“I have to say I was surprised”
“The puzzling thing for us as a group is three games ago we were playing some of our best attacking football”
Just two quotes from Neil Adam’s post-match interviews, both of which struck a chord.
The puzzlement is one that is shared, I suspect, by the majority of the Yellow Army, who have now witnessed two lifeless, abject defeats directly off the back of a run that had ‘promotion push’ written all over it. But I have to take issue with the ‘surprise’.
Given City’s non-existent record in the FA Cup of late and the soft-centre so alarmingly laid bare at the Madejeski who, hand on heart, expected a win yesterday? Or even a good performance?
Instead the travelling 1,099 were forced to endure the latest in a very long line of away-day disasters, and having had just one win to celebrate since September the three points at Wigan now appears little more than an enjoyable blip.
These are the same hardy folk who, last season, travelled nationwide to witness Premier League disappointment after disappointment. And they deserve better.
Adams, in fairness, did offer the travellers a direct post-match apology even if, yet again, the words appeared a little hollow with the actions that preceded them having been so listless. But the surprise element I’m afraid just didn’t wash.
Whether it is Adams’ Class of 2015, Paul Lambert’s class of 2011 or Nigel Worthington’s Class of 2001, City – for a reason unknown – excel only in falling prey to lower league opposition in the FA Cup.
An irate, but articulate, ‘canarycaller’ informed those listening that for 16 seasons the Canaries have failed to beat opposition from higher up in the pyramid while, at the same time, succumbing to clubs below them on numerous occasions.
So, in recent history, our track record of progressing has been putrid. Throw into the mix the current crop’s recently exposed lack of hunger and desire away from home, and yesterday’s defeat all of a sudden looks less surprising. Expected even.
And that, among many ills, is the biggest indictment that can be laid before Team Adams. Few of us awoke this morning in shock, most in resignation.
But where from here?
The board, whose silence at times like this can be deafening, need to ask themselves if they still consider Adams, after having ‘scoured Europe’, still to be the best man for the job. If, having explored all options including handing the reins to Mike Phelan, do they still believe the team is in the best possible hands?
And the players – they too need to examine their own role in what is one defeat at Bournemouth away from becoming a disaster.
Yesterday’s starting XI contained nine players who performed regularly last season in the Premier League; of the summer signings only Ignasi Miquel and the vastly experienced Gary O’Neil started the game. Yet a squad still being touted as ‘one of the best in the division’ came second-best – by some considerable way – to a League One side that made six changes.
Therefore, player for player, on a technical level, City’s line-up usurped their opposition yesterday, yet were outplayed. So it comes down to desire, hunger and heart. Motivation also becomes an issue. So too complacency. That Norwich were found wanting all over the pitch confirms as much.
Problems emanating from the technical area are manifesting themselves on the pitch, and the players are as culpable as Team Adams. In truth, it appears an unholy mess all round.
While most were appalled, the usual platitudes around cup exits allowing resources to be concentrated on league matters still did the rounds. But with a trip to Bournemouth just six days away I’d suggest a confidence boosting win would have set City up nicely for their trip to the south coast.
Instead they find their confidence at probably its lowest ebb of the season.
And the supporters – they too love a cup run, and deserve one. With a sizeable squad I considered City well equipped to progress in the FA Cup, with additional revenue and the feel-good factor that go hand-in-hand with such runs healthy by-products.
But no, not to be, and it feels a little as if the whole season is boiling down to ninety minutes at Dean Court. A one-match shoot-out.
A win, or perhaps even a draw, and the season is still alive. But defeat, particularly another listless one, will make it extremely difficult to see anything beckon other than mid-table Championship mediocrity.
Yes, of course, in terms of points the Canaries would remain in touch, regardless of the outcome, but the effect on morale will be devastating. With mental strength in very short supply and confidence on the floor it is hard, as things stand, to envisage defeat producing anything other than more turmoil.
So… another miserable away-day to dissect, another FA Cup exit and again the club finds itself in crisis management mode. Somehow the cycle needs to be broken, whether it be from the boardroom or on the pitch.
Welcome to 2015 Norwich City-style.
Hi Gary, I agree with everything you say, the players, the team tactics, zero shots on target, the whole issue is appalling and embarrassing, not the loss, but the manner of the loss. I really don’t know the answer, unfortunately, I don’t think Neil Adams does either.
I bet we go and stuff Bournemouth now lol
Just shows how far the club has declined in that we now view a visit to Bournemouth (yes Bournemouth!) With such trepidation.
I think normally Adams is very good at handling the media and pretty honest when he does talk. Yesterday I think he made a misstep when he twice referred to it at ‘a nothing game’. To me that’s somewhat disrespectful to the traveling fans.
The Gowers has turned.
Ha, Adams good with media – I’m sure Reading think he’s ace!!
If you appoint a manager with no experience and put him in charge of a decent squad inconsistency is the inevitable consequence. By the way I fully expect this mistake to be repeated with the appointment of Phelan over the next month or so. Managers (as opposed to coaches) should learn their trade in the lower divisions and non-league and progress according to results over time. This truth seems so obvious that it seems embarrassing to have to outline it.
I notice Brighton got a decent away win yesterday after appointing an experienced manager with a track record in is division 😉
Well, the past month has given ammunition to both the ‘give him time’ and ‘get rid of him’ camps.
Can’t agree that defeat at Bournemouth would condemn us to mid-table Championship mediocrity. But the manner of our performance there will certainly be a yardstick (and a fairer basis for judgement than yesterday, in my view). Four league games in January; we need to continue the December average of around 2 points per game. That means playing as well as we did for most of Dec, and a good deal better than at Reading or Preston.
Spot on Gary. Major credit to our away fans, generally 1700 to 2000 per game, on average spending some £50 to £100 a head per game, to witness ‘no shows’, something has got to change.
Stew (7) – Agree with your first line, but patience running thin due to the lack of heart and desire on display.
And no, defeat at Bournemouth will not (as I’ve said) automatically condemn us for remainder of season, but from current vantage point can see a defeat (particularly one borne of a poor performance) being damaging in terms of morale and confidence – one difficult to progress from.
Hopefully I’m worrying unnecessarily and it won’t be an issue.
I share your frustration Gary. Our performances in both cup competitions have been woeful for many years. The major question for me is whether Adams has the ability to motivate this squad to reach their potential? At the moment the answer seems to be no, and therefore a change might be our best option. There have been too many no shows this season and there seems to be a lack of passion throughout the team.
I know that many supporters would view this as a knee jerk reaction, but I can only see us meandering along for the rest of the season, with only an outside chance of a playoff place.
I feel sometimes this team, and the manager, are a bit too nice. Johnson was right to say it’s embarrassing to be out-worked by the opposition. We do seem to lack steel, determination, killer instinct.
The period we are in now is reminiscent of the second half of last season, in that we seem to be bobbling along around the level of ‘acceptable’. One defeat and it’s disaster. One win and it’s hope renewed. What’s dividing us fans is how you define ‘acceptable’. I’d say in the playoff places and challenging the top two is a realistic level. We’re just a few points off that, so we shouldn’t be so downhearted.
Derby have been brilliant at times this season, whilst also inconsistent. Ipsw*ch have been consistent without ever being brilliant. Bournemouth and Brentford may well fade with their limited squads, so I think we’re still in the hunt, but only just.
At the start of the season we were told by Adams and the board that the season would only be deemed a success if we got promotion back to the Premier League. Given that we are 10 points off automatic promotion and 3 points outside the play offs, Adams is doing the absolute minimum required (and that’s being charitable).
The game against Bournemouth will not suddenly propel us back into the race for automatic promotion nor will it potentially rule us out of play off contention. After all there are 21 games to play after the one on Saturday.
However, it does represent an important benchmark regarding whether we’re serious about promotion or not. If we can compete and get a result with Bournemouth, it shows we’re credible candidates for the playoffs. If Bournemouth hand out a drubbing it implies we’re a long, long way off the standard required for promotion.
Personally, I have very grave concerns about the match on Saturday. When your captain openly admits in a post match interview on 3 seperate occasions that the opposition wanted it more, it raises serious questions about the ability of the manager to motivate his side.
I was also concerned that Adams appeared to have run out of answers and ideas in his post match interview about how to put things right. I guess next Saturday will tell us a lot about whether these concerns are well founded.
Confidence Mootivatiom Desire& Hinger ,the key to succes according to the gospel of Shanks , Clough & even to some extent Jose M at Chelsea. Since the heady days of PL & the likes of Grant Holt we don’t seem to have any of these qualitys week in week out un like our loyal supporters who still pack out Carrow Road every home game ( eat your heart out Ipswich). Having a squad , many who have played in PL is a double edged sword. It may give some teams the expectation of defeat but our ownplayers may have the expectation of winning without having to ‘turn up’ this certainly seems to be the case since the beginning of 2014 Getting players geared up for the rigours of the championship after the wealth & glamour of the PL takes a specific type of manager NA& CH. we’re not that type. PL was!! Come on board go and find one. For gods sake City no more ex players Mr nice guys or yes men ,find some one to kick a few a—-s and get some pride and passion back on the pitch OTBC