“Well we would have taken a point before the game”.
So said the Yellow Army in unison upon the final blast of Mick Dean’s whistle. And it was true.
Yet, as ever, there’s something about conceding a last minute equaliser that sticks in the craw, especially when the performance that preceded it was right out of the top drawer . However hard you try and convince yourself, it is realistically two points dropped – more than just a glancing blow to the solar plexus,
To have have beaten West Ham on their own turf, following a week in which City’s chances were dismissed with the almost customary shrug, would have been massive and a fitting retort to the complacency, verging on contempt, shown by the Hammers towards City on and off the field.
In my capacity as editor of MFW I was invited by Betway, West Ham’s shirt sponsors, to participate – along with a Hammers’ conterpart – in a ‘Fan v Fan Q&A’. I was staggered by their condescending tone:
Q: What do you make of the opposition threat?
A: I don’t know a great deal about Norwich, personally. Their biggest threat appears to be from set pieces.
Q: A prediction for Saturday’s match?
A: I think we’ll win 3-0, with the scorers being Payet, Diafra Sakho and Mark Noble from the spot.
Only a brief snippet, but you get the gist. Oh, and they like Nathan Redmond (and probably wonder what he’s doing at little Norwich).
This complacency appeared to have seeped into their players too if Mark Noble’s wayward pass that allowed Robbie Brady to open his Norwich account was anything to go.
And then there was the non-celebration of the first goal – as if it were just a question of getting one and then the floodgates would open – only for Kouyaté’s equaliser to spark celebrations fit for Premier League title clincher.
I need to calm down…
But the fact is for the opening 30 minutes City gave the Hammers a footballing lesson and but for the profligacy of Cameron Jerome and Jonny Howson (which curiously didn’t make the Match of the Day edit) would have been out of sight before the Boleyn Ground awoke from its slumbers.
The old football adage of taking your chances when in the midst of a good spell rings true at every level, but especially in the rarified air of the Premier League. For all their foibles, West Ham are decent – probably more than decent – and were always going to have a spell themselves.
In truth, having conceded a fairly soft one, Alex’s men did well to withstand the ensuing ten minute barrage and ironically, having dominated for half an hour, were grateful to go in at half-time level.
Yet, probably off the back of said late barrage, the complacency in the East End air took hold again early in the second period – and again City were unable to prosper in front of goal. But, importantly, the performance levels were right up there – just as Alex, Frankie and Gary had planned them on the fields of Colney.
Right now there is a composure and calmness about City when in possession that we have not seen for some time and, while it didn’t always come to the fore at Anfield, a healthy combination of attractive passing and incisiveness going forward is going to trouble more opponents than just West Ham and Liverpool.
When we’re on it we look like a good side – one that’s quite at home in the Premier League.
Alex’s desire to play Wes at the Boleyn meant Redmond – him of the green-eyed East Ender – was this week’s sacrificial lamb but upon his arrival it was clear he too was on it.
His goal was a thing of beauty and came at the end of a sustained period of City pressure. For it to have been the winner would have been fitting and the result of the manager’s prophecy, who told him prior to him entering the fray that he was going on to score the winner.
Dieumerci Mbokani – the recipient of the new best song in football – too made an impact when coming off the bench and must be edging ever closer to a start. Also the decision to swap Wes for the steady hand of Gary O’Neil when looking to see it through to get three points was logical enough. What followed was just a mixture of rotten luck and ugliness.
Big John will probably question this morning why he didn’t get a more decisive punch on the ball, but if there is one player you don’t want to be facing when the opposition are looking to “launch it” it’s Andy Carroll. And sure enough.
But it was a point, a good point, and to have produced a performance like that against occupants of the top three bodes well for what lies ahead.
We’re going to be just fine.
The last word must go to Daniel Kelly (aka @DK_NCFC) who, in yesterday’s tweet of the day, summed up perfectly the feeling of thousands: “Outrageous performance again, proper heartbroken 🙁 Love you @NorwichCityFC“
And so say all of us.
..and so nice of MoTD/Danny Murphy to replay all the goals we’ve conceded this season from set pieces rather than replay the excellent goals we scored yesterday! (Lineker goes missing on Leicester’s first defeat too).
The Hammers’ arrogance comes from them thinking they are now a top side (Stoke made the same mistake when they signed Shaqiri) – it’s going to be 10 times worse when they decamp to the Olympic stadium (largely at tax payers’ expense).
Much better performance than at Anfield, bad luck at the death and well done to Howson for his pigeon rescue.
The speedy Foxes will be a tough challenge but a game plan will already be in the making.
The MOTD coverage of the goals we have conceded from set pieces does highlight the one main weakness we seem to have. I too would have taken a point at the start yesterday but today I am looking at the table deeply frustrated that we are only on 9 points when we could so easily be on 13 were it not for 2 of the said examples.
On the bright side (and there are many positives) I can’t recall seeing the city midfield look such a well oiled machine. We are now dominating possession even away from home, unthinkable under recent managers and everyone is chipping in with goals.
Even before this game I had to laugh at a pre match review on a WH website “not sure where Norwich will get their goals from”. Hopefully oppositions will continue with this complacent view and ignore the fact that in 9 league and cup games we have already had 9 different scorers – as the song from last year went “who put the ball in the Ipswich net, half of xxxxxxx Norwich”
Hopefully we will start getting the points and recognition our football deserves.
OTBC
Andy B – I read the same article about the goals and believe or not it was a Q&A with a Norwich fan/journo!
PS. I hope we don’t get the recognition we deserve as that means we’ll no longer be afforded the complacency you mentioned. The two, fortunately or unfortunately, go hand in hand.
I’m more than happy for us to go under the radar if we keep on picking up points.
Andy – Perhaps because we have so many different scorers is the very reason they don’t know where we’ll get our goals from.!
Not sure if this will get published but I’m a West Ham fan and I was well aware of your threat before kick off. I’ve started vlogging and knew you would give us a tough game….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8TYmAjCsk8
I can’t believe some our fans thought this would be an easy game. I think you’ll easily stay up and will cause plenty of problems to other teams. All the best for the rest of the season.
James – Did you do this pre or post game!, as you highlighted the main threats who ended up scoring. I hope you had a few quid on your score prediction!
Cheers James. It’s nice that someone can be bothered to pay attention.
Good point for Norwich even though it was heart breaking at the death.
I like the look of Brady a lot. Even more dangerous when pushed forward on Olsson’s return, with a very well taken goal. The confidence to flick it over the flailing leg and certain finish were encouraging. That decision would’ve been easy with Jarvis ineligible, but what to do down the left against Leicester? Keeping it the same would make sense for the extra defensive cover to cope with Mahrez.
Having come so close to the win it’s difficult not to be disappointed, but of course we would have taken the point before kick-off. And it’s nice to earn that point in an attractive attacking manner, not by shutting up shop and trying to stifle the opposition.
I’m looking forward to seeing Mulumbu get fit – I think he’s potentially better than Tettey, who we know has some long term fitness issues – just think he is sometimes a bit slow to challenge.
Massive difference having Brady playing in his preferred role too.
Just wish we could win one of these types of games though – Stoke at home, WHU away, both could have gone our way. It’s all very tight in the table and one or two long-term injuries and/or a bad run can soon spiral you downwards, especially if an underachieving squad like Newcastle’s starts to put a run together. A couple of wins would ease the nerves a little going in to winter.
Actually I think we will get one on Saturday – Neill will have had the Foxes thoroughly analysed and find a way to deal with them.
Haha surprisingly it was before as the date uploaded will testify! I wish I had bet on it but not to be unfortunately. My next one will probably go horribly wrong!
James (9) – Cheers for taking the time to post on here, for your kind comments on City and your Nostradamus-like take on events at the Boleyn. I may be coming to your for your Euro-million numbers!
I appreciate that not *all* Hammers’ fans took us lightly – just the majority!
All the best for a good season.