City have now gone nine weeks without a win. 63 days. And at a time when they are supposed to be scrapping for their Premier League lives.
By no stretch of the imagination has it been fun yet it’s been played out against a backdrop of the “most exciting Premier League season ever”.
Exciting for others maybe. Certainly exciting if you’re a Leicester fan, Tottenham too probably, and for supporters of fellow promotees Watford and Bournemouth there’s been plenty to be proud of. But for Norwich fans?
Okay, there’s been Old Trafford and the first away game at Sunderland was a good one but in general it’s been that feeling of being at a party full of drunk people while you’re stone cold sober.
The stats suggest we still have a sniff of safety – and we do because Newcastle and Sunderland are both in similarly dire straits – but don’t expect there to be too much fun along the way.
That will only present itself if, by some quirk of footballing fate, we manage to win the mini-league with those from the North East.
Even then any fun will be usurped by relief.
But that feels an awfully long way off right now and instead season 2015/16 is drawing rather too many parallels to 1994/95, when the wheels of the Robert Chase era came off in spectacular fashion.
In the 1995 part of that season City won one, drew seven and lost twelve. It was a slow, painful, excruciating slide to the second tier. It was death by a thousand cuts.
And unfortunately there is no escaping the fact that this feels similar.
Decent performances against those with top four aspirations, but which invariably end in gallant failure, are duly followed by performances of indifference against those we should have in our sights.
A Chelsea-type performance yesterday would have offered a realistic chance of a win. Instead we had something more akin to Villa away and subsequently a scoreline to match. That Leroy Fer was the provider of the only goal just rubbed salt into an already festering wound.
Think of your worse case scenario and City invariably deliver it.
Typically the brickbats have been out in force, with an increasingly vocal section questioning the decision-making of the manager, and it’s not unreasonable to question the working practices of one whose side have earned one point from the last 27 available.
In any other walk of life that level of performance would be scrutinised. In football many a coach has fallen on his or her sword for such a run.
For the record I’m with David McNally on this one and think that even if the worst were to happen Alex earned enough Championship stripes last season to be given a chance to repeat it, but there’s appears to be lots of over-thinking going on right now.
I’m personally no fan of three centre-backs but equally there was also no denying that the performances against Leicester and Chelsea suggested he’d stumbled across a formation that suited the personnel.
Yet yesterday we reverted back to a 4-4-1-1, presumably designed to accommodate Steven Naismith?
Whatever the reason, it didn’t work. Naismith was either unfit or off colour and as a conventional right-back Ivo Pinto is, for the time being at least, unconvincing.
The loss of Robbie Brady was of course a blow, but typifies the breaks you get when in the relegation zone, and the sight of poor ol’ Russ having to slot in as an uncomfortable looking left-back pretty much summed up the afternoon.
The goal itself, while nicely executed by Gylfi Sigurdsson, was yet again avoidable and if Messrs Remond or Pinto were watching Alan Shearer’s critique of their respective roles I expect there to have been copious amounts of squirming.
But we can dissect the mistakes and deficiencies all day long, when it’s all boiled down what City really lack is genuine quality.
We’re just not quite good enough when it really matters. We’re not defensively solid enough when it really matters and we’re not clinical enough in front of goal when it really matters.
For the majority of the time what happens in the middle third of the pitch is actually quite good and when we move the ball at speed we look decent but all too often either the final ball isn’t good enough or the finish doesn’t find the back of the net.
At the other end we appear capable of defending reasonably solidly for 85 minutes but minus the surety that we can see it through for the full 94 or 95. Even the introduction of the impressive Timm Klose has done nothing for our ability to keep a clean sheet.
At both ends of the pitch we come up short, perhaps befitting of a club with the 20th biggest budget in the league. In order to survive we need to punch above our weight – at the moment we are performing in line with our level of spending power.
But that doesn’t mean we accept it.
To perform over and above your expected level can be done – just ask those Leicester fans – but it requires you to be a cohesive unit that collectively is greater than the sum of its parts.
And that’s something Alex and co have been unable to achieve. The lack of quality is apparent in nearly every game, so too the club’s inability to recruit a quality centre-back in the summer, so too the lack of a proven goalscorer.
Again, that doesn’t make us a bad side but at the elite level we fall just short. And to watch them come up short week in, week out is not much fun. Neither is observing members of the Yellow Army taking metaphorical chunks out of each other as a result.
We’re an unhappy little ship at the moment, there’s no escaping that, but still we must cling on to the fact that Newcastle are in a similar shape and Sunderland are only one point ahead of us.
Tellingly, of course both, still have to come to Carrow Road – and while there’s life there’s hope – but to expect the the Class of 2016 to emerge victorious on both occasions is a big ask and a true test of faith for the Yellow Army.
We just have to cling on to belief and hope, because they’re all we have left.
“To perform over and above your expected level can be done – just ask those Leicester fans – but it requires you to be a cohesive unit that collectively is greater than the sum of its parts.
And that’s something Alex and co have been unable to achieve.”
And yet ironically – and perhaps making the current situation even more painful, is that just a few, short years ago, a fellow Scot by the name of Lambert achieved exactly that, with his assembled crew from the likes of Brighton, Huddersfield, Millwall and even Colchester.
Congrats to you, too, for another excellent piece – God knows, it must get harder with every passing week to write about what’s unfolded the previous afternoon 🙁
Very much like the end of the Chase era…but I do feel Sunderland will survive with Allardce at the helm.They are playing with more composure and organisation..and Allardyce has guided, albeit pragmatically, other teams out of choppy waters..Neil looks all at sea ..He stumbled upon 3 centre backs with some better performances but luck and lack of concentration deserted him..An experienced hand might save city along with others floundering. .but I feel the game is up.
Excellent if necessarily painful read. King Alex’s crown is slipping.
We’re not Newcastle – in open revolt. We’re not Villa – long resigned after years of decline. We seem to be somewhere between. Sadly, Sunderland seem far more up for the fight (they have the experience).
Us and the Geordies are a glorious advert for the abandonment of the January transfer window. It rarely pays off.
Even at half time, you sensed we would concede. The worst aspect is the lack of player character and skill to positively effect and change a game for us. Finally we got a break when a penalty wasn’t given against Klose and yet we still couldn’t turn it to our advantage.
What has become of Naismith? The great January hope and potential captain has been a pale shadow of the first hour against Liverpool. He’s done a ‘Ricky’.
I’m almost inclined to say give Kyle a game as a last throw of the dice!
You won’t have to torture yourself with hope much longer Gary. With our inability to pick up points (one point in a quarter of a season is atrocious) and Sunderland having Allardyce plus Defoe to score the goals, this will not go to the wire.
No arguments from me on any of the sentiments expressed in this piece. I found myself wondering during the game how many points we would have got had we had the excellent Williams at centre back and as captain – what a superb player he has been for Swansea. There is definitely a lack of quality in key areas but, stupid as it sounds, I don’t actually believe we are one of the three worst teams in this division – although I do believe we will go down.
In order to make the team “greater than the sum of its parts” the teamwork needs to be of the highest order and when personnel and systems change every week that is simply impossible for any team regardless of the quality. Our only hope is that Alex settles on a system, style and team line up that he believes is the strongest and STICKS TO IT that way by the time we play Newcastle and Sunderland we are settled in that facet of the game at least.
Assuming we need 35 points for safety even if we beat both our rivals from the North East we will only have 30, any takers where the other points will come from? If Newcastle go for Moyes they will get a lift and Allerdyce is a class act as a premier league manager in these circumstances so Alex really has his work cut out to even get those 6 points!
Another really sad parallel with ’95 is that that was the time the premier league finances started to accelerate. We missed the gravy boat and collapsed exactly at the worst time. Hugely publicised the premier league finances are about to get another monstrous boost. We will miss it. The gap between the premier league and the rest will widen rapidly again. Being in it from the start let’s a team like us ride the wave and compete, getting relegated this year means like ’95 we miss it. We have never got close to regaining our late 80’s early 90’s quality. Really sadly I don’t see us ever doing so again.
Naturally I will support Norwich through thick and thin but sometimes I do nostalgically remember finishing 5th, 4th, 3rd and beating Bayern!
OTBC
Pretty much agree with every word of that. I wasn’t at all confident. We just don’t seem to have the right mentality to be up for these six-pointer type away games. We have been undeniably unlucky, but those moments of bad officiating or no rub-of-the-green have been magnified because we aren’t quite good enough.
I’m reluctant to play the blame game until the season is actually over, but really I don’t see any obvious direction to point the finger. The manager has tried pretty much everything with the personnel at his disposal. Maybe he’s tried too many things, but we’ve never had enough consistent form to justify consistent selection.
The board said they tried to sign more players in the summer, and we have to take them at face value. We spent more in January than anyone else in the Prem. As for the players, I think they’re trying their best bless’em, but they’re still falling way short of what’s needed.
Bring on Aguero and co!
A soberingly good read.
The problem with most of our players is that they are defined by a lack of consistency. Redmond, Jerome, Mbk show flashes of potential but aren’t good enough to sustain it. Martin, Tettey, Bassong, Bennett, Whittaker, Pinto, too many mistakes that undermine any chance of solid performances.
It speaks volumes that we rarely talk about Howson, Wes or Klose. Because they do little wrong. They just don’t have consistent enough quality around them to make things happen.
We missed the boat on getting stronger midfielders like Mulumbu, Dorrans in the side, players who have been consistent for a number of years. And what happened to the great hope that is Vadis? What must he think every time Redmond loses the ball and leaves us open to attack?
We need a clear-out of those first team players who simply aren’t up to scratch. We’ve still got a nub of a good squad, we may as well just go for it.
I realised yesterday I was wrong, and AN isn’t the man for us. Few managers could get us out of this, Alex Neil won’t. I’d like to not get relegated, therefore it’s an easy decision.
Tough but good read. I’ve not seen anything from this team to suggest we are moving in anything close to the right direction. Current regime will take us down and he’ll be gone by xmas following our mid table start in the championship.
Another good piece. I’m normally pretty optimistic but my reserves are running out fast. It’s hard to see where the next point is coming from. When someone pointed out Swansea hadn’t scored a second half goal in X games you just knew we would be the fall boys yet again. Yes, we play Sunderland and Newcastle at home but I’d be amazed if we beat one or both of them. I guess the simple truth is that this squad is simply not good for the PL. We do seem to have bought in a lot of players who feature occasionally or not all. A lot of changes needed in the summer.
For me the problem starts with the board and then the management – we’ve had 4 of the past 5 seasons in the Premier League but show zero signs of stability or consolidation. Poor transfer policy, haven’t built on youth FA Cup win, nephews and failed MPs on the board, no defensive coach. Players seem mentally and physically unfit. Neil very tactically poor and unable to react during games. We’ve been an embarrassment since Christmas and deserve to go down. Pinto sums up 2016 – a joke.
No qualms with your excellent summary Gary. Please all read Rick Waghorn’s piece dated 25 May 2015, it helps a tad, if only temporary!
I think we all accept that we are most likely to go down unless we can suddenly find some form, and perhaps a bit of luck.
Even so, we should though stick with the manager, in exactly the same way Burnley have. A year ago I’ll bet their fans were baying for Dyche to go. But their board held firm. They knew they had a good guy in place, put continuity ahead of short-term thinking, and now they look like reaping the rewards. We should do the same.
As for the money, next season there will still be 3 teams relegated from the Premiership and 3 promoted from the Championship. And the season after, and the one after that….
Perhaps the new riches mean that for a year or two it will be even harder for the promoted teams to hold on than it is now but don’t forget there’s nearly always a supposedly established team – like Villa or Newcastle – that becomes a shambles, regardless of how much is in the coffers.
I don’t agree there are many similarities with 1995. After that there followed 15 years of mediocrity punctured by only a couple of reasonable seasons, all overseen by the utterly ineffective Neil Doncaster.
McNally is way ahead of ND and if we don’t get out of this season’s mess I am confident that as long as we retain both him and Alex Neill then this time next year we will be on our way back up again.
Good read as always Gary…..but I think we should be questioning why Alex Neil is still in a job more, I am fed up with hearing how good he will become, how he is learning all the time…the problem with this is we are in the ‘here and now’.After the game yesterday Chris Goreham did not press him on his selection or tatics at all and the same could be said for most of the media, we lost but were better against the league leaders and the current champions but he changed it again!!!
Martin (15) I’d say Neil is still in a job because there is unlikely to be someone out there who has a significantly better chance of keeping us up with the current squad.
Even if there is, they probably wouldn’t be the type of person we need to build on it next season. Anyone who can do that is probably already tied up until May at least.
I think the board are trying to look to the longer term.
Of course if you believe that were we to be relegated Alex Neil would then have us plunging down the Championship, despite probably being one of the 4 or 5 richest clubs in it, then fair enough. But I don’t think he would, and I doubt if many fans do.
Keith B (16) yes I agree with what you say, but if he is that good why is he making so many mistakes, all I’m saying is somebody ask him why he changed a side (yes I know we lost) that played well with 3 at the back.Pinto looks a hopeless defender so why put him in a back 4,Hoolahan and Naismith in the same team no thanks,we looked unbalanced. ..it’s not rocket science is it ? So while I get the long term thing it doesn’t mean he should not be critized
I’m very disappointed, yet not surprised by how fickle people have been towards Alex Neil. Yes he’s made mistakes but I’m afraid that was inevitable & people should have realised that & been prepared for it.
For the short-termists wanting rid of Neil, what’s the plan; bring in someone experienced for the run in – who? Then bring in a Championship specialist to take us up – Hughton/McCarthy? Go up and then bring someone else experienced – Pulis to be available by then?
Personally I’d rather stick with this project, long term I think this will give us more success.
I agree Dave H. I think Alex Neil has a massive future in the game, and it’s very short-sighted to suggest he pays the ultimate price for the team’s current predicament. Next season he will still be one of the club’s best assets, whichever league we’re in.
Yes I still remain hopeful!
Good piece. Alex Neil should keep his job whatever happens. Nearly every game we’re competitive even if some performances have been below par.
In my opinion, David McNally should be replaced by the failure to recruit adequately last summer. Coming just a year on from his ‘relegation worse than death’ statement, to have fallen down on the job so badly is unforgivable. Should never be forgotten he’s the only one at the club not on the playing staff that gets that kind of stratospheric remuneration.
I know we failed with some signings but you have enough of a plan in place to get what you need for a tilt at such a hard league.
Some people would site his success plucking Lambert and Neil from relative obscurity but it’s not rocket science is it? You look around the leagues and see what young manager has progressed his club the most. Of course you do your due diligence to ensure he’s got the right attitude and isn’t imbalanced like Roeder.