Two minutes of sloppy, second-half madness cost the Canaries so, so dear in South Wales this afternoon as the Bluebirds reaped the rewards for their transfer window spending spree with a 2-1 win over Chris Hughton’s goal-shy City.
Fabio, Kenwyne Jones and Wilfried Zaha would all arrive at the Cardiff City Stadium and it was the latter two – in the company of ex-Canary star Craig Bellamy – who turned the contest on its head either side of the 50th minute mark after Robert Snodgrass’ fifth minute opener threatened to deliver one of the weekend’s larger shocks.
To their credit, Norwich recovered both their poise and their better possession thereafter, but the damage had been done.
Snodgrass would slap a post before the end; Bellamy would head off his own goal-line as the Canaries battered their hosts 24-13 shots-wise; 13-7 in corners.
None of which mattered. Goals win games. Snodgrass, Bradley Johnson, Nathan Redmond and Sebastien Bassong came closest to adding that second – a roster of names that tells its own story.
Victory and Norwich would have kept Cardiff pinned to the foot of the table; defeat and City are back hovering two points above the drop zone – heading south as others head north. And with the transfer window now slammed firmly shut.
For the long haul west, Hughton rang the changes from the sapping mid-week draw with Newcastle United with a suitably sapped Leroy Fer handed a respite on the bench where he was joined by Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Anthony Pilkington.
In the case of Fer, the Dutch Under-21 international has toiled hard in the heart of that City midfield – often finding himself both out-numbered and out-passed against his Premier League peers.
For van Wolfswinkel, it is both form and fortune that has deserted the club’s record summer signing; he departed early in the 0-0 draw with the Magpies after another unconvincing display. Today’s demotion to the bench will merely add to the question marks that have dogged his first full campaign in Canary colours. Pilkington merely looked like a player fresh back from autumn injury.
Jonás Gutiérrez did return after being ineligible for the United clash; the on-loan Newcastle midfielder and 33-year-old Fenerbahce centre-half Joseph Yobo proving to be Norwich’s lot transfer window-wise.
Not that the former’s arrival wasn’t unwelcome. Johnson’s dice with a three-match ban would have left Gutiérrez very much centre stage. As it was, the rescinded red card found Johnson with an older head at his side in the midst of Bluebirds battle – as well as the fresher legs of Alexander Tettey. Johan Elmander was tasked to give Gary Hooper space up top.
For Cardiff, Solskjaer went into battle with two of his new arrivals in from the start; the third sat and waited for his moment off the bench. The hope being, of course, that the flash of the Vincent Tan cheque book would breathe fresh life into their survival plans.
If that was the plan, it initially lasted little more than five minutes before Snodgrass threw a large spanner into the South Wales works with the game’s opening goal; the 26-year-old Scottish international winger finding the bottom corner off an assist by Russell Martin for his fourth strike of the season.
It was a timely riposte from Snodgrass after carrying some of the can for Tuesday night’s near-chanceless attacking efforts against Newcastle. He has a heart – and is one of life’s triers. And for that he was rightly rewarded this afternoon.
It was also due reward for the travelling Canary faithful; rarely – if ever – granted the sight of an away-day opener from their visiting stars. The question now was whether 85 minutes of defensive slog could yield all three points. No, in short.
Yellow cards for Elmander, Tettey and Ryan Bennett witnessed a City side digging in for a long afternoon in the trenches after Snodgrass’ early strike. In fairness, they made it to the break. Just.
More than can be said for Bluebirds striker Peter Whittingham as Solskjaer’s managerial honeymoon threatened to come to an abrupt end.
Norwich City (h) would have been one of their home bankers. And on a day when both Sunderland and West Ham had already won, this was not one to lose.
In the six minutes that followed the break, however, Solskjaer’s wheeling and dealing in the transfer window paid rich, rich dividends as Zaha first tucked Bellamy in for a soft leveller – all set in motion by Hooper gifting away possession – before Jones pounced on an ill-cleared corner. And within the space of two, devastating minutes, Cardiff had turned the game on its head.
David Marshall would push a decent strike from Johnson against the frame of his goal as Norwich responded.
With 15 minutes left and the game still out of his hands, Hughton made a triple substitution as Fer, van Wolfswinkel and Redmond arrived en masse. Within a minute Snodgrass had teed up van Wolfswinkel – albeit at hip height. His touch and technique did nothing to suggest that his confidence was on the up.
Redmond offered the better threat; converting sharply only for the linesman’s flag to intervene as Norwich continued to press. Ten minutes from time and it was the two Canary old boys denying their former employers – Marshall clawing the ball off the line from Redmond, before Bellamy would head clear as Bassong’s effort looped towards the far post.
Spirits weren’t lacking. Goals were.
Another frustrating performance and more vital points let slip when teams around us took advantage. We were pushing hard at the end and were unlucky not to score but overall too little too late. In my opinion Hughton left it too late with the subs, 25 mins after going behind shows a lack of ambition. It was good to see some passion from the players, Redmond looked sharp, Snodgrass worked hard but his ‘play acting’ is getting embarrassing! Wolfswinkel looks lost and un-motivated. Hope we don’t get spanked by Man City next weekend, could see us drop into the bottom 3. Points and goals are hard to come by at this crucial part of the season, very nervous about the games ahead. OTBC.
I have finally come down on the Hughton out camp having wavered for a while. Yet again, and I can’t think how many times we have said this, Norwich played really well and lost. Yet again we have had chances and the ball just didn’t drop, the other teams keeper played a blinder, we were unlucky. More scratching of heads and disappointment. I’ve sadly now come to the conclusion that regrettably Norwich are crap. We seem to be sliding inexorably towards the abyss. One win in nine, nearly the worst defence, nearly the worst attack and looking very nervously at the fixture list for the run in at the end of the season.
I’m really sorry but i simply can’t see us getting more than 34 points. To stay up we need to take 3 points off too many teams, not just at home but away too.
What’s really sad is I think the team have let themselves down. Like I said at the start just how many times have we played well and lost? Perhaps, in truth, we simply aren’t playing that well after all.
OTBC
Not for cardiff they weren’t. For NCFC no leaders on or off the field. Good subs but too late again. CH still not able to influence a match from the bench. Third worst GD in the league – that should dispel the myth that CH has tightened up our defence, he hasn’t. In my opinion, and it is only an opinion, we need to stop the, ‘lets all get behind the manager’ (an ‘Emperors New Clothes’ approach,surely?) and all get behind the ‘Hughton out’ brigade. Time for McNally to get McNasty.
I don’t agree that it was two mistakes in two minutes that cost us. Yes, that’s when the goals occurred, of course. But we lost the game in the 37th.
OGS spotted his tactics weren’t working. Made a substitution, changed the shape and all but nullified our threat.
They then look dominant and extremely threatening every time they darted forwards and were taking the ball off us at will. They were going to score, we just helped them.
For the last 20 we started to rally, but I don’t know why it took us so long to see our original plan was rumbled.
We played well for about half a match, which appears to be the norm atm.
Teams around us are starting to find form, goals and most importantly points. Our relegation rivals have strengthened their squads whereas we remain static, boring and predictable. We are now running out of time and with our final run in i really am worried about out Premier League future. Hughton should have gone a long time ago, too late, damage has already been done. OTBC.
I agree Pint of Mustard, but I hope its not too late. One of Hughtons’s worst faults is his predictability. Almost any of us could pretty much name the team that he’ll put out each week and the way he’ll play. He makes it so easy for the opposition to ‘know the enemy’ AND he demonstrates very limited tactical ability to counter the threat from that opposition. Next week could be very embarassing sadly, double figures in goals againts perhaps?
Agree we improved with the subs but again rather late in the day. Along similar lines to point 4. from Dave B, against CH didn’t react to Man U’s Welbeck influence, against Newcastle last week CH didn’t react to an outnumered Fer & Johnson.
It seems to be finally dawning on Hughton’s supporters that he will take us down .The “outers” could see it-probably as early as November in some cases,and now the “inners” are gradually realising that selection,tactics and motivation are falling short,match after match. Vendettas against some players are not helping.
Teams underneath are at least trying to strengthen weak areas or changing coaches/ managers where necessary and its starting to pay off.
All this is stating the bl…..g obvious I hear you say,but,alas,it is not obvious to our Board who cannot see anything because their heads are so far in the sand!
Now is the time for courageous action.Its no good waiting for us to drop into the bottom three as we surely will.
Suggestions:
1″Dream team” of Steve Clarke and Zola to manage.
2 Becchio must surely start a game.
3 If Wes is to be sidelined, whats wrong with Snoddy in the no.10 role?
In my opinion the inverted wingers cost us again at the end of the game. We were winning everything in the air in their box towards the end and a goal had to come but missed several opportunities to put crosses in as Redmond cut back onto his stronger foot.
Crosses from the byeline area away from the goalkeeper would, i think, suit our strikers more than the way we are setup currently.
I agree with (8) that Snodgrass would be well suited the free role, that would enable us to be play 2 wingers on their proper sides…I’m not holding my breath though.
Hughton is footballs George Osbourne – no Plan B. He won’t change anything and we’ll go down unless the board change him.
Disappointing of course but as one win doesn’t save us, one defeat doesn’t sink us. The scrunching up of the bottom 10 makes it feel a lot more uncomfortable.
Tactics-subs-formations – they are the responsibility of CH. Individual errors and not converting a hatful of chances is not and that’s what cost us the match. Except for 5 mins, we were comfortable and had the game won. I don’t think OGS is a tactical genius as made out by some – he was helped by our mistakes.
I’m not blind and have no undying allegiance to CH but it’s the players who have got us into the mire and it’s them who have to drag us back up.
Bring on the champions elect – I sniff an upset with a Ricky hat-trick.
Sorry Russell what do you mean “we were comfortable and had the game won”?
Surely at 1-0 you have never got “the game won” and half the problem is that we frequently sit on the leads we do get and the teams we’re playing regularly prove they have more than one goal in them.
@11 Russell S
OGS may not be a tactical genius, but he beat us, so….
Carl – as in; we were leading, having most of the possession and Cardiff not looking threatening. Surely at the final whistle, 1-0 counts as the ‘game being won’? We were 1-0 up at half time at both Stoke and West Brom but didn’t make stupid errors 2nd half.
Outside of the top 6-7 teams, your last sentence isn’t borne out by the facts – only Fulham and Cardiff have scored more than 1 against us. Our -18 GD is made up entirely of the defeats to the top 4 sides! We’ve conceded fewer goals (9 in 14 games)against bottom 10 sides than any other side in the bottom 10.
At Halftime Cardiff had 56% of possession and the commentator on the coverage i was watching stated that they didnt want the whistle to go because they were on top.
The crux of my last sentence is that our lack of ability (or desire)to score more than one goal in a game is going to mean that we won’t win enough games.
We score(occasionally!), we sit back, we get punished.
Don’t have to time to trawl through stats but to me, unfortunately, our form and remaining fixtures suggest probable relegation and we’ve brought it on ourselves.