In a week where the release of the new Beatles film perfectly captures the unbounded sense of joy the band’s music unleashed on the nation during the 1960s, it feels like something similar may too be emerging in the depths of East Anglia fifty years on.
The impact of City’s strikingly complete performance at the City Ground last weekend followed by our cup miracle at Goodison has been profound, propelling us fans’ sense of optimism from somewhat limited levels to ones comparable with the a fervent Brexiteer on June 24. We all have hope.
Saturday was a turning point. City – incompetent defending for Forest’s opener aside – were terrific in the Midlands, showing a potent combination of resolve, application and discipline to overturn a deficit in front of 2000 elated travelling fans. In the second half in particular, we really were superb.
Timm Klose’s now seemingly notorious changing-room snap was indicative of a range of things, not least the considerable sense of unity and spirit that this City team currently possesses. Even Alex Pritchard’s best Ashley Cole impression in the corner failed to undermine the overriding message the image conveyed: our team are a tight unit who are very much up for our assault on the Championship together.
At the end of August, we all know things were looking bleak. A Steven Whittaker horror show and a 3-0 thrashing fifty miles south west of Saturday’s triumph left us all perplexed, undecided over whether our side were as strong a contender as many of us initially thought.
The rout at Blackburn seemed to have functioned as a false representation of our credentials, providing us all with a streak of optimism that looked to have been ruthlessly crushed.
How things have changed.
Saturday’s triumph was compounded by an almost surreal result in Merseyside in midweek, where a defence that included the erratic Whittaker and Seb Bassong as well as the frequently impetuous John Ruddy in goal somehow thwarted the likes of Ross Barkley and Gerard Delofeu for ninety triumphant minutes.
Dare we dream of a cup run to accompany our blossoming league success?
If there’s one thing the two recent results have done to City fans, it’s fill us with a staggering level of optimism, hope and spirit. The atmosphere behind the goal at Forest was joyous, witnessing an unparalleled sense of unity amongst our fans that culminated in making it one of my most memorable away visits.
City’s success is infectious.
Whilst Saturday’s comeback was visibly indicative of our team’s high level of class and ability for the Championship, it’s what the performance was demonstrative of psychologically that was so striking. Wes Hoolahan’s penalty miss and a moment of questionable defending would have inevitably left our side dejected at half-time, in need of some inspiration to desperately salvage something from the game. The way in which our players delivered with such alacrity was a pleasure to witness.
The duo of Jonny Howson and Graham Dorrans were so effective in the second half, with the latter’s more conservative tendencies enabling Howson to deploy the dynamism and energy that he has done on so many occasions in a City shirt. Dorrans’ winning strike was obviously special, making his terrific display even more noteworthy.
Wes Hoolahan’s ability to rapidly move on from his poor penalty miss was also telling, reminding us of his considerable mental resolve and the fact that he is so determined to contribute to City’s promotion push. Cameron Jerome was yet again excellent in his lone role up front, holding the ball up with great strength and conducting his defensive duties in a way that Jose Mourinho would adore. Who needs Mbokani anyway?
City are back. The subsequent result in Merseyside sent us all into footballing dreamland, toppling a very strong Ronald Koeman side in a type of cup upset that I never ever expected to see in my lifetime as a Norwich fan. Tuesday night felt genuinely quite surreal, seeing our most berated players – Ruddy, Whittaker, Bassong, Naismith – all perform laudably.
In terms of Steven Naismith, he does have my sympathy owing to his relentless effort and hard work, but his failure to gel with our other attackers when employed by Alex Neil this season has been conspicuous. On current form, the menacing trio of Brady, Hoolahan and Jacob Murphy behind the renewed threat of Jerome will be difficult to infiltrate.
With Tuesday’s miraculous victory only serving to intensify our united sense of jubilation after Saturday’s performance, this season feels like it could be a special one. We are witnessing an attractive blend between home grown talent – the developing Murphys – along with our more expensive acquisitions, with the likes of Klose playing a fundamental role both on and off the pitch.
The importance of Klose must not be understated. Whilst providing a continual sense of stability and solidity to our historically brittle defence, his influence of fostering unity off the pitch as well as mentoring younger players will be pivotal if our promotion push is to be sustained. He is a leader, a type of character that City will need so badly for the remaining 38 games.
Norwich’s season has been utterly transformed in the space of four brilliant September days, instilling us all with a renewed and fervent sense of hope.
We have visibly witnessed that our team possesses the ability, character, desire and resolve to launch a successful promotion challenge. We have visibly witnessed the strength in depth of our squad in the form of Tuesday’s result. We have visibly witnessed a brilliantly complete away performance in Nottingham, a performance that explicitly manifested the fact that Norwich must be taken seriously in this long Championship season.
It may not quite be Beatlemania, but the sudden wave of spirit, unity, hope and optimism that City’s recent success has unleashed has surely infected us all.
Long may that continue.
OTBC
Myself included, a few were doubting Alex after Birmingham. He was looking like a nowhere man but I should have known better.
At the Wigan game, I turned to my friend Jude who had given me a lift to the game and said, “Hey Jude – don’t bring me down here again.”
Jude said, “Don’t worry, we can work it out. Get back in your seat.”
Now after Forest and Everton, something clicked and now I feel fine.
All together now..”On the ball city”
After the Birmingham game it seemed that the Blackburn game was the aberration; the freak performance and result. Now after thew Everton game it seems that Birmingham was actually the aberration.
I am a great believer in letting Alex Neil learn and it does seem that he has learnt from the overreaction after last season’s Newcastle game. This time there has been a more measured response and the team has righted itself.
I love your optimism Will. We need more of it so it rubs off on to fans and players alike.
From your picture I would guess that you have not been following the Canaries for as long as I have
(43 years)so that my optimism is tempered by the knowledge that Norwich are at their most vulnerable when playing teams like Burton Albion at home.
For some inexplicable reason we think we only have to turn up to get the 3 points and if we could eradicate this flaw in our make up we could really go places.
WE have to realise that no visiting team in this league is going to lie down and have its collective tummy rubbed, so we need the same approach as if we were playing Villa (2016) at home. Defending a 1-0 lead aint gonna work because our defence is not that good.
We (the fans) are not going tomorrow to see:.
Holding midfield subs, lateral or backward passing and lack of movement.
But:
Incisive finishing, flair, movement, a new penalty taker,and at some point a spyglass on Norfolk’s new Portuguese man’o war! (disguised as Nelson)
Having said that I’d be delighted to be proved wrong ;that Will’s optimism prevails,for,despite this note of caution,I also feel much better about things than I did a week or so ago..
it certaingly was not A HARD DAYS NIGHT on Tuesday and we did not need any HELP in beating Everton before the 4th round draw was made i thought LET IT BE Leeds and it was, The Norwich City YELLOW SUBMARINE does not like sinking at the moment. Me and my FATHER MCKENZIE and I are 2 very happy City fans at the moment.
i will get my coat
what a shame you omitted Louis Thompson’s outstanding game, The lad must have covered nearly every inch of the park breaking play up, getting in the way and taking the time make the pass. In my book terrific for the lad, as he has not spent a lot of time here since he first signed. I do not worry when Tetty gets suspended or injured. I think he has stepped ahead of Mulumbu who always started to show some form in a disciplined display after being booked
Yeah you just wait. A 0-0 on Saturday and a loss after that and we’ll be back where the moaners want it. Should be fun!
Absolutely agree with Gordo about Thompson. He was impressive in some of the pre-season friendlies but the thing about Tues was the quality of the players he was scrapping with. He tired before the end, and there’s obviously an experience defecit compared with Mulumbu, but I think that, by the end of this season Thompson will be competing with Tettey as the first choice for that holding/scrapping/disrupting role.
Gordo and Mick: I regrettably did not travel to Everton or watch extended highlights of the game, so was unable to comment on the alleged excellence of Thompson. Hearing such promising things about a young player is obviously exciting, and if he continues to develop, I would not be surprised if Mick is right in his point concerning challenging Tettey for a midfield role. Always great to see youth flourishing.
I may be optimistic for the season but, from what I have seen so far, I don’t think that’s without legitimate evidence or reason!
Thanks to all for reading and commenting.