First things first, and that wasn’t your average 3-0. Minus the green and yellow tinted spectacles, it was a fairly even game and in the middle third of the pitch, for long spells, Town matched us.
In fact, I’d go as far as to say there were spells when they edged it, and in Trevoh Chalobah and Alan Judge they had two players who gave Messrs Trybull, Vrancic and Tettey as much trouble as they have had for a while.
Those down south were not slow to point this out either. Paul Lambert was first out of the traps with an “untouchable at times” to describe Chalobah’s afternoon and was followed, predictably, by that most limited of centre-backs, Luke Chambers, who went one better and claimed City “couldn’t touch them”. Proud boasts indeed from a team that, when all is said and done, suffered their heaviest defeat of the season.
Lambert, however, will be pleased. His intention from the moment he signed on Marcus Evans’ dotted line was to make his first trip to Carrow Road as Ipswich manager all about him, and he succeeded. Quite whether part of that plan was to be the story via a trip to the stands is doubtful, but such was his thirst for centre stage I’m inclined to think he’d have taken it.
His post-match comments around football being cyclical and Ipswich’s time coming again is true (at least I think that’s what he said), and we’ll be made to pay for this gloat-fest at some point in the future, but his words were mumbled against a backdrop of anger and bitterness unbecoming of one we once adored.
He’s adamant he wouldn’t change a thing. I think he made a bit of an @rse of himself.
And when we look back on February 10, 2019, the record books will read ‘Norwich City 3, Ipswich Town 0’. They won’t read ‘Norwich City 3, Ipswich Town 0 but Town fought hard, battled for every ball, had quite a lot of possession and were a bit unlucky’. Not least because they weren’t.
Despite the best efforts of Mr Fist-pump to convince us all otherwise, a 3-0 win is a 3-0 win however you carve it up and whatever the backstory, our friend seems to be forgetting it was one of Tim Krul’s most cosy afternoons of the season. For all the prompting and graft of Judge and Chalobah, Town were powderpuff if the final third and shaky in the defensive third, and no-one knows better than us how that tends to end.
So, talk it up by all means boys, and those in that “little corner of Norwich that will be forever Ipswich” will no doubt lap up the bravado, but despite you having some success in stifling our free-flowing football and making it a battle, the fancy talk sounds a little hollow.
For City’s part, it was job done, even though it was far from plain sailing, and as Daniel Farke said afterwards this was one of those occasions where Onel Hernandez’ early goal, as exhilarating as it was, then stifled some of the attacking intent that would have been there if it had remained level. Instead of the prompting and probing to which we’ve become accustomed, City were pegged back partly through not having a need to chase the game.
The episode just before halftime needs no further words from me, but it is worth noting that the whole two-part melee wouldn’t have happened at all were it not for Jon Nolan’s late one on Max Aarons.
While the stats suggest that Town edged the second-half, it did feel as if City had more control and they certainly offered more threat in the final third than the visitors, for whom Will Keane continued his impression of a poor man’s Andy Carroll.
Still, it was bitty and a battle – just how Lambert wanted it – but as the minutes ticked away and it stayed at 1-0, Town were always going to have to commit more numbers forward, offering City more space to counter in the process.
Fortunately for us, the Buendia-Pukki combo is in perfect sync right now and two perfectly weighted passes and two unerring finishes – the second which had more than a whiff of Jerome, May 2015 – were enough to seal the deal and send us two points clear at the top.
It wasn’t especially pretty, and credit for Town for turning it into a scrap, but to have played as poorly as we have done since the turn of the year and still emerge with a 3-0 win is not to be sniffed at.
In terms of individuals, Christoph Zimmermann proved yet again he’s a leader of men and his command of those around him was outstanding – especially in those moments when the blue touch paper had been lit – and there are no words left to describe Pukki’s ability to sniff out and convert half-chances, but the most telling contribution of the afternoon, for me, was Emi Buendia’s.
In a matter of months, the little Argentinian has grown into this player that can dictate games, who is as technically adept as anyone in the division, who has the strength of an ox but the subtle touch of a magician, and who can unlock doors. Amongst this band of brothers, someone has emerged as special.
All of which makes two top an ever more pressing need. Screw the lottery of the playoffs – anything can happen. The only way this group can be kept together, with Buendia at its heart, is to stay in the automatic spots and we’ve given ourselves a shot. A bloody good one.
The Lambert sub-plot was only one of his own making. Yesterday wasn’t about him, it wasn’t even about Ipswich Town – it was about getting three points and putting that small sliver of daylight between us and the rest.
There’s an opportunity – now’s the time to seize it.
Great review of the match, Totally agree with you about Buendia. To keep this group together we need to go up, but I’m not counting my chickens yet.
Lambert screwed up big time yesterday. He claimed that his reaction was due to City trying to get Nolan booked for a foul on Aarons that looked like a straight red to me and then someone encroaching on his technical area. His claim that City fans have a short memory seemed pretty lame when he claimed to have forgotten our 9-2 aggregate win against Ipswich in one press conference. I totally respect most of what he did here – he gave us 3 great seasons. He showed a massive lack of class yesterday and I’m not sure that it will endear him to the majority of Ipswich fans.
Spot on Gary, now put that game to bed and get on with with the real challenges minus the sideshow. Far from our most fluent yesterday but it was a derby that needed dealing with and the boys delivered.
Gary, good article.
Lambert had to do something to make it “all about him”, and his unprofessional behaviour just before half time was all he could come up with, as the whole Norwich crowd had treated him with polite indifference till then. His post-match comments about “not standing by and doing nothing when a Norwich player ran 30 yards to have a go at Nolan” are demonstrably nonsense, given that the little ruck between players had calmed down before he started his finger wagging and aggressive shouting. (He was careful to keep a steward and policeman between him and any retaliation, I notice!) As you say, nothing at all would have happened if Nolan hadn’t launched a reckless and late tackle on Aarons, which looked a straight red from where I sat on the River End.
I’m surprised Ipswich finished with 11 players on the pitch. In addition to Nolan, Skuse could have had two yellows for repeated fouling, and the sub (whose name I can’t be bothered to remember or look up) who took out Buendia near the end should also have walked.( How did Buendia end up with a yellow card for that?) As you say, Zimmerman was excellent in moving players away from from flash points. A proper leader and captain.
Chalobah committed 6 fouls in the game and didn’t receive 1 card. He also put a high boot into Vrnacic for our first goal. How he escaped punishment is beyond me.
He also kicked the ball away at a free kick
And now you’re top of the Mystic MFW league – subject to Cookie eventually publishing the table of course!
I was only one goal out and I’ll get back at you:-)
Only Lambert truely knows why he got so OTT after what was a poor tackle. I suspect it was very much to deflect from his teams short comings and curry favour with the binner fans. He seems on something of a charm offensive with the binners to try to deflect from a quite astoundingly bad record with them. To all others it appeared offensive and charmless, but I guess they might just think he cares after such an out burst. He’ll no doubt care, right upto a better offer landing on his table as we know only too well!
We weren’t great on the day, some credit for that undoubtedly goes to Ipshite but we got the job done.
Now we must all cross our fingers that Vrancic only had the boot on as a precaution and it’s not a bad one. If it is, we can hope that either Lietner is fit again to resume his midfield mastery or that another of the lads can sieze the oportunity. I still want to see what McClean can do, I fear Tettey and Trybull together will be solid but perhaps blunt us a little. Though our front 3 look practically unbluntable.
Bah!
Dear old Paul Lambert is turning out to be very ordinary after all, he’s grappling around in the darkness and needs to turn the light on. His team were woeful in attack, missing in defense and desperate in the tackle. The stats would suggest differently but that old quote, “There are lies, damned lies and statistics” was never more true.
We were a little short of our best but I expected that, most derbies are like that. The gulf in class all over the pitch was marked.
Couldn’t agree more about Emi Buendia Gary, he reminds me of Gazza in his pomp he is some player. We picked him up for £1.3m ? He’s worth £20m plus in my mind lets enjoy him while we can. He and Pukki may just be among the best buys ever to come our way but keeping Buendia fit given the weekly clattering he ‘s been getting of late will be key.
City are heading to the P L for certain. As for that other P L, ordinary is still okay and never forget that all at NCFC are grateful that you were exceptional once upon a time!
Forget Lambert. Made a complete and utter tit of himself in front of fans who once adored him. DF was right, no class at all on show from the scum bench. Let’s hope they fare better next season at Fleetwood and Doncaster etc. Another three points on the board, onwards and upwards!
I have always felt that Paul Lambert did a reasonable job at Aston Villa, their relegation after he left proved this to a certain extent. And I for one saw him taking that job as the next stage in his career. But where has he gone from there ? Pretty much failed everywhere since.
He is great at trying to re-write history, to even suggest it was in some way City’s fault for him leaving to go to Villa is downright laughable. He was always been massively ambitious even to the point where he threw Ian Cuverhouse and Gary Karsa under the bus to save his own job. If bullying (allegedly) had been going on surely it was his responsibility. And Culverhouse is an interesting sub plot in all of this, has he come close to replicating what he did with us anywhere else ? Nowhere near it, Our old right back deserves just as much credit as Lambert for what they achieved here. I maybe being unfair but I cannot ever remember Lambert giving him any praise since they have had their acrimonious parting of the ways. Even yesterday he got into an interview how well he had done as a player ( I won the European Cup you know). What’s that got to do with the match yesterday.
Yesterday we did a job on them and Lambert had to make it about him. I read the East Anglian Times yesterday ( !!!) I think his behaviour was deliberate, for a start it wasn’t a ” nothing Tackle” on Aarons and it had calmed down somewhat before his attack, on the wrong guy ! No this is all about him obscuring the awful job he has done, by these antics. And it was so obvious with comments in the EAT from Ipswich supporters that it was job well done Mr Lambert as the vast majority said after this incident they were all behind him whatever happens as he showed them how much he loves the club.
He has got what he wants, avoiding the sack. Which surely would come at the end of the season if the fans got on his and the boards backs.
We cannot take away from the great job he did here along with others, but we were no more than a stepping stone for a manager who craved a top 6 club. Instead he is now a person clinging on to a probably 3rd tier job because he knows this could be his last chance.
Just look at Daniel Farke, could you ever imagine him coming back here in a few years time with another club acting like that ?
What an awful team 1p5wich are. Apart from the 2 players mentioned they were nothing but cloggers and provided no threat. I think the Norwich commentators are being far too generous to them; they are absolutely rubbish.
The thing I love about this Norwich team is that not only can they destroy teams with brilliant football, they also refuse to be beaten in any physical contest-imagine being able to say that 12 months ago! The last 3 games have been against teams that , at least in part, have tried to bully us into submission and it hasn’t worked.
As for Lambert, it’s almost sad to see him in the state he is. Empty vessels make most noise and he’s in a situation where he’s devoid of ideas and his team is devoid of ability. The best quote I read yesterday was that Daniel Farke is living rent free in Paul Lambert’s head. The wink is proof.
While all kicked off if front of him , and Yes that wink , said it all
Good read Gary.
Sad to witness Lamberts behaviour, confirms he is a man in the last chance saloon.
Interesting to note how his career has nosedived since he parted with Culverhouse.
Easy to see why Ipswich are where they are. We beat them comfortably without moving out of second gear.
It might help them if their captain was a realist, however I suspect he is in the same position as his manager.
They are a club firmly entrenched in the last century.
Lambert is in last chance saloon. He was fighting to save his career. He has to repeat his Norwich success to rescue himself. He is drowning and knows it .
For all the big guy words, he can’t take the pressure. He made a fool of himself and was playing to the crowd.
The importance of Culverhouse to his success cannot be over estimated. Watch your back Gilly if it all goes wrong.
Now let’s get on with the real business.
Hi Gary
A great read and what a game lets hope Wedbesday against A N will be another good game on the Sky Red Button.
Tim I agree and have saud as much previously that Culverhouse has never got the credit he deserves for the achievements in those P L lead years and both him and Karsa really did get shafted in his dream of wanting success, possibly he hoped that Matt Gill would help him regain some of a reputation.
Stieperman was my great disappointed yesterday on a yellow can and them simulating he gad got fouled yes the gane was about over but another yellow followed by a red and possibly a 2 game ban would have hit the rest of the team hard, but how was it an 8 game yellow card the Ref over reacted to some pkay acting on both sides but didn’t use the red when it was needed Ipshite coukd have had 2 players sent off.
The 3 points were a welcome bonus now 2 points clear of Leeds and the play Sheff U in their next game.
If Ipshite are relegated how long will Lambert last next season, will the owner put money in or will we see another relegation to league 2 so much for their history it doesn’t count a jott were they are going.
The answer to your final question is not long I think both Col U and us know that if/when a better offer comes along he will be off!!
OTBC
At this point, I think it’s “if” – and a big one
It certainly wasn’t a great performance, but Pukki’s finishing is high class and if he stays fit things are looking good for us.
Farke deserves a lot of plaudits for learning from last season’s experiences and improving the team ethos and the over reliance on Maddison. Webber too has done some tremendous work in the transfer market and in getting high earners off the wage bill. The Board have taken a lot of stick over the last couple of years, but his acquisition is looking more and more like a masterstroke and they are due their fair share of praise too.
Hi Andy
My take on all this should be up on MFW tomorrow but what I will say in the here and now is you make a fair point about the Board.
I have been one of their biggest critics but they made a cracking appointment with Stuart Webber, who acquired Daniel Farke and henceforth all the good that has flowed ever since.
And they now appear to sit back and let SW and DF get on with it at the sharp end.
Which is crucial.
It would be nice to be able to forget all about Lambert, and just enjoy the win, but unfortunately that won’t be possible as both clubs are likely to get charged and fined. Even if we can plead innocence over the Lambert incident (and in truth something fairly strong must have been said to spark his ludicrous reaction) Cantwell’s stupidity in getting involved late on will be very hard to defend, if that confrontation is also included. I hope someone has a word with Stieperman about playacting too.
Anyway, the guys have put themselves in a great position. We have played most of the top teams twice already, whereas our rivals can’t avoid dropping points to each other. All we need now is to get Mo and Timm fit, and wouldn’t it be nice if McLean finally got a chance to show what he can do?
I don’t actually think Ipswich were any threat. Tim could have gone and made himself a cup of coffee, he had so little to do. I am pretty sure the game plan was to score early, then let them have the Ball knowing they don’t know what to do with it, then turn it up a bit and finish them off.
One good thing is that Lambert and Ipswich are consigned to the past. They will be in L1 for a long time. As for Lambert, “washed up” is a pretty good description. Orchestrating that melee to protect his player from getting a red and whipping up his fans was disgraceful. Should be fined for doing that. Did you see the way he was poking Chris on his way through the tunnel ? And even he admitted they’d got the wrong guy. He’s made a total show of himself, and I for one am loving it.
Paul Lambert .. who is that ? I heard he was once a goodish manager, who had two very good backroom boys to help succeed when he was away visiting family in Scotland. But other than that … who are ya. NOW
Looked to me as a sad little burnt out man who has seen better days, trying to get the spotlight back on himself.
We don’t have to be at our best . to see off them. not by a fluke or any other stroke of luck, but by three very good and well taken goals. Not our best but too good for them.
A Poor man’s Andy Carroll, Change that to a very poor man’s. He got no change out of Zimmerman or Godfrey
As I expected a rough and tumble game. perhaps more rough than tumble. But what else could we expect really. he has not got the players to seriously hurt many teams. In truth he is no better than who he replaced Paul Hurst, did I hear that he has now supassed the games Hurst had ?
Still this about City and the players who again delivered the goods in front of the Nations Cameras yet again.. Little worried by Super Mario Vrancic’s injury, I think he will not be ready for Preston, and Bolton will be a step too far., it was quite a roll of the ankle. He has been tremendous …. Trybull and Tetty or perhaps Leitner is ready. Could have done without it, but whoever fits in I am not worried
Hi Sharon
“Orchestrating that melee to protect his player from getting a red and whipping up his fans was disgraceful”.
The perfect spoiler for my MFW bit tomorrow – although I wrote it three hours before I read your comment:!
And so true as well. The man must be desperate. It really has to be oh dear, how sad, never mind and this time around I hope “we’ll never play you again” rings true.
As much as I loved Lambert for what he did here, yesterday smacked somewhat of catching up with an “ex” a few years down the line and thinking, “hun, you’ve let yourself go!”
Fair play to the City support, who steadfastly ignored Lambert and concentrated on our own team. The usual hot reception was afforded to the opposition players but Lamberts plan to antagonise and derail the game went awry.
His behaviour last week was disrespectful to City, the City fans, and to certain City players, the Norfolk press corps, et al. totally unprofessional and indicative of a complete @rsehole.
Quite obviously the man was on a mission to create a battle to nullify the glaring inequality between the sides. I read a paragraph of his post match interview and he mentioned the word “fight” six times.
Watching him fannying about like some Rab c Nesbitt tribute act jabbing his finger at various city officials, shoving a steward before hiding behind a policeman and continuing his tirade was embarrassing. The parts played in the melee by that moron Chambers and the dark haired goon in the blue t-shirt and our ex bibs balls and cones bloke shouldn’t be ignored.
If I was a cynic, I would suggest that the ruck was part of his plan. Having spent all week trying to upset Norwich City, Lambert succeeded only in getting his own panties in a knot and becoming a laughing stock. His incoherent bile after the match is worthy of derision and hopefully we won’t see him again as his career goes down the toilet.
As for the referee, Bankes is one we’ve had issues before, if my memory serves me well I believe he is the man responsible for denying a penalty and red card for Derbys keeper after he jumped on Murphy as he got goal side in the box. Weak and insipid, he could clearly see what Ipswich were trying to achieve and was complicit in the spoiling and fouling, completely ignoring yellow card offences and allowing Nolan to stay on the pitch after his late swipe at Aarons. Aided and abetted by his assistant referee for the day, the Sunday league escapee Chambers, who was in his ear throughout the game. Chaloba’s dodging of at least a yellow card was something to behold, given the incessant nature of his transgressions.
The spoiling, to a degree worked, had the tactic not been employed the scoreline could have been more emphatic. Ipswich had possession but had no idea what to do with it and clearly we were inviting them on in order to induce a mistake and a turnover, which is precisely what happened for the second goal. The football didn’t flow as well as we all would have liked but the end result was a spanking whichever way you choose to look at it.
Another ex manager lies in wait and that won’t be an easy assignment given the weekends exertions. At least Neil for all his limitations will behave in a gentlemanly manner and not play to,the gallery like a washed up parody.
As General M alludes to above, as much as Tettey is a great break up of play merchant, he is one dimensional when it comes to passing, seldom forward thinking with a pass and is slow in the turn, no zip if you like, which I felt showed up again yesterday. Arguably he doesn’t fit the Farke model, other than a final twenty minutes to shore things up.
So here’s the deal. The absolute truth of it is that Ipshit are shit but we knew this.
What’s becoming apparent is that we are the best team in the Championship bar none but and here comes the mega but, we are not Premiership quality. It pains me to say it but I think that’s the case.
Goal keeper, improving all the time but still prone to decisions and conduct that will cost us goals. I love the man, love what he has done for us this season but……….
Those boys in the back four. Until they face Aguero, Salah et al we just won’t know but even against Everton or Wolves, that is a different level. Can they collectively stand up? They have this season but……..
Mo Leitner, yes. Pure unadulterated presmiership class. Can he stay fit?
Tettey, no. Legend and I love him but no.
Super Tom and Super Mario……. maybe but are they too slow to stand up to the Premiership’s midfields?
Stieperdude: he is a dude but is he Too wasteful for that step up in class, Will his strength have the same effect in the Prem?
Hernandez, quick, hard as nails, Farke challenged him to find an end product and we have seen it but not sure he will be able to mix it against better, faster defenders with more nouse. Maybe but…..
Buendia, yes, class, yes, definitely but can we hold on to him……..
Pukki. Never bet against the goat. Imagine if he played for Liverpool!!!!!!
On reflection, this is made up of a lot of buts. Defensively we have to become error free- with our kids is this possible???
So how about some ifs…..
If Ben Godfrey, Zimbo, Max and Jamal carry on their meteoric rise they they will be a force to be reckoned with. Pace, strength and an attitude to die for. You won’t get it easy against them!
If Todd Cantwell continues his rate of progress then we have a really special player ready to unleash on the Premiership alongside our Cuban German and Argentinian.
So what is left to buy?? Jordan Rhodes for one. Dennis the Ikon to be a revelation.
Okay this has gone too far but……
How much money could we spend and would we spend it?
Oh shit we are not promoted yet!
Fantastic sum up Gary I am enjoying reading your column as you convey every fans thoughts in an intelligent but humorous manner. I look forward to reading your thoughts on hopefully our next 3 points
Steipermann does not dive it can clearly be seen that he had his foot stamped on .
We played our game to score a quick goal and then dictated the play by letting them have possession and for us to have a bit of a breather and catch them on the break the referee started off quite well but how he did not issue two red cards and a few yellows to Itfc I will never know It got to the stage that we received a few yellows for nothing fouls but Cantwell seeing the injustices if what was happening quite rightly received a yellow we were not at out best but did not need to be if we only counted the way we played scored our goals that was suffice enough Ipswich were a poor side which were allowed to have passages of play and looked reasonable but we knew they had no finish the score could easily have been 5 or6 nil