In isolation yesterday’s crushing defeat at the Pirelli Stadium would have have been one to take on the chin. City had after all, following the bleakest of winters, rallied to such an extent the P word was once again in existence.
Four wins and two draws in our last six games had re-whetted the appetite and I signed off my Newcastle piece with ‘A win against Burton and it’s still all to play for’.
Don’t learn do I.
The signs were there of course but I chose to ignore them: three of the four said wins were at Carrow Road. And as it transpires, the away win in Cardiff was most likely not the start of something but instead a one-off.
All of which makes yesterday’s blow rather more than one to take on the chin.
Timm Klose will understandably and deservedly take most of the flak but it didn’t boil down to just one horrendous error from an international defender who should have known better.
It was about City’s inability to make a genuine impression on a defence who would have been prepared, by Nigel Clough, for a torrid afternoon. It was also about their inability to stretch and test Burton keeper, Jon McLaughlin. And it was about the collective inability to square up to a side who made it their business to ‘mix it’.
It’s happened many times before – Rotherham and Barnsley just two examples off the top of my head – and there’s unfortunately little evidence to suggest it won’t happen again this season.
Clough junior is well known as a shrewd operator and will have been acutely aware of City’s tendency to buckle when faced with opposition who work, tackle, block and chase to within inch of their lives. So too their equally painful tendency of giving away soft goals when put under just a modicum of pressure.
In short he’d have known that the Brewers, if they went about their job properly, would carve out or be offered up on a plate a chance or two. And that’s all they needed.
He went on to sum it up in a nutshell to the BBC: “It was just about pure hard work and the desire to stop the opposition playing … It was the work-rate today that did it and I thought that was outstanding. There was a real desire at the end to see it through and get the three points.”
Also worthy of note is that Clough’s team, despite being in 20th place in the Championship, have conceded one goal fewer than City. Yes, they’ve played one game less and yes, they’ve jogged along at only just over one goal scored per game but purely as a defensive unit they’ve been as successful (wrong word) as us.
For many yesterday’s result sounded the death knell for any faint hopes of squeezing into the play-offs and the deflation of defeat accompanied by the nature of it suggested that a seven point gap is too great.
To put together a believable case for a top six finish now relies on a four-leaf clover, a rabbit’s foot and and a couple of horseshoes.
Yet, football supporting being the fickle business it is I’d wager there will still be some whose belief could be reignited if we were able to find a way to three points next Sunday. I’d probably be one.
The pragmatists however will point to the facts:
– Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday show no signs of wobbling
– City have won once on the road since October
– In 13 games City have to gain 8 points on the two Yorkshire clubs
– City realistically need 8 wins from said 13 games
– They have taken just two points from the current top six.
All of which points to it all but being season over. Of course the towel won’t be thrown in and no doubt there are examples of teams in City’s position sneaking into sixth place at the eleventh hour but there is an underlying frailty to this group that sets it apart from others.
And it’s a frailty that shows few signs of abating.
New dawns have generally been the product of flat-track bullying at Carrow Road – with admittedly the odd exception – and have ended up being the false variety, with City’s away-day woes the result of an embedded inability to stand up and be counted when it really matters.
The collective mind appears weak, so too the physicality – even with the addition of Dutch muscle. And to compound it all Alex Neill admitted post-match that his players are ill-equipped to handle the Burton-type scenario; something that despite being clearly aware of he appears unable to address.
So, in a season that’s been positively littered with dark days yesterday was sadly another. We’d taken some positive, significant strides forward over the last few weeks and the toxicity of early January had subsided but yesterday was not just a backward step – it was a body blow, a potentially terminal one.
We go again next Sunday, of course, and if ever there is a day to unite and put the away-day travails behind us it’s when the old enemy pitch up. But it won’t be the formality some are predicting, even with Tom Lawrence suspended for the Blues.
Mick McCarthy will be only too aware how City’s frailties fall into his own comfort zone and will set them up to do to us what Burton did yesterday and what Barnsley, Rotherham and co have done before.
It’ll be ugly – no question – but let’s just hope for once the players can deliver when the heat is really on.
Great summary Gary. Everyone in time will come to realise our season is over in February. Our away form and our form against the top 6, just two points from the seven games so far (4 games at home), have seen to that.
It would actually be terrifying if we went up. Imagine it…the same players after another absolutely bloody dreadful transfer window where we decide our entire spine (physical and mental) are dandy, our manager isn’t clueless and a stubborn board that are deluded and totally lost. Contemplating playing teams 10 times better than the current top 6 in the champ is something I don’t relish one bit.
Ps. If we come unstuck against the blues, the board are opening themselves up to a volcanic carra. Mick will have revenge on his mind and the board deserve it.
A regulation defeat on the road, Gary A bog standard no-show where the opposition manager has wielded the limited weapons at his disposal to much greater effect than the one dimensional shout and curse machine cudjoling the relatively expensive array of international footballers under his command.
The final nail in our promotion coffin comes as no surprise really, the plain fact is the tactical ineptitude, the goldfish attention span, the lack of due care and attention, the chronically poor game management, the slow starts, the badly timed and I’ll thought out substitutions are endemic of the reign of Alex Neil. That the man is still in the hot seat at carrow road is beyond laughable. Not that it could be described as a hot seat, with smith seemingly besotted by the man.
Tactics would appear to be something that the man in the opposition dugout indulges himself with. Neil’s big idea is to send out a team of individual superior talents to that of the opposition and sit back and wit for Nelson, Cam, Wes, Jonny, one of the Murphys, Pritchard et al to do something unscripted, something off the cuff, to kick start the football. Lately, at carrow road at least, that approach has borne some fruit.
The really big cause for concern is the vexed question of how on earth Neil would cope without the above named gentlemen pinging in goals and assists with decent regularity. What he would do when faced with the sea of mediocre journey men’s faces that greets Nigel clough on a asaturday afternoon. If you still believe that he would be capable of crafting a slick, well oiled, highly motivated outfit from a bunch of Jason Jarrett clones needs to have their bumps felt. The guy is a fourth division standard operator.
Delias big sale in the summer will see many, if not all, those names depart from carrow road. In her new spirit of bolstering her lack of investment policy by flogging players a fat transfer window profit will plug the black hole of loss.
Smith and her cronies clearly hope that Neil can deliver upper mid table mediocrity without the danger of troubling either the promotion or relegation spaces for the entirety of his ten year tenure while the happy clappers turn up, pay up and shut up. Her well documented distaste for all things premier league, massive players salaries, agents fees and the lack of worship apparently afforded to the supporters, her words not mine, well sated by the acceptance of our place in the overall scheme of things.
one imagines there was a quiet air of satisfaction among the directors as they sat down for their post match meal last night that in spite of everything this season, despite the stated “goal” being unobtainable by mid February, the usual lack of a cup run, a failing, frankly inept manager programmed to deliver no success but a personal favourite still in situ, they look like getting away with it.
All that is left now is the inevitable lap of whatever they wish to call it in front of the clapping seals singing the name of a useless manager and they can adjourn for two months holiday before flogging off more of the clubs family silver to keep their grip on the club in place.
Great sum up. I cannot see City getting into play offs, they need to do something they have struggled to all season. I don’t expect that to change now. I expect also this summer will see a sale a clear out. I would rather see some of our young talent given the chance now rather than wait to blood them when a new season starts. Of course that is if the manager is still there. One can hope not. that would two season failures for him surely that would be enough
Just like last season, the odd performance gave us hope against the ‘R’ word. Pathetic away days at a poor Villa, Bournmouth and Palace repeated this season against strugglers.
How Ipswich will relish the chance to put the final nail in our promotion coffin next week, and with our nine away defeats so far this season, thank goodness it’s at home.
Yesterday reminded me exactly why I’d given up going to away games after Derby. The display was lacklustre – it was almost as if the mentality was, “we’re good enough to get a worthy draw against the leaders, today we just have to turn up and the three points are ours.”
Except City didn’t turn up. The tempo of play was slow, with little movement from the players and poor decision making, both with, and without the ball.
Our season is effectively over – lose to Ipswich next Sunday and the wrath of the home crowd, may be too much? Who knows.
Can’t argue with Gary’s original article or any of the comments that follow.
Beating the Binners will doubtless be enough to make it a successful season for some of our less enlightened supporters.
The only bright spot for me was the input from the first commentator on Canary Call. I don’t often say this, but well done Rob Butler – you put the idiot in the place he should have been put in.
Another nine years of Alex Neil? It really doesn’t bear thinking about. Another nine weeks will be too much for me, I am sure.
Meanwhile, what passes for a Board doubtless consumes the pre, during and post-match festive board while thinking they’re doing the best for the Club and it’s supporters.
Sorry folks, you’re not even on the starting grid when it comes to matching the (realistic, we all know we’re not Man City) ambitions of most of the supporters.
Good write-up, Gary. I was at the Pirelli and made the same conclusions as you sadly.
I read the columns on this excellent site regularly and some of the responses above. Really? Just a relief I don’t listen to Canary Call haha.
“A quiet air of dissatisfaction” amongst the Directors after the game? They’ll be as upset as you and me for goodness sake.
God only knows why anyone thinks anyone wants mediocrity. Yep, probably (almost certainly) major errors made about Neil but that is not the same thing. And not liking the Prem is not the same thing either. Everyone wants to be there whatever.
As an Away Season Ticket holder who lives just under 200 miles from Carrow Road, I take my ‘pleasures’ exclusively on the road. Given I couldn’t make Cardiff, that means I still haven’t seen City win since 1 October!
So, yep, I feel the pain totally but I don’t have illusions that I can run a football club or make the best decisions on hiring the best manager.
Our only hope now is Leeds. If anyone has greater ability to throw away a good opportunitity than Norwich, it’s them.
That’s your opinion and you’re welcome to it.
What a pity Delia smith doesn’t have illusions that she can run a football club or hire the best manager.
Absolute shambles,
As someone pointed out on this site during the past week; with NCFC it’s the hope that kills you. How is it possible that the same group of players can demolish Forest; be well worth a point against Newcastle and then (again) not do it when 3 points are there for the taking. It’s only 2 years, but Mr Neil seems to have completely turned basically the same group of players from a force to be reckoned with away from Carrow Road (remember his unbeaten on the road record??) into a group of quivering, trembling nervous wrecks who seem frightened to play. And why is it that our squad seem to be relatively unfit when compared to so many others in this division? What goes on at Colney, and in the same context, why do our players take so much longer than those at other clubs to recover from similar injuries?
I’m baffled, but surely the season (and his tenure?) will be over if we fail to win next Sunday. However, if another season in the Championship beckons, at least we should get the opportunity to see some of our younger players. That is of course if any of them are deemed fit enough to perform.
O T B C
#9 Rob Ireland: an excellent post and you make good points.
I’ll take issue with only one of your points; when you refer to #4 Chris:
“A quiet air of dissatisfaction” amongst the Directors after the game? They’ll be as upset as you and me for goodness sake.
I thoroughly disagree with you. In a benevolent way, of course. I say that with a straight bat.
The problem I have is that they really don’t give the proverbial monkey’s what you and so many good folks like you think, and as for those of us who write on MFW they care even less. We are a mild irritant, nothing more and nothing less.
Rob, the Directors will not be as upset as you are, I am and everybody who follows this site and other proper NCFC supporters are.
Results do not impinge upon their cosy lifestyles, they are always able to share the snacks, mains and vinos with visiting directors and equally enjoy what is proferred to them when they – often literally – fly away.
My little lot in the upper Barclay consists of a postman, two retired policemen, a builder, two ex-publicans and the “rugby contingent” – we don’t even ask what they do, but I’m sure it’s at least averagely-paid and legal.
I’m just trying to say that if our Board had a bit of ambition we might respect them, even if not follow them blindly like too many people do.
With the Smith dynasty, NCFC is in the doldrums. And once you’re there, it’s hard to find a way out.
#12 John: It was me who made the hope comment. I feel it’s now largely irrelevant!
Martin. Please re read my original quote which has been incorrectly paraphrased. I refer to a quiet air of SATISFACTION.
I’m very much in the same camp as yourself, when you suggest the board of directors cosy existence is. Best suited to life away from the spotlight of the premier league, where vast amounts of television money wash straight through the club into the pockets of players and agents.
This season has been a shambles and next season is highly likely to be much worse.
#14 Chris: I’ve just re-read it and fair play to you.
I was just being a bit lazy really while attempting to write a pre-Binners piece of my own and didn’t check out your original comment.
It’s funny though, with our Directors, how would we know what constitutes the difference between satisfaction and dissatisfaction in their over-privileged eyes?
It’s strange really – outside football I have no political viewpoint whatsoever:-)
I feel our only hope is that we clear out the obvious deadwood and players who are well past their ‘sell by date’ and start bringing in some of our more talented youngsters, as I’m sure they can;t be any more abject in their performance/errors than those currently playing week in week out.
I thought from the highlights, that Martin was culpable for the 2nd goal and had Ruddy not been so alert on Tuesday, we could have been 2-0 down inside 3 minutes.
Not against assertive action and tough decisions but no respect for anyone who resorts to the parochial and unoriginal cliche’s ‘ha clap’ ‘lit.. aulde narw’ ‘ stow 2’ etc etc. One of the things I respected about this website was that it previously rose above this narrow prejudice. My view is these people are not City fans , they are primarily haters of our majority owners. Couple of points. 1. Season not over, just to remind you, football is a game, a sport, and it can be enjoyed, game by game, regardless of official regulation such as promotion and relegation. I rather like watching and supporting my team (if that’s ok with you).
2. Promotion to premiership, hopefully will not happen, but its very foolish to worry about current team in that Division as there is no possibility of the team remaining the same if we went up, everyone knows getting promoted, and staying promoted requires different personel; and tactics. Find me a Hudders fan who expects their team to remain the same if they get promoted i.e daft statement. Get with the programme!
Despite the upturn in form, there were no surprises yesterday. While it is still possible to make the playoffs, there’s no indication that we will – the squad simply isn’t fit for purpose. From previous transfer windows failures I can’t see the needed overhaul successfully taking place in the summer. I too would to like to see the younger players given an increased opportunity but with the likes of Toffolo & Morris out on loan, we don’t even have that consolation:
Just how anyone can honestly think that the directors would be “satisfied” with a reduction in TV monies – another £12m next season and £24m the season after, if we fail to get promoted – frankly beggars belief.
#20 Gary: yes, you’d assume that to be the case and I would love to believe it is true that the Board will be gutted if we don’t make it this, or more probably next, season.
My problem is the lack of communication from them.
I don’t like to personally use the phrases #17 Corbs deplores either, but I do understand the frustration of those who do use them because I am equally frustrated myself!
“Promotion, promotion promotion” from a recently-departed CEO just doesn’t cut it for me I’m afraid.
Surely somebody on the Board should say something to reassure the supporters about the ambition of the Club we all love?
Little old Norwich. A phrase coined by Delia smith, when spouting forth about our club. It’s not a cliche. I am a Norwich city fan, who refuses to be taken in by the ridiculous obsessive cult of the celebrity which surrounds Norwich city these days.
I take serious issue with anybody who questions my support for the club.
20 – Martin, the financial realities of relegation are certainly the focus of attention at the moment. Turnover falling from £100m in the Premier League, to circa £30m pa, if we don’t get promoted by 2018, just highlights how different the Club will be in a couple of years time.
As a general point, I do suspect that there’s a debate to be had as to the vision for this Club going forward. Who leads that may depend on the new CEO and how quickly Tom Smith steps forward into a more public role.
#22 Gary: agreed. Let’s hope we make a good CEO appointment and that there is more to Young Tom Smith than currently meets the eye.
He surely has to be given every chance and I am sure most of us will greet him with something of an open mind. It’s the least we can do.
#23 Martin – “an open mind”, I’m sure most will, but, doubtless a few have already made theirs up simply because of who he is.