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"Lucky Charm" ACN Pod 162
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We all have Clare to thank for 3 points at Charlton, but why? And can she do it again? We read some of your Random Nodge moments that you think noone remembers but should - email us yours to alongcomenorwich@gmail.com
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Transcript
Norwich City's Playoff Hopes
00:00:22
Speaker
Welcome to the Long Come Norwich podcast, churning through the closing chapters of the campaign with clattering commentary, crunching clashes and a cascade of canary-coloured conclusions. In recent contests, we've confidently clinically created chances as the canaries cut through with conviction, but in a sobering scrap against Southampton, their keeper conjured colossal contributions, clutching, clawing and cancelling countless clear-cut chances, continually curbing Norwich's capacity to capitalise. But there's still a chink, a cautious, compelling crack of contention for the playoffs, contingent on continued consistency and a couple of convenient collapses elsewhere, thanks to a charming victory as we disrespectfully chortled our way past Charlton.
Claire's Lucky Bird Incident
00:00:58
Speaker
Claire, we all owe you a debt of gratitude as you took one for the team in the form of a lucky omen on Saturday. I did, yes. It's all down to me, that victory. Sorry, Philippe and the boys. You've got nothing to do with it. um Yeah, about quarter past two Saturday afternoon, I was sat catching a few sun rays on my balcony and checking the team using a bird shat on my head. Having just had a shower and washed my hair, blow dried my hair, styled my hair, Yeah, wasn't the best timing. However, after thinking literally shit, I thought, well, that's the winner at Charlton. So yeah, obviously the bird chose me um for that very reason. And yeah, I'd do it again. I'd do it again because it clearly worked. yeah.
00:01:43
Speaker
Well, i think you should. I think all all all future London-based away games should start with shit the head. I know, i I really probably should have gone, but I was working night shift, so I couldn't face that. It's quite an arduous journey to Charlton from mine, so yeah, I had to go to work. But yeah, maybe that was why it was meant to be.
Norwich's Defense Praised
00:02:00
Speaker
you should have You should have been there at the end, giving it the fist pumps to the... yeah yeah yeah You should have been appreciated. Puntos, it wasn't Argyos though, was it? it was ah It was fairly straightforward. And, you know, really, we should have been out of sight. It shouldn't have been in any way nervy.
00:02:16
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it was nervy at the end. I think there's no getting away from that. Charlton did have um a couple of very presentable chances. and But we defended so well. And and that's the thing about this Norwich team now. I mean, look, what's that 12, 13 games that we haven't conceded in the second half?
00:02:35
Speaker
But you just feel so confident that we're not going to concede because McConville was imperious. Cordoba was just a man possessed in terms of the amount of stuff he headed, the amount of times that he he just broke out defence with the ball.
00:02:50
Speaker
There was a sheer... There was a sheer brute force and strength with absolute class in his feet and an assuredness that, that you know, he just seems to be getting better under Clement, which
Pella Mattson's International Potential
00:03:01
Speaker
is great. I thought Kellen did really, really well at left back and seems like we've got a new right back as well because Liam Gibbs, I mean, you know, he's played absolutely everywhere.
00:03:13
Speaker
And I thought, and all right, look, it's it's a weird sample section because it's Charlton and they're physical and you know they probably didn't pose the kind of challenges that that maybe your your archetypal top-end championship team would.
00:03:25
Speaker
But he did really well. And actually, his technical quality on the right-hand side was decent. um And the his industry kind of lends itself to...
00:03:37
Speaker
to the up and downedness of a fullback role. So now i thought, I thought first half we were excellent. And i mean, I'm just so glad that Pella Mattson got his goal and looked great again. So yeah, make Pella great again, because he, he was wonderful and almost metronomic in, in some of the things that he does.
00:04:01
Speaker
He's a wonderful, wonderful footballer. We touched on the pod about Clemens' comments about him recently. um and yeah and And I think he is one that... I mean, I'm shocked.
00:04:12
Speaker
I will be shocked if he doesn't get international honours before long. But I will also be shocked if there are not scouts already looking at him because there's not many midfielders who...
00:04:26
Speaker
You just look at it and you think, I can't see a deficiency, but I genuinely can't. you know kind of all right There's bigger athletes in the Premier League, but actually from a technical standpoint, he has all of the attributes to be a ah top class footballer in any in a top flight in in Europe's big leagues.
00:04:48
Speaker
Well, you it you probably would say it is getting in goal-scoring positions. I mean, you would say that's the one part of his game that, um you know, it isn't, yes, that's his first goal, but you can't really say, oh, it's been coming because, you know, he had that one saved and he hit that, you know, it's not like he's been dropping up. so That's not really his role though, is it? That's not where he's being asked to play. That's not what he's there to do. Just in terms of scouts, just in terms of if a scout was going, you know, what am i doing? and and this is what we, you know, that's what we said last time out, wasn't
Norwich's Offensive Strengths Discussed
00:05:17
Speaker
it? That if you need six, he will do your job. If you need an eight, he'll do your job. If you need 10, he hasn't done it for us yet, but I reckon he probably would do your a job and he'd be in and around it. But mean, going back to 10, I thought McGomir was excellent apart from his shooting. I thought he, again, there's another game where he played brilliantly and and it was just, you know, he made a couple of ah poor decisions and shot a couple of times when he had ah other options. I thought Ali Ahmed was excellent again. You know, wasn't on the ball as often as he was in in recent games, but but really affected and obviously got the assist.
00:05:47
Speaker
But Claire, in terms of those created chances, you know, what was that? ah I just double checked because the stats on the old Googles are a bit different to what Sky gave it or or the the feet the the feed I was watching and gave. But in two away games, that's now 27 points.
00:06:04
Speaker
shots in two away games that we've had. I mean, that that in in four days, that is just superb against, you know, one one team that, okay, Charlton aren't pulling up any trees, but but Southampton, you know the other form side, as they were referred to in leading up to the game. And if it wasn't for their keeper, you know, Worldies and Marilene, you know, then we get something for that game if we don't go on to win it.
00:06:24
Speaker
And actually the shots that we had against Southampton were probably more clear cut than the ones yesterday at Charlton as well. Especially at the end that Rory's header saved just being on the line by the goalie. Why did goalies always have worldies against us? It's just so annoying. um Well, by the same token, I saw um i caught a little bit of ah of a game from from a from a team in blue. um And likewise, they seem to get ah just untold levels of luck when it comes to things bounce bouncing for them, bouncing down off the bar and onto the onto the keeper's leg and out. and you just think any inch either way of any of those and it goes in. But anyway, we are where we are.
Playoff Chances Assessed
00:07:05
Speaker
and so ah
00:07:07
Speaker
it's weird looking at the table and seeing us in 10th. Because, you know, and another another week goes by and another another time we get a bit closer. Now, Punt, you're, you know, you were cup half full. It was going to be a Desmond tutu on Wednesday if we started Slomani and um if Wrexham lost and if we started Slomani and Magoma and all those things happened. But then we didn't didn't quite get lucky with the chances. um But then we win again on the weekend Hull annoyingly won because they'd had three losses in the last five and they were starting to drop off and you thought, oh, maybe they're they're going to be the one that might that might drop and then they've got the win. is it It's over, isn't it? The dream is over? It's 100% over. like You look at it and and I think with the goal difference as well,
00:07:54
Speaker
you'd be looking at a Southampton or a Rexham only winning three or or only picking up nine points out of what a possible 21. twenty one ah i just don't see that. So whilst it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Norwich go and win all of their remaining games, a for the record, I think we maybe win three or four.
00:08:12
Speaker
um But if we did, i still don't think it's enough. So ah yeah, I think it is a little bit beyond us now. We needed, we needed a lot of results to go for us um this week and they just didn't. So yeah, Look, it was fun while it lasted. It is fun talking about it. um It is utterly ridiculous. yeah Exactly. That that we are where we were able to talk about it.
00:08:35
Speaker
um And were that as we said recently, had that you know if there were another four or five games of this season, I think we probably are doing it. Or if it's next season when there's eight playoffs. Well, yes. Yeah, absolutely. yeah But it won't matter next season because we'll have won the league by February. So it's fine. yeah However, Claire, if I just draw your little attention, my little bird shit friend, oh and to you waves sound from me to the Southampton fixtures. So oh they're playing Wrexham next. They can't both win.
00:09:10
Speaker
They're playing Derby. But one of them One he had one of them does one of them does win. so oh but They win. Yeah, yeah, yeah. you've had Look, look.
00:09:22
Speaker
Grumbles. You've had your turn. Now this is... Fuck about half... Hang on. you talk up You talk over all of us all of the time. You can't do this on the pod. The cup half full children are having our turn now. So, and Claire. I was that child. I said no last week.
00:09:39
Speaker
We're in the pit. Right. Southampton playing Wrexham. Then they're playing Derby, who are also ah you know in the way. They're playing Swansea away, not an easy place to go.
00:09:50
Speaker
They've then got Bristol City, so I'll give them a definite win there. They've then got Blackburn scrapping for their lives with um three games to go. A bit form now. And then they've got Scum, who might be still pushing for top two. So that's a really, really ticky tricky game to call.
00:10:03
Speaker
And then they've got Preston away again on the last day when if it's you know when there's lots to play for. Who knows? So you'd maybe give them Preston, Bristol City and Blackburn, but the others are really not easy. So you could see them only only winning the the one game. If you then go to the Wrexham fixtures...
00:10:19
Speaker
and You have to be quite cup half full, but bear with me. and So they go to West Brom, who are terrible. ah They then have that Southampton game we talked about.
00:10:30
Speaker
and They then got Birmingham, who really are going to have nothing to play for, and Stoke, who are going to have nothing play for. Oxford, who will probably already be down by then. Coventry, who will already be on the beach by then. And Middlesbrough, who again will be probably fighting out with scum for for second. so and So yeah, it it probably it probably is over um because, yeah, Wrexham going to win at least five of those games, they?
00:10:53
Speaker
Plus the fact that our fixtures are rather tough coming up as well. so Well, yeah, but you're shooted you Well, you sort of can, because under Clermont, we're going to win all but one of them anyway, aren't we? you almost feel like you can just write them in. No, so it's it like you say, Punt, it's it's incredible that it that we're probably going to end up about six points off it, you know, or certainly within two or three results off it.
00:11:14
Speaker
And that is mad, really. i mean, just incredible. and Staying with the cup half empty theme, though, Claire,
00:11:24
Speaker
Do you worry, as I have begun to, that we have timed this form really badly?
Concerns About Future Challenges
00:11:32
Speaker
So have we wasted being this good in a season when it's too late?
00:11:37
Speaker
And do you think that actually there's very little chance of us being able to all go away over three months, have a big turnover or some turnover of the squad, come back in August and somehow manage to reignite and keep that momentum going?
00:11:51
Speaker
To me, it feels unlikely that you're going to get the form team in the division being the form team in the division, two divisions running. I think one of the luxuries we all have this summer, though, is that there won't be a huge turnover because we had such a massive one last summer. So ah we might lose a few... f But have we really got that many fringe players anymore? The fringe players have turned out to be blimmin' decent. So...
00:12:18
Speaker
We'll bring some in, but that's always a positive thing. We'll bring in a decent striker with the money we've got and wherever we're else we've got some gaps, we'll try and bring them in. And given the record of the January signings, they're probably going to be very decent players as well. And like you said last week, we're going to attract good players because of the way we've played. So that's definitely a positive as to how we've performed this season. But I think we'll will carry that momentum through and keep going. My only worry next season is that there are some huge teams going to be joining us from the Premier League. And i think um if one of them is Spurs, then it's going to be the Spurs roadshow for the entire season, which might be a good thing, keep the spotlight off us. But...
00:13:07
Speaker
it's going to be a tough season, but I, I think, I think it's, it's never, how can it be a bad thing to have played this well for this half of the season? Far rather that than the other way around. Far rather.
00:13:21
Speaker
Punt, do you agree that we can do, that it's not a bad thing? m Um, um, I never really, see, I used to subscribe to when people would go, oh, it's going to be a really tough championship next season. And then I found myself about this time of year, every year, someone would say it's going to be a really tough championship next season. And ah you know and and that's because, yeah, there's three teams getting relegated from the Premier League.
00:13:46
Speaker
ah But i i don't I don't know. ah With the exception of Spurs, would I be exceptionally worried about Wolves and Burnley? No. Will they be competitive in the division? Yeah, absolutely. um Lincoln going to be a lot of fun when they come up.
00:14:02
Speaker
um But, you know, kind of are they are they going to be top six contenders? No. You know, kind of... so You had two teams come up last season who, well, one of which looks like them they might make the playoffs and another, you know, kind of were we're flirting with it for quite a bit.
00:14:18
Speaker
So I think the championship will be what it will be. You know, you just have to be relentlessly consistent. Norwich have been relentlessly consistent. But what gives me confidence more than anything is Clement has just instilled something in the players. This this kind of
00:14:36
Speaker
fearless attitude that they have. And I just don't think that's lost over a couple of months in the summer. I think that I genuinely really, really believe that they're all just so hooked.
00:14:50
Speaker
and And I found a clip um
Clement's Leadership Impact
00:14:53
Speaker
the other day. i don't know why it appeared on ah on my Instagram feed, but it did. And it was Clement from probably like his first chat.
00:15:01
Speaker
and he And he said to the players like, oh, you know, this is what I'm going to want from you. And then he stopped himself and he went, no, this is what I'm going to demand from you. And I was like, okay, but actually now you reflect on that. You're like yeah, like ah they were all probably all in on him at that point because He is someone who, you know, he has that aura. He has something about him. I mean, you know, you would you would follow him, um you know, in into many a dark place. And and it's it's a quality in a football manager that doesn't come around very often. You know, kind of you look at look at some of the coaches that are getting to the, you know, the the top parts of the game now.
00:15:45
Speaker
Liam Rosinia, you know, kind of does not have that kind of aura, does it? I mean, you know, kind of like some of the some of those coaches at the top level, you ah you know, kind of are subjects of ridicule every week. And all right. A bit of that is is social media.
00:16:03
Speaker
But actually, some of them just just a bit like Liam Manning have just just swallowed you know kind of a book, a book of phrases that's come from you know kind of fucking high-performance podcast or whatever. like it It's, I don't know, Clement is real. Clement is proper. Clement is a leader.
00:16:22
Speaker
um And I think that's rare in the modern game. And I think that when people see it and recognize it they'll rally in behind it. um And ah and it's he's perfect for us right now. And I think that actually, as Claire was just touching on, players coming back, actually having a proper fit striker, having a proper number nine that's going to replace that lad who went to Toronto.
00:16:46
Speaker
You know having a another, you know, you'd think they'd probably go big on another winger because, you know, kind of that's that's been a difficulty this year. And, you know, even when Papa's back, you know, actually you still don't feel like we've got enough options in that area.
00:17:01
Speaker
I just think, I mean, the attacking output that we've got now with a threadbare squad is quite frankly ridiculous. So give him the tools. And and yeah, ah ah I'm very, very confident.
00:17:14
Speaker
My only worry is someone's going to take him. Exactly. and the And the more he carries on being so brilliant, he's, yeah, he's too, he is too good for us. Did you see that, Jake? I don't agree with Jake Humphrey a lot of the time, but did you see that clip that he was talking about, talking to Ben Knapper about how he managed to get Philippe? Yeah, I thought that was an interesting plant. um this Well, Atanasio said we were really honest about the way in which we sold it to him. Yeah, I don't... Yeah, I...
00:17:50
Speaker
i fear there's so much trust There's so much trust lost still, despite the fact that some of the signings clearly have got capability and and ah ability and a better aptitude for the division than we gave them the credit for and gave Napa the credit for.
00:18:08
Speaker
ah I still... It still baffles me how quiet he's been. I mean, it still baffles me. doesn't need to talk now, though. Well, but this is an opportunity for him to start to talk about, you know, it would be a free hit to sit down with the Pinkham boys and say, here's some things we got wrong, actually. Here's some things that we're going to learn from. And what I love about this current squad is this, that and the other. It could be like you could put out a couple of easy fluff pieces, you know, since Christmas, know,
00:18:37
Speaker
easily and and and start to start to have communication starts. Because the the challenge is if anything starts to get sticky again, people are going to turn on Napa way before they're going to turn on Clement. Because he hasn't built up and he he could have used this purple patch to start doing some fan events or start doing some, and you know, rocking up at the classic retro shirt thing that that was in the city this weekend. and I saw a couple of things on, well, firstly, by the way, happy birthday, PC World. happy and You know, many, many happy returns. You are aging very, very well, as Claire said earlier. What kind of cake do you think he would opt for?
00:19:18
Speaker
Belgian chocolate cake, obviously. Yeah, like a, ah I don't know, i think I think he's got, I think he's i think he's sort of
Team Celebrations Improve
00:19:28
Speaker
cultured. He talks so much about working all the time. It'd be whatever cake you can eat really, really quickly um so that he can get back to to to to preparing for for for Pompey and Millwall.
00:19:40
Speaker
Yeah, i was on the set my my social media roundup, there's a couple of things i wanted to to highlight. One was, and I think it was McG, and I'm sorry if I'm miscrediting this. I think it was McG who pointed out um how much the fist pumps ah has it have improved.
00:19:57
Speaker
And that is a key area that was was abysmal in the early days. He is a fist pump connoisseur, is Matthew. So yeah, that could quite well be him. So we've now fallen into this pattern where people now know what we're doing, which is you have a keen being, then you have a reluctant person. and then you haveish Yeah, being pushed, yeah. Yeah, then you have someone who everyone's like, all right, mate, I'm not sure it was your turn today. And then you have, come on. And that sort of that kind of loop and is in some kind of order happens all the time. And that's lovely. And they all know that it's three, not four, it's not five, it's not lots of little ones. So all of that has been organized. And so, yeah, I thought that i completely agree with that. um
00:20:34
Speaker
and And the other thing is the um I've seen a lot of, so saw some talk about this and not shaking hands business. I do think it's worth touching on because the um yeah you said it was a bit nervy. It was only nervy because we didn't take the three or four very, very presentable chances to be outside. The only reason they were still trying was because we we we kept it at one ni And whilst we defended relatively well, um you know we we ended up going a bit deeper than than would have been ideal because we sort had to because it wasn't a two-goal cushion. It wasn't a three-goal cushion. We should have been out of sight. And i do think that I do think we have got an absolute drubbing of someone ah not too far around the corner. Maybe after the international duty, not international break, international duty. um
00:21:23
Speaker
So, yeah, let's let's kind of cast our cast our minds ahead to that because it's two two very interesting games. um And, you know, Clement was talking about how he's going to have some players playing maybe on the Tuesday and then having to having to fly back and be available for for for the Friday. and Claire, what can how can you see it going on that and on the set ah on you know against those South Coast visitors on the Friday, the 3rd of April it will be when we next kick off? Yeah, I mean, I suppose everyone's in the same position to an extent, but we have got quite a lot of international players now on duty. But we're at home, which is a good thing. um
00:22:03
Speaker
And we're playing Portsmouth, who just got thrashed 6-1 QPR. So i feel like, you know, if we were going to have to play on a Friday, that's a decent enough fixture to choose, I think. and Plus, it's my dad's 80th birthday that day. So we are definitely going to win.
00:22:21
Speaker
And will he be taking a walk under any aviaries? I will sit him under the bird feeder in the garden prior to the game.
00:22:32
Speaker
That's what I need. and we So yeah, four losses in five for Pompey, and which is is sort of anti-Clement form. um what What about a guarantee from you, Punt? are we Are you guaranteeing over the two games? i want a two-game points haul, please.
00:22:50
Speaker
Oh, i'm I'm not particularly optimistic for either of them. um And I think it's, I think for the reason, right, when a team gets beat six one usually you'll get a reaction that very next game.
00:23:06
Speaker
Yeah, but it's too long. Like if it was this week. Just before an international player. But it's not after the international. They've stewed on it for two weeks. They're going to be even more pumped up.
00:23:19
Speaker
um But I think the more pertinent point is that we've got lads, you know, I mean, Slimani and Ahmed are ah playing in somewhere in Canada. you know kind of on the and I think I heard it on the Pinkham pod. I i didn't realise it was essentially early hours of the the Wednesday morning and then you know they' what they're expected to play at.
00:23:38
Speaker
Is it three o'clock kickoff on Good Friday? I think it is, isn't it? so Yeah, it is. That's a huge ask for two of our best attacking players. um you know and i I don't know if Cordoba's on international duty Salama. But I don't think...
00:23:53
Speaker
but i don't think So that's the saving grace, isn't it? Like Mo and Oscar potentially being back. Yeah. and ocar yeah But I don't think Pompey are going to have the proportion of international stars that we have. So actually they might've had two weeks on the training ground. They might've had, you know, kind of ah a lot more time to work tactically on, on exactly where they're going to need to be.
00:24:15
Speaker
And they need the points. They really, really need the point. So that, and same with Millwall. So I think we'll probably go and win one of them. um so i'm going to So I'm going to guarantee us three from the three points from those two games. um And as you know what? I wouldn't be dissatisfied with that haul. I think that's all right.
00:24:35
Speaker
Which one, though? Yeah. I think we'll beat Millwall. Beat Millwall at the Den? yeah Because it'll be very Norwich-y to do that. Yeah, i can't i can't see if I can't see a Clermont side losing to a Portsmouth team irrelevant. of yeah it just To me, it doesn't feel like... Because he's got ages to prepare. He might not have the people in the building, um but he's got he ah you know he's also got a long time. like They've put they' got a long time stewing on it. And yes, they don't have as many international players, so they might not be as tired, but it does mean they're a bit shitter. So, you know, we're we're good and tired. They're fresh and shit.
00:25:14
Speaker
So I, yeah, I, who knows this city is football, but Clement to me doesn't seem to have a team unless he, unless they play a really good team who put them to the sword when they have a sleepy first half,
00:25:26
Speaker
with Clement, you only ever seem to really be able to get to half-time in second, third gear, and then Clement gets into him, and then within 15 minutes, the game's changed. So, you know, having having that coaching, I just want to pick up that thing you said, Claire, actually, about, um you know, your worry is maybe he moves on. I don't ah i don't think so. I think he is... a I don't think he would would leave this project and unfinished. I think he he wants ah he wants a promotion and and and to have a go in the Premier League with the team he took there that he built there. He knows he must have been promised you know bonkers dollar signs from the Atanasio group.
00:26:06
Speaker
so I would hope But what if the like what if a Man United type club came in? Because he is a big club manager. He is, but he's had that he's had that experience in Scotland, obviously on a smaller scale, but he has had that experience of going into a european british a British club that routinely plays in Europe, trying to be a respectful way of of saying it um that are a bit of a rotating door and a run of bad results that might not be to do with you and and just you know discord off the off the pitch that you can't do anything about and all of a sudden you're out on your ear. So I do think that was probably a chastening experience for him that British football can be, to your point earlier, punt about so how much of it is social media. i mean, I wouldn't follow Liam Rossini in the queue at Greggs, let alone into battle. But I get the... I really think... I get the vibe from Clement that...
00:27:00
Speaker
no this is this is him and the other thing i wanted to say on social media that i saw and i think it might have been gary again i really do should make a note writing these things down um i will when i start getting paid to do it um i think it was gary so again sorry if i've miscredited it uh the build up towards you know that lot you few games away now that lot are coming up the road to um to to see us uh on the pitch beforehand announcing a five-year contract or a five-year extension or something. I thought, yeah, I do fancy that. Yeah. and i'm about as I'm about as confident at the moment before a one-off Derby game as I've been for a long time. We'll see how we are in the week leading up to it. We're certainly better placed than last time anyway. Well, yeah, and yeah we we'll cover this in Derby week, but I feel it's interesting how how that the vibes around that fixture have fluctuated this season, but we'll like we'll have we'll have a pod just before that. and So we actually asked you for some input, lovely, gorgeous, wonderful ah listeners and friends. Um, because we were, we were chatting and after we mentioned the roly poly Rotherham chap, um, there was a few people who said that that jogged the
Listener Engagement Encouraged
00:28:13
Speaker
thing of that. They'd only thought that they were the only person in the world to remember.
00:28:16
Speaker
Um, so we asked you to email into along come knowledge at gmail.com, which you're welcome to on any subject really that takes your fancy. We are very poor at actually asking people proactively to email us, to do stuff and and and to say stuff, but we will read it out if you do email us. um So please get in touch with whatever you would We don't always remember.
00:28:35
Speaker
We don't always remember and sometimes it's abusive. and So if it's abusive to me, we'll read it out. If it's abusive to Punt, we won't because obviously we respect him. and But Punt, ah give us ah your favourite one of of the emails on on the topic we asked about.
00:28:49
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, i I like this. I like this one purely because it speaks to um something which has been lost now in this age. which is the um end of season review VHS, which, you know, I'm such a fan of those.
00:29:06
Speaker
um Always remember having, i think it was, was it the 89, 90 season that I had on VHS? And that was the one with Robert Rosario's goal against Southampton, which, ah oh, or anyway, so it's from Daniel Kelly.
00:29:19
Speaker
And he says um he remembers a game on the 97-98 season review video versus who he thinks is Port Vale at home, where the commentator was very annoyed that Norwich kept celebrating goals and was actively praising the ref for telling them to get on with it.
00:29:34
Speaker
So he was very confused about this, that he'd never heard he never heard a commentator so desperate to not be commenting. um He thinks we won three or four nil. He has never heard this commentator's voice outside of that clip.
00:29:48
Speaker
um And... he wishes to know who said commentator was. So, I mean, we can't help with any of that, Daniel, but thank you for sharing your memory with us. Someone else might though. Yeah. I'm like, listen, I am all for. hope it's Dan O'Hagan now. That would be amazing. he No, it's too early, surely for O'Hagan. He's part of our age.
00:30:09
Speaker
yeah Yeah, maybe. i am I'm more than happy for ah petty grievances and grudges and tracking down random facts that you don't seem to be able to Google. More than happy for us to be a vessel for that.
00:30:22
Speaker
Longcomenowage at gmail.com for any random facts you'd like us or or commentators you thought were good ones that you'd like to ask if one of the listeners can remember. um ah Dave Freezer, and lovely, lovely Dave, and said this on on on our socials when we when we were talking about and random, oddly specific nudge moments. um And I had completely forgotten this. And and yeah he had actually tweeted it the the day before. So and the day Yuri Geller helped City snatch a playoff place on the last day of 2001-2002, and Dave on on X helpfully attached um a picture of win Norwich win with the Yuri Geller's eyes, which actually reminds me a bit of the wolf when we when we when we signed him. yeah. And just do your job on the back and with Worthington's hands in the air. I had completely forgotten that that was the thing. But definitely remember it now. like we I'm not sure how nudge that is. I feel like Yuri Geller, once every three years, seemed to be helping someone in sport.
00:31:27
Speaker
There's got to be a backstory. There has to be who in the Norwich City media team managed get I feel like it was Delia. Yeah, maybe. I feel like Delia has something to do with it. I mean, you know, we could probably ask Dave to fish out there. I know he doesn't work for Archen anymore, does he?
00:31:43
Speaker
He's BBC now. Anyway, we'd get someone there to fish it out. It worked or anyway. so That was clearly the factor. but That was when he was doing all his spoon bending and stuff, wasn't it?
00:31:59
Speaker
It was. It was. i mean, I don't know if he's still up to that. Claire, what do you have for us? I had to Google whether he was actually still alive, to be honest, but he is. So, um ah yeah. So mine is from Brad and ah he said, take take you back to the 5th of Feb, 2005.
00:32:19
Speaker
We were 1-1 at halftime versus West Brom, and he was a bit peckish, so he treated himself to a Cornish pasty, but he was a bit more focused on drinking his pint at halftime, so he took his pasty back to his seat. um And then a few minutes later, Kieran Richardson scored and gave the Vs to the Barkley, and he was so enraged that he threw the pie towards Kieran Richardson from his seat, and it hit him square in the face. it Couldn't have happened to a nicer player, I might add. um And then in the EDP season roundup, someone claimed that this was the highlight of the whole season and his boss clipped out of the newspaper and kept it for him.
00:33:01
Speaker
And he said, if anyone can find video footage, he'll buy them a pint.
00:33:08
Speaker
Do you not remember that at all, but I must have been there. It was the day after my birthday. I'm pretty sure i would have been there. I'd like to see that. I will buy three pints if someone can find the the video footage of of pie in the face. You'd think we you think that would have been on a like a highlights roundup show that evening. Yeah.
00:33:24
Speaker
Yeah. A hundred percent. But in celebration. Was that the age where there was just less cameras in football stadiums and maybe it didn't get caught? I don't know. Well, the angle wasn't quite right.
00:33:37
Speaker
It's glorious though. Yeah, no that is that is wonderful. yeah give us your Give us more random, nods related incidents that you think you're the only one who remembers because it is nice to to remember things that aren't the things that we keep pulling up, the same old stories. um Now, ah I want some ah concrete guarantees, please, after the ah international duty, Claire. So we we've talked around it a little bit. I want a specific score, as always, and I want a specific scorers, and starting with the the Pompey game. But we are going to do both because it's ah it's a doubleheader.
00:34:12
Speaker
Okay, I will go with a lovely little 3-0 win against Pompey. and Lovely. I reckon Mo's back, so I reckon he'll stick one in, get back on the goal go track.
00:34:30
Speaker
um And then i think Paris, because he owes us one after yesterday, and he was really annoyed of himself, so I think he'll do his best to get one. And then...
00:34:43
Speaker
Oh, well, it would be, wouldn't it be lovely if Kellen finally scored to celebrate my dad's birthday? That would be glorious. because he's he's had debt He's got to do it at some point, bless him, hasn't he?
00:34:54
Speaker
Yeah. that Well, that was a stat, wasn't it, that Chris Gorham said that he's had more shots than Slomani, wasn't it? Yeah. But he has played more games. He did add that. Yeah, but also, as Chris said, don't let Trude get away with a good stat. Yeah. and then And then after that, Millwall. I don't think we will win at Millwall. That will draw.
00:35:15
Speaker
Yeah. maybe yeah Maybe a one-all draw tight. um And I will say that, the let's say Kenny scores.
00:35:28
Speaker
Yeah. And yeah, that would be ah four points out of those two games. Glorious. Yeah. Keep us on track for eighth place. Go on then, Punt. We're going to lose against Portsmouth. What's the score going to be? um Well, we're still not going to concede in the second half. So I think Pompey will get an early goal.
00:35:48
Speaker
And um yeah, it'll just be a scabby 1-0. We will pepper their keeper, but it just it's just one of those days where it doesn't happen. It doesn't happen for whatever reason. If Portsmouth have got an early goal, I cannot see them holding out because it will be... I'm i'm just saying it's very, very Norwich, right? I mean, Pompey are winless in however many games.
00:36:09
Speaker
but you know we're ah I'm just saying, just saying. I'm not wishing to be negative. like We're not going to make the playoffs. It doesn't matter, does it? It's very negative. Sorry, Mum. Yes.
00:36:21
Speaker
Tell you what. Okay. and And then on the Monday, that's when the win does come at the den. We're going to shit him. We are going to absolutely shit him. It's going to be 3-1 Norwich. Paris McGomey is going to score a free kick.
00:36:34
Speaker
um Kenny's going to score a header off a corner. And Motore is going to triumphantly return to the starting line-up and score one off his buttocks. It's going to great.
00:36:45
Speaker
yeah ah Wonderful. If that happens, i'll take I'll take it that way around if it happens. Yeah, it'll be much better. It's always better. you know it like Delayed gratification, Claire. It'll be fine. Yeah, okay.
00:36:57
Speaker
But we've got um we've got quite a few expected back, haven't we? Oscar and Mo. And Stacey and um what's his face? Chris Eni.
00:37:08
Speaker
Yeah, and ah so I'm just thinking if we've got If we've got those international players, then then realistically, maybe we don't need to necessarily start them. we Because, I mean, he loves ah he loves a wholesale change on hour mark, doesn't he? So you get Margoma to start and then you get Slimani to do the last 30 minutes when we're already threeinging up um And then you get um you give Torre a cameo or maybe even 20-minute cameo and Kvist Goren does this. Let's have a word on Kvist Goren because he he nearly did something really pooky and then he didn't.
00:37:47
Speaker
and Twice. Twice. So twice he latched onto a through ball and his first touch was the kind of get it out of your feet. That was just very pooky. Like not, not a, not a hard touch, not ah you know, one was sort of croifey, but it wasn't, you know, massively elaborate. It was just a, I'm going to change my body position, which is going to throw the the defender. And now I'm going to stroke it into the goal. Ah, no, I haven't done that bit.
00:38:09
Speaker
Do you think he is going to come right or do you do you think that effectively his season is running out because, yeah as Claire alluded to earlier, we're expecting a 9, 10, 11 million pound signing that's going to be the number nine from next season. so he's And and he he isn't he's not in the Lukaku mould that Clement likes punt. Do you think you think if he if he can't get four or five goals between now and the end of the season, Clement's going to move him on?
00:38:38
Speaker
i don't so I don't think Clement's having him. I don't think Clement's having him. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing to have a lot of strikers. And that's something that Norwich... We haven't carried a lot of strikers for many seasons. And it kind of sometimes it baffled me because other teams would do it and would have no issue in terms of you know kind of managing personalities.
00:39:00
Speaker
um And we could have done with it this season. However...
00:39:06
Speaker
PC's not having him now. The reason that I think he doesn't move on is we've said about it on this pod several times. He doesn't look fit. I wonder whether he is waiting to undergo some kind of procedure.
00:39:18
Speaker
And if he does, is anyone going to sign him when he's recovering from knee slash ankle slash, you know, any other surgery? I don't know. So it might be that, you know, that that we do have another season with him and,
00:39:34
Speaker
I think he could be really, really useful in a two. he looks like he's is's He looks like he's that kind of player. um I don't think Clement pivots to a two much, but...
00:39:46
Speaker
Who knows? you know PC has surprised us surprised us many, many times this season and he may do so again. it i think it might depend on just how dominant we are with the ball next season. And and if we are completely dominant and everyone knows their jobs, um he did hint at maybe playing two up front at some point. So...
00:40:05
Speaker
I don't think it's completely... Yeah. ah but And look, I think Chris Goran can play just behind a front-line striker. i think I still think he could play in wide areas as well in in a proper three front. He's kind of done that this season when we did have the number nine up front. so And he did it yeah very well. So he's definitely got a role.
00:40:26
Speaker
I think fit it for Clement, it's more like he doesn't see it going yeah you know he doesn't see Chris Goran maybe doing the other the bit the other way. you know kind of I think he's very good going forward. Magoma has really surprised me in terms of his defensive aptitude and is is willing to kind of come back and his strength to be able to shield the ball and hold other players off. Chris Goran isn't that kind of player, is it of he? Really? I think he is. He's quite... I think terry works hard. Yeah, he's terrier-like, but I don't but don't necessarily think he's got the defensive aptitude. It's not a lack of work rate for me. It's more just that when he gets there, does he really know what to do? Might he just bundle into them and give away a free kick? Whereas Magoma seems a lot more considered and able in that way. Yeah.
00:41:16
Speaker
So, yeah, I ah don't think his time at the club is completely done, but I think I just don't think he's going to fit the mould. And and that that is very difficult to to see him having a ah significant future at the football club.
00:41:29
Speaker
um And plus we're going to sign someone who's going to be totally brilliant and great forever, like, you know, Kasper Hoog or however you say certain name. So who do you think will be, well what is the archetype you think? do you So of the players that we've either got or we've had in the last three or four seasons, what do you think is Clement's ideal starting number nine that we do spend the big money on?
00:41:52
Speaker
you know is it Is it a Makama? Is it a Torre? Is it a Sargent? Is it a Pukki? Who is it? I hate to say it. I think it's a Sargent. I think he is exactly the type of profile that well most championship managers wanted to work with. um you know And Liam Manning was effusive in his praise and so was PC.
00:42:13
Speaker
But it is that type of striker who's... athletic, decent in the air, but actually technically has has got it as well. It is pretty quick, can finish. Yeah, I mean, like i'm I'm all up for a redhead if if if that's the the direction that we go. But um yeah, it it feels like it's the type of guy. But what I will say is it feels to me like I'd really like someone who who can play really effectively with his back to goal. And I'm not saying Toure can do this long term, but some of his, not hold up play, but the touches that he he had showed us,
00:42:57
Speaker
for it bringing other attacking players into the game were really encouraging for me. and you know and I still think Torre looks really raw and I'm not not actually sure whether he'll work out as a frontline striker for Norwich, you know which sounds ridiculous given the amount of goals he's scored.
00:43:12
Speaker
But some of the little things that he did when he'd when he'd got comfortable in the system gave me encouragement. and ah And it would be... So I think what I guess what I'm trying to say in a roundabout sort of way is I think we need a link player who can finish. And if we get that, then sky's the limit under PC.
00:43:29
Speaker
I mean, I think... Mo and and Jove are two really good strikers and have got so much potential. But i guess that is the issue, isn't it? They are both still so young and raw.
00:43:43
Speaker
i mean, Jove stepped up amazingly well when we lost Sarge. But um he is, what is he, only 21 still, is he? 22? Yeah. So I think we'll be looking for someone that little bit older, that little bit more experienced.
00:43:59
Speaker
It would be really interesting to see if we do still go in for Kasper Ho, because Poto Glimmter now out and that's all over, their dream is over. so um ma And he it sounded very much like he was quite literally coming to Norwich, bar that incredible turn in their form in the Champions League. But... So who knows, that might still be a a done deal. But is is he good is he what we we can afford? We can afford more now, I guess.
00:44:27
Speaker
Now we've got the Sarge money. So i don't i don't know who's out there, but I think some are just a little bit older and more experienced. and Well, to to to the point we made earlier around playing out wide and it working,
00:44:40
Speaker
if you do get the the number nine, who is more, ah so McCarm is 22, just turned, just turned in February. Um, so, you know, you could, you could picture, um, having that more established, know, Sergeant S guy, proven goal scorer, very clearly the chosen number nine, because he's cost the most and he's on the most wages. Um,
00:45:01
Speaker
But you could picture that new person, Makama one side and Toure the other. And, and ah you know, you you could picture having ah an absolute battering ram front three, or you could picture, know, more width, what like you were saying about maybe playing 4-4-2.
00:45:16
Speaker
if Diallo and Ali Ahmed are both fit and firing and and and at full flight, one of them either side. So you are really, really occupying the the opponents in wide areas. Maybe you can afford to to just have the two in central areas and push one further up. And and then you're playing, you know, Makama with Kriskoronovim or Torre with Kriskoronovim. Or again, love the idea of Torre and Makama together as a two-headed beast like...
00:45:45
Speaker
and battering ram. yeah Because yeah i agreed, some of Torres touches and bringing people into play, the speed with which he can be back to goal, lay it off, and then it's his it's his pace over the first 15, 20 yards. That was what, yeah watching him live, ah sadly, only a couple of times kind of thing, because obviously he didn't play that many games before being injured. But that's what really took your breath away with how yeah the raw tools that he's got there, that if you could you know if you can finesse some of those other parts of his game,
00:46:14
Speaker
the athleticism is unreal. And so, yeah, yeah you imagine him, guess it's weird because we we've said this about so many players this season, but you know imagine imagine if Sargent had have stayed the number of goals he would have scored the way that we've played and the kind of chances we've created. How many chances does Sarge score if he if we're creating 27 chances in two away games, right? you know He's probably getting two hat-tricks. And you think about Torre, once Magoma got up to speed,
00:46:43
Speaker
I'd love to see them you know doing triangles. ah Him, Magoma and Ahmed, or him, Slimani and Ahmed, ah you feel like they could you know they could really, really make hay with with the chances. So, yeah, i I think you're right, though. I do think that Clement's got a type.
00:47:00
Speaker
And and and i who it will be, the the chances are we probably, even though we have got more money now, it's not going to be someone we've heard of because that they yeah they're going to cost probably 30, 40 million more than we've got.
00:47:12
Speaker
um other other than that one lad at Bodo Dubri. you know if But you feel like he's scored enough Champions League goals now that that he's goingnna he's going to go to the Premier League, you'd think.
00:47:24
Speaker
True, yes. Yes, that is true OK, well, enjoy your ah international duty. Enjoy trying to follow all of the 3am and other games in the far flung corners that that are our beautiful team is going off to do. and We're working on something in the background that means there might be another episode before our back to back Easter weekend. and So we'll let you know on the socials as and when that comes up.
00:47:49
Speaker
Keep your emails coming into alongcomenorwich at gmail.com with anything you would like to speak to Punt and Claire about. And, you know, you can ignore me if you like. That's fine. And I acknowledge you exist, Punt, as always. Claire, it's been a pleasure, shithead.
00:48:03
Speaker
And I will. I wish the rest of you a wonderful international duty break. Mind, how you go.