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"Semantics" ACN Pod 168
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It's the new season! We've already scored 4 goals at home and smashed through to the 2nd round of the league cup. We have great continuity and the greatest coach around. Welcome to another season preview that may look hopelessly over optimistic come May. Thank you for listening.
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Transcript
Norwich City's Secret Weapon and Preseason Insights
00:00:22
Speaker
Welcome to the Long Come Norwich podcast. Have hope, heart and high expectations because the horizon is heavily laden with heroic possibilities. Last year, there was no heartbreaking, narrowly missing playoff heaven and a healed host of injured heifers are hurtling back to the pitch in the opening weeks to ignite a fiery promotion push this year.
00:00:36
Speaker
Yes, some hard-hitting relegated heavyweights have dropped into our division, but we hold a huge secret weapon, Super Phil Cromont. Having handled the helm with high authority, he has us hungrily targeting the automatic places. Behind the scenes, it's been a hush-hush, highly quiet transfer window with just a handful of movements. Instead of a massive overhaul, Clement has had the squad hammering away in pre-season, grinding through grueling, relentless hard work. That harsh labour has produced harmony and the cut hustling of MK Dons has only heightened the hype that with our heroes Kenny, Moe and Jose back from their World Cup adventures, we're healthy and heavenward bound to the Premier League with 100 and 100 points.
Summer Reflections and Preseason Concerns
00:01:13
Speaker
Claire, nice summer, ready to get hurt by football again? Bring it on. I am so ready, not for any pain and heartbreak. Hopefully, there you know, there'll be a few little bumps in the road, but mostly it's just going to be a season of joy and happiness, I think. um um' I must admit, this time last week, I had the fear creep in.
00:01:35
Speaker
I think the injury to Ali Ahmed and, you know, we lost that game and OK, it was mitigating circumstances, but we hadn't scored tons of goals in pre-season. um I went to the Wimbledon game and it was kind of just a fitness exercise, but the football wasn't that great. And I just thought, oh, do you know what?
00:01:52
Speaker
Was last season just that little bit of magic and we're not going to be able to carry on this season? But then yesterday happened and now I am absolutely raring to go, full of positivity. i am so impressed with with what they did yesterday, not even just the result, but just the way from the word go, they were on it and they have got the the fire in them to do well and you could just see it. So I'm really excited about what's about to come.
00:02:20
Speaker
Puntalicious, are you feeling as full of brim and happiness and and positivity as Claire? Yes, um with a little caveat. The only thing that makes me glum is the fact that we seem to still have a propensity to get injured.
00:02:38
Speaker
And I think it of of any Norwich City squads that have done fantastically well, probably aside from Farkas 2018-19, where we did have quite a lot of injuries and then people would just come in and almost seamlessly fit into to what they were trying to do. actually, if I think of maybe like Worthy's 04-05 the team, it was...
00:03:01
Speaker
pretty much, you know, same 13, 14 core squad. um And you relied on that consistency. And you just love Clement to have it because we were so fantastic without it last season. And so if we got it, but look, that's not modern football. that that's That's not where we're we're going to be, sadly.
00:03:22
Speaker
um it just seems so unfortunate that the injuries aren't, you know, those types of injuries that that you could foresee or, you know, you could... You could look at trends in data and and, you know, kind of predict. So, yeah, no, I'm feeling really positive. I think the the good thing for me is that,
00:03:40
Speaker
Clement has come in and had the pre-season that he wants to have. And it's very, very clear. And the evidence from yesterday um is there for all to see. We are in tip top physical shape right from the get
Squad Stability and Mo Torre's Impact
00:03:53
Speaker
go.
00:03:53
Speaker
And he's not happy with where we are at yet. He's still like, no, no, we'rere we're going to get sharper um throughout August. So we've got a difficult start, but I just feel like this is the best possible time to be playing these more difficult sides.
00:04:10
Speaker
because I think we're we're going to be perfectly prepared. um So yeah, very positive. um Yeah, 100 points, 100 goals, as you say. One of the things that I thought was ah hopefully indicative of the kind of early season form or or hopefully is going to be an early season narrative was how familiar it felt. yeah and Obviously, we had our winger score on his debut and then have the goal taken away from him and then score another one that he was allowed to keep. and so that was a bit confusing in the stadium because he's we were in the Barclays, so the other end to us. So on the big screen, his his name, he was read out. Oh, fantastic. Debut goal. Brilliant. And then the and then it was sort of by the time we'd looked at our phones at halftime, apparently someone else had scored it. But anyway, ah yeah other than him, it was, oh, well, we know all these lads and they all played
00:05:00
Speaker
so refreshingly, almost exactly as the best of their form last season. So Pella was everywhere. um ah Jack Stacey looked a little bit dodgy, but but also full of full of running. So, you know, same as last season. normal and Vlad saved really, really good penalty.
00:05:17
Speaker
um as in made a really good penalty save. And i actually, i did think it was quite a good penalty. It's not like he you didn't chip it into his midriff. He probably had to get across for it. So, yeah and you know, Darling looked as good as he'd looked at any point last season. Jose looked like he has had a... ah nine week summer break and rested and relaxed. He looked so fit, so full of running.
00:05:38
Speaker
um Yeah, could go through the whole team. Everyone looked the best version of themselves and um the the effort in the press, how relentless they were, which is something that I read to Paul Warren spoke about in his post you know post match was that when they went, they all went. How drilled we look. So to your point, Punt, I hope that you are right and that one of the reasons that it is a good time to play some of the trickier teams is that we have got such stability, such and steady, it's got a steady hand on Attila, obviously a couple of changes in the coaching staff, but the way we want to play is the same. We're not trying to bed in a new formation. We're not trying to bed in new talent. We haven't got someone with a massive price tag who's, you know, they haven't got a big number nine that we've spent 20 million on that everyone's worried that they're going to score, et cetera.
00:06:22
Speaker
So, no, i I think you're right. and on On MK Dons yesterday, Claire, we've got to talk about Mo Torre coming back from the World Cup and hitting the ground running because we had a few chats on this podcast towards the end of last season. You know, Punt says he's just lucky, whereas you and I appreciate his goal scoring ability. I thought first 45 yesterday was was basically a complete striker's performance. He looked dangerous all the time, right?
00:06:46
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, he has just got the Midas touch as soon as he pulls on a Norwich shirt and maybe a little bit of pent up kind of. Aggression from not doing so well in the World Cup came out yesterday as well. But he he's just his pace will just serve him so well in this league. I mean, obviously, MK Dons were pretty shit. um We're not going to face that very regularly in the Championship, certainly not next weekend against West Brom. But he's already shown he can do it at this level. And he hasn't given us any reason to think he's not going to carry on doing so after yesterday's performance. He was outstanding in the first 45 minutes, absolutely outstanding. And just that link-up play with Slomani as well. like Like you said, it's the continuity from last season. Those sort of passages of play that we saw in the game yesterday were really, really good. Loads and loads of chances. And that's something that we haven't had for so many seasons where we've just got the same team, the same players, the same manager, they know what they're doing. And Torre is really going to benefit from that when we ah start the season as well. So, yeah. And you called out something and for a goal that actually he didn't get a goal contribution to assist-wise, John, when he actually got out of the way in a sensible way.
00:07:55
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, I think i think with Torre, he's...
00:08:01
Speaker
I think I need to probably stop saying he's lucky, even though I think he is. And it's a lovely quality to have, right? Like that is not a negative. Not lucky is called Midas touch. Yeah, yeah. You know, semantics, right?
00:08:16
Speaker
But actually there are some things that he does incredibly well on a football pitch, i.e. run onto the ball and smash it with absolute venom, you know kind of so before it doesn't even have to be placed. It's it's beyond the keeper before they can react.
00:08:30
Speaker
um But actually there's been some really nice touches in terms of his hold-up play, bringing other people into play. He seems to have a really good understanding with Slomani. I was really surprised. by the priest Most of pre-season we've gone with Magoma in the ten and Chris Goran through the middle. And I i just felt like, because we'd played okay in pre-season, that that they were going to be given the nod. So it was a shock to me, but you know within seven minutes, Clement proves you know an absolute masterstroke and they're creating goals for each other. I do think with Toure, the reason that maybe... And look, I had this conversation with...
00:09:06
Speaker
four or five different people in the two weeks um leading up to the to their season opener. And we all said, we still don't know if he's any good. and And it sounds absolutely nuts to say that, but there's some things that he does where he just looks like he's Bambi on ice or he shouldn't be a footballer in microcosm. right like yeah within a line Not yesterday. Not so much. there was i think there was a couple of times where he did things that I thought, oh, that's a bit daft or you know his touch wasn't quite there.
00:09:34
Speaker
it's those bits that just make you doubt yourself sometimes. But I think what I need to check and, you know, and challenge myself around is that there are some things that he does incredibly well regularly.
00:09:46
Speaker
um And if he keeps doing those things and he keeps being consistent, he's, Look, I think championship defenders will we'll start to tailor their game towards him and um you know and and maybe he will find it more difficult, but he will still he will still get chances in this team.
00:10:03
Speaker
And then if he can keep his confidence up, then and he doesn't it doesn't feel like he's ah he's the kind of player that he's going to have any issues with confidence, um then yeah, I think he can do really, really well. But the question for me really is when Jovan's back,
00:10:17
Speaker
who is our starting striker because they are totally different players um with some similar attributes. And I don't know if I can answer that question right now.
00:10:28
Speaker
I don't think that... I think there's very... There's a very good possibility that we don't have a starting 10 and we don't have a starting 9. I think it's possible that Paris might start on Saturday against West Brom. I think it's possible that and when Jove is fully up to to match speed in a few weeks' time, that they are Saturday, Tuesday, Tuesday, Saturday, 60 minutes here, 70 minutes there, switching it around because...
00:10:50
Speaker
And he's shown that he's willing to do that when he's got and choices. he He does it at fullback. Why would he not do it at striker? and Especially as we get injured, the longer we're on the pitch, the more likely to get injured we are. um So I, I, I think that we've got two, two players who know where the net is. And to just loop it back to that question I asked you around him, realizing he was going to be offside and getting out of the way for, for Brooks to run through and score his, um his if he is getting a championship defender or two to tailor their game and think about how they need to handle him and stop the the the off-the-back shoulder run that he he does so well, great, because that's going to create space for whoever's in the 10 to drift into the space that that that the defender, because they've gone, i
Player Rotation and Strategic Focus
00:11:31
Speaker
cannot be caught...
00:11:32
Speaker
Like, I can't have my hips square to him because he's he's going to be gone. That's what happened with the first goal. The first goal, it was just a case of the guy tried to stand him up. Oh, too late, he's gone. By the time he's got set, Torre's passed him and he's lashed it into the... I mean, what a finish. so For 40 seconds into the competitive season, what a finish. um he He missed a much easier... Kind of to your point, John. He missed a much easier chance. and Later on, he could have easily had a hat-trick. Yeah, he tried to be too clever with it, didn't he, really? I think he had too long to think about it.
00:12:00
Speaker
I think he had too long to think about it. Whereas the first one he could have run longer, but maybe instinct because he, because he got the ball within seconds of the game starting. It sort was took him by surprise and he just trusted his raw talent, which is, I know how to smash this past, past the keeper. Um, whatever have a quick word on Brooks as well. So obviously, you know, that That's the big money outlay. And and i was, you know, muted, you know, impressed in a muted sense against Osasuna. A few not nice things didn't really seem to want to take anyone on um when the lights were on. And it was, you know, again, a lower level of competition.
00:12:34
Speaker
I thought he was terrific in what he was asked to do and showed signs of a ah completely competent championship starting winger. um who's got the physicality, comes back, um, comes back strongly as well. And, uh, clearly he's got a really deft finish on him. He was unlucky not to get a second goal, not including the one that got taken off him from Chris Eni. Um, I was really, I was really impressed with him. And, um, I,
00:13:00
Speaker
But I do want to, just a final thing on MK Dons, I do want to to to say the one thing that's worried me from pre-season, having seen in person the Osasuna and then then the MK Dons, you know not not technically pre-season, but pre-league game, we we do look like conceding from set pieces slightly more than we did at the end of last season. It was something that we were really strong on in the
Set-Piece Defense and Squad Roles
00:13:21
Speaker
like in that great run of the yeah the turnaround run from January time kind of thing with the under Clement.
00:13:27
Speaker
ah we looked really imperious at the back and and that was why we were able to hold on to Leeds so long. But um both against Osasuna and against MK Dons, actually long balls into the box, we started to look a little bit like shaky, shaky Norwich again. i don't know if that's something you noticed, Claire, on your watching because you you you watched all 90 minutes of it, didn't you?
00:13:46
Speaker
Yeah, we didn't look great. And I think I've seen some other people comment on it as well. But also that, you know, it gives Philippe something to work on in the next couple of weeks. And I'm sure he'll sort it out because we were, weren't we one of the best teams at not letting us? I think we were the best. It was a real strength. Yeah, so I'm sure there's just pre-season kind of wobble there. I'm sure he'll sort it out. Well, we've got the same personnel. Yeah, exactly. They can't suddenly become rubbish at it. We know Darling's great at We know Cordoba's great at it. We know McGonville's great at it. What do you think about McGonville, John? Because I wasn't surprised because he doesn't seem to be getting as many minutes as Darling and Cordoba once Cordoba got back.
00:14:24
Speaker
But McGonville, no minutes at all against MK Donnelly. Do we think that he is now third choice? Yeah. Yes, I do. and I think that's a real shame because I i think that Maconville and Darling as a, sorry, Maconville and Cordova as a partnership always struck me as stronger than, and you know, any other two that that we had.
00:14:46
Speaker
um And actually going back to the point around set pieces, I think Maconville is someone who really takes responsibility when there's crosses that, you know, get fired into the box. It's, you know, it's almost like, well, it's going to be on my head or it's going to be on...
00:15:00
Speaker
Cordoba's head and we're going to sort it out between ourselves. So i want i wonder whether it's a matter of time before he pivots back to to to em McConville.
00:15:11
Speaker
And I actually think, although Darling played some wonderful crossfield balls, which i you know he's obviously been working on those. Maybe Gary Dockett, he's come back you know as some kind of crossfield ball to Darren Huckabee in a kind of hopeful punts that he used to do.
00:15:26
Speaker
um But it you know it was kind of reminiscent of those passes, wasn't it? but But I think McConville's distribution actually and his ability on the ball is slightly better than Darling. And I think, again... Darling always feels like he's got a moment in him.
00:15:40
Speaker
um And I never felt like that McConville. ah So i I think it's a matter of time. And I think Darling actually deserves it because whenever I've seen him in pre-season, he's he's looked really, really solid. And he was really solid yesterday. but i think And another thing that is um I heard people say yesterday was that you can hear his voice. like oh yeah.
00:16:00
Speaker
loudly on the pitch him and Kenny are the ones that kind of encouraging the other players yeah I think he's he's got a captain in him not that McConville hasn't but he's a very I think he has as well point a bit more yeah but I think McConville I mean they would at 19 they were saying this guy's future captain material as well so you know again brilliant qualities to have yeah
Tactical Decisions and Squad Depth
00:16:19
Speaker
He's a kid, right? Absolutely. um and and And you think, look, if I've got three who I wouldn't be disappointed if any two of them started, maybe it it does make sense that the younger one is the one that you say you're going to have slightly fewer minutes at the start of the season. But again, we know that there will be times when we need all three of them at once to defend something last few minutes. There's going to be times when when one of them is going to be a bit fatigued, etc. Saturday, Tuesday, blah, blah, blah. And obviously now we're going to have a massive cup run, aren't we? So we're nailed on for Wembley for the League Cup now. so
00:16:47
Speaker
and When's the draw for that? I presume it's Monday night, is it? Monday, yeah. Monday. so we're recording this, dear listener, on Sunday the 9th of August, and the year of Phil Clement of 2026. And I'm hoping and that we will get another easy pushover in the cup and then face some bigger boys a bit later on. because i I think with with how strong our squad is, um which is what we'll come on to next...
00:17:11
Speaker
in terms of having two for most positions, I really think we do need a cup run to, and to keep people sharp and and keep giving Clement those opportunities to say, you will get your chance to show me and prove me that I need to give you more league minutes. So yeah, squad wise, we talked about Brooks. I gave my opinions. What do you two think? and Really sound, sound investment, Claire, in terms of the amount of money we paid?
00:17:35
Speaker
Oh, definitely. I think you you just had to read all the comments from the Sheffield United fans at him going. They were absolutely gutted. And, you know, I'm i'm in two minds. Obviously, we've lost Ali Ahmed on the left, but will Brooks actually just fill that...
00:17:52
Speaker
role obviously is on the right rather than the left but we only really had one out and out winger last season and we didn't have anyone on the right so maybe we'll just switch it and we'll have Brooks on the right as a proper winger this season and no one on the left but he's got that ability to get people off their seats in the way that Ahmed did so I think I think he's a really exciting signing he's still so young as well he's got so much to offer already He seems to have seamlessly sort of slotted into the team. There few times yesterday that maybe he was a little bit not on the same wavelength as others. But I will add, I did not like his goal celebration, taking his shirt off. you think Clement told him off? He did, apparently, yes. He said his strong tone is what he thought about him. As he came off, I pointed it out to the boys with me,
00:18:41
Speaker
and there was an elongated, what looked like quite an aggressive headlock, to be honest, rather than a hug. And I wonder if it was, we do not give away cheap yellow cards like that in those scenarios. That was very silly. Also as well, I was a bit like, it's a bit...
00:18:59
Speaker
cocky like I don't know why he felt he needed to take his shirt off and show us who he was like we know who you are we're really happy that you're here and we're going to celebrate you you don't need to point it out to us I just got little bit overconfident like sort Nelson Oliveira style it's like hang on right what are you what are you really you've started every you've started every game since you've been here you're our only big money signing yes um yeah no that was like it doesn't have a it doesn't have a chant yet so we need to get we need to get on that no but yeah i was very impressed with him very impressed with I still think, despite what we said about Toure and um Jovan, I still thought there would be another striker coming.
00:19:38
Speaker
and Yeah, i I did, but I thought surprised i thought Chris would go. i thought Chris Guerin would go. might and And look, they they feel like, I think they feel like he's going to do something this season, but...
00:19:50
Speaker
And he put a Cernach back as well. so Absolutely. But we were saying with with um with Chris Curran on Saturday, I so sat with a mate and I kind of like... He needs a moment.
00:20:01
Speaker
He needs a big moment, like kind of almost like a you know, right, we're just going to turn the page, whether it's an important goal or an assist A winner against Millwall or something like that. Yeah, something where you're just like, right, okay, now you're an ah you're a PC player because he was a Manning player before, wasn't he really? You know, he he looked like he it was a good fit for that system. Well, whatever that system was. Well, it was a system, was it? Oh, right. Well, yeah. not sure anything about it was good. Yeah.
00:20:29
Speaker
But he, would well, he was, him and Oscar were the positives, weren't they? You know, can if you cast your mind back, really. um Yeah. So, yeah. ah But it feels like he needs a moment. Him and Yurasek, or Yurasek, however we're pronouncing it. Yeah. They both feel like they just need something to happen quite quickly. Otherwise, their Norwich careers are going to dwindle.
00:20:52
Speaker
Well, Juracek looked really poor against Osasuna. And ah but his first involvement on art coming on as a sub at Osasuna, I immediately be glanced across to the bench because I was in the south stand for the Osasuna game. And immediately looked opposite me to Phil Clement. Yeah.
00:21:13
Speaker
As soon as he had like let the ball go out of play in a really stupid boneheaded fashion and and he just threw his hands up in the air and like retreated back to the bench and sat down with a huff. And I just thought that's not the body language of someone who thinks this guy's going to do anything. That's the body language of someone who says get Ali fit and get Diallo back as soon as possible. This is obviously pre-Ali injury.
00:21:30
Speaker
um or yeah get Ali up to speed to be able to start games. but So we've got Diallo to come back and he he looked very promising, you know very short window, but looked very promising.
Player Performances and Transfers
00:21:40
Speaker
and Looked like a great signing. Don't know what what level he's going be back up. We've got Sernac, who we know can can do well on that kind of wide position. But I want to also note and How impressed I've been with Jacob Wright in these first couple of game home games. He he looks the the business. like He's looked really good when he came on yesterday playing a bit of a false nine for the like the last few minutes. But and he looked busy. He looked like really...
00:22:06
Speaker
had loads of intent. And that was what, that was the case against Osasuna. He looked really, really comfortable on the ball, really progressive, really positive. Obviously he's another year old. He's filled, he's filled out a little bit. He does look a little bit ah like he's more of a man now. And yeah, I, I would, I'd be really comfortable with him occupying one of the wider positions when we need more control of the midfield. Cause I just think maybe there's a bit more of that maturity there. He's really impressed me. What what do you think, Claire?
00:22:32
Speaker
He came on as a 10 yesterday, didn't he? Yeah, and then ended up in a nine because we obviously lost Chris Gore with his body back. Kenny went in a 10 at that point, I think, didn't he? and yeah it was Yeah. I mean, Kenny's just played everywhere now, apart from goalkeeper.
00:22:45
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, but right. Well, as you know, I think he'd do a better job, but there you go. a Teed you up, mate. Yeah. um Yes, Jacob does look much better.
00:22:57
Speaker
more on it this year. I think he's benefited from pre-season under Philippe. It's obviously already showing. he yeah He had a really good shot yesterday as well at Clip the Bard. That was unlucky that didn't go in. So yeah, I think he's going to be a really big player for us this season um and much much stronger, I think, than than he was last season. So yeah, it it's it's great that we've got so many players that are going to be on the bench that are going to step in and not be like going down a level from whoever's coming off.
00:23:29
Speaker
Yeah. I think it's, I'm really excited about that. It's like, we're going to have starters and we're going to have finishes and hopefully there's not going be any drop off. It'll be interesting to see this, this left back. Cause I mean, from a full back point of view, i do, it's great news that Kellan's ahead of, um, uh,
00:23:46
Speaker
ahead of schedule because the the hit of the injuries with Torre, I did think that we we can ride out Jove missing a few weeks um more than we can we can afford to miss out on Kellen. I mean, I think and anyone other than Kellen is a step down. And i there were a couple of times yesterday where Stacey was...
00:24:07
Speaker
just caught cold he gave ah He gave a really silly booking away because he had to make a challenge because he'd made a silly decision. And and and you do feel like Kellen is the best fullback at the club at the moment.
00:24:20
Speaker
and And when he's not on the pitch, there is ah there is a drop-off in in terms of ability. Chris Eni was fine. and he He really didn't have... He played really well yesterday. yeah I really like Chris Eni. I think he's going to have a great season.
00:24:33
Speaker
I think he's a perfectly... I think he fits that mould that you're saying, Claire, as in when he comes on, you don't go, oh, God, we go. but think he's going to play. I think he's going to start. I think he's going to be the best choice. Well, we'll see what the new lad's like. But he didn't have anywhere near as much to do defensively. I mean, MK Dons were so poor. I mean, when they did have the ball, their use of it was just...
00:24:59
Speaker
baffling at times. And and and also just the the the lack of quality, and kicking the ball out of play and overhitting passes and just they were not able to cope with any kind of press. And we and it's probably a little bit from column A, a little bit column B. Were they really rubbish? Were we really good? its The answer is probably in the middle.
00:25:18
Speaker
But the the point was we harried them to the extent that if there was a mistake to be made, they were going to make it. um and And there isn't a team in the championship, including West Ham and Burnley and Wolves, If you are pressing with that intensity, with that regularity, you will you will get turnover possession. Then it's just down to how well you execute that. And if you've got Brooks making fast decisions, you've got Slomani's fast feet, that was what impressed me yesterday, Slomani switching play. So playing almost playing like ah that kind of four quarterback role, but in the 10th.
00:25:48
Speaker
you know he He was switching play and switching us from left to right and changing hitting mini diags to to wrong foot the defence. He looked superb. and And again, another player who did did not look like he'd been thousands of miles of international travel and and playing and playing on another continent. He he looked looked really fresh, which is which is really positive.
00:26:09
Speaker
So we need to talk about what they were wearing because most people are really loving the home kit. Not so much, Mr.
Norwich City Kit Debate
00:26:18
Speaker
Punt. I think I've worked it out, right? I think of it i mean, it is awful, right? There's there's no getting... It's not awful. It's awful, right? it It is easily, easily, right, top five, probably top three worst Norwich kits of all time. No way.
00:26:40
Speaker
no Okay, so I will challenge you now. Name for me... Like five worse kits than that one, five worse home kits than that one.
00:26:52
Speaker
I actually prefer, I couldn't stand the yellow and green, like half and half one. and Okay. I think that's aged quite well, apart from the box. But anyway, yeah, that's fair. Yeah, fair yeah because the the box the box was poor. and yeah i didn't like I didn't like the V-necky quite light one, like the Johnny Housen sort of one. Didn't really like that one. That's controversial. That was beautiful.
00:27:16
Speaker
I don't like V-necks. But the thing this is, this is personal taste, right? I've learned something new about you today. Okay. But the point is... That's two. That's two. Keep going. I didn't like the one that was like graduated into the dark green that we wore in the premiere. That was a bad one.
00:27:32
Speaker
That was a bad one. Okay. i Again, I don't think any of these are worse than the current iteration, but that's fine. Carry on. no ice I don't think the dotted one i don't think the dotted one is is worse than the current one because I quite like the dotted one, but i can see why people didn't like it I didn't like having Best Fiends on the side.
00:27:52
Speaker
Norwich nor norgen Peter Brickett, the sort of John Newsom era one, that was awful. Wash your mouth out. What the fuck? yeah It was so v was so V, it had extra like Vs, like mitery Vs around the art. Beautiful miter Vs. Yeah, right. Right. You should be, right. Sack Tom for being disloyal. Well, you can't sack me from something I don't get paid for. There's no contract. going to sack me?
00:28:20
Speaker
Deary me. deary mean i don't think we're going agree. Point is, I have heard quite a lot of people say that it's a gorgeous kit. And it's not one of the best ever, but I do feel hate for i think it's lovely. In person, I think it's lovely. But I will tell you why. I will tell you why right?
00:28:37
Speaker
i In my head, I've worked out why I think I really, really dislike it. Because of most of the Norwich kits that I... vehemently dislike, always have green arms.
00:28:49
Speaker
It just doesn't feel right to me. Okay. It does not feel right to me. What about the green Vs on the the the John? the john and Yeah, they're lovely. They're they're they're subtle. they're They're just, you know, kind of like, that but an actual full green arms, that's not an orange kit for me. No, thank you.
00:29:06
Speaker
Well, it is, so let's get used to it. Well, it was. Yeah, is. And it's shite. However, the away one I like and I bought and then it has a funny neck hole and I took it back. I think you've got a funny head shape.
00:29:22
Speaker
That is entirely plausible. um However, I took it back for a a better neck shape of the third kit, which I think is gorgeous. is absolutely The bus seat kit.
00:29:34
Speaker
The bus seat kit, because it's just it's rank enough that it's perfect. like you know It's so rank. Yeah, that color, that color of that color of like, and and unless you've drank a very specific type of drink, the sort of thing that might have been given away for one pound a shot when people of our era was at university, for example, your sick should never be that color purple. Yeah, it still somehow does look like sick. There's something about the washed out element of it. It looks like it would taste of sick if it was a flavor like sick ribena, ribena sick.
00:30:06
Speaker
it's ah It's a lovely, lovely kit. And that it's got a nice texture as well, I will say. But none of them are as nice as the brown one. No, you're quite correct. angry. Is it because it called platinum or is that just because the previous shirt was platinum?
00:30:21
Speaker
Is that the name of the membership? No, you've got to be a platinum member. You've got to be elite of the elites to um to get that shirt. And Claire missed out. She's so butthurt about it. though I didn't miss out because I could have paid to be a member. but i Was it ยฃ99? out of principle because I don't need to be a member I didn't do it and now I really wish that I had so what do you think is if anyone out there wants to give me one of their brown shirts please send it my way Okay. where How much will you pay them? no No, free. Because, you know, we do this for free. So, so okay. free That's the service. i get Yeah.
00:30:57
Speaker
So, okay. So, me and Punk do this for free for five years so that you can have you can have a free shirt. That sounds really fair. And all shit all the free shit Lorne still gets somehow. Yeah. He does still get free shit. I know. It's ridiculous. He's interviewed about it. Anyway, um ah he's back in his parish these days. now ah so Not for much longer. He's back soon. Brown kit.
00:31:19
Speaker
Brown kit. Claire. Yes. I think it's okay. What i don't understand is i I still can't understand the economics of not... of not making it more widely available for people.
00:31:33
Speaker
Um, because 99 pounds is not much more than the abhorrently expensive kits anyway. So it's, they're not, it's not like they're saying, yeah, but these idiots will pay loads of extra. It's not like that platinum membership is 1200 pounds.
00:31:47
Speaker
So why are they limiting themselves to... Yeah, if that was the away kit, they would have sold thousands of it. So I can't understand why they don't... They can't do can they? Because then everyone who's a member like, that's not fair. Yeah, no, they build it. And also last season, the platinum, the actual platinum kit. Disgusting. Well, it was disgusting and it bombed. And I don't think many people bought... They had so many left over that they were putting the women's team in them to celebrate their promotion. And they were everywhere, just getting worn by literally anyone at the club. It was just, please put one of these on and make it look a bit better.
00:32:23
Speaker
So what i they should have been more confident in themselves once they saw that brown kit and realised... I mean, you know, it's proper 80s, isn't it? You know, it it it is a beautiful kit. And you're right, Claire, easily the pick of the bunch. They should have been confident to get it out there.
00:32:39
Speaker
The only thing I wondered with that one is it's a great shirt for us to wear with jeans, etc. But what colour would the shorts have been? Oh, you'd go brown shorts, surely. Or brown. Look a bit like a poo, but...
00:32:52
Speaker
Well, we had... When we had the red... The turd kit. The turd kit. The turd kit. Oh, there you go. They really did miss a trick. They really did. now they know that you like it, Punt, which obviously is all important. Maybe they will bring back maybe two or three cycles, kit cycles time. Maybe they'll bring it back or something very similar to it. Just like the whole style of it.
00:33:18
Speaker
Yeah, but the... um Like the... the the The arms that you don't like, the sleeves, that's the word I was thinking of. and the The sleeves that you don't like on this home kit, they are reminiscent of a couple of a couple of kits past. But the swirls, the goldiness of it, I think it's gorgeous. I really like It's not one of my favorites ever, but i'm i'm happy to I was happy to get it and not on sale and wear it comfy. And it's a nice fit. It's a nice material. I feel it fits better than last year's shirt.
00:33:49
Speaker
But that's that's my opinion. and
Playoff Predictions and League Dynamics
00:33:52
Speaker
Right. ah We need to get into the predictions then. Guarantees for the season. um Big puff of ah air out your cheeks there, Claire. You're not feeling confident. So obviously I'll come to you first. and Where are we going to finish this season in the league?
00:34:07
Speaker
Pure and simple. Norwich City, this season, finish. Okay. Okay.
00:34:17
Speaker
So we'll be playing one of the one of the first playoff knockout games. Yes. So it's nice to be one of the inaugural people to do something. We're in the original playoff positions. Yeah, but it means we'll get to play one of the first extra ones, which means we'll be part that conversation.
00:34:35
Speaker
Puntibaby, where are we going to finish? Top. Well, with 100 points and 100 goals, you would hope so. Someone's going to have to get absolute goal who needs to beat that. yeah yeah we're we're Yeah, we are going to win the league. um We said that this time last year, you know.
00:34:51
Speaker
Yeah. don't think I said we're in the league last year. When have we ever been right on this podcast? So if I'm going to be wrong, I'd rather be spectacularly wrong saying we're going to win the league because there is...
00:35:04
Speaker
i have I have not believed in a Norwich manager this hard since the manager that we used to say his name every podcast and we don't anymore. So, you know, look, for me, teams are built on... it Yeah, that's the one. That's the one.
00:35:24
Speaker
But teams are built on great head coaches or teams are built by great head coaches. um there is There's never been, you know, kind of a a good side that hasn't had a great head coach. he is a great head coach. So if anyone's going to get us there, if anyone's going to take us to the championship title, then it could well be him. And I'm fed up, right?
00:35:42
Speaker
I'm fed up of every fucking season. People go, this is going to be a really hard championship because we've had such and such come down and such and such come down. Well, yeah, that's every season. Teams get relegated from the Premier League. And just because it's West Ham or just because it's Wolves or just because Wrexham have got a bit money or just because Birmingham might spend a bit more now, does not mean that there are loads of shit teams in the championships and it surprises you every season. Every season, people go, it's going to be harder this year.
00:36:12
Speaker
And it's not. Last season was crap as a league. Absolutely crap as a league. So look, there's no reason we can't win it. So let's... So are you saying you don't think this season is going to be tougher than last year's crap?
00:36:24
Speaker
Yeah, because it was crappy. I don't think at all. but like But everyone last season going, oh, Wrexham have come up and Ipswich have done this. and you know And it's like, well, yeah, whatever. It's the Championship. This happens to every season. Oh, Stoke spent a bit money. Oh, look, Middlesbrough have signed someone for ยฃ20 million, although it's ยฃ7 million, but there might be ยฃ20 million if he does quite well.
00:36:43
Speaker
but the Championship is different as a league. It is it is horrifically hard to get out of. And... but I think the likes of West Ham and Wolves are probably going to go one or two ways. They're either going to be brilliant or they're going to be terrible. I'm not sure there's much in between. So I'm just hoping that they're both terrible and then we will win the league.
00:37:06
Speaker
The thing with Clement is they don't need to be terrible. They just need to be a very good automatic promotion challenger. And we just need to find one extra gear from from last year for most of the season. So, yeah you know, we we don't we don't need them to get relegated. we We just need them to be the second and third best teams in the league this year. And we I think the ingredients are there to get excited. i i am really I would be astonished if we don't finish in the top eight, Claire. So, sim um I mean... Oh, yeah, yeah, I think we will be, i i just think the ingredients are there. the The only way I think that we don't finish in the playoffs, being really logical, and is the injury bug continues. Yeah.
00:37:47
Speaker
You know, we we're going to have to lose both Jovan and Mo for a period of time. We're going to have to lose Kenny and Pella. Yeah. Or we're going to have to lose Cordoba and McGonville, something like that. some kind of, you know two we're going to have to have our kind of our tandem pairing taken away in a really important position. like You can probably cope with full backs, you can probably cope with wingers, but ah down the spine of the team, I feel like if we have a couple of really unlucky kind of dovetailing injuries,
00:38:13
Speaker
I can't see us go, I just can't see Clement to your point on how good a coach he has already proven himself to be at this level with these players. That's the other thing. It's not all, can he do it with these players? He's not only done it at this level, he's done it at this club and he's done it with these players really recently.
00:38:26
Speaker
And now he's got, in theory, more control. He's had his pre-season, as you said, Claire, like the way that he wants to do it. So, yeah, but just logicly i cannot see us getting I can't see us getting any worse than we were.
00:38:38
Speaker
And yes, three good teams have come down. Three good teams have gone up. So, you know, as far as I'm concerned, it's like for like, you know, we haven't got to deal with Coventry. We haven't got to deal with the teams that have got the momentum. And I think there's ah if you look at some of the teams that we are going to be playing not that far away in in the fixtures, some absolute dross who looked abysmal last season. And okay, a couple of them will be slightly better. But likewise, all the playoff teams last year will not be exactly as good as they were this year because that never happens. So yes, Millwall might kick on. Millwall might minial white finish 14th, right? you know to Teams that like Hull.
00:39:15
Speaker
they end up going up to the the Premier League. They were, you know, gnats whisker away from not going into the Premier League. They could easily end up being in the championship, finishing 17th this year, because teams that don't quite make it quite often struggle to keep that squad together. Therefore, I think you're completely right, Punt. There's no reason why first is not an actual logical thing for us to say that we can do. We will need to kick on a level. But having seen what Clement is capable of doing with...
00:39:44
Speaker
and improving players, if Pella is even more of a box-to-box maestro than he has been, if Jovan keeps scoring goals, if Motore keeps scoring goals, ah if he can get a tune out of Vlad on a regular basis and and the the mistakes and the risky behaviour is reduced and reduced is reduced, as it did seem to happen under Clement, this is a squad that could win the league. But to your point, Claire, I think...
00:40:08
Speaker
I think playoffs is a very, very, very safe bet unless we get really unlucky within trade. That was safe. I think we could do better. And I don't think you can underestimate how important continuity is from last season for us because that's basically what won Coventry the league last year. yeah Yes. they They knew what they were doing. They had the same team with a few extra additions and the same manager and they just hit the ground running.
00:40:31
Speaker
And I fully think we can do that. And if we start really well, then who knows? Because... that's going to take us a long way. And we don't usually start well, so we'll be at a head start to normal.
00:40:43
Speaker
So, Punt, what do you think is the lowest possible position and what has to happen for us to end up there? Oh, 15th.
00:40:55
Speaker
fifteenth we feel that with with Phil Clement being poached by hope Spurs because they got off to a terrible start.
00:41:07
Speaker
But I genuinely think... ah yeah yeah ah but i genuinely think so much of the season is is completely reliant on... Well, like our our whole future is... is yeah Our whole short-term future is completely reliant on the brain and wit and just general persona and tactical nous of PC.
00:41:31
Speaker
ah Because he's he's proven just how good he is. And and look, I know people are giving Napa a little bit of credit now, and I will give Napa credit for appointing Phil Clement, but it very much feels like Phil is driving this right now. He is almost in complete control of this football club.
00:41:51
Speaker
um And I don't mind that. That's fine. if he as For as long as he wants to be, he can be. If Phil is driving the bus, which is your analogy for this football club, what job has he given Napa? What job on the bus or as part of the bus company do you think he said, look, you can't be a driver anymore because I'm much better at it than you. I've got more experience on the road ah and I'm better at navigating. So I'm doing that.
00:42:15
Speaker
What job do you think he has demoted Napa to in your analogy? I think he's the work experience boy who's making people tap in and tap out on the new wireless you know kind of um payment machines.
00:42:30
Speaker
It's called contactless, Grandad. yeah, yeah. Wireless. You know what mean. They've got these newfangled wireless payment machines. Yeah. I was going to say NFC and then I thought, oh no, that does feel right. But yeah, you know what mean.
00:42:45
Speaker
Tap in, tap out. yeah okay Claire, give me one team outside of the three that came down that you think might do really well this year in the championship.
00:43:01
Speaker
Through gritted teeth, Southampton. Okay. Oh, forgot about that then. If he doesn't get banned, which is... But how long would he be banned for? Well, there's a history of it being a year for the Canadian women's manager. She got banned for a year for spying. So I don't know.
00:43:25
Speaker
But maybe it would... I don't know. But I think if he doesn't... then they could definitely... Because that's just they're in a really similar boat to us, but with more money, right? And they've signed Lewis Dobbin, who apparently is playing very well, which is a bit annoying.
00:43:40
Speaker
Well, yeah, I mean, I'm not bothered about that. and Puntalicious, one non-relegated Premier League team that you think might be finishing second or third behind us?
00:43:53
Speaker
Hmm...
00:43:55
Speaker
That was a great partridge noise. Oh, yeah. Thank you. Oh, well, that was the one i used to at the end. Oh, yeah. um Youth hostling with Chris Eubank. but I don't want to say Millwall. Millwall's really boring. I think they're done.
00:44:12
Speaker
They're over. Yeah, I hope they're done. But I but i really rate Alex Neal as ah as a coach in the championship. Yeah.
00:44:24
Speaker
No, I'm going to say Millwall. I think Alex Neal is great. And I think they might kick on again But hopefully they have a bit of a slow start as a bit of a hangover from last season's kind of missed promotion party.
00:44:35
Speaker
They can finish second. It's fine. We're going to finish top. problem. Yeah, but but we have but we play them next week. So let's hope that it's a bit of a slow start. Yeah, yeah. Fair, fair, fair. So let's look at guarantees for for the first game then. So we're going to be hosting West Brom in the Sunshine and at Fortress Carrow Road. I would like a guaranteed goal...
00:44:57
Speaker
scorer and a guaranteed score, please, Claire.
00:45:03
Speaker
Well, they won 4-1 as well away. So i don't think it's going to be easy, but I think we will win and we will win going to be a glorious goal fest in the sun.
00:45:17
Speaker
And the scorer, obviously Mo will score because he just will. um And he... He'll chip the goalie from like the halfway line or something, but it will be incredibly lucky that he did that. We will be when Punt's talking about it. Yeah.
00:45:34
Speaker
um And I think Eurosek's going to score. He'll come on and he will holy moley leather one in. And everyone will just be deliriously happy for him. um And the third one will be, I think Harry Darling, he'll score.
00:45:49
Speaker
He came close yesterday. Yeah, yeah, yeah. From a corner. He'll do a great set piece thingy, whatever, and he'll score from the corner. I like the extremely detailed guarantees this season. If you're to this every time, you're even likely to wrong. know. I've upped my game from last season. Okay. Brilliant. What, from getting nearly all of them wrong? Yeah. Just face it. It's not difficult for any of us to be slightly better if we just occasionally get it right. Puntalicious, I would like you can do all of the goals if you want or just one as is tradition and the scoreline.
00:46:21
Speaker
There's only going to be one goal and Norwich City are going to win 1-0. Jack Stacey is going to one of his like bi-monthly actual good crosses.
00:46:32
Speaker
and i And a Spen Slomane is just going to poke it in with his head. Oh, I fancy a Slomane goal on Saturday, you know. There you go. Yeah, I fancy a Slomani goal, but i also fancy Magoma not liking the fact that Slomani's had credit all week and reminding us why he's got little dancing hips and amazing twinkle toes and he's going to get a brace as part of a 4-0 demolition.
00:46:58
Speaker
ah and wow Straight back on the four goal prediction. Oh, yeah. Good, good. We will roll them over and we will be saying things like, oh, I thought it was just League One teams that were easy. and Turns out we're brilliant compared to everyone because that's how we all talk at Carrow Road. And it's going to be glorious. And I can't wait for League Football at Carrow Road.
Humor and Leadership Style
00:47:21
Speaker
Speaking of Carrow Road, there has obviously been a new signing that I don't know how much money has cost us or or if there's even been a contract. But can we talk about the fledgling seagull who, after a week's notice after the Osasuna game, no one thought, shall we try and rescue this poor animal and get it higher than it's able to fly out of the stand? I enjoyed the Osasuna game with the, whoa, as it was going to go in the goal and then didn't. But it just looked frightened and confused on Saturday. So, Punt, what's going happen with this bird? What... Like, surely someone needs to go and humanely take it out to a nice tree or something. What were you going to say then? on. Humanely take it out? I was like, you're going to euthanise the Take it out to a tree or something. Like, take it out to power road and put it in a nice tree.
00:48:10
Speaker
I thought you were a little bit more gangster than you actually were. No. You know, take it out. um No. Yeah, they'll get... I think there's like a new head groundsman guy, isn't there? I'm sure I saw something about that. So, yeah, he'll box it up. But isn't it weird they had a week and they didn't do anything about it? They probably just thought it would move on. But it was a bit... Yeah, it was a bit horrible to watch, wasn't it? I think they should paint it yellow and we keep it as a mascot.
00:48:37
Speaker
That'd be nice. Like a big canary. I'm not sure it's completely ethical, but, you know. Well, neither's leaving it there. Yeah, it's clearly a fledgling that is not that hasn't quite got the because it got up to like upper tier, but not quite high enough. And obviously there's a big gap that it could easily get out of.
00:48:56
Speaker
And no I don't know. Well, at least yeah maybe a less two olds a little is to paint it. No, no, no. Claire said paint it now. So Claire, just just have interest. You dye sheep and stuff, don't you? So you can dye bird. Paint it brown. Paint it like the brown kid.
00:49:11
Speaker
yeah no Claire, can I just ask, how would you paint it? Right. Would you spray paint it or would you actually go brush strokes? However they do the sheep where they like paint the sheep's fleece. Yeah, that's particularly friendly. You've been tasked with the job now.
00:49:27
Speaker
was your suggestion. So so how... can it or ask if flu clemon If Phil Clement rings you in the week and says, listen, I need you to sort this bird out. It's their weekly update. yeah Yeah. Yeah.
00:49:39
Speaker
Yeah. This week's task. check him. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yes, my trousers did look nice, Claire. Thank you very much for We haven't even mentioned how smart he looked yesterday. mean, that was... He looked super. Yeah, he did. Do you reckon? Yeah, like he had a straw boater that he'd just taken off and put to the side. He looked great.
00:49:59
Speaker
Stretch chinos, I reckon they were. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lovely. Yeah, very smart. Pure M&S. Well... Nothing wrong with that, young man. Nothing wrong with that. Oh,
00:50:10
Speaker
ah I mean, and ah I just wonder if he's even dabbling in the autograph collection rather than, you know, the old boy stuff. They are autographed, cotton linen blend stretch chinos.
00:50:25
Speaker
can't be painting any birds yellow in those trousers, that's for sure. No, definitely not. They are don't eat anything, don't lean on anything, don't don't drink anything. Risky. That's why he's asking you to do it, Claire.
00:50:39
Speaker
Come back to me next week. I'll do some research and I'll let you know next week. Well, I will be interested if they haven't done anything about it. Weren't they singing songs about it? Didn't they sing a song about it yesterday? Oh, not that I had. Oh, I was in the there. Couldn't hear any songs.
00:50:59
Speaker
Right, we need some Brooks songs. so So I guess we need a couple of away games to get on that Because obviously we haven't even an away League Cup game, so they haven't had a chance to to get that together. But we need a Brooks song. and i still think we need a better Magoma song because I don't rate that one at all. Oh, no, like that.
00:51:12
Speaker
and certainly in the song andlomani I Slomani, I feel like Slomani is deserving of a proper overture because some of some of his moments are are just a delight, absolute delight to to enjoy. It's lovely that every time we sing that Torre song, we will now be singing about Ali Ahmed. that's the sort of unexpected That's an unexpected combination that obviously we didn't know it was going to be poignant. But the fact that we are now singing about him in Ali Ahmed's number, that was nice. that And that happened on on Saturday yesterday. as we record this. um But anyway, I think that's probably enough warbling for now.
00:51:45
Speaker
and We told you exactly how the season's going to finish. There's no point in probably watching any of the games. We'll just, you know, we'll see you in May when we've either won the league or we're taking on the first playoff. Obviously, it's going to be 4-0 on Saturday, so enjoy that. That'll be fantastic. Or maybe it'll be 3-2, or maybe it'll be 1-0. Either way, absolutely guaranteed three points will be towards the top of the table. However you enjoy the goal, and which by then will be painted yellow, mind how you go.