This supporting Norwich City lark is not easy is it. Tis a gig where heartache is never far away and it’s hard to believe that glorious afternoon in north-west London occurred just five months ago to the very day.
Those of us who, following said triumph, had notions of Premier League mid-table contentment have had them quashed early doors and with the season only just a quarter of the way through it’s become fairly clear that the words ‘relegation’ and ‘dogfight’ are to figure heavily between now and May.
It’s hard to admit, but yesterday we looked every bit a side destined to be scrapping it out at the wrong end, and not a particularly well equipped one at that.
The horrors of St James’ Park clearly played heavily on the mind, and not just on the chosen XI. The Carrow Road crowd was subdued from the word go – as you tend to be after a 6-2 defeat – and Team Neil reacted to last week’s adversity with an approach that neither sat comfortably or came naturally.
But changes had to be made and Steven Whittaker’s demotion to the bench was about as surprising as a River End moan.
Rather more surprising, to me at least, was that Martin Olsson – provider of both of last week’s goals – also fell on his sword. Having said that however, the left-sided link-ups of Robbie Brady and Matt Jarvis were one of yesterday’s few bright spots and there was a clear instruction for the former to be cautious in his approach, allowing the latter the freedom of the left flank for his old school wing play.
Graham Dorrans was another to pay the price, presumably for permitting Moussa Sissoko the freedom of Tyneside, but still, on paper, it looked a well-balanced midfield full of attacking intent. And it terms of controlling possession, again it succeeded.
Alas, as we’re quickly learning, the Premier League 2015-style is, alongside the top-level technique, all about pace, power and dynamism. It’s about soaking up pressure when needed and then exploding on the break to exploit the wide open spaces. It’s about gobbling up chances when the present themselves.
Right now it looks as if we’re stuck in 2008 and, with it, looking just a little naive. We want to keep the ball, to dominate possession and to pin the opposition back in their own half but part of the reason we do so comfortably is because teams are happy to let us do it, content in the knowledge that if they stay solid we’ll eventually over-commit and they can hit us on the counter.
And when your defending is ordinary, to say the least, it’s never going to end well.
The failure to land a quality centre-back in the window has been done to death but has come back to haunt us even quicker that most of us imagined. Yesterday it was laid bare for all to see.
The decision to move Russell Martin out of the centre was one that needed to be made – even though moving him to right-back smacked of just shifting the problem – but with Seb Bassong also struggling for form it leaves Alex Neil with nowhere to go. His slightly resigned and exasperated tone post-match said it all.
The skipper’s struggle for form and confidence has occupied plenty of column inches and web pages but his error-ridden display yesterday did little to help. Andre Wisdom must now be questioning whether his decision to head east was a wise one; if he’s not going to get a game at right-back in this Norwich team it’s never going to happen.
Of many current concerns, the biggest one is the inability to keep anything even close to a clean sheet. West Brom only needed the one yesterday but it could and should have been more with Salomon Rondon and Gareth McAuley (who we can always rely on for a favour) both missing pre half-time sitters.
The goal, when it arrived, was another example of Martin and Nathan Redmond collectively permitting a cross to come in from the City right far too easily and the sight of Rondon brushing aside Bassong’s aerial challenge with such comfort was painful to watch.
City’s response was tepid at best and, in truth, a livelier than usual pre-kick-off kick-about from the mascots was about as menacing as anything the Canaries were able to muster in the second period. No lack of effort or desire but a definite lack of belief and, against a side that has now kept 16 clean sheets in 2015, a goal never looked forthcoming.
So where now? Well, in Slaven Bilic’s Match of the Day interview with Gary Lineker he spoke of part of West Ham’s early season success being down to doing the basic things well. Perhaps that’s where the City comeback begins.
As things stand, the foundations are not solid. And with a trip to the Etihad up next that’s not ideal.
But Alex Neil won’t shirk the challenge ahead, or shrink. And he won’t permit his players to do so either. There’ll be no white flags and we didn’t grace Wembley with such verve and swagger to allow it to disintegrate just ten games into the new season.
It’s time to show some, and that includes the fans.
The greatest concern for me during the game was that in the opening 20 mins, city didn’t take advantage and took a number of poor shots without testing their keeper, than from that point on, didn’t look like creating at all. Despite looking toothless, it took until 75 mins for a change to be indicated (and another 4 minutes before he actually got on).
The problems defensively that Redmond creates are highlighted well in your article. Too often he fails to close down the opposition and stands off, allowing them to cross without pressure. McLean ran him ragged, and McLean was a bout part in Wigan’s relegation last year ! His ability (Redmond) to deliver a cross or beat a man is beyond a joke. Compared to Jarvis, who on several occasions took on his full back and delivered a cross was in sharp contrast to Redmond’s consistent policy of taking a needless extra touch, slowing the play down to allow his full back to get tight, and aimlessly crossing usually in to the midriff of the nearest opposing player. He is a luxury player who Norwich could do without at the moment.
With Howson too looking like he hasn’t a clue, and let’s face it, he was a lucky man not to be sent off yesterday (a clear yellow after the booking and then kicking the ball away) Norwich’s midfield really isn’t firing on all cylinders.
Good points Nich. The midfield – that four games ago was functioning beautifully – is now looking a little disjointed and lacking in invention. To me, Jonny H hasn’t been the same since rescuing that stricken pigeon at the Boleyn!
Summed up perfectly, Gary.
However, the general mediocre footballing talent on display in the lower reaches of the Premier League still leads me to believe that we can compete at this level. Assuming we ARE good enough, the difference between winning and losing comes down to confidence, concentration, passion and tactical nowse. (As we aptly displayed prior to this wretched run.) AN is still cutting his teeth at this level. He is shrewd and intelligent and will only improve with experience. My biggest fear is that if we don’t stay up this season, looking at the current talent in the Championship, a rebound as before will be a long long way away!!
OTBC
Sadly City’s downfall is one all of their own making. A failure to recruit defensive players in the Summer was met by general disbelief…maybe AN knew something we didn’t?
Not looking like that’s the case now….
That defeat feels worse than the Newcastle one. Little to glean from it other than we were poor individually and poor collectively. Maybe things got over-analysed after last Sunday and left everyone confused as to what they were doing? Back to basics has to be the message.
It’s a big challenge for our young boss. He always found an answer last season but the extra quality of opposition defenders and strikers in the PL exposes the weaknesses much more. We could be 3rd from bottom by the end of today.
Ironic that Redmond and Martin are fans’ favourites for the chop – they are our top scorers! Wes gets the plaudits when he’s on it but seems to escape any criticism when he’s not. Badly need Mulumbu back to fire up that jaded midfield.
A confidence boost is required on Tuesday night before that daunting date with Pellegrini’s lot.
Have to agree with all of the above. Esp the comments re Redmond. He seems a bit out of place at the minute and tends to go looking for the ball. Perhaps that is his instruction but it then leaves the right back totally exposed. His defensive play isn’t great at the beat of times but when he’s not even there the RB has double duties. Time to batten down the hatches, get behind the team ( whoever is playing) and start grinding points out the ugly way if necessary.
As it stands, with just over a quarter of the season now gone, we have six players who’ve started every game: Ruddy, Martin, Bassong, Brady, Tettey and Howson.
Whilst the preference is always for consistency, perhaps, in this instance, it’s more an indication of a lack of choice, rather than form?
To my mind, of that list, only Brady and, perhaps, Ruddy (who also has his fair share of critics) should be automatic starters.
And, to pick up on one of Gary’s points, how many of that list has genuine pace, again, just Brady.
I´m not exactly sure what some City fans expected from this season, even with a certain A. Neil. It can´t be any surprise, surely, that we find ourselves in the lower reaches at the moment, and will probably continue to do so for the remainder of the season. From what I´ve seen so far, I´d say there are 6 sides likely to be fighting it out to avoid the bottom three places come May, ourselves, Bournemouth and Watford (despite a good win at Stoke yesterday) and A. Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle (despite trouncing us last week).
Promoted sides will always have the same problem in this league – how to be attack-minded enough to score goals, while at the same time, keeping it tight enough at the back, to avoid goals going in. Alex Neil, who one could say is the diametrical opposite of Chris Hughton, is beginning to find it just as difficult a problem to surmount, as he did, despite tackling it in a completely different way.
If we can finish up in 17th position, we´ll have had a great season, and ought to be entirely satisfied.
Am I the only one who thinks we are not making the best use of the players on our books?
The decision to loan out Bennett (E) and Toffolo looks ill advised to me when our shaky back four is in need of defenders who have youth on their side and something to prove ie hungry.
Also Cameron Norman looks to me a lad who needs to be given a chance he has bite in the tackle, good physique and ball skills as well as the ability to get up and down the pitch well.
What has Declan Rudd got to do to get a game after we concede 6?
Come on Alex give youth a chance and put some pressure on our defenders who are ” in the comfort zone”-maybe starting with the Capital Cup game.
Fullbacks are always exposed in the 4231. It’s more the responsibility of the 2 to help cover them than the wide members of the 3. Also, much like Hucks, I don’t want Redmond defending. We need to play more than one midfielder that can tackle at this level. It leaves the defence exposed. Maybe should have kept Johnson on the mix.
I can’t help but look at our team as a really good championship outfit, just that 10% short of breaking down premier league defences week in week out. Yesterday wasn’t a total wreckage by any means, we dominated for long periods, had we been a bit shape we might have opened them up but too often we are not quite good enough up top but quite a bit short at the back.
In the mid 90’s we missed the gravy train, we must make sure that we don’t do it again. If we do get relegated this year (which isn’t certain at all although I’m very worried) we must be set up to bounce back again. Sign Jarvis permanently and strengthen elsewhere. It’s a big time for Norwich, and given money situation for all others too, we have to keep in the premiere league every other year or better yet three out every four.
OTBC
We have lesser skilled players than most teams in the Premier. Certainly less physical attributes. We are regularly outrunned and espescially outpaced in games, and very often also outmuscled.
When AN also starts missing the team setup, and does not react quickly enough in making in-match changes to system and personell (only 1 sub made vs WBA), it is looking bleak.
We have little or no competition for places, and why Howson is playing every game is beyond me. Odidja-Ofoe must surely be a choice for a midfield spot now.
For me, the fitness problems is evident. Midfielders are not supporting the lone striker often enough, and it is down to lack of running power/fitness, but perhaps also tactical (although I doubt that).
Not playing 2 strikers after WBA went 1 up was criminal. AN waited until 80th minute in bringing Jerome on. Far too late.
Can I offer a slightly dissenting voice here?
For the first 30 minutes yesterday City were excellent – a positive and gutsy response to the Newcastle nightmare. Midfielders helped the defence (even Redmond) and we were clearly the stronger and more creative side.
The big problem was that we didn’t convert a chance or two during that period.
Then our belief visibly drained away when we concede the goal, and the second half – even when we pressed – was disjointed.
So I agree with Alex Neil that the difference is clinical execution in the two penalty areas, and of course it’s a major concern that we’re lacking there. But was yesterday as devoid of positives and reasons for hope as most posters seem to be saying? Not for me.
The Etihad is the perfect place to show that we have resilience. I’m not betting against it.
We just don’t have enough quality. Team spirit and togetherness will only get you so far. At this level we are being found out and the next few games are going to be a formidable challenge. The only positive is that AN, if he is as good as we think he is, will be learning a lot from this experience and we as a club could benefit. Let’s hope he is a fast learner!
It’s too easy to dissect this game as ‘our season’. We’ve played well in most of our games and should have had a few more points. We looked knackered in the last two (so many big international games) and AN’s (understandable) reliance on the team that won at Wembley now needs complementing in the right places rather than changing wholesale. We have a decent squad, lets rotate it, bring some energy in and for goodness sake play Martin at centre back or not at all.
I don’t think we played particularly badly, which in a way is more worrying. Brom just played a typical Pulis game, a lot of height at the back, well-organised, yawn, and we were missing the little bit of magic and guile that would give them problems.
We don’t need to panic yet, but looking at the fixtures 5 games without win could easily become 9, or even 3 defeats in a row could become 7. Big decisions will have to be made in January, the board will have to spend, but what we need won’t come cheap.
I just read the Guardian’s ’10 talking points’ and they are absolutely right – why were we bunging crosses in to a Tony Pulis defence? We should have drawn them out of position and done them. Seeing Sherwood get fired, I really hope we give Alex Neil time to learn and get better. Even if we go down, we’d be good enough to go back up. We shouldn’t see relegation as the end of days. We can keep learning. Which is exactly how West Brom got to where they are now…
For a while in the second-half on Saturday, wondering why it was that we had lost all momentum, I stopped watching the ball and watched Howson. Two things happened:
1. When full backs had the ball and were looking for a forward pass, where was Howson? Standing still, marked, not looking for the ball
2. When we were going forward, particularly on the left, and Brady or Jarvis were looking for a pass, where was Howson? Standing still, not showing for the ball, not calling, not moving.
Yes there were many things wrong with our performance in the second half of the first half, and the second half as have been noted above – although i agree we were great the first 20 mins but without scoring, especially our approach play on the left – but how one of our key players in a key position can get away with such shameless hiding is beyond me
(18) I don’t think he’s hiding – he looks shot. His work rate is normally very high. A couple of games on the bench would do him no harm.
I was surprised Howson kept his place. Expected Dorrans to play his old club, but then deciding on the worst performers at St James’ was a tough job! We can’t really blame the players if they are getting tired. We don’t match teams quality-wise, so we have to win with better tactics and working harder, but how many times can you go to the well?
With that in mind AN could consider major changes for Man City. Almost write it off and make sure the first XI is fresh for Swansea. He won’t though.
Come on guys, we are always going to be a side scrapping it out in the lower reaches of the prem that’s who we are a team that yo yo’s div 1, div 2, prem & Championship. No mediocrity for us and we don’t want it. However, we’re doing okay and I just don’t understand all the negative, boo boys out there we have the best & the worst fans. We got relegated last time and look what joy that set up last May. Support 100%, enjoy the ride and ‘Never mind the danger”
Colin, I’m completely with you. Booing is something that I can’t stand; a very modern football thing.
Looking at our forthcoming fixtures I’m predicting that we’ll be in the bottom 3 by mid-November. We knew it would be a tough season, but all is not lost, 3 teams have to go down and I suspect (like others above have predicted) Bournemouth, Watford, Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle will all be fighting it out during the season.
Personally I hope that those selected to play in the cup game against Everton tonight make their claim for a place in the Premier League team. Both Howson and Martin could do with some time on the bench. Howson has not been playing well since the Leicester game, Martin was culpable against Newcastle and had a poor game against West Brom.
We could well be looking at 5 consecutive defeats by the end of the Man City game, my concern is that the fans turns on Neil. I think whatever happens we should stick with him.
It’s clear that we needed further defensive cover during the summer transfer window. Norwich tried but it’s always going to be difficult to get proven premier league players to come to Norwich during this first season up. When Norwich were promoted to the Premier League under Lambert the club was able to bring in De Laet (on-loan from Man Utd), Ayala (from Liverpool) and R. Bennett (from Peterborough), none of whom had any premier league experience. So Norwich will have the option of buying players from the lower leagues, loaning in young players from other premier league clubs or taking a punt on someone playing overseas. Of course our other option is to bring back Turner, but not sure he will transform our fortunes much. What we need is the likes of Wisdom, Bennett and Olsson to demonstrate that they should be in the team on a regular basis, providing the necessary competition and keeping the others on their toes.
I couldn’t agree more with you Colin (21): “Support 100%, enjoy the ride and ‘Never mind the danger'”.
We have no more right to be in the Premier League than any other club. Whatever will be, will be.
Relegation is possible, but it certainly won’t be due to a lack of honest effort from AN and the players. Their confidence slips with every boo. So if the fans can just get off the team’s back, then maybe we’ll actually *deserve* to stay up this time round.
For me the two worst sides in the league are villa and the media darlings. I think yourselves and Newcastle will be fighting out for the last spot as long as they hopefully keep McLaren in charge.
Your manager has to go back to doing the basics well which is keeping clean sheets and you will pick up points. Does he have it in him to prove he is not just a motivational one trick pony?