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"Get Ut Forward" ACN Pod 129
821 Plays7 months ago
Connor joins Tom & Jon to preview a rather sizeable game in East Anglia and look at what we might expect to haul in points wise over the final 6 games.
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Transcript
Excitement for the Upcoming Derby
00:00:21
Speaker
Welcome to the Long Come Knowledge podcast. For a population poised on the precipice of a pulsating, prideful, potentially painful derby, whilst we perhaps now all appreciate the positive potential playoff position we've procured, can we plunder the three most perfectly precious points? Connor joins me in punt to preview a fairly meaningful kickabout. Connor, the scene is set for a belter at Carrow Road Saturday lunchtime. How are your nerves?
00:00:49
Speaker
I hate Dalbies. I really don't like them. They're not for me. The best bit about it is when the final whistle goes and it's the relief of, in my experiences anyway so far, not having lost the game.
Team Strengths and Key Players
00:01:04
Speaker
So yeah, I've fully enacted Operation JDL, which is just don't lose. And in my
00:01:10
Speaker
Yeah, I've I've I've got a semi-conscious memory of Ipswich beating Norwich, but I've never seen them in the flash beat Norwich. So that's a record like I'd like to to have still standing come what, three o'clock slightly later. Well, that's the that's the mad thing. You're not going to be you're not in the minority. You know, there are a huge amount of season to get holders who have had season to get holders for a good decade or so. We've managed to avoid that. I can't can't say that I'm in that camp. I have felt the pain, but not since a young, young lad
00:01:40
Speaker
You weren't that young in what, 2009 or whenever it was? I was a young, young lad. I was young. I'm not having that my man. Yeah. It's quite worrying, isn't it? This, I say this a lot pre-dubbing. I think it's just self-preservation more than anything. It feels like it might be their time, but more so than ever right now, they've kind of, they've got their bad run out of their system. They're all systems go in terms of, you know, promotion push and they look.
00:02:08
Speaker
They look, one, they look like a really well coached team, which is quite annoying, but two, they're just having all the luck at the moment in terms of like decisions and, you know, offsides and disallowed goals and all of that kind of stuff. And you're just like, they feel, and all right, the parallels are really easy to draw because of the double promotion that Paul Lambert's team achieved. But they do feel like momentum wise and the fact that they are more than the sum of their parts, it's just very Lambert-esque.
00:02:37
Speaker
Um, and that, that really, really worries me at the same time. Like we're at home. We've been playing really, really well at home, um, for some games and Josh Sergeant can't stop scoring goals at Carrow road. So I think, I think we're going to net it's just, can we keep it switch out? Well, no, I don't think we can keep them out. I don't think there's any question of that. It's, it's, can we, can we hold?
00:03:05
Speaker
Can we hold our nerve if they do get the dreaded second goal? Because I think that was the key. Because everything you said in terms of self-preservation is everything you said going into the previous game. And we were in way worse form before that. Our pre-Darby pod then was very much, can we escape with just losing by two? We were really, really worried.
00:03:29
Speaker
All of that is true, except the form looks much better now. Conor, is it a case of that Derby, had they got the second goal, I think the way that it was going, the momentum in that game, it could have got out of hand, I think, especially with how fragile the mentality was
Strategizing for the Derby
00:03:49
Speaker
then. Do you think that almost the most important goal on Saturday is the second goal?
00:03:54
Speaker
Yeah, to, to an extent, I would add to that. I think I mean, I was at Portland road. I've been in Portland road on multiple occasions, unfortunately. And that, that was the loudest and kind of the best that I've experienced pre Derby. And I almost felt that they'd gone too far and we obviously had the stuff play game and then they didn't get the early goal and they missed a few opportunities early on. And I actually feel if they'd have got an early goal, if Nathan broadhead would have, you know, slotted into the, into the net from that one where she took round chain Duffy and I think a few others.
00:04:22
Speaker
then I think we'd have got into a situation where it would have been two, three, four and got really ugly. The fact they didn't do that and Norwich and you know it's interesting that Pump mentioned about Ips which is luck, Norwich probably had a little bit of luck on that day to survive and get themselves back into the game but I think you're right there was an element of that because as soon as Norwich scored it felt like someone had popped a balloon in that place and it never really recovered even when
00:04:45
Speaker
you know they were maybe pushing for a winner late on so I think you're right there is an element of that because the second goal I think will be absolutely key for whichever team gets it because if it's an equalizer you tend to find you get a little bit of momentum and if it's a
00:05:00
Speaker
if you're taking the lead then obviously it gives you an opportunity to or cushion and an opportunity to go and extend that further. So yeah I think there's an element of truth into that and I think it's also key that you know maybe this is slightly easier for Norwich because of the run that they've been on over a longer period but I think it is important that there is kind of a management of some of those emotions and some of those nerves and whatnot and ultimately it's going to be up to the players to do that isn't it.
00:05:24
Speaker
So, Punt, who do you think we need the biggest performance from? You know, let's go into some specifics. Who do you think has to show up on Saturday beyond Sarge? You mentioned him in terms of continuing that goal-scoring run. Who beyond him
00:05:39
Speaker
Do we need at least an eight and a half out of 10 for us to make sure we're taking a point or more? I don't think it's Sargent in terms of his goal scoring. I think it's Sargent in terms of his intensity because I've said it on this pod before, he sets the intensity for Norwich. Absolutely the fact that he defends from the front, he harries
00:05:59
Speaker
the way that, you know, his enthusiasm, you know, almost is infectious. Ashley Barnes looks a way better and more energetic player, although maybe not over the last couple of games, but it's certainly most of the time he's, when he's been put alongside Josh Sargent, he's, he's looked way better for it, you know, because of the fact that he has legs around him. Um, but I would actually pinpoint someone like Shane Duffy, because it feels like the injury to Serenson is definitely going to take him out of, um,
00:06:28
Speaker
out of the firing line and I think Norwich have to be really, really careful with the ball when they have possession and not allow Ipswich to turn it over quickly. And it felt against Leicester that we were quite susceptible to that, that they'd seem like they had our number a little bit in terms of being able to play out from the back. And I just, I just worry if we can see too much possession against Ipswich, one, you're not going to get it back as quickly as you'd want and as quickly as against most other sides in this division, just because, you know,
00:06:58
Speaker
by virtue of the fact that Ipswich played that brand of football, but it just feels like, again, kind of momentum is so big in Derby games. So yeah, I'd say someone like Shane Duffy who's coming in with relatively, well, hardly any game time at all, but should hopefully have the kind of seasoned, experienced head for a Derby. How much do you think, Conor, on
00:07:22
Speaker
the game on Monday against Leicester, it was Shane Duffy's kind of lack of ability to play out compared to what we had on Friday against Plymouth versus that Wagner approach in away games, which is sometimes if we're playing anyone that's around us or above, we seem to be extremely reticent to take any kind of risks, including from completely changing our standard way of playing out from the back.
00:07:52
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's a multitude of both. Clearly having Duffy there is different. And I actually think it's interesting because you've kind of got to trade off this weekend if Kiefer Moore is fit. And there's a little bit of doubt around that this weekend because you're kind of going to need his aerial ability and what is quite unique for a kind of championship level to squash what Kiefer Moore brings to a side. But then that does bring with it, I think, by virtue of him and the type of defender that he is.
00:08:17
Speaker
probably a weakened ability to play out from the back, which is something that Varg and his team is really keen on. And so there's an element of trade-off there that they need to negotiate. And whether that is, I don't know, dropping Kenny McLean in as a left-sided one, I don't know. Maybe that's slightly altering the way that the midfield operate around him. I'm not sure that's one for the coaches. But I mean, in Monday, I thought it was a combination of both, if I'm honest. I thought they weren't good enough on the ball. And that probably,
00:08:45
Speaker
created this sense of hot potato that they had when they had it. And suddenly that created a lot more panic. It was partly structure as well. And I just found it completely baffling really, because for 20 minutes or however long it was before Gabrielle Sarah scored that they were competitive to an extent in that game. And there was at least some decent attempts to foray forward. And I can understand going to Leicester and looking to be compact and tight and trying to frustrate to an extent. But
00:09:11
Speaker
to me it was like they went one nail up and just kind of regressed and went into the bunker and that for me was really disappointing because you look at someone like Josh Sargent, I think he really would have fancied a proper game against Vestergaard and Face and Borja Science was getting in behind them. Norrie City didn't have to retreat in the way that they did and that's ultimately I think where people will come into the approach element of it. It felt to me
00:09:35
Speaker
having reflected on it that it was almost a game where a lot of people kind of went, oh well, it's Leicester, we'll get beat anyway. And I didn't think it needed to be like that because there was a real competitive edge to it and they kind of surrendered that. And actually at 1-1, I turned to Paddy and said, look, it almost needs a Leicester goal here just to open it back up again and to get Norwich out.
00:09:57
Speaker
That's really, I think, frustrating, particularly given the run that they've been on. So I can understand why they did what they did, but equally, I felt it was really unnecessary and so drastic in the nature of it. There was probably a better balance to have been found in that particular game. I think that the inflexibility that there appeared to be on Monday is something that Middlesbrough aside, where obviously we had that sending off that was overturned and that clearly impacted the game.
Impact of Crowd Support
00:10:26
Speaker
It was a stick that was being used to beat Wagner with, but that really that criticism hasn't been able to be leveled at him for the vast majority of 2024, which we are now kind of into the fourth month of. He didn't seem to have a way of getting us going to your point without then going behind. There was a kind of element of being shell-shocked. I don't think the crowd
00:10:53
Speaker
will allow that to happen on Saturday. My concern is how quickly we might see patients run out if they were to get an early goal on Saturday Ipswich because it would be a really good test of actually has Wagner won round all of the detractors and have actually, they had nothing to complain about because of the results and because of where we're sitting in the table.
00:11:19
Speaker
Actually, could that all evaporate really quickly punt as, as, as soon as, as all of a sudden it's an orange nil, it switched to like, you know, would that bring boo boys out at halftime? If it's two nil and the, and the performance is really tepid, then people are going to kick off. And you saw that in a really limited fashion against Plymouth, you saw that there was audible signs of frustration from certain parts of the ground in terms of.
00:11:48
Speaker
Well, you know, even when Angus Gunn had the ball or, you know, I was sitting the Barkley up and out and there is an absolute tirade of get up forward, you know, like, which is just. Feels absolutely perplexing to me because every time we do get up forward, like we will concede possession because we've, we've punted it up, um, you know, kind of in, in a pressured way. It just so before you move on from that point, though, I, uh, whilst I'm not in the get up forward.
00:12:17
Speaker
part of or get rid of it. Get rid of it. I'm not I'm not quite in that group of fans as entitled as they are to their valid opinions that that Angus Gunn was it felt to me almost deliberately like trapping the ball and putting his foot on the ball almost to see how a bit like sometimes when a keeper when they're defending like a two goal lead or a one goal lead
00:12:45
Speaker
in the last five minutes, we'll almost see how far could I push this gold kick before I get booked. They just seem an element of the gun. I was like, how long can I put my foot on the ball before I get booed? But the deliberate act is, right, come on, then I'm going to try and kind of actually commit a man so that we can do two quick passes and we're out and you've played through the press. And then actually, Noury should be all the better for it. There's a real argument as to whether Noury are actually any good at that or whether it's just, you know, get it to the likes of of Gabi Sara or Boha Science and then just go from there.
00:13:14
Speaker
But no, I think people have, it's really interesting to observe the social media discourse and how many people went after Wagner and his tactics after the Leicester game. There is still, and I don't think it will ever go away, there is still an undercurrent that where I think, you know, you're probably only two, three, I think it was probably one or two bad performances off absolute unrest. I think we're now three or four performances off absolute unrest, but it's still there because
00:13:44
Speaker
And it has felt like this all season, everything still feels completely temporary because there is no certainty about Wagner and whether he's going to be the coach beyond this season. And there's no certainty about what Norwich City are going to do and then the players that they're going to have at their disposal, given the contractual situations of many players. So there is still this feeling of limbo. I know we've talked about it before that
00:14:11
Speaker
it feels like, right, well, or it felt like everyone was just on the same page and it was like, right, these last 10, 15 games. And we're now obviously into the last six games, I think, isn't it? Everyone just get together and it'll all be fine. But I don't know, like I don't want to be really negative going into the Derby, but it might feel like a poor result against Ipswich coupled with, you know, kind of maybe another tricky result could be enough for people just to start getting audibly quite annoyed again.
00:14:40
Speaker
I don't actually think that will happen as much as I'm going in in self preservation mode and I think Ipswich are now in the part of the season where there's going to be a lot of nerves. There's going to be a hell of a lot of nerves because they know they're on the cusp of something. Let's not dress it up really, really special, you know, as it was when we did it with Paul Lambert and they are
00:15:01
Speaker
hate to say it, they're doing it in more impressive fashion at the moment, the fact that, you know, they are right up the top of the division, but also averaging over two points a game. Whereas I think with Lambert, we went up with something like 85 or 86 points, you know, kind of a, we didn't labor to it, but there wasn't four outstanding teams in the division. There was two. Um, so, but this is the time, this is the absolute time where we're going to find out what it's, which I'm made of. And if we can just get into them, if we can just,
00:15:30
Speaker
You know, if Ashley Barnes can actually emerge as a shit house, you know, the shit house that we felt like we were going to get, and we haven't really had this season, if Shane Duffy can stand up to the aerial threat of Kiefer Moore and actually get his foot on the ball a bit. If Gabrielle Sarah can run midfields like we know he can run them.
00:15:47
Speaker
I don't know. I think we can get at them and certainly. They don't have a, they don't got a player as good as Gabi Sara. And they haven't got a defense, to be honest. There's a reason that they have to keep getting 97th minute. And that is the bit that's very Lambert and Farka, effectively.
00:16:06
Speaker
Low league teams that get promotion are the teams that have a nine in at the front of lots of their goal scoring minutes You know it is that that is that is what kind of promotion is made of just keep on going keep on going Keep on going and that's belief and that's coaching and that's mentality and momentum which they have managed to maintain and that's that's a key element of why they are so much better than some of their parts but and to your point about not liking it up and
00:16:30
Speaker
when Norwich genuinely started to rattle them in the away derby, that was when it felt much more equal. And Ashley Barnes owes us in the derby. It was his error that led to their second goal in the derby away, completely avoidable. And obviously there was a couple of chances to do something about it after that.
00:16:55
Speaker
I also feel that Duffy owes us in terms of this season and his wages. I feel like he has not contributed to the extent that he would like to have been able to. Obviously, some of that's been injury, but I don't think you can point to three or four commanding Shane Duffy performances where he was a key element of why we won a game.
00:17:22
Speaker
You know, Derby is a fantastic, I mean, that is when heroes write their name in Norwich City law, of course. There are plenty of people who we remember for nothing other than what they did in the Derby. But if those two, to your point, seasoned pros can play a role and enable the likes of science, the likes of Sarah to do what they do brilliantly, I'm confident that we've got
00:17:50
Speaker
I mean, we score goals for fun. Like we are a really on month. I remember on the commentary on Monday, they said it. I don't understand why they're not getting the ball forward more often because knowledge are so dangerous.
Predicting Fixture Outcomes
00:18:02
Speaker
They're attacking players look so good. Every time they're around the box, they'd be saying that repeatedly on the commentary. And that is from people who are, you know, not seeing us all the time, but watching highlights and seeing bits of us and preparing for the game, doing, doing the punditry.
00:18:15
Speaker
And it's exactly how I feel. Especially at Carrow Road, I really expect us to score almost every time we go forward because we create chances. 20 plus chances wasn't against Plymouth. We are so good at creating opportunities out of next to nothing.
00:18:33
Speaker
And that's what I like about what has become Wagner's brand of football is we do go from 0 to 60 so quickly. And it can be a slightly frustrating slow passage of play and then two minutes of really high tempo. I enjoy that. I do think we need those big points. So I'll ask the same question to you, Connor, in terms of who do you think is absolutely key
00:18:59
Speaker
Who needs to have an eight and a half plus performance if we stand a chance to make sure we're celebrating 15 years Norwich City come Saturday night?
00:19:11
Speaker
Jack Stacey for me, I think you look at the threat of Leif Davis with Ipswich and I think so often this season, he's had an A next to his name for assist. He plays as a winger essentially. So it's going to be really interesting to see how Jack Stacey but Norwich more widely get that balance right because we know how powerful he is. We know how much he wants to
00:19:30
Speaker
get up and down that line. I fear as was the case on Monday to be fair that Norwich didn't quite get him out as often as they would have liked because of the way that they're less to set up their wide areas. And I think Davis is going to be so aggressive. He's such a threat. He's got such quality in terms of his deliveries.
00:19:46
Speaker
we're going to have to see I think a more rounded more probably pragmatic Jack Stacey than the one that we've been used to seeing at Coward Road where he has dominated that right flank and particularly if it is as it has been with Gabrielle Sarrow in front and he's so inverted that quite often he hasn't had that much protection. So I think that for me is one I'm looking at I mean
00:20:06
Speaker
punt mentioned, Sarah, I think that's that's a big one as well in terms of that that midfield area, particularly with Morsy and the sort of power that he brings, although it was interesting to see on Monday them kind of get overran a little bit in midfield and, you know, we were on the way back from Leicester, but listening to Dean Ashton on the radio, basically talking about how they needed to get another man into midfield was quite interesting. So I think there is an opportunity there. And, you know, it's Josh Sargent again, isn't it? That's the one that we're going to be looking at and talking about because he is
00:20:36
Speaker
the difference, I think, for the Snorri City team because of his quality in front of goal, because of the chances that he has, because of the confidence that he has. So, yeah, I think there's a few players there, but I think I'm looking at that battle between Stacey and Davis and thinking whoever wins that is going to have a really good shout to be on. If not the winning side, then definitely on the side that doesn't lose the game.
00:20:59
Speaker
Looking at slightly past this weekend, full on running mode, what do you think is a realistic points haul or a realistic final flurry of points? I don't exactly want guarantees at this stage, but based on the fixture list certainly does ease up quite a lot after this week where we're playing first and second or first and third or whatever it's going to be.
00:21:25
Speaker
You know, the lights of Sheffield Wednesday, Preston still just about in the picture, then Bristol City Swansea, Birmingham, who by then should be either safe or relegated. It'd be very unlikely that it goes to the last game of the season. From those five games, how many points are we going to get? Good question. Thank you.
00:21:49
Speaker
I think we might win three and lose a couple. And what does that leave us on? Are we on 64 at the moment? So that would leave us on 73. Oof. In a lot of seasons that won't get you playoffs, but I think this season it may well actually get Norwich City into sixth.
00:22:08
Speaker
But yeah, I think we'll beat Sheffield Wednesday, I think we'll beat Preston, I think Birmingham will be interesting purely because I think they might be in it right until the last day. I think that they could well be in it. If we need something on the last day to clinch six, you'd have to fancy the nerves of us clinching six outweighing the nerves of them staying up. I don't know.
00:22:36
Speaker
Yeah, I think so. Quality wise, I think the quality shows in situations like that. Yeah. I mean, with Birmingham and the recent change in management, I don't know that that becomes more... I think they'll be all right. I think they'll be all right. I think Wednesday will be all right as well. And I think QPR might find something. There's all the teams down there I think that are capable of picking up quite a few points.
00:22:58
Speaker
I was surprised that I heard a bit on the radio on the way back from the game on Saturday against Plymouth, Friday against Plymouth, and I think it was Simon Lappin, I didn't catch him being introduced.
00:23:13
Speaker
but no he was saying yeah okay and he was saying you know um you know Plymouth came here gave giving it a real go i thought what game were you watching they they parked a bus they got a goal because we completely stood off um across and didn't close it down and then neither of our centre backs thought it was worth standing within 10 yards of someone in the six yard box and other than that um
00:23:35
Speaker
No, they had the other chance where they sort of went across the box. They went round gun and put it across the box. I think they were the only two opportunities in the first half. They had made no attempt to attack us. They were there to just try and steal things. I thought that was really strange, but I was surprised by how poor they were, given they were a team that put, what was it, five, six pastors early in the season? Do you think, how on earth have they gone so off the boil?
00:24:02
Speaker
Connor, same question to you. You've got those five games relevant to what happens on Saturday, Wednesday, Preston, Bristol City, Swansea, Birmingham. Punt says nine points. I think that's a little bit conservative.
00:24:16
Speaker
Yeah, I do. Although there is a part of me that I know people have been talking about this as a two game block with Leicester Ipswich. I'm kind of looking at it as a four. I'm quite worried about the two away games that followed for obviously the reasons that that pun said in terms of Sheffield Wednesday, I think I think their their performances have been significantly better than their lead position. Danny Royal has
00:24:36
Speaker
Arguably, if he does keep them up, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who's done a better job in the championship than that, maybe Kieran McKenna, but he's done exceptionally well.
Tactics and Mentality in High Pressure
00:24:46
Speaker
So I'm a little bit worried about that one as a game and what that will mean. And impression, I think, is the type of game that I don't really fancy Norwich for in general.
00:24:57
Speaker
That would be, that would be really, I think quite bad to lose that one, given the position that Preston are in. And the fact that, you know, I keep thinking, I look at the lead table and they're the one side that you think, ah, they'll fall away. And they haven't yet. And I think they'll be, they'll be looking at that Norwich game has been really big. And, and I could see a situation where maybe they're going into it with a little bit more gusto than, than the Norwich are.
00:25:17
Speaker
My feeling has always been, if Norwich can navigate those two, and I don't know what navigate means, maybe it means four points, three points, you can decide. I'd probably say four, I think, from those two. And if they're in the top six by the end of that, I would back them with the two home games, which I think they'll win, and Birmingham away, which, yeah, I also think could be quite tricky, depending on where Birmingham are and what they're doing. So I think I said, I'm trying to calculate now, but I think I said in the international break, they get five wins.
00:25:47
Speaker
And I don't think one of those was Leicester. So I'm saying four wins, I think, from six, I think. I'm rubbish at maths. But that would be what? That'd be 12 points. I think that would get you in. So don't ask me where they're going to come from. But those two home games definitely. And then I think they'll pinch a couple away, I think.
00:26:04
Speaker
100% for wins is getting you into the playoffs. I think that would put you on 77. So that would that would be enough. Yeah. I mean, at the moment, you've at the moment, 77 would put you in fourth as is. But more importantly than that, that would mean that Coventry need to get 17 points from from seven games, which is, you know, you're starting to really put a lot of lot of they have to be almost perfect. Right. And that is that is going to be really, really tricky.
00:26:33
Speaker
bearing in mind that, including Preston, it's not often that you see in the kind of form table that sixth, seventh, eighth and tenth all lost their last game. It really was sort of one of those rounds of fixtures where everyone went, oh, OK, well, none of us will do very well this weekend.
00:26:55
Speaker
and so the only real winners there were Middlesbrough who sort of dropped out of the conversation and now they don't have a gaming hand on us but if we were to lose to Preston all of a sudden they could be three points back. They're the ones, sorry to cut across, but they're the ones I'm looking at with just half an eye now.
00:27:13
Speaker
And I think they've got a pretty tough running by all accounts, but I think they're a better side than what they've shown over this season. And I just wonder if they could go on a little bit of a run at the right time and just apply some pressure. And then it's obviously up to whether Norwich can keep a steady hand.
00:27:29
Speaker
Well, I think that I actually, and it's rare that this is the case with Norwich, aside from Coventry, our goal difference is extremely superior. And that, you know, even if someone was to do three results on top of ours, you wouldn't expect much more than maybe a six to eight point goal swing over three games where we've lost by one or two, they've won by one or two.
00:27:55
Speaker
that's not going to be enough for any of the aforementioned, the commentary, the only ones in the teams in terms of goal difference. So that might well play a role in the fact that if it goes into the last day, it might be that we're only three points clear, but it's three points and six goals or what have you.
00:28:13
Speaker
which could lead to some fireworks that weekend in May. The challenge I see for Norwich looking into this weekend is to, for the coaching staff, it's going to be, obviously it will be an absolutely bubbling, lively atmosphere at the start of the game. I think the half-time team talk, so my
00:28:42
Speaker
My who has to have an 8 out of 5 day is the manager. I think Wagner needs, Wagner has to get his players up for it to the level that they are competing from word go. I think we were a little bit sluggish in the away derby.
00:28:59
Speaker
We need to, if we're going to play it out from the back, we need to do it sharply. We need to make the decisions. And this is one of the things I don't think Duffy does when he is involved in the passing it about with the bat. He doesn't do it quickly. He dithers. And when you combine that with also not being able to have the ability to then quickly ping one, if he's under pressure like Gibson actually can do to great effect, and both full backs can, both Stacey McAllum, or if Demi was in there, he would be able to.
00:29:27
Speaker
And but i think that needs to get them up enough for it to. Match the intensity that it switch will be playing to make themselves heroes right now they will know full well what what is on the line here if they are the ones to finally break the who do.
00:29:43
Speaker
And I think if you also think about what Wagner's then got to do at half time, he's either got to keep us playing the way that has got us our noses in front or kept us level.
00:29:58
Speaker
or he's got to get them to manage the noise and manage the shut out the booze if it's been awful, right? Because I agree with you, pun. I think that there is a real groundswell of people who effectively think he's gone with anything other than promotion at the end of the season and therefore think he hasn't done enough
00:30:23
Speaker
to prove them that they were really wrong. They've just stopped saying it out loud as much. Do you see what I mean? And therefore, if it was a similar performance to Bits of Plymouth, where we were a bit underwhelming and a bit slow,
00:30:40
Speaker
And we're two goals down. I think the players are walking into booze. And then it's down to how does Wagner manage that situation? Because let's have it right. I don't think he's got that right so far when there has been animosity.
00:30:56
Speaker
he's been proven correct to have been stuck with because of the form and the performances he's managed to turn them into but I haven't agreed with the way he's handled those interactions with the fans. So what say you on that? Unless it was really really bad first half I'd be surprised if the team walked into booze because I think contextually
00:31:19
Speaker
the fans should be attuned to the fact that actually that would just be a really stupid idea on Derby Day. Like any other game I could possibly see that but I think just getting that testy and getting on the players at half time, even if we have a semblance of a chance to come back in a Derby just isn't the thing to do. I think what my
00:31:40
Speaker
be more of an issue is if the mentality is quite Leicester-esque if or if it's maybe if we go back to the home game against Southampton where it was just absolutely conservative you know in the extreme I think if we if we go into our shells if we retreat if we just hoof it and then you know there's there's wave and wave of attack that we we need to repel
00:32:05
Speaker
I think stylistically, if are going to change is too much from what he's been really successful in doing at home, then that will be the biggest issue for me. So, yeah, I'd like to think the crowd will be emotionally intelligent enough not to do that unless it's it's horrific. And I don't look I don't expect this to be horrific. Norwich.
00:32:24
Speaker
Are we an emotionally intelligent bunch at Colorado? Is that? I'm not sure we've ever been described as that. Maybe I will give the crowd more credit than they're due, but look, it's Derby Day and effectively everyone needs to get behind the lads because, you know, this is, look, Norwich are always more powerful and any football team are more powerful when their fan base is united behind them. So if there's any time to do it, it is Saturday lunchtime.
00:32:48
Speaker
I think, I think, I think you're right on that, on that point that if, I mean, again, we do cast into a degree in terms of where, but I mean, I want to bring you on. Just ask the question, right? If we're three nil up, how happy will we all be? Let's just ask it that way, mate. Well, no, but that, but if that was what I said at the start of the Wagner point, you know, if we're one nil up,
00:33:11
Speaker
It is just as crucial a halftime team talk and a tactical set of instructions. They are going to come flying at us. We know they keep going until the 97th minute. It is important that all week he has drilled
Derby Predictions
00:33:26
Speaker
into those players. The game is not won until the final whistle to maybe a greater extent than has ever been true. Some of the decisions that the players made when running down the clock against Plymouth
00:33:39
Speaker
They are not the decisions to make against a team flying for promotion and okay an element of that was the Plymouth weren't exactly giving signs of life But at the same time, you know, he if if I'm in in his coaching bubble That is what I am that is what we are preaching this this week. We do not want to be giving late Kind of late winners away in this scenario and
00:34:03
Speaker
We're six in the league with four points from seventh. We are one of the form teams of 2024. We've only lost twice. We haven't gone into a derby in better form many times in any of the three of our careers of watching Norwich. Now, we've been far higher up in the table than Norwich several times, but we are in generally, in the last three months, fantastic form to be going into any big game.
00:34:33
Speaker
And I personally, and I'm going to break with tradition, I'm guaranteeing a score draw. I think it's going to be, it could be 2-2 again, could be 3-3, could be like a Southampton style 4-4. I think we're going to slug it out. We're going to keep creating chances. I am worried about our ability to keep the door shut the other side.
00:34:55
Speaker
they are vulnerable and we're really good going forward so I'm going 3-3 and I'm going I'm going Sarah two goals and obviously side scoring because he always does punt guaranteed scorers and scoreline please
00:35:13
Speaker
after that just to be contrary i'm gonna have to go for nil nil um after i'd said earlier i would i don't bet but if i did bet i'd put a lot of money on it not being nil nil with those two with those two going at each other i think just going back to the point that you were making um
00:35:29
Speaker
and Wagner and how important he is and it's mentality isn't it? It's absolutely mentality because against some of the better sides it's been proven that either he started with Norwich City in their shell or when we've got a goal to the good we'll very much protect that and I just don't think that works against
00:35:49
Speaker
an Ipswich side who, to all intents and purposes, have been pretty relentless this season. So I do hope that, you know, Tom, that he is listening to this and he has taken on board your words and he is drilling them at Colney, that this needs to be a 90-minute performance full of intensity. No, I won't... 97 minutes. Yeah, all right. Yes, good point. Of course I won't say nil, nil. I am going to guarantee that Josh Sargent will get his 10th goal in a row at Carrow Road.
00:36:17
Speaker
um and that we will or yeah 10 goals is it 10 goals in 10 games or 11 it would make that 11 goals in 10 games whatever is run is it's it's stupid it's a lot it's a quite a lot of goals um and that we will we will win we will win two one in a very
00:36:37
Speaker
edgy, nervy Darby that, look, this is, so both my girls got season tickets this season. This is their first ever Darby that they've attended. We've got to win, right? Just got to win for them. I hope so. Connor, guaranteed score line, guaranteed scorers, please. Yeah, I was very much with you, Tom, on the on the score draw feeling. And I've been on that for a while. Darby's
00:37:01
Speaker
KG, edgy, they don't tend to be great games for football, to be honest, just in terms of like even for a neutral, let alone when you're sort of emotionally invested in it. So yeah, I can see with the respective defenses of the sides for all the reasons that you guys have discussed, I think it's
00:37:17
Speaker
feels like there's goals in it, which maybe does lend it to an ill nil. So I've kind of been thinking to a week, but I'll go for something more specific. I'll say no city to continue their run of scoring from brilliant corners and brilliant set piece routines.
00:37:33
Speaker
Love that. Do you want who would score as well? Well, yes, you need to guarantee who it is going to be. Okay. Well, Sargent will get one and I will go with a Kenny McLean header from a corner. I'd like that. I do love him very much. We'll talk. Well, that's where he constantly keeps trying to do that Manchester City header and he hasn't replicated it yet.
00:37:58
Speaker
We'll talk, we'll talk player of the season, speaking of Kenny, we'll talk player of the season, uh, on, on, uh, upcoming episode. Um, but look, it, here it is. It is the big one. It's the one that we've been dreading for a lot of the season, looking forward to for a big portion portion of the season. And then it kind of feels like we're sort of dreading it again, but.
00:38:16
Speaker
You know, if if it happens, we've had an incredible run. If they win, we've had an incredible run. Right. Fourteen odd years. It's very unlikely to be repeated that they're going to go that long without without losing to us. So that is something that we've got. That's something that we've got that can't be taken away on one game football. They say they win one game football in one game of football, whatever.
00:38:42
Speaker
We've still got the rest of SatD. You can go and have a drink, go and have a walk. It's sort of springtime. We've still got five games left. We're still going to be in the playoffs, whatever happens, come Saturday night. You know, it's not that big deal. However, if we do manage to draw, or even better, if we do manage to win, it'll be 15 years and counting, and it'll be one hell of a party. See you, SatD. Mind how you go.