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"Meat in the sandwich" ACN Pod 164
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Jon, Clare & Tom reflect on a bountiful bank holiday Monday at Millwall, oh I can't be putting alliteration in these notes too. We talk about Norwich and then that lot on Saturday.
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Transcript
00:01:01
Speaker
Definitely,
Millwall Match Analysis
00:01:02
Speaker
definitely. Going into next Saturday's game with that brilliant performance, absolutely brilliant performance on a Monday at Millwall. Totally the right way around to do it, especially given on Friday, they were definitely mitigating circumstances around that performance. It was really flat performance. But yeah, we have so many players not available, tired from internationals, et cetera, et cetera.
00:01:30
Speaker
I think hopefully they were also saving it for Monday because I can't ah can't say how brilliant yesterday was. It was just a joy to watch from start to finish. We were so dominant apart from like a 10, 15-minute spell in the second half. Every single player did their job perfectly. I was like, who is man of the match? They all were.
00:01:49
Speaker
It was one of those games. Nobody really stood out as a single man of the match. They were all brilliant. And that is exactly what we want going into Saturday. and punt I thought first half we did enough to win the game two or three times over, didn't take enough of our chances. and But then almost in the second half, we played as if they did get three or four goals and like the game was was sort of already won. It was it was so it was a surprisingly lacklustre second half performance, really.
00:02:22
Speaker
It was clinical, I think, in terms of second half. i mean, you you think about what what really surprised me actually is Alex Neal coming out in his post-match. And yeah, he was really complimentary about Norwich.
00:02:34
Speaker
But he kind of said, oh, first half Norwich with a better side. But actually, they only had one real chance with Jack Stacey. And I was like, hang on, mate. Were you watching? you know yeah's um clean Yeah, up. Yeah, Stacey's had, you know, one-on-one, which, you know, he he probably needs to do better with. He doesn't really cross or shoot.
00:02:51
Speaker
and You've got Kenny that's that's had a really presentable chance to just kind of come at him at a funny angle. You've had Ahmed, you know, has had a couple of shooting opportunities that he's kind of turned down and and delayed on the ball.
00:03:03
Speaker
it It really would not have been a stretch to think that we should have been 3-0 up at half-time, you know, maybe four. and And, you know, PC comes out and says that post-match.
Player Performances and Impact
00:03:13
Speaker
So yeah, I think this, ah but, but, but, but but i'm not sure I'm not sure we were ever going to be able to match our levels in the first half, given how dominant we were and how,
00:03:25
Speaker
Un-Milwall like Milwall were. You know, kind of we really were up for the physical battle first half. We won it. We won it resoundingly. And that's against an Alex Neal side. um But Motore makes all the difference, doesn't he? You know, kind of in terms of just being able to stretch the play.
00:03:41
Speaker
And how clever was that lad in terms of just both passes for both goals? He just delays it. He delays it till the perfect moment. I mean, Pella Mattson's, it's just on a plate for him. He's like, go on, smash that lad. But but Oscars as well.
00:03:57
Speaker
I looked at it again today and it's just... He just puts a little tiny dink on it to get it ah away from the defender's foot. And it it's just, I don't know, that sharpness of mind and that calmness, you know, kind of in that moment is probably what we've been lacking from a striker. Because Chris Gorin is a very different player, isn't he? He's a bit more on the shoulder. He's, he's um as you've said before, Tom, you know, kind of scrappy-do energy.
00:04:22
Speaker
Toure's not that. So, yeah, I thought, know, we were... by a fair distance better than Millwall. And look, that might not be the Millwall that turns up week in, week out in the Championship.
00:04:34
Speaker
But we've we've done it against almost every side right up at the top of the Championship recently, you know, kind of in in this run since the start of 2026. So really, we've just got to do it against one more side, um which is towards the top of the Championship in 2026, it'll all be fine.
Game Strategy and Substitutions
00:04:53
Speaker
Well, it's interesting because that's that answer was about the Monday game. I was actually asking about the Friday game. Oh, okay. Sorry, mate. I just didn't hear you. No, it's it's fine. I thought you meant Monday and I like, Lackbuster, what? Yeah, well, no, but that's the thing. that i was I was sort of surprised that that you thought I could have meant that because we obviously, second half, we were superb and on Monday. but Yeah. Yeah, all those points points are are completely valid. and I just think it could have been six points if we'd have, A, taken those chances against Pompey in the first half or not not played in the second half like we were four in the last. We just seemed to sort of be strolling. And then it got to that. It got kind of later on. Well, I really want to touch on it because we can't have been the only WhatsApp group who debated it. subs before the corner, Claire. I mean, we... It were it was the wrong thing to do. It was the wrong thing to do. i on Unless he... i mean, I saw he ate an energy gel, kind of the set piece before um the the one where he was actually taken off. But for me, Medici was exactly what we needed in the last few minutes of that game. So unless unless they had some kind of... trigger warning from his sports bra that said, you know, he's about to fall over. we need to get him off the pitch. To to me, he he had didn't he hadn't missed a head at all game. No, but we did have a debate about this, didn't we? like ah
00:06:11
Speaker
Medici, he did a good game. He played well within his own capabilities. He is very good at heading the ball away. He's very good at defending. He is not very good at progressing the ball up the pitch like Cordoba is.
00:06:27
Speaker
and And Rory. And to miss both Cordoba and Rory in the same game, that is why we played in the way that we did in the second, well, the whole game, but the second half particularly. We just weren't as fluid as we normally are because we weren't taking it up the pitch. Medici is great at heading the ball and Clermont should not have done that sub when he did because he probably would have headed that ball out and they wouldn't have scored. But take the goal away after after he was subbed and Cordoba came on We played much more, much better, much more like we normally do, but it was too late. We just couldn't find that winning goal. But I was delighted to see that Medici wasn't playing yesterday. No offence, but he is not Cordova.
00:07:12
Speaker
Well, he's more of what you need against the Pompey in terms of their long throws and what they are going to be capable of creating chances from. Do you not think Cordova would have done the same job if he'd played from the start? Like to come on in at that moment and miss the header, that's tough on him. It was tough on him, quite possibly, but just it's the it's the second, is you know, it's now ah we're only talking two times since December when there's been something Clement has has has done where we've gone. And also, i feel like we have to try and be a little bit critical, constructively critical when we can, because otherwise it is just, you know, five months of non-stop, club we love you. But I mean, you know, I think that is, and ah the the point is, we all looked at that back four on Friday and went, oh, hang on.
00:07:56
Speaker
But actually after 80 minutes or 75 minutes or whatever it was, Medici, yes, he hadn't played any incredible and sweeping long balls and diags. And and and yes, you did he was slightly more ponderous on the ball than Koldoib would be.
00:08:12
Speaker
Well, you know, be but he didn't nearly give any goals away, which Medici in the first part of his Norwich career was doing. He played well. He did play well. Yeah. So so whilst you completely agree that a fully fit Cordova, a fully up to s match speed Cordova is better for the overall team than Medici, at 1-0, when the pattern of the game has been crumbs, we've sort of gone within ourselves here. And it's basically if we can if we can keep a clean sheet, we win. Doesn't know like we're scoring again today.
00:08:40
Speaker
To me, the the obvious thing was if you want to bring Cordoba on, cool, but that is at the expense of a midfielder. That is not inexpensive to Laz, including Darling, who I thought was excellent on Friday, who basically put their face in the way of everything. and I thought Darling was excellent on on Monday as well. Yeah, he was. And I think... there are with Without Rory's resurgence, I have no doubt that him and Cordoba, would we would be just as delighted because I'm sure that he would have made you know would have made a really good impact in this run of games. It's just you know im it's interesting going into the game at the weekend, the the kind of the team we're going to end up with, and but we'll we'll kind of come to that in a second. so yeah going Going back to... going back to um
00:09:23
Speaker
Monday and Friday at the same time. Should we talk a little bit about your beautiful boy um punt? Because we've we've now got our latest goal-scoring hero. He's taken a while to find his goal-scoring boots, but now you can't take him off him.
00:09:36
Speaker
He's such a beautiful boy, isn't he, as
Key Players and Celebrations
00:09:38
Speaker
well? um Have you... He needs a haircut. No, no. the blond that The blonde flowing locks are clearly where his power is born from. It's fine, Claire. No problem. True, true,
00:09:52
Speaker
I absolutely loved the celebration that I think is in the the footage that the club put out where they've they've clearly got a cameraman like, you know, kind of right in front of the away end. And he is just roaring at them in front of that away end at Millwall.
00:10:06
Speaker
Just an outpouring of emotion. But he is... He's just a complete midfielder right now. kind of there's There is very little that he cannot do. And and the only thing, you know and I think Clement even said it a few games ago, the only thing he needs to do is add a few goals to to his game. and And look, three and three, well, four and three, depending on how you cut it, um you know is pretty...
00:10:31
Speaker
spectacular. um I just wanted to go back though because there was some post-match chat um not between us but I think I saw on social media that Medic might have actually called to be substituted. He might have given it the little, you know kind of signal, the little rotate a signal which so that might have excused Clement from, you know, kind of his, know, I know Claire will be looking for any out for Big Phil. No, no, no. I accept that that was the wrong thing for him to do. So nobody's perfect. The thing is, this is an audio podcast, but we can see how pained your face is when you say that.
00:11:09
Speaker
yeah lie But no, look, Pella Mattson, I know we're not going to talk player of the season probably um this evening, but he's got to be up there, right? He's got be way up there.
00:11:21
Speaker
yeah If there was a, if it was a, and i I can't think of a season where you could make the argument that um a different player would win it if they if we'd have voted, instead of a player of the month, if we'd have voted for a player of the season,
00:11:40
Speaker
in each month. Yeah. You legit legitimately. Absolutely. yeah And not not just based on their in month performances, based on the narrative of the season or what have you. and and I think if, if it went to a top five Oscar, if he stays fit for the rest of the season, he's making the top five because he's come back and he looks like, you Friday he was brilliant. First half. You know, and and and again, Saturday taking his chance, cool as a cucumber, you know, with with with he had still quite a lot to do and he makes it look so easy. um I'm 19, over six foot, speed, power.
00:12:20
Speaker
I mean, his ceiling is is unreal, right? I mean, i I sort of, with him out of the picture for so long, i i almost forgot how excited I was about him. remember, you know, I know wax lyrical about him towards the end of his run that he had before he got injured.
00:12:35
Speaker
But i' I'm all the way back into thinking, holy holy moly, what ah he he might be, maybe Mattson aside, um although maybe not because of the age thing and because of the slightly more forward position. He might be the player in the current squad whose transfer or total transfer value lifetime could be if he stays fit and continues to develop. Because he's still got another two years until he's 21 and he's already banging goals in. He already looks faster. so A couple of the dribbles he did ah in the Pompey go, I know it's only Portsmouth, but I mean, he's just like drifting, but drifting past players. And he's not... strong as well.
00:13:13
Speaker
Yeah. He's really strong. I think he's been spending time in the gym, you know, kind of during his kind of patch out. He's clearly working his upper body strength. He looks sharper since he's come back. Well, that's what mean. And he was enough The match sharpness is the thing that you forgive even, you know, world-class players. You maybe give a, you knock a bit of rust off to get match fit, but he really does look on it. So yeah, I think we can talk player of the season because we aren't that far away. The games are now in the forties.
00:13:42
Speaker
and So it's not long until we will actually be voting, and but I'll combine it with a throw ahead to Saturday I think that player of the season is there for the taking. I think there are three or four candidates who you really could make a ah big case for.
00:14:00
Speaker
um And if someone were to bag a brace, if someone were to... you know, a goal scoring and dominant midfield performance or something like that, you could easily see that being the thing in the kind of recency bias that, bear in mind, it's only going to be a couple of weeks later, the voting comes out, or maybe even the next week after the voting is going to start, right?
00:14:21
Speaker
yeah you could easily see that being the thing that that that that that pips it for someone. So who who are your runners and riders then, Claire, outside of a Beautiful Boy and maybe a long shot of Oscar? Because i think he's probably missed a bit too much this season. Who else might you throw in there?
00:14:37
Speaker
Kenny's obviously got to be in there. I think ah Rory McConville's got to be up there. I would say Oscar would be maybe more nailed on for the young player of the season. um Kellen definitely going to be up there.
00:14:54
Speaker
yeah um Consistent Kellen. Yeah. And then Pella. I think they'd be my five, to be honest. Is that five? Yeah, that's five. Have we missed anyone else, Punt? No, was going to shout out Kellen. I was surprised that he wasn't at the forefront of Claire's mind, given how wonderful he is. Forget him because he's just there, isn't he, Kellen? He's just there and he looks about 12 years old. He's just in the corner, yeah.
00:15:18
Speaker
But the thing about, the thing about Kellen and anne Kenny is, is that they've also done it in, in foreign positions, you know, that they are, they are, yeah they are, but you know obviously Kellen slightly less so than Kenny in terms of quite, you know, starting forward, forward, right. As he was on Monday, Kenny, but the, um,
00:15:35
Speaker
Yeah, that was that that was that was mad. But anyway. and I thought it worked really well, though. Oh, it did. But you but you just in your head, you just think, well, yeah, he might drop in left back or he might drop between the centre backs, but you you don't put him there. But again, again like the fact that they've done it over those places, is there is there anyone we're missing, Punt, other than them?
00:15:52
Speaker
No, I don't think so. You're not going to vote for the goalkeeper, i.e. there's no one else from a defender's perspective. I suppose Cordoba, if you're putting Rory in, I suppose you've got to put Cordoba in. If Rory didn't get injured, I think he might have won He would have been a real... Do you reckon? He hasn't had that much of an injury. How long has he been out? He's been an ever-present under Clement, apart the last, what, two games? Yeah. But that recency bias is huge. So again, he crashes in a header from a corner on Saturday. That seals it for him. Do you see what I mean? He's a shout for young player as well.
00:16:29
Speaker
They're all young, bar Kenny. Makama could have... um Well, I think Kenny's the only one who doesn't qualify for it. yeah yeah Jack Stacey. He's now 30. Oh, yeah. Bless him. He's good lad. He's a trier. now i i am ah ah thats that That's another point I want i want want to want to bring up as well. and Stacey's quite high up in my list of who takes a red card for the team and on Saturday, if we're if if we're comfortable enough. ah reckon I reckon he's got that. Yeah, he goes through hip high. It's Kenny that does that, surely. It's Kenny that does that. That seals player of the season right there and then. if You talk about moments.
00:17:07
Speaker
Player of the decade. Freedom of the city. No, he goes now goes straight into the dugout as Clemence number two, lifetime lifetime contract. um but they um i think ah I think kenny is Kenny is going to be in the top three.
00:17:23
Speaker
somewhere. And maybe it depends, like I say, if Mattson continues goal scoring, even if he goes to one a game, if he gets three more over the next six games whatever, he probably nicks it. He's also a bit shinier. Kenny's won it recently. you know so But there is there is a poetry to winning it in these in the year that you do your 300 appearances. um you know, to to still be that relevant and still be that important. I even to be fair, being in top three in in the year that you clock up that many appearances. um
00:17:54
Speaker
So yeah, on Millwall, I think the Middlesbrough game clearly had taken it out of them. um What was interesting was that was how was the
Playoff Chances and Motivations
00:18:04
Speaker
atmosphere. And there was quite a few people talking about the fact that considering Millwall are not used to being in the automatic promotion spots and they are not used to being tipped for going to the Premier League, right? Like maybe teasing with the playoffs and what have you. But this this is not normally where Millwall expect to be, so especially not in April.
00:18:21
Speaker
So it was weird that it wasn't more vitriolic. mean, I wasn't there, but seeing the clips and what have you... It's the nerves, isn't it? Do you think that's what it You know what it's like when you're up there. You can't not win game. The pressure of being at the top is almost worse than fighting relegation because you absolutely have to win every single game. And the nerves kick in and then the crowd just get a bit quiet. And I think they were pretty noisy to start off with, weren't they?
00:18:50
Speaker
They were noisier when they first went in as well. yeah Yeah, when they scored. But as the first half went on and we were completely dominant in the first half, they just got quieter and quieter. Then when they scored, it kicked up again. But obviously, I think yeah i think it's just nerves. It's just down to that.
00:19:08
Speaker
Well, we're still within a shout in terms of the playoffs. Are we? What's the Southampton-Wrexham score? Yeah, no, I think they went two. Well, we are recording this at the moment during Southampton beating Wrexham 2-1 away. But, you know, there is still, you know, over half an hour left there. So that could end up a draw. Draw is probably what we want, right? Because that means that we are...
00:19:34
Speaker
you know, three, three, three game swing. Um, and it's in our hands if they lose three, both. three no and We don't want to. know but This, this is what I was thinking going into Saturday, the fact that we've, you know, dropped points against Southampton and, and, uh, Portsmouth, ironically neighbor neighbors, um,
00:19:55
Speaker
I think that helps us mentality wise going into Saturday because we're we're playing with house money. It's a Derby, so it's huge. But they, to your point on the nerves and mustn't lose and et cetera, they've just had all the results go their way over Easter weekend or particularly on on the Monday. and So they are they're going into this with, we cannot lose against Norwich, plus we cannot lose ground in the in the promotion race. um And so, whereas we are playing with a, well, I love the fact that Clement termed it as we owe something to the fans.
00:20:28
Speaker
Did you clock that in his presser? Yeah, yeah. he it And also, he's well-versed in derby matches, given that he's been in the old firm games many times. So I think he will know exactly what to do to get the players up. He knows... exactly what it means to the fans.
00:20:48
Speaker
I've got every faith in him. It's a completely different feeling to that it was in the last derby. It cannot be more contrasting, really. And actually, yeah I watched the Ipswich game yesterday. was it yesterday They didn't play particularly well. OK, they won, but they weren't amazing. They were quite lucky to win it. So oh i don't want to say that we're going to definitely win, but I'm feeling positive, that's for sure.
00:21:16
Speaker
Well, i'm I'm feeling positive. ah Punt, and we asked our friends to give us some suggestions of ah ah obscure, fun, weird, fond Derby memories, and and we got some absolute belters in.
00:21:31
Speaker
Yeah, we've had some good ones. I mean, i'll so I'll start on Facebook because, you know, there's nothing bad that happens on Facebook, is there? um But ah Matt Rushbrook initially, ah which shake hands on Derby Day, utter woke nonsense before utter woke nonsense was even a thing. i was like, yeah. Political crest has gone mad.
00:21:51
Speaker
That's beautiful. um And then Graham Parkinson says in in April 2003, he was over for the game. from i mean, this isn't a nice one, but he was over for the game from Northern Ireland and he was jumped by a group of Ipswich fans the night before the game, ended up in hospital, had to sign himself out so he couldn't miss so he wouldn't miss the game and we lost 2-0.
00:22:11
Speaker
So, um oh yeah. Sorry, Graham, for your, you know, i mean, it was weird and obscure and that's kind of what we asked for, but yeah. Yeah. impressive So that was good. Claire, do you want to um share Matthew's one? I think which is quite good.
00:22:25
Speaker
Matthew McGregor on X. So it says, got to be when Kevin Lynch gave them a very soft penalty and then got called over by the lino to be told offside had happened first. The Scum fans were going bananas about it about five foot away from the bravest linesman that ever was. Followed by the quote from...
00:22:45
Speaker
George Burley that we continue to say in our family, which I'm going to do a terrible Scottish accent now, but he gave a penalty and then he took
Derby Memories and Expectations
00:22:53
Speaker
it away. sister's better after me.
00:23:00
Speaker
Kevin Lynch has such a weird relationship with Norwich. Like actually, when you look into it with him, he um he gave a penalty for Norwich, which, you know, which Carl Bradshaw put away when we beat him 2-1. And it was blatantly outside of the area, you know, kind of like. yeah And then um and I didn't realise this until I did a bit of Googling about Kevin Lynch. And now I remembered it after I'd i'd kind of looked him up again.
00:23:25
Speaker
and He was also involved in a um match Norwich versus Crystal Palace where there was a 21-man brawl as well, which he had to officiate after he just sent off Ray Houghton. It's the second 21-match brawl that we've talked about in back-to-back podcasts. is. Didn't Glenn bring one up as well?
00:23:44
Speaker
Oh, yeah, the Arsenal game, yeah. They don't really associate us with massive brawls, do you? were Back in the day, the 80s and 90s, Norwich did did quite like a rock. So, um yeah, there you go. There you Have you got um have you got any ah and any Derby memories that you want to recall? And I will give you a second to think about it while I just recount two very obvious ones. One I was reminded of. I was remount on Monday. ah The shape of Mattson's strike reminded me of ah but of a particular, one of my favourite midfielders of all time, Bradley Johnson. oh
00:24:19
Speaker
um the I mean, it wasn't as good as Bradley Johnson's, and but that just the the fact that it, just the trajectory and ah reminded me of that. And and my ultimate, ultimate favourite of all is just the the the laughter, the laughter at Tim Close's equaliser and the old no. i mean, I think...
00:24:43
Speaker
i think Looking back on that maybe gives no not maybe looking back on that gives me more joy than the playoff semifinal win and and lots of other derby wins because the the the playoff semifinal win, what i love about it was that wasn't even the best thing that happened that season because we actually then went and won a really enjoyable final game and had a great win at Wembley. So um it was just odd. that Snatching it off them was more delicious than than actually any of the wins.
00:25:15
Speaker
But I know that they're not exactly obscure. They they are they are a bit more obvious, but but beautiful. Beautiful. i can give you one The Bradley one for me...
00:25:25
Speaker
i Bradley is maybe one of, it might be my favourite ever Norwich player. And that goal, I could watch it on repeat and it just yeah it does things to me. that He's a beautiful man. Beautiful man beautiful man.
00:25:38
Speaker
yeah Anyway. Sorry, I went off on a tinge. No, you're all right. This man's less beautiful that I'm about to reference. But um one of my fondest games against Ipswich was...
00:25:50
Speaker
Well, actually, it was all very weird. We we got the train to Ipswich. I forget. It might have been like early 2000s. um We got the train to Ipswich. We were chaperoned from Ipswich train station right to Portman Road. They kind of, you know, kind of really held us in.
00:26:09
Speaker
Yeah. And then we looked at the police and I said, I want to go to the pub. You can't get, you know, you need to get out of my way. And he was like, and they kind of all stood there in a line as if to go, you're not going anywhere. And then I said,
00:26:24
Speaker
but you're not allowed to keep us here, are you? And they went, no. And then just got out of the way and then we went to the pub. But then um after that, after a couple of pints in, um you know, kind of behind enemy lines, we then went to watch um a wonderful match, which we probably expected to lose. um But it was the one where you and Robert's turn into Dennis Bergkamp and just scored that.
00:26:46
Speaker
Well, he's got a brace, but he scored an absolutely unbelievable goal. Yeah. And they were just so pissed off. You know, they're just so, so very pissed off. There's nothing better than winning at their place. You know, so, um yeah, it was a wonderful day.
00:27:03
Speaker
but i Yeah, I've not seen us win there. i am Only draw, which is still wonderful. but i mean I've only seen us win there. I am unbeaten. I've never been, and so I am unbeaten. Well done, you. have there been Has there been any proper aggro for like a while? like Has there been...
00:27:22
Speaker
you know, arrests on Derby Day and proper. mean, because there's a lot jeering, but it's the sort of jeering that you do knowing that you've got a big line of police between you and them. And they threw things at Delia's car, didn't they? They did, yeah. They are such twats. But no, I don't think so.
00:27:41
Speaker
Yeah. Well, yeah. So let's let's get into our guarantees then. so because Can I just give you one more story? weird Oh, of course you can. I beg your pardon. yeah That's all right. that's you know So this is from a friend of the show, David Spud Thornhill.
00:27:57
Speaker
And he references another victory at... At Pullman Road. So it was October 1998. We'd lost them 5-0 in recent memory. So i think that was the Alex Mathie hat trick, which we probably don't need to get into here.
00:28:10
Speaker
It didn't happen. Exactly. We'd lost five one to Crystal Palace just a few days earlier. um And Spud was at work and he was not confident that we would beat them. And he was he was working in a shoe factory in Norwich. Yeah.
00:28:22
Speaker
when he told a colleague that Norwich weren't going to win, um this female colleague said, well, you might win. And he responded, well, if they do, I'll wear a dress to work.
00:28:34
Speaker
His female colleague then suggested, because they might have been similar sizes, well, can I pick the dress? And of course, Craig Bellamy scored a wonderful header and we won 1-0.
00:28:45
Speaker
um And the very next day, he did wear a dress at work. And his mates nicked his clothes, so he had to wear it for probably an extended period of time. So, yeah, thought that was quite a nice one. That's a great story.
00:28:57
Speaker
Cheers, Spud. Thank you very, very much. um So, yeah, come on then. Guarantees. I'll come to you first, Claire. I would like to hear. ah It's Derby Day, so let's have some detail. I want rich tapestry. I want to smell the pies. I want to feel the bustle and jostle of, is jostle a word? No. Hustle and bustle is what wanted and jostle of the walkways. Come on.
00:29:21
Speaker
No, because i hate if I hate it. I hate that game. I don't i um ah don't want to go It's horrible. um But we've got Philippe in charge, so I'm going to be confident that he's going to have them ready. And the noise, because that thing is going to be fit and playing probably.
00:29:44
Speaker
Snakefest. Will it start? going to be Snakefest. Well, he did he did start yesterday, so he may well do Anyway, i think we are going to I'm going to say that with gritted teeth because it's painful.
Derby Predictions and Key Players
00:30:05
Speaker
We're going to win
00:30:09
Speaker
I think we'll score first. And then they're going to equalise and it's all going to get very nervy for everyone. And then we're going to score quite a late winner.
00:30:20
Speaker
Not really late, but quite late. And then we're just going to be super confident to see the game out like we've somehow managed to do under Philippe. the scorers are going to be Mo Torrey is going to score the winner and I reckon Oscar's going to score the first one and then he will be then talked about as being a player of the season possibility because he's scored in the derby that's it i've ah he scored at their place didn't he Yes, he did.
00:30:50
Speaker
He did indeed. Yes, he did. Good goal. I fancy Oscar for that little narrative tweak. I think he might he might do the double. Nice. But but get get one. But anyway, yeah yeah I'll go last. Go on, Pump.
00:31:04
Speaker
um Okay. I'm never, ever, ever confident going into Derby Day. I'm not. I'm not. you can't be really, It's horrible saying that. You can't be really. But I'm really, really, really confident that we're going to smash them.
00:31:18
Speaker
We're going to smash them. We're going to smash him um we're doing shit them. Just like we shit Millwall, like I said on the last pod, right? We're right. I think Paris Magomar...
00:31:30
Speaker
If he starts, because look, that's that's up for debate right now. Like who would you start in the 10 or who would you start on the right? Or, you know, can you accommodate Montgomery and Slomane in the same team? Because then maybe you're not starting Oscar. And I think he's someone who literally deserves that start.
00:31:47
Speaker
But I've just got a feeling that it might all click for Paris and that he might just score brace and then maybe a Harry Darling. Because Harry Darling loves a celebration, right? Absolutely loves a celebration. Even when he's been subbed, he's itching to fist pump. but you know You can just see it. Yeah. Yeah.
00:32:07
Speaker
I think he might just... So a Harry Darling header, early doors, like five or six minutes in, settles all the nerves. They're quiet as mice. And then Paris just takes over. Masterclass.
00:32:19
Speaker
Bangs one in from 25 yards. Scores another later on. And it's it's just it's just a canter towards um Derby Day dominance. but And, you know, basically Norwich regaining their um their rightful place as, ah what do they call themselves? Kings of Anglia?
00:32:38
Speaker
Pride of Anglia. Well, no, but they say kings of Anglia, don't they? But... Well, who fucking cares what they say? Twat. Exactly. I really fancy that storyline. I fancy Harry Darling is a great shout.
00:32:54
Speaker
I guarantee that he will ah smash someone, and I guarantee that there is... there is some kind of unnecessary extended celebration in front of their end in front or rather in front of their, their fans. And so like ah ah a, a, a, um, I don't want it to be nervy enough for there to be a last minute winner, but you, there is, you can, he is of the Hanley mold in terms of Hanley turning around and giving it to them after he just crosses in for a second. We mustn't forget how ridiculous it is that one center back crossed to the winning assist to the, to the other center back to ahead of that equalizer. But no, I, I, um,
00:33:32
Speaker
Mo Toure starts. And I think we might remember it as the Mo Toure derby. I think i think he is he is playing some... He's another one like Schwartow who somehow somehow seems to have come back and his touch is even better than when he went out. So somehow he he seems to his footwork seems better.
00:33:52
Speaker
um i I don't think they live with him. I don't think they can cope with him and because he gives us that opportunity to mix it up. Do do you think he does start Saturday? Yeah.
00:34:03
Speaker
I don't think there's any doubt in my mind that he he starts on Saturday after that second half showing ah purely because he gives Norwich another dimension. And against a team like Ipswich, who... do want to press, but do want to keep the ball as well. Actually, that ability to just stretch a team, it's got to be a considered long ball, so you don't pump it in the channel, but you play it in a way in which you turn the defender around. mean, Torrey did that a couple of times. He was just brute force and ignorance, allied with pace, and he was in. He was in behind them really quickly, and defenders just can't live with that. Yeah.
00:34:41
Speaker
Yeah, that's that would be if look, I think if I'm Philip Clement, I'm I'm starting the player that they will be most fearful of. You're not you're not saving him for 30 minutes towards the end, are you? You know, kind of so you have to play him.
00:34:55
Speaker
and i And I actually think that it plays to Scrappy Doo's strengths as well. I mean, he has been really good off the bench. like There's a reason that he had such a high goals per minute ratio before he started starting.
Derby Strategy and Adjustments
00:35:07
Speaker
and I thought against Pompey, um his pressing was excellent.
00:35:12
Speaker
and You know, he was really, really key to the fact that look they weren't very good, but he was hit that forward line. you know, him and Oscar um and and him and ah Ali were doing a phenomenal job before he got yanked ah for Torre. And he was his closing down is brilliant. And if we if the game goes to our game plan, which is going to to be at least one up, if not two up by 60 when we have to take Torre off,
00:35:40
Speaker
then he's exactly the sort of player you want to say, right, go on. I need 35, 36 minutes of harrying and chasing him down and basically making them pump it forward. Because in Darling and Cordova, Darling and McGonville, if he was fit, Cordova and McGonville, if was fit, Medici, if he has to come on, like we and maybe we do have Medici for the last five minutes where they have to pump the ball in because we've got three lads who are very, very, very good at getting on their head on the end of things.
00:36:07
Speaker
um Yeah, Darling would love it. And part of me is is as much as I think Rory gives us the best footballing acumen, Darling, is this is the sort of game that you that's when you want a a player who is a stalwart, who understands these things and understands what it means and plays like he understands what it means. And and I hope we get at least one direct free kick.
00:36:31
Speaker
um at the Barclay end so that just like we had on Friday, even though the free kick wasn't that good, and we get to watch Harry Darling doing his thing where he bends down in front of the goalkeeper and like tracks him left and right and puts him off as he's trying to set up his wall. That sort of shit, Harrowseury, entertains me to no end. We could never score a goal again.
00:36:52
Speaker
Just give me 11 players that are shits. Give 11 shits. Harry's worth having on the pitch just for the shithousery on Saturday, isn't he? Yeah, because he, you know, similar to that scum that we had, Connor, what's his name? Chaplin. Connor Chaplin. That was, you know, just a shithead, like a horrible shithead. He was pushing people and nicking fouls and stamping on people's toes. That was a nice little warm-up for us for Saturday. It was, yeah. Him on pitch. Yeah.
00:37:16
Speaker
But you yeah yeah you need a couple of shits in in in a team like that. So, yeah, I reckon it's the Tourรฉ derby. That's what you remember it as. He gets a brace and then Chris Goran gets the third.
00:37:28
Speaker
And I think he will that will be wonderful for how much he makes an effort. And, yeah, I think they probably will get one because they will because they will not tire and they will they've got momentum. They've got self-belief and confidence because they have been getting so many results. So they'll keep going and they maybe pull us back to 2-1.
00:37:45
Speaker
or maybe they get their one after after it goes to three, I don't know. But yeah, I i think it finishes 3-1 and it goes Torre, Torre, Chris Goran. That's my guarantee. Take that to the bank that that won't happen. So I look forward to finding out what exactly does. Any any final thoughts for the Derby, Pump?
00:38:02
Speaker
I mean, we've all we've both now guaranteed that Harry Darling doesn't start given that he's he's in our guarantees. you know that's That's almost certain. um Sorry, Harry. Yeah, soz, mate.
00:38:15
Speaker
I think it's one of those games where Big Phil just needs to get the starting line up right. And i don't I don't know what combination of that. Like, we've got four players, you would say, for three positions and yeah in a kind of attacking midfield through front three.
00:38:30
Speaker
You just want him to get that spot on for, you know, the personnel that we're going to be playing against. But, you know, look, we trust trust Big Phil to do it. um I wouldn't want to be making those decisions because all four of them have have been excellent in, you know, kind of in fits and starts this season. So, yeah, bring it on.
00:38:49
Speaker
Claire, do you think it will go Oscar, Mo, Ali? And then do you think he tries to play Slimani and Magoma? don't know. Do you think he goes Sam Field like Millwall? goes, do you know what? i i want some I want some girth. want some meat in my sandwich. Just a word on Sam Field.
00:39:07
Speaker
He was excellent yesterday. it's been a great addition. lot people have said he was quietly excellent yesterday. i mean... Philippe got it spot on yesterday with the formation and it was a little bit different to what we've had before. And everyone was like, oh, what what's this? Who's playing where? You know, what's Kenny doing? But it worked.
00:39:27
Speaker
We never saw that coming. I don't know what Philippe's thinking for Saturday and I'm glad that I don't have have to think about it and it's his job and he does a marvellous job of it. So I'm just trusting him to put out the right team and the right players and change them at the right time and not before a corner this time, hopefully. But um yeah, I trust him.
00:39:46
Speaker
he will He will do the job for us, I'm sure. In Philippe, we hope and trust. Yes. hope Hope, trust, and believe. Okay. So just wanted to quickly say, get well soon to Bob, who's a bit under the weather at the moment. Lovely bobbles. I also want to send out some condolences to our dear friend, Ben, as well, who creates the fantastic artwork that you see on our On Come Norwich across all of our various events. all of our various different channels and and website and some fantastic t-shirts of of of days gone past. And thought it worth mentioning in this week of of all games that as the pre-match fever begins to take hold, just pause because we're told that it's just a game and it's just 22 blokes and a ball and a patch of grass, but we do know better.
00:40:35
Speaker
For many, walking up the steps at Carrow Road or tuning in from afar, there'll be an empty seat beside them or a silent phone in their pocket. And it'll be the first time that there'll be a Derby without that father or daughter or partner friend who lived for these moments. And we carry them with us.
00:40:53
Speaker
It's only a game, yes, but it's also the vessel for our memories and the heartbeat of our Saturdays and the bridge to those we've lost. Cherish the tension, treasure the company, mind how you go.
00:41:34
Speaker
My, my, my, my, to Ray. my i my ma la to Alley, early alley an allie allyli ya ray union thank you thank you okay okay it see in a minute They Christmas pajamas. That my only comment.
00:42:03
Speaker
have no idea. Like fur trees. Probably. Probably. her. There might be trees with Easter bunnies next to them. I'll go and check.