‘Where there’s life there’s hope’ they tell us and, for three days at least, the monitor is not about to flatline.
Crunch time of course arrives at 10pm on Wednesday but for now the Canary is still chirping thanks to the most unlikely of draws. And how typical is it that Norwich City, who have been marooned on 32 points since the home win over Sunderland on March 22, should get their next point away at Stamford Bridge.
In that time we have succumbed to the likes of Fulham and West Brom (games that ultimately sealed our fate) but bring on the King’s Road billionaires and we go within a whisker of bringing home all three points. All part and parcel of being a member of the Yellow Army…
Naturally we managed to irk a few along the way – another by-product of being part of Norwich City Football Club – including Jose Mourinho who, with the usual rancour, expressed surprise at Neil Adams’ tactics. It seems we were supposed to ‘go for it’ from minute one without regard for the consequences – an approach that would clearly have played into the hands of the Special One.
In the event it felt as if Adams almost got it spot on.
The plan – as confirmed afterwards by Michael Turner – was virtually a carbon copy of Jose’s at Anfield; to park a bus or two and look to make hay on the break. The first part worked well – Turner and Ryan Bennett did a superb job in the centre of defence – and, aided by John Ruddy’s woodwork, they managed to successfully frustrate the Blues all afternoon.
The second element of the masterplan – the hard bit – was reliant on taking an opportunity when it came along. It fell to Robert Snodgrass. He didn’t take it.
As ever, the Scot put in a tireless performance and over the last month he, more than any other player, has shown the heart required of a relegation scrapper. It was therefore disappointing for him, and us, that when the chance arrived it required a deft touch with his right foot – the one he normally uses for standing.
Instead of being deft the touch was a little heavy and, in a split second, Gary Cahill was offered the chance to make that last ditch, goal-saving, challenge. As the ball disappeared into the Chelsea fans in the Shed End, so too did City’s chances of avoiding the drop.
All of which is very harsh on Snoddy – for the reasons stated – but winning games at the highest level tend to hinge on the finest of margins, especially when you’re staging a smash and grab.
That City only created one other chance of note – Bradley Johnson’s late header – was symptomatic of the almost constant Chelsea pressure, but the late introduction of Nathan Redmond as the lone striker, as a straight swap for Johan Elmander, did change the dynamic of the game.
With different questions being asked of Messrs Terry and Cahill, the previously impenetrable looking duo found themselves backpeddling and it was at that point it felt almost as if the game were there for the taking.
Perhaps to have sacrificed a midfielder for another striker or maybe to have gone with three at the back; it just felt that, in the circumstances, there was a screw there that needed to be turned, but wasn’t.
Adams will argue of course that by staying in the game, rather than going for broke and risk losing it, we live to fight another day and he’s right. But given the need for Sunderland to lose two games when they are in such fettle, it felt like an opportunity missed. A misjudged strategy of risk and reward.
All eyes will obviously now turn to the Stadium of Light on Wednesday evening but, as I wrote in last night’s Metro piece, I can’t help but cast my mind back to Gijón 1982. A draw will suit both the Black Cats and West Brom so we shouldn’t expect either to go hell for leather for the win. I hope I’m wrong.
But, regardless of what occurs in the North East in midweek, yesterday’s display did restore a little of the pride that has been so absent of late. It may not have been pretty at times (for most of the time in truth) and the age-old failing of not keeping the ball persists but they showed passion, and it felt like it did matter to them.
That we upset a few celebrity Chelsea fans with our approach – some of whom should know better – matters not one jot and quite frankly if, as expected, we ply our trade in the Championship next season that will be one facet of the Premier League I’ll not miss one bit.
For three seasons now it has felt like City have been unwanted guests at a billionaire’s party. Derision and scorn have never been far away, with most expecting us just to be happy to be there; to gasp in awe at the surroundings without touching the ornaments.
There remains a lot to be admired in the English Premier League – the ‘product’ is a global one that is the envy of the World it seems – but with it comes a greed and opulence that stinks; yesterday’s opponents at the very heart of it.
On that score we’ve never fitted in. And that can be no bad thing.
Well Stamford Bridge is a famous battle site, it came as no surprise to me that we fought so well!
Great article Gary, as always, I look forward to next Sunday’s tale of our miraculous escape, but I won’t hold my breath! 🙂
It was all about playing for pride and the badge yesterday and we got that – let’s hope for a dazzling display of flowing football and net-bulging action next Sunday from the lads in yellow and green..well, we can dream.
Baggies were beach fodder for us last season, so ironic that we need them to do us a massive favour up North on Wed. night – not likely with master Wickham discovering his shooting boots – he’d scored 1 in 32 before this spell for the Maccams i.e. Ricky van W form.
Like you Gary, the PL has many features which I find indigestible but let’s hope it won’t be too long before we get to battle with the big guns again.
Not only does a draw suit both WBA and Sunderland, so does a Sunderland victory unless it is by some ridiculous score. We are 19 goals behind WBA so even if we beat the Gunners by (say) 3, which is very unlikely, WBA still need two 8-0 defeats to go down instead.
Still I suppose if that happened that might seal Ruddy’s World Cup spot ahead of Foster ….
I wonder if Adams had worked this out before the game started on Sunday, because he should have done – and absolutely gone hell for leather for it in the last 20-30 minutes. I can understand him not doing so earlier, and assume Elmander was there to give Terry a tougher game than RVW or Hooper would, but once it was clear we were not going to get turned over by a cricket score he should surely have taken the chance.
Meant to add to that WBA’s last game is against Stoke. There’s much more chance that the Potters will be up for winning what’s near enough to a local derby, with plenty of travelling fans to support them, than Swansea getting anything from a long journey to Sunderland.
Had we won on Sunday WBA would probably be more in peril than the Mackems; as it is they are effectively safe.
This was one of the top five performances of the season. While of course we still lacked goals, in terms of sheer determination and organization, we looked the business.
I’m on the fence whether Adams should start next season as boss. Half of me wants to give him a chance, because he has done a good job in tough circumstances. But having someone who has managed in both the CL and PL would be a massive bonus.
Sadly the big club bias raised its ugly head in both the referee and the commentating on Sunday. Both declaring we shouldn’t have had a penalty. I’m not sure which version of the rules either has read, but regardless of whether the ball is one foot or twenty feet away, you can not slide in and wipe out a player. To allow that as acceptable behaviour and within the laws of the game would be to unleash pandemonium. Does Suarez have the ball, no, then let’s take him down as it’s not a foul. Nonsense.
I guess we’re in a new era – I agree with every word Dave B says!
Neil Adams has conducted himself impressively and shown signs of being a quick learner. If the players are prepared to roll their sleeves up for him next year, we could do a lot worse.
Respect to Neil for having a go in an impossible scenario but I would question not having a centre-forward on at Chelsea in the last 20 mins when we needed to pinch a win.
More experience is needed next season – maybe Mackay or Clarke to toughen us up, or Laudrup to get us playing smoother (if he’s affordable/available). Love to see Neil come back as boss in 2-3 years after he’s earnt his spurs in the lower leagues.