Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to the Long Come Norwich podcast. Canaries crashed into cursed campaign calamity. Carelessly squandering cast-line chances preceded conceding contentious corrupted counts confronting gunning West Brom. Clawing desperately for parity caused catastrophic chaos, inviting clinical counters that cracked open the back line. Behind the scenes, Coach Clement combats this carnage, commanding composure while capturing crucial corrections. Collective courage can catapult confident performers past cruel setbacks towards promotion still. We hope...
Speaker: Claire, that was three points wasted, wasn't it? Oh, it it wasn't the opener that we hoped for, was it? But I don't think... it's going to have a massive impact on what happens from now on.
Speaker: I didn't realise quite how awful our opening day stats were, three victories in 24 years or something ridiculous. So I don't know why we were quite all so optimistic beforehand. Maybe we shouldn't have been.
Speaker: Performance-wise was decent. We just should have scored 20-odd chances we had at at goal but I mean the ref was awful we'll go into that later but I'm not I'm not concerned the performance was was good enough that I think we'll be just fine Well, just fine is ah is a little bit below where we where our expectations were. but Punt, I think it was a performance good enough to win games considering we've played a lot worse, created a lot fewer chances than won at home before, right?
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, I said it after the game, immediately after the game, I said, we'll play a hell of a lot worse this season and and we will be victorious. Yeah. i I've seen quite a few people comment post-match that, oh, I'm not sure we did enough to win. I'm not sure we conjured up enough high quality chances. I think that's nonsense. I think it's absolute nonsense. I think we created such good openings. A lot of them weren't guilt-edged chances, but...
Speaker: At the same time, and look, I'm not i'm not a huge fan of XG as a metric, but sometimes when it gives you an indication of like ours was 2.7, I think West Brom's was like 1.4, and one of those chances will literally be the one that, that you know, kind of was Tyson Fury'd into the net.
Speaker: um It just, ah it felt to me like it was almost like our chances fell to the wrong players or wrong player. And I'm sure we'll get him back. Fisher again and again.
Speaker: and yes, look, clearly, I feel like with Kellen, he'll get one and then he might go and get like, you know, four or five in a season because it technically he is a an excellent footballer. And and i kind of wanted to say that on the pod tonight because I've seen quite a lot of hate for him online.
Speaker: so have you Yeah, there was a guy who rang up radio in Norfolk and said, this is a boy playing a man's game. I mean, it was just genuinely, like utterly bizarre. What a bellend. Wow. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on on football. No, not if it's that opinion.
Speaker: But yeah I really feel like Kellen Fisher is is one of the best players at the football club and and is so technically gifted. you know And this is a lad that has has risen from non-league football, um you know come then subsequently come through you know kind of our system um ah a ridiculously high you know ah quick rate.
Speaker: Yeah, ahead of schedule, remember? He's just fabulous. He's he's absolutely fabulous. And i I don't think I would swap him for another right-back in the league. And so for for Norwich fans to have, or some Norwich fans, probably very few Norwich fans, because you know we know that social media you know kind of isn't isn't the best barometer of um of where people's hearts and minds are at.
Speaker: But for people to have that opinion on day one, about a lad who you know is still probably 21, 22 years old, is tremendously gifted and is probably one of those players towards the end of this season. And there will be a clutch of three or four of them, I think, that you know if we don't get promoted, that they might be looking for the exit door.
Speaker: yeah It's just ridiculous to me because he's he's been everything that Phil Clermont has wanted from a full-back and more since he's come in. And there is a reason that he trusts him implicitly ahead of Jack Stacey, who, look, again, show me a better backup full-back or better backup right-back in the league. you know kind of ah I think Jack Stacey isn't necessarily suited for a Phil Clermont side, but he's perfectly serviceable at this level.
Speaker: So, yeah, it was just, it was wild to me that people were having those takes. Yes, Kellen, you know, like he he needs to break his duck and then and i I think, you know, kind of all all will be fine.
Speaker: And, you know, shooting and and finishing is a confidence thing. There's no doubt about it. He is, you know, one that he seemed to try and square to Torre instead of just head it into the corner of the net. Yeah.
Speaker: i thought I thought he deliberately was trying to score there. And I didn't realise I thought he was maybe trying to square it. No, I think it was just a really bad header. Well, yeah, that was the bad pitch he got. There is all but also could be that. yeah so but I didn't realise he used to be striker at at youth level as well. like He started out as a striker. But I think a confident player would have probably struck that in. It is a mental thing now and he needs to score. But the problem for me is that he keeps getting into these really, really good positions and there has been zero end product. And it's really starting to cost us. like It used to be funny. like We used to be like, oh, poor Kellen, when will he ever a score? But now it's just getting a bit irritating. And he's an absolutely brilliant footballer.
Speaker: But that's the one thing that he needs to produce. He needs to start converting some of his excellent positions that he takes up. So he's 22, right? He's 22. um And he is going to make this football club a lot of money in the next few years because... He's either going to make us money from helping us get promoted or he will go to a top flight club ah because he is superb. And for the first 65 minutes, he was having the sort of performance that made you think, well, that's why at the very first moment of you being available, you've gone straight in to start at right back.
Speaker: because he he was superb. He was doing that thing where he does the slide tackle and comes out with the ball. He was doing that thing where he decides early to slide and that even though the winger sees it coming, he still can't get out of the way to get put it out for throwing. thought Brooks...
Speaker: ah left him exposed several times and we'll come to the goals in a second and but I thought that he progressed the ball positively and didn't just he's one that doesn't just tuck it back inside to the centre-backs when he's on the ball he looks to to play forward or through the middle as well so you know For most of the game, he had a really, really good game. He just had those sort of three goal mouth opportunities. Goal mouth is a bit is a bit much because one of them was sort of towards the edge of the box. But he had those three opportunities where you know he could have had either an assist or or a goal.
Speaker: and And then obviously he was exposed for the ah for the for the goal that kind of cost us so overall at the end. But um ye he can...
Speaker: or All three of those opportunities, he did the pull his shorts up really high, which is ah which is one of my favourite football player frustration moves, is to pull your shorts up really high, which is actually was something that Shane Duffy would do whenever he made a mistake. and So it's good that Fish has picked that up from from from Big Shane. As long as that's the only thing he's picked up, hopefully. No, yeah, hope it is, yeah. So and I think calling him out for it is ridiculous. he It will come and I think you're right. he needs He needs to feel more confident. and And some of those strikes, I actually think only one of them was a genuine, it was one of the shots with his feet where he he hits it at the keeper when he he really should be, he should be burying that because he had enough time. but time goes really quickly when you're not in loads of form. um So I want to pick up on a couple of things that that happen the game and then we'll go to some individual performances because I think most of what we said we were expecting and the the players we were expecting to do well did do well and a couple of tropes unfortunately reared their head and we'll talk about Mo Torre in a second punt. and But yeah the the goal is not goal. Why do you say punt?
Speaker: I don't revel in the fact that he was quite bad yesterday, by the way. No, it is ah but the way he the way in which he was bad ah was exactly the way in which you called out that we need to be patient for his um for him to to reach his ceiling. and So we'll come to that in a second. that the um ah In terms of the ah the the goals and the goal mouth action, and Rob, I heard the only bit of Radio Norfolk I had to listen to was ah Rob Newman, who I really, really like. And his... his um
Speaker: recollection on the game when he got back to the gantry or the bit the gantry he was with Phil Daly rather than the commentary position and was the penalty changes. ah im Sorry, the penalty. It felt like giving away penalty. That was the previous week. and the the the the The fist in the ball in, that changed the game. West Brom really did not look like scoring and it completely knocks the stuffing out of us. We go completely to pot in terms of our composure And obviously we then have to chase the game and it is in chasing the game that they get the second. that There's no way that they, they looked nothing like a team that were going to score two goals. They looked everything like the team that have been pipped to be lower mid table at best. That's, that's how they played. They had one very bright spark. I thought in number 17, the century midfielder who kept, um, Mattson quiet, ah kept finding space between Mattson and Kenny. The number of times in the first half, not that they were on top because they never really did anything with the ball. He doesn't seem much of a ball player, but a fantastic sort of CDM style player, that number 17.
Speaker: um He kept ending up with the ball and then Kenny and Pella would be looking at each other with their arms outstretched as if to say, I thought you had him. No, I thought you had him. So he was a thorn in the side and it meant that we needed to use the width well. And I thought we did that really well going forward.
Speaker: But I do want to call up the fact that I think Brooks needs, and this is something I'm sure Clement will pick up on in the analysis of the game. Brooks has not made the, ah didn't didn't come back enough, didn't help. and He's very good winning the ball back, but there was a couple of times when they were breaking, the gap between him and Fisher was enormous.
Speaker: um And that's just ah just an observation. I thought going forward, he looked every every bit the marquee signing, Claire. Yeah, and we kind of disagree on this point, don't we? I thought he played exceptionally well and I was sort of suggesting him for man of the match. I think he got taken off a bit too early for that to happen. But I don't think his defensive work was that bad. I think maybe it's just that him and Kellen haven't really had time to kind of work together too much because obviously Kellen's been injured and Brooks hadn't played all of pre-season either.
Speaker: So I think that will come. I think he has got a defensive mind in that he doesn't just stay up um in an attacking position. He does think I need to come back and help out here. And he did do that on a few occasions. So I i don't really agree with you um as much as you think he he really wasn't very good at that. the turnovers he did were brilliant. And I yeah think he is going to be an absolutely fabulous addition because that is how we play. And he just seems like he is a perfect addition for a Philippe. Yeah. the that That was something that was disappointing in the second half was the press,
Speaker: um he he presses the way that Clermont likes his teams to press. um And, you know, dearly daily departed Josh, and he he's really good at that. and and And Brooks actually reminds me a little bit of Josh in terms of out of the ball. he He is excellent at hounding. And I actually liked the fact that... um ah both Slomani and Kenny were sprung to lead the press alongside Torre a couple of times. So that that was something that you don't often see. And there were there were there were multiple occasions where the the West Brom goalie just had to the ball and did not have an option because we effectively were just set so brilliantly. and And that's one of the reasons why coming out of that game with zero points is so difficult to take when...
Speaker: I really think that there there is a gulf between those two teams tactically and and ability-wise. mean, we we we played some nice stuff and if one of those chances goes in, and it's really different. so this is I think it could have rolled out being really quite a comfortable, you know, almost Milton Keynes, Don style scoreline.
Speaker: Their manager um said they rode their luck and, you know, i think he knew they were pretty lucky to to get the three points. now you'd'd you'd have to you'd i mean the The comments I'd seen online from the from the West Brom fans is that that we don't want VAR in the Championship. We'd rather, you know, we'd rather sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it goes without you. And I don't want VAR in the Championship until they've got a better way of implementing it. So so yes, whilst VAR means we at least draw, if not win that game and on on Saturday,
Speaker: I still don't want... That can't be the reason we have VAR until it is implemented quickly within a few seconds, etc. It was still terrible defending, though, because even if he hadn't put it in with his hand, he probably would have put it in with his body. no i think... was still free in the middle. Well, I don't know. I agree with Rob Newman. if if he if he doesn't If he doesn't throw all of his limbs at it, it probably goes out for throwing. I mean... so but But yeah, we were a bit lopsided there. But gen but generally, I i think...
Speaker: I think the psychological element of that, i mean, Cordova was still arguing five minutes later. i mean, yeah I really think it shook us that we'd been so robbed. But part that would have been frustration about not taking our chances. And not taking our chances doesn't just mean shots on goal, punt. To come to our friend Motore, who has started the season brightly and I thought did some really good things yesterday.
Speaker: However, if he's not in a position to go touch, touch, shoot... is like his, you can almost see the Ram struggling to work out what to do. He doesn't have that natural ability to um occupy a defender for for just that extra three or four seconds for someone to catch up with him and then make the right call. I think there were four or five occasions when he was played through and the defender either did a good job and the immediate shot wasn't on or the two, you know, two touches out of your feet and shot wasn't on, or he was sort of slightly too in the channel and almost on the edge of the 18, 18 yard box down the side of the 18 yard box level with the six yard box, no one immediately to pull it back to. And then he just sort of dithered,
Speaker: and all of a sudden the ball's all the way back with a ah midfielder, or and and obviously by that point West Brom have got six men back in in and around the box. That happened too often to me, and I couldn't help but think of what you were so you know your your criticisms him so far, which is clearly a very high ceiling there.
Speaker: But he is raw. He doesn't have he doesn't have that that silkiness to necessarily know what to do with it if he needs to buy himself a few seconds. Do you think that's a fair punt? I think that's completely fair. ah Before I get into Motore, can just ask a question, Tom? um you You said a moment ago, i can't get out of my head, I'm just going to have to just just to say this now, you said dearly departed Josh. Did you mean that as a term of affection or that he is dead to you? like i'm I'm hoping it's the latter.
Speaker: no No, no, I i i mean the ex of this parish. i yeah I didn't mean to suggest that that he no longer exists. I mean, you know, he he's not pulling up any trees, is he? Bless him. He scored a lot of goals and I cheered him a lot. And, you know, I wish i wish him no will. i' really have I've got a lot better of moving on at life I wasn't even cross at the referee by nine o'clock yesterday yesterday bloody hell that is progress I absolutely yeah no I've made progress well done I've made I've made progress and as far as I'm concerned as long as he doesn't do it for that lot down the road he can score goals for anyone he wants and I wish I wish him the best that's very mature of you well well played sir um
Speaker: Mohamed Toure. Yeah, I mean, look, I think there's going to be games where he looks absolutely electric and he gets in behind and he gets his shots off and he's playing off the cuff.
Speaker: And he looks like a world beater. And I can't remember if i said this last, last week on the pod. And then there will be other games where he barely looks like a footballer. And, and like, it was almost to the point where he barely looked like a footballer because he's Bambi on ice sometimes in terms of things that he does with his legs. It's, it's almost like when you watch a you know, still developing teenager play football and, and their arms and legs haven't quite caught up with them, you know, kind of, and and their limbs don't really know what they're doing.
Speaker: Um, And yet, you know, like in ah in a split second, it it can completely change and and he's running with purpose and pace and and he's frightening defenders. So there's so much more to come from him. But it felt to me like we've now got, you know, three strikers on the books, all of whom have extremely different skill sets.
Speaker: It just yesterday's match seemed like it was crying out for Jovan's skill set. You know, someone who is going to be a bit more of a battering ram, who is going to be able to make things happen, who is, I mean, look, at one point towards the end, we're relying on flick-ons from Harry Darling. And and I do think actually...
Speaker: offensively, our set pieces worried me a little bit, but the tactics were, I'll just hit Harry Darling and and he'll head it back across goal or head it towards goal. And ah' I'm not even sure Harry Darling's that good, ah you know, ah kind of ah ah heading things back across goal because it never really seems to go in the place that he means it to, you know.
Speaker: I don't want us to become one dimensional in that regard. The massive thing... Well, our first set piece wasn't. Our first set piece was an over elaborate, I'll pass to you, then you pass to me. Yeah, that's fair. They never come off. They work on YouTube.
Speaker: no i don't i ever Have you ever seen Norwich score a goal? Has Norwich ever scored a goal like that? Yes, quite a few. It was 1967. When Andy Hughes was our set peach pet set piece coach, we actually scored quite a few of those, I think, um if you go back a couple of seasons.
Speaker: um I think it was like Gabby Sarah and the bloke that we don't want to name anymore, like kind combined for a few of those. Anyway, um on yeah, Motore was not brilliant yesterday, but I do still feel like he has brilliance in him in fits and starts. And and again, you know, like as I was saying last week, I need to get better at just celebrating the world-class things that he does and trying to forget the things that he can't do yet.
Speaker: Come on, Claire. Yeah, it is it is difficult. Claire's willing to come in here. Come on, Claire. Well, no, I just want to keep talking and just see how much Claire will be, you know, kind of just getting agitated before she gets there. No, no, no, no. I agree. i agree. but goon Go on then. Go on.
Speaker: I think they are there were things yesterday that he just he made the wrong choice and yeah I think that he he will get better. But besides that, my my one of my worries about Mo is that he's wearing long sleeves.
Speaker: yeah in a heat wave. And um he won't, as my mum would say, he won't feel the benefit. He's from Australia. Surely he's been feeling the benefit for months. He played in Denmark before Australia. Going back the sort of intro on that topic, it it to me it feels like it's when he's got, you know, it's an an old adage, oh, he had too long to think about it. I think never has this as ah has a phrase been more apt for a footballer, that sort of Bambi on ice thing where he seems to be trying to sort his legs out, it is when it's a case of, if it's a case of like the, like the, um, um, Kroi flick thing he did for Soleimani's goal last week, when it's a first touch or, or a quick touching out of his feet thing, he looks like Pele. But when he needs to... He's got time to think.
Speaker: When a defender gets their hips sort of um correctly level against him and he isn't able to just not nudge past them or and he isn't able to get the shot away or there isn't an immediate one-two or whatever to play, it is almost like he's thinking about it and then thinking, oh, crikey, I could do lots of different things here. Oh, I've forgotten to look at my feet while I was thinking about all the things I could do. And i yesterday, because again of the game state and the game situation, there was a bit of...
Speaker: flailing arms and and and frustration from some of the other folks. Speaking of frustration, Magoma the latest in a line of brilliant Norwich players who end up out on the left-hand side and aren't very happy about it? I mean, I thought he was a he was a ghost for most of the game. There were a couple of opportunities where he dribbled the ball and showed what he could do. There was a lovely nutmeg that he did and in the second half, getting through through someone's legs into the box.
Speaker: But we we we have got to find a way of getting him on the ball more centrally. Not saying Slamani isn't well worth ah the number 10 starting shirt scored last week. We have to get Magom essentially because he's wasted at wide. do you think, Claire?
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, he he definitely is wasted up. And i I'm starting to think that maybe him and Slomani can't be on the pitch at the same time together. Yeah, same. Because they seem to just get in each other's way and he just wanted to come in centrally um too much. Yeah. He's not a left winger, is he? I think no hopefully Diallo will stay fit and we have got a very good left winger there that we kind of all forgotten about. So i think i think it should be just either Slimani playing the first 60 and then Paris coming on or vice versa. I think they're both number 10s and that's it. Don't try and put them anywhere else. He was completely wasted. I'd rather have i was hoping i'd rather have had Oscar on the left. Yeah, no, totally. I was hoping that Oscar would come. So Oscar ended up in the 10. I was hoping that Oscar would come on the left-hand side but then i'd because I'd forgotten that Diallo existed. Yeah. So I thought Papa did well. he had we He created completely by himself. He created a golden opportunity, which he then screwed up the pass, which is fair enough. He's rusty. He's hardly played football for seven and half years or whatever. he, just in that tiny cameo,
Speaker: God, he isn't he? He's quick. Like, you just forget what it's like to... You know, because we've got some fast players. you Brooks is no slouch and Magomed floats across the ground. But when he... And Ali Ahmed's no slouch. But when he puts his foot... When he puts his sort of foot in the ground and really goes...
Speaker: you You cannot stop him. And that is really exciting that he is now fit enough to be to be in contention, John. would you Would you throw him straight in at Millwall, bearing in mind Magoma's struggles out there?
Speaker: Who's winning in a foot race between Papa and Moe? Sorry, I've answered your question with a question. What distance? Let's go 100 metres. I think it's Mo for me. I think it's Mo.
Speaker: I think it's Papa. I think Mo might beat him. Yes, that's what I think. Papa would be quicker over 30 yards. Mo would be quicker over 100 metres. That's interesting because i think the I think the inverse of that. I think one part of Mo's issue is he's fantastic.
Speaker: Mo is so often looks offside. So often because he is so quick over those first few yards. When Diallo is really up and running down the flank and cutting across, the speed with which he cuts across because of how much he's generated is why he is able to beat two defenders with one touch because of the speed moving at. Anyway, it's an interesting thought experiment. Answer the bloody question, Pum.
Speaker: What was the question again? I can't even really remember it. Diallo instead of Magoma on the left. Irrelevant of whether or not Magoma plays in the 10th. No, I wouldn't be starting Papa. I don't think he's anywhere near Matt Sharp and I don't think he's anywhere near a start yet. So who's your lefty on Saturday? I think it was saturday it was suggested. I think it's Oscar. I think it's Oscar all ends up and I think it was a mistake. I completely agree with with what you've both said about you know Paris and Slomani occupying the same spaces.
Speaker: I do think there was moments in that match where... Krizenne and Magoma linked up really, really well. And there was points where Magoma absolutely realised that it was his job to hug the touchline. And then Krizenne was kind of almost playing in this weird channel where he wasn't really getting picked up and there was some decent interchange. couple of one-twos where they they kind of found each other. And I was like...
Speaker: That's promising. That actually looks like, you know, if and it's almost like Magoma was playing out out of necessity. If that was going to be a longer term solution, I think I trust Clement to kind of fix it and to coach him into a a more effective player on the flank. Do Magoma to have the mindset to make it work, though? Well, he he strikes me as someone who's going to get annoyed if he's not in the 10 soon.
Speaker: Yes, I think there is also that. And I think there is also i think there is still... Look, Montgomery is going to be a brilliant player for Norwich, but I don't think he is a brilliant player yet. And i think I think we all got kind of lost on the Paris is the answer hype, you know, kind of and and the chant was great and, you know, kind of that reverberating around...
Speaker: ah ah But i do think there's a lot of work and there's a reason that Brentford moved him on. And it's because that it sometimes it doesn't quite click in the final third and he might hold on to the ball for maybe like a millisecond too long and then the chance is gone. I think when he corrects that or actually the players start making the right movements around him and anticipating what he needs from them, I mean, that his ceiling is is ridiculously higher. So I think there's so much more to come out of him, which is why... i'm I'm really in two minds. So i I would start Oscar on the left, but I'm really in two minds about the 10 because I think longer term, Paris is is absolutely the player that should be playing there and and probably a little bit of Oscar as well, depending on the opposition.
Speaker: But I really, really like Sulemane almost as the the kind of second striker when we haven't got the ball. Yeah, he's beening his is is unreal great. For a guy who's not that quick as well, you know, who he doesn't he doesn't have that pace. He's an intelligent footballer. I have no idea what what how they would all perform on on an IQ test.
Speaker: But in in terms of his, know good he is, his five times table, but he is very, very strong at that knowing when to push and the body shape that he pushes with. um when When Jove is is back again, i do think we will have, I think that will make a difference as well. Because I think that to your point on on turnovers, Claire, Brooks, Samani, Jove,
Speaker: running at you and saying your pass needs to be absolutely on it because we are all fast enough to intercept it. and And in fairness to Mo, his speed again, he intercepted a couple or got his toe to a couple because he was so fast that they thought they could pass it. and They thought it could pass it, passed him on diagonal and he was too quick. He managed to almost intercept it in one point. In one case, he did get it.
Speaker: did you Was that the one where he almost pressed the turbo button and he this this really funny run where he like lifted his knees up so high looked a bit like John Cleese? Ministry of Funny Walks. It was. was like, wow.
Speaker: ah Made me laugh anyway. Yeah. No, I mean, look, i very quickly, I compartmentalised yesterday to the type of um the type of a championship game that we have just seen again and again and again, where you sometimes you don't take your chances and sometimes you do.
Speaker: And, you know, we didn't take our chances. um ah yesterday on Saturday, yesterday, as we were recording this, Sunday the 16th of August. and and And when you don't take your chances, um you have to accept that you know something bad might happen. A bit like with MK Dons, we had the the penalty, but because we'd already taken chances and and and built the confidence that clearly we were we were ah ah going to cause decent um decent problems for the other team throughout the game,
Speaker: We were able to deal with the adversity and, you know, two minutes later or whatever, we we we extend the lead. Now, I'm not saying that West Brom are as poor as MK Don's far from it. However, what I am saying is that we we really we really should have handled our business there.
Speaker: And I'm not feeling in any way doom and gloom about the fact that we've still got our first choice striker to come back. We've got wingers who are going to get fitter and and and be better for us. We've got Antti Cernac to come back, who I still believe in. I really do think there is ah there's a player there. um And I think there's more to come from Oscar. I think there's um more to come from Pella and Kenny. And I think this is probably the first time...
Speaker: almost since early Clemente's, neither of them were at the races yesterday. And, you know, last season, one or other, and quite often both of them were outstanding. Kenny's radar was really off. I mean, he played one really good ball through ball in early doors, but then there was four or five that were just over here, really unlike him. And likewise, so like so Kenny wasn't doing what Kenny normally does.
Speaker: But also Pella was getting caught on the ball and and and like not having any space. And again, like like that's that's sort of for his MO, is that he suddenly finds space he don't expect him to. i think to your point on that, I think that um i don't think West Brom were as poor as perhaps we've suggested on this pod. And I think they were in incredibly organised. But I do think they were trying to do a job. I think actually anyone who'd watched Norwich...
Speaker: for a long point or for a long time last season, could realise that the axis that all of this is built on is Kenny and Pella being very, very good most of the time. And if as you say, if one of them performed or if both of them performed, Norwich were very, very likely going to perform. And I think that they starved Kenny of space. They starved Pella of space.
Speaker: but They were in and around them. They were very, very happy for us to get it into wide areas and then to kind of crowd it out. they weren't happy for those two to have the ball and to be able to di dictate. So I do think there were times where our possession wasn't as purposeful and we did make those mistakes because, you know, Kenny made mistakes. Pella was as as poor as I've seen him since towards the start of last season, probably since the Manning era, you know, kind match. Maybe he just doesn't start seasons very well. He took while to on. Yeah, and that there could be an element of that. And, you know, he'd had his injury. But but I also think that it it was cute from West Brom that oh yeah they just carried us.
Speaker: Yeah, they did and and they did a job to try and contain us. And then actually they got a fortuitous goal. And and it was like, oh, well. It wasn't quite smash and grab. They were better than... i think I think people thought they were the West Brom of last season that we thrashed 5-0 and whatever it was in the cup as well. Yeah.
Speaker: ah They're not that. They were really good towards the end of the season when James Morrison took over. and i think I was a bit disappointed with the fans yesterday because I think they all turned up expecting that we were just going to trounce them. and When things didn't really go our way, they didn't we didn't really get behind them. We didn't really sing. There was a few boos going around, a few groans. Yeah, okay, it's frustrating.
Speaker: it's the first day of the season and then people left when they scored the second goal it's like come on guys like okay there's mitigating circumstances for some people go in but the amount that left I mean they all missed our goal which kind of served them right but it's like I think they yeah I know i think a lot of it is we don't know what this team is yet um well our team yes we do yeah i'm trying to give china I'm trying to give some credit potentially. i'm trying trying to you know In terms of people not... we Even though there's not been loads of changes and there's been loads of consistency in our team and on a manager...
Speaker: this this year, this season's story, that's the very, very first chapter or or or page two after MK Dons, if MK Dons is the prologue, right? there isn't the There isn't the narrative, are we always come back late in games? You know, there isn't, ah there isn't we haven't done that. and We haven't seen, you know, our last minute winner against Millwall and then our last minute winner against Burnley or whatever we've got to come. And so therefore, there That coupled with the fact that if you turned up thinking this was going to be an easy game and you saw that at half-time we could easily have been two or three up, then actually when you then do concede a goal in really ridiculous circumstances and then the second goal is embarrassingly bad. i mean, it is really stoppage. That's because we were attacking. ah We are so stretched. I know. Because Kellen was attacking in particular. Yes, I know.
Speaker: But Kellen basically... people can see your face now, Claire. I love him. No, no, no, I love him. No, yes, well, you know I'm fiercely defensive of that boy. But he falls over and and mucks it up and it is it is a it is a it is a poor goal to concede.
Speaker: and And so the combination of that, I really do, i do understand that that you didn't have the roaring atmosphere. And I honestly felt from the goal going in,
Speaker: I'm not sure Carrad could have lifted the players. I think they were so frustrated about the fact that they'd let one slip away and that now the best they were probably going to do was a draw.
Speaker: I think it took them a long time to mentally get over that. What, you mean the first goal? Yeah, i think I think from the first goal, it's I honestly feel like they... the the the patterns of play went out of the window. And I think that that's a psychological thing that Clermont needs to work with them on, that we are going to get, um you know especially without VAR, which I still support im not having. that goal didn't need VAR.
Speaker: No, quite right. That's the argument. It's disappointing. What's interesting is, what was interesting watching the referee was clearly didn't see it. hesitated. Yeah, he clearly didn't see it. But based on the strength of the remonstrations, he then started walking across to the refer to the assistant referee to try and get a second opinion. The assistant referee is already walking back towards the halfway line, ready for the restart, but sort of stops doing that because he thinks, oh, hang on, the referee's walking towards me, so maybe he's seen something because he's obviously going want to want to me. So clearly they would they both clearly on a human level thought...
Speaker: uh-oh, they're not normally quite as cross as this if there isn't something iffy going on. But i I sort of, from the body language, I sort of got where the referee was coming from, which is that I did not see it. I cannot give something I didn't see. It's the light the linesman that was up with play on the right side.
Speaker: Have you seen that still, that he's nowhere near it? Yeah, yeah, it's so poor. It's pathetic, isn't it? And I saw the comment that there's no top-flight games yet. So surely there You'd think maybe there's a few top-flight category A or whatever they call them. He was a Premier League ref. Oh, well, he's a fucking idiot. He shouldn't have the job anymore. But that's the problem. He's used to having VAR and not making decisions like that. And maybe that was part of the problem. I understand Clement's purview because he's lost at least a point, if not three, on the basis of something that would...
Speaker: i mean And again, let's not go down this road for long, but that would have taken six, that you feel that would have taken six or seven seconds. That's a one replay job and immediately in the referee's ear, no chance, free kick to the defence.
Speaker: You know, that that wouldn't have been drawing lines on the screen. Yeah, they can't, even like the referee, they can say, oh, actually, could I just have a look at that one? It's not even like we need full VAR. If they've got, we've got yeah but and you you how you the You're getting into implementation.
Speaker: Again, it's the implementation. Only for something like a goal, not not anything else. But until you get to until until they until they fix it to be a less egregious ruining of the live supporter experience in the Premier League. Oh, we don't want it. ah i can'tt I can't rally for it.
Speaker: I quite like the idea, even though I'm still against VAR, but if you are going to implement it, that you get one challenger half that you can use. And itler if the decision is reversed, you keep it and maybe a bit like increase Because then you do keep it for a goal. is it So you might not what you might not waste it in the first half on a goal that you think is a goal, but you're not sure. You might go, no, so but there might be a goal that we actually do have definitely reviewed that.
Speaker: we'd have definitely reviewed that Well, of course it would, because up to that point, and again, this goes back to some of the support or apathy around the fact that we'd thrown it away. I think the majority of people, and also you've only got to look at how quiet West Brom were. The fans, they're a decent following. They've got some good songs. And, and you know, they they turned up in numbers and they supported them in the periods where they were in the game. There was a good, solid, you know, the first bit of the second half, they were getting very quiet. You know, they knew full well they were under Kosh and and and they didn't deserve anything from the game. And then, you know, they took their chances, rode their luck and and we missed we missed some chances. Yeah.
Speaker: So let's look ahead to Millwall. But before we do that, I want to talk about a seat swap. So I had the joy ah of taking both of my children to their football on Saturday.
Speaker: And Punt always takes two children to the football. They are his. And have two seasons. He's got rabbed those. He has three. Yeah. And therefore, luckily, his child, he's not a child anymore because he's so old that he's got a grown-up. Tomorrow she is no longer a child. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: So, and it means we have to say what we've always said about a million times for people who have listened to this podcast for years. When we were there for the, for the Farkis, I remember saying to her, not always like this. anyway yeah yeah yeah But I i remember us both saying it to her and she looked at us like you old twats, what do you know? Which is how she looks at me whenever I've said anything to her. Anyway, a very sensible girl.
Speaker: Um, I was in a position where I needed the tickets. So Punt said, look, i'll tell you what, why don't you sit in in my three and I'll sit in your two. I tell you what, Punt sits next to some interesting characters. Next to or in front of?
Speaker: Very, very pleasant ah company left and right. Didn't get into any conversations because I was flanked by two children. I was trying to stop to stop the squabbling. and There were two, and I want to say, yeah,
Speaker: ah Let's not guess at a agenda. Two higher register voices right at the back of ah the stand um who sound like they're going on down a roller coaster. I've never heard anyone celebrate a corner or a throw-in in the intact in third like like these two. I mean, whooping and hollering like they're having the time of their life. do these are these these could be new are these Were they sat directly behind you?
Speaker: No, no, no. They felt like they were four or five years back. Oh, no, no, no. Okay. I mean, whooping, Claire. Whooping with joy that we had corner. It was unreal. do... i do I do think he has a mild learning disability. I think there is that i think that's the guy you're talking about. No, this This is not a guy. Oh, really? Okay. No, no, no. I mean, there are some characters around around our way. But that part of going to football is is that you have folks that are characters. And and my old dad, for the...
Speaker: much to the chagrin of a lot of the people who sat near us for decades. He was one of those characters and intensely annoying, annoying to me. And he's my dad. So, you know, constantly shouted out to shut up and we don't need your opinion. Thank you very much. But, um, people obviously, if you read the podcast comments, hang on anyway, yeah How far does the apple fall from the tree? Yeah, I know. but I don't tend to do that football. But um yeah, it was it was it was an interesting experience. um the you can't see and You can't see the scoreboard where punt sits. Yeah, that that is annoying. That is very annoying. That is annoying. um But there's talk that because of the new improved, inverted commas, lots of extra risks, PA system, some folks have now gotten in pair of view.
Speaker: Yeah. I don't think what was it? Not in your seats. No, no. So you can, you can see, lovely. You can see three or four rows above the goal, uh, bar, the the crossbar.
Speaker: Cause you're a lot higher than i am. I didn't realize quite much higher than me. you But it's only about three or four rows higher than you are. That's interesting. It feels, it feels like it cuts out quite a lot. Yeah, it does. It absolutely does. Anyway, how did you enjoy it in my pastures?
Speaker: So I quite liked your seats and there were lots of lovely people around you. um and You had my favourite one to the left because I saw him walking in. So so the one on my left is on ah is ah is a rotation. There's three different people who share that ticket. There was one sat to my left.
Speaker: They have, they well, there's like three or four of them. There was it Yeah. Oh, yeah. Okay. There was, yeah. Okay. So that yeah there was a space. um However, the guy in front of you at halftime, um about probably 30 seconds after they were actually doing it, and I think he said it in all seriousness, said...
Speaker: Well, they've done really well, haven't they, to keep this grass so green with a hosepipe ban. And I was like, what the fuck are you talking about? It was nice to keep green grass, though, wasn't it? I mean, I was mate? The people in front of me have never spoken to me, and other than one of them, who's got quite a nice line in parkas that I think you'd quite like, pun. Oh, lovely.
Speaker: One of them, when during the Manning era, um so this is my second season sitting there, ah during the Manning era, towards the end of a particularly stodgy, unpleasant affair, he did turn around and say something like, I can't remember exactly, but along the lines of, it's like having an awful commentator all through the game.
Speaker: ah I had rob for you yeah i been complaining for nearly the whole game, but that's the only time that any of that lot have turned around. So the lads to my left lads to my left are really, really nice. And there's there's one ever constant. And then he has a cast of characters that that sort of change. change And the one immediately next to me, that is a three person sort shared ticket. And I saw my favorite one of them, but they sometimes just mix up they're sitting. I hope none of them listen to the podcast after you've listened. would just like to put on record everyone that sits around me... We haven't said anything unpleasant about them, other than the fact that they don't like which is fair. Oh, no.
Speaker: I like that ah Claire has paused and frozen at the point of saying she hopes people listen. Oh, she's back. Am I back? There she is. can you yeah it It was ah is obviously a heatwave-induced broadband. Can you hear me?
Speaker: Yeah, we can hear Loud and clear. I was going to say, melden clare i would just like to put on record that everyone that sits around me is marvellous and that the view from Rose is perfection.
Speaker: so Well, that is the aspiration that we get quite near you. And and not because we want to be an near you, but because the view's a lot better. It is is a marvellous view. is Yeah, it is. I think we're on the move. I think we're going to move next to next season. Where are you going to go?
Speaker: I think we might go down to the Barclay. Oh, brave. Because we went there we were there for MK Dons and Rue loved it. He absolutely loved it.
Speaker: Yeah. There is something about it. there and i think is he if Izzy had her way, we probably would be down there. But Sophia is is a bit of a princess and doesn't like standing. So, yeah. Yeah. There yeah Well, we we we um know we we really enjoyed it for MK Dons. And we're there whenever we have the opportunity. And the the majority of the boys that we do pre-match with are are in there as well.
Speaker: So depending on how close them we can get, then that's something we might do next year. But yeah, the the lads to my left are good friends talk to. And maybe that if if they happen to listen to this podcast, people in front of me, turn around and you can maybe talk to me. Although would not worry. Not about the irrigation.
Speaker: No, not about the water system because that will frustrate you. He was so serious as well. like they They just turned to him. as like did did you Did you mean that, Keith or whatever his name is? But yeah, anyway.
Speaker: Anyway, right, let's let's look ahead to Millwall. We're going to get into some guarantees. Claire Bear, I would like you to give me the exact score and one of the goal scorers for Norwich.
Speaker: We're not going to score any goals. They're going to beat us 2-0. I'm doing reverse psychology. Okay. Sorry. But that yeah, hopefully it works.
Speaker: So yeah, that's all I've got to say on it. Okay. Punt, can you cheer me up? Don't cry now. yeah Yes. So i'm I'm going to say that because Matthäus Kvist-Goren finally got the kind of luck that one of our other strikers had enjoyed quite a bit...
Speaker: um that maybe this could be the start of his um sensational scoring spree. And ah he might get the winner in a 2-1 win off the bench.
Speaker: And then this will catapult us onto marvellous, marvellous things. So, yeah. um Yeah, Kvist is going to get us the winner. Well, I'd love that. and Well, they they started the season well against, um you know, they were red cards and what have you in there in their game. But, you know, whatever, if that's what you need to be able to win. um I like our chances. I like that it's an early game. I like that Clermont has got a little bit of um friction and tension from and that contentious decision. And I should think he'll want to right that pretty quickly and get us back to the right side of the halfway line on on on the on the table. So,
Speaker: I'm going to predict a...
Speaker: 3-1 win. But I'm going to predict that we are 1-0 down at half-time. And that Clement does something bonkers.
Speaker: and we And comes out with some kind of combination of Oscar, Diallo, Magoma, false 90 nonsense that we has us scratching our heads but ends up in a quick brace.
Speaker: And then we get a third when they're pushing for an equaliser at the end. And the guaranteed goal scorer, is Kellen Fisher. cool Of course it is. I really hope that it is. I really hope it is because we really and want to see that goal celebration that he did in that pre-season thingy with his eagle arm thing.
Speaker: I want to see that. So ah I'm praying that Kellen does convert one of his many, many, many, many many many chances. Isn't it brilliant that he keeps putting himself in those positions? It marvellous. It is. And as a coach, that's what you want from him. it was Jack Stacey, you would be having an absolute go at him. No, because Jack Stacey scores goals. Well, exactly. So does Ben Cresceni.
Speaker: yeah i thought Yeah, and I didn't get opportunity earlier when you were in, whichever one of you was talking about, I think it was punt, were in flow state, but I thought Ben was was very, very good. Excellent. He's really coming on. And I think Jalan Yonghua is going to do well to um to oust him, as it stands. That'll be interesting. and And obviously the window hasn't slammed shut yet. So we expect there might be another winger. What with your arse ache going to a club that don't want him. Oh, boy. Plenty of coverage. Plenty of coverage of that. And that is that's a spicy situation.
Speaker: Yeah, you should feel for it, can you? Yeah, they could kind of send him back and then maybe us loan him out elsewhere because that is not fair. He must have known because he apparently... But the ultras are going to be very, very... Yeah, he did do some charming. Yeah, so he must have known that that might happen.
Speaker: He just doesn't seem a very resilient sort of person. No, but I do feel very, very sorry for him because he seems like quite a fragile young man. He does seem like a gentle lad. That do nothing for him. So I think send him back and we'll, I don't know, send him out to Poland for a little bit or something, let him rediscover his form.
Speaker: Okay. And then eventually you'll sign for Arsenal for 30 odd million. Okay. Well, we've talked about Norwich again. Well done us. Woo!
Speaker: Enjoy the fantastic result against Millwall or the loss if you're going to be... No, no, no. It's reverse psychology. Reverse psychology. Oh, i say. Right, okay. I don't think it works if you're cool if you actively call out that you're doing that. This time it will.
Speaker: Okay, fine. and So thank you very much. And ah Punt, I acknowledge you exist. Claire, it's been a pleasure to hear your opinions on yesterday's game. and Everybody else, please enjoy our absolute thrashing of Millwall and do mind how you go.
