The day has arrived. The away day I’ve been waiting for most since the fixtures were released back in June.
An away day in London, a club and fan base I like, with family and friends who all have something in common, something close to our hearts (Norwich City) and, to top it off, a new ground.
It's a chance to get my ground hopping stats book out with me trying to get back on the magical 92, plus adding to my football league ground list I’ve been to and adding another ground where I have seen Norwich City play.
The only bit I’m not excited about is the bit at 3pm. I do fear that come 5pm it could be another defeat and I fear the very worst for Daniel Farke, Stuart Webber and, most importantly, the club.
Whilst I always try and find positives, I must confess I am struggling with everything that is going on at our beloved football club.
Back in the summer I was so confident of a good season. Even with our start I was confident of nicking a point or two.
I am so desperate for it to work, especially against all the barriers of the Premier League and the so-called experts who are just dead against us. They comment on how we should be doing things when I think we are trying to do it the proper way. They enjoy seeing us lose so many games after they predicted us to do so poorly. With the way things have gone this season, sadly, they are being proved right.
Even with our bad start, I’m not in the Farke Out band just yet.
First, let’s get this right: I’m I disappointed with our start. Yes. I’m disappointed with the football we are playing, especially with us not sticking with what we know best. Yes. I’m I disappointed with Webber's and Farke’s communication at times. Do I think we will go down? Unfortunately, it looks like we will.
I understand to a certain degree when people say if we were any other club Farke would be out of the door, but we are not like any other club.
If we dispose of Farke, it is likely we will have to depart with his long list of backroom staff. And I’m not just talking about the ones involved with the first team.
With the football philosophy we have had since Webber’s arrival, we just can’t end it with Farke. If we change our management we will need to bring in someone with the same style plans.
Don’t think I don’t have any criticisms of Farke, because I do have a few. I was disappointed how he has answered recent questions by saying we didn’t have a chance against some of the big clubs in this league.
We probably didn’t have a chance against Manchester City two years ago. But we beat them 3-2. There were so many reasons we won that night: belief, characters and everyone fighting for one cause.
We are struggling with characters at the club, which has not helped Farke this season. But with former Canary Alex Tettey announcing he would be retiring, Farke could actually see if he would like a job role at Carrow Road. And I’m not talking about working in the Box Office!
I wish we wouldn't change so much of the style which has won us so many plaudits, let alone games last season. We only have to look at our opponents today.
Brentford have kept to their principles and so far it’s done them well - getting points off Arsenal and Liverpool and on another day they would’ve got points off Chelsea.
I do fear today, though, that Brentford will have more self belief than us.
But come 2.50pm as I look at the surroundings of a new ground, I’ll have that little butterfly in me believing today is the day we might finally get the win and maybe, just maybe, Farke can reproduce the magic he has done so many times over the last four years.
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