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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
MAN UTD PREVIEW…
Usually, with these previews, I look at the opposition, their typical tactics and their likely starters, but do you know what? Not today. Because it’s bl.oody Man United. One of the top six. So we get them rammed down our throats 24/7 anyway. I can give you the same breakdown that Sky Sports usually do. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
WOLVES PREVIEW – Lage and Smith both hoping for more of the same
The last match preview I wrote was pre-Chelsea so apologies if I’m jinxing us. If we get hit for seven on Saturday feel free to blame me. If the task facing us at Stamford Bridge was gargantuan, Wolves at home is still sizeable. They’re not sixth in the table for no reason. Away from Molineux, […]
The underdog vs the nice guy vs the overprivileged son of the establishment
The last few days of post-Daniel Norwich City have been a whirlwind of very little information. A tweet from a renowned in-the-know City aficionado at the start of the week suggested that Norwegian coach Kjetil Knutsen from Bodo/Glimt was going to be the replacement for Farke. Shortly afterwards the usually reliable John Percy of the […]
Crossed Purposes: City a million miles away from having anything cohesive to build on
The myriad issues of why City have imploded so spectacularly this season have been debated by fans and pundits alike over recent weeks. One area I don’t think has seen much focus though is the growing disconnect, if not personally, at least philosophically, between the work of Stuart Webber and Daniel Farke. Until this season […]
CHELSEA PREVIEW…
I often enjoy writing the previews. It can be an interesting exercise to analyse the opposition and try and work out how they’re likely to set up and suggest weaknesses that City may be able to exploit. In the Championship it was fun. Then I started thinking about this game and the word “fun” didn’t […]
LEICESTER PREVIEW: Our pre-season is over, let’s start collecting some points.
Saturday 5.00 pm: “Jesus, that defending… and still no defensive midfielder in sight… it’s eerily reminiscent of the last ten games of 19/20… I’m getting nervous”. Monday 12:00 pm: “Brandon Williams has been confirmed. He might be more needed than we thought after Saturday. Good signing that”. Monday 10:00 pm: “Leicester took a pasting and […]
No panic stations yet, but let’s not kid ourselves the prep has gone as planned
If you’re reading this you’re already enough of a part of the online #NCFC community to have found the MFW site, and so more than likely you’ll be at least regularly aware of the ongoing message boards and Twitter hashtags around #NCFC. While there is good fun, humour and comradeship to be found amongst City […]
For us children of the Webberlution, it’s fascinating to see how this squad evolves
With the Championship trophy sitting pride of place on the Carrow Road mantelpiece, Stuart Webber has embarked upon another challenging offseason, reshaping Daniel Farke’s squad once more. Unlike previous years, he actually has something of a “war chest” this time, mainly thanks to the club-record sale of Emi Buendia, albeit some of this has already […]