Transcript
Speaker: Hello and welcome to OTB, a Norwich City podcast, the Norwich City show that can do it two times in a week if it wants to. I'm Ryan Livermore and tonight we are back with a bang. Nine goals, seven different scorers, two wins in a week, four on the spin, two clean sheets, six points earned and now only three points off of the playoffs. How times change.
Speaker: And dissecting it tonight, we have two of our regulars who make up the perfect little and littler combo. The first was at Ashton Gate on Saturday, probably to stake out Michael Scubala as a future head coach tip when Philippe Clamont leaves. It's Dan Brigham. Hello, Dan. How are you doing after your trip to the West Country on Saturday?
Speaker: Hi Ryan, hi all. I'm very good thanks. I hadn't seen Norwich win out away from home since we beat Huddersfield 4-0 under David Wagner. um Been to many away games since then but not seen us win so feeling very good after um after a win like that.
Speaker: So what you're saying is when they win, they win big. They win big. Yeah. i have I've seen us lose 5-0 as well, so it's also nice to actually finally see us win 5-0. I think it's probably the biggest away win I've seen in in the league anyway.
Speaker: what What is your goal difference looking like then for the season? I mean, in in general, since the Huddersfield game... I'm going to probably say it's pretty it's pretty level now, like probably a nought, because I've not seen us get hammered since that, since the Huddersfield game, but I've seen us lose some tight games and draw a draw a few as well. So yeah, pretty, not like Norwich, who've suddenly gone from what, minus three to plus seven in a week or whatever it is, or plus eight yeah in a week, which is extraordinary stuff.
Speaker: It is incredible, isn't And speaking of numbers, the next guest is our statistical sire who had a field day with numbers after this week, so much so that he needs another field day just to touch some grass. It's Steve Sanders. Hello, Steve. I'm excited for your stat attack tonight.
Speaker: Thank you very much. ah Yeah, obviously it's a double win when Norwich win 5-0 because I'm excited about the result and I get to spend the entire rest of the weekend just on my laptop posting as many things as I can think of, which, you know, for for me, ah if not for anyone else, is ah that's that's the perfect way to spend my time. I'm unique in that regard, I think.
Speaker: I know it's been a good weekend for football when I do scroll on Twitter and just see so many stats come up from yourself. So I'm very, very grateful that we can all experience that again tonight, which sounded like I was being sarcastic. I promise you, really wasn't. It's fine if you were, I'm sure. for For those people who've read it, they're probably like, oh God, he's going to do it again.
Speaker: You may have noticed no Zoe Morgan tonight. She was meant to be out of this podcast with a ruptured prefrontal cortex after successfully predicting Saturday's 5-0, but thankfully she is joining us briefly remotely via voice note.
Speaker: Hello there, OTB listeners. at Zoe Morgan here, long time panellist, first time voice motor. I'm stood in the middle of London at the moment, talking into my phone like an idiot, feeling a little bit like when Michael Bailey used to film his videos outside in public, talking to his phone. um I'm very sorry I can't be there for the podcast to talk about two incredible wins in a week, but I would just like to mention two things while I'm here.
Speaker: First, I saw in person my third Norrie City win of the season this year. um This is my first away victory in person. So I think over three years, I would like us all to agree now that my curse has been lifted. i am not the reason we lose.
Speaker: um Secondly, i know a lot of people might think when I predict that we're going to win every game 5-0, that I'm silly or I'm not a serious person. We have nearly done being unthinkable. We have nearly won Weiss and won 4-0 and 5-0 in a week.
Speaker: What I would say to everybody is don't let anybody try and talk you out of having dreams. Anything is possible. You just have to believe it can happen.
Speaker: Have lovely podcast. See you later. Bye. My question is, right, if Zoe's in the middle of London and that's the quality of the audio, did she borrow Alex Neal's phone? It did sound like she was calling from, say a black and white film starring Jimmy Stewart from a train station in New York. or like it Maybe she was in a red telephone box or something, just putting 20 Ps in the meter. I was slightly worried that going to London had made her turn into Jake Humphrey at the end there, talking about chasing your dreams and not letting anyone tell you that you can't do something. but So let's ah it's it's an honourable statement, but let's never have that kind of thing repeated on this podcast again. Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, I concur. I concur entirely. Just stats from now on, please. Yeah, just stats. No mention of happiness at all. Ideally. Or anyone who deserves it or may not deserve it. Up to you, Jake. Just a quick reminder that us at OTB and Norris City Podcast will turn up every week, even if the team doesn't, and although they have now twice, which is amazing. We are now on Patreon and Substack for all of your extra content, steering you through the 26-27 season. For just £2 a month, you can gain access to exclusive episodes and ad-free content on Patreon, and our free Substack will be regularly updated throughout the season if the written word is as much of your thing as the spoken one. But kicking off the episode tonight, it is Steve Sanders with Stat Attack.
Speaker: The numbers are coming, so you better watch your back and get ready for the stat attack. What an honour. Thank you, Ryan. ah Very exciting to be leading out. At about time, I would say, ah to be leading the programme. People come up to me in the street and say, Steve, firstly, thank you for all you do. And I say, you don't worry about it. But also, when are we going to be pushing the stats at the beginning of the program well this is the perfect time. 5-0, a 4-0, and then I'll shut up for a bit. Nine away goals in a week for the first time ever for Norwich City. So that's ah a good way to start a podcast. um
Speaker: Back-to-back away wins by four goals or more for the first time ever. 12 goals without conceding away from home in a row for the first time ever. 12 goals without conceding anywhere at all ah for the first time since April 2004. The UK number one at that time was, ah let's call it Eff It, I Don't Want You Back by, and anyone remember? 2004.
Speaker: ah can i Can I have a clue? Can I have the initials of said artist? Just E. Eminem? That's a really good guess. If I tell you that... Enya. The first less good. Oh, yeah. Famously, after she sung the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, was singing, f you, I don't want you back.
Speaker: Elvis. A bit dead. It's not stopped him though the last 30 has it? Estelle? These are all good e-guesses. The same first name as somebody who used to present on GMTV and ah supports Manchester United and it's from Northern Ireland.
Speaker: a Amen. Amen.
Speaker: Colin Murray. Oh, Colin, yes, of course. E. Colin. E. Colin. E. Coli is a great answer. Yes, Eamon, no relation to Eamon Holmes. mean, they've really got the same first name, so it wouldn't be related, I guess. And number one film was which Quentin Tarantino movie?
Speaker: Oh, it'll be a Kill Bill, right? It will build be a Kill Bill, Volume 2 to be exact. um First time since January 1959 that Norwich City have scored three or more goals in four straight games. And Big Phil is the first Norwich City manager to win three away league games by four or more goals. He's done it in under a year in the job. Pretty good. um only say Sorry, say that one again. see he's He's the only Norwich City manager to have won three away league games by four or more goals. ah I thought you about to say in succession. So just ah across and an entire managerial reign. Yeah. Really? So Farca never did it.
Speaker: ah well the managers lamb but yet All the Yeah, Okay, all right. I take your point. Oh, no, did you say Lambert? Oh, God, no I missed him out. Oh, I hadn't thought of Farca either.
Speaker: but What you mean Peter Grant did it? What? Above all those people, Big Phil. Sorry, I meant the first Belgian Norwich City manager to win early games, 5-4 plus. Yeah, I mean, I guess it doesn't happen very often. It happens a lot less often. I think because it started happening more regularly, we think it happens more often than it does, if that makes sense. And only twice have we had five different Norwich City scorers in an away league game. Both times it's happened this year, this game and the West Brom game. So not under Farker or Lambert? Might have happened under Dave Stringer or Glenn Roderick. Anyway, in terms of goals, it's the most we have scored in our opening 15 league games since 1952. 32 goals we've scored. And we are the second highest league scorers in the whole of the Football League with 32 and the joint most away goals with 19 in the entire Football League with West Ham, although six of theirs were against nine-man Lincoln City. So I declare us the winners of that as well. Right, if anybody is still listening, I will hand back over to you, Ryan.
Speaker: The numbers are coming, so you better watch your back and get ready for the stat attack. Steve, much like you with your stats, and this Norwich side don't do things by halves, do they? what ah What a turnaround this has been. I mean, nobody, we joke about it, but nobody could have seen the last week coming, could they?
Speaker: No, just having a look to see if there were any halves in my stats. working Actually, there were. But no, way um no, I certainly didn't see it coming because I was saying, and rather ashamedly in the last podcast, I'd be happy with a 1-0 and a 0-0, which now looks... Fairly negative. In fact, you know what? after With Zoe's words ringing in my ears, i'm just got this is the this is the podcast where it's just going to be positive. I'm going to be overly positive. It's the best thing I've ever seen. And then even better, the best thing i've ever seen on Saturday. um That was incredible. Two near flawless performances, I think. um
Speaker: I was thinking during the Derby game, like everybody is having a good game here. And then it was kind of the same against Bristol City as well. I think they had to grow into it against Bristol City more, um but I would say ah against a a slightly tougher opponent. But yeah, to think that we'd be sitting here on after and saying, you know, we won 4-0 and that wasn't even our best result of the week um is is kind of mad.
Speaker: And again, you know, we we were sort of talking about the importance of getting a clean sheet. And I think the confidence that that's given us to know that we can do that now is just pushing us on. And and and i i think what this team is really good at, as evidenced by the last couple of games, is when they smell blood, they really go for it and they can take teams apart.
Speaker: The next step, of course, is doing it against higher quality opposition. That's where we we need to be if we're going to push for the top top six, i was going to say, but top eight. But, yeah, the the quality of football that we saw, ah the way that they now look in control of games where things were slightly chaotic, well, more than slightly chaotic, I think, before this week, it feels like we've got big Phil's Norwich back from last season. um and And that's exactly where we want to be going into the international break. Maybe the only negative that I could say is that it's a shame now to have two weeks off because it feels like we've just hit our stride. But full credit to the, well, it's apart from the left back changing, it pretty much it is the same 11. And I'm sure we'll get onto to individual players. But it but i think we were sort of saying we need to we need to find a formula that works. It feels like we found one.
Speaker: Dan, it's a strange one because since the 21st minute of Charlton away, they they have actually got better and better and better. And it has almost been a linear kind of progression. What has been the catalyst for that progression so far? Because I think even halftime against Watford, when they we said they needed a big half and they came back with...
Speaker: Probably the best show of character they've done as a side for months and months. They absolutely have put these two teams to the sword and it looks even chalk and cheese from that day. So what has been the the reason for this gradual change ah over the last week or so?
Speaker: I guess there's many things. ah start with the obvious, which is it is a kind of fixture list. We all said it ah ahead of the sort of run that started with Portsmouth, which we obviously lost. with it It is undeniably a pretty kind fixture list where we've played teams at home who have been who haven't won away and we've played teams away who've really who've done really poorly at home um And we have seen glimpses earlier in the season when results didn't fall our way that we there were still sort of ah ghosts of a really good team from last season in there and and memories of that. um It hasn't been quite as bad as it sort of was starting to feel in that sixth game losing streak.
Speaker: um And then i think it helped that we started this run when we didn't have back-to-back Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday games. We had two weeks in a row where we only played on a Saturday, and I think that gave... Clemence and much needed time on the training um pitch as well. um And I also think, as Steve sort of mentioned, the keeping relatively similar front for and and through injuries, central midfield pair has helped as well. I think rotation made sense at the start of the season with the injury concerns we've had. But I think it's now a case of
Speaker: That's sort of coming to fruition. The players are fit now. The ones coming off the bench are fit. We, Touchwood, haven't had quite as many injuries as this time last season. And so those connections are building.
Speaker: We've found a number 10 as well after really failing to find a number 10 for the first 10 games of the season. Magoma has um properly picked it up, I think, and I'm sure we'll come on to talk about him.
Speaker: um And also when we came back from an international break and we had those games against Swansea and Sampton and Portsmouth where it felt like we'd lost our identity. Clement had forgotten that, you know, what he's talked about when he came in last season about wanting to get out of the relegation battle by playing like a confident team and a team that scores goals. It felt like we were playing like a team that was managed by a sort of a firefighter. But from...
Speaker: 20 minutes into the Charlton game onwards, we've played like a team that just wants to play a lot you know play a lot of good football, score lots of goals. And I think that suits um suits our personnel as well really well. We're not a team that's going to sit in a low block and hoof it forward and get any luck with that. We are a team that have got unbelievably threatening team front four and lots of players to fit in there and we've and we've got a decent ah back line as well so it's once a game playing to our strengths obviously the proof will be ah as Steve said whether we can continue this after the break when we come up against some ah better teams um although it's quite heartening to see after we dispatched Derby County they then won their next game um and we also put five past a team that set up that have set up really well this season and have been really difficult to break down as well. And if people had um watched, say, Middlesbrough or um West Ham United or Wolves put four past Derby and then follow up with five past Bristol City, then everyone would be like, well, they look like champions in the making. and So although the fixture league has been kinder, we have...
Speaker: Properly put on a show, though. Although I do think Bristol City were a much, much tougher side than 5-0 reflex across the first 50 minutes of that game. That's something I want to discuss in a little bit, Steve. But before then, you you can look at...
Speaker: the fact they travelled to a Derby side who were almost rock bottom and moral i say morally rock bottom as if they're really horrible people. Well, they have sunshine, definitely. Yeah, true, true. But they certainly they were were very low as a team in Bristol City.
Speaker: It's very clear to see as well, they're going through their own turmoil and they're struggling with the transition of their new head coach as well. But that aside, just how impressive is it to put nine goals down past two teams in the space of two days in the championship, not concede any goals as well. And you look at it as well and think, well, hang on.
Speaker: There's the argument, obviously, if you can only beat what's put in front of you. But how many times have Norwich had this kind of opposition put in front of them? And it has been the case of a long-come Norwich as well. And if you want to look at the division... as a wider landscape as well. West Ham put six past Lincoln, have now changed their manager and lost at Blackburn. So it's it's a very topsy-turvy league and good sides get undone all the time as well. So just to be able to put in that clinical set of displays in the space of a week is nothing to turn your nose up at, is it?
Speaker: No, well, you know, I guess not... Not wanting to keep drawing back to the stats, but we've never done this before. like and we must i would imagine in our 124-year history, we would have at some point played two terrible teams on the road a couple of times. And not certainly not we've never won by as many as this. But in some of those games, we would have dropped points and and even lost. 21st of October 2025, we went to Pride Park on a Tuesday night. We played a team who looked absolutely abysmal in that game in Derby. It was nil-nil at halftime and we can try somehow contrived to lose that game by conceding an early second half goal. Now, I think we've said many times, even when we were on that losing streak, this is not Liam Manning's Norwich City. we' We've never been that bad. But I think to go out there in the way that we did and to, ah I think I said it last week, Derby felt like the ideal opposition.
Speaker: But you've still got to go out there and and play with confidence, which you know I still think going into that game, we we weren't sure what we were going to get from this Norwich City team because of the uncertainty that we've had in starting games. But opening with the scoring in the first 10 minutes was huge.
Speaker: And i think that just enabled them to settle down. And when Magoma is on song in the way he has been for the last two games, I just feel it's a team effort. But I think having somebody so central to the way that they play, who wants to have the ball, who can carry it, who can try things and and you know and they come off and has that kind of swagger and that arrogance. When it's working for him, i just I feel like...
Speaker: we are we we look like a team that believes in themselves a lot more. And, you know, it's it's not just a one a player, you know, it's not just about one player, but I do think that Bristol City game and the way we approached it almost feels like the the blueprint now for us. I mean, it wasn't a particularly exciting first half. um And, you know, you could tell that by Dan and Zoe's halftime appearance on on the telly and how excited they looked by by what who was going on there. um but And I don't want to advocate us being more boring, but do think we we have it it's okay for us to not go at teams for the first 20 minutes or so and settle ourselves into the game and know that we've got the attacking talent to create a goal out of somewhere. and Now, it's not always going to work, but I'm wondering in bigger games whether we just try and settle ourselves down because we know that we've got Magoma, we've got Kvis Goran, Brooks, Makama coming off the bench, Toure to come.
Speaker: So I really liked the way that we approached that game. um But at the same time, fair play to him for for going at Derby and spotting a weakness there as well. So, um yeah, just again, two different ways that we went about those two games, but to two brilliant performances.
Speaker: I think it's been a long time coming as well, having someone in that 10 position who can just create something out of nothing. Because if we're being honest, yeah, Norwich didn't look particularly under threat from open play for the first quarter of Saturday. But then when you've got players like that in your team who can just flip a game on a a sixpence, goes it goes...
Speaker: it will prove its worth at the end of the season, really. And that's kind of the thing as well, Dan, is that Norwich had to work really hard on Saturday. And I know the scoreline doesn't suggest it, but they, I thought on Saturday i had a much tougher opposition than the the Tuesday prior to that. And it almost felt like,
Speaker: Bristol City, in some ways, were in a place that Norwich were a few weeks ago, wherein those kind of clinical phases of play just weren't falling from them. like I think if Scott Twine hits his shot anywhere other than at Dan Grimshaw, we're looking at a completely completely different game. And that's FYI not taking any anything away from the save, because from that distance and with that power on the strike, it's still a hard save to make. But if we're being honest, if he puts it afoot either side, it's 1-1 and the game...
Speaker: turns on its head completely. So how much harder was it on Saturday to kind of come to grips with that Bristol City team and the the different threat that they had compared to Derby, but also, i guess, keeping your head and waiting for that opening, which did eventually come a few minutes into the second half?
Speaker: Yeah, i I mean, at halftime, I thought we were quite lucky to be leading. I thought Bristol City were ah the better side, really. I don't think we were ever in i don't think we played like really badly, but I do think we struggled to build up from the back. I think they were doing us doing a job on us physically as well. And that's one thing I do worry about in the current team with Chris Gore and Magoma, Field and Wright. I do think it does possibly miss a bit of physicality against... um against the teams that sort of rely on big, strong men to ah to play their football. I thought Bristol City would look pretty solid as well.
Speaker: um ah And as you've both said, but the difference is we we now have a difference maker playing confidently in that team. Like obviously that front...
Speaker: for all of them are kind of difference makers but Magoma is the one who can make a difference with an assist or a goal and make it more likely that the other three teammates are also able to make a difference as well um and all of our good sides have always had difference makers who can just suddenly ah pop up in a really tight game because we're not going to blow everyone away we've seen this season we certainly aren't aren't going to blow everyone away But to have someone those sort of tight games like it was in the first half against Bristol City to really kind of turn things around is huge if we want to carry this form. I think it raised a kind of a few questions about how the, when players have, you know, back fit like Kenny and Mattson who are both on the bench, how this XI will look going forward. Because I do think, as I said, not only do we miss a bit of physicality, but our build-up players may be missing something a bit of quality as well but what I would say is though against the Bristol City team that sort of managed to get into our third defensive third quite a lot we defended very well I mean know Bristol City have barely scored a goal at home all season but they did get into pretty decent areas but we dealt with it apart from a long throw for that Scott Twine chance which by the way would have gone right through George Long if he'd been in goal so I do think it is a really good stop from maybe Vlad I'm sure it may be Vlad It was slightly to his right hand side, so maybe it have done.
Speaker: And I think Zack Knight, I didn't realise this at the time, but watching back the highlights, Zack Knight should probably score from that corner straight after halftime when he... ah powers it over over the bar. But apart from that, I think in open play, we defended very, very well. um And whereas right and field as a pair might not have the same physicality as others other options there, and maybe don't even cover as much ground as other options, what they do seem to do is work like really tightly together it's often like the last few games we've seen one of them win the ball back and the other one being sort of six seven yards away to then step in as well and we've scored a couple of goals um by doing that as well so i do think um against teams that sort of you know against the derby county or a watford who aren't quite as physical as Bristol City, and there aren't many teams who are as physical as Bristol City in this league, I do think we've seen that that pairing is actually quite sort of a savvy pairing. And um it's obviously...
Speaker: individuals are important but really those connections around the pitch are important and the longer we're going through this season uh the more connections we're seeing now sort of bubbling up um which gives us more ways to win matches as well which is pretty exciting well i think sorry ryan just a quickly and we saw that for the first goal against bristol city actually and it was almost a roles reverse thing you don't you'd expect field to be the more physical one and right to play the pass but he's actually right the one the ball and then field Fed Magoma. Just looking at the Magoma thing when Dan said we found a number 10 and that's kind of had to just I wasn't quite sure I was reading this right. But before this run, he'd only played three of the previous 25 games starting in that number 10 role. It passed, which kind of outrageous, really, when you look, because he's always obviously had the talent.
Speaker: But Slimani was very much the favourite in that position, whereas I kind of thought they interchanged a bit more. um But that position is his now. He's pretty much the first name on the team sheet, I think. Yeah, and that there are a few times as well when, ah like, Masaba wasn't on form and Shvatal wasn't quite fit that they put Magoma out on the left as well and it just didn't quite didn't quite work in the way like Buendia did off the right. You know, they had that same kind of effect. I know I'm harking back years, but it's a similar kind of principle because he's not an out-and-out winger. And it's interesting that um he was a sort of, well, Clement says he was through the Brentford Academy and where he's played before. He's often been like an eight or a six. I can't really see him as a six. That seems a bit odd. But an eight, I can, because he does remind me a bit of Madison in the way he sort of takes the ball and yeah can slow the game down, speed it up. really good in central areas, got good shot and can pick a pass. um And obviously, Maddison was 10 for us, but it sort of gone back into being more of an 8 throughout his career as well. And I think that helps this team having a 10 that can drop deep into midfield and knows what you do in that area of the pitch. I think he's probably a little bit too lightweight to...
Speaker: at this stage to ever become a proper central midfielder again. But it is good for someone who's sort of grown up being a central midfielder to be able to add an extra body in there when we need it. Yeah, and i I think as well, he's way more intelligent than people give him credit for as well. Like he might not be able to shrug people off the ball as much as you'd like, but I think he takes up such clever positions. Like we saw at Charlton as well, where he knows when Andre Brooks is going to float in and then Stacey's going overlap. so he's kind of the bridge between the two of them. That gives you a completely different threat out wide as well. He he is a marked man now, though, I think for four consecutive goal scoring games and the way he basically took the piss really against Derby and at times against Bristol City. I expect teams now to have much more of a plan to deal with him. and It'll be interesting to see how he can kind of cope with that and respond to it. but But then what do you do in that situation? Do you double up on him? Because then if you're doing that from the wide areas as well, when he's in those half spaces, you're then leaving Masaba or Brooks free and no one wants to do to do that as well. So it's, it's actually, you know what, it's actually a really nice problem to have, isn't it? Are we good? Are we good again Are we good? Are we the good guys again? Are we good? um Well, he's played a lot, Steve, and the front four hasn't changed. In fact, the two starting lineups only had one change between them, Kraseni for Yongwa on Saturday.
Speaker: a lot has been spoken about this season so far about Norwich managing minutes. And thankfully, when they've come to the stage where they would make changes, typically around the kind of 60, 65th minute, the game...
Speaker: in all but you know time has been has been essentially done, if we're being honest, with the the control they had and the gulf of their their leads. um when you when you look When you look at it like that as well, ah do you think that the consistency in the starting XI has helped with the continuity of the of the performances? Because I know they're very keen to make sure that players don't get injured and equally as well those on the bench do get a chance to keep up to speed but fundamentally when the spine of your team and those who are in form and doing well you want to keep them on the pitch don't you and i think that that surely is the first bridge you've got across in consistent performances in is a consistent team
Speaker: Yeah, I think you're probably right. I mean, I know, you know, when when we weren't doing so well and there was criticism of the amount of rotation, i'm certainly a person saying, well, you need to rotate because these players need to be kept fit because of the intensity of the way that we play. And i think Dan's absolutely right that the the less, I suppose it's been less of a kind of churny set of fixtures, really. We only had one midweek game since the last international break. So that has definitely helped to be able to do that. And I'm not sure if we'd had another midweek game, whether we would have seen the same four, but...
Speaker: after i think Phil's had to do a bit of soul searching after six consecutive defeats and maybe somewhere along the line he's gone, well, I am just going to have to you know put all my eggs in the same basket for a bit and see how we get on. And I think fair enough, like, well, fair enough, we've just won 4-0 and 5-0, so it evidently has worked. And I think...
Speaker: it It provides now, you know, for the likes of Makama and Shvatow and probably, I suppose, Slomani as well. It's like, well, how do i how do I, what do I do to then get back in the team? But also knowing that these are players in the, you know, like Fiskor, and I guess being an example from that front four, who who who have had to wait for their opportunity, but now they've grasped it, are really reaping the rewards and getting a run in the side. It's kind of looking at that bench,
Speaker: on saturday i was thinking you've got the three the top three in the player of the season last year plus our joint player of the season award in vlad plus dan's prediction for player of the season this year in cordoba not seeing you out there dan like that is i think we all agree it's nice that you think that carries as much weight i think phil was probably sat there going oh but dan thinks he's going to be really good so should i drop him maybe i shouldn't but then he did say that we should appoint liam manning so maybe i'm okay um and And our top scorer from last season, also on the bench. So, like, if you'd shown me the 11 that we've played in the last few games, I would have gone, oh, that's Carabao Cup. That's that that our Carabao Cup team right there. But, you know, full credit to Grimshaw, to Darling, to Sam Field, to Jacob Wright. They have seized their opportunity. And I think, to be honest, while we're still winning, you don't leave these guys out. And actually, sorry, one final point on it is I think...
Speaker: The particularly darling, like getting those clean sheets, especially on Saturday, owed to some really dogged defensive play, made some really good blocks. And I think that's the kind of thing that maybe weren't seeing at the start of the season. And OK, at that point, it might been three or four one up, but it still makes a big difference, I think, to that defensive unit to know that they're keeping those clean sheets. I don't know if they showed this on the telly, um but when we were 4 or up and Wright had a free kick about ten five ten minutes from the end and Harry Darling was deliberately getting in the way of their goalkeeper so that he couldn't line the wall up properly. And I was like, we've not really had a player who does who does that sort of stuff for a long It's a shithouse, yeah yeah. Yeah. You know, who the opposition fans will just get wound up by and think he's a little knobhead. We've not really had that in that our team ah for a long time. I do think, and Sam Field referenced it after either the Watford ah game or the midweek game. Well, that he's a knobhead. But, you know, that we need a bit more of the dark arts and to, you know, be a bit, you know, dirty in in teams' faces and stuff. And,
Speaker: You know, as Steve said, I did think, although he would be our player the season, I still think he will turn out to be an outstanding centre-back. But there is something to be said that Darling does bring that sort of edge that ah no one else really in the back line does. And I think that in an inexperienced team and a young team can be the difference some sometimes in some matches.
Speaker: And Cordoba looks so absolutely delighted at the end of that Bristol City game as well, which was really heartening to see because you could totally imagine him disengaging because he thinks he ought to be in this side, but he could not have been more pleased for the Darling and McConville. I...
Speaker: I get the feeling as well that in games like that, Darling is going to get picked, like where the atmosphere could be quite toxic, like an abrasive home crowd. And you've got like big six foot five lumps throwing themselves at you. And I get it. Like that is part of what Corda's responsibility will be as a centre half in the championship. But I think Harry Darling has a nastier street to him. Whilst when you have...
Speaker: opposition who are perhaps a little bit more demure, a little bit sleeker, like when you go to Wolves, arguably, or West Ham or something. I think Cordoba might be a more preferred option on that front. But certainly, games like Saturday where set pieces were always going to be a problem, right? Like we said it in our chat beforehand, like they Half of their goals have come from set pieces, whether that's a direct free kick or a penalty or something. like that's That was where their strengths were going to lie. And ultimately, they've picked the back four, which is completely right for that occasion. And yeah, there are a lot of instances where Bristol City would win second balls in like attacking phases and the header would go over or something. And on another day, they could go in. Yeah, but fundamentally...
Speaker: What stopped them in the first phase was the fact you had Cresceni over Yongwa, Darling over Cordoba, for example. And I think it's a really shrewd move to stick with those, though that back line in particular, with the exception of Cresceni, who I thought came in and did very well as well on Saturday, despite getting absolutely thwacked in the first minute or so as well. um dan the... ah Individually, we've spoken about Paris Magoma. Matthias Chris Garan was October's Player of the Month as well. We've now swooned a little bit about Harry Darling. Who would have thought that, eh? there anyone else you would like to give flowers to? um
Speaker: Yes, Jovan Magoma. Just think... ah When he came on, I sort of, you know, it was that comfortable stage of the game where the game it pretty much already wrapped up. So I spent a bit of time just watching him off the ball.
Speaker: And sometimes when we'd sort of break and he'd make these diagonal runs and two like two Bristol City players, and this happened three or four times, would just try and sort of clothesline him. And both, like all three or four times, he'd just like part the Red Sea, just chart like smash them out of the way. um And then he'd slow down, just sort of stand for a little bit while the attack developed to get himself a bit of space. And then he'd attack his space again. And he just looked... like Obviously, he's um he's a massive... I sit in the south stand at Carrow Road, so I don't see him from behind the goal very often.
Speaker: and so this was And I was pretty close, you know, just behind the goal and just... um Pitch level and just to see him sort of power across the pitch is ah unbelievable sight. like he's not you know He's a big guy, but he is unbelievably athletic. And then when you then when he gets on the ball, he's got a great touch. Then when he's not on the ball, he's got great movement.
Speaker: um We've seen this week that he can ah thunder bastard one in from 20 yards with an unbelievably hard shot. don't know what they're feeding him and Torre because they've got two of the hardest shots I've ever seen from Norwich players. um then And then on Saturday we see you know a poachers goal as well where he's just made sure he's just got himself onside, think. um and is in the right place at the right time. I think his level, his ceiling is unbelievably high if he can stay fit. And I do like the fact that um Clement's been really careful with him, um making sure he's getting more robust, which you know is helped that Chris Gorin has been outstanding as well over the last few weeks, which means we haven't had to rush Makama back um But yeah, just seeing him from that sort of angle and that close up and how terrified that the Bristol City backline seemed to be of him and the the way he sort of eats up ground like the Terminator. um Unbelievably impressive. i don't He won't be with us next season if we don't promote get promoted.
Speaker: um I was listening to the Not the Top 20 podcast, which I think is probably the best EFL podcast out there. Apart from ours. Apart from ours. And they've waxed lyrical about him for a little while. And they were saying they think he'll be in an England squad before Euro 2028. And staying fit, if he stays fit, that is. And it's hard, especially with an England under 21 call up now. And he was going to get one um earlier in the year before he got injured. It's hard to sort of disagree. And i know and i'm glad they said that on the not the Top 20 podcast because it's easy to overhype your own players. But i yeah and you know you cissy when he was in that hot streak last season before he got injured, that whenever we played opposition teams, you'd have a look on Twitter afterwards and they were all all saying, like who is this guy? like He is so hard to handle. I do think...
Speaker: if we are serious about uh you know even getting top two at this stage only seven points off i think it will end up being having to be makama being fit and being our number nine against some unbelievably tough or you know competition in toray and queer scoring i i think he's um yeah got got the world at his feet if he stays fit kind Sorry, Ryan, do you mind if I just so come in with like to follow up on that with with a couple of stats you don't mind and just to pose a question? Because I i completely agree on the Makama point. and just to back Dan's point up about the Thunderbastards, Makama has scored with three out of three shots on target this season. Magoma has scored four out of four shots on target this season. Toure has scored five from six shots on target this season. So we just have a load of players who, if they get it on target, cannot miss. um There is also FB Ref online do ah ah have a stat on ah goals and assists per um goal, minutes per goal and assist with a minimum of five games. And in the championship on that list so of all the players in the championship to have played a a full 90 minutes, five minutes. Motore is fifth on that list. Paris McGaumer is third on that list. And Matthias Kvist-Goran is first on that list. We have three of the top five. And Jonathan Parker has asked, when was the last time we had such quality in the forward line? Because it it's frankly outrageous that we have Kvist-Goran,
Speaker: Makama and Toure at this football club at the moment. um And know obviously Toure is injured at the moment, but I can't remember the last time we had three forwards as good as it And I don't think there's anybody in the division that's got three better strikers than that.
Speaker: I guess the closest is Jerome, Graben Hooper. but Probably. I was going to say that you've got Houlihan and Redmond behind them as well, who would come on and do do bits as well. I but i agree. i think that's probably the last the last time we had a frontline witch where you could the person you were taking out was almost as good as the person coming coming in, regardless of like like distinctive attributes. that There was ah always a threat there that everyone was was frightened of.
Speaker: And I really like that um when Magoma went off, Chris Goran stayed on and Makama came on. And if you're a back line and you've just been harried by Chris Goran, you know, dragged all over the place, and then you see what this guy's staying on, then and then this um like incredible, ah i powerful centre forward comes on as well, fresh, with 20 minutes to go, and it's like...
Speaker: That's got to be and Darling said it after as well. like If he was a centre back, he would hate that. And you you can just see it. They both offer very different qualities, but um both ah clearly full of confidence at the moment as well.
Speaker: It's like getting harassed by a scrappy-doo and then a werewolf comes on. it's Absolutely terrifying. A Scooby-Doo, a giant Scooby-Doo comes on. While I agree with your point, Dan, about it's good to see Chris Goran stay on, I really, it's been so close in the last two games to seeing my dream front four of Masaba, Magoma, Mahovo and Makama, and it's just not quite happened. But if if Chris Goran and Brooks come off and Mahovo and Makama come on, then i'm going to be sounding the alarm on this podcast the week after.
Speaker: Good luck to Chris Gorham in that situation. Who already has to say his own name. yeah ah Just last question of this segment, Steve. The international break is upon us now. Has it come at a good time, almost like a checkpoint for Norwich? Or you just what do you just want the fixtures to keep coming? Because, um again, on paper, Cardiff and QPR at home are...
Speaker: Not favourable is perhaps not the right phrase, but they're they're fixtures you'd fancy Norwich in on current form, surely. Yeah, i I don't think this has come at a good time. i would be amazed if Big Phil's first thought with this international break is, please, for the love of God, can I not get a load of injuries, come back. Makama is with England under 21s, I believe. did I don't know, did Kenny go off with Scotland? No, not in squad.
Speaker: But Chris Gorham with Denmark, I presume. um So, yeah, i I would imagine he's just hoping against hope that he doesn't lose a load of players. i mean, thankfully, again, ah with with the sort of less reputable players coming into the team, a lot of them don't play international football. We seem to have got a lot of the good English lads back in the team and they're not going to be anywhere near the squad. So hopefully, like in terms of the back line, at least most of the personnel will still still be there, which is good. But we're not going to see the attacking players come back until probably a couple of days before, which is going to disrupt the rhythm somewhat. I think that Cardiff game is going to be tough after the international break off the back of an pretty incredible win themselves. Extraordinary. Yeah. That could be like easily. They did throw away three neil against West Ham the Wednesday before. So they do have that in them as well. But I i agree, that is a comeback for the aimed ages. Burnley are absolutely in the mud, make no mistake about it. But Cardiff do look relentless and just very entertaining to watch. They are winless away from home though. So all their ah heroics have come at home, which um again, seems to be the sort of luck of our fixture list at the moment that we do keep
Speaker: um playing teams that haven't done ah particularly well wherever they play in us although we did have a very start a difficult start to the season as well so we're reaping the rewards of um of this victory list now Yeah, they're second for possession, second in XG, second in shots on target, third touches in opposition box and third on corners. So they are decent going forward. I mean, it could be any score that game in two weeks. I thought they looked good against us in the League Cup as well. I know we beat them, but I thought they played some really slick stuff against us. I do think this has come at a good time, actually, this international break. I think... um
Speaker: ah That sort of sprint of the little, ah the gooch between the two international breaks has has helped us. I do think now it's a any time that Clement gets on the training pitches is good. I think as we've seen over the last couple of weeks, I like the fact that I think all four of our central midfielders or five, if include Topic, are here unless Wright's got a 21 score, but don't think so. um So good time for the sort of midfield to to work together as well. um And just to sort of reset and and go again, think. I think any time in this championship season we can have a bit of a breather is ah is a good thing, especially with obviously the amount of and ah extra work that our players seem to put in as well.
Speaker: who' who's the Who will start in midfield against Cardiff if they're all fit? up I still ah said this at the start of the season that I think Field will be fine against the weaker sides in this division, but I do think against the better sides, he still doesn't cover quite enough distance and is he's not quite good enough on the ball as Mattson or Kenny. But ah I think he'd be unlucky to drop out. But I do think going forward, you've got to have Kenny or Mattson in there. But I do think Wright has made himself undroppable now, though. I i do feel bad for Sam Field because I think he has been good the last couple of games as well. And as you said, Dan, I think the relationship he's got now with Jacob Wright is... It's like they've played together for ages. Well, it seemed that way for those two 90 minutes or however long they they played each game. But I feel like...
Speaker: A bit like initially with Grimshaw for Vlad, I feel like you you were looking at it for an excuse to drop one to put the the other one back in. Grimshaw now for me is undroppable. That's a whole different conversation. But I think it will be the same team that played on Saturday, except it will be Kenny for Samfield. I think Kenny comes straight back in, particularly... Against a side who are so prolific going forward, you need someone who kind of reads the game a bit better. It is a bit more physical and can essentially coach your way through a game like that as well.
Speaker: It's nice light not to mind it, right? If field starts, you don't mind it anymore, that is yeah which was what yeah I was not in that position like three weeks ago. so i I basically retired him after that Millwall game, I think. so But maybe we should only start him against the rubbish teams as captain so he can keep his 100% record as captain until until he leaves.
Speaker: Does that mean he's technically the most successful captain in the club's history right now? think in the same way that Sam Allardyce is the best England manager ever. yeah Also, I'm going to write down international gooch. That'll be my phrase for this for this break from now on. It's time now for Sophie Leaney's Word of the Week.
Speaker: Imperious
Speaker: imperious
Speaker: And that leads us on to Kenny Other Business. Now, everyone on the podcast was saddened to learn that former Norwich forward Darren Beckford sadly passed away last week. He was once City's record signing and Beckford played for Norwich between 1991 and 1993, scoring 13 goals in 49 games in all competitions. And the thoughts and love from everyone here at OTB go out to Darren's loved ones at this time.
Speaker: ah Yesterday as well, Norris City women's Carrow Road debut for the season saw them go down 5-3 at home to Liverpool Feds in front of a crowd of 2,224. A brace from Grace Wiglar and one from Freya Simons wasn't enough for City, who came out second best in all of the fine margins for their second home defeat of the season. Next up for them, it's Bournemouth at home in the FA Cup next Sunday at The Nest. Steve, we put out ah some for some questions on Instagram. Did we have any come in?
Speaker: We did. um Greg has asked, and with apologies, i feel like this had been very stats heavy, but he did ask last week, has Steve been able to produce the corner stats yet? um He didn't specify what corner stats he wanted, but I think it was alluding to the fact that we never score from corners. I felt like now was a good time bring it up because we just scored from one. So that leaves our record this season.
Speaker: um Scored five, conceded three. So we are, I mean, I think if you're ever in net profit, on set pieces you're doing well that is set pieces rather than corners but i think all five were from corners seems unlikely but um does um chris any's goal against watford count or not oh yeah did we have this just i can't remember if this was on in the podcast it did yes so you've got Yeah, but he he was up there for a corner. I don't know when these things stop. If he'd still been up there, like, just randomly, not a left-back 10 minutes later, I presume it wouldn't have been allowed at some point. It can no longer be a corner. But you've got that. You've got the Darling one, obviously.
Speaker: ah You had Motore against Burnley, Kviskorn against Cardiff, and McConville against Bolton. So, actually... I think it's one of those things you notice it more when you concede than when you score. And last season, actually, ah from set pieces, and this is free kicks and corners, we scored from 14, which was sort of a little below average. But we were brilliant at defending them. We were by far the best team in the championship. We only let in conceded from seven. So I am here for the revitalization and the renaissance of Nick Stanley, who I think quietly is actually, done of I don't think we ever conceded from a set piece under Liam Manning. So um underrated. Oh no, we did. to Cedric Kipre, but ah one in however many games is not too bad. um
Speaker: So yes, thank you to Greg and thanks to me for looking that up. um And Jacob Wright on corners is another reason to yeah keep him in there as well. Excellent dead ball delivery. Directly responsible for that Krizeny goal. um And Joe Cannon has asked, were we good or were Derby and Bristol City just really, really bad? I can't really tell. I got in big trouble with Zoe for saying the opposition weren't good last week. So I'm just going to say we were really, really, Derby were one of the best teams I've ever seen and we smashed them. was like Leeds away in 1819.
Speaker: Yeah, it felt like top of the table clash both games against Derby. I think Derby are going to go on another six-game winning run like they did after they beat us last season. It looked utterly dreadful. Yeah, i thought I hope so. I hope so. I i think it's... Stuff can be two things, right? I think it's possible for Norwich to look good and for the opposition to not look great. Although it's weird because it finished five nil I didn't think Bristol City were as bad as everyone kind of makes them out to be. ah Just, again...
Speaker: rub of the green, fine margins, that old cliche. if you know If one thing goes slightly differently, then looking at a whole a whole different outcome. You can look at that from, the as we mentioned, the twine chance or a few of the crosses and the headers that went over the bar. like It's...
Speaker: game of fine margins in it as the cliche goes what did think about bristol city from the start i mean they passed the ball that played sort of four times the first five minutes but they also it was like it had that real vibe of oh god we just had a really energy sapping defeat on wednesday night and now we've got to come and sit through this again and i remember that feeling quite well like of being like oh could we not have waited like another week from so our last home defeat we've got to play again now he Yeah, they all want they want him gone, don't they? They would like Scubala. Scubala, what a great name, by the way. Scubala.
Speaker: It's like Scrappy Doo. Scuba Diver. Scuba Diver. they They want him gone. I was quite surprised as to the animosity that started to kind of build up at 3-0. Like, I understand that it's not...
Speaker: amazing but they're sort of mid-table still you know at least they've won at home right and they've have signed a load of players and ah a new head coach these things are going to take a bit of time mean i think um they played the most atrocious football in the league they've scored four goals at home they haven't seen them win at home since august i think as well I can see i it always helps if you win your home games and lose your away games rather than the other way around. And so he's got that the wrong way around. But um I think I'd be with the Bristol City fans if that was happening here because they play some absolute rotten stuff.
Speaker: they they will finish was about to say effective but they have just lost five nil playing start so not so effective they they will finish 12th so you might as well do it playing enjoyable football right there were at least half a dozen comments at at five nil saying come on lads we're not going to finish 12th at this rate which it's like wow even they're aware of it um anything else for kenny other business guys um The only other thing, I'm not wishing to call you out on the WhatsApp chat, Ryan, but a slightly outrageous statement that Harry Darling did not mean to loop his header into the top corner. but he didn't. He didn't, though. that This is the thing. like If you look at the angle where his head's at, he means to put it into Collins' near post that the keeper's left. And it's just like, I don't know if it's the wet ball or what it is, but it comes off the other side of his head and loops in. You can see it on his face where he does a double take and kind of does the the weird shocked face emoji and just stares at it as it loops in and runs off briefly. think you've been slightly ah suffering from misdirection from Darling's flappy hair. That is going one way while he's, and you know, as a guy with a flappy hair myself, I'm, I can sympathise with him, but I reckon his hair has done you there, Ryan. because yeah
Speaker: I know it does look it like that on the replay, but from behind the goal, I could see it happening like before he's headed it, keepers off the line, and he has looked and seen the keeper off the line. I think he's popped it right where he wanted to pop it. So what you're saying is his hair is like a rudder and kind of points the opposite way to where it's actually going. Yeah, yeah, sends him good for pe Good for penalty techniques probably, sends the keeper the wrong way. Maybe that could be like, he couldn't think of a nickname, could he, when he first started? he just said Harry. Maybe his nickname should be Rudder or Flappy. Yeah, Flappy Rudder. Harry Flappy Darling. for Flappy Darling. le I think we need to put it, that maybe this is ah a time for our first Instagram poll.
Speaker: Did Harry Darling mean it? I do think if an if an interviewer asked him that after the game, like they sometimes do, those kind of cross come shots, he'd be like, Yeah, of course I did. yeah i Very obviously meant to do exactly that, but that's just his word. Right. Be be really sad and pedantic, everyone. Get it up on the highlights up on YouTube, 1080p, and just slow it down a bit. And look at his face as he heads that ball. look at he and he his He is not meaning to do that one bit. However...
Speaker: By the by, it turned out to be a fantastic header because it it looks it's one of those that looks makes the goalkeeper look crap, but it's so awkward and the trajectory on it is just perfect that I think even if Collins moves his feet quickly with where it goes in the goal, he's not going to get there in time. He is a bit no man's land, the keeper of that stage. Yeah, a little bit, but even from where he is stood when the header comes in, he's not getting there even if he dives or moves for it. Like it is placed really well, but it's accidentally placed really well.
Speaker: I think his face is actually saying, oh, do you think do you think the cameras have picked up my flappy hair? Or do you think I've got another year or two without having to shave it off in it? um um And then it goes in and he does his knee slide. Yeah. It's not Teddy at Old Trafford, the yeah the most hilariously wrong-cornered, brilliant finish we've ever had.
Speaker: I'm sure he broke his toe finishing that. That is ridiculous, the power behind that. Well, that's all for tonight's OTB and Norris City podcast. A big thank you to Dan Brigham.
Speaker: Thanks, Ryan. That was an enjoyable one. And Steve Sanders. Thanks, Ryan. See you on the other side of the gooch. If you have enjoyed this week, what we get up in our free tour, I'm not even going to say it. I've flustered haven't I? Our secret's out. Oh, please, Steve, not here. If you've enjoyed this week's episode, please leave us a rating on your podcast player of choice and follow us on Patreon and Substack too. We're on there as at OTB, a Norwich City podcast. And if you don't follow us on Instagram, our handle there is at OTB underscore pod underscore NCFC. Until the next one, never mind the danger.
