After a good result at Anfield on Sunday, the majority of City fans turned up at Carrow Road last night knowing that the team would look vastly different from the starting eleven which began the game on Merseyside.
As it was there were just three survivors from Sunday’s match with Seb Bassong, Graham Dorrans, Matt Jarvis retaining their places.
Martin Olsson aside, the rest of the names to fill the team-sheet could, perhaps rightly, be considered by the faithful to be fringe or reserve players and it is testament to how far City have come under Alex Neil that every one of those “fringe” players had decent games.
After his injury it was pleasing to see the Swede get up and down the wing with good effect linking well with Jarvis.
This bodes well for the future if both players are picked to play Premier League football, although Robbie Brady will no doubt have something to say about that.
Gary O’Neil, Ryan Bennett and Dieumerci Mbokani were, in my view, the best of the rest of the team who started the game against the Baggies.
I’ve long been an admirer of O’Neil’s classy passing and his defensive ability and this was evident last night.
Ryan Bennett too looked sturdy in defence alongside Seb.
Despite not scoring Mbokani was a handful for the WBA defence all night and his ball out to Jarvis for the opening goal deserves a lot of plaudits. A lot more to come from him I think.
A lot has been made of this season of the lack of goals from our strikers this season and it is because of this that the Yellow Army has wanted Kyle Lafferty to be given more of a chance – especially given the Northern Irishman’s goals at international level.
I have to confess that until now I’ve not been one of those supporters clamouring for him to come back into fold because I’ve been of the opinion that Laffs isn’t as good as Jerome, Hoops or even Ricky, when he was at the club.
I know one shouldn’t change their mind on the basis of one match but on last night’s evidence I now place Lafferty further up the striker pecking order. He works hard for the team, holds the ball up well and most importantly appears to be a natural finisher.
At the moment Cameron Jerome is first choice striker but after last night Mr Lafferty will be pushing Hoops, Mbokani and Lewis Grabban all the way.
And that can only be a good thing.
Norwich were very convincing, City fans have your say at betfect.com/talk about the canaries chances vs Everton
…and Declan Rudd looked very solid in goal too, I would not be worried at all if he had to deputise for Ruddy at times in the PL. Agree with you on all else, Samir.