• 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
Expectations are rising in NR1, and after Derby the real derby is one to look forward to

Expectations are rising in NR1, and after Derby the real derby is one to look forward to

16th February 2018 By Connor Southwell 3 Comments

Please share

There have been some curious going-ons in Suffolk as Ipswich seeks to overturn a dismal derby record, which stems before their current operator took charge of the reins at Portman Road.

Long gone are the days of notes being waved in the direction of the Barclay as they (wrongly) thought wealth had arrived in the shape of businessman Marcus Evans.

If Ipswich weren’t the rivals of Norwich City supporters, many would feel a great deal of sympathy for those in Suffolk.

Mick McCarthy has stabilised a ship that was in disarray prior to his arrival. McCarthy has been solid if unspectacular, and outsiders looking in would applaud the job he has done while operating within tight financial constraints.

Aesthetically pleasing he is not however. McCarthy’s traditionalist approach and tactical stubbornness has seen attendances drop dramatically. Those wearing yellow and green glasses may chuckle, but this is a football club stagnating and rotting in the second tier.

His approach was needed following the lacklustre reigns of Roy Keane and Paul Jewell – lacklustre with regards to both finances and application of tactics. Upon his arrival, McCarthy was the remedy many Ipswich supporters craved after two questionable managerial stints.

On Sunday, for all intents and purposes, the pressure lays firmly at the door of the visitors as they seek to end a period of prolonged derby hurt. With the sides sitting comfortably in the middle of the Championship table, pride is the only thing at stake, but that pride is motivation enough for both halves to come away with significant bragging rights.

For Ipswich, the future is dependent on an avant-garde approach under new leadership. McCarthy’s big chance to establish Ipswich as a Championship force came the season after the infamous two-legged playoff defeat to their biggest rivals. Yet his inability to fulfil aesthetic demands and to progress Ipswich has seen his popularity with supporters decrease.

Anyone who displays angst and frustration towards the hierarchy in place at Carrow Road need look at their neighbours as an example of gross mismanagement and lack of interest in a football club. Their anonymous owner has made the club dependant on his wealth and without him they would face extinction.

Ipswich is an epitome of a club decaying and rotting due to severe lack of investment and as such they are losing a generation of supporters, left feeling an acute sense of apathy at matters on and off the pitch.

Prior to that fixture that at Portman Road earlier in the season, there was a palpable sense of unease that that game would be their time following years occupying their neighbour’s shadow. James Maddison – who else – ensured that normal service was resumed.

Undoubtedly, City will start as favourites, a tag that Daniel Farke will be keen to play down. Norwich have seemingly thrived off being the underdog in this campaign, but after the performance seen at Derby, this squad is full of bottle and fight.

Our stock is rising, and, with it, this squad is proving capable at handling pressure and the psychological aspects of the squad – defensive concentration for one – have improved drastically after last season’s underwhelm.

This derby comes as Norwich are undergoing a period whereby the home form has improved and Ipswich come into it following a draw with relegation stricken Burton Albion.

Expectations are rising in NR1, with talk of the playoffs becoming whispers and those who felt anger now believing the impossible will be achieved. With Maddison fit, anything is attainable, yet the playoffs appear too distant for Norwich this campaign.

Rigorous and intense training regimes are beginning to become the norm. The philosophy has transitioned from planning paper into reality; it is not perfection but City now resemble a fully operational Championship side.

If Derby were a realistic yardstick of what Championship promotion contenders resemble, then those spearheading operations at Carrow Road aren’t a stretch away from what’s required to compete at the top end of the division.

That said, remedies need to be found for the struggles at the top end of the pitch.

Nelson Oliveira’s lack of goals is a cause for concern, but he will relight the touch paper and goals will follow as he simplifies his game once more and continues to get into the right positions. City simply cannot rely on the brilliance of Maddison because if an injury or goal-drought arrives the main source of goals and creativity will be dry.

Bring on the derby, and the ecstasy or despair of it.


Please share

Filed Under: Column, Connor Southwell

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Colin M says

    16th February 2018 at 10:30 am

    Since our last derby day defeat it’s – 9 Games played 6 wins, 3 draws, 19 goals for and 6 against! Let’s celebrate this amazing run that has underpinned a most wonderful, exciting period for all City fans whilst are Suffolk neighbours have remained in the doldrums as so perfectly dealt with by Connor in the piece.

    We’ve all got derby day memories but whatever happens on Sunday, win, lose or draw, let us all get behind the team and show that lot from across the border how proud we are to have a proper football club that cares and embraces all involved, players, staff, owners, fans alike.

    What a difference, chalk and cheese I’d say!

    2
    Reply
    • Johnny B says

      16th February 2018 at 5:28 pm

      Do you really think the club cares about us fans? We are just numbers, bums on seats is how we are seen in every sense. Aloof and silent owners and a Board that regards fans as a nuisance. If anyone sees things differently then I’d love to hear examples of how the club relates to ALL fans not just a tiny select minority

      1
      Reply
  2. Chris says

    16th February 2018 at 1:28 pm

    Evans did not make Ipswich dependent upon his wealth, they were virtually dead when he took over.

    3
    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

@NorwichCityMFW latest

Tweets by @NorwichCityMFW

#NCFC LATEST

fan_banter Fan Banter @fan_banter ·
40m

Astonishing video shows steward take no shit fighting with Birmingham fan - https://fanbanter.co.uk/astonishing-video-shows-steward-take-no-shit-fighting-with-birmingham-fan/

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

Reply on Twitter 1560152012716531719 Retweet on Twitter 1560152012716531719 Like on Twitter 1560152012716531719 Twitter 1560152012716531719
thisismccann Michael McCann 🇺🇦 @thisismccann ·
44m

#NCFC are back in action tomorrow night with #Millwall in town - can the Canaries build on a first win of the season after seeing off Huddersfield in my midweek ⚽️📺🎙? You can still catch the best bits on @SkyFootball #Norwich #EFL #football

Reply on Twitter 1560151071103881217 Retweet on Twitter 1560151071103881217 Like on Twitter 1560151071103881217 Twitter 1560151071103881217
pinkun The Pink Un @pinkun ·
46m

🤔 Is now the time for Josh Sargent to kickstart his #NCFC career?

In his latest column, @chris_sutton73 explains why he believes the #USMNT forward took a step forward on Tuesday night👇🔰

https://app.pinkun.com/9216296/content.html

Reply on Twitter 1560150363931648000 Retweet on Twitter 1560150363931648000 Like on Twitter 1560150363931648000 1 Twitter 1560150363931648000
norwichcitylive Norwich City Live @norwichcitylive ·
1h

Dean Smith's verdict on 'underrated' #NCFC star after first win vs Huddersfield Town

https://www.norfolklive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dean-smith-underrated-norwich-huddersfield-7477276

Reply on Twitter 1560144464936546306 Retweet on Twitter 1560144464936546306 Like on Twitter 1560144464936546306 Twitter 1560144464936546306
radenjack4 RadenJack @radenjack4 ·
2h

Ghost Mug, Halloween Mug,̖ #Halloween #Coffee Mug, Ghost Coffee Mug, Gift For Here 🎇
#euronextparis #fundamentalanalysis #allthesours #s04e10 #siliconvalleyhbo #ncfc #costoflivingcrisis #puckfair22

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1282943713/ghost-mug-halloween-mug-halloween-coffee?t=1660799596

Reply on Twitter 1560132705878061057 Retweet on Twitter 1560132705878061057 Like on Twitter 1560132705878061057 Twitter 1560132705878061057
Load More...

Copyright © 2022 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