• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

My Football Writer

My Football Writer Norwich City news… comment… analysis

Norwich City – news, comment and analysis

Find the best betting sites
  • Home
  • About us
  • The Team
  • Archives Index
  • Patreon
  • ADVERTISE
  • Contact us

Three points from an afternoon full of colour but with eight days left in the window it's over to the Board

23rd January 2017 By Martin Penney 3 Comments

Please share

My “beloved” is something of an artist and works with colours in everything she creates.

Me? I often see the world in black and white, as in print on paper.

Seeing the Wolves team in that lurid strip made me quite glad that I have no real appreciation of the finer points of a palette, but it looked truly dreadful. And then, John Ruddy’s top clashed with those of the match officials.

Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen and his mates would have had something to say about it, I’m sure.

The team selection seemed okay for once, but what was about to unfold? There were all sorts of pre-match rumours about non-attendees, supporters staying in the Barclay bars for five minutes before kick-off, etc etc etc. None of that happened.

A few minutes into the game, the Lower Barclay (and quite possibly The Pit, it’s sometimes hard to hear them properly from my seat behind the goal) sang against Jez Moxey, which made the Wolves laugh and they gave the perpetrators some grudging acknowledgement.

The atmosphere was on the proverbial knife-edge: which way would it turn?

Jonny Howson shifted the balance. A cracking long pop, slightly deflected, hit the bar and Steven Naismith did the rest after a poor attempt at a clearing header from a Wolves defender. We went in at half-time in some form of control, and without pulling up any trees were playing like a committed team – yes, I include Robbie Brady in that.

Colour came back to mind during the break: our lot don’t always use the Upper Barclay bar but this time we did and in the corner there was a sea of amber: pre-poured lagers on a table with a staff member behind to take the money and dispense them. Strange concept, but doubtless appreciated by some supporters – or do I mean customers?

We all know how the second half unfolded. Their penalty (soft but justified – Ivo Pinto did push him) and a few very tense minutes followed.

Then Wes the magician came into his own, drew the penalty and the sending off of Ikeme was a bonus, as was Howson’s late three-point confirmer although it looked like an OG to me (one of those hefty deflections that makes it hard to call either way).

So, three points against a club that – let’s be honest – few of us admire. And what I believe is our first double of the season. Unlike some folks on social media I am not concerned about putting a spoke in Paul Lambert’s wheel. His tenure leaves me with fantastic memories and I wish him all the best.

So, which colour do we think of now? The flaky, pale yellowish-white of yet another false dawn? Or the rosy glow of a shepherd’s delight?

Unfortunately for me, it is the former. A good performance agreed, but we’re still playing catch-up in terms of that vital, all-important Championship league table.

Well played boys and full credit to you; do the same against the Bluenoses and we will be breathing down the collective necks of the top six. If we make the play-offs, we might get it right or get lucky. Again.

However I proffer a caveat. There are nearly two weeks left of this wretched transfer window and I do not trust those at NCFC who are in charge of it. We have Nelson coming back from suspension, Alex Neil is inflexible in his 4-3-2-1 system so, to me, a striker is not a priority.

Russell Martin was pretty good alongside Timm Klose against Wolves, but that doesn’t disguise the fact we need a new centre back – now!

And as for Robbie Brady, he left us with a decent parting present when he carried on after being clattered and scored an excellent penalty. I don’t care who was in goal; he still had to put it in the net.

And we have Jez Moxey to get any forthcoming deals over the line. And that truthfully terrifies me because I can understand what his brief might be. As a CEO he is doing his job. Under instruction.

Come on Board, a left back and a centre back and we still might have a chance to go up this season via the playoffs.

You claim to care: prove it.

Until that point, I have The Blues.


Please share

Filed Under: Column, Martin Penney

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stewart Lewis says

    23rd January 2017 at 11:03 am

    Good stuff, Martin. I’m certainly glad I wasn’t watching that Wolves strip with a hangover.

    Pretty sure Jonny can claim that last goal – his shot was clearly goal-bound from where I sit. And most definitely deserved.

    Reply
  2. martin penney says

    23rd January 2017 at 2:58 pm

    Thanks Stewart – I never expected too many comments on what was a pretty bland piece!

    I have no idea what lies ahead – I really don’t – but between now and the end of the window it is in the lap of the Gods.

    Maybe it is indeed the time to keep silent and see what happens.

    Yes, you’re probably right about Jonny’s goal – it appeared to take a wicked deflection, but as you say, thoroughly deserved. Possibly his best performance in a long time.

    Hope still exists…

    Reply
  3. Chris says

    23rd January 2017 at 7:34 pm

    Accurate summing up Martin. The game itself had the required amount of action, decent play, good city performances, goals and the result to tick many boxes.

    Naismith, when allied to oliveira, with the prompting a of hoolahan and pace of Murphy offers potential. Is Neil capable of extracting their best on a regular basis? Doubts remain.

    The dullest of transfer windows has meant that only potential departures and interest in our players has given the local press any material, the latest being Josh Murphy to wolves!

    Moxey, as forecast is playing the role he was recruited for. Namely deflecting the flak away from the ownership by becoming the focus of all the vitriol. Plenty of it as well I might add. He will do,what he is told and offer no opinion or ideas to the mix.

    still glimpses of what could be when the team fires but will it be followed up by the usual three stinking results and performances as per usual?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

FIND MY FOOTBALL WRITER ON

As featured on NewsNow: Norwich City news” style=

Norwich City News 24/7

#NCFC LATEST

ryanpearce5 Ryan Pearce @ryanpearce5 ·
3 Apr

If usual tricks = being kicked in the penalty area and not getting a penalty then yeah 😂 #ncfc

Reply on Twitter 1642899144267243522 Retweet on Twitter 1642899144267243522 Like on Twitter 1642899144267243522 1 Twitter 1642899144267243522
norwichcityes Norwich City FC en español @norwichcityes ·
3 Apr

Partidazo el que nos espera este viernes 🔥🔥🔥.

Vamos con todo por esos tres puntos #NCFC 💛💚

Reply on Twitter 1642897241835798529 Retweet on Twitter 1642897241835798529 Like on Twitter 1642897241835798529 2 Twitter 1642897241835798529
fan_banter Fan Banter @fan_banter ·
3 Apr

Boreham Wood mocked over bizarre announcement parting with stadium caterers - https://fanbanter.co.uk/boreham-wood-mocked-over-bizarre-announcement-parting-with-stadium-caterers/

#watfordfc #ncfc #twitterclarets #safc #rufc #wafc #bcfc #rovers #utmp #bristolcity #ccfc #pusb #htafc #hcafc #coyh #boro #millwall #qpr #readingfc #twitterblades #scfc #sufc

Reply on Twitter 1642893716791894019 Retweet on Twitter 1642893716791894019 Like on Twitter 1642893716791894019 Twitter 1642893716791894019
norwichcityfc Norwich City FC @norwichcityfc ·
3 Apr

🤝 Connection with the club
📈 Growth of women's team
🏟 Carrow Road fixture

@NorwichCityWFC general manager Flo Allen answers your questions in the latest episode of 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 ⬇️

#NCFC

Reply on Twitter 1642889121868783616 Retweet on Twitter 1642889121868783616 2 Like on Twitter 1642889121868783616 18 Twitter 1642889121868783616
norwichcityacad Norwich City Academy @norwichcityacad ·
3 Apr

🏟️ The Under-21s make their return to Carrow Road later this month in a #PL2 clash against Southampton 👊

Secure your FREE ticket for our final game of the 2022/23 campaign ⬇️

#NCFC

Reply on Twitter 1642886378743537666 Retweet on Twitter 1642886378743537666 Like on Twitter 1642886378743537666 1 Twitter 1642886378743537666
Load More...

Copyright © 2023 21VC Ltd | All rights reserved | Not to be reproduced without prior permission.

Disclaimer: The information on this website consists of personal opinions. Whilst we have taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the information contained on these Web pages is accurate and correct at the time of writing we do not accept any liability whatsover for any loss or damage caused by reliance on this information.

We do not accept any responsibility for information contained in other websites to which this site links. We strongly advise users to check any information before acting or relying on it.

Developed and Hosted by