And breathe…
The relief was palpable. Timm Klose’s last-gasp header not only earned City the point they deserved but brought to end six minutes of agony.
We know Ipswich will beat us again one day. For those six minutes, it felt as if was yesterday was to be that day. And it didn’t feel good.
We have been bracing ourselves for the worst for a while, preparing ourselves, but the gut-wrenching pain that accompanies an 89th-minute ‘winner’ by Luke Chambers still felt like a whack in the cojones. His gurning celebration in front of the River End hurt.
We’ve mocked him in the recent past for his meaningless ‘fist pumps‘. This was payback time. Or so he thought.
As it transpired there was to be one final twist; there was to be a reward for a much-improved second-half showing.
That one centre-back was the provider and another the scorer tells a little story of its own – one that Team Farke still have to ponder – but in that moment it mattered not one jot who put the ball in the Ipswich net.
There is little to beat a late equaliser. It feels like a win. When it denies that team in blue their first win on Norfolk soil since 2006 it feels better than a win.
To this very day, I can vividly recall a very late Keith Robson equaliser on the Boxing Day of 1979. The roar of the Barclay still rattles around my mind.
For Keith Robson read Timm Klose.
The old place, which – let’s be honest – was notable only for the sound of tutting and sighing for long periods, shook on a Simon Jackson “chaos” scale. It was one of *those* moments,
Yet, in the cold light of day, it was only a point, it was against modest opposition, and the problems of old haven’t gone away.
The first half was definitely one to forget and, despite the Ipswich fans making clear their thoughts on the aesthetics of Mick McCarthy’s crude take on Pulis-ball, there’s no denying they had the better of things.
Waghorn and Garner had our recently imperious back-three reeling for spells, with Christoph Zimmermann’s first-minute slice setting the tone for a rocky opening 45.
Say what you like about McCarthy’s crash-bang-wallop football, but it does create pressure and chaos in the opposition box, something we struggle to do.
Luckily, with the help of a couple of good saves from Angus, we were able to ride out the storm and, to be fair, 0-0 at half-time was a relief.
Quite what tactical changes and tweaks were made at half-time were not obvious from my River End vantage point – or if indeed it was just an upping of the intensity – but it turned the tide in City’s favour in a big way.
The dominance was total, yet still, it was only from outside the box – mainly from two Maddison set-pieces – that Bialkowski was tested.
The sucker punch from the charming Mr Chambers looked for all the world like the winner until the world’s most odd and glorious one-two between our two centre-backs set up the late, late show that broke Ipswich hearts.
Ironically, Timm hadn’t had his best afternoon – he rarely does against Ipswich – but Grant Hanley’s contribution to not only the goal but the whole afternoon was once again magnificent, and can’t be overlooked.
The scenes and Timm’s celebration were up there, even if they did give dear old Chambo the hump, and the run is now 10 games and counting.
Quite how much yesterday’s second half has taken out of the collective tank will only be revealed at Molineux on Wednesday evening but there is no questioning the desire and physical condition of this group. Neither the collective spirit of the group, which seeped from every pore in the aftermath of the goal.
Mick may have lost the Blue Army. Right now we’re all as one.
Wondered what you would write Gary, fair play to you. You’re undoubted euphoria after 95 minutes now given way to a bit of realism. For Chambo read Hanley in front of the ITFC fans, but who can blame him, and kudos for chasing that lost cause. Why couldn’t he have been slower? Must admit was pleased at the draw until I read the circumstances. Wasn’t there as live in Cornwall and didn’t get ticket, and don’t watch Sky on principle, their money has ruined the game I love. Was glad you never beat us, it was what I feared, and we are still above you….. just. But that really is scratching for positives.
Result pretty much means another 2 games next season. Perhaps we will get lucky, but have no idea where we will be. Think Mick has burnt his last bridge, so our team may be so different. Yours too, without Maddison (probably) and others (possibly). Looking forward to it already.
Cheers for commenting Graham.
Can’t disagree with any of that. The fine margins feel all the acuter in a local derby and Webster’s hesitation in closing down Hanley was ultimately the difference between three points and one.
Most of us here are realists (not all) and we know things will look a lot different when Maddison is no longer of this parish.
All the best.
Not seem any reference to Mr Chambers being referred to the FA for inciting the crowd. He quite clearly gave two fingers to the City fans in the River End corner. Still, perhaps the taste of sour grapes in his mouth is punishment enough! We know we’re not good enough for the play-offs this year, but even without Maddison (and who knows, we may be able to do a loan deal back to us if we sell him to one of the clubs with a really big squad of established stars) we’ll still be better than Town. Roll on next year’s derbys!
I guess it depends whether your glass is half full or empty. I work over the border so I will be subscribing to the Decade of Dominance view for the locals but it again illustrates that we need to work out how to play against limited, defensive teams who have taken too many points from us at home. Our young players will be stronger for the experience. I’d like to think that our season is not over in February but I guess it is all about next season.
Once again we have struggled at home against very limited opposition. Our failure to create good chances even in the second half when in total assendancy continues to damn Farke and his tactics. We cannot keep winning even now with JM by pinning our hopes on a series of ambitious 25+yarders. What hope without JM next season? These tactics at home have been found wanting, some of the personnel are perhaps not cutting the mustard and he persists with them. Dominating a game but not truely threatening and he doesn’t try to win it with an attacking substitution with a reasonable time remaining. (Are these newbies no good?)
Once again inspite of a promising unbeaten run the questions over DF will persist because this side, in this shape is incapable of regularly threatening the opposition goal, is it to much to ask to have bodies in the box and a cross from the byline? It works! Look at how we broke binner hearts on Sunday.
DF will not be sacked anytime soon, nor would it be justifiable. He will be judged next season, I am worried though that next season will see more of the same. OK for so long we have despirately needed a manager who could tighten us up at the back, but with Farke is the cost too high? Only balanced teams can succeed and we look a very long way from that, with little obvious progress towards that balance.
Bah!
Everybody seems to be banging on about a draw being a fair result. I don’t class myself as the most biased of one-eyed fans and like to think that I’m realistic a few hours after the match but I think we should have won comfortably by 2 or 3.
Equal at half time was about right, we didn’t do much and they only threatened when our defence and Angus were uncharacteristically jittery in the first half hour. The second half was almost constant one way traffic. We were a Timm finish from 3 yards of being ahead; if we had scored then I can’t see any way that that shower would have come back.
And what a shower they were. A truly horrible, awful team to watch. Their only threat came from set pieces and the chance of neck injury as our players searched the sky for the ball. It’s great to see that McCarthy hates their fans about as much as they hate him.
The elation I felt as Grant & Timm combined so late was brilliant. My wife, daughters, neighbours and dog were all left in no doubt what had happened and who it had happened to with language only equalled on the day by Mick McCarthy. I’m loving the strength, fitness and determination of this team; I just wonder where we’d be if the same had been shown before Christmas.
‘Six minutes’ in February 2017 has been replicated in February 2018, but these ‘six minutes’ caused so much more pain, simply because it looked like the inevitable was about to happen. Hence the unbridled joy when Timm’s header hit the back of the net.
As for Big Mick’s mouthing towards the away support, it certainly feels like his days are numbered and his post-match presser wasn’t much better.
On the subject of late goals in the local derby, it brought back memories of another central defender scoring a last minute header – Steve Bruce in the Milk Cup semi final.
Less fondly, I also remember Gary Megson’s last minute own goal header at Portman Road ……
Gary – I too could not detect any real tactical tweaks at half time, but as the game wore on I suspect Ipswich got tired of trying contain Maddison and he became much more effective.
We lack a Joel Garner type and reckon that’s all we need, we are far to easy to defend against. Once we came to terms with the occasion and second half we were great but didn’t look like scoring apart from Madder’s free kicks. The equalizer came when Ipswich had mentally switched off. An annoying, tough, ‘Holty’ type to bully the central defenders and create space and complications is the missing link now.
Ipswich are truly dull and monotonous to watch but effective in what they do. City are of an entirely different mold and I get annoyed by some of the angry criticism aimed at DF and his tactics by some fans as we need to be careful what we wish for.
Ipswich play Cardiff next, Mick v Colin Wan**r wow, that will be good T V viewing!
Good time to play Wolves, little pressure and competition for places, after that we have five very winnable games. We thought it was ‘all over’ on Sunday but may be perhaps our Tim’s intervention has a deeper meaning?
Sunday will live long in the memory all because of the 95th minute. Love it when the old place goes Bananas!
Joel Garner Colin?
Yeh, tall black guy bowling at 90 mph! Well spotted, Oh for Summer, leather on willow and all that.
OTBC
This was definitely two points dropped. Young Maddison for all his trickery and ball control doesn’t seem to be able find the pass that unlocks a defensive line and I was a bit concerned that he was beginning to get a bit greedy for a goal himself. For me Hanley was the man of the match. Oliveira is so out of form it is almost cruel to keep him on the field. Farke has the same flaw as his predecessor in that he doesn’t know how to use substitutes. Yesterday was crying out for a change up front and he failed to make it in time to achieve any kind of result. Also it is always Murphy who goes off why not Oliveira? We all enjoyed the conclusion to the game but in the cold light of day this was simply a repeat of earlier failings and I still think this is a squad capable of the top six given a better strategy of attacking football.
Who do you suggest D F bought on to improve things then? Murphy not good enough at this level, agree Oliveira poor. Ipswich are good defensively but your comment regarding Maddison and lack of a killer pass is unfair. Not many can, De Bruyne, Wilshere perhaps but it’s a rare quality.
Not 2 points dropped, surely a point gained? Possession and shots on goal count for nothing in football it’s goals that win you points.
We are a side in transition and we look pretty good I reckon.
No two points dropped. I would say sub Oliveira for Dennis S (a goal scorer) and Murphy for Hernandez for the last 20 minutes to see if you can change the game. Maddison will be a great player I think but not quite yet. He could learn a lot from Leitner re the killer pass. Transition yes but that leads to nowhere if we have to sell our prize assets in the summer. If we have a chance of top six this year we must grab it.
Funny how football changes. Back in the 1970’s when I was at school, Ipswich were a ‘second’ team for many a Norwich supporting boy and many of those wanted them to win the FA Cup Final in ’78. Quite when that changed I’m not sure, but I digress.
Now the euphoria has died down after yesterdays game, it must be put into perspective. It may of felt like a ‘win’ (not the first time we have heard that from Farke) but it wasn’t. One point – not three. It was a draw against our neighbours who we frequently berate. They are an ordinary side on limited resources, who, on paper at least we should beat. But we didn’t.
The applause for Ipswich’s 16 seasons in the ECL is a warning. That could easily be us.
In Footballing world of snakes and ladders, both teams are in the middle of the league. Norwich are in the DeliaZone™. They both lack investment. We all know about Marcus Evans and Delia has had all her loans paid back. Nothing suggests either of the clubs will get promoted any time in the future. McCarthy knows that well enough, and I did have (very) small sympathies in his press conference, because we know what he meant, but didn’t convey it well. “Give me the money Norwich have had and I’ll do a better job with it’. Maybe he would, but you have to get the the EPL first. We frittered away our money, but we earned the right to do it.
Playing a football match like a game of chess might be Farke’s way, but as entertainment, it would be in breach of the trade descriptions act. If he can turn novice’s into Grand Masters, then it’s worth the wait, but his binary football relies on too much goodwill from the fans that no 90’s novelty track can gloss over.
IR, I’m glad it’s not just me who has that memory of the 60s/70s fierce, but friendlier, rivalry. Back then the size of attendances was everything, and the likes of the London, Manchester and Liverpool giants generally prevailed for that reason. Both our clubs were representing small-population rural counties, and boldly taking on the big boys in the metropolis. I think there was a certain comradery in that, much as there is between Wales, Scotalnd and Northern Ireland – each of those is desperate to beat the other, but above all they all want to beat England.
In that period Ipswich, with Ramsey and Robson, made two of the most astute managerial appointments of those decades and like it or not they were more successful than we were. That changed in the 80s and 90s and I think that’s where the mood changed too. Whether that’s because we started to rub their noses in it or they became sore losers I’m not sure.
Ipswich were most certainly not a second team for me or anyone I knew growing up in Norwich in the 1970s. The rivalry was a intense then as it is now and often tainted by the ‘English Disease’ as I recall.
I must admit to being a little puzzled by the lads comments above.mi recall thousands of young and not so young men heading down there on massive trains and pouring into the town centre like a tornado on many occasions. Each and every man Jack had a complete and utter loathing for Ipswich town, mariner, mills, wark – the whole Bally lot of ’em.
And the songs! Second team? Not likely.
I said in a comment the other day, be careful pride comes before a fall, phew that was mighty Klose.
I hate to bring it up again but Oliveria cannot have man more chances left can he ? I looked at Waghorn and Garner , put their dives and untimely supposed tackles to one side. They are what we used to have in Grant Holt, and being honest we have not looked the same. I know I cannot keep looking back , but we do need a player like that, who can hold the ball up, get in the faces of defenders and unsettle them. Jerome could do a far job but lacked an edge. If Oliveira had been the answer, do you think Benfica would have sold him or allowed so many loans. ?
Farke has done a good job at sort the back line out, the promotion of Master Lewis to 1st team is a master stroke with the young lad showing game by game what a talent we have, another few games like this and we will have another player we all will be scared of losing. But the final end of the team is lacking. no-one getting behind, no-one using width. Even Mick’s boys made us look poor and toothless for 45 minutes. It was an awesome relief when Hanley and Klose linked up to show the front men how to do it, but it was 2 points lost for me . but 1 point is better than none.
We are too slow , too predictable for a lot of the game, relying on midfielders to score. don’t get me wrong I do not care where goals come from, but how many teams have a striker with such a low tally. There are two City old boys up in double figures Hooper and Grabban even 33 yo Leon Clarke is way up higher .
Has to be right for nxt season . as there might not be a James Maddison
An interesting summation, Gary. The first half fell,some way short of most recent performances. We appeared to be dragged down to their level and there is no denying, they are so much better at spoiling than we are.
City’s persistent failure to crack limited but organised opposition at carrow road has undoubtedly cost us a shot at the top six. In stark contrast to the results garnered away from home.
The total domination during the second half failed to crack them open and it seemed almost inevitable that they would bundle the ball over the line at the death during their first proper foray into our half in the second period. Enormous credit has to be given to the architects of the equaliser, look,again at the pace Hanley displayed to get to the ball and keep it alive which would,put most strikers to shame. Klose met the perfect centre with a bullet of a header sparking pandemonium.
As I leaped into the air I was clobbered by the wild celebration of my daughter culminating in my ejection, Arse first, into the gangway, whereupon I continued my celebration on the floor. Proving the apple never falls far from the tree.