Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
"Fiddle Around With It" ACN Pod 159
509 Plays22 hours ago
We lost to Brum (again) but we played some lovely stuff. Eventually. And bye bye Sarge. And hello Wednesday (and also bye bye).
Recommended
Transcript
Norwich's Recent Performance and Upcoming Challenges
00:00:22
Speaker
Welcome to Long Come Norwich podcast, we steadfast supporters sat through a stinking half Saturday in our stumble against Brum. Despite a stirring second half salvo that very nearly snatched Salvation, we slipped to sad the defeat. A sharp shock to the system sure, but hardly a season spoiler.
00:00:34
Speaker
This side's been on a sparkling run, stacking wins and stirring belief and with a seismic showdown scheduled for Wednesday against Wednesday, there's scant space for
Josh Sargent's Transfer: Impact and Reactions
00:00:42
Speaker
sulking. The squad sheet still reads like a surgical summary, but a single saga ceases. The Josh Sargent tragic series finally stopped. After speculation and sidebar chatter, Josh sealed his switch to Toronto. A striker who supplied sprints, strikes and serious graft now sailing stateside-ish.
00:01:00
Speaker
Claire, it's episode and it's see As we speak, it still hasn't actually been confirmed, has it? No. No, it was medical, I think, is as far as it's got. What if he's failed his medical? That would be funny. um Aside from that... Well, aside from that... um Yeah, I'm glad that it's finally over and we can draw a line under it. I still feel very sad about the way that it's all played out, really. um i think Kenny spoke really well about it on Saturday. Obviously, you know, he's very close friends with him and his family, so we can kind of see it from the personal side. But from what he said, you kind of got the gist that he wasn't particularly impressed with the way Josh did it. um And so he shouldn't be as club captain. But I'm glad we held out to get the full price for him.
00:01:55
Speaker
But I still feel a little bit like he's kind of got his way. And really having that money now doesn't help us right now. We can't spend it. We can't spend
Player Power and Team Dynamics
00:02:06
Speaker
it until the summer. So let's just hope that our strikers are remaining one and a half strikers stay fit.
00:02:13
Speaker
But yeah, I'm glad it's done and dusted. Is it enough cash, Punt?
00:02:20
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, you wanted to take about 12p in a bag of chips a couple of weeks ago. so yeah i didn't know I didn't know there was a bag of chips going. um But 17 million, if reports are to be believed, yeah in British pounds, plus um plus add-ons. I think that's fairly reasonable. But it's as Claire's just mentioned, it's like modern football is rubbish, part 3,412, that,
00:02:44
Speaker
you know players can just down tools and they will get their way. And um I don't... Look, I think it was a little bit like that um back in the day, but player power has just swung so much. The pendulum has swung completely towards them. and just... It does...
Norwich's Squad Depth Concerns
00:03:03
Speaker
I've kind of gone from sadness to annoyance with Sarge now. Like, now he's gone and now he's not ours anymore. It's almost like I feel I can be angry with him properly.
00:03:13
Speaker
And it's just... It's, yeah, it's just, it's it's pissed me off now. Like, because he is such a talent and that is going to be wasted. And he exited the football club in the wrong way.
00:03:28
Speaker
Yeah, it's just, it's just crap. But it's done. And we never have to talk about it on this podcast ever again. Unless it isn't done and he's failed his ah yeah has failed his is Canadian citizenship test. God forbid.
00:03:44
Speaker
Or whatever he's got to do, stateside-ish, that he's gone. um So let's talk about the um the kind of impact that it does leave on the squad because yeah we did receive some questions that suggested that you know we are now on a terrible run since apparently we sold him.
00:04:01
Speaker
Yeah, um Matthew McGregor has said, averaging zero points per game since Josh was sold, are we doomed? Yeah, I think the the you've got to look at the the forward play in his absence and the chance creation in his absence, which know we talk touched on a bit last couple of pods. But
Youth Development and Tactical Adaptation
00:04:20
Speaker
just looking at Birmingham game on Saturday, and i thought Torre, despite having a slow start, no one covered themselves in any glory first half. Yeah.
00:04:32
Speaker
in In the second half, he showed just what a handful he is. and And whilst technically he's clearly got a bit of way to go and a bit of growth to go. And the positive thing is we've seen this coaching staff add technical ability or or um develop and encourage technical ability with with players in season. So, you know, ah for a full off season and preseason, he could be could be even even better next year. He was causing all sorts of problems, making such strong runs and you know the burst into the box for the pen that maybe should or shouldn't. I haven't seen it back, so so we'll just stick with it was a definite pen. and He had no right for it to even be near the ball. now he He managed to muscle his way past two players who were both trying to block him off to cause the fact that there should have then been you know a pen or it was a tangle legs, whatever. um So I think that yeah we are hanging on the fact that one more striker injury and it's going to be really squeaky bum.
Injury Management and Tactical Creativity
00:05:27
Speaker
But as long as all we do is get Makama back for the last few games and and that's the only injury update up front punt, we've got enough, surely, even without Sarge.
00:05:37
Speaker
ah It's not the striker, is it? It's the wing areas where there's a real problem. I mean, if if you are starting a championship match with Liam Gibbs at right wing, then ah i think he struggles to play right wing for any championship team. And that's no disrespect to Liam Gibbs. um ultimate utility player at this point. you know he's He's played in so many different positions. He's probably rivaling, I think they talked about it on Canary Call, he's probably rivaling Rob Newman you know kind of in in terms of being adept at turning his hand to to a number of different trades. But he's he's not particularly good at many of them and he's not particularly good at right wing.
00:06:17
Speaker
The difference was so stark when Paris came on and it and you know, look, He clearly looks like a a proper number 10. But many people called Emi Wendera a proper number 10 and he played right midfield for most of his games at Norwich City. So, you know, Magoma might be someone who can absolutely sparkle coming in off the right.
00:06:39
Speaker
But there's no depth, is there? There's no depth in the wing areas. and And that's the problem is that very often when you're looking to change a game last 10 minutes, last 15 minutes, you want a little bit of extra pace or you want a little bit of extra guile or skill or whatever it might be. That usually comes from wide areas. And so that that would be where I'd worry. Yes, I think to answer your question, we're going to have plenty to get over the line and probably get over 50 points, which is I think is is just about what we'll need.
00:07:06
Speaker
um But yeah, if we're looking at, next season and where we need to develop and where the numbers are in terms of, you know, actual bodies that we need. It's definitely, definitely the wide areas now, surely.
00:07:19
Speaker
Well, yeah, but that, that's sort of my point. It doesn't, um, Sarge doesn't affect that. You know, we still don't have, we still don't have a good wing. mean, it means that you might, it means that it means Torre would probably get shoved out there or McCarma gets shoved out there again when he, when when he comes back fit again or Chris Carter, see what mean? Like, so my, my question was more around the fact that, uh, we are, we the chance creation is still there even with though with that depleted squad. and yeah But the I mean, I think Magoma has to start. i mean, he he he is he's so exciting, so unpredictable.
00:07:52
Speaker
and And I thought that his his performance ah you know in a you know relatively short cameo. you know we It's not like he came on on 50 minutes or 45 minutes or whatever, he but he he may as well have... and yeah He changed the game for me in terms of how how well we played. Well, did he come
Strategy and Style Evolution under Clement
00:08:10
Speaker
half-time, actually? He came on at half-time. Oh, no, I'm getting him mixed up with the next set changes. I beg pardon. Well, yeah, I mean...
00:08:15
Speaker
it it it If you look back on and count all of the good football that we played, it feels like he basically played the whole game was kind of the point. Like did yeah with how many how many contributions he made in only half a game. And I thought he he looked really good on on the right. I know that's not his preferred position, but we've got Slimani for number 10. If he can do that again from the right, okay, he's not an out-and-out winger, but he's got magic in those feet. like he I was thinking on Saturday evening, like we haven't actually had a player like that probably since Emi Buendia, really. like He's one of those players that's just capable of so many little tricks and just sort of it
00:08:55
Speaker
getting people off their seat and making people go, wow, you know, it's it's really exciting to watch him. It's the first time I've seen him play live and I was so, so impressed by him. So if he if we can get him fully up to that sort of fitness and he can manage 90 minutes and he sticks it you know out on the right and Slimani in the tent, I think we'll be okay. It's not ideal, but it's good enough, I think.
00:09:20
Speaker
He's still coming back from injury though. He is, yeah. They've got to manage his minutes as well. so i guess that yeah that's the would you Would you start him on Wednesday and maybe get 55-60 minutes from him? Yeah, because we're 16 up by him.
00:09:34
Speaker
knowing he or Knowing that perhaps he couldn't start on Saturday against Leicester. Where would your priority be? i I don't think we need to win the Leicester game. I think we need to win the Wednesday game because the when not getting three points against Wednesday is more of a momentum killer and it stands out as a worse result. about shaka It would. And also and we we we probably need four wins and to be safe. I'm not not not talking about games of playoffs. We we just we just have too many injuries. And and obviously now the Sarge thing has happened, it's, 12 points, whatever it is now. Yeah, okay, you've you've got to do you've got to carry on our kind of seven and eight. But i feel like we've had our burst that's now made it ah a canter to the finish line to be safe. Let's hope it is still a canter. And it it it probably is if we win on Wednesday, you see what mean, because then we only need three from, you know, we need to win one in three or one in four of the remaining games if we win. Whereas if we if for some somehow we only get a draw against a team who are now have just been relegated in February to their local rivals, by the way, ouch. um
00:10:40
Speaker
And they lost two players to injury and one sent off as well. so yeah and And they've barely got a team to put together anyway. so Exactly. and and they And they should any remaining stocks of adrenaline and energy and passion and and all the rest of it. I mean...
00:10:56
Speaker
any professional sports person, you would expect them to put in a professional account of themselves when they're being paid to pull on a shirt, irrelevant of whether or not they care about the the club or they've only just come in or that we or that they're 18. But the point is like,
00:11:09
Speaker
you know yeah the the this is a good time to play a team on minus points who have just been radicated, right? and and we're And we're at home and weve and we had such a head of steam. you know Three goal line clearances, we hit the bar, really, really good save. ands you know Honestly, could have scored four or five in that second half and it wouldn't have flattered us. Torrey hit the post. He could have had a hat-trick. He had three really, really good chances. So he was unlucky. The goalie obviously had a worldie. But I feel like the players feel like they owe us one because of what happened on Saturday and the reception that we gave them after the game. they're going to be like, right, let's go and do it for them this time. but Also, Clermont's not going to allow them to just be complacent on Wednesday. There's absolutely no way he'll let that happen. so
00:11:57
Speaker
No, i i oh I think the ah the the thing ah one of the things I wanted to talk about um today was the was the kind of Clement style and Clement ball.
00:12:10
Speaker
Because I feel like we've now got enough of a... I feel like he's now got us enough out of the immediate mire that... It's now less about pragmatic, we must get a point at all odds.
00:12:22
Speaker
And now actually six points clear of the bottom three for the last, you know, seven, eight, and now back to six of the last few games. yeah He's setting the team up in the way that this is the way I want to play football. And yes, okay, that is impacted by how little options he's got, particularly in wide areas.
00:12:37
Speaker
and And having to play Sam Field instead of Mattson or or or Wright maybe thinks he can't quite risk Wright and McLean in there. um But I personally am really enjoying the the way that we go forward with such purpose and pace. And i actually think that the bad Clemont halves, of which there's been three or four in the last few games, um they stick out so much worse in a way, even than the Manning halves, because you think, well, literally the last time I saw these players a couple of days ago, they were creating chances with abandon. So I just thought, could you how would you... sum it up, Punt, what would be your description to and someone who's not caught any of Clement Ball yet? like Would you feel like you've seen enough now to say this is the way this this Clement side play?
00:13:28
Speaker
I don't think he's ideologically wedded to a complete style of player. It it feels like he's he's moulded it as we've gone along. and it and it But it also feels, and ah a point that you just touched on a moment ago, in terms of us being a little bit clearer of it and a little bit freer to play in in the way that we wanted to play. I think that has that has happened over the last three or four games where it's it's looked like we want to play out from the back a little bit more.
00:13:55
Speaker
um it in a Birmingham were clearly aware of that. Their high press really stifled us. And and I think that's... It was interesting.
00:14:07
Speaker
I'm not a particular, I hadn't been a particular fan of like Kenny and Mattson dropping into the full-back areas to collect the ball because it left too many gaps in midfield. Birmingham were acutely aware of that first half and exploited that. And actually when we changed and Kenny played a little bit further forward or a little bit more centrally, and field was you know it it provided field with ah ah a bit more of a partner in there.
00:14:29
Speaker
But I think to answer your point, um it's... It's kind of possession with a purpose, isn't it, really? Because it's it's not like a Farka where you would slowly build up and you'd try and pick those gaps and you know you'd you'd be you they the team would really take their time with finding you know almost the perfect pass. This is quick, one-touch, two-touch, going through the thirds quickly.
00:14:55
Speaker
And it gets people off their seats. you know kind of ah like you know It gets people really enthused I really like it. like you know kind of But what I really like is the team play with a bit more personality than I've seen for ages. And and it it almost feels like, and I know Clement picked up, well, I think he was referencing Magoma and Ahmed when they were kind of doing flicks and tricks um in the, think it might have been the cup game, in and around the box.
00:15:24
Speaker
But players seem to be playing with a freedom. They're able to express themselves. Who knew Anas Ben Slimani had this box of tricks? And and yet here he is, you know kind of actually pulling off a c assists, you know kind of pulling them outside ah out of his backside almost every game. you know it's Where did that come from? And it that it's the freedom of expression that I like, is that there is a structure.
00:15:46
Speaker
Everyone knows what they're doing. But actually, if you want to play off the cuff, if you want to do something quickly, if you want to take a chance... that seems to be encouraged. That seems to be big Phil's balls to me.
00:15:58
Speaker
Yeah, and in the past, you've seen players kind of scared to go forward, scared to go past the halfway line. You know, when Max Aron suddenly stopped going past the halfway line because he'd been told not to. can't remember which manager that was. They've all blurred into it. I think it was Dean Smith or David Wagner. It didn't really matter, did it?
00:16:17
Speaker
Well, Wagner also did it the other way around.
00:16:21
Speaker
Yeah, but Wagner had had a similar thing where he would say, if you remember, we had Dimi and O'Neill on the same side and O'Neill wasn't allowed to leave the halfway line the other way. He wasn't allowed to come and help Dimi. So no matter what mess Dimi was in and left back, O'Neill had to religiously stand right on the halfway line and just thought sort of like shrug as if to say, I'm only allowed to stand here. I can't do anything until you give me, like likes playing some kind of playground game where you're not activated until someone like stuck in the mud.
00:16:49
Speaker
and Yeah. Yeah, yeah yeah that this this team doesn't have that all, though. You're quite right. I think they're just they're allowed and allowed to go and do what they do um as long as they maintain their shape or someone drops back in. you know They just really seem really well organised. but are allowed to play with that freedom.
Match Analysis: Birmingham Game Reflections
00:17:07
Speaker
um And it's just so enjoyable to watch them in full flow. Also, just that they mix it up a bit as well. We're not afraid to go long sometimes, which yeah we haven't done that for years. So that's really good as well. We can kind of mix
00:17:21
Speaker
They weren't afraid to go long. I mean, that they basically were a long ball team until they got 2-0 up and then that was that was it. I mean, that they were far more direct than I remember them at St Andrews. I had to the the and misfortune of being there and and they didn't have to do anything good that day to beat us, but they least did play the ball around on the floor a bit. i mean We gave away guards. That was the game that Kellen Fisher was awful. We remember that long rant of yours after that. Yeah, we that but that was awful. it was Burned into our memories.
00:17:53
Speaker
It's an interesting comparison because and i was furious at that and and um the waste of time and effort and all rest of it. Whereas Saturday is one of the much more positive home defeats that I've walked away from.
00:18:10
Speaker
You know, at halftime, it felt like, you know, things are just not clicking. And we said to each other in the um in the stands, I'm sure this conversation was had up and down concourses over pints and pies. um Well, I don't think Clement is having that team come out and look like that.
00:18:27
Speaker
I bet he makes a change. I bet we look different in five minutes time. And yeah, that maybe that is the that is the factor of, maybe that is what we have seen of Clement Ball. or the Clement era is just, you now have such confidence that we have got a coach who will change things and not just change things in terms of personnel or shape or whatever.
00:18:49
Speaker
He is able to change the character of the team, the intensity level, the percentage of effort. work um You know, many ex pros will always say, look, the effort is always there. It's application, it's decision-making, but you know, everyone in the ground, he's now built up enough goodwill that we that we've now gone, yeah, now but we're not going to be bad two halves in a row. No, no, no, no, no. Clement's not having that. And whether it was a rocket, whether it was tactical, whether it was, um you know, just Paris coming on, but...
00:19:21
Speaker
all of a sudden everything was done three times the tempo. The decision-making was so much more sensible. The extra touches weren't there. and But there are a couple of performances I want to touch on from Birmingham particularly. I'll start with the positive one. and First half aside, um for the positives at the side, because I think most people were poor, Kenny's second half was brilliant.
00:19:42
Speaker
Lovely goal. and But one particular behavior, the bit for me that I'd like to and draw your attention to was after bad decision number 483 from, I'm going to put inverted commas around the word referee because I can't believe that he can dare put that on any kind of driving license or passport or or formal application. But that charlatan that was pretending to to be an official, um,
00:20:07
Speaker
ah when we were singing whatever it was at that point, you're not fit to referee or whatever it was, there was a corner that followed whatever action it was that we hadn't got the result we wanted. And Kenny stood right next to the referee, told the Barkley to sing up that particular chant and clapped his hands above his head. Right. And I don't I don't think I've ever seen obviously you see you see people remonstrate the ref and you see them sort sarcastic clap the referees decisions, which gets you booked. But actually interacting with the crowd as if to say, yes, sing up, lads. That is the one where it was actually a corner and he gave a goal kick. That was unreal. That was genuinely unreal. That was right in front of us. And that was partly where I lost
Goalkeeper Debate: Vlad's Reliability
00:20:51
Speaker
my voice. Because I was just like that. Because it wasn't even I mean, it wasn't like a double ricochet. He was horrendous. Surely the ref has realized he's made a mistake here. He's got the entire stand right behind it screaming. Well, I mean, yeah, it was, no, it wasn't, it was either a penalty one or it might be, it must've been a penalty one because we had a resulting corner, which is so, so all of our players were flooding the box. Um, but, uh, obviously it's very on brand for Kenny that a thing that I like about him involves him waving his arms in the air. Because Kenny's arms are always pointing it up. He did do a lot of pointing on Saturday, I noticed. A lot more than he has been.
00:21:33
Speaker
Because he's wonderful. But I also want to, that's not a discussion point, that's just been delivered as fact. The thing that is a discussion point, however, and I'll come to you first on this. Nothing factual on this podcast, mate. None of our opinions are factual.
00:21:45
Speaker
Okay. ah but My opinion of Kenny being glorious is is factual. and on um On to the clown car in goal. and Obviously, he has to he has to be changed. he he We cannot be taken seriously as a championship outfit with a goalkeeper with that ah approach to playing football punt.
00:22:06
Speaker
My patience is completely completely gone. Before I answer that, would you play Grimshaw ahead of him? Yes. I think he has done just would not be interested in that at all.
00:22:17
Speaker
He's done enough things that make me... Grimshaw, in the tiny slivers we've seen, looks like an average championship goalkeeper. so So I would take an average League One goalkeeper over that type of goalie.
00:22:34
Speaker
We don't need it. We don't need someone who's going to try those stupid things and make massive clangers. I kind with you and half don't, right? So think... I think half the time you're going to get a brilliant Vlad, half the time you're going to get an absolutely bonkers, what are you doing? Why are you taking that risk there? you know why have you played that 10-yard pass when you just needed to clip it into the centre forward?
00:22:56
Speaker
Why have you come off your line when actually you're going to get no one in the ball? Why haven't you come off your line? of those things.
00:23:04
Speaker
He's been in his near post. He's weak. There's lots not to like about his performances. I still think he's a better goalkeeper and a better bet than Grimshaw. But what I would say is that if you're looking at areas to improve over the summer, I mean, absolutely 100%. I don't think... Clement has come out. He's been asked about it in press conferences and he's kind of come out and said, Vlad's my man.
00:23:27
Speaker
But he's got to be too savvy, hasn't he? Because so much... So much of your defensive line, so much of the way in which you could set the tempo is dictated by by your goalkeeper. One thing I will give him credit for on Saturday, and not every goalkeeper is like this, is he was always looking to play out quickly. He was always looking to get a fullback on the run. he was And he was visibly frustrated when he didn't have that option. And I like that from a goalkeeper is that he wanted to get us on the front foot and and you know kind of build that momentum.
00:23:58
Speaker
But I'm with you. like he's When it comes to the you know they the post-mortem of the season, right now he's probably a 5 out of 10. And some people love him because he's got those moments and those match-winning moments where he'll make a stupidly good save and and and it will get the three points. But I just think...
00:24:19
Speaker
I just think it he his deficiencies are often laid bare and he's got away with it you know ah on a few occasions where I'm like, hang on. Our luck...
00:24:32
Speaker
our luck is going to run out at some point with him and he's going to drop an absolute clanger and it's going to cost us three points. yeah but ah I don't think there's enough examples of where and ah a phenomenal save, like the penalty save was huge and it's really important time in the game. and You know, re there aren't...
00:24:50
Speaker
there aren't really enough. ah There are not enough games that that that are not enough big moments where if you are going... And look, in terms of likeable, he's a hugely likeable member of squad. Oh, he's a character for sure. Exactly. But ah the the the challenge is if you are going to be...
00:25:07
Speaker
If you're going to be like that, you have got to do the bread and butter
Transfer Speculations and Tactical Adjustments
00:25:11
Speaker
stuff well and then show off when it's time to show off. And I get what you're saying about the trying to play out quickly. And second half, he was is big on that because obviously that been that was that was ah that's when you could almost see coaching playing out because it was so clear that he'd been given that instruction.
00:25:25
Speaker
I feel like when he is doing that, a lot of that is performative. And I think that he actually does pass up a lot of opportunities, particularly Fisher. I had, I would, I would say more so than the right hand side, Chris, any or Stacey, he seems to give up the opportunity to, to, to throw it. He hasn't done it immediately. so then he makes out like, no, I'm trying to do it. I'm trying to no, no, it had to be the minute you looked up. Kellen was on. and you didn't do it immediately, and now you're doing the sort of, oh, oh oh no oh no, there's no one on. Well, no, because you didn't do it straight away. but I think that's harsh. I think he found Fisher loads in that second half, actually, and like Fisher got on the front foot a bit. i think But...
00:26:04
Speaker
but I think the intent was there. I'm with you. I don't think he's a good enough goalkeeper at championship level. um and And I've said it for a while. In fact, I think I said it almost after the the first friendly this season. I was like, that that lad can't command his box. And he still can't command his box. If you're a centre-back, if you're Jose Cordoba, Rory McConville, and there's a set-piece coming into your box, you're taking responsibility for it because you know your goalkeeper isn't. And and that, for me, is an issue.
00:26:31
Speaker
yeah And he's huge. He's huge. shouldn't be easy yeah yeah shouldn't be as easy to build el but to yeah to like shovel off the ball. Go on, Claire. He's clearly got a problem with with goals through his near post as well, hasn't he? Because he should have saved that... ah that Was it the first goal? He wasn't even well hit.
00:26:50
Speaker
Dribbler. No. So whether that's to do with his his size being able to get down, I don't know. i think Grimshaw... It's hard because he's only really played games that are potentially easier games in the Cup and against Oxford. So we've seen decent performances from him, but not against great opposition. But I think he is obviously much steadier. um Vlad, he's a bit like Marmite, isn't he? He's like, you either love him or hate him. He's just capable of doing...
00:27:22
Speaker
A lot of things really well, but one or two things absolutely terribly. And those one or two things can potentially cost you the goal or the game. And that's a problem.
00:27:33
Speaker
i I don't, I don't, ah get I get the analogy, but I don't hate him. I don't think he's like Marmite because I don't think, I don't think. Lots of people do though.
00:27:46
Speaker
have the people behind me is that sit behind me and they're like, what's he doing in goal again? oh I didn't know you could hear me. and night do You both sit behind me. that's because we just copied what you say and the the the 50-50 element of the love-hate that's where the Marmite thing falls down because the whole gist is that like half hate and half love i for for me it's more about the um we don't need the good stuff.
00:28:16
Speaker
like We don't need the the elaborate performative antics. What we need is a steady Eddie. Especially if you've got people playing in the form of the likes of McGonville, the likes of Cordoba, although first half poor but very good second half, Darling you know at times this season. kellen you when you've got a decent back four and i do feel like we've got a decent championship back four almost like clement has chipped it away at from the marble and revealed it to us but we have we have got a decent back four especially when everyone's fit and what they need behind them is someone who's going to come and get it when it's time to come and get it who's going to get it out to one of them quickly and then let them play football now i'm not even that bothered if they're not great with their feet uh you know, someone who is, can receive the coaching of rolling it out or passing it short, especially all our, I could take our goal kicks because he passes it eight yards to the right.
00:29:09
Speaker
Right. but that That's how we play, take place kicks. mean, I wouldn't always get it right. Sometimes it would go in the goal, but you know, the the point is we don't need, you know, someone out of the Man City school of of of passing 40 yards out of the back. We don't need that. we We just need someone who can get it to our ball-playing defenders because we've got technical defenders and we're away.
00:29:29
Speaker
So, yeah, i I really think, like you say, Punt, it's it's one for the summer. He didn't buy him. Of course he's going to come out and defend him because if he if he hasn't seen enough or his goalkeeping coaches aren't saying, yeah, Grimmie is the boy, i i think he's i think he's just as good in all of these capabilities or data or whatever,
00:29:46
Speaker
then maybe you know maybe he's had that conversation. He said, look, is is it is it worth it? And if they've gone, to be honest, there's not that much of a step up in quality. Maybe he just goes, look, the sensible thing to do from ah from ah ah um a confidence point of view is to just back the guy because I'm going to have to stick with him whilst he's fit anyway. He is the better of two two the two guys we've got in the building. So I'm going to back him. And then Yeah, it's it's it's a case of finding a European club to loan him to, and you know, for for for next season, which is what's probably going to happen, right? Well, you know, because he hasn't had a good enough season for someone to come in and buy him.
00:30:20
Speaker
Oh, I don't think that's really true. It's also like some of the saves he has done are have been incredible and there are not many championship goalkeepers that could pull those off and potentially those have got us points whereas obviously he's let goals in so it's hard to sort of see okay he might have saved points because he's brilliant shot stopper but also letting you know goals that he shouldn't have done so maybe he's just even really Maybe. i mean, it's it's just, again, that's the thing, obviously, with a goalie, like, you know, if you make a mistake, like John was saying, unless you get lucky, is a goal. So that you you're going to notice way more of his mistakes than, yeah know, Torre miscontrolling it or Oscar kicking out on play or whatever, like you are. But I don't know, it it's just, it's the nature of some of the bad stuff that you just think you don't even need to be trying to do that. Yeah. What are you doing? you just make You're creating a situation that that wasn't a situation out of nothing. um
00:31:17
Speaker
so it was almost like some of their It sort of reminds me a way of um elements of Besson. Besson would make a perfectly calm defensive situation, everyone's hair on fire, because he would do drag back or a Cruyff turn that you just think, what are you doing? It was great though. The striker was nowhere near you. I think he's one of the most technically adept defenders we've maybe ever had, Besson. It's just he would seem to choose to do it at the time it was most dangerous. Just wanted make it harder for himself.
00:31:48
Speaker
Okay. i think there was element of that for Cordoba as well with the goals on Saturday. He just he backs himself to to to stay close to the guy. But if he's got quite a fast runner he's up against, actually, maybe you need to give him the yard. I don't think it was his fault entirely, though, because Criseni was pulled out of position, wasn't he? and No, that's fair. And he relies on his pace so much. And this time he couldn't rely on his pace because that dude was pacey. He was fast. So it didn't work this time and it kind of gave him a bit of a shock, I think. Well, that might have been usually a boy.
00:32:20
Speaker
Birmingham had looked at us and knew that they could get down that side. If they got Chris Enney out position, like you say, Clare, then we were susceptible. And think Birmingham were the first team that kind of came with a template for 25, 30 minutes and actually made us look ordinary.
00:32:36
Speaker
um you know But in Big Phil we trust, he tweaked it and we were great second half. yeah Yes.
Predictions for Upcoming Matches
00:32:43
Speaker
so So what about Wednesday then? So we've got Wednesday on Wednesday.
00:32:47
Speaker
and I'm going to go first and say it's going to be 6-0. I think that it is the perfect time to play them. um We are going to get all the goals that we stored up. We're going to get to rest people and and and do minutes. It's going to be 4-0 at half-time. Rest and right Who are we going to rest? Who can we? Goran's Now, Torre's going to come up tore iss going to come off after. do you think he will?
00:33:11
Speaker
Chris Goran will start. I think Chris Goran may start. I think they might manage load. And again, it's this Magoma, do you start him on Wednesday? Do you start him on Saturday? I think that there will be a trade-off. there will I think there might be a couple of surprises in the line-up on Wednesday. i think He could do Magoma in the 10 and bring Slomani on second half because want Slomani against Leicester.
00:33:33
Speaker
Yeah. I think we're going to to manage all of those attacking players. Claire's making lots of faces today. am. I'm just, you know, look, I'm not i'm not saying I disagree. You're talking about it like it's a cup game. it's like But he's not he's not even really done that in the cup. i think he'll just put out our normal team and sort out. But what's our normal team? Because Magoma hasn't started in the league yet. Well, okay. I think maybe he'll start Magoma. But I think the rest of it, I don't think he's going to fiddle around with it too much. Get Tony Gary Springer in. Get him on the wing.
00:34:01
Speaker
Speaking of that, why on earth did he take Ahmed off at 89 minutes and put Spring on? Because Ahmed was causing havoc. He was. thought he had brilliant last 20 minutes. like he's only a few minutes left, so it can't be helpful taking him off just to manage minutes. And if anyone was going to create a goal, it was going to be him. Maybe. The crowd went flat after he went off. And everyone was like, oh, well, that's it then. Because spring, you know, God love him. But he's not going to have the same effect, is he? I didn't get that. It's the first time I've disagreed.
00:34:35
Speaker
Oh, you're questioning your boy. That and his ah his want for VAR in the championship. That's two things I've disagreed with in all. But maybe Phil was thinking that actually, by rights, Birmingham had wasted so much fucking time. in oh It was more than 25 minutes. But there was about 25 minutes that should have been added on. so he's like, actually, we need to give Ali a bit of rest. Oh, yeah. Yeah. yeah no he he was clearly one of the he He was one of those officiating performances where he played the pantomime villain. I'm sure he had absolutely no intention of today I'm going to be the pantomime villain because I don't think most referees probably do that. and But it was very clear when he made... They didn't out like that, don't they? when No, I don't think they tried to. What am I going to be today? But after a couple of after a couple of very, very debatable decisions that were clearly wrong and he got grief early, I really do think that there is a there is a personality type in referees where they decide, right, sod you then. i'm going to Everything that I see is 50-50, which means sometimes it's going to be 70-30. If I had it slowed down, and I'm just going to go with the awaiting or whichever team hasn't just given me grief. And I think he did that. I really think he did. He just decided, I'm just going to lean into it.
00:35:52
Speaker
um and the lino wasn't any better and yeah it's it's really frustrating but on the var thing i wonder if i mean so clemence had var for the majority of his managerial career i guess right so he's he's probably managed more games with it than without it um so i get where he's coming from i also wonder if it is only came in about six years ago though how long has he been a manager for Six and a half the um the only um ah ah the
00:36:30
Speaker
I also think it is a way of calling the referee shit without without getting Yeah, true, true. Maybe just being clever. Yeah, if if you say VAR would have been really good today, then that's your opinion on... He got it wrong. Yeah, you're basically saying a ref made loads of decisions that were were wrong, but but maybe that wording, get the LMA say... Sorry, I'll forgive him. I'll forgive him. Well done, Philippe.
00:36:55
Speaker
<unk> so Phew. That was quick. and Only one thing I disagree with him. Okay. So, ah yeah, Wednesday, guarantees. I've said 6-0. Then we went on a bit of a... Oh, no, one thing on Springit.
00:37:08
Speaker
It's funny that you should say that it was disappointing when he came on. So there's someone, two or three down on my row, was ah saying, bring Springit on, bring Springit on, get Gibbs off. Gibbs is terrible. Bring Springit on all the way through the first half. Then, obviously, Mugoma came on played brilliantly. And then when Springit then came on, he then complained that Springit had come off for earlier. It was this such an interesting observation of a football fan that when they finally get the thing they want, they're like, yeah, but not now. not only these now, not there. oh Yeah, exactly. Right, punt. Guarantees for Wednesday, Wednesday.
00:37:40
Speaker
ah We are going to win Oh, crumbs. Come on That's almost like a defeat against them. And it will be fine because that's all we need. That's all we need. Three points. I i feel nervous just hearing the scoreline. Hmm.
00:37:57
Speaker
It's going to be fine. It's going to be just fine. I'm worried because the last time we said that, it did actually. Tony Springer. Tony Springer, 25 yarder. Bang. Oh, okay.
00:38:08
Speaker
Yeah. I'm hoping that that's not the case. I think we will win 3-0. um We'll score two in the first half. Everyone relax a little bit. And then another one early on in the second half just to kill it. I think Torre will definitely get one because he had so many good chances and he needs to get his ah goals per minutes played ratio back up again. It's looking poor at the moment, isn't it? Yeah, every minute he wasn't scoring, i was like, oh no, this is not good. Yeah. He's almost not missed levels. The first one that got saved, that's the first time he's not scored with a shot as well, isn't it? Because he's scored every other time he's actually had a shot. Unacceptable. and that yeah now he's had well Now he's had like four shots and not scored, so that's terrible.
00:38:57
Speaker
did Did he also have his first shot outside the area? I don't know, did he? Are we calling that a shot? I mean, was that kind of just... They called... um they called an assist he had an assist for kenny's goal i mean that was well he did kind of it just hit him that's all right while he was getting landed on the floor it hit his that's fine goal contribution levels still right up there lovely yeah he did get an assist okay well that was good um who else is going to score i think um or cordoba i think he'll score um and what else who else
00:39:35
Speaker
Oh, I don't know. Oh, Ali. Ali Ahmed. Yeah, he hasn't scored for ages. he is ah it it He certainly deserve deserves one after Saturday. He deserved a goal. He was tremendous. Can I also just mention, I think our front three are all Muslim and all fasting. So their performance would have been even more amazing because I don't think they would have eaten any food because it's Ramadan. I wonder if he promised he would take him off because of Ramadan. With six minutes to go. Well, yeah, maybe he was like, you're having a really good game. And then Philippe went, oh, I told him I'd take him off. Sorry. Maybe. So that was even more impressive, I thought.
00:40:12
Speaker
yeah Well, no, that if if that is the case, then yeah, that is... I don't know how they manage it, but anyway. No, especially the shift that that was put in the second half. And and the recycling of the ball, and that's a big part of Clement Ball. dead the there is the The speed with which we get the ball back when we finally relinquish it. That is quite European. And so you know and i I don't think we've been good at it for...
Challenges Ahead: Leicester Match Expectations
00:40:41
Speaker
well, I'm not, it wasn't, I mean, Farker football wasn't really that, you know, it wasn't that pressy and win the ball backy, was it it it? It was, it was possession. It was that kind of European football, but this kind of press impacts relentlessly until it's a throw in or we get the ball back or, you know, they, if they do get through the press, we then kind of, then we'll kind of funnel back and then, and then try and get into a block. But um yeah, there are, there' there's there's elements of identity there that you think if, if he keeps getting given pieces that stay fit,
00:41:12
Speaker
we are going to play some really, really attractive stuff. um and the And the identity is going to be there. um So let's have a quick let's have a quick prediction for... Sorry, we don't do predictions. Guarantee for Leicester as well, because we're not going pod in between Wednesday and Leicester. So what's going to happen there? I'll come to you for a Foxes update, Claire.
00:41:34
Speaker
Oh, Leicester, they're having a bit of a shocker at the moment as well. I think we i think we might get a one-all draw at Leicester. Not going to say we're going to win because I don't want to jinx it.
00:41:45
Speaker
So one-all. Puntie baby. Yeah, I was going to say one-all. I was with Claire on that. i i think I think it is very important that we beat Wednesday and then we just avoid defeat on Saturday. If we do both of those things and we keep that gap with two games further on,
00:42:04
Speaker
I just think, you confidence-wise, it'd be brilliant for Norwich. So, yeah, I think, yeah, a four-point week, but probably one goals. Although Rowett's first home game, isn't Gary Rowett's first game. he's such shitbag as well. I hate Gary Rowett. Yeah. Well, now you've said that, you've tried harder. Claire, thank you very much for your time today. Punt, I acknowledge you exist. Everyone else, enjoy the 6-0 and then enjoy the Desmond 2-2 at Leicester. Mind how go.