To paraphrase Harold Wilson (one for the teenagers), four days is a long time in football.
In the true tradition of football fans, we were cock-a-hoop to have overcome an expensively assembled and “resurgent” Aston Villa on Tuesday night, and a vibrant second-half buoyed by an equally vibrant Carrow Road served to calm some previously troubled waters.
But Villa were awful – even Steve Bruce admitted it – and last night, when faced with a top ten side who were very good, many of the old failings and gripes, from both sides of the white line, were laid bare once again.
Except, for me, this time there was an added twist.
Until now I’d perceived the failings of the players to be around their effort and desire, or lack thereof, but last night they simply weren’t good enough. And Canary Call’s theme of ‘a lack of passion’ was, for me at least, missing the point.
It’s a daft term and one I can never quite get my head round in footballing terms because for me it’s not a pre-requisite of a Norwich City player. We’re passionate about City but we’re bound to be – we’re fans. It’s our job.
We naturally expect effort and commitment from those we support but passion comes from within. I’d play with passion if I were lucky enough to wear the yellow shirt, so would you, so would Rob Butler but for the players I just demand they give everything they have to the cause.
And I actually think the majority gave all their all last night but still weren’t good enough, which presents a whole new set of problems. Against a side who had a plan and played with verve we looked staid and devoid of invention. There was no spark.
Apart from a reasonably bright opening fives minutes, Huddersfield bossed it. They played in a 4-2-3-1 that almost mirrored City’s (when do we ever line up differently) but did it so much better.
Their back four was solid when called upon, decisive, no-messing.
Their two midfield ‘holders’ ran the show and gave us not a second on the ball.
Their three attacking midfielders played with sharpness, decisiveness and creativity.
And Nahki Wells, as well as being a nuisance all night, was well supported by the aforementioned three and rarely isolated.
For City’s part, they huffed and puffed, created a few second half chances but were generally second best right across the pitch and had few answers to the questions posed by the Terriers. And could have no complaints.
At its heart was the duo of Graham Dorrans and Youssouf Mulumbu who most agreed excelled against Villa. Last night they were second best by a country mile and were the very epitome of Alex Neil’s troubling term ‘leggy’, when describing the first-half performance.
Mulumbu’s mitigation may be his lack of game time but for Dorrans it was just a 4/10 evening. He wasn’t alone however.
The speed and movement of the visitors was generally too much for City to handle and time and time again a quick triangle of passes would open up huge gaps, the upshot being an exposed full-back; Brady and Murphy both guilty of being reactive rather than pro-active when tasked with defensive duties.
When out of possession, with Huddersfield’s manager David Wagner being a disciple of Jurgen Klopp, it came as no surprise that were exponents of the high press – worthy ones at that – but still City had no answer.
The half-time stats revealed a 65/35 possession ratio in favour of the visitors and for a side that tries to play – in Alex’s words – “possession based football” that was always going to present a problem. But no answers were forthcoming – neither on the pitch or from the technical area.
And when the time came to make some changes – no-one could last night accuse Alex of not making them soon enough – the option to hook an in-form striker who’s scored three in three instead of giving him some support was met with derision from the stands.
Almost for the first time, the venom that’s been building up in many for several weeks had a chance to air at Carrow Road. The message was unequivocal.
That City ended up playing with two up top anyway (Seb Bassong was sent forward for one final hurrah), made just a little bit of a nonsense of the decision to not go two up top when in desperate need of a goal.
Of course it would have necessitated a change in shape – a 4-4-2, or a variation thereof – and it may have meant fewer touches across the midfield and a need to get the ball forward earlier, but we were already in the realms of nothing to lose territory.
To stick with a formation that had failed us all game did Alex few favours and merely added fuel to a fire that had already took hold.
So, for me, that feeling of deflation that accompanies every defeat was compounded last night with a realisation that even when there is effort on display we’re actually not a particularly good side – at least when faced with one.
No wins against sides in the top ten is a damning stat and one that should, but probably won’t, give the board serious food for thought.
But at least we can finally lay to rest this ‘second best squad in the Championship’ nonsense. We’re clearly not.
Huddersfield proved that. And it was not pretty.
Agree with all that Gary.
We need a manager who is not scared to give young hungry players a chance.
An Angel has come down at Christmas with a message from the Birmingham Mail.
“SPOILT FOR CHOICE- Gary Rowett was ditched by Birmingham but he surely won’t be out of work for very long”
Will our Board be Wise Men (and Women) or will their camels bury their heads in the sand?
I really wanted Alex Neill to come through this. I’m very grateful for what he did to get us to Wembley and into the Premier League. That earnt some credit and so he has been given time to turn this around but it has been clear for some time that this is now completely beyond him.
I don’t know anyone who thinks that Alex Neill in charge of Norwich is what is needed to ensure that we end the season in the play-offs (surely a minimum requirement at the beginning of the season and still not beyond us).
The longer the Board waits, as they did before finally getting rid of CH, the more damage is being done to those promotion prospects.
Some changes are needed in the January window and it would be incredulous if we now went into that window with Alex Neill still in charge.
Compared to 4 weeks ago there now seem to be more available candidates – O’Neill, Hodgson, Rowett – as well, no doubt, as some that remain in a role but would still be interested by the Norwich job.
I realise it is Christmas, but now it is, finally, time for the Board to act now. I don’t think the fans will accept further prevarication.
Gary, you are absolutely right. In the 18 months since Wembley other clubs have progressed and we gave gone backwards. Under the direction of the Board and with this manager and players we are not good enough to compete at the top of the Championship. The stats do not lie, just two points from ten games against top half teams. And I am afraid the position will get worse. For those expecting the transfer window to produce a run for the play offs there will just be more disappointment. Not only do we have to sell to buy, other clubs will look far more attractive to better players looking to advance their careers.
How many times have we heard for months, from various people, we have the best squad in this division, what utter .nonsense!
In the main this is the squad that took us down twice in three seasons.
How much I wonder have Huddersfield spent on a team that totally outclassed us in every department.
Yes the main difference in my opinion is the quality of the manager. Remembering the Colchester visit some years ago, who also outclassed us on the day . It did not take long for the CE to take action and grab their manager.
A repeat of that would suit me fine, but doubt if anyone would ever be that decisive on the board now.
Spot on Gary. The anger from the Barclay when Nelson was “hooked” was both loud and tangible. Us older inhabitants upstairs indulged in the shaking of heads and the shrugging of shoulders. And a few choice words.
The tide has turned and any remaining optimism I and some others had that Alex Neil could get us promoted has evaporated.
It is time for the Board to act.
As we said on the dismal walk home, we were indeed beaten by a better side with a plan.
Get relegated once with basically the same core of players and you’re risking it. A clear out is imperative straight after relegation simply to change the feel. Do it twice and essentially have a board and manager completely clueless as to how sporting dynamics and football in general works. Not sure how anyone thought this was a champ winning squad based on obvious and simple facts.
I don´t know where this ´second best squad in the Championship´ comes from, anyway, ridiculous hyping us up in that sort of way. It´s been clear for weeks/months that we are just one of many average (when we put in a shift) sides in this division, when we don´t, we become decidedly less than average.
Well beaten last night by a good side, who deserved it – no complaints from me.
Good to see people waking up to the ‘total drivel’ I’ve been saying for months though. It’s not hard to grasp after all! Now we need a proper manager and an even better board because this is beyond farcical now. The board in particular are killing us just to let a nice chap learn on the job. It’s time the fans demanded more instead of clapping our way to league 1.
You called absolutely right Gary. It wasn’t lack of passion, we just weren’t good enough.
However I don’t think the first half was as disastrous as some are saying. HTFC were just very good but for all their possession it wasn’t exactly panic stations. We just couldn’t get the ball.
That was clearly what knackered Mulumbu – he had so much ground to cover with nothing in front of him – and the Tettey sub brought some more bite. But what was really missing was posesssion further up the field – surely Wes would have been a good option when it became obvious Dorrans was a 4/10? Someone to keep the ball in HTFC’s third? That would have drawn their midfield back and made us more competitive.
Somewhere in our squad there is a promotion-contending team. Now we need a new manager to bring it together.
We have some expensive and over paid individuals who have fallen for the media hype and believe themselves to be better than they are. They tried last night, but we had exactly this conversation on the way home in the car. Huddersfield were undoubtedly better than us and it didn’t come down to effort. The players were trying, but they didn’t look as fit. They didn’t think as quickly and they didn’t play as well as a team. Perhaps that is down to team selection or tactics. Perhaps it is down to the players. But if we are to make progress something has to change. Perhaps the manager and several of the players have to go. It is all looking a bit tired. I do not blame Delia. I do not really want to see massive investment from people who have no feeling for the club. That doesn’t guarantee success and just alienates the fans. We need a decent manager who can build a long term future and bring through youngsters who do care passionately because it’s where they were brought up in footballing terms and where they belong.
How can anyone not agree with that Gary. the biggest thing for me was the taking of the our hottest striker to be replaced by a man returning from injury, but who had found goals hard to come by. I have been banging the drum for a new fresh approach from the start of the season, but Neil had some credit left, but that has well been used up.
Our club has reached rock bottom now with this manager, he clearly has lost his way, showing how limited he is. what may work in Scotland certainly isn’t working here. It serves little purpose to keep going over the same ground of he has done this or he hasn’t done that. The shortcomings are now being seen by people who gave him the benefit of the doubt, further proves his credit is used up, only not by those who can put the players and fans out of this misery. It would appear that Alex Neil has the same resolve as Smith and Jones , by not going to stand aside. which will only end in tears ..
Its very stale now isn’t it reaching the hughton stages very much one way to play ,silly substitutions to late in the game and the same old clap trap after the game zzzzzzzz Promotion promotion promotion of yeah right mr moxey o.o
Can’t disagree with much of that, Gary. We are not a particularly good side and will only get results against the weaker sides in the division.
I think all this shows that the board we have are increasingly out of their depth and the time has come for them to sell. Their hearts may be in the right place, but ultimately that counts for nothing.
If their currently pig headed naivety of keeping a failing manager with his failing team continues, the club will become a shambles. The manager has lost support of the vast majority of fans, the local media – with an exasperated Michael Bailey looking at the camera to wonder what has AN got to do to get sacked – and a number of the squad.
It is going to get worse before it has any chance of it getting better. If the board won’t act, then the heat must be turned fully on them. Fast.
Alex Neil did a fantastic job in 2015 getting Norwich into the playoffs and the Premier League.
The transfer window that followed did him few favours but this goes way beyond a failed recruitment policy.
The inability to set up a team right and, when it’s going wrong, makes changes to influence games in a positive manner, highlights a fundamental issue in the dugout.
Promotion, promotion, promotion has a very hollow ring to it this morning. The time for action is now if they’re remotely serious about making the playoffs – which are starting to look even more distant with every passing game.
Why are people desperate for Gary Rowett to come in? What has he achieved? So he took Birmingham to 10th and did average at Burton but also oversaw heavy defeats whilst in charge…..he doesn’t have enough experience and would be a case of out of the frying pan into the fire….
It’s pitiful that the only thing that will lead to anything changing is the fans turning against their own club, that they spend much time and money supporting.
The board are clearly too gutless, weak and spineless to act of their own volition so if this impasse continues much longer, it’s going to have a sad and messy conclusion.
And Jerome REPLACING Oliveira, when we’re already behind and chasing the game? You’re ‘aving a laugh!!
#13 “…..he doesn’t have enough experience and would be a case of out of the frying pan into the fire…”
So would any form of external investment in the club if you believe the doom-mongers and naysayers. But for every Cardiff / Leeds / Hull, there’s a Leicester City. So by no means would it constitute guaranteed failure.
Likewise Rowett.
As already said, credit to AN for giving us one of the best days of our lives, but as per canaryjim its all gone stale. How can AN keep thinking that Howson might suddenly come good playing out of position? We have all seen that at least 10 times. That’s just one example. I’m also unsure about Gary R, just media hype. Suspect the board will keep clinging on for now, what a shame.
Really wanted Alex Neil to succeed as he’s fundamentally a decent bloke. The past 18 months have shown that he’s just not quite up to the job at this level. Let’s be honest, what’s happened this year is merely an extension of what happened last year when we at least had the excuse that we were up against some fantastic players. Being outplayed by Man City or Liverpool is one thing but Barnsley (first half) and Huddersfield Town for heaven’s sake is something else! We have one plan which is basically a poor-man’s Arsenal approach but without the players to make it work (especially at the back). Every other team has now sussed this out and knows that getting in our faces and roughing us up a bit means that we cough up the ball and plenty of goals! While other teams (look at Huddersfield) clearly have a plan and an ethos that the team buys into, we carry on with the same flawed plan and rather than change or evolve simply recycle players that have failed to make it work in the past. Let’s be honest, the end of last season was the time to make the change but we didn’t because everyone (board and supporters) believed/hoped that our young manager would learn and come back fighting. We were all deluding ourselves. The board needs to act immediately to bring this to an end and to put poor AN out of his misery and to avoid the acrimony that this will all inevitably end up in. We need someone to come in who has is tactically astute and can quickly wheel and deal to chop out the dead wood, invigorate our young talent and bring in some key reinforcements. Being continually outplayed and out-thought by clubs with a fraction of our budget is frankly getting embarrassing.
Said at end of last season a darn good clear out is needed or the trapdoor to League One beckons. Even I thought I was being too pessimistic. Sad to say though, it seems most unlikely Alex Neil is able to get himself or the squad up to the mark. I suppose there must be some excellent managers out there who are just champing at the bit for the chance to join a confused club, with no money, steered by ambitious dreamers, who will likely sell the few quality players we have to buy more players for the future to loan out. However, we will, of course keep our nice-to-have-around, regular up & downers to go with board’s unrealistic expectations.
This can go one of three ways.
1. Alex Neil turns it around and we storm back into the playoffs.
2. Alex Neil’s form continues to deteriorate, forcing the board’s hand.
3. Alex Neil wins just enough games to give the glimmer of hope the board needs to keep him in place.
I’ve ranked those in the least to most likely order. Which is also the order of least to most harm to the club. Meaning the most likely outcome is the most damaging.
Can’t disagree with anything you have written not just in this article but in those preceding oracles. For me the overriding emotion when leaving the ground was that I as a supporter of many years was seriously short-changed by a group of players who were so second best it boardered on embarrassing and in front of TV cameras. Huddersfield on the night were simply a “team”, a group prepared to role their shirtsleeves up and work for each other while we had a “group” of individuals who looked to have exceeded their “sell by date”. That Howson should suggest in his post-match interview that we played better second half is boardering on “the clutching at straws” mentality which belays the real problems that clearly exist. Time for change yes but let’s start on the field and show players that poor performance is met by long periods in the doldrums not by being picked again and again.
Your’e 100% right Huddersfield looked impressive going forward and their midfield always looked dangerous The second half they sat back and soaked up the pressure and by and large did it very well. There was little doubt in my mind that we were not going to score a second and the opinion around me was that 3 or 4 one might be the end result. There midfield always looked in control. I thought Mulumbu was a sacrificial cow I’d have taken Dorrans off that Russel Martin esque back pass was the last straw for me. So many times our players whilst trying to generate “something” lost the ball, the passing was sideways there was no cutting edge. We needed someone with some ability to put the foot on the ball like Mooy who was everywhere or Van La Parra who embarrassed us a lot. Not Wes maybe Pritchard but he’s gone AWOL
… and taking Olivera off was a crime.
Absolutely spot on Dronny Canary (17).
And Bassong up top at the end with Tettey lumping up high balls for him?? Is that we’ve become?
We were poor against Villa, saved only by the fact that they were worse than us. And then last night! Facing a team with a plan, which they all believed in, astute signings, fitter – all the things we should be.
Sadly Jeff was right all along.
Thank you AN but goodbye.
We should replicate what worked for us in the past – go and poach a manager who’s team just came and give us a lesson in how to play good football – David Wagner.
As I watched the game, I commented that Huddersfieldwere everything a good team should be. They were sharp, incisive, set up correctly and solid when they needed to be. Man for man, I don’t think they were anymore talented than the Norwich players, but they were a significantly better team.
Comparing us with other teams I am firmly of the view that most of our problems relate to coaching and management shortcomings rather than lack of ability of the players. Look at the England rugby team for evidence of what a new coach can provide. Just over a year ago, like us, they had all sorts of problems. Now, same players, different coach, different outcomes!
Hard to disagree with any of it. Wagner looks a fine manager and I for one would sacrifice the rest of this season to get someone like him in. NCFC are a mess at the moment. Rudderless and clueless. The performance was bad enough but for Alex Neil to say publically it was playoffs only now was unforgiveable. Where is the team’s motivation to do more than plod along to the end of the season? The culture comes from the top and the reassuring it’s OK to lose coming from the top of the club is seriously hacking me off. I have supported NCFC since the Ron Saunders days and I can’t remember being more depressed by the direction the club is going in. More than ever we need a good manager. Make an offer Wagner can’t refuse? We are a great club but led by old duffers and a mercenary (Moxey) who has no feeling for the club. Dark days indeed.
Great article and subsequent comments. Whilst with the fan base/season ticket sales we currently have; not turning up is not really an option given how much we are forced to pay for the pleasure of watching our team. So, the board now have a real dilemma with it soon being season ticket renewal time although they are probably not too bothered with there being no direct competition – we’ll never wear blue and white, and there is a limit to how many can cram into the Abbey stadium.
More on topic, yes, Mr Neil did give us a super day out at Wembley, but since then, 18 months of pretty much sheer purgatory. We are currently miles away from a team which could compete in the Premier League, and as shown last night, we are struggling to compete in the Championship. OK; Huddersfield were by far the best team we’ve seen at Carrow Road this season, but of the current top half, we’ve only seen them, Leeds, Preston and Wednesday giving us a grand total of 1 solitary point. Mr Neil says we’ve only got the play-offs to go for, on this form, we’ll do well to avoid relegation.
What is so troubling is the fact that no longer does Mr Neil seem to be able to change his team/tactics to suit. Remember how Middlesbrough mugged us at home, but how different is was at Wembley so soon afterwards?
Tactics are same old; same old with only one up front who is often totally isolated. Look how different Huddersfield were with their one up front – he was constantly supported by fit, able and running team mates. I really thought that the penny had dropped when Jerome was warming up and preparing to come on, but to take off Oliveira was little short of criminal.
Jerome and Oliveira up front might have given us a chance; Jerome and Bassong hardly carried the same threat.
And having the “second best squad” in the Championship and playing the same 11 for almost two and a half games whilst our opponents made 5 (yes, 5) changes for last night really tells us all we need to know.
Mark Warburton please……and ASAP.
Pass and move, Huddersfield nailed that – always an out ball for the man in possession, using the full pitch, passing to your own team, all the players committed and together. Coached by a technically astute tactician. The supporters must love it.
And then our lot – my god what a contrast No movement off the ball, players hiding on the pitch. What a shambles and it’s not going to get better under ANs stewardship.
Get a new manager now, it will give him a chance to utilise the transfer window at least. Gary Rowett is available now he must be better than what we have.
Anybody waiting for this bunch to take decisive action is dreaming. Moxey is an ersatz McNally, a bean counting yes man, a snake oil salesman, an anti football hatchet man. Smith and Jones are a parody of themselves, standing Canute like trying to stem the tide of progress. Neil is the luckiest man in football to still be in a job.
Smith cares not for our wishes, she holds the shares and can downsize and run down Norwich city to her hearts content, as for the players, according to our captain the supporters are an irrelevance.
Thank god last night appeared to be the final straw for many. It is to be hoped that in the new year when Derby are piling on the agony that the crowd really turns up the heat.
Just for the record. For Neil to get any form of backing from me in future, he would have to go on a run of results so outstanding that he would probably be head hunted by another club and given a huge budget. Just like smith and Jones, the mere sight of his face mooning back at me from paper or screen makes me reach for a bag.
Spot on Gary. At this rate we’ll end the season out of the play offs and below ITFC. Thought AN cld turn this around but results show it’s not going to happen. Wldn’t trust him with another transfer window so the sooner we make the change the better. Let’s see if Moxey has the balls and the ambition to drive us forward as David McNally did before.
Alex Neil’s standing in the game is a massive problem. We’ve often failed to attract players to Norfolk anyway the fact that A N’s connections are poor doesn’t help. Players we have are ‘cushty’and as fans we’ve become deluded to think we’ve a quality squad. Poor in the Prem and mid table at best in Championship. Time for a foreign manager/ coach fresh ideas and different connections. Lets consign the recent past to history, some great memories mind, move on to a new phase, re build, be patient and write a fresh new chapter. Thanks Alex, good luck in Scotland.
I don’t believe Neil is going anywhere. This is a battle of wills between smith and her cronies and the clubs support. The impending defeats to reading and Derby and the obligatory third round FA. Cup exit at home to,Southampton will turn the air blue. This is Going to get very nasty in the next few months. The only upshot is the possible damage below smiths waterline and reputation.
The Problem at Norwich this season is actually very simple.
We simply cannot stop conceding goals.
Only 2 teams in the league — Notts forest and Rotherham — have conceded more.
We have conceded on average almost 3 times as many goals as teams like Brighton. An appalling statistic.
In fact, we concede an average of one and a half goals in every single game.
So 34 goals conceded so far in this league, a goal in our net every 60 or so minutes.
That’s, er….indefensible.
This is a team on the fast lane to an ugly relegating scrap…teams that can’t defend get relegated.
John Speck.
You have a point John. The amount of goals we concede defies logic. Pre seaso. Promotion favourites, an international goalkeeper, four international defenders and an international defensive midfielder and the coaching staff cannot organise an effective defence. It’s a basic requirement of a well paid job and it’s being neglected with criminal effect. That alone is tantamount to a sackable offence. What is smith doing!
I was not at Carrow Road on Friday , but the general opinion from both fans & press was that we were outclassed. Why. ??
By my reckoning AN has 15 INTERNATIONAL players at his disposal.( OK , some may be from Scotland ! ) I therefore suggest it is not the players who are below standard , but it is the way that they are deployed that is the problem. This has to be down to Alex Neil & his backroom staff. The likes of Klose , Brady , Neighsmith & all didn’t become second rate footballers because of the Norfolk water. They have not performed because of the system they are playing in . Im sure Delia will tell you that a good chef can produce a good dish using good basic ingredients & a sprinkling of something special. Likewise an array of the most wonderful & expensive ingredients doesn’t guarantee a tasty dish. It’s all about using what you have to get the best possible combination & result. This is where AN has failed consistently this past 12 months. Nothing illustrates this more than his use of substitutions this season, & Friday night in particular I fear the kitchen is too hot for Alex Neil. Time to get out!!
“Neil is so clearly out of his depth that only a fool or fools can no longer see it.” If I’d posted that 3 weeks ago, there would have been several posters saying I was being a pant wetter or that I needed a sense of perspective. I can’t believe that anyone except the aforementioned fools on the BoD still believe him capable?
Bah!