Season over, and time to reflect. The MFW team, one-by-one, give us their highs and lows of a largely ‘meh’ season:
Robin Sainty
High…
The win at Ashton Gate. We weren’t given much chance against a Bristol City team that was sweeping all before it but we produced a classic away performance as we soaked up everything that they could throw at us and then late on Madders, after a magnificent 40 yard cross-field pass from Mario Vrancic and a great run by Ivan Pinto, turned two defenders inside out and stuck it in the bottom corner right in front of the away fans: cue delirium! Even then it wasn’t over as first an incredible tackle from Zimmbo and an incredible double save from Angus ensured we took all three points. It was the sort of performance that makes me travel away.
Low…
The defeat at Arsenal when we were just a few minutes from pulling off what would have been a thoroughly deserved victory and extending our long unbeaten run. It was a night when the fans and the players were in total harmony but we couldn’t quite get over the line and the effect was felt for the next few League games as the players looked physically and mentally tired, and just couldn’t get back to their previous performance levels. Had we held on the boost that the result would have provided might just have given us the impetus to really kick on.
Andy Head
My low was pretty much the same as my high.
Low…
Millwall away made me so angry. Every pre-season fear I had following Farke and Webber’s decision to give Russell Martin a new contract and rename him captain was borne out in 45 minutes of the most catastrophic defending I’ve seen since Colchester. I thought our bright new future had been flushed away within a month.
High…
Immediate acknowledgement that things weren’t working. We didn’t hide from our mistake. The main men had the honesty and self-awareness to make the necessary moves. In came Grant Hanley, the boat pushed out to address the problem. Marcel Franke and Russell Martin were removed from the firing line, not to return this season. And with Alex Tettey also back to protect the defence we corrected things almost immediately. Such a strong reaction so soon was the opposite of the ‘little old Norwich’ problems and stubborn management of the past.
Mick Dennis
High…
Successive wins at Sheffield United, Brentford, Reading and Ipswich in September.
Low…
The goalless game at Burton at the end of December was abject.
Ed Couzens-Lake
High…
Christoph Zimmermann: He’s been a bit of a bonus, hasn’t he? Still settling into the role and English football but he’s going to stand out and get more than the occasional rave review from beyond the confines of Norwich and Norfolk next season.
If Arsene Wenger has asked about him, then that can’t be a bad thing. Zimmerman can play in the Championship, no question. He’s had to toughen up a bit and fight some battles but, with Grant Hanley now alongside him, he’ll have a bit more time to play, the diamond at the back as opposed to Hanley’s granite. This time next year he will, if he maintains his progress, be ready to play in the Premier League. I hope it’s with us.
Low…
The growing vilification of certain players by some sections of our support. Russell Martin practically had it from the word go and I am sure there are those who are delighting in his travails at Rangers – him and just about every other Rangers player mind.
Josh Murphy is another who has had to learn to shrug off a lot of criticism this season. He may have been able to do that but he won’t have forgotten it and he won’t miss it when he heads off for pastures new this summer. I wonder if when, as I am sure will be the case, people realise Kenny McLean isn’t James Maddison Mk.II, they’ll start to get on his back as well?
Will Jennings
High…
That post-match huddle after our 1-0 win at Middlesbrough. Having been at those demolitions at Villa Park and The Den in August, the win came towards the end of our magnificent run in September, and things really did feel like they were all coming together. City were superb at The Riverside, defending for their lives throughout the second half in order to protect the lead that James Maddison’s (who else?) wonder strike had given us. When Farke and the players united in a circle before coming over to clap the 400 travelling fans, one couldn’t help but sense that we may have been on the verge of achieving something special this season. How misguided we were…
Low…
I’m sure the 4-0 hammering at Millwall will be a popular choice for many, so for the sake of variety, I’ll go with the goalless draw at The Pirelli in December. No Maddison or Pritchard in the starting XI, and their absence showed: we struggled to create anything and James Husband’s needless dive when in on goal just compounded our misery. Great away day though and good to see the purple kit receive a rare run-out.
Anita Byrne-Phillips
I’m going to start with the low because it’s always better to finish on a high!
Low…
Even though that means they’re not in chronological order. I’ve been to a few games that have disappointed this season nothing can be more gutting than watch your team crumble at The Den or capitulate at Loftus Road. Travelling away and watching your team slump to defeat in such a manner is embarrassing but however neither, though bad, have been my lowest point of the season believe it or not. Instead, the worst point was missing Aston Villa at home – one of our best home performances of the season. Having just had prophylactic surgery,I was not match-fit and forced to listen to Radio Norfolk from the confines of my sofa.
How is that worse than watching four go past your own team you may ask? It’s missing the comradeship, the pre-match drink, the celebrations, the commiserations – cheering my team on from an armchair on my own just wasn’t the same.
High…
The high has got to be our win at Portaloo Road. I arrived at the Station Hotel at approximately 9am and once the first G&T was ordered it all went uphill from there! If Gordon’s ( I prefer Opihr) made match day on a Sunday, this was the best! To be honest, most of the first half was a bit of a blur due to the early pre-drinking excitement, but water taken on board at halftime meant I’d sobered up in time to appreciate Maddison curling in the winner on the hour mark. Absolute scenes, celebrations on the tin roof and a few bad heads on Monday.
We’d extended our unbeaten derby run to nine games (Mick McCarthy still never beating us in his time as manager…), it took us into the top six, Ip5hit went down to 11th and the “here’s to you James Maddison” anthem was born… if only the season could have finished then!
James Finbow
High…
Jamal Lewis’ goal at Chelsea in the cup – a wonderful moment. He’d only played a handful of games but this moment will live long in the memory. He’s already made himself a key player. Klose’s cross was an absolute peach too.
Low…
The nil-nil away to Burton was one of the worst games of football I’ve ever seen.
Daniel Defalco
High…
Despite the season ending on a gut-wrenching low at Hillsborough, the 2017/18 campaign has provided us with several joyous moments. Although not focusing on one particular one, my high of the season has to be the performances and sense of excitement around Angus Gunn. At the time of his signing in early June last year, I’m willing to admit that I had reservations about the young keeper’s appointment. Only a year ago, he had never played a senior game of football; so throwing him into the cut and thrust of the Championship with such little experience was certainly a brave move. This, coupled with his dad’s legendary status meant that there was perhaps an added expectation on Angus’s shoulder’s. Now, having played all of City’s 46 league games this season and earned third place in the Player of The Season awards, it’s safe to say that the risk taken by Farke and Webber has well and truly paid off.
His dominance of the 18-yard box, match-winning saves and ability to play out from the back have resulted in him becoming a fan favourite – which his song ringing around Carrow Road against Leeds paid testament to. Angus Gunn is one of us.
Low…
At the start of the season, I was looking forward to the prospect of Josh Murphy starting regularly in the league. After Jacob left, it was seen by many as the ideal opportunity for him to kick on and to stake his claim as a first-team regular. Last season, his twin captured most of the headlines with nine goals in the Championship whilst Josh had to make do with late cameos – but this season it was expected that Josh could spread his wings and emulate his brother’s performances.
Despite managing a reasonable haul of seven goals and three assists in the Championship this season, it’s fair to say that he has not lived up to expectations this season. We know he can do it and how technically gifted he is – his superb strike against Villa with his weak foot showed just that – but as so many have pointed out he is 23 now, not 18. Over to you Josh.
Part two tomorrow…
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