Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to the Long Come Norwich podcast, where suddenly smiling supporters are savouring stunning, sensational success. The surging canaries have swept aside sceptics with sequential sparkling statement wins, securing three straight triumphs, silencing half-time booze and spark-plugging seasonal salvation.
Speaker: Surely you can celebrate however you like when you slide in three strikes in a week.
Speaker: Claire, we're knocking on the door of the playoffs again. What a squad Napa has assembled. And you know, you know I'm not being fickle when I say this. I have said this all along, that the players are not dud signings.
Speaker: Goodness knows what the first part of the season has been about, but they are now showing how good they are. And like they were last season when Philippe came in. And really, I think the prime example of that is Sam Field, who everyone criticised when we signed.
Speaker: I stuck up for him. was like, he's a decent signing. He's experienced championship player, which is exactly what everyone said we needed. And everyone's like, oh, he's not good enough. Like he's not going to replace Kenny when he finally retires, but he is a very decent championship player. He's come in and played two games as captain and has been absolutely brilliant.
Speaker: Played the full 90 minutes, haven't not played much football at all this season. It's been just brilliant. And and Jacob Wright alongside him, just marvellous. And then we've got probably one of the best attacking forces in the league,
Speaker: Again, because that's what we also said. we said that about We thought that three months ago, then we didn't think it again, and now we think it again. We do think it again because they're scoring goals again. They've scored 10 goals in a week.
Speaker: We could have scored 10 goals last night. We could have scored 10 last night. probably should have done. saw some mad stat that we've scored three goals or more in 50% of our games this season.
Speaker: That's crazy. So if we sort our defence out, even if we're just like... Average to good in defence. As long as we're well capable of scoring one more goal than the teams we are playing, we will we will get somewhere this season. Because any one of those attacking players would walk into any other championship team pretty much.
Speaker: um And yeah, I mean, what a difference what 10 days makes. It's just completely flipped the season. It's stunning. And the we're going to go in we'll go in reverse chronological order, Punt.
Speaker: Last night, we were recording this Wednesday, the 4th of November. So last night was the Derby away game, and the dismantling of Derby. I don't know if I've seen a more tools down, disinterested, unprofessional, I'd like my manager to get sacked performance from a set of players as what Derby put in last night. I mean, it it I think we missed the two easiest chances.
Speaker: Yeah, Carl Morris was putting a shift in. but Yeah, I didn't like how much grief the fans got him. gave ga Yeah, that was weird. but i don't know why. was a bit straight Yeah, I didn't like that. He always seems to have been really respectful to us. Yeah, yeah and he was alright when he played for us.
Speaker: Yeah, and he moved on because he couldn't get in the team. not because He put like not that didn't give him his chance. I mean, as I said in the group chat last night and Claire was not happy about it, um I'm not sure that I can think of an occasion where we have played three sides as bad as this all in a row, but you can only beat what's put in front of you.
Speaker: um As an attacking force, we looked fantastic. We looked like we could create chances at will. Certainly in a couple of the halves of the preceding two games and then against Derby, it was a full 90 minutes, which is kind of what we talked about in the last pod that...
Speaker: you know Maybe tub-thumping full 90 minutes might be what the team needs in terms of confidence. um But I mean, i i don't I'm just trying to temper it and go like, actually, we could just be flat-track bullies and this season could be like really up and down. It could be like fouril lose 2-1, win 3-1.
Speaker: you know win three one And then, you know, can I get done by the odd goal or not? Or actually, if it clicks and we get it right against some of the better sides, there's absolutely no reason why we can't, you know, go on a proper run and and trouble the top eight, top six, you know, whatever it might be.
Speaker: um But I'm just, I'm not there yet. I feel really confident in us as an attacking force, but there are, there's still plenty of fragility. And, you know, look, you only have to think about the Watford game where, know,
Speaker: We weren't terrible for a half of football, but we defended terribly. And then suddenly we were 2-0 down and you know getting booed off at halftime. We defended it terribly twice. And one particular player defended terribly. They were in our penalty area three times they scored two goals.
Speaker: We haven't had that many shots against us. You can't get away with that though. You cannot get away with defending like that in the Championship. That's been the issue all season really. We haven't done it properly. you're talking about Cordoba.
Speaker: You're talking about Cordoba and he was, he was, he was rank in the first half against Watford. Brilliant second half, to be fair to him. The goals are identical though. were both like, he seemed to completely forget how to defend in the penalty box. Was he worried he was going to give a penalty away? Like,
Speaker: The backing off. the send the guy is dead yeah Eight yards out is is nuts. the and I think he deserves all the criticism coming his way for for that performance. I do also want to say in the first half, yes, Field was terrific in the second half and and the the Derby game. but But you've got to look at how open we were in front of the back four to to play those two identical passes between our centre-backs. You know, it isn't just the final ball. It's the fact that they are in a position, to the turnover or the breakdown or whatever you want to call it, that all of a sudden one ball is, they're in a position to play one ball through and it undoes us. So, you know, I also think that Grimshaw had a real mare. I think he should do a lot better. and
Speaker: you know, he didn't have very much to do yesterday. And I think that might be to a fragility point of view. i I'm not sure that with some of the crosses that came into the box, even though they were bad crosses, I think his lack of commitment in the air is a problem. I like how committed he is to come out on the floor, and you know, when the ball's on the floor. But I don't know. I think if if Bristol City...
Speaker: send some balls in us this weekend, we we could be we we could be struggling. Well, Scott Twimes just scored a a wonderful free kick. So if we get any free kicks against us, then we might be... But Claire, you didn't think he was just in trouble. 1-0, yeah.
Speaker: You didn't think that he was as ah at fault as I did, did you, Grimshaw, for the goals? On Saturday, no. yeah I think he was put in a very difficult position by... Cordoba not doing his job he probably expected him to put in a tackle both times and he was obviously left very exposed because it was just him and Cordoba there I mean he's not he's not by any means the best goalkeeper in the league but he's the best we've got at the moment and until January we're not going to be able to improve on that and hey you know he kept a clean sheet yesterday okay against poor opposition but
Speaker: You know, where we can only play what is in front of us and we have easily beaten. And I will die on this hill that we played decent football in that first half against Watford.
Speaker: We just let two goals in. It wasn't as bad as everyone's making out. They got... Blindsided by the fact we were 2-0 down. We actually played all right. I watched it back to just reassure myself that we played all right. And we did play all right. We just let two goals in.
Speaker: But yeah, we've got flaws. Can I just say something? Yes. Your husband does not agree with you on that. Oh, well, he did. He did agree. he said we played all right in the first half. So did Sam Field.
Speaker: I think he pretty much said he tore strips off him at halftime. Well... Well, he also said we played some decent football. I think we played. think up until they scored, I think we were very, very But even after that, even after the first goal, we had a really decent chance. We had several decent chances. We didn't just capitulate. It wasn't like Portsmouth first half levels of football by any means. I'm not saying it was perfect.
Speaker: But the boos come from the context, don't they, Claire? so Yeah, the court of course, of course. and And I think to two defensive errors, it's only it's probably just Cordova being shouted at. It's the fact that we've seen some really bad performances this season at yeah home, at Allaway, but particularly at and that's where it got to. But what i was really pleased about was... um the the The fans have been with with the players and at Charlton, the fans, away fans, that have fantastic away following considering the run we've been on for both these two games, Charlton and Derby. 1700, I think there was there last night at Lack of Pride Park.
Speaker: um yeah i was I was really heartened by how much the away fans stayed with them and that's always a really good barometer. You can't get away with playing badly at home because that's where the most people see you. But you know if the away fans are still with you, then that is that that they are obviously the the most passionate and those that are you know typically a good barometer of the the wider fan base. and Clearly, even at 1-0 down against Charlton, they'd seen enough and and to to stay with the team.
Speaker: and And it kind of underlines what we were saying. We've we've been pointing to this run of four teams thinking we really have got an opportunity against them. We mucked up the first one and we've gone on to win the next three. And we also said that it has actually been fine margins.
Speaker: and we were incredibly frustrated. We felt that something had to change. We didn't want to get rid of Clement as a group on this podcast. We didn't think that that was the right thing because we've seen him do it. And as I said, ah for bait you know, ad infinitum, um,
Speaker: we shouldn't get rid of a manager when there are so many mitigating factors and we've seen him do it well in this league recently, as as recently as, you know, because we previously we've got rid of managers on bad runs and we've just lived to rue those days. So I feel like we've been... um we've We've had all of that fingers crossed optimism paid back. Now, on your point, Punt, of um i'm not I'm not there yet, i I think that what we've demonstrated is when there are goals there, we'll take them. When there's chances there, we'll take them. But like you say, Claire, in January, i think we need a defender.
Speaker: I really think we need a goalie. I don't think he'll bring one in. yeah I don't think they'll sign a third one. But I i think he has to address Napa, or he being a Napa or Clement, whoever is actually in charge.
Speaker: He's got to bring in a centre-back, hasn't he, Punt, like to get us over the line. Because even... Like, McDonnell's looking better. I thought Darling was was excellent last night. Yeah. but yeah and And I've got him above Cordova anyway in terms of ceiling for me. Jose jose at the start of um last season was still a little bit shaky. i think I still think there's a brilliant defender in him. And I think, look, you need a four.
Speaker: We haven't seen anything of Alves, but he he sounds like he's a project. ah don't No, I don't know if we need a centre-back. I think the structure of the team needs to be slightly better. I think the fact that, and we've said it on this pod several times...
Speaker: Jack Stacey, who was excellent last night, by the way, but Jack Stacey changes us from ah you know, the the the dynamic of the team changes significantly.
Speaker: the um
Speaker: You talk about the ball coming in for Watford's second goal, I think. Actually, that that doesn't just stem from Cordoba, as you say, and and field. it It stems from you know kind of a a wider malaise in the team where they haven't done the off-the-ball work as well as they perhaps should have.
Speaker: um That got a lot better last night. I thought the press was was really good. And some of it is confidence. Cordoba, to me, looks all ends up like a confidence defender. I mean, when he plays aggressively and he feels like you know he's the boss,
Speaker: He's superb when he's maybe playing within himself. it is He's a real risk. I think the point that I would really lean into heavily is we absolutely could do with another goalkeeper as much as Grimmie did admirably points.
Speaker: ah points his kicking Some of his kicks last night, like the longer kicks, were rubbish. you know kind of like the you know even Even just when it had been fed to him you know and it was slightly bobbly and barely any pressure on him and he skewed it into the stands.
Speaker: He's got to be a lot better than that. but you can get away with it against the kind of opposition that we've been playing against. It is when it comes to those fine margins games where, you know, a small goalkeeper error or, you know, kind of the ah a pass to out defense isn't quite executed correctly. That's where it's going to cost us. um So, Clem, I...
Speaker: It's felt all season that we've been chasing our tails in terms of confidence. and We've had a couple of false storms, but three wins in a row. As I say, I'm not there yet, but I think I could be there quite quickly because it's there's a feeling of momentum. And I think you know momentum in football is so, we've said on this pod loads of times, it's so powerful. but Whilst it's really hard to get off a bad run, it's also sometimes as difficult to get off a really good run as well. you know kind of it's just That is infectious.
Speaker: So the the confidence around the momentum of the run we're on at the moment, staying on the defence and the back line, it wasn't a we need to put our bodies on the line kind of game. But after about the hour mark, 70 minutes, we started to sniff the clean sheet. And, you know, whatever it was, that was our 24th game since the previous one, Charlton away, March time, whatever it was.
Speaker: um you could tell that players were starting to throw bodies and block. they They were doing sort of throwing their body across blocks outside the box. You know, they were doing last ditch defending when there was still another line of defence behind.
Speaker: You know, that that's where someone like Darling, that's where someone like Sam Field thrives when they can do that kind of good old-fashioned English championship style defending.
Speaker: And they're more likely to to do that in a team that has got momentum and confidence and we defend with confidence, and we defend aggressively. um Yeah, i I thought that there were so many positives from that point of view and in in in seeing the way that these same players who looked small and looked like they'd shrunk a bit in the moment were now kind of going at it.
Speaker: And, you know, i I'm amazed we've gone 15 minutes, Claire, without... talking about Magoma. I mean, what a performance again. i mean, that was an hour, an hour and a bit of sublime, the quality the boy has got when he's on, he's one of the best in the vision.
Speaker: Oh, I mean, the goal, that poor defender, literally was in knots. It was, yeah, it was like watching a lion play with a mouse. It was, yeah, awesome. And, um you know, everyone's saying, oh, as well, he celebrated last night. Did Did he? Did he celebrate? He ran to the fans and then said, yes, I'm here. That's what I got from that celebration. I'm not bothered anyway, but he didn't celebrate any more than he did on Saturday. and But yes, a fabulous performance. And i saw, um I think it was Benjamin Bloom earlier saying, why is this guy not in the Premier League? Like, for what reason is he not in the Premier League? I think he had an injury recently. career really and hopefully now with all the work we're doing on our fitness he's going to have a real run in the side because oh my goodness in the last few games he has completely run the show an absolute joy to watch that's what you pay your money for you know he he gets you off your seats and yeah he is just a marvellous marvellous player and so much fun and I love his smile when he smiles as well
Speaker: Well, that was a funny moment when Clement got him smile, presumably had a paddy, presumably someone up in the press box But it was ah what in terms of love watching him play, the types of reverse balls and little slide passes that he that he plays encourages other players to try that. So the ball, um I can't remember who it was that played the pass, but It might have been, it can't have been Stacey because it was the wrong side. But um ah someone played a Magoma-esque kind of slide round the corner pass um for Darlan Younger to to whip the ball across.
Speaker: And I just thought that that's happened because that has been successful elsewhere. um i mean, last night was the sort of night where even when the ball got stuck under his feet, it worked out for him. He is in that kind of vein of form at the moment where the ball is just magnetised and he's not losing it even when when things don't come don't kind come out right for him. Yeah.
Speaker: i do Part of me does wonder whether or not there's a rotation coming on Saturday, though, Punt. He's played a lot of minutes. does that did can you see Can you see a world in which Slomani starts in Bristol? That would be mad, right?
Speaker: That would be absolutely it would be on form for Clemence, what he does. Withdrawn after what? He was drawnn withdrawn on about the 70-minute mark. ah can't say you've got to start him. You absolutely have to start him.
Speaker: I mean, it was it in terms of the derby performance, it was absolutely majestic. the As you say, the ball was glued to his feet. um It's the off-the-cuff stuff, things that he that he does that you just...
Speaker: You can't it's black con predict it because it is off the cuff. I mean, the the only reason that he's not in the Premier League, possibly aside from fitness, is consistency because we've seen him be wildly inconsistent this season. I mean, he started, I really thought at the start of the season, Clement doesn't fancy him. like there you know there's something He's just dropped off and I don't know, like there may have been an attitudinal problem or whatever, but look, he's putting it all together now. The world is at his feet when he plays like that.
Speaker: He's just got to play like that for 10, 15 games. Not necessarily every performance, but you know you' you've got a you've got to be playing you know seven out of 10 games at those levels to then you know kick on because he's a flair player. and When he plays like that,
Speaker: I mean, Chrissie Wilder, bless him, said like we had the best. He said best front three, didn't he? He was very quick not to include Ben Slimani in that, probably because he used to you know he didn't really get with Chrissie Wilder. He sold him.
Speaker: But if Maccobre is in that you know kind of that that front four, then there is an argument to say that it's the best front four in the division as well when he's playing like that. And I think not just Paris, but we should absolutely be talking about Matthias Kvieskoren as well in terms of... He's transformed...
Speaker: And it's it's not necessarily the kind of the bits that we've singled him out for before. Like he tries really hard, he jumps really high for a little lad. You know, kind of he's he's going to put it in.
Speaker: It's not those bits, actually. It's the finesse in which, I mean, the ball he played to Masaba on Saturday where he with his left foot was quite frankly ridiculous. um You know, I don't know how he's executed it.
Speaker: Where he he pulled the ball down and then and played sort of it with the outside of his boot, pushed it out for for the ball across last night. um So like the assist to the assist was just yeah was just fantastic. And it was ah again, it was a player in confidence. It was a player in form. Also, two back heels that he's tried that almost have gone in, both of them. like That is a man that's confident.
Speaker: And I really, really hope he's going to try it again and it'll go in. So combine that with the Stacey and Brooks misses, where they both should have scored. and you know Like I say, I think we missed probably probably the two, maybe three easiest chances we had on the night, but I think we actually missed. Misaba, he's got to react quickly, but maybe you could say that one was easy. But but yeah, the XG or whatever of those chances, it could have it could have been seven or eight and it wouldn't have flattered us. And I think that's the difference. like Yes, you can play bad teams, but
Speaker: Charlton were in the lead. Watford were in the lead by two. You can play back. There's a difference between um you know getting the job done against bad teams and playing as well as we did. think Derby could have played really well last night and they would have lost maybe 2-0 or 2-1 or whatever.
Speaker: a performance like that is getting you three points 99 times 100 in the Championship. A lot of the time, yeah. And psychologically, I think... I was going to say psychologically, I think it's huge for this team that they've done it without Pella. They've done it without Kenny, like two of their generals in the middle of the park.
Speaker: I know we had Kenny for a half, you know, kind of um in one of the games, um you know, and look, fingers crossed, you know, they're that they're both back in the team very, very soon. But the fact that we could do that, the fact that we've probably, i felt as confident as I have done for a while that Jacob Wright has absolutely emerged as a successor in the middle of the park and someone who, you know, you keep him for five, six years,
Speaker: it you know, it's it's not going to be Kenny who, but it's going to be, well, we've got a lad who's just as good and and can dictate play and gets on the ball and has those natural leadership skills that we've been crying out for. i mean, you know, like there was, had a friend go to the, oh, what was the the last home game, the Watford game and and commented because they were in a different seat, you know kind of closer to the action just how much Wright was dictating it and telling people where to be and, you know, and and really kind of dragging the team with him.
Speaker: And you think this is a lad, what, he's still 21? You know, he's got so much more. Yeah, so much more in him. there is There is something I've noticed in the last two games because I've been watching him more because I haven't got my my boy to to watch. He did after a lot of pointing, our boy Jacob. He really is. You've got a new favourite. Perfect. No, no, no. Ready-made replacements. No, I noticed it last night. I noticed it in in person at Watford, at home to Watford. He is very demonstrative, and that seems to be something that's growing in his game. And there was a point at that during the Derby game where he was pointing to Harry Darling to tell him that, no, we we now need to play out that way. And for benefits of a video call, he said, he's doing this, go around that way. And I just thought, ah, he's just like your dad, Kenny, taught you. I kind of hope that, and i I don't hope that Kenny and Pella don't come back from you know injury, but I'm kind of hoping that they're out for a little bit longer because I'm really enjoying Jacob playing every game because he's just growing every game in confidence more and more and more just because he's playing those minutes. Well, no, he can't. or
Speaker: I mean, I guess Sam Field would be dropped, but he's played so well. like I like them together. They work well together. Yeah, no, I agree. i pirate i think If you had, if you had, if you thought you had 60 minutes from Pella and Kenny on Saturday, who's your midfield two punt?
Speaker: Hang on, they can both play. they can both they They are both capable of starting and playing 60 minutes. The numbers show they've got 60 minutes, both of them. And of obviously Field and Wright's recovery suggests they can do 60 minutes as well. Who's you starting to? I'm coming to you next, Claire. I made Punt go first because it's a tricky one.
Speaker: one I'm not even sure either it's tricky I don't even think it's that tricky. I think it's, I think it's right in field. I think you just go with the men in form. You go with the lads who've done it. They've got you the three points. We've got you the nine points essentially. um And, and as Claire has pointed out, are a bit of a natural fool for each other from what we've seen in the, these last two or three games.
Speaker: Yeah, no, I think it's, it's pretty standard decision. Pick the men in form. Yeah, I agree completely. got to stick with the winning team and they've done absolutely zero wrong ah and I think they deserve this the start on Saturday. if it's not going to plan, then we've got two great guys to bring on if needed, but stick with them.
Speaker: I still think for me, just to just to be a slight contrarian, I still think that Samfield would come out for one of the two of them. Yeah, probably. ah Part of it is just because of,
Speaker: The fact that we do expect far more possession for Bristol, more meaningful possession for Bristol City. um And that Watford home game first half. Yes, we did create some stuff. I agree with you. We weren't as bad as Punt made out. But um how fragile we looked when they had the ball and how quickly they were able to go from front to back without really doing anything clever.
Speaker: that would still be in my mind as the coach of Norwich. You know, if I'm Clement, I'm saying Derby didn't offer much and they they were able to express themselves in the game. But it's a fair point, Punt. Like if you've if you've just won, if you just kept in the side, played 90 minutes and got 4-0, if you get a knock on the door, you know, if if you get a knock on the door today, you're going to have to sit out for for King Kenny. Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, but then they think his character can accept that. That's why they signed him. Yeah, going to say, I think that's what he was brought in for. He's expecting to play 25 games, isn't he? You know, of which, you know he's expecting to play 25 games of which maybe only 12 of them are starts. But he's also... isn He's also got a nice amount of shithousery about him. I don't know if you saw on Saturday that he was by the stricken goalkeeper squirting water on the goalkeeper, which was rather lovely. Yeah, that was absolutely terrific. And I liked that he was called out for it and he did it twice more. Yeah, he didn't stop. Yeah, it was awesome. So with him and Darling in the team, we've got a decent amount of shithousery, which is lovely. I really like Harry Darling. get that Kordoba can do things when he's playing well that Darling can't do, but Darling is the sort of player who, if they're both playing really well, I would pick Darling. I think he does just have that little bit more nous. I think he is less likely...
Speaker: If Cordoba has a 9 out of 10 game and Darling has a 9 out of 10 game, there are more excellent strikers in the Championship that can just outplay Darling. I accept that.
Speaker: But I think it's less likely that Darling is completely unforced going to cock it up than Cordoba is. I just think he's just got a clown car moment in him that that Darling doesn't as much. And what we've seen I don't know, but the first 20 minutes at Charlton, it was definitely him. But after that, it was much better. So is Cordoba, so is McAvill, so is Stacey, so is Crotteni. Oh, they're championship defenders. Yeah, yeah. They're championship defenders. That's why they're not in the Premier League. my point is, it's like archetypes, right? And that that's always been my problem with Vlad.
Speaker: You know, i i he's not the archetype that that that is the kind of... I'd never sign a goalie like him. He's European goalie, isn't he? He's not a championship goalie. He's the guy you play in the Europa League. yeah he's not He's not the championship goalie that I would ever sign. Or even Prem. like He's just not the type of goalie I would sign. and i see why people like um I see why people do and sign goalies like that. I get it. But he would never be the archetype I'd sign. And
Speaker: you know I loved some of McConville's leadership in the in the Watford game. you know he he and Wright, considering how young they were, again, demonstrative, you know gesticulating, getting everyone going, but yeah know being Clement's folks on the on the pitch.
Speaker: i mean Punt, do you think McConville's put that sort of poor, dodgy form behind him now? Are we get just going to see Rolls-Royce to the end of the season? Yeah. Oh, God, that's, yeah. No, i' I'm not sure I want to go on record with that. Don't jinx it. Purely because it seems with McConville that he he's got some ricks. Like we've just said, you know, these are all championship defenders. The championship defenders for a reason, they have got mistakes in them.
Speaker: McConville for the back end of last season, Cordoba for the back end of last season, they both defended like they could be capable Premier League centre-backs. um We're not there at the minute. And it's really, really hard to know Is it the way the team's set up?
Speaker: Is it the way that there's less protection and they're just getting more exposed? In in in a similar way to, you looked at Vlad at the back end of last season and none of us really had any major, major concerns about Vlad.
Speaker: And then suddenly he gets exposed more and and, you know, the fragility is there, as we've said. I don't know. McConville is the defender out of all of them, you know, fullback, centre-backs, all of them that I trust the very, very most.
Speaker: He just feels like he's dependable. He keeps it simple. think he's actually better on the ball than a lot of people give him credit for in terms of his passing, but probably because he does keep it simple. Whereas someone like Darling...
Speaker: will maybe try a couple more expansive ones and that's when he gets himself in trouble. McConville knows his limitations. He knows himself as a footballer and he's got those leadership skills as well. So, yeah, look, I think he'll be fine to work for you know for for the rest of the season.
Speaker: um Whether he achieves McConville 25, 26 levels, don't know. i Again, I'm not quite there yet. What about, ah Claire, talk to me about Darlene Yong-wa.
Speaker: He looked like an absolute um baller. like That was a phenomenal 90 minutes. He looked unbeatable at the back, really quick, really physical, quick to get forward. Conditioning looked fantastic. He's got nice legs.
Speaker: Lovely calves. Knows how to celebrate. Knows how to celebrate. Although he said he doesn't score many goals, so he shouldn't get used to it. But I reckon he'll score a few more if he's playing like that. I mean, it's really tough. I really, I'm a big fan of Ben Kraseni as well. I think he's been one of the most consistent performers this season. i i i just really, really like Ben Kraseni. And he's weighed in with some very decent goals for us as well. So it's wonderful that we've got two such brilliant left backs. But yeah, what a shift Jung were putting yesterday.
Speaker: and I think we saw that even at the man in the Man City game, he was the one that was sort of physical and and put he put in a real shift in that game, even though it was terrible. He really stood out in that game. um i think, you know, we were by all accounts quite lucky to get him. think he's probably a bit above us really. yeah,
Speaker: It would be lovely, I think, if they just took it in terms and just played one game and then the next one, the other one played. and you know They're kind of interchangeable, really. Yeah. I think he's been bought to be first choice. You think he's going to play every game? Yeah, I think he will be. i think he will be i'm you know Obviously, form is is is is important, but if he plays, and I think he's got the attributes of being able to get forward and and perform in the attacking sphere.
Speaker: better than any full-back that we've got. Krizeny's got a fantastic finish on him. I mean, he that's now three cultured volleys that he's scored. I don't think there's full-back with three cultured volleys. Well, there's not many Norwich full-backs with three cultured volleys in there in their kind of repertoire. and But i I don't think Krizeny's got the physicality um that we need. I don't think he's as strong at set-pieces. as Yong-wa.
Speaker: And yeah, I think he's, I don't think he's as quick either. I think, ah although what keep's saying darlin I I noticed that Paddy has seems to have switched to Darlene That is how you pronounce it. Darlan.
Speaker: Darlan. I hadn't heard him go Darlan, but he's heart not played enough maybe. But yeah, I i i think he might may take it. just want to have a word on another fullback. What's happened to Kellen Fisher? Why is he only getting a minute and a half? What's going on there? Why is Stacey playing 88 minutes every time? It is weird in so much as you'd think, you know, Clement even referenced it. Can I just say, I'm not sure we've talked about it on the podcast.
Speaker: I absolutely love Philip Clement's little almost vocal tics in his press conferences when he just kind of goes, he makes like a weird noise after he said something. So he goes, oh, yeah, Kellen got five minutes there. And like kind of like it just does he do it around the house?
Speaker: I've never even noticed. You will now. need to pay more attention. Good grief. I will now, yeah. Yeah, there you go. You just let me know when you see it or we when you hear it.
Speaker: um And i think I think with Kellen, yeah, he referenced it. He was a bit like, yeah, even Kellen got on. And I was like, well, hang on, mate. you you know you can You can tweak it about. And when you are 4-0 up, maybe you could have given Kellen 25 minutes or 30 minutes or whatever. Because it it feels like if we want to progress as a team and if we want to get back to some of the more...
Speaker: robust and balanced football that we were able to play last season. Fisher was such a huge part of that. And I ah can see Stacey being massive when we're really good as an attacking unit, but there are times when we're going to to dig in and we're going to need a capable defender. Definitely not as defensively good.
Speaker: It's definitely not. Absolutely. In games like yesterday, Stacey, yeah, all day long because he can, well, he didn't finish, but he can finish and the crosses he puts in are really good. You know, he's had several assists.
Speaker: Kellen is defensively so much more astute and faster and, Stacey, he's slow. you like he's He's not got a fast sort of turn on him.
Speaker: So when we are definitely when we're playing the the better sides, I really want Kellen. I don't know what he's done wrong. like He was injured, but he's not now. i just Something's going on there.
Speaker: What it is, I don't know, because on paper, he should be in the team every week. It's very yeah peculiar. I think he's better at one-on-one duels. Yeah. what You know, like when, you know, looking at um the ankle-breaking turns that Paris was pulling and on that poor fellow who, you know, he's probably got family and friends, youre know, going to able look at them the same after after that embarrassment.
Speaker: um He did save Stacey's goal, though, the same player. He back-heeled it out. That excellent. That was him too. yeah that was think That was the same player. yeah now that that was that was That was a goal line clearance. and yeah In situations like that, in one-on-one duels with tricky players, ah yeah you fish that's for fish's bread and butter. He is putting in a strong challenge getting everything or at least the ball. He's very good at that on the byline and goes to ground quite quickly, decisively.
Speaker: And I love that part of his game. Again, i' talk about archetypes. That's the sort of fullback I like that is is kind of tough tackling. And yeah, it does seem odd that he isn't getting, with so much rotation, he seems to be pretty much the only, i say senior pro again, he's one of the younger ones, but, you know, Schwartal's only a kid. are These other youngsters are getting loads of minutes. It does seem strange that he he's the one that doesn't seem...
Speaker: you know, it doesn't seem to be getting the same level of rotation. So maybe after the international break, that changes because he's just got enough fitness and enough conditioning back into him to do it. um But look, ahead of the um international break, we do have another opportunity to to make it 12 points on the spin. and I'd love your guaranteed outcome for this weekend, please, Claire.
Speaker: Well, Wolves have just scored against Bristol City to go two and up in the 89th minute. So they're looking they're going to lose. So that's good, I think. Which means we'll be top half. We're still top half. We're we're still top half.
Speaker: And um yeah, and they're going to be disappointed because they were winning. So um we all I think we're going to draw. i want one all draw.
Speaker: but secretly hoping that we're going to win, obviously. um And I think Jovan's going to score again because yeah after... We haven't even talked about Jo's goal. That was bad goalkeeping, a great strike.
Speaker: Was it though? Because did you i don't know if you've seen Motore. He's been doing lots of interviews while he's back in Australia. And they were saying to him, do with your goal technique, do you just whack it as hard as you can? Or is there some sort of you know theory behind it? you said, no, I aim at the goalkeeper's head. because they can't save it with their head if it's that fast. And I feel like Jove did that yesterday.
Speaker: Didn't he also say that Clement had told him to put it in the corner all the time, though, and since he'd started doing that and he was scoring loads of goals? I thought he was going to reference that, but then he said, no, I just aim for the goalkeeper. but just twat it at his head, basically. Yeah, basically. bit like yeah but my mum used the same technique in badminton because she was really good at badminton. She just used to whack the shuttlecock directly at me and I just screamed because I couldn't do anything about it. So it's kind of the same technique, really. Yeah.
Speaker: maybe Maybe that's what's going on at Colney. Yeah. Yeah. Joe's going to another one at the goalkeeper's head and the score. Yeah. That's my guess. All right. One one. Any advance on one one, John Punt?
Speaker: Yes. um We are going to do a two nil win. Blimey. Grimmy. Sign him up. Lifetime contract.
Speaker: ah Oscar Schwartow is going to come in from the cold and score a goal. who's good Who's dropping out for him? Coming from the cold. I haven't worked that bit out.
Speaker: haven't worked that bit out. He'll come He'll come on rather than you start. Yeah, maybe he'll do that. Maybe he'll do that. Or maybe good old Tony Masaba might be little bit tired, so Oscar has to play. I don't know.
Speaker: it Oh, I can cycle and see that. I can see that. I can see that. That's the sort of rotation that does sort of make sense if you squint. And you will complain about it afterwards, yeah. No, I won't because it's going to work out.
Speaker: um That's like what the noise he makes. That's the noise piece he makes. kind of goes, a but yeah, thank you. yeah You'll hear it. You'll hear it. Isn't that just being like Gaelic, though? No. Well, maybe, but once you once you hear it, yeah, once you hear it, you you will. Yeah. Anyway. Okay. Just saying.
Speaker: Thanks. It's going to give me the ick now, isn't it? I'm not sure anything can give you the egg now, can it? Big Daddy Phil. Don't him that. that's given That has definitely given me the egg. Big Daddy. What did you think of Big Daddy Phil's faux denim scarf, Claire, yesterday?
Speaker: Oh, I didn't notice that either. I must have been enjoying the football too much to pay much attention. I thought he looked lovely on Saturday. i liked his brown trousers. Me and my sister both commented on his outfit on Saturday. I didn't really pay much attention yesterday. I was watching the players too much because it was 90 minutes of enjoyable football, which is rare as a Norwich fan. so Well, I'm going to go for a conservative Kvist-Goran first half hat-trick.
Speaker: Oof. Oof. Nice. Because the boy deserves it. he is i've I've liked Scrappy-Doo from the moon minute he first started playing for us. I was frustrated with his development not being, you know, not resulting in game minutes, not being able to stay fit.
Speaker: But I've always rooted for him and he is one that I am so pleased is is getting you know get managing to stay in the team. The fact that we haven't needed to rush McCormick back because Scrappy Dude gives us a physical presence. Now, I still think the eventual correct outcome is that finding a way of them playing in two when games aren't going well.
Speaker: you know If we are two nil down or if we are 2-1 down, I want to see the two of them together. Not one out wide, I want to see the two of them together because I like him in the 10. and And if there is a game where Magoma hasn't worked for whatever reason, Magoma off, Kvisty in the 10 just behind Makama.
Speaker: And and ah yeah, I think that that this is the this is the weekend as goals really start raining in. Kvist Goran, 3-0, hat-trick.
Speaker: And ah yeah, Phil, his big daddy, is is whirling his fake denim scarf around his head. Yeah. Doing knee slides in his brown trousers. It doesn't matter because they're already brown. Brilliant. so yeah aspect think about it Beautiful. um And yeah, we you I can't see anything other than goals, points now.
Speaker: but 100 goals, maybe. Not so much the points. 100 goals is probably on. Yeah. That's like, li yeah that' that is probably on at the moment. Yeah. Cool. Okay. Well, thank you so much, Claire. I really appreciate you telling us everything so that we need to, and we know more now about our football club than we did before we started recording. And punt, I acknowledge I have been able to see you throughout the recording.
Speaker: Everyone else, enjoy Christie's hat trick at the weekend and mind how you go.
