spot for Teemu
As if he hadn’t already etched his name into Norwich City legend, Teemu Pukki has reached another landmark on his way into the Carrow Road Hall of Fame. Pukki’s majestic double at home to Bristol City last Wednesday granted him his second and third league goals of the campaign, an admittedly uninspiring tally by the […]
The Attanasio Files: Talking all things MA and MLB with the UKBrewCrew
At the end of last week, I chatted with the UK fan club for the Milwaukee Brewers. Unless you’ve been living under a rock and don’t know who the Brewers are, they are the Major League Baseball (MLB) side owned by Mark Attanasio. Last week, Attanasio was appointed to Norwich City’s board of directors, acquiring […]
Oh for a left-footed defender and some stability in the centre of the park
It’s rare after a match such as that against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday to get so many different viewpoints from supporters floating around. My inbox was suffering from subsidence by Sunday morning and that was just from friends, let alone what was available online to be read on a less personal level. Discounting some […]
The joy of slow, laboured, staccato passing that somehow still earns a point
I deliberately gave social media only a light touch last night. The fallout from anything other than a win was always going to be unedifying. When I did dip in, it was typically laden with I-told-you-so’s from those who, since the start of the season, have been pointing out that despite being second in the […]
ACADEMY: Sky’s the limit for Kamara
We’re only four games into the U21s season, and Abu Kamara’s goal-scoring form is scintillating. He is joint top of the goalscoring charts in the league this season, demonstrating his continued composure in front of goal. Topping the goalscoring chart is doubly impressive as Abu hasn’t started in the striker role this season, compared to […]
CITY v WEST BROM (H) – THE PREVIEW
City will be aiming to make it seven consecutive Championship victories ahead of the visit of West Bromwich Albion to Carrow Road tomorrow. After a tough opening three fixtures, Dean Smith’s men have hit a much-needed positive patch of form. However, despite winning six on the bounce, scoring 13, and conceding 4, a fair portion […]
Keystone Kops… Bristol firestorms… the view from Panama… and three more points
Before Wednesday night’s match, Bristol City striker Nahki Wells warned Norwich City that his side would go to Carrow Road to “turn over” the Canaries. Well Nahki me ole China, you did not speak with forked tongue. Bristol threw the kitchen sink at us for a large proportion of the game and if we hadn’t […]
GUEST BLOG: Is it a lack of NCFC identity? Or simply a new identity?
It’s guest blog time again, and today it’s the turn of Duncan Kendal (@dkendal on Twitter) who offers a poignant insight into the events of last night and a positive outlook moving forward. All yours Duncan… *** Why doesn’t it feel like it should? On the morning of last night’s match, I learned that the […]
TACTICAL ANALYSIS: NORWICH CITY 3, BRISTOL CITY 2
It looked an exciting game under the lights at Carrow Road at first glance but in reality, it was a gritty hard-fought game lacking in quality. This is typical of the Championship and there will be many like these this season. Despite the Canaries winning six on the bounce there are still causes for concern […]
Sloppy.. ugly… and a bit lucky… but it’s six out of six for City
There are many different ways to win a football match; the list is almost endless. Yet Dean Smith’s City keep discovering new ways… usually inadvertently. Last night it was… a) Race into two-goal lead while playing like the away side, b) Give ball away with alarming frequency and so invite thoroughly decent Bristol City to […]
MATCH REPORT: CITY 3, BRISTOL CITY 2
A lot has changed since City last stepped onto a football pitch. A new prime minister, a new monarch, a new investor. Yet some things remain the same, including the ability of the Championship to produce an absorbing, frenetic game. Short on quality, high on entertainment. The City fans paid their tribute to the late Queen […]
CITY v BRISTOL CITY (H) – THE PREVIEW
I’m going to kick this one off in somewhat unorthodox fashion by giving you, dear readers, a little taste of what life can be like in the MFW dressing room. When it comes to previews, Gary allows those of us with friends who support our opponents to pre-book these games if we wish to and […]
WE MEET AGAIN… BRISTOL CITY
It is one of England’s largest cities and home to two professional football clubs but neither Bristol City nor their city neighbours, Rovers have played in the Premier League. The closest tomorrow night’s opponents have come was a play-off final defeat in 2008. Norwich’s first visit meeting with Bristol City was at Ashton Gate way […]
The Matthews final… the Jules Rimet to Sir Bobby… and a penchant for Arsenal?
When the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death reached us all on Thursday afternoon I’m sure it triggered an unwelcome but inevitable acceptance from all of us that our monarch was no longer with us. Very few MFW readers and writers can recall the death of a head of state from personal experience. I will […]
No rights or wrongs, but unfair to suggest football can’t be trusted at times like these
To not have a live game to watch on Friday night was disappointing but, as Kathy described beautifully yesterday, it was probably the right call by the EFL. Whether it was right to call off the whole Premier League and EFL programme yesterday was rather more contentious but was, I guess, one of those damned […]
EFL games can be rearranged. The events of September 2022 cannot
I wasn’t going to Burnley last night owing to a combination of Sky mucking about with the fixture list, and one of my travelling companions being a bit under the weather. I did however very much plan my Friday around it, in a way only familiar to football supporters. Takeaway ordered, bottle of wine in […]
Our Todd is back, and Dean Smith’s squad is all the better for it
It’s not often it can be said that Todd Cantwell has gone under the radar. That’s not his style. But he has, or at least his road to redemption has. It feels like, almost without noticing, we have our old Todd back. The one who clearly loves playing in the yellow and green, is warm […]
With Sarge on fire, Ramsey shining & Big Andy stepping up, City’s vital signs are good
A resurgent Josh Sargent and a will to find a way to win have been key over the five-game winning run for the Canaries, and Dean Smith’s tactical impressions are finally beginning to make their mark on his squad. Smith was faced with the task of Premier League survival in the immediacy of his appointment […]
Webber: ‘The club’s objective is a prolonged spell in the Premier League’
Stuart Webber insists Norwich City are determined to achieve a long spell in the Premier League. At a time when some supporters are asking: “What is the point of winning promotion if the club is going to ‘yo-yo’ back down again?”, City’s Sporting Director asserts that he is focussed on breaking that cycle by staying […]
A cost of living crisis… from which the Premier League is clearly exempt
It’s quite often a tweet that motivates me to write something for MFW. In this instance, it was one from Kieran McGuire, the football finance expert pointing out that Manchester United had spent more money on Anthony than the 24 Championship clubs combined in the entire summer transfer window. Unless you live, under a rock […]
Ain’t no pleasing some, but City march on regardless
As Gary said yesterday, the moaners are out in force after five straight wins. You know, the same wins that took us from the bottom of a 24-team league to the top. Has that ever been achieved before? I dunno, you tell me. Everybody wants us to sweep sides asunder [particularly visiting ones] with the […]
City go top but a sense of unease for some even after five wins on the spin
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 […]
August’s loan evaluation: How are Messrs Mumba, Tzolis, Płacheta et al doing?
It’s September and the first month of this bizarrely scheduled season has finally run its course. In this piece, we’ll be monitoring the progress of City players who have been out on loan for the past four weeks (and, in some cases, since the last week of July). Christos Tzolis Tzolis has featured in all […]
CITY v COVENTRY (h) – THE PREVIEW
Norwich City are in fine form. Four wins on the bounce has seen the Canaries rise to second in the league, but Saturday sees a different challenge at Carrow Road. Dean Smith’s side will face off against a Coventry City team who have only played four league matches all season and who currently sit bottom […]
And… finally, the window “slams shut”. How did we do?
Well, that’s yer lot. Show over. Antennae withdrawn as we have a few months off combing obscure links for transfer rumours. The window has shut until January so get over it. I know I have. But we did do some business, some of which was verging on the intriguing with the South American scouting set-up […]
Born in Cuba, now a son of Norfolk – our Onel delivered again at St Andrew’s
Everybody loves a character who ostensibly puts their body and soul into the cause of Norwich City and rarely leaves anything on the pitch. Reference Duncan Forbes, Flecky, Iwan, Hucks or whoever your favourite happens to be. On Tuesday night at St Andrew’s, a long-simmering candidate for this particular type of regard from the supporters […]
TACTICAL ANALYSIS: BIRMINGHAM 1, CITY 2
So… another scrappy game away from home in the Championship in which Norwich have managed to wrestle three points from the opposition. This was a game that epitomised the Championship and the questions Norwich will have to answer if they are to achieve their goals this season. And they passed the test… just about… with […]
Finally… City rediscover that winning feeling after going a goal down!
I wrote on Sunday morning about there being few more satisfying ways to win a game than a backs-to-the-wall smash and grab. Well, last night was the perfect demonstration of one that matched it. Maybe even trumped it. Who doesn’t love an injury-time winner? That we did it via a similar route to the win […]
ACADEMY: A good start for City’s Under-21s
Similarly to last season, the Under-21s have made a bright start to their league campaign. Eight points from four games is a good start, and it provides a platform for a successful campaign. Premier League 2 Division 2 is a hard league to get out of as only one team gets promoted automatically and teams […]
WE MEET AGAIN… BIRMINGHAM CITY
Next up for the Canaries is a trip to the second city under-achievers Birmingham City and a return to a Championship staple – the midweek away fixture. When thinking back to past games between the two it is hard to look beyond the Play-off final of 2002 but as we shall see there have been […]
CITY v BIRMINGHAM (A) – THE PREVIEW
On paper, a trip to struggling Birmingham shouldn’t hold too many fears. But this is Norwich City. And the Championship. Nothing comes easy and nothing gets taken for granted. The Blues may have had a tricky start to the season and may have off-field struggles ongoing but at 7:45 tomorrow evening it’ll all be back […]
Smith’s triple change wins the day for City who ride out the mother of all storms
We saw an awful lot of things we know about this incarnation of Norwich City at the Stadium of Light on Saturday – and quite a few things we might have forgotten about as well. I cannot remember concentrating on the opposition quite as much as this before in previous MFW articles but it must […]
MATCH REPORT: Sunderland 0, City 1
Let’s ignore the Carabao Cup and say that City came into this game on the back of two consecutive wins. Before kick-off, the attention was on the absence of former City Boss Alex Neil, seemingly on his way to Stoke. City lined up unchanged – from the last league game that is. And the game started […]
Sunderland test City to the limit but Big Grant and co ride out a Wearside storm
Those who’ve played the game and who’ve come off the pitch with three points after taking a proper shellacking will have recognised the pride and joy in Andrew Omobamidele’s voice. The young Irishman’s voice quivered as he spoke glowingly of his defensive colleagues in the direct aftermath of yesterday’s win. “The excitement of that defending […]
The left-back conundrum… is Frederik Andre Bjorkan the answer?
Left-back has been a difficult position for Dean Smith to negotiate this season, with Dimi Giannoulis, Sam McCallum and Jacob Sorensen suffering injuries in successive games and all being ruled out until at least the beginning of the World Cup period in November. It was an almost unbelievable chain of events that led to Smith’s […]
WE MEET AGAIN… SUNDERLAND
The Premier League dream is over (again!). City are back in the Championship and it’s a very familiar fixture list that the Canaries face in 2022-23. But this being football, there will be a few new(ish) faces and, as such, an opportunity for a brief return of ‘We Meet Again’ – the series that looks […]
CITY v SUNDERLAND (A) – THE PREVIEW
The joys of a 12:30 kickoff on Wearside await the travelling Yellow Army tomorrow, the first time we’ve played Sunderland since April 2018. In true Norwich City fashion, we took just a point off them that season over the two games despite them ending up getting relegated. But now they’re back and after a traumatic […]
MFW NOSTALGIA: Don’t get …… beat! (Part One)
Paul Lambert could very easily not have been a football manager. Not for very long anyway. After he left Celtic in 2005, Lambert, then still only 35, took time out to study for his coaching qualifications, applying himself to both the practical and theoretical side of the course with all the forensic levels of diligence […]
No Carabao run… no great loss
As much as I hate to disagree with Reepham’s finest, I take a different viewpoint to Kathy Blake and her article on MFW yesterday, which extolled the positives of our continued presence in the Carabao Cup. There’s no way of saying this nicely – I couldn’t care less about our relatively early exit from this […]
“Young at times,” says Deano but still some Carabao positives for City
So, our Carabao dream is over for another year. There will be no re-run of 1985. In reality, of course, we knew that before we’d even kicked a ball. Unless the inhabitants of that exclusive club known as the ‘big six’ bugger off to that European Super League they so crave, the likelihood of a […]
No Wembley glory for City in the Carabao, so back to the league we go
Well, I for one am disappointed. I know it seems to be the current thinking among football fans of all clubs that cup competitions, especially the Carabao Cup, are a complete waste of time and an unnecessary distraction. I don’t buy into that and never have done. I can think of nothing better than […]
WE MEET (YET) AGAIN… BOURNEMOUTH
Given the amount of times we’ve crossed paths with the darlings of the south coast over the last few seasons, you may well have already read Allan’s potted history of our clashes, but just in case you haven’t… … Much of our history against Bournemouth takes place in the old Third Division South and pre […]
TACTICAL ANALYSIS: CITY 2, MILLWALL 0
Overview City made it back-to-back wins with another dominant performance and some real quality from Josh Sargent to seal a fantastic week. Millwall were stubborn opponents and have started well this season. They looked like a potential banana skin, but Norwich were in control from the beginning and Dean Smith was pleased with both his […]
A star-spangled Friday in the Fine City as Sarge & Attanasio grab the headlines
It’s only fit and proper that I should join Gary and Freddie with an apology to our born-again striker, Josh Sargent. Only a week ago I said on these very pages that if Sargent is a striker, then so is next door’s cat. Six days down the road and it’s a clear case of “just […]
At ease Sarge, your first mission is complete
So, this week has been a bit good for Norwich City hasn’t it? The arrival of Mark Attanasio looks imminent, we’ve won two games in the space of three days, Dean Smith’s style of football has finally become recognisable, we’ve kept our first clean sheet, and gone from the bottom of the league to fifth. […]
Bilko at the double as City make it two in two in the space of three days
Not for the first time, I have to open with an apology. Prior to the Huddersfield game, when discussing on Twitter who should slot in at left-back, I jokingly suggested that as said emergency full-back was almost certain to roll his ankle and be out until Christmas we should consider playing Josh Sargent there. It […]
MFW NOSTALGIA – The Ghost
The sad and premature death of Norwich City great Martin Peters in 2019 yielded, inevitably, a nuée ardente of sympathy and sadness from all around the footballing world, including a very genuine outpouring of sorrow and sympathy from many Canary fans. Peters had been, in the years leading up to his death, suffering from Alzheimer’s […]
TACTICAL ANALYSIS: CITY 2, HUDDERSFIELD 1
Overview City picked up their win of the season after a rampaging start saw off Huddersfield, before slightly letting them back in with a bit of second-half complacency. This analysis will seek to dissect the match and draw out any themes from the game. In general, it followed the pattern of every Championship game so […]
WE MEET AGAIN… MILLWALL
Be it the new or the old Den, or at Carrow Road, like Friday, games against Millwall hold plenty of happy memories for the boys in yellow and green. One of the most important came on our visit to Millwall during the run-in in 2018-19 when captain Christoph Zimmermann’s bullet header led the Canaries to […]
CITY v MILLWALL (H) – THE PREVIEW
It’s Millwall time again tomorrow evening as we welcome the lads from South East London to Carrow Road. We might be buoyed by our first win of the season against Huddersfield Town on Tuesday but the Lions will be roaring with relief after that incredible comeback to earn a 2-2 draw against Swansea City. I […]
The defence-splitting through balls are back – hallelujah!
After City’s first win of the season against Huddersfield Town on Tuesday evening I am happy to reaffirm that football is indeed a funny old game. For a considerable amount of the contest, City looked far more cohesive than of late and although it’s hard for me to pinpoint exactly why, there were certainly a few […]
A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME – Part Three
Highbury, London N5. 2:50pm. Mike Walker is giving his chosen XI some final well-chosen words. Delivered with all the passion and belief, which his players are already finding is core to his character. “You’re here to win. They might have the names and the glamour but you have the heart, the energy, the work rate. […]
Sarge and Sinani with the goals as City edge past the battling Terriers… just
A win! So scarce have they been over the last year, Carrow Road has all but forgotten how to celebrate, although the muted celebrations upon Josh Smith’s final whistle were probably more to do with the collective unclenching of buttocks than anything else. We certainly don’t make it easy for ourselves, but let’s not underestimate […]
MATCH REPORT: City 2, Huddersfield 1
So first the good news – spoiler alert – a City left-back survived the game without injury! Before the game though, the not-so-good news was that Teemu Pukki was not even in the squad – Dean Smith reported afterwards that the X-ray revealed no damage but that his foot was still too swollen to wear […]
A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME – Part Two
The scene was set. ‘A whole new ball game’. Even the act of writing those five words makes me shudder. Sky really did think they were re-launching the game of football with their hijacked coverage thirty years ago. Were Norwich City ready? A new manager was in place. Mike Walker had replaced Dave Stringer after […]
CITY v HUDDERSFIELD (H) – THE PREVIEW
Tomorrow night’s clash with Huddersfield Town is shaping up now to be an extremely important one for Dean Smith in his Norwich City tenure. After a disappointing away defeat to Hull there are real question marks surrounding the former Aston Villa boss and the direction of travel in which he is taking this squad. Danny […]
WE MEET AGAIN… HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
The Premier League dream is over… again. City find themselves back in the familiar terrain of the Championship and a new fixture list full of old friends and foes. In ‘We Meet Again’ we look back at previous clashes between Norwich City and our upcoming Championship opponents. Big games, historic matches, significant milestones, and player […]
A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME – Part One
As I write this, it’s thirty years since the opening day of the very first Premier League season ‘A whole new ball game’ was how Sky Sports opted to brand the game and league at the time, showing, even then, their wish for football to have had its very own reset to year zero on […]
TACTICAL ANALYSIS: HULL 2, CITY 1
As part of MFW’s coverage of the new Championship season, the newest member of our team, Richard Becker, will be casting his eye over each game from a tactical and technical perspective, and giving us his view on what’s going wrong and (occasionally) right. He starts with the defeat at Hull… Overview Another disappointing result […]
Curse of the left-back … buying into Norfolk … and next door’s cat supporting Teemu
Before going to bed on Saturday night I ended the day in my traditional manner by looking at all four league tables in descending order. Nothing intrinsically new there of course. But lurking in the background were a couple of things we haven’t seen in many a moon. Everybody who doesn’t live in Cheshire or […]
Is our Teemu part of the solution? Or is he part of the problem?
There are plenty of theories going around as to why City are struggling, all of which have varying levels of validity. So let me add one more to the mix – Teemu Pukki. Now before the pitchforks and torches are lifted countywide, let me explain further. I’m not for a second saying that Teemu hasn’t […]
MATCH REPORT: Hull 2, City 1
City travelled to Hull desperate for a first league win of the season, with over 1,500 Canary fans packed into the North Stand of the MKM Stadium. The Tigers’ start to the season was positive, beating Bristol and Preston, before a slightly unsettling Carabao Cup loss to Bradford City in midweek Dean Smith made two […]
No belief… no confidence… a team that’s forgotten how to win. S&S on thin ice
Not for the first time, I need to choose my words carefully. I took an online kicking during yesterday’s game for suggesting that minute 43 was too early to unfurl the #SmithOut banners. My poorly made point was that we could yet go on and win the game and the landscape would shift but was […]
A win in the Carabao… a pearler from Lungi… heroics from Angus… and a Panenka!
I didn’t attend last night’s game and so hadn’t planned on penning a thought piece on events at the Carra. The fact there were no alternative ways of watching the action other than being there tends to render any comment I have on events even more futile than normal… and then Marcelino Ńuñez, in the […]
ACADEMY: The outlook for 2022-23
The new academy season is upon us. The Under-21s season started last Friday at home to Sunderland (at Colney), whilst the Under-18s kick-off their season away to West Bromwich Albion this week. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to document the academy season with MFW, and hopefully educate our readers on NCFC’s stars for the […]
VIDEO: ‘AN IMPROVEMENT!’ City 1, Wigan Athletic 1 | Norwich Talk
Dean Smith picks up his first Championship point as Norwich City manager. A 1-1 draw at home to Wigan with the star boy Max Aarons getting on the scoresheet as the Canaries displayed a much more coherent performance than that against Cardiff. We share our thoughts on the match and a few lines on Dean […]
Crossroads… the X29.. surplus midfielders… Dimi woe… and Pukki’s missing half-yard
Standing at the crossroads has become one of the most hackneyed of clichés over the years, usually referencing a sea change in the life of the person concerned who is forced to make the right call on an extremely difficult personal decision. I’ve heard it applied to Julius Caesar, Chairman Mao and a myriad of modern politicians […]
Our first point & our first goal. Thin gruel maybe but a step in the right direction
It was one of those something-for-everyone afternoons. For the pyro lovers, there was Carrow Road’s best effort yet; for everyone, there was a much-deserved ovation for our heroic Lioness; for the optimists, there was a performance that was infinitely better than its Cardiff equivalent, and for those who continue to demand Dean Smith’s P45, there […]
MATCH REPORT: City1, Wigan Athletic 1
Two-hundred-and fifty-five days into Dean Smith’s reign as head coach, we finally got to see a starting XI containing a player that he signed. There may have been some surprise initially that this was Marcelino Nunez, rather than Gabriel Sara but in hindsight, the clues were there in the press conference – not wanting to […]
VIDEO: ‘START THE NEW BOYS’ City vs Wigan Athletic – Preview | Norwich Talk
Norwich City host Wigan tomorrow in what is the Canaries’ first Championship home fixture in front of a packed-out Carrow road since April 2019. It was opening day disappointment, again, for Dean Smith’s side as they fell to the sword against Cardiff City with both teams fined for a lack of discipline. We preview the […]
WE MEET AGAIN… WIGAN ATHLETIC
The Premier League dream is over (again!). City are back in The Championship and it’s a very familiar fixture list that the Canaries face in 2022-23. But this being football, there will be a few new(ish) faces and, as such, an opportunity for a brief return of ‘We Meet Again’, the series that looks […]
CITY v WIGAN ATHLETIC (H) – THE PREVIEW
INTRO After falling to defeat in the Welsh capital last week, City host Wigan on Saturday in the early kick-off. Thanks for that one Sky Sports. Both sides come into this fixture having failed to win their opening game – City losing 1-0 to Cardiff City (more on that later) and Wigan drawing 0-0 with […]
Marcelino Nuñez is in the building…
So, our first ever Chilean has finally arrived. Last night, following some transatlantic jet-setting, Marcelino Nuñez was finally introduced as a City player amid the now traditional fanfare of slo-mo badge-kissing and name-on-the-shirt pointing. Whether this signing is a stroke of genius from Stuart Webber or another damp squib will only be revealed over the coming […]
Canary Armageddon… ‘a poor man’s Steve Bruce’… and the men from Milwaukee
I’m not sure the defeat in Cardiff is quite the prelude to Canary Armageddon that some are predicting but it was definitely one of those where it was hard to nail down too many positives. I mean, it might end up being all of the things the prophets of doom are saying and more, but […]
They roared… loudly, and it’s finally home. Thank you, Lionesses.
They think it’s all over. It is now. See? It’s easy. What’s all the fuss about? None of that penalty nonsense. The clock was ticking inexorably towards the inevitable penalty shoot-out – it was Germany after all – when up popped Chloe Kelly’s right boot to put right the wrongs of fifty-six years. And it […]
Too early to fear for the Yellow and Green future? Or a realistic appraisal after Cardiff?
As the teamsheets dropped around 2pm on Saturday I felt a little bit of a smug glow. I had got ten right, my only error being Dean Smith’s retrospectively wrong decision to start Josh Sargent over Danel Sinani. Any form of glow had long gone at the final whistle, of course, replaced by that all […]
City stumble at the first hurdle – Smith with many questions still left to answer
We can blame Dean Smith and Craig Shakespeare, or the players, or some lamentable refereeing all we like for the defeat in Cardiff but the fact of the matter is the die was cast at 10:27 yesterday morning. A Twitter account for The Second Tier – a reputable podcast that covers all things Championship – […]
MATCH REPORT: Cardiff 1, City 0
The first game for the season. The phoney war of pre-season is over. Fans traditionally divided between glass half-full, half-empty, is there even a glass or who cares – HMS PTL is launched. A week ago Gary asked us all to provide our thoughts for the new season. I was in the cautiously positive band, albeit predicting a […]
CITY v CARDIFF (A) – THE PREVIEW
Competitive football is finally back! It’s been over 1,180 days since City fans last saw their team play a Championship away game in person, but that all changes in Cardiff this weekend. Pre-season ended on a disappointing note, with defeats at Celtic Park and Easter Road, but City now look to kickstart their promotion campaign […]
WE MEET AGAIN… CARDIFF CITY
So, here we go again, starting with a trip to South Wales. To kick things off, what better way than to revisit Allan’s ‘We Meet Again…’ series, where he takes us back to battles of old with our latest opponents. Also, don’t forget to have a listen to ‘Al and Val’s We Meet Again’ podcast […]
Here we go again… 2022-23 style. The MFW team predicts – Part Three
And finally…. part three of the team’s predictions. Please feel free to leave your answers to the same questions in the comments. On the Ball City… *** How will Dean Smith and Shakey manage the Premier League hangover (as Daniel Farke did so brilliantly in the summer of 2020)? Louis Woodrow: There’s certainly a fair bit of […]
Here we go again… 2022-23 style. The MFW team predicts – Part Two
We promised you part two, so here we go. Same questions… *** How will Dean Smith and Shakey manage the Premier League hangover (as Daniel Farke did so brilliantly in the summer of 2020)? Jamie Lauder: Smith and Shakey know the English game. They know what a team needs to go up and no doubt will assert themselves […]
Here we go again… 2022-23 style. The MFW team predicts – Part One
So… ready for another ten months of stress, agony, disappointment and potential heartbreak? While the end of last season was most welcome and, at the time, football felt like the last thing any of us wanted to discuss, time is indeed a great healer. So here we are… discussing football. While there is still bruising […]
Hello Norwich City? Attanasio calling… I’m on my way
Here we go… again. Following back-to-back pre-season defeats in Scotland to Celtic and Hibernian, and a complete fan meltdown on social media due to these results, there is at least one thing all City fans can now get excited about. As reported by Sam Seaman on The Pink ‘Un, by club officials at the Q&A […]
Very little Sunshine on Leith
And so the prologue ends with 46 crucial chapters to follow. The friendlies are completed and the serious stuff begins at Cardiff City’s Millennium Stadium at 3pm precisely on Saturday. City followed up a 2-0 defeat at Celtic Park with a completely lacklustre 1-0 reverse at Easter Road against Hibernian yesterday which saw youngsters Jonathan […]
City’s first defeat of pre-season at Celtic Park but Smith already under pressure
I need to tread a bit carefully. I took some mild stick on Twitter yesterday for suggesting those who bemoaned City’s performance in the 2-0 defeat by Celtic were blubbing prematurely. As I’ve said many times before, I pay little heed to results and performances in friendlies – even those that occur just seven days […]
“All the Germans…” have left the building. But what of the intake of summer 2017?
As confirmed by the club in the last few days, fan favourite defender Christoph Zimmermann has officially concluded his five-year stay in Norfolk, departing back to his native Germany for SV Darmstadt 98 on a permanent deal. Unilateral good wishes flooded in towards the towering German defender following the announcement, with some fans seeing his […]
VIDEO: Pierre Lees-Melou To Leave Norwich City | Norwich Talk
It’s reported that Pierre Lees-Melou is the latest player to depart Norwich City as he is set to join Ligue 1 side Stade Brestois on a three-year deal. Lees-Melou’s pending departure has, understandably, caused some doubt in the NCFC fan base after some solid performances in Norwich City’s latest Premier League embarrassment. It’s reported by […]
GUEST BLOG: All the midfielders, so many midfielders…
The football gods have decreed that there will be extra time in MFW regular Alex Bain‘s silly season series on his favourite Norwich City players of the past and in this final instalment, he recalls some of his favourite midfielders. We’ve had some crackers over the years, so let’s have a shufti at Alex’s choices – he […]
Who can be City’s trequartista for 2022-23?
Since Emi Buendia’s departure, City have craved a creator. A player that effectively has a free role, with the sole aim to make things happen. This kind of player is known under many names but, for those familiar with 1990s Italian football (or who play Football Manager), they are known as a Trequartista. If you […]
VIDEO: Keep, Loan or Sell Part Three: Norwich City’s Attack | Norwich Talk
Welcome back to Norwich Talk’s final part of Keep, Loan or Sell. We take a look at Norwich City’s attacking lineup ahead of the 2022/23 EFL Championship campaign and… you guessed it – decide which players we would keep, loan or sell. NB: Since the recording of this video, Placheta has departed on a season-long […]
Give it half a chance and Norfolk will look after you, Gabriel – you’re one of us now
Like most of us of a Canary persuasion, I have whiled away my spare time this week with quite a few message exchanges with friends and fellow Yellows – not that this is a particularly new concept for me as I guess I do it 52 weeks of the year. This week’s discussions were really […]
Oscillating fans… a new Brazilian… rose and gold heaven… and fun in southern France
So, things are finally moving. The friendlies are starting to come thicker and faster, the mood of the faithful is starting to oscillate more wildly than a bedroom fan, there’s a tangible increase in intensity in training and matchplay, and we already have our first casualty of the new season. So, the week that was, […]
Welcome aboard Gabriel Sara – please be one of our hits, not one of our misses
Finally, Gabriel Sara is a Canary. Welcome aboard. Let’s hope his stay in Norfolk is a fruitful one … because that’s not always the case. Although Stuart Webber has a list of successful incomings in his five-year-stint as City’s Sporting Director, there is an even longer list of players who simply did not work out. […]
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Goodbye Premier League. Hello Football.
It’s Friday, it’s a pre-season no-fresh-content kind of day, it’s going to be a warm one and it all feels a bit rubbish, so it’s to the archives of an MFW legend I turn. And, for once, it’s not Kevin Baldwin. Instead, today we revisit a piece our Ed Couzens-Lake wrote in the summer of […]
Could Danel Sinani yet be the one to finally fill that Emi Buendia-shaped hole?
Since the end of last season, as City concluded 2021-22 with that dismal relegation while Huddersfield went all the way to the Championship Play-Off final, the future of Danel Sinani and what role (if any) he may play in Dean Smith’s team has become a hot topic among City fans. The question being asked is […]
VIDEO: Keep, Loan or Sell Part Two: Norwich City’s Midfield | Norwich Talk
Here we go… part two of three for our mini-series ‘Keep Loan or Sell.’ Today Ben looks at City’s midfield options and whether they possess enough quality to remain in our ideal Norwich City squad or whether they should be sold. NOTE: This was recorded prior to the King’s Lynn game. Give our Twitter a […]
GUEST BLOG: From Barry Butler through to Omobamidele and all those in between
Following on from sharing his thoughts on NCFC keepers, full backs, managers and strikers over the summer, MFW regular Alex Bain turns his attention to recollections of his favourite centre backs who have sported the Yellow shirt over the years. So without further preamble, off you go Alex. *** I have seen several centre-backs come […]
Prem Hangover? … Quality over quantity … bigger and faster … and a new Tzolis?
With City’s relative inaction in the transfer market to date, we’ve been feeding off scraps in order to try and motivate ourselves from the sombre malaise of last season’s capitulation into a positive mindset for the season ahead. No move either in or out can yet be seen as good or bad until we’ve seen […]
New signings arriving with ‘niggly injuries’, an all too familiar tale in the Fine City
A new signing is always exciting. Even as I approach pensionable age I still feel a little flutter when somebody fresh comes through the glass doors at Colney, especially if they are a holding midfielder with Premiership quality and, whisper it quietly, a Brazilian attacking midfielder, which in itself will become a first for the Canaries. […]
That was the week that was: Safe standing… Sara… Sinani… and white water rafting!
So, things are slowly starting to move – both in terms of incomings and outgoings. Still slowly, but they’re moving. We even appear to have a new signing imminent… possibly. So… the Norwich City week that was: Monday 4 July A slow start to the week, with the first team squad partaking of day three […]
Bali Mumba to Plymouth? Schumacher to help him develop his defending?
Having joined the club in the summer of 2020 from Sunderland off the back of wholesome praise from the Mackems – who were gutted to see one of their bright academy prospects head to Norfolk – it’s been an interesting two years for the now 20-year-old Bali Mumba. His first full campaign in Norfolk saw […]
VIDEO: Keep, Loan or Sell Part One: The Defence | Norwich Talk
Our Ben kicks off a three-part series where he breaks down City’s squad by positions and decides *in an ideal world* whether the player should be kept, loaned, or sold! Note: This video was recorded before Bali Mumba’s recent link to Plymouth. Give our Twitter a follow! 📲 https://twitter.com/NorwichTalk1902 Also on Spotify/iTunes! 🎧 Spotify – […]
Is 2022-23 going to be Jon Rowe’s breakthrough season?
The demoralising trip to Crystal Palace on the 28 December last year feels like a long time ago, but one positive recollection of that day was Jon Rowe making his professional debut for City. Throughout the second half of last season, Rowe went on to demonstrate considerable promise, which gave the fans something to cling […]
VIDEO: Norwich City to Sign Gabriel Sara? | Norwich Talk
City have been linked to Sao Paulo’s Gabriel Sara. Sara has just turned 23 and has over 65 senior games in Brazil to his name for his boyhood club Sao Paulo. Various local media sources have touted the youngster with a loan move to City with an option to buy – similar to both Ben […]
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Blink and you kinda miss it… Suddenly I’m all for a quiet life
With there being not very much to report other than City apparently being interested in loaning the only Brazilian who doesn’t look a world-beater on his YouTube showreel, I thought it time for a dip into the MFW archives. Unsurprisingly, it’s to the Baldwin back catalogue I’ve turned, with Kevin’s brilliant take on the opening […]
Who needs an Old Farm Derby on grass when there’s Twitter… and Mark Ashton
I try not to devote too much MyFootballWriter time to Ipswich Town… Because we’re a Norwich City website, so why would we, and Because it plays straight into the ‘living rent-free’ narrative they love to purport. But, about once a season I do invariably feel the need to open up that festering wound that is […]
Kristall Mani Ingason: Is he worth the punt?
Since the start of the Stuart Webber era, City fans have been used to seeing the club announce a new arrival and thinking ‘who is this guy?’ But the majority of those players ended up being alright. Teemu Pukki, Emi Buendia and Tom Trybull, just to name a few, were great signings but alongside that […]
Gracious Dereham… Too early for Isaac… But maybe Todd on the City comeback trail?
Our pre-season friendly against Dereham Town at Aldiss Park on Friday evening gave Canary fans the chance to see our players [very many of them as there were 22 on display] in action for the first time for a couple of moons, and from what I can gather the 3,000 or so who attended thoroughly […]
That was the week that was… in Canary world.
Given that we’re just a week-and-a-bit into pre-season and there’s been nothing new to report in terms of incoming players or incoming investment, it’s still been an interesting few days in the life of Norwich City FC. Oddly, after a year in which we’ve become used to the news being generally disheartening, the last week […]
GUEST BLOG: The men in the NCFC dugout since 1957…
As Dean Smith begins his first full season in charge at Norwich City, MFW regular Alex Bain thought this would be a fine time to cast his eye over all the managers he can personally recall at Carrow Road, a journey which recollects some 60 years! *** So, take it from the top, Alex. Archie Macaulay: 1957-61. […]
With Pukki’s agent stirring the pot, time now for Idah to emerge from the Finn’s shadow?
It’s safe to say Adam Idah was one of the few positives in a sorrowful season for Norwich City. Despite a lack of goals and assists, the Irish international proved why he deserves more minutes for the first team before his major knee injury. With his return to the first team fast approaching, and a […]
VIDEO – Should Norwich City Sell Teemu Pukki? | Norwich Talk
Comments from Teemu Pukki’s agent have recently rung alarm bells in the minds of some Norwich City fans after he was quoted saying his client wishes to play at the highest level. Ben breaks down the comments and gives some thoughts on Teemu Pukki’s importance and influence over this Norwich City side. Pink Un article […]
Teaser Good? Good work from Norwich City but hopefully a one-off
When the club put the online shop into mothballs for the evening and tweeted the mysterious ‘Not Just Another Kit Launch‘ image on Monday night, the assumption was that a new kit was due at 9.00 am this morning. I’ve personally never got the appeal of the kit launch. We get it when we get […]
For now we see through a glass, darkly. But it won’t stop us speculating
It’s not my norm to begin articles – or anything else – with a Biblical quotation. This time, however, it seems apt. We now have the fixtures. We have the new branding. Closer to our capabilities on the field, we know of two additions: Isaac Hayden and a new set-piece coach. Beyond that, it’s all […]
A slow-burner of an NCFC summer is doing nothing for Dean Smith’s pre-season prep
During this last week of flaming June, I am not too sure if I would like to be in Dean Smith’s immaculate white trainers. Following hot on the heels of our inevitable relegation from the Premier League in May or more likely April, I simply don’t want to remember, Smith now has the chance to […]
Just five days to Dereham… 34 to Cardiff… and the imminent launch of a new kit
And to think we’re only five days away from a ball being kicked in anger for the first time in season 2022-23. Okay, so there’s unlikely to be too much anger and venom on display when Dean Smith takes his squad to Dereham on Friday night – kick-off at Aldiss Park is at 7pm – […]
Arrivederci to Messrs Tzolis and Placheta? … while the wait for incomings continues
It’s been a slow-burner of a summer for City fans, but with some of the squad reporting back for duty yesterday, or for fitness testing to be more precise, we should expect some moving and shaking in the next few weeks. I’m not sure whether Christos Tzolis or Przemyslaw Placheta were among the early arrivals – I suspect […]
No surprises… 23 home, 23 away, but with the prospect of an opening day love-fest
So… we travel to Gareth Bale’s Cardiff City on opening day then. At least we will if, as is heavily rumoured, their prodigal son decides to join the Bluebirds by way of getting match fit for Qatar 2022. If he doesn’t, we’ll just be heading to Cardiff. The other thing to note is that if […]
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Disappointment is in our very DNA – at Carrow Road and beyond
In the absence of any fresh content – unsurprising given the lack of news emanating from Carrow Road and Colney – I thought we’d dip into the archives this morning and remind ourselves again what a brilliant writer Kevin Baldwin is and how lucky we were to have him on Team MFW. Appropriately, given what […]
VIDEO: Transfer Rumour Updates: Aarons, Rashica, Tzolis & Cantwell | Norwich Talk
It’s time for a slightly more in-depth catch-up re. the potential outgoings from Norwich City. It’s been a fairly quiet off-season for Norwich City so far (famous last words), so Ben thought we’d take a look at some of the existing rumours of departures from Carrow Road in preparation for a game of keep, loan […]
With Timmy being linked with PSV, will the gig be Angus’? The latest in a long line…
While us football writing folk always consider the summer months of June and July as the “silly season” – and for very good reason – that doesn’t mean that nothing has been going on behind the scenes at our beloved Norwich City. The EFL Championship fixtures will be released on Thursday [starting with Rotherham away, […]
The Curious Case of Todd Cantwell
The latest Todd Cantwell rumour – and I expect there are more to come – is that Blackburn Rovers are looking to take him to the north-west on a season-long loan. The report emanated from The S*n’s so-called transfer expert Alan Nixon who declared that their new head coach, Jon Dahl Tomasson, has highlighted Cantwell […]
VIDEO: Isaac Hayden, the rebrand and ownership! – A Catch-up | Norwich Talk
Well… it’s been quite some time. Ben is back to give some birthday thoughts on Norwich City’s current affairs as the club turns 120 years old. He talks about the direction of the channel, the recent rebrand, signings, and of course ownership. Oh yeah, and Stuart Webber. Give their Twitter a follow! 📲 https://twitter.com/NorwichTalk1902 Also […]
Football miracles… fighting talk from Isaac… wantaway Milot… and an odd December
Miracles rarely happen in football. Not in 2022. Invariably, those with the most money and the best players end up winning the big prizes, although Leicester City’s Premier League triumph of 2016 did admittedly edge into miracle territory. That was good. But the point is they’re very rare. Yet, another occurred yesterday morning. If you’re […]
GUEST BLOG: Promise or Pragmatism? A summer of change at Norwich City
The latest City fan to grasp the MFW guest blog baton is Ben Hodges, or @Loafingstone as he’s known on Twitter, who looks at a potential summer of change at the Club. All yours Ben… *** This is, without doubt, one of my favourite times of the football season. The breathless build-up to a brand […]
Silly season in full swing – with Ryan Fredericks the latest name in the frame
Another day, another transfer rumour – this time an incoming. Football League World* have reported that City are interested in fullback Ryan Fredericks, who’s out of contract this summer. Fredericks has a list of potential suitors in the Championship and the Premier League, with Middlesbrough and Fulham both said to be interested, both clubs the […]
GUEST BLOG – A Matter of Pride
In response to an offer of an MFW guest blog, Dublin-based City fan Carl Hood was first to put his hand up. Below he eloquently explains what a tough gig it has been to be a Norwich supporter in the Irish capital over the last 10 months. *** As a child of Norwich and a […]
Rashica to Schalke? Our restless Kosovan looks keen to return to the Bundesliga
Over recent days, transfer speculation has broken out surrounding Milot Rashica’s Norwich City future with a host of European clubs said to be interested, and the Kosovan favouring a move back to the Bundesliga. One of the most interested parties is reportedly Schalke 04, where Rashica would be lining up with former Canary, Ozan Kabak, […]
Dean Smith at 12/1 to be next England manager. Who saw that one coming?
Around now we’d normally be soaking up the first full week of games in the World Cup, but instead we’ve had four rounds of UEFA Nations League fixtures as consolation. Whether you agree or disagree with UEFA’s latest international venture, there’s definitely a stigma surrounding it. Some couldn’t care less, calling them glorified friendlies, while […]
Welcome aboard Mr Hayden… the first Isaac to wear the famous yellow and green?
Martin hasn’t been the most auspicious forename to own throughout the annals of history as in there really haven’t been too many famous ones, with a few notable exceptions of course.*** There was a Saint Martin and there have been four Pope Martins. Martin Luther was pretty adept at the jolly old reworking of the […]
The healing process continues – NCFC football-less weekends have been a joy
We’re a resilient bunch really. Okay, so we moan a lot (I don’t think I’m alone) and we completely ignore the not-too-high, not-too-low ethos espoused by most managers, coaches and sporting directors. Wins are met with ecstasy, defeats with desolation, and rarely do we trundle along in that hinterland described by Kipling. Balance, even from […]
GUEST BLOG – Poor comms maybe but the club’s message came from a good place
It’s guest blog time again and today it’s the return of Justin Davis, who gives us his personal view on the thorny issue of the Club’s media comms over the last few days… … Norwich City is, in my view, one of the best-run football clubs in the UK and Europe. From the training ground […]
Five months for Canary hopefuls to claim their tickets for flights to Qatar 2022
The FIFA World Cup in Qatar is set to kick off on November 21. This is the first time the World Cup will be played in winter, with the change being made due to extreme heat during the summer in Qatar. If the change had not been imposed, then today would have been the likely […]
Relief at Daniel’s new home … the return of Farkeball? … and success from set plays?
When the rumours began to circulate around Daniel Farke going to Blackburn Rovers, it was enough to make the stomach churn. With the greatest respect to Blackburn, it didn’t feel like a natural fit for our favourite German, and the thought of him lining up in a different Championship dugout next season was about as […]
NCFC ACADEMY: Central defence is an area of strength from Under-16s to Under-23s
The pleasing news of Andrew Omobamidele signing a new contract until the summer of 2026, is yet more evidence of the continued success of the Club’s academy. Omobamidele is a perfect role model for any City academy player – progressing through the ranks from the Under-16s level to the first team. Not only is his […]
Playmakers… and why they’re a good idea
One of the big questions that currently surrounds Dean Smith is what exactly a team of his will look like. Not just in personnel, but in structure. Through no fault of his own, he had to go with those he inherited, and this summer will provide the first opportunity he has to really forward plan […]
The first one through the Colney doors… Mr Isaac Hayden
City yesterday announced the signing of Isaac Hayden from Newcastle United, the first since Dean Smith took over back in November. He initially signs on a loan deal, but City have the option to make it permanent, should they get promoted at the end of the season. Hayden came through the Arsenal academy, captaining their […]
Silence is golden, just maybe?
Friday, 27th May already seems like a lifetime ago – the breaking NCFC news, which actually said not very much at all, aside from the fact that seven American citizens were guests in the directors’ box at Carrow Road at the previous weekend’s game against Spurs. The intervening period has, understandably, been littered with numerous […]
What can City fans expect from the club’s new partnership with Coritiba FC?
Last Friday, City announced a partnership with Brazilian Serie A side, Coritiba FC. In a quest to gain more knowledge about ‘Coxa’, as they are known, I spoke with Brazilian Canary, Lucas La Torre, and Coritiba fan, and journalist, André Ribeiro. The big question from Norwich fans is, ‘is there any chance of us getting […]
Nothing wrong with the gamble, even if the player doesn’t quite make the grade
Matthew Dennis isn’t a name that will be immediately recognised by many MFW readers. He joined us from Arsenal in the summer of 2020 for a small fee and, like many similar signings that Stuart Webber seems to specialise in, was thought of as “one for the future”. Maybe that phrase was not used by […]
With no white smoke on the Attanasio deal, we can only speculate… and dream
The absence of anything concrete concerning the involvement (or otherwise) of Mark Attanasio in our football club has obviously left the door wide open for speculation. And sure enough… While MFW is far from alone, we (I) have managed to fill a whole week’s worth of articles based almost solely on the fact that Attanasio […]
GUEST BLOG: Even by Championship standards, City remain the have nots
The relative wealth of football club owners up and down the country has never been a hotter topic than right now, especially given possible developments at Carrow Road regarding Milwaukee Brewers’ head honcho Mark Attanasio and his colleagues from across the pond. Guest blogger Alex Bain has taken it upon himself to detail exactly how Delia and […]
If the US deal comes off, we should expect sabermetrics to play an even bigger role
The rise and rise of the Premier League and the exponential rise of the finances involved, mean it’s incredibly difficult for a club like Norwich City to compete at the top level. It’s especially difficult with Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones at the helm. While they’ve done incredible things for this club and the community, […]
What type of owner is Mark Attanasio? MFW chats with Brewers’ writer, Jack Stern
As expected, there’s been no white smoke regarding the rumoured investment in Norwich City from a group of US businessmen led by the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers MLB franchise, Mark Attanasio. All we’ve had is a missive on The Athletic that suggests initially Attanasio and co will just be looking to buy Michael Foulger’s […]
The brickbats have been flying, but here’s the case for the defence of Stuart Webber
This article will annoy some – particularly the ‘people with a bedsheet’, as Stuart Webber described them. I started writing this following the release of Webber’s interview with Alice Piper on City’s YouTube channel, where he discusses the failures of last season, and the plan for next. There’s no beating around the bush about what […]
Shared values and some abiding principles that will fit NCFC … what’s not to like?
I have never had the slightest interest in baseball and freely admit that I don’t even know the rules. But what I do know is that literally millions of our cousins across the Pond are hopelessly devoted to the game that continues to rival American Football in the popularity stakes. So why should I develop […]
Many hurdles yet to clear, but is Attanasio the man who’ll take this club forward?
There are, of course, too many unknowns to get overly excited at the moment, but the fact there appears to be some interest in investing in Norwich City from someone with no links to murderous Middle Eastern regimes or Vladimir Putin has to be a positive sign. Having blathered on endlessly around self-funding and how, […]
From Milwaukee to Carrow Road – Happy Days ahead maybe?
Up until Friday’s breaking news, my personal knowledge of the residents of Milwaukee was strictly limited to one Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli, better known as Fonzie, or the Fonz – a fictional character played by Henry Winkler in the 1970s American sitcom, Happy Days. Now there’s a new name to Google – Mark Attanasio, owner of […]
GUEST BLOG – From the land of make-believe to appalling in just nine months
It’s guest blog time again on MFW, and back for her third visit – this time to summarise the horror of the last nine months – is Debbie Hewitt. Al yours Debbie… *** Woeful, pathetic, shambolic, appalling, diabolical and horrendous, just some of the more polite words that have been used to describe the latest […]
Webber speaks… but only to Norwich City ‘TV’
Unlike the official local media (Archant, local BBC and ITV, The Athletic), MFW doesn’t have any form of regular access to the club. And that’s absolutely fine – we know our place. So I’m definitely not getting the hump because we were unable to quiz Stuart Webber over the season that’s just ended. That’s not […]
So, what should we expect this summer in terms of our transfer wheeling and dealing?
Now that this season of discontent has ended in ignominy for Norwich City, all we can sensibly do is focus on 2022-23. I have no idea what might or might not happen during the summer transfer window, although I could make a few shrewd pessimistic guesses, so I thought I’d leave matters in the hands […]
An action-packed season for City’s Under-23s, one that so nearly ended in glory
A season that had so much potential for City’s Under-23s was cruelly ended after a gruelling penalty shootout defeat in Wolverhampton last Tuesday. Wolves were always going to be a tricky opponent but in reality, the 23s shouldn’t have been facing them in the semi-final. The Canaries spent the majority of the season in second […]
We’ve seen Rowe and Springett … who else from the Under-23s is knocking at the door?
In the spirit of looking forward (although I can’t promise we’ve yet concluded our look back at why it all went so wrong), on MFW today, we’ll be looking at the Club’s Under23s and the impressive season they have just had. First up is a piece from Louis Woodrow, and this afternoon it will be […]
Krul’s swansong? … malady-stricken Martin … lazy Sunday mornings … and a bitter pill
If this wretched season could be encapsulated in a single day our game at Carrow Road against Tottenham on Sunday was certainly it. Very much having a liking for the Lilywhites, I’d been looking forward to this fixture ever since Christmas even though at that time a Champions League spot for Spurs seemed most unlikely […]
Headteacher’s Report: Andy H delivers his appraisal of the Class of 2021-22
The last time a school produced a series of results this disappointing, St Agnes’ Academy had broken out a bumper pack of Clear Blue, two months after accidentally ending up at a Chippendales Back-Stage party. The result remains the same. Everyone’s feeling let down and more than a little screwed. Whilst matching up to other […]
It’s time for change at the very top. Norwich City Football Club deserves better than this
As the saying goes, as a football fan you have to endure the bad times in order to fully embrace and celebrate the good times. All true I guess unless you’ve opted to be a fan of a random ‘big club’, in which case you’ve given yourself some control over the good/bad ratio. But the […]
MATCH REPORT – CITY 0, TOTTENHAM 5
Relegation is never supposed to be welcome. There is supposed to be a gut-wrenching, sinking, dread when your team finally drop down a league. A feeling of despair. These emotions generally result from some sort of crushed hope. That last day or week of the season where your team needs to deliver a critical result, […]
SPURS PREVIEW
As the curtain comes down on what has frankly been a disastrous season for the boys from NR1, it has fallen to me to write the last MFW match preview, in which we face Tottenham Hotspur at 1600 hours promptly on Sunday. Bad luck? Sins of a past life catching up with me? Probably not, […]
If there is to be a battle to be City’s No.1, who would win it?
Tim Krul and Angus Gunn are both exceptional goalkeepers. One has made over 220 Premier League appearances and is a two-time Championship winner with City. The other has only played just a single season as a number 1, finishing midtable in the Championship in Daniel Farke’s maiden campaign. On paper, there seems to be a […]
Intransigent octogenarians… little left to sell… & an SD who can leave when he likes
We got a point. Unexpectedly so, but a point we got. But what was the point? Too little too late and remarkably achieved without the squad’s chief pointer, Kenny McLean, on the pitch. So ultimately the 1-1 draw at Molineux was, in reality, pointless. Despite Dean Smith’s declared ambition to glean another £2million or so […]
MATCH REPORT: WOLVES 1, CITY 1
And so to the penultimate game of the season. Dean Smith rolled the dice again with a switch to a 3-4-3 formation to match up with Wolves. Ben Gibson was given a chance to redeem for his errors in a three-man backline, with Kieran Dowell given a chance once again up front. The atmosphere inside […]
You don’t know what you’ve lost until it’s gone
Upon watching the FA Cup final yesterday, the commentator (goodness knows who) remarked that Jurgen Klopp had remarkably been in charge since 2015. I was taken aback at this, as it just feels like a lot shorter. Furthermore, I was then subjected to watching him address and ‘pseudo-olé’ the crowd basking in his respectable FA […]
WOLVES PREDICTION…
Okay, full disclosure. It’s 8am on Saturday and I’ve only just remembered it’s my turn on the rota to do the match preview. Apologies Mr Gowers (Absolved – Ed). So while I sit here waiting for the garage to do my MOT, my bank account effectively in their hands, I thought I’d share my Nostradamus-like […]
A trip down City’s Memory Lane – when relegations were not inevitable and did hurt
Why are so many of us so very angry at the moment? Post-match demonstrations, accusations flying around social media and various club-related message boards a’ plenty and tantrum fuelled rages wherever you look. There’s not a lot of love in the world of Norwich City just now. Another May, another relegation from the Premier League. […]
So much more at stake right now than just this club losing its Premier League cash
As fans, we are ‘football junkies’ and our drug of choice possesses potent mood-changing qualities. Win, and all seems well with the world. Lose, and the misery hangs over us long after the final whistle, casting a dark shadow over those unfortunate enough to be in our presence. Positive results on the pitch convince us […]
A brighter opening 45 and a good night for Angus but still a stroll for the Foxes
Only two more to go, we can do it! Yes my fellow supporters of NCFC we can collectively get to the end of this wretched season, the one that promised a little but achieved absolutely nothing but condemnation and humiliation from the PL pundits. Unless we are to class a seemingly regular bashing and bruising […]
MATCH REPORT – CITY 0, LEICESTER CITY 3
You know things are bad when you are dreading a game of football. After the limp surrender against West Ham, there was little prospect of anything other than another defeat with the only question seemingly how much of a hit would be taken in the goal difference column. Dean Smith rolled the dice. Tim Krul, […]
City have more crown jewels in waiting but they need to be nurtured correctly
‘Crown jewels’ was a frequently used term in the summer of 2020 when Norwich were at risk of losing Todd Cantwell, Jamal Lewis, Max Aarons, Emi Buendia and Ben Godfrey. In the end, City lost two of them in that summer – Jamal Lewis and Ben Godfrey – which brought £40m into the club. Then […]
What’s next for those who avoided the nightmare and spent 2021-22 out on loan?
With a record sixth relegation confirmed last week at Villa Park, followed by a dismantlement from David Moyes’ West Ham, the plans for next season will no doubt already be in place for the 2022-23 Championship campaign. Dean Smith will be given his first real chance to put his stamp on the squad following a […]
Why has it all gone so wrong this season for Chelsea and Scotland’s ‘wonder kid’?
Upon Billy Gilmour’s arrival, I was excited. In my eyes, we were getting a player who’d been in and around Chelsea’s a Champions League-winning, who has worked under two coaches I felt were perfect for a player like him: Frank Lampard – one of the best central midfielders in recent history – and Thomas Tuchel […]
A club just drifting… rudderless, directionless and lacking in motivation
I didn’t go to the West Ham game. Not because I was protesting at the disaster that is our football club but because of ill health. Unfortunately, ill health didn’t prevent me from watching it. Martin was there to see it all unfold (or at least 45 minutes of it), so he more than deserved […]
Remember that winning culture and those motivational messages? Happy days
Yes, I did it again – as in I left at halftime for the second time this season, on this occasion against West Ham. Apportion blame in my direction and even shame me dear reader if you choose, because that is your prerogative. But in no way was I alone. Many people did the same […]
WEST HAM PREVIEW: More at stake than might appear at first glance
Another Norwich game – at this stage, who cares? Well, there are one or two reasons to. I’ll get to a preview of the game. First, with your indulgence, a detour. A good friend of mine is a life-long Fulham fan. We share thoughts and reminiscences on the – remarkably similar – highs and lows […]
City’s next generation – who will be next to make the breakthrough?
City’s Academy has rightfully received a lot of praise over recent years for the number of young talents nurtured into first-team footballers, such as the obvious ones like Ben Godfrey, Max Aarons and Todd Cantwell. In this article, I’ll be taking a look at the next generation of prospects to come through at City, and […]
You say you don’t want the Webberlution?
There is some symmetry at least. Stuart Webber enraged Norwich City supporters with an interview in The Times and now he is so upset by an Eastern Evening News front page that he has stopped talking to reporters from the Archant group. But let’s be clear: he hasn’t banned them. Archant will, of course, attend […]
So, anyone out there looking forward to our visit from the East End’s finest?
The Canary nation is about to welcome the undisputed pride of East London, West Ham United, to Carrow Road. Leyton Orient can hardly dispute the pride title, so the fortuitous owners of the London Stadium as in Karren Brady and the porno twins with their travelling army will shortly descend upon us – complete with […]
A simple question for Delia & Michael – what’s the plan?
So it’s official. City have been relegated from the Premier League for a record sixth time and for the third successive time following promotion. Breath-taking stuff. Where to even start to dissect this rotten season – it’s a case of take your pick. But we have to start somewhere, so… The summer transfer window of […]
Some good, some bad, some mediocre – the hits and misses of the Webber transfers
Over recent weeks, there’s been a lot of scepticism surrounding Stuart Webber and the immediate future of Norwich City. Elsewhere on this website, there are numerous posts about this in more detail, but in light of them, I’ve compiled a list of what I consider to be the best and worst incoming transfers under Webber’s […]
Like it or not, it really is all about the money
It barely seems a year ago, but we’ve just passed the first anniversary of the ill-fated launch of the so-called European Super League. At the time, my abiding memory upon first hearing the announcement was “just how much money do those greedy b**tards want?” Both the Premier League and the ‘big six’ have always made […]
Disastrous midfield… no athleticism… the SoccerBot… and cardboard cutouts
On April 30, 2022, we were relegated without much fuss and certainly will not be missed by the money men at the top of the Premier League tree and many media pundits will be having more than a little snigger at our expense. This is not a date most of us will care to remember, […]
Not good enough… lack of quality…too many individual errors… an inevitable outcome
While Samuel Seaman has departed the good ship MFW for pastures greener with our good wishes, his shoes have been filled by another football journalism student of Derby University, Louis Woodrow. Louis was granted his first access to a press box yesterday and so, from the best seat in the house, penned this piece for […]
City down and out. Will our owners just ask the usual suspects for more of the same?
When you’re relegated before spring has properly sprung you know it’s been a disaster of a season. When you’re fate has been sealed with 12 points still to play for you know it’s been an undiluted cock-up. In fact, pick any metric you like and it’ll reveal a season of woe, embarrassment and ineptitude right […]
MATCH REPORT: ASTON VILLA 2, CITY 0 – The Canaries are relegated again
That’s it. It’s official. It’s over. We are back in the Championship. For some reason, it feels like a relief. Perhaps numbed by the despair of previous relegations. Perhaps because, like Christmas, we have known this is coming for so long now it is no longer a shock to the system. On his return to […]
Remember back in 2018-19, when Webber’s stock was high and he was our future?
In early 2019, I was contacted by the club’s then media head-honcho, Joe Ferrari. After months of me pestering, haranguing and, probably, annoying him, Joe – a really lovely guy – was calling to offer MyFootballWriter the chance to interview Stuart Webber. In this particular instance, persistence did pay off. We chatted for a bit […]
A return home for Deano but his former charges could put City out of their misery
Dean Smith will make his return to Villa Park tomorrow for the first time since his departure from the club last November, as City face Aston Villa. If Burnley win away at Watford, then defeat for City will mean a record sixth Premier League relegation with four games left to play out before the end […]
ASTON VILLA MATCH PREVIEW
Our game at Villa Park tomorrow would under any other circumstances have the central theme of reunions at the heart of it with Dean Smith returning to the club he supports and indeed managed until very recently and our travelling support gets to see Emi Buendia up close and personal once more. That’s if Emi […]
Our club as an heirloom? No wonder NCFC and modern football are irreconcilable
Going over the Haven Bridge in Great Yarmouth one sunny lunchtime in the 1996/97 season, on the way to Carrow Road for the first time, I asked my grandad who Norwich were playing that day. He said, “Bolton Wanderers.” I replied, “Belton!?”, pretty surprised that the Wild Duck Holiday Park had a professional football team […]
When apathy overrides anger the slope is a slippery one. What is the point of it all?
You know it’s really bad when anger turns to apathy. When the final whistle that signals another abject home defeat is met with silence from deserted stands, rather than a cacophony of booing. Without condoning the actions of those who recently chose to vent their frustration outside the Directors’ boxes, at least it shows that […]
GUEST BLOG: City’s 2012-13 FA Youth Cup Winners – Where Are They Now?
During one of the lockdowns, one of our regular guests, Alex Bain, had a look at the career progression, or otherwise, of our FA Youth Cup-winning team. With months and years having passed since that piece, Jamie Lauder updates us on where they are now. All yours Jamie. *** The best part of a decade […]
A PR disaster to end all PR disasters as our club continues its grim slide southward
I walked to Carrow Road in the spring sunshine of St George’s Day to watch our Premier League match against Newcastle United. You know, those ex-paupers from many miles up the A1 who conspicuously attracted recent investment, albeit from an extremely dubious source. I fell in with a trio of Mags on Prince of Wales […]
A dark Carrow Road day – from PR disasters off the field to yet more howlers on it
What a day. A car crash of epic proportions – both on and off the pitch. In a season essentially made up of a collection of dark days, Saturday 23rd April made a compelling case to be the darkest. It started of course with the oddly-timed Stuart Webber interview with Henry Winter in The Times, […]
MATCH REPORT: City 0, Newcastle United 3
If ever there was a game between the financial David and Goliath of the Premier League then this was it. A match-up of ethical ownership versus the morally corrupt. The haves and the have-nots. For those who crave change in the business model at Carrow Road, this was the perfect illustration of their reasoning. Newcastle United has […]
A personal message from our Sam…
Dear MFW Readers, After 143 pieces and numerous hours of Norwich Talk content, my time at this fine establishment has sadly come to an end. The last 18 months have been up and down for most Norwich City fans, but for me it’s been an absolute joy thanks to the unbelievable opportunities I’ve been given to learn, […]
NEWCASTLE PREVIEW: Another chance for City to restore some pride
Carrow Road will take on an American theme tomorrow, but that isn’t the only thing that’ll feel foreign to Norwich City fans as Newcastle United visit NR1. For the first time in a long time, there’s a sense of optimism around the club, after the Canaries’ last home game ended in victory. That sense is […]
WE MEET AGAIN… Newcastle United
On Saturday, Newcastle United are visitors to Carrow Road. The same Newcastle United against whom we were once battling relegation but who now, helped by a ginormous injection of Saudi Arabian cash, have miraculously secured mid-table safety. While City spent the princely sum of zero in January, the Toon spent 490 million Saudi riyals (circa […]
Dowell provides hope for the future as relegation looms for the Canaries
With a record sixth relegation on the horizon, City fans could be forgiven for thinking all hope was lost. Thankfully for those still looking for positives, a potential Championship star has emerged from the shadows. That man is Kieran Dowell who, once again, is taking to the end of a season far better than the […]
Whether top six or spinning the yo-yo, the footballing passion always shines through
Cristiano Ronaldo is a little bit like the Easter bunny in that firstly he seems to have become an almost mythical creature and secondly, if like me you possess an over-vivid imagination, there is almost a physical resemblance in their somewhere. He can also jump like a hare as the flat-footed Ben Gibson discovered at […]
A timely Old Trafford reminder of just how good our own GOAT is. Pukki has to stay!
It was one of those where you’re left feeling conflicted at the end. Proud because they put in a proper shift and took the so-called ‘biggest club in the world’ all the way. Proud too because, along the way, they played some good stuff, created plenty of chances and resembled an actual football team. But, […]
MATCH REPORT: Manchester Utd 3, City 2
A few years ago, a close friend left the military after 20 years. I didn’t see him for a while but when I did, gone was the regulation haircut, replaced instead with a fop of hair that would not have been out of place on the head of the member of a boyband. It’s part […]
WE MEET AGAIN… Manchester United
On Saturday, it’s the so-called Theatre of Dreams for City as we take our imaginary relegation battle to (don’t for god’s sake tell them) one of the world’s great sporting arenas. In ‘celebration’ of that, we are revisiting one of Allan’s We Meet Again… classics, adapted in places to make it 2022-friendly. *** This Saturday […]
From sombre to joyful in the space of 95 very enjoyable Carrow Road minutes
Torpor, trepidation, maybe also an element of self-doubt if you will – I was not looking forward to the visit of Burnley on Sunday. Leaving our warm and comfortable front room in the city and replacing tracky bottoms with Levis seemed like a monumental thing to achieve for a seemingly worthless purpose but I managed […]
A sport ruined by mega-bucks and a money led governing body … sound familiar?
What do you do for sporting ‘enjoyment’ when there isn’t a City game? For the second year running, I was fortunate enough to find myself in the USA during March. A time when the country is taken over by March Madness. It’s everywhere. On every TV channel, in every pub, bar and restaurant. March Madness […]
The thing about being serial losers is you have nothing to lose. Just ask Mr Dyche
Sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and admit you got it wrong. In this case horribly so. I. GOT. IT. WRONG. Having watched Burnley dispose of Everton in midweek with a display of high energy and thunderous intensity, I saw no way that City could win that game yesterday. Certainly not when […]
BURNLEY PREVIEW…
It’s hard to muster too much enthusiasm when previewing a game we’re, in all likelihood, going to lose. (To be honest, it’s hard to muster too much enthusiasm full stop right now). And it’s painful enough to write about a defeat after said event, but to set the scene for said defeat before a ball […]
The State of the Game…
Those of you who read my column in the EDP will be aware that I’m pretty disillusioned with the direction of travel of the game of football. Maybe I’m just becoming a curmudgeonly old git (this is very much my wife’s view), but it just seems to me that there is a constant diet of […]
A point borne of spirit and doggedness maybe but Frazer and Jonesy nailed it
Private Frazer of Dad’s Army fame [as portrayed by Shakespearian actor John Laurie] had a couple of catchphrases on the memorable TV comedy show, the best known of which was “we’re doomed”. Frazer’s prophecy never came to pass, but then again he wasn’t, at least to my knowledge, a Norwich City supporter. Those of a […]
A point. A draw. But a performance devoid of everything that makes football great
Well, it wasn’t another defeat, I guess. Maybe we should just be thankful for that. But it was grim. Wholly devoid of any joy, excitement, purpose and skill. That we’ve reached the point where all we have left to celebrate is a point from a goalless draw against a terrible team who are still several […]
MATCH REPORT: Brighton & Hove Albion 0, City 0
The Amex Stadium is famous, or perhaps infamous, for being out of town away from any bars and clubs. Norwich City arrived on the South Coast looking to drink in the last chance saloon. They didn’t find it. The team selection had more than a whiff of ‘which eleven are fully fit’ about it. At […]
Five jobs that should be on Stuart Webber’s summer to-do list
Once again, Norwich City face a huge summer. For the third consecutive close season, there’s an emphasis on recruitment and after the underwhelming results of 2021, the pressure is on. Amidst his charitable efforts to climb several peaks including Mount Everest, Stuart Webber will be tasked with refreshing a downbeat squad and increasing City’s chances […]
BRIGHTON PREVIEW… and other stuff
As over 1,000 stoical, long-suffering Yellow and Green souls prepare to head for the South Coast tomorrow to witness our visit to Brighton I thought it appropriate to speak once again with the fervent Seagulls supporter that is the admirable Alan Howick. Alan was a great help to me during my early days as a […]
Ex-City keeper Declan Rudd forced to retire at 31
Former City goalkeeper Declan Rudd has been forced to retire from football due to a knee injury. Preston North End announced this morning that the 31-year-old keeper has been forced into leaving the game after it became apparent that he would not be able to fully recover from a long-term injury. Rudd picked up a […]
Climb every mountain… Stuart
Many of you will have heard about Norwich City Sporting Director Stuart Webber’s proposed 2023 attempt to reach the pinnacle of the world. No, not to achieve a Champions League place but to climb Mount Everest. I must admit to feeling a bit torn about this, from a City point of view. On one hand, […]
WE MEET AGAIN… BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
As this seemingly interminable international break finally draws to a close, it’s time now to reluctantly re-focus on City’s fight against relegation. I suspect we all know how this ends, but the least we can hope for is the team to rally over these final nine games starting on Saturday at the Amex. So, in […]
Gresham students… an attack of the crampons… Cotopaxi… iconic club badges
This past week has thrown up a few bulletins from NCFC that I have found disappointing to assimilate on a personal level. I fully recognise that what I consider to be bad news might be construed in exactly the opposite way by other MFW readers. Like many of us, I avidly hoover up any information […]
Five of the most memorable. Classic City games, some good, some bad, of yesteryear
On Friday I posted a piece in which I looked at my unlikely City favorites and anti-heroes of yesteryear, and most agreed it was a healthy distraction from the hand-wringing and brow-furrowing that tends to occur when we talk about the here and now. So to continue that theme (and to fill space in the […]
A homage to some anti-heroes and unlikely favourites clad in yellow and green
If you’ve ever strayed onto the tab entitled THE TEAM at the top of this page, you’ll find a rogues’ gallery of those who write, or have written, for MyFootballWriter. Accompanying said pictures is a mini Q&A, asking the team some generic City-related questions – favourite game, favourite players etc. Nothing very innovative. In case […]
GUEST BLOG: A whistlestop tour of the greatest strikers to ever grace Carrow Road
It’s guest blog time again and today is the return of a familiar voice to all those who frequent MFW – Mr Alex Bain. I’ll let him explain… *** As the curtain descends on another all-too-predictable failure to establish ourselves in the Premier League I thought I’d take a personal journey back over my years […]
Matchday routines… Morrisons… Roy Waller… Armes Street… and fans of the future
In terms of clichés, When Saturday Comes is up there with the best of them. Home or away, with almost military precision we fill our backpacks with our supplies for the day. Or since bag checks were introduced one or two of us use our multiple pockets for the odd things we might like to bring into […]
What do we want our football club to be? PL wannabees or Championship stalwarts?
The fierce defence of Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones by their supporters when the question of ownership is raised is quite something. Admirable in many ways. For those of us who have asked the question, it can be a bruising experience. Despite believing it’s a valid one, I invariably end up asking myself if it […]
No More Heroes…
Let’s face it, most of us Canary supporters are down in the dumps right now as many of us feel like we’ve been befuddled, bemused and even downright cheated at the extreme end of the emotional scale as this season’s non-events have unfolded. We have been left with a squad within which there is no […]
Where do City go from here? And, more importantly, who goes and who stays?
After yet another Premier League capitulation none of us really wants to look forward to the next few games, so let’s just take a wild stab in the dark and assume we’ll finish up the season with more beatings than Basil Fawlty’s car and leave it at that. Let’s instead look to the summer. What […]
A season that promised much, but which delivered us a mix of rien, nada, zero & zilch
The season that promised so much according to the powers that be at Carrow Road has delivered rien, nada, zero, zilch. I am not Mystic Meg, in fact I’m don’t even have the insight of MFW’s *Mystic Kev* but I commented on an article during this week that our season was finished on 05/03/22 after that […]
When you think you’ve seen it all, the Class of 2022 find new ways to break your heart
And so the defeats just keep on coming. Grim isn’t it. If we didn’t realise it before now, yesterday’s defeat confirmed that we are indeed in the midst of Project Restart Mark II. The target now – and forget any daft notions of survival – must be to break the 21-point barrier, and make this […]
MATCH REPORT: Leeds United 2, City 1
Another game. Another defeat. Games to play are reducing. The Championship is waiting. This was a game that City could have, should have had reasonable expectations of a point or 3 against a side on a poor run of form. Grant Hanley was missing with Covid with Gibson deputizing whilst Dean Smith elected for a […]
The B-word… Agnes from Scunthorpe… ‘Delia must sell’… and City being debt-free
How many times have we seen it on TV? A vox pop in the street where Agnes from Scunthorpe is asked her opinion on the latest situation. “It’s disgraceful. Something needs to be done about it” Needless to say that, if the reporter or journalist responsible for the original question were to press dear Agnes […]
LEEDS PREVIEW
After Norwich City’s last league win they were made to wait 19 days until their next league game. As the Canaries travel to Leeds United on Sunday in the midst of a six-game losing streak, they’ll play for the fourth time in 12 days. This feels like the epitome of City’s season, a perfect example […]
Another unhappy night at the Carra, albeit City gave the rich kids a second-half scare
As regular MFW readers will know I struggle to go to night matches these days, and especially when they are rearranged at relatively short notice to accommodate the likes of Chelsea who as I write are still part of the *elite*. For how long this bunch of erstwhile rich kids*** will remain in this elevated […]
Five defeats on the spin but, as others flounder, a faint survival route is still there
I guess the scoreline was about as good as we could have wished for. I was hoping for a performance more akin to Liverpool (a) than Man City (h) [or Chelsea (a) come to that] but as it transpired we were given a bit of both. The sterility, passiveness and lack of resistance in last […]
CHELSEA PREVIEW
It’s not a game we wanted to be playing less than 72 hours before we head off to Yorkshire to play Los Blancos in another relegation six-pointer, but who cares what we think. It’s clearly more important to carefully manage Chelsea’s load than ours, so we find ourselves returning to the scene of Saturday’s disaster […]
As we watch the fall of Roman’s empire, we at NCFC should be careful what we wish for
It is extraordinary that City’s encounter with Chelsea on Thursday is likely to be the last before the fall of the Roman empire. The arrival in West London of Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich in June 2003 began the transformation of the Premier League into a rich men’s playground. English football has always been split into the […]
If we’re the children of Delia, then best she prepares for some strops and tantrums
Some MFW readers have children while others don’t. It’s the way life works out and many people, like Delia Smith very recently, declare to the media that they simply don’t want offspring as they would not be confident of being a good parent. That’s fine by me. My own issues, now in their early thirties, […]
‘A Dose of Reality’ – Part Two
After my first MFW guest blog went live on 14th January, City won back-to-back league games – Everton (h) and Watford (a) – which gave us all a little hope. I received messages joking that they must have had that article hanging up in the dressing room. Then reality hit… again. Looking back on those […]
The depths of Hades… lessons learned… one heartwarming moment… and some tatts
I left Carrow Road on the hour on Saturday and got some stick from those around me for doing so, including my matchday friends Alan and Mystic Kev. Well deserved probably but getting back home in time to take Geezer for a walk before it got dark suddenly became a top priority. Talking of the […]
Another day, another disaster. Anyone think this model is compatible with the Prem?
And the horror shows keep on coming… Getting tonked by Man City and being plucky losers against Liverpool is disappointing, albeit par for the course, but getting stuffed at home by a relegation rival who, prior to the game, had been in freefall is taking it to another level. To perform so poorly in a […]
MATCH REPORT: City 1, Brentford 3
At times like this, it seems a little frivolous watching football, even when Carrow Road was bedecked in Yellow and Blue. There was always the hope that the football might prove a welcome distraction. Alas no. Dean Smith said that this wasn’t a must-win game, but it was a must-not-lose game. We lost. Presumably, he […]
BRENTFORD PREVIEW: It’s crunch time
So here we are, at the real sharp end of the season. It really is now or never if City are going to make a last desperate flail at the Premier League. We’re playing understandably uninspiring football as Dean Smith does what he can to wring every last drop of potential from a threadbare squad […]
Anfield gloom… a frustrated Deano.. Zimbo’s return… Delia’s kids… and a classy Daniel
I’m not going to go down Gary’s path of yesterday by having a go at the ITV sports team. Mainly because I would not be as polite and relatively restrained as he was. OK I admired Lee Dixon as a footballer but as a pundit – yuck! Anyway the result the majority of the world […]
The joys of Anfield coupled with the finest ITV Sport can offer – an unholy combination
There’s always something about Liverpool away that jars. That probably boils down to the fact that they’re a very good side and we usually end up on the receiving end of a tonking, but there’s so much about the Anfield experience that can get the hackles up if you’re a visitor – especially one clad […]
FA CUP MATCH REPORT: Liverpool 2, Norwich City 1
Norwich City were knocked out of the FA cup by a comfortable Liverpool side last night, Lukas Rupp scoring the Canaries’ goal in a 2-1 loss. City had started with energy and quality when they visited Anfield 12 days before this tie, and history repeated itself in the opening exchanges. Teemu Pukki had the first […]
LIVERPOOL FA CUP PREVIEW: Martin P chats with Tony Evans
Here we go [to Anfield] again. Yes, and this time around it’s to face a Liverpool side buoyed by their quite astonishing Carabao Cup Final win over Chelsea 11-10 after penalties. Me? I’d have preferred a replay but currently, worldwide television scheduling rules out anything of a traditional nature so penalties to decide the contest […]
A gut-wrencher on the south coast but in the real world it was just a football match
I’m not attempting to defend Friday night’s performance simply because I don’t feel that I can. Limpid, placid, ineffective and seemingly willingly outplayed are descriptions that immediately come to mind. James and Gary covered the match itself in gruesome detail yesterday. You know, another one with just one Norwich shot on target. Dean Smith said […]
Horror show at St Mary’s. We wanted fire and brimstone, we got timid and tepid
“It’s like watching Southampton first team versus Norwich Under 23s”. Ouch. The words of Jamie Carragher as said Scouser described, as delicately as is possible for said Scouser, City’s performance last night. He was right. Unfortunately, it was a line that could be attributed to far too many of City’s performances this season. As I […]
MATCH REPORT: Southampton 2, Norwich 0
It is rare that I sit at my laptop after a game at a loss what to write. I truly thought that, after the recent improvements in City’s performances, I wouldn’t have to dig into the set of superlatives that spring to mind after this performance. How wrong I was. Dean Smith made no changes […]
SOUTHAMPTON PREVIEW – Can the mother of all comebacks start at St Mary’s?
Thirteen games. Thirteen games in which to cobble together enough wins and draws to make it to 36 points. Even then it may not be enough. I plucked out 36 points because, despite 40 being seen as the magic number, since the turn of the century the average number needed to guarantee survival and without […]
Christos Tzolis – what’s the story?
After an electric debut and a promising showing against Arsenal, Norwich City’s record signing finds himself playing for the club’s Under-23s. In the summer of 2021, there was palpable excitement around the possibility of a variety of players signing for Norwich City. Considerable hype rose and died down around the potential arrivals of Kristofer Ajer […]
The Canary nation expects foreign nationals to hit the ground running, but it’s a big ask
The fact that former City player Cedric Anselin has very recently been granted settled status allowing him to stay in the UK permanently has set my old thought train running down the tracks. To be honest Cedric was never a star and debatably not really one of our stand-out recruits [courtesy of Bruce Rioch who […]
The harsh reality of being self-funded is that there’s little or no room for fallow years
As a football fan working in accountancy, I’ve always had an unusual interest in the financial side of football, especially Norwich City. I was one of the many who bought a few shares in 2002 and, as a result, I receive the annual accounts from the club and attend the AGM, where we can gather […]
For an hour at Anfield we matched the Reds but there’s no fighting a ‘perfect storm’
If that wasn’t the footballing equivalent of a “perfect storm” I really don’t know what could top it and I’m not simply talking about the inclement weather over the weekend either. We put up a decent show against the mighty Liverpool and even had the sheer effrontery to score first courtesy of Milot Rashica’s first-ever […]
A decent Anfield effort and a 15-minute lead (!), but City return to bottom of the pile
To see the relief-tinged celebrations at Anfield spoke volumes of City’s efforts yesterday afternoon. It was a performance to be proud of – something that’s not always been the case this season. But, regardless of any heroic failures, the fact remains it was an afternoon that ended with us being back at the bottom of […]
MATCH REPORT: Liverpool 3, City 1
A week after a somewhat undeserved scoreline, if not result against Manchester City, most if not all Canary fans were expecting a similar outcome against Liverpool, before the real business begins once more. Even more so given the news about a prolonged absence for Adam Idah, so much the catalyst of the recent mini-revival. Jurgen […]
Idah injury a significant blow at the worst possible time for City
When Norwich City head coach Dean Smith took a seat at his press conference this morning he knew he’d be delivering news that nobody was ready for. Just as Smith’s press conferences had started to take a positive turn, with increasingly regular messages of hope and optimism around the Canaries’ fight to stay in the […]
Integration of Norwich City Women announced
Norwich City Women are set to be fully integrated into the operations of the club. The Women’s team will now become completely integrated into the club and be a part of day-to-day operations alongside the Norwich City Men’s sides. This change was announced this morning with a view to accelerate the progress of the women’s […]
LIVERPOOL PREVIEW – Is a fourth time lucky for City even possible?
Following hard on the heels of our 4-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Carra, we now anticipate a visit to Anfield for an encounter with the mighty Reds of Liverpool tomorrow. It never rains but it pours, hey? And after a visit from the Bees of Brentford – which takes on a “must-win” significance […]
City betwixt and between thumpings? Or can our Deano spring an Anfield surprise?
It’s a funny ol’ week for City fans. Well, I say funny – there’s nothing remotely amusing or fun about potentially being betwixt and between drubbings that threaten to halt in its tracks our mini-revival. The general thrust before the Man City game was that, while a win or a draw felt almost beyond the […]
Misinterpreted omens… Celtic ancestry… three-mile yomps… and a 4-0 thumping
The Romans, Celts and Anglo Saxons had several thing things in common, two of which were that they all loved a good scrap and believed in omens, portents and harbingers of doom. Check out Julius Caesar in the latter case if William, not Craig, Shakespeare is to be given credence, although our Bard of Avon […]
A tale of two very different Cities as the haves outclass and outplay the have-nots
There is no questioning the quality of Manchester City. Several respected voices have described their performance at Carrow Road last night as one of the best they have ever seen from a visiting team and it’s a hard one to contest. A brilliant team made up of brilliant individuals, playing brilliant football and all overseen […]
MATCH REPORT: Norwich City 0, Man City 4
Norwich were comfortably beaten 4-0 by Manchester City at Carrow Road, goals from Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden securing a routine win for the champions. Norwich head coach Dean Smith had described the match as “a challenge and an opportunity” when previewing it, and his charges appeared to have the same attitude going in. After […]
MAN CITY PREVIEW: A free hit for Norwich. Just don’t look at the stats…
In the past three weeks, City have woken up, and shaken up, the bottom half of the Premier League. Finally given a near-fit squad, Dean Smith had galvanised them into a competitive team. Whether or not inspired by the 120-mile-distant Billy Gilmour as the BBC would have us believe – I think not, though I’m happy […]
City 28%, Palace 72% – a repeat over next two games and we’ll not be earning a point
I guess this was the original “two points dropped or one point gained?” type of match. Personally, I am very much in the latter camp on this particular issue but can understand why folks might feel differently. There was an electric start when a great run from Milot Rashica picked out Adam Idah in the […]
A tough watch for the Carrow Road faithful but a point for City against a silky Palace
If anyone had offered us seven points from the last nine we’d have taken it, right? Equally, if anyone had offered us a narrow defeat at Molineux and a narrow win last night we’d have taken that too. Lots of ifs. Including if Temmu Pukki has not taken a second touch from that square pass […]
MATCH REPORT: City 1, Crystal Palace 1
It says a lot for the journey under Dean Smith that there is a feeling of mild disappointment after a draw against Crystal Palace. Barely six weeks ago, a draw could barely be contemplated – to suggest three league wins on the bounce would have been ridiculed, yet that’s where City were for much of the […]
A revitalised Adam Idah – one of the many factors behind City’s recent resurgence
Adam Idah had played just 57 minutes of Premier League football this season before the departure of Daniel Farke and was never truly given the chance to stake his claim in the side. He would often be left to play out the last few minutes of games where Norwich were more often than not already […]
PALACE PREVIEW: Can ‘the worst Premier League side ever’ avenge that horrible 0-3?
With the dreaded dotted line finally breached by Norwich City, their next task is to start dragging new rivals into the relegation battle. Crystal Palace’s visit tomorrow night provides them with the perfect opportunity to do just that. Patrick Viera’s side are currently 13th in the Premier League table and eight points ahead of the […]
And the prize is… Liverpool (a). A reward unbefitting a fine away performance
When I saw our team selection at 2pm on Saturday to take on Wolves in the FA Cup Fourth Round at Molineux I took one look at the Norwich City midfield and thought: oh, blimey. Pierre Lees-Melou, Billy Gilmour and Kenny McLean with Kieran Dowell loosely in the mix as well. Physically about as lightweight […]
Another win… three on the spin… and two consecutive clean sheets! Wos gorn on?
I should be opening with a pithy line about how City made it three wins on the spin at Molineux and how, while embarking on what’s apparently known as a cup run, Dean Smith has transformed the team from a bunch of lily-livered pushovers into a professional unit that’s remembered how to win. I should […]
FA CUP MATCH REPORT: Wolves 0, City 1
Stick or Twist? Always a dilemma and one faced by Dean Smith in advance of the trip to Molineux. He promised a strong lineup saying that he valued the cup, so it was something of a surprise to see four changes from the game against Watford – five by the time kick-off came around. A […]
GUEST BLOG: To bang the drum or not bang the drum…
It’s guest blog time again and today we see the return of Samantha Palmer who tackles the thorny issue of drums at football, and whether one should be permitted inside Carrow Road. ****** The hot topic among City supporters at the moment, away from the non-event of the transfer window, is the idea of introducing […]
WOLVES FA CUP PREVIEW: With bigger fish to fry, a mix and match from Deano?
Roll up, roll up, welcome to the Cabinet of Dr Caligari, live from Molineux at 3pm tomorrow. Doctor Caligari is not actually the chief medical officer at Juve but was in fact the lead character in a 1920s silent movie wherein all mysterious things went on and some believe the phrase “smoke and mirrors” originated from. […]
GUEST BLOG: The evolution of transfers and the ever infuriating transfer window
MFW regular Alex Bain is on guest blog duties today and has a look at the machinations of the transfer process of yesteryear and how the whole process 2022-style could be improved. ****** As the transfer window has closed until the early summer, I thought this might be an appropriate time to cast my mind […]
Cantwell departure a sad end to a story that could’ve been so much more
Finally, the most dramatic and drawn-out transfer saga since Stuart Webber’s arrival at Norwich City is over. With minutes left of the January transfer window, Bournemouth confirmed the loan signing of Todd Cantwell from the Canaries, while City confirmed that the Cherries retain an option to make the deal permanent this summer. That Cantwell’s departure […]
Unless there’s a Dereham-type twist, City’s business was done before it even started
As the January transfer window gently closes at midnight tonight it is plain for all us Canary types to see that it will have resulted in “a masterly policy of inactivity” to quote Richmal Crompton, who remains one of my favourite authors to this very day. Although she never knew it, in many ways she […]
Plenty of interest in Cantwell, loan departure expected
Todd Cantwell is expected to leave Norwich City on loan before the end of the January transfer window, although several details are still to be decided on the midfielder’s exit. As reported by The Telegraph’s John Percy, Bournemouth are in talks to sign Cantwell on loan, while Olympiakos have expressed an interest. MyFootballWriter understands there to be interest […]
Farewell Farkeball. We loved you dearly but it’s finally over. Time to say goodbye
With no match report to write this week, there has been an opportunity to spend a little time reflecting on the season so far, to reflect on what went so wrong for Daniel Farke, and what has changed under Dean Smith. Before I get into the meat of it, let me stress this is little […]
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Who needs social media when you have… football
Remember back in the day when MyFootballWriter regularly had writing from proper football hacks, like the Micks and the Ricks? Even then, the ‘…icks’ was part-used (by Wrath of the Barclay, mainly) as rhyming slang for a group of MFW writers. Nowadays that collective noun is mainly used by the good folk of Facebook when […]
Remember that talented crop of England capped-keepers who promised so much?
As the late January storm is interrupted by the sheer sense of calm created by the inaugural Premier League winter break we can recline our chairs, sit back and enjoy the closing stages of AFCON. Unless we’re Newcastle United fans of course in which case we would be sitting around a crate of Journey into […]
The model relies on the club gambling on potential. How have they fared so far?
Gary suggested on MFW last week that there would be no significant incomings for Norwich City during this month’s transfer window, during which period Watford have already introduced three new arrivals and Burnley have £25million burning a hole in the back pocket of Sean Dyche from the ludicrous price they achieved for the sale of […]
Gunn and Sargent’s Watford performances epitomise the mentality needed for safety
1-1 against 10-man Newcastle. 2-1 to Leeds. 3-1 to Watford. 4-0 to West Ham. 2-1 to Watford. 5-1 to Aston Villa. 2-0 to Burnley. Norwich City have a comprehensive recent history of failure when the relegation battle chips are down, and yet on Friday night they ran out comprehensive winners of the biggest game of […]
Rarely has the temporary security of 17th place in the Premier League felt so good
Well, that was a Saturday to savour. And they don’t come along too often. To get your business done early is usually a phrase we associate with the transfer window but a win on a Friday night before all of your opponents take lumps out of one another on the Saturday feels even better. Even […]
A good one in Herts for City as Josh at the double draws the sting from The Hornets
Now, who would have thought it? Who could imagine us scoring three goals away from home, keeping a clean sheet without Tim Krul, and Josh Sargent, of all people, coming up with a minor worldie and a header reminiscent of the great Iwan himself? Throw in the floodlight failure, a show of petulance by the […]
MATCH REPORT: Watford 0, City 3
This natch report comes to you from dizzying heights – both literally and figuratively. I watched the game from Aspen Colorado, a breathless 7800ft above sea level, and at the end of it, City are in the equally breathless position of outside the bottom four albeit having played extra games. You didn’t need to be […]
FROM THE ARCHIVES: “He didn’t even beat the first man with that corner!!”
It’s a debate that rumbles and rumbles and one we have discussed on these pages before. The clue is in the title. Prior to him co-founding the excellent ‘Along Come Norwich’, Andrew Lawn, author of ‘We Lose Every Week: The History of Football Chanting’, was part of the MFW team and in that time penned […]
WATFORD PREVIEW: Just how much will the Tinkerman tinker?
Those of us at Carrow Road on Saturday, watching the players out on their feet at the final whistle after repelling the inevitably-launched kitchen sink from Everton, were at least glad of one thing. At least Watford have to play again before we play them so they’ll be even more knackered than us. So, inevitably […]
The January transfer window: for others to embrace and for Norwich City to observe
I know I shouldn’t harp on, but is anyone else a little envious of those teams for whom January is an opportunity to strengthen their squad? When it’s those against whom you are battling to stay in the Premier League who are making signings it stings a bit. Like the cool kids at school with […]
A win! We only went and done a bloomin’ win! Please let this not be a one-off, lads
Whoa! We’ve not experienced a feeling like that for a while. Felt good, right? It’s all too easy to get carried along on the tide of emotion on days like yesterday and before you know it we’re all proclaiming “WE CAN DO THIS” a few hours after resigning ourselves to City being the worst team […]
MATCH REPORT: City 2, Everton 1
So admit it, you forgot what it feels like! I walked across the streets of New York, on my way to a rendezvous with the New York Canaries in the Football factory, with a feeling of trepidation. Was there any conceivable way that the result would be anything other than another defeat? The team selection […]
GUEST BLOG – ‘A dose of reality…’
It’s guest blog time again and today is the turn of Joseph Smyth, who questions the validity and worthiness of ‘self-financing’. All yours, Joseph… ****** It’s the big question… Can Norwich’s self-funding work model work in the Premier League? At time of writing (pre-Everton), since promotion in the 2018-19 season, City’s Premier League stats are […]
EVERTON PREVIEW: Carrow Road awaits the arrival of some struggling boys in blue
Stand by your beds everybody – the boys in blue are coming round. No, not the Old Bill or the binmen from along the A140 but something even more intimidating. We shortly entertain the slightly less noisy section of a great big footballing City in the North West, aka Everton. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve […]
The fingers are already pointing, but who carries the can for this disastrous season?
And tonight, live from Norwich, it’s The Blame Game. Apologies to Nicholas Parsons but I cannot use the original title of Sale of the Century as Norwich City have very little to sell. So The Blame Game it will have to be. I’ll take an insipid although not entirely inept display against West Ham at […]
A slightly improved performance but still nowhere near good enough from a flat City
And so it goes on… You know it’s bad when you no longer get fired up or angry when City concede a goal. Even worse is when that final whistle goes to signal another defeat and it gets greeted with no more than a shrug. But that my friends is where we are. Or at […]
MATCH REPORT: West Ham 2, City 0
City were dealt yet another blow in the survival stakes last night, losing 2-0 to a comfortable West Ham United at the London Stadium. There was a cautious air of optimism among the travelling Norwich fans after they had seen a 1-0 win over Charlton on Sunday, but the Hammers’ bright start reminded them what […]
All the #NCFC faithful wants is a team that makes us proud and which is competitive
I didn’t go to Charlton on Sunday but was aware in the days leading up to the game that a Delia Out protest was planned by a small group of City fans. This was confirmed when a picture of said group with said banners appeared on Twitter. I trust it’s not being ageist to say […]
WEST HAM PREVIEW: Some buoyant, organised and motivated Irons await
Early in the second half [of Sunday’s game] on Twitter, I began my planning for this piece. @AndyHead02: ‘Oh FFS I’ve got to do the @MFW_NCFC preview for Wednesday off the back of this… Can I just write “West Ham are going to beat us” and leave it at that @Gary_Gowers? #NCFC‘ To which I […]
Cantwell sale would offer Webber a chance at rebuild number two
When things are going well at Carrow Road, Stuart Webber’s quotes and soundbites can bookmark and epitomise the big moments, but when it all goes awry, they often come back to bite him. Perhaps the most quoted one-liner from Webber in recent times is his reference to how Daniel Farke was “sent to war without […]
A weird weekend of FA Cup footie that ultimately earned City a trip to Molineux
That was certainly a weird weekend in terms of the FA Cup Third Round, with apologies to one Louis Theroux. To much laughter and in certain quarters great joy, Wessi’s Cambridge United defeated the Richest Club in the World at St James’s Park, lowly Kidderminster Harriers turned over Reading and Arsenal sported a one-off nameless white […]
A win’s a win, especially in the FA Cup and especially when they’ve been so so rare
It wasn’t pretty by any stretch but if the object of the exercise was to ensure we were in the hat for the next round of the FA Cup, it was mission accomplished. If the purpose of the exercise was to entertain and offer hope going forward… at least we’re in the hat for the […]
FA CUP MATCH REPORT: Charlton 0, City 1
So first an apology. My match reports are usually written within moments of the final whistle. For various reasons, yesterday that wasn’t the case, so the report isn’t quite as in-depth or detailed. Secondly, a bit of perspective. Given the December that we have endured, there were two priorities: First to score a goal, and second […]
CHARLTON PREVIEW: TalkSPORT’s ‘finest’ brace themselves for an upset at The Valley
Do you remember that time when Charlton Athletic FC was the model we were either following or recommended to follow? (I can’t recall which). Either way, it was a plan we ended up following rather too rigorously. Charlton dropped from the Premier League to the Championship and then League One. We missed out the Premier […]
Survival is do-able under the self-financing ethos, but not using this tactical model
The reality has dawned on far more fans than ever before… We have a woefully inappropriate squad for the Championship next season, let alone the Premier League for the second half of this season. Note I chose inappropriate. January is going to be massive for our club’s future. However, my opinion is that under Smith and Shakespeare, […]
After a stormy ol’ #NCFC Christmas, next up is the FA Cup and ‘into The Valley’
After a heavy old weekend on MFW, which attracted some great comments from you lovely readers on which were basically two different takes on the same thorny topic, I thought I’d endeavour to lighten the mood a little this morning by looking forward [if that’s the right turn of phrase] to our Third Round FA […]
What happens when the yo-yo becomes just a single Championship yo… ?
As tends to be the case when things go awry in the hallowed halls of Colney and Carrow Road, much of the focus turns to how this club is run and, hand-in-hand with that, how it is funded. MFW pages aplenty (including yesterday’s) have been filled with the rights and wrongs of the current self-funding […]
Where do we go from here? Will 2022 be a better year for City than 2021? If so, how?
As the Canary nation drags itself unsteadily into 2022 there are a few questions that MFW regular Alex Bain feels he would like answers to and I thought I would have a go, But all our views are different, so your comments, dear readers, are most welcome – as they always are of course. Maybe […]
Right back where we started from…
For the first time since 2017, I cannot see what we are trying to do. The path, always so clear, is now clouded. Muddied beyond recognition. I simply don’t know what we are trying to achieve other than some finger-tip clutching at the precipice of Premier League participation. In the words of the infamous Craig […]
Headteacher’s Report: Andy H delivers his halfway appraisal of the Class of 2021-22
Tis now the bleakest of mid-winters. Whilst our school has time and again proven to be outstanding at the comprehensive level, we remain unable to compete against the Super-Rich Ivy League academies and we are currently halfway through another Annus Horribilis. Herr Farke did his best to get the class producing results but was found […]
January will be a huge month for Norwich City FC… but not necessarily a pleasant one
When it comes to predicting the future I am normally about as much use as Catweazle without his familiar spirit, Touchwood the toad, and his sacred knife, Adamcos. I attempted to go to a clairvoyant evening at Trimingham Village Hall one evening only to find the venue closed and a notice on the door saying […]
Another day another disappointment as City’s season lurches from crisis to crisis
You have to feel for Dean Smith. He knew he was signing up for what many deemed a mission impossible, but his own professional pride and some carefully chosen words by Stuart Webber were enough to convince him that there was enough quality in this squad for it to achieve 17th place or better. There […]
MATCH REPORT: Palace 3, City 0
When the team sheet landed at 2 o’clock, it had the feel of a selection made from the last players standing. 6 changes from the rout on boxing day, no Teemu Pukki on the sheet, two goalkeepers and one sub short on the bench. I feared the worst. For the opening minutes, City looked bright. Within […]
PALACE PREVIEW: Can City reward the journeys of their loyal travelling fans?
Regular readers will recall that, while I grew up in Norfolk and will always call it home, I’ve lived the past 35 years in Hertfordshire, around 20 miles from London. When local friends raise an eyebrow at my driving to Norwich every fortnight, my standard reply is “It’s easier than getting to Crystal Palace”. And […]
Dire display leaves City in need of a great escape
There’s a way to lose a football match, and that was not it. City’s latest poor performance came in the midst of a Covid crisis, upcoming fixture congestion and injuries to key players, but there was little excuse for a showing as submissive and uninspiring as the one they produced in the 5-0 loss to […]
Is there even the potential to escape the clutches of the Championship next season?
I went through a latter middle-aged guy’s nightmare to get to Carrow Road on Boxing Day. Earlier last week my daughter got me the NHS Covid pass on my smartphone but being an eejit I forgot to ask her how to download the .pdf file to register my vaccination status with Norwich City Football Club. […]
It wasn’t just Farke who was sent to war without a gun… Webber too was unarmed
Shambolic… woeful… outclassed… pitiful… pathetic… Take your pick. Personally, I’m inclined to hone in on ‘outclassed’ because the one thing that wasn’t lacking yesterday was effort. No one stopped running, no tackles were shirked and the heads didn’t drop on the pitch as they did off it. But my god did City come up short. […]
ARSENAL PREVIEW: All we want for Christmas is a goal (or two… or three)
Somehow, City are playing on Boxing Day. After 12 days of Covid mayhem with a cancelled trip to London in the middle, the Canaries return to the pitch against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who travel up from the capital having had their own coronavirus-related issues in midweek. With the expected returns of Christos Tzolis, Mathias Normann, […]
GUEST BLOG: Those were the days…
It’s pre-Christmas guest blog time and the return of a regular voice, Alex Bain, who takes us back to football in the 1950s and 1960s. He compares then to now and, I should warn you… it’s not pretty. *** Having watched football since the late 1950s up to the present time, so much has changed […]
Lessons to be learned from the Villa game, but can S&S replicate that same model?
The Villa game should be a lesson to us in what our short to medium-term future might hold. For those who don’t know, that was a team that Dean Smith built. Jacob Ramsey exemplified the qualities of a wide player in 4-3-3 and what a fabulous goal he scored. There is currently no player in […]
In these testing times, a little bit of selflessness does nobody any harm
As I write this, the sidebar on my laptop keeps flashing up an ad from UNICEF asking for contributions to its *Give the World a Shot* campaign, which is pretty apposite as I try to consider the impact of Covid-19 on our beloved world of football. Here in the now, and good lad that he […]
Battle over the Old Farm bragging rights is never far away… even after 4627 days
It doesn’t take much for the City/Ipswich rivalry to spill over and ignite. Not in the physical sense of course – let’s hope those days are gone – but in its modern-day, slightly less bruising, equivalent: social media. This weekend all it took was the unveiling of a statue, a good crowd and an appearance, […]
A sea of troubles…
Oh dear, oh dear… City, City, City… Sigh. Sadly, the chance for a turnaround was the two games after the two wins when Norwich failed to win either. That’s where the confidence and belief COULD have come from. Now the (very possibly) record-breaking lack of goals is coming to the fore. Close season? £60M appallingly […]
Nobody takes relegation as a given before Christmas but the omens are not good
Night games. I rarely attend them these days due to escalating old age, logistics and in Tuesday’s case a certain apathy towards strolling along Prince of Wales Road around 10pm just ten days before Christmas. In that spirit, I passed my ticket for Villa to MFW regular Don Harold, who kicks off this piece on […]
Another tough ol’ night at the Carra as Gerrard’s Villa cruise past beleaguered City
If Saturday’s performance against Manchester United offered hope that survival is not beyond us, last night’s tame offering against Villa was a salutary reminder of how and why we are rooted at the foot of the Premier League. And why survival probably is beyond us. There is of course mitigation in the form of a […]
MATCH REPORT: City 0, Aston Villa 2
I’ll start tonight’s match report by listing the meaningful efforts on goal by City. Now for the rest of the game. As performances go, it is easy to exhaust the list of superlatives to describe how awful the first half. Shapeless, listless, languid. I could go on. From the kickoff, Villa looked like a side […]
VILLA PREVIEW: Familiar faces for Smith and Buendia but no revenge mission
And so we move on swiftly to the visit of Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa™, an evening loaded with so many sub-plots it could have been written by David Lynch. Dean Smith is, of course, not the kind of guy to hold any grudges, and Villa is his club, but he’d not be human if this […]
Sometimes 100% isn’t enough for City in the Premier League
If Cristiano Ronaldo asks for a penalty, he gets one. On an evening when Norwich City electrified Carrow Road and produced a performance that any team would be proud of, the sad truth about the dynamic of the Premier League was that this was the only conclusion worth drawing at the final whistle. If the […]
So many referees but the one that really mattered was blinded by the light
England’s England’s Number One, England’s… Number One. In my lifetime we’ve sung that chant for Chris Woods, Rob Green and even John Ruddy. Maybe even for Kevin Keelan too and if we didn’t we should have done. But referee Darren England certainly wasn’t Number One on Saturday evening so there was no need for a […]
A stirring effort from a depleted City but Mr Ronaldo and United have the last laugh
I’ve mentioned plenty of times that the key element of my post-match ritual is a phone call with my dad to dissect what did or didn’t happen at Carrow Road or beyond. He no longer attends games due to his health but the Norwich City fire in his soul still burns and his two penneth […]
MATCH REPORT: City 0, Man Utd 1
Trepidation. That was the overriding emotion of a day where for once, I wasn’t counting the minutes until kick-off. Quite the opposite in fact. The news from the Friday press conference was hardly encouraging, with cagey references to an indeterminate number of players awaiting PR results. Man Utd, rejuvenated under a new manager. It had […]
MAN UTD PREVIEW: Sad but correct managerial changes, and my own dilemma
It’s always special preparing for a City game against one of big boys. Trying to imagine ways we could thwart them – weaknesses we might exploit, ploys we might try, all aided by a fervent Carrow Road crowd. There’s an extra personal challenge for me this time. Because of her various commitments, this will be […]
Now S & S have seen inside Pandora’s Box, what could the January window bring us?
A Pandora’s Box. That’s our squad. Players tactically incompatible with others. Strength missing where strength is needed. Pace absent where it is expected. Players too good to drop, or better than their peers, but played out of position. A squad built for 4-2-3-1 which is no longer played. Some summer recruitment that has raised more […]