It has been far too long since I’ve done a piece for MyFootballWriter but my timing is impeccable, returning to the frame as the Canaries look locked in to reach their target of promotion.
Bouncing back from the Wigan blip to comfortably beat Millwall was a real statement to the rest of the league.
We’re certainly not going to roll over and die in these final ten games.
I admit my usual yellow and green glasses were somewhat tainted after the Wigan loss, but huge credit to Alex Neil and the players for turning it around again.
What particularly impressed me was the pace and tempo at which we were playing the ball around at The Den – especially impressive as it was away from home. We looked confident, precise and extremely energetic.
Every season I find myself criticising City for trying to create the perfect Barcelona-style goal; knocking it around in the opposition’s box until we practically walk it in. I believe we’re meant to call this ‘the Norwich way’ but in this league it really doesn’t matter which way, as long as it ends up in the back of the net.
Against Millwall we showed how just hitting it is sometimes a much better option. Both Jonny Howson and Wes Hoolahan’s goals were a testimony to that. Also, if you look at some of our most important goals this season, such as Jerome’s late strike against league leaders Bournemouth, it sometimes pays to try your luck from distance.
We really have gained great momentum recently. Neil has done a fine job in bringing both the players and fans together again.
Elliott Bennett has dubbed our run ‘The Yellow Train’ and it really feels like there are shades of Liverpool’s Premier League title bid last season. Positive vibes at Carrow Road are here to stay now, let’s just hope it ends in success.
The squad depth is one way in which we will end up in the mixer for promotion. Also, it really is worth noting that four players are all on double figures for goals scored this season. This is a massive contributing factor to the overall success over the past month.
So the season’s defining moment has arrived. I’m confident that the Canaries will make the Rams journey to Carrow Road a miserable one.
On most occasions this season is seems that when we score first, we go on to win the game. At home, the crowd can really impact on this. Ipswich were intimidated when they came to Carrow Road and that’s the kind of atmosphere I hope is produced this coming weekend too.
Both teams seem to be free-scoring so a repeat of Simeon Jackson’s late heroics may well be on the cards. I for one will most definitely be placing a bet on 3-2 Norwich win.
Three points this weekend would put the boys in yellow firmly in the driving seat and on course for promotion straight back to the Promised Land – where we belong.
“On the Ball City…”
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisReevo
I share the optimism, this is exciting times! Nevertheless we have to remember nothing is won yet, the top of the table is so close we could easily win the league or miss out on the playoffs altogether. A loss here or a draw there and things suddenly don’t look so bright.
Now is most definitely the time for players to step up, we have had too many poor games and no shows this year to have any certainty at all. Two no shows have come under Alex Neil.
We are in the mix, we are capable, we can win this league, but goodness knows the run in will need all guns blazing. The Derby game is crucial in so many ways, we really need to win, I can’t wait to see it
OTBC
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“the Canaries look locked in to reach their target of promotion” don’t say such things, you’ll jinx it!
I think there could be a fair few twists and turns yet. We’ve seen some odd results of late (losing at home to Wigan was certainly one) so however things look after the Derby match it will be far from decided.
4-1 away from home looks like a walk in the park, but we didn’t impose ourselves on the game until Howson’s strike. It also helped that Millwall gifted us a penalty just before half-time. I would wager that we would’ve eventually got the breakthrough in a more conventional way, but if we start slowly against Derby they will have the players who can take advantage from it.
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