It’s been a tough old week or so if you like your football played in yellow and green.
On the back of three increasingly poor league defeats – and yes I do rate the West Brom loss below the Newcastle one – last night was a chance for some light relief with a no pressure run out at Goodison in the latest instalment of the Capital One Cup.
A few of our boys who trooped off the hallowed turf on Saturday were badly in need of a break from the trip up to Merseyside.
Dieumerci Mbokani was suffering from an undefined illness (hopefully not home sickness), so one of the big calls Alex Neil had to make was which of his strikers he would trust to worry the Toffees defence the most.
With Gary Hooper heading to Sheffield for the rest of 2015, it was Lewis Grabban who got the nod; safe to say, most have still not managed to forgive his antics in a previous round of this competition.
Many at home seemed aghast that Kyle Lafferty was once more left to warm the bench at kick off.
Also getting a rare outing were Andre Wisdom, Gary O’Neil and Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe but most exciting was the first proper appearance of Youssouf Mulumbu, finally fit enough after that pesky foot injury sustained in the preseason.
Against a strong Roberto Martinez team, City made a promising start with six corners won in the first 15 minutes and the majority of possession – a familiar trend in recent losing games.
It didn’t take the new man, Mulumbu, long to make a mark – unfortunately picking up a booking on 26 minutes.
It was scoreless at the half-time whistle. We would have settled for that before kickoff.
City had seen 60 per cent of the ball, had three efforts on target (a couple of decent cracks from our big Belgian midfielder) and won eight corners.
Encouraging stats as I decamped from the radio for a brew and a couple of hobnobs.
Even better was news that Arsenal were two down at Hillsborough. Gary Hooper is joining a pretty decent side on an upward curve. And good luck to him.
Bang! 50 minutes and the Goodison deadlock was broken; Sebastian Bassong shooting home from inside the box after an assist by O’Neil.
Big Seb’s first goal for many a long day and very welcome indeed.
Chelsea go behind at Stoke at almost exactly the same time and Arsenal go three down a couple of minutes later.
All too good to be true surely? It was shaping up to be the perfect night. Was it tempting fate to reward myself with a third hobnob?
On the hour, City had the game in their back pocket. The draw for the next round was awaiting for us. Rarely charted territory.
And then came the Everton cavalry – Barclay and Deulofeu were thrown on. The Goodison faithful were restless.
It was too good to be true – the apparently ‘evergreen’ Leon Osman equalised on 68 minutes and suddenly all the old fears return. I shouldn’t have had the third hobnob. A painful lesson.
Matt Jarvis came on for Vadis. Lewis Grabban had a couple of goal bound efforts but surely the gangly Lafferty was the man to stretch and annoy the tired Everton defence? Alex Neil didn’t respond to my pleas.
It was getting a bit tasty in the final 15. Ryan Bennett went into the ref’s naughty book. Mulumbu was replaced by Graham Dorrans.
The 90th minute – that man Grabban almost made himself a hero with a header on target but it was well saved. Lafferty the extra-time hero maybe? Olsson picked up a late yellow.
All square at full time. We’d bossed all the main stats on the night but had to go again for 30 minutes. Arsenal were humbled in Sheffield. Wenger prepared his excuses for the TV cameras.
Was time to put the kettle on again. Nerves were building.
We huffed and puffed in extra-time but a penalty shootout it was. Lap of the footballing Gods’ time. Still no Lafferty.
And the Gods deserted us as Wes and Nathan blew their lines. Chelsea died a death by penalties too.
Conclusion – many positives to take for City from the game. Lady Luck wasn’t on our side. Opportunity missed. The Toffees were jammy.
Time for a hobnob and bed. Hopefully the pain will subside by morning.
Pain duly subsided this morning, Russell! Lots to take from this one.
Declan Rudd’s performance: although he didn’t have a lot to do until after the final, final whistle his command of the Norwich box was outstanding. For a young man who has had to sit it out and watch Ruddy flap, flounder and panic his defence in recent games, Rudd’s confidence, agility and positioning was outstanding. Surely he will now get the nod for Premier League games too – maybe.
Lewis Grabban’s return to selection was ignominious. Most of his game was spent loitering in a sedentary, offside position thus preventing the hardworking Hoolihan and the promising new look midfield from bringing him into play quickly enough to hurt Everton. Great penalty, though. Like Rudd, Kyle Lafferty must be wondering what on earth he has to do to kick a ball in anger for us. I am convinced that Lafferty would have ripped the bemused Everton defence apart.
Nathan Redmond is tired. He is now reluctant to take on players either offensively or defensively. His crosses and shots are wayward, and his facials reveal a young man who is getting annoyed with himself. He needs a rest.
Norwich clearly have more strength in depth than we had realised. Wisdom, O’Neil, Mulumbu and Odjidja-Ofoe all demonstrated they have the potential to fit seamlessly into the Norwich Premiership team.
This was a superb team performance by Norwich. Everton were made to look poor by our committed effort to tighten things up, just like our performances away at Liverpool and West Ham. Everton celebrated the final penalty kick as if they had just lifted the cup – they were really up for this one, so full marks to Norwich for keeping them subdued.
The future is potentially bright. It is up to Alex Neal now to put his team back on track using the right people at the right time in the right place. Never Mind The Danger, Alex.
OTBC
Ditto Russell although I opted for chocy digestives! We better stick to fruit next time or maybe a Delia pud.
Best thing was we played well and a few changes in personnel.Declan Rudd looks confident so maybe his time is close.
We shouldn’t feel to much pressure come the Etihad nothing expected so hope springs eternal.
I love a nice hobnob with a cup of tea.
How desperately gutting. Although we can now ‘concentrate on the league’ I’m a firm believer that winning breeds winning and that confidence would’ve blossomed again had we made it through at a very tough place to go. We could’ve got ourselves a Championship side in the last eight as well.
How nice it must be to be able to bring Barkley and Delofeu off the bench, and to have a second string that includes players like Kone and Mirallas.
Still, plenty of positives, as you say. Did it sound like Mulumbu played well? Wisdom? Vadis?
Cheers for the comments.
Encouraging display against a strong top 10 side albeit in the League Cup.
I think any pain I was feeling at the end of the penalty shootout was more a case of indigestion than disappointment.
Can’t believe I missed the chance to use the ‘that’s the way the cookie crumbles’ line.
Hobnobs – great. Choc digestives – fine. Choc hobnobs – criminal.
Very much the way I felt about the game, from my slightly different perspective of a large glass of Shiraz (topped up for the penalty shoot-out).
Good to see some of the fringe players making a case for inclusion in the League team (assuming they really want to play at the Etihad). In the past couple of years we’ve given similar opportunities which haven’t been grasped.
Along the same lines, I’m not sure enough has been said about Ryan Bennett. Coming into the team after a long wait, he was one of our best performers against West Brom and again last night. It may be that Russ misses out completely on Saturday.
One bone of contention with you. For me, the entire performance at Newcastle was inept (I know we attacked well, but at the expense of any proper midfield/defensive presence). For 30 minutes against West Brom, we showed everything that was lacking at St James’s Park. Had that been the last 30 minutes rather than the first 30, we’d have walked away feeling more optimistic.
We took it seriously. That’s been a long time coming.