It was as though the footballing gods had taken the decision out of our hands.
Following the battle of Bramall Lane – spilt claret, flying water bottles, blubbing managers et al – it was written somewhere (in the stars presumably) that Sheffield Utd would win by the odd goal and see it home with the exact same level of gamesmanship employed by Daniel Farke’s troops in the first ‘leg’.
And fair play. I didn’t see or hear too much complaining from the faithful over the Blades’ own take on sh*thousing. It was one to be sucked up and be taken on the chin, just as the 2-1 defeat was.
Where yesterday differed from that day back in September was the post-match reaction of the respective coaches. Back then Wilder lost it; kicked things around, blamed the City coach driver, blamed Farke, blamed the City players, As described perfectly by Zoë Whitford in LYBP’s match preview, his face turned a ‘delightful shade of puce’. Man was he angry.
Farke meanwhile was magnanimous in victory four months ago, gracious in defeat yesterday and made little of the tactical rough-stuff dished out on James Maddison.
I know which type of leader I’d prefer. Wilder’s backtracking and faux contrition at the post-match presser fooled nobody. He’s Neil Warnock plus some.
Yet there was no debate to be had over United deserving the three points. They controlled the majority of the game, looked more of a threat in the attacking third and bossed the engine room. No sour grapes from us.
The mitigation for a very flat, ordinary performance lies in west London of course. The Stamford Bridge exertions clearly played a part in a leggy, lethargic opening and with the Blades being afforded an extra five days of freshness it was backs to the wall stuff in what proved a fairly fraught first half.
James Wilson’s earlier opener for the visitors was ugly in its conception and a little soft from a defensive point of view but it set the tone. The Blades, with their Wilder-inspired version of power-football, smelt blood and in truth it was a relief to go in at half-time just 1-0 down.
The limbs looked weary but it was the minds that appeared to be suffering even more; compared to the vibrancy and energy displayed by United. It was always going to take more than a few soothing words from Team Farke to turn it around and much of the half-time discussion in Carrow Road centred around whether tactical changes were needed.
Regulars on MFW (cheers Mum) will know my reservations over playing a back-three consistently. When it works it’s a dream but when the opposition line up with the intention of pressing high and wide you all too often end up playing with a back five and as a result have difficulty getting out. The alternative is that the wing-backs ‘pass on’ their assigned attacker, which then stretches the back three much wider than is ideal.
During yesterday’s first half it felt like we were caught between those two stools, and did neither too effectively. Coupled with the lack of energy, it made for a difficult 45.
The second half was a definite improvement on the first and the decisive changes made by Farke did have an impact, but with Nelson Olivera clearly struggling for form – not helped by there being no viable alternative – we offered very little in the final third. It was all too comfortable to defend against.
Alex Tettey has been magnificent this season and has been lauded as such but yesterday was a tough one for him; one that got considerably tougher when he horribly under-hit that back-pass. For once Angus was left stranded and was unable to do anything about Clayton Donaldson’s cool finish.
The character is still there though and from somewhere – from Mario Vrancic’s whipped in corner and Ivo Pinto’s fine looping header to be precise – they conjured up an equaliser and did press late on for an equaliser.
Still though City struggled to get a sufficient number of bodies into the box to make like really difficult for United and the reticence to whip in a cross – especially from Pinto’s side – when in a decent crossing position is starting to hurt. But, again, it boils down to insufficient numbers in the box.
The calls to play two up top will almost certainly go unheeded – and I’m not sure it’s the answer – but within the system, Farke has to find a way of getting more bodies forward to join Oliveira and make us harder to defend against, particularly at home.
Yesterday, despite playing a 3-4-3 we still managed to isolate Oliveira and get over-run in midfield; an unholy combo that was only going to end one way. Throw into the mix a lack of zip and a subsequent inability to win enough second balls and it spelt trouble – with a big gob and a puce face.
That Sheffield United enjoyed their day in the sun is good for them, and they deserved it (even if they celebrated as if they had just won the league), but for City this simply cannot be the start of another post-Emirates type downturn.
This squad is out on its feet and in need of both numbers and invigoration. The three new faces Farke spoke of post-match will be very welcome, but more will be needed if others are to depart. The one-striker situation is something else that clearly needs addressing, as does Oliveira’s apparent unwillingness to be here unless it’s in the shop window of national TV.
We’ve shown in the last week that when it clicks, we’re a decent side – certainly a decent side in the making – but we’ve also shown our vulnerable side; the one that finds it hard to win home games, especially in adversity.
On this occasion though it feels like support rather than brickbats are the order of the day. Yesterday was a tough one for a whole variety of reasons but there was no lack of intent or desire. What transpired was what many foresaw.
Just a shame the man in puce had the last laugh.
It was nice get get our own back for the disgraceful show from Norwich at the lane , at least we didn’t time waste from the very first minute to the last .
Fair enough Bill. We’re even now right?
Dear lord cry baby Billy boy, I hope you don’t go up any time soon. They will pull you to pieces in a far more frustrating way.
Its called game management in the prem, but you’ve been away so long I guess you wouldn’t know.
Oh Jeff time wasting is time wasting up north and if we do go up don’t think we see you for quite a while . Put that to one side and I watched you against Chelsea and you played very well and you was unlucky . Hope you manage to stay up this season
I’m all for free speech online but this tit for tat turns smacks of small minded immaturity. Yeah Yorkshire is the best place in the world and heaven forbid you lose at home. You need to get over it. Sheffield Utd and Wilder are the reason I disliked football at school; bullying, spoilt kids nurtured by small minded “Soccer mums and dads” thinking their god given right to success living precariously through their son/daughter.
And you Hillary smack of arrogance personified just like our neighbours across the city , even so we have had a nice weekend in your lovely city shame about your supporters
Those who hung around after the final whistle will have been treated to a childish, most embarrassing display of triumphalism by Wilder. This will stick long in my memory and resurface when he is inevitably sacked somewhere down the line.
Yep… witnessed that myself Kathy. Like I said, Warnock without the charm.
Its very true, but he cares. I wish a few more of our players felt the same way about city.
Grant Holy Holt wasn’t far off being that obtuse to the opposition.
In a time of mercenary footballers and managers alike we have at last leadership at the Lane who is steering our club in the right direction. A man who obviously cares a great deal about the fans and the club who he supported as a kid. Maybe a bit over the top but who cares. In Wilder we trust!!! I don’t think Canaries fans would be complaining if your manager showed as much passion!!! Remember the Deliha incident “Lets be having you” now The was imbarrassing ? Anyway good luck for the rest of the season n maybe see you next season then maybe we won’t only time will tell…..
What pathetic nonsense you talk.
Do you always talk such complete drivel about superior managers?
A quality manager and one of the top English managers around.
Grow up and stop whinging!
Kathy,
You may need to wait a while before you see Wilder sacked. He has an almost impeccable managerial history one devoid of sackings in 15+ years.
He may we’ll get to be a Prem manager by the hardest possible route. With promotions in the conference, league 2, league 1, and he’s doing well in The Championship.
As an Oxford boy I can attest that he is someone you want in your technical area, not the opponents.
I’d take Wilder in a heartbeat.
Kathy I alway thought that you were a very reasonable football supporter. Although I didn’t see the game, I got the impression from the pundits and your own manager that the Blades deserved three points. I certainly did!
I saw the game at Bramall Lane on the i follow channel and thought that whilst United dictated the play, they never look like scoring and Norwich took the points.
Love to see United and Norwich promoted this season.
Kind regards,
Graham Littlewood
Good read as ever Gary, couldn’t make it yesterday and sounds like it was a good one to miss.
Really crying out for some new blood asap especially in the final third.
It’s hard watching Nelson these days, he’s either too comfortable as our only striker or sulking because he doesn’t fit Farke’s way of playing.
Granted he was probably shattered yesterday but we simply can’t afford to carry someone not contributing. I for one wouldn’t mind a return of the boy from Beccles.
Be careful what you wish for Segura re the boy from Beccles.
How can I put it. erm, to me a Grey Goose is something I see in the sky. Not in a bottle:-)
The problem I have with the new system is the boredom.
We go to be entertained but all we get is back and sideway passing by the back three or four.
Our build up is so slow we end up playing against two banks of five to no effect.
When we do get down the other end we often have nobody in the opposition penalty area.
How on earth is this system ever going to be effective in the Championship.
If it continues attendance is going to fall dramatically and ordinary teams like Sheffield United are going to lord it over us.
I’ve never felt so dissapointed about Norwich City in the fifty odd years I’ve watched them.
The art of game management is a two way street – in Norwich it’s accepted for what it is. No need for post match managerial petulance or fan violence in the wake of defeat. The better team on the day won and we move move on.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of yesterday’s game was Farke’s reluctance to change a system, which clearly wasn’t working, until the 59th minute. It seemed to be crying out for change at half time.
The hesitation in whipping in a cross was evident in Uniteds second goal, which originated in Wes doing exactly that and his subsequent wayward pass being intercepted and cleared well before Tettey’s faux pas.
Right back and striking options – the latter times two please – although it sounds as one of the two / three additions may not be until the summer.
Back to reality. Until Farke knows how to mix it in this League, we’ll never get out of it – at least not ‘up’. I do have some sympathies with him on the forward front, though he has to take some blame as well.
Currently Nelson has no competition as the club has sold Jerome and Naismith before buying replacement/s. This isn’t good business and raises huge question marks about Webber. Is Farke happy with Nelson? Is Nelson happy with him? I’d probably say no on both sides, yet he is all we have. It would be farcical if we didn’t get at least one other striker in, but Farke has to be more than Webber’s dog.
Jerome said nice things about the club and goes with my best wishes, but he said it wasn’t just about money as I suspect he wasn’t over keen on the system Farke’s plays. This is where Farke has to take some blame as his system doesn’t exactly get much use from a striker – if at all. This is maybe why there doesn’t seem a strength of urgency from above.
Farke’s inflexible system could be a hard sell. Giving a petulant Nelson the Sunday Times Supplement and a deck chair in an increasingly isolated role will not get us promoted, not that our majority shareholders want to hear anything of the ‘P’ word.
Jerome was clear that he did not like the additional fitness training that Farke had introduced. He stated that it was not what he wanted at his age and implied that he felt he was not up to/for it.
As I don’t write that often, you won’t remember me saying many weeks back that CJ would not score goals, (NO was injured) and when he came back he would not hold the ball up front or run the channels.
Any balls put forward was like kicking against a wall they came straight back and that we needed to try a youngster up front or would have to wait until January to buy a striker.
I agree with those who call for 2 up front, it’s a must, the back 3 works well, therefore that leaves 5 positions!! that’s easy overload the midfield but not as at present 2 defensive and 3 runabouts, the 5 need to work for each other as a mini team, ( watch Man City ), the back 3 need to push up and AG needs to use the front of his box when we attack, cutting down the space for the long ball over the top. By reducing the space the opposition have to play in and having more bodies in that space the ball won’t come back as often or as quick.
We still need the strikers, Unfortunately if the rumours are right there’s a lot of talk of midfielders and only one young striker from Le Harve.
Still what do I know? but give me 5 minutes with DF,as he’s much, much younger than me, so less experienced in logic and commonsense. Knows all about football, but like all of life I have found logic and commonsense outweigh knowledge in the end.
Hi campers ?
I found yesterday a very upsetting day for
All Norwich City.
We have never coped with hoof & air ball!
So sad for Angus in particular as he’s approaching his 22yrs (still in infancy in goal keeping terms)
Purrfic present yesterday would have been a clean sheet.
However just a thought?
When we managed to get the ball ON THE GROUND where in football I believe it mostly belongs. We reverted to the beautiful game–short pass & move passes which on a couple of occasions we were running rings round them.
That’s basically our game!
Did it against 2 top 6 Premiership teams &
held our own on both occasions!
My vision ?? Be in the playoffs against SUFC
Have the LAST LARFF!
Hoof and air ball ?
Good points Gary. Second best from the kick off to the final whistle. The epitome of flogging a dead horse,
The eleven on the pitch when fit and fired up is more than a match for rent a thug journeymen like Sheffield. a properly run club would be able to replace 4 or 5 players without significantly weakening the starting eleven. Had we made those changes following Stamford bridge we would have witnessed the same outcome. We have a skeleton squad, stripped bare, vandalised.
To ship out Pritchard, Wildschut, Jerome and Naismith among others with only the addition of a teenage loanee with a bad back is as inept as it is amateurish. What professional club in English football strips out the squad without expedient planning to alleviate at least some of the disruption to the team? 20 days on and we are still awaiting any proper incoming business.
Webber says he needs 4 transfer windows to sort out the squad. Jesus Christ, by the time the fourth window arrives we will be forced to field triallists and schoolboys.
Farke maintains a dignified stance when questioned about the mess but privately must be wondering what he is expected to do? With backing the man could genuinely be onto something, that’s a pipe dream, he won’t be backed.
Performances like yesterday’s are a direct result of the fire sale which has taken place over the last 13 months, it is impossible to manage a football team against a backdrop of downsizing such as been imposed on Farke. Expect it to continue, just don’t direct your ire at the man with both hands tied behind his back.
Running a championship football club requires a level of financial commitment and competence – two elements conspicuous at carrow road only for their total absence.
Within three days we have been knocked out of the cup and condemned to a mid table, at best , league finish. Half of our season is reduced to a series of dead rubbers. Poor return for our money.
From a United fan I’ve got to say that to suggest yesterday was our FA Cup final is totally ridiculous, Norwich are just a mid table inconsistent performing team with a mediocre manager. You have players who are individually full of talent what you don’t have is a passionate manager who brings that talent together to produce a real team performance where everyone plays for and supports each other. Wilder has a team of players who are only average in their talent but he brings them together to form a TEAM because of his passion that is far more talented than 90% of the rest of the division. Carry on crying into your drinks boys your going nowhere fast!!
Wilder is a fan and celebrates like a fan. Supporters want passion and that’s what he gives in spades. Maybe Norwich fans should toughen up if an opposing manager celebrates a win, especially, as you imply, job security is not always a given. UTB
Haha you Norwich boys crying over wilder showing some passion to the club he loves and knows inside out, shame about your foreign manager who doesn’t understand passion for the club he is manager of? All he knows is time waste from the first minute ??
Whinging, whinging, whinging.
Just like the Norwich players. Quite happy to use their elbows but wanted a foul everytime they were tackled.
Some young kid in yellow and green got a foul everytime he was tackled.
Obviously you know very little about quality and managers. Wilder is far, far better than Warnock us or was, even in Warnock’s own self-important estimation..
Oh yes and obviously you lost because of some match earlier on in the week.
You joke along with your whinging, small mentality club,
Thanks Gary again for another superb piece, as to Wilder a manager you just love to hate, unless you are in the fans of his team. When does passion include childish stupid behaviour ? Talk about inciting the crowd . He was the one to make the september game more than what is was really about.
I have a feeling it was more about losing at home, than a coach being late, was the game delayed ? I have given up about worrying about teams parking a bus or time wasting we saw plenty in the Premiership, O something he has not experienced yet .
Grow up man and do the things you should do. you deserved the result yesterday, but the hacking of Maddison does leave a little bit of a nasty taste, Sure there are correct ways of stifling a player, than kicking lumps out of him. Had it been the other way round we would still hearing from you in 24 months time about it . I will have an extra cheer when you get sacked or relegated which ever comes first
I do feel sorry for the 20,000+ fans who can only go to home games.
You expect backs-to-the-wall performances on our travels. 6 wins from 14, plus 2 excellent performances in the cups, suggests that unlike many of his predecessors Farke has found a way of picking up points on the road. Good!
But it’s clear that there’s been far too little to enjoy at Carrow Road. There was a period around 2007 and thereafter when the club ran it’s “hat-trick” scheme (which in time expanded to 5 games rather than 3 I think) when I dutifully crossed the country several time a year only to watch the aimless dross that Peter Grant and Glenn Roeder were serving up – despite both of them having, in Hucks, one of the most exciting players we’ve ever had to watch. It feels that despite the presence of the likes of Josh Murphy and James Maddison, we’re heading that way again.
Sure, yesterday was partly a rebound from our efforts on Wednesday, just as we took advantage of Bristol the previous week. It was perhaps unlucky for Farke that it was a home game scheduled because at least had we been heading away somewhere expectations would have been lower.
But whilst he’s building his squad if he wants to create a bond with the bulk of fans he has surely got to find a way to improve our home performances – and soon.
As an exile who doesn’t get to watch much of what is on offer I can afford to be patient, accept that it’s a work-in-progress, cut him some slack.
Were I in the same position as Gary, Stewart, Martin and other season ticket holders who write or comment here, I’d probably be rather less tolerant.
Farke’s away form is worse than Lambert’s, the same as Neil Adam’s, and only better than Neil’s dire form last year.
Utter drivel from a turkey stuffer, Wilder is by far a better manager who has us higher in the lge than Nothingwich on a smaller budget and lower lge players. Warnock was and is a better manager than you have too, so we’ll stick with our passionate British managers thank you.
You have a Saudi Prince that has a 50% stake in your so calked club.
His net worth is over a Billion £ so your smaller budget doesn’t hold as he pays for all the new incoming players.
Why the abuse? Sheffield Utd fans forum lists Norwich fans as ‘six finger p*ss lickers’, ‘c–t’, etc, etc. I don’t understand the hatred to fans of other clubs as without other clubs there would not be a game. Perhaps this attitude stems from the fact they have been frankly irrelevant for a long time except for on the rare occasion when they offer a contract to, at the time, a convicted rapist. Maybe the inferiority complex stems from that. In any case like a child who has been ignored for a while they are now making as much noise as they can to get a bit of attention.
Ahh man, everyone knows Sheff Weds are the cooler side in Sheffield anyway! Cooler strip, better players, nicer fans. What more could you ask for from a two club city?!
And 14 pts and 11 places lower in the league. Another mediocre team with a chuckle brother as a manager!!!!!
Disappointed in some of the exchanges on here – not up to our usual maturity.
No problem with Sheff United or their manager yesterday – we’ve enjoyed the same kind of triumphalism from Holt and many others. Not only were they the better side yesterday, but produced one of the best performances we’ve seen from an away side this year. It was an important three points for them.
Wilder’s ugly antics after the game at their place, though, will still linger in the memory and cause resentment – as will similar displays of petulance and bad sportsmanship he’s shown to other clubs. A pity.
As for comparing managers, we’ll see. The Blades’ performance yesterday reflected a manager who’s developed his squad and worked with them for a considerable time. When Farke has had that chance, we’ll see what his team produces. I think it might be impressive.
Perhaps the most appropriate comment, Stew, is to reflect upon the reaction of opposition fans in both victory and defeat. Think about it in that context and further words are rarely necessary. OTBC.
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California has a $27 million electron microscope – the most powerful in the world. It has an ability to make images to a resolution of half the width of a hydrogen atom; you can actually see the very building blocks of life. If I were to look through that microscope right now, I would still not be able to find any interest in the views of Sheffield United fans on yesterday’s match.
Yay! The ‘it’s all going to be a disaster’ gang are back again. Yet strangely had nothing to say while we were securing points. In the interest of balance then, yesterday was poor and we need to be learning more lessons from the good and the bad days. We have undoubted ability and I’d like to see us set up to attack better at home – the boring stuff away is fine if it gets points. I also have a baseless theory that this squad isn’t very good at handling weeks that include midweek games. I’d like someone more diligent to prove me right or wrong though. As for the stuff about it being bad business to sell some players without them being replaced immediately, Farke’s already said he expects two or three in next week. I think a gap of seven days isn’t that much to worry about…
Day out in the sun you should try being in wheelchair sat in the pouring rain and at least an inch of standing water. And then getting verbal abuse from city so called nice fans on the mile trip back to the coach park. Never 3 pts made the long trip and getting drenched worth it. Passion is what Mr Wilder has and it’s good to see him react withthe fans after a win. I used to think Norwich were a good family club but changed my mimd after yesterday
Genuinely sorry to hear that Keith. Not good enough if that was the case. An email to the club to highlight your issues would be my suggestion. Am sure they’d be horrified to hear that.
Full agree if that is what happened to you city as a club and a city are better than that.
The one thing that didn’t happen was United supporters getting taken to hospital as city fans did in your city, as I have found whilst living in south yorkshire for a number of years great when winning but very poor losers and never give credit where it is due.
The trouble with us is the misconception that we are a nicey nicey family club.
Ironically that’s never going to be levelled at Sheffield United.
You are not that successful either.
What a bitter, bitchy, excuse ridden article. City were outclassed in every department and very fortunate not to lose by more than the odd goal. The pathetic one up top must be an embarrassment, Stearman and O’Connell have seldom had a quieter afternoon. Maddison has developed diving to a whole new art form, seems to believe that his size should preclude any form of physical contact. I fear for the rest of the season for you, couldn’t see any kind of a game plan let alone a plan B. Wilder inspired power football or Farke’s directionless,
passionless ineffective football? I know which I prefer.
All this bitterness from some Norwich fans?! Anybody commenting on Wilder’s celebrations should note that he’s been fan, ballboy and player.Whilst managing elsewhere he continued to support the club and attend matches, and be visible in the and approachable to our fans. The lines between fan and manager have never been more blurred.As for the celebrations: did you miss your manager galloping down the touchline celebrating your goal, or goading our fans at Bramall Lane (post match)? I have sat behind the dugout at BL for seven years and have never witnessed such unprofessional and classless behaviour from a management team during that time. I think Wilder’s reaction was measured – considering the provocation.As for the job he’s doing at United. He’s spent circa 3 million on our squad, with most of them being paid league one salaries. He’s never been sacked in 15+ years.He’s getting the best value for money in the league.Good luck for the rest of the season.
Well pigs will fly and believe in some drose.
United have used the transfer systemto bully lower league clubs into selling their best players then announced the fee as unkown it is away of getting round the fair play rules.
“The mitigation for a very flat, ordinary performance lies” in the fact you’re an ordinary, lower mid-table side which was up against a better one.
Rotation system used to foul Maddison on sat. I’m happy with Farke, and direction of the club.
Sheffield Utd looked a half decent club and , having come up from League 1, will consolidate this year. However we will play them again next year as they are neither good enough, nor gave he resource to go up so we’ll have the pleasure of playing them next year.
What strikes me about the manager though and the fans is an owner and his dog. Innocent Norwich fans including women were set upon by Sheffield fans on leaving Bramall Lane after we beat them. Wilder , his antics and his attitude has to take some responsibility for that. I know the ‘we like we say and we say what we like’ mantra of Yorkshireman but reading the Sheffield Utd forum the vitriol and bile towards Norwich fans was appalling. Every second word is c–t.
Football is only a game and that shouldn’t be forgotten. It just seems there is something rotten around Bramall Lane which is unedifying although no doubt Blades will take a perverse pride in being described thus.