That one should have settled us all down a little.
Should have.
But then there was that sight of Ben Godfrey signalling to the City bench that has race was run, followed by him gingerly walking around the Dean Court pitch towards his latest treatment table.
When will this end? Or, more pertinently, how will it end?
With Timm Klose, Christoph Zimmermann and Grant Hanley all months rather than weeks away from a return to full fitness, this is entering the realms of farce. The footballing gods may have looked favourably on us for swathes of last season but this is payback time.
And the little buggers haven’t just gone at it with a scattergun. They’ve been forensic. They’ve honed in on our weak spot and gone in for the kill. Picking them off one by one.
And then there were none. Centre-backs that is (failing Godfrey making it miracle number two in the space of seven days). The gods seem to have relented on the defensive midfielders… for now.
Let’s just hope Akin Famewo is a good sleeper.
All of which makes yesterday’s point in Bournemouth that little bit more impressive, with Godfrey’s afternoon lasting 50 minutes before Alex Tettey was forced to deputise – making it a non-centre-back centre-back pairing with Ibrahim Amadou.
It meant another still-not-match-fit returnee, Tom Trybull was forced to enter the fray ahead of schedule.
But they dug in, played some good stuff at times, and were rewarded with one of those hard-earned, sometimes ugly, points that can be the difference between 17th and 18th.
We may not have found favour with Lineker and Shearer – for once we couldn’t argue – but who cares. Our first away point of the season and our first clean sheet were, in the circumstances, so vital and will hopefully instil some belief.
It was also a reward for the work done at Colney around defensive shapes over the last fortnight and belied my fear that we would gift the previously goal-less Dominic Solanke his ‘along come Norwich’ moment.
When that moment almost came, courtesy of Amadou’s one positional error of the afternoon, the returning Tim Krul gave us his best ‘Peter Schmeichel’ to block Bournemouth’s only clear cut chance of the game.
It was so good to have him back.
No blame whatsoever was apportioned to Michael McGovern for the Villa nightmare, and the fine double-save from the penalty was unfortunately lost amidst the five goals that flew into the City net, but Krul offers more to this group than goalkeeping alone.
Aside from a calming presence, the Dutchman offers a guiding hand to those in front of him and there’s no doubting the influence he’s had on the development on Godfrey, Jamal Lewis and Max Aarons. All three were excellent yesterday – while on the pitch in Godfrey’s case – and will have benefited from those booming Dutch tones ringing in their ears.
It would be wrong however to paint this as a backs-to-the-wall defensive slog because City had their moments too and after the break, in particular, looked as though they had a goal in them.
Teemu Pukki’s low drive from the edge of the box looked destined for the bottom corner until Aaron Ramsdale right hand had other ideas, and Tom Trybull’s drive from distance briefly nestled in the top corner until I removed the yellow and green tints and realised it had actually nestled in row J.
But the point is we looked a capable attacking force as well as infinitely more solid defensively than we have done at any stage this season. The changes and tweaks are probably minor and not obvious without studying the videos in a Danny Murphy style, but it was an altogether more solid and professional away performance than those we’ve witnessed recently.
Eddie Howe had the hump of course and attributed the Cherries’ dropped points to them having lost their “mojo” in the final third but I’d like to think Amadou’s towering presence had something to do with it too. Maybe he’ll turn his pockets out this morning, find said Bournemouth mojo and return it to Eddie.
In fairness to Howe, he did also describe City as a “tough nut to crack”, which is not something we’ve heard from too many opposition managers this season so far. A turning point maybe?
Among the returning absentees, the arrival of Onel Hernandez is probably the one that offers something different, certainly in the attacking sense. For him to have re-entered the fray three weeks ahead of schedule is a huge bonus and there’s something comforting about watching him scamper down that left-wing with defenders struggling in his wake.
He probably needs to be handled gently for a couple of weeks, but I look forward to the day he’s fully fit and unleashed. He brings unpredictability and excitement – and we’ve missed him.
So, only my third Match of the Day experience of the season for obvious reasons, but I couldn’t two 5hits that it was the briefest of highlights and was on so ‘last’ it was almost Sunday. Gritty performances like that are just what we have been missing.
Now, if any of you out there can play centre-back and are free next Saturday teatime…
Nice piece, Gary.
The way things are going we need to buy four centre backs in January!
I’ve only attended league games but would be interested to know if there is another Godfrey waiting in the wings?
On as positive a note as possible it probably puts less strain on Tettey playing at the back than it does in midfield.
Gary, Ben Godfrey apparently tweeted last night that “all is well”, so given that they’ve got an extra days rest this week, hopefully he’ll be ok for the United game.
MOTD only showed brief highlights, and that was mostly Bournemouth’s (failing) attacks, but the match stats tell a different storey. We had more possession, only one less attempt on goal, and more corners than the Cherries, so it couldn’t have been as one-sided as the Beeb would have you believe. On top of that, the two best efforts on goal were Teemu’s and Tom’s.
Hi Gary,
As always a very good read, I, and I’m sure most of us would have accepted a point and a clean sheet before kick-off, but I have to say that I’m disappointed that Lineker and Co. only showed two of our ten goal attempts whilst showing all eleven of Bournemouth’.
I know, we are only “Little Norwich” and should be grateful for the small scraps that are thrown our way but it does stick in the craw somewhat. Even when beating last season’s champions it was because they were poor, not that we were excellent!
Rant over, well done the boys in yellow and green, we love you and will always support you, we know that you always give your all and we truly appreciate it.
OTBC
The strangest thing for me was that we played better when Godfrey went off. It was like everyone stepped up their game 10 per cent and we were the better side for the last half hour. Kenny McLean was superb in that part of the match, winning aerial balls and driving the team forward, something I had not seen from him before. Max Aarons did some great work too in attack and Onel was on fire in his cameo. First clean sheet since goodness knows when …. all in all a really encouraging day.
Good read Mr G, as always. easy to write this week I bet. Points win safety who care a bugger how we get them . whether they lost their mojo or not as a home team of a pretty experienced prem was pretty poor. I am sure despite Jug Lugs and Big mouth shearer have to say. It was a darn good showing. Feared the worst when Godrey had to depart, as happens the rest step up a level to hang onto what they have worked for.
The defender crisis as it now turned into that will need some form of addressing, there is a lad in U23, that could step up at some point. I am confident had he been ready Farke would have no hesitation in blooding him. His record speaks for itself on that one.
Manure up next knowing a City win will more than likely see Ole Gunner given his P45. well thats what I read before the enforced break. No disrespects to him… come on city 3 points please.
Hi Gary
An enjoyable read Wales fight back against the French.
Reading the game yesterday on the EDP on line commentary it was suggested that possibly Tettey could extend his city career by moving back to CB with Godfrey and using Amadou in his prefered position, reasoning given was it would be less stressful on Tettey’s body maybe someone more qualified may beable to comment on that suggestion???
Yesterday proved Farke does gave a plan B also can adapt his style to the players available.
The nil nil draw isn’t to everyone’s approval and it doesn’t alter the goals against stats but it is something to build on for all concerned and long may it last.
Haringey Borough and Yeovil town gave become the latest game to have reported racial abuse against the players and this time both managers agreed to take the teams of and abandon the game, it is a sorry state of affairs when a minority group can do this.
Will it proved that a large group could actually get a game abandoned when the result isn’t going the way they want, as with the Hooligan problem of the 70’s and 80’s it is becoming more organised as in Bulgaria and many that are involved are well educated and in top jobs, live highly respected daily lives so is this a way of them spicing it up or just seeing what they can get away with.
The big question is how does the authorities deal with this abuse it has been suggested that going to court getting banned from ganes and fined is looked on as a badge of honour in their circle of friends, but would a prison sentence be any different, so what is the answer could you put them into an environment with mainly minority groups an answer gas to be found.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Just what the doctor ordered (assuming they weren’t to busy to order it).
Hi All
Kammy on Sky GOS just complemented city on their all round efforts yesterday as well as Chris Houghton.
Both disagreed with a VAR decision at the Spurs game Kammy saying it was Handball and Chris said in was at the joint of the Shoulder and Arm so not a Handball.
Simple question where does the Hand Finish if the whole area from Finger Tip to Shoulder is involved when did that rule change I always understood it counted below the Elbow or if the arm wss in an unnatural position can anyone explain this to me.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Good stuff as always Gary;
As the “experts” on MoTD said, given both teams previous defensive frailties this really DID have to be a 0 – 0; just wish I’d had the cojones to be at the bookies with it.
Just when will Herr Farke get a break with central defenders?? Hopefully Ben will be fit for next Sunday, although Tettey seemed to do a pretty good job when called upon.
Nice to see that MoTD has finally reverted to normal with just the briefest of highlights of our game, and in our usual last of the last slots!
O T B C
This was an important point it broke an incredible run. I have looked at the previous 19 away matches in the PL and we have lost 17 (only winning at Man U and West Brom), many of these defeats were by the odd goal so digging in for a point was important and the good feeling it gave was enhanced by seeing Lambert’s cloggers fail on TV today
I think that’s Amadou’s 5th game at centre back so whilst it’s not necessarily his best position he will by now be getting up to speed there.
I thought Famewo would at least be on the bench yesterday – that he wasn’t suggests that he isn’t yet considered ready, and certainly not for a potential relegation clash with Man U (well that’s what I’m calling it for the benefit of my friends in the north west)
If Godfrey isn’t fit I’d say it’s more likely that Lewis will move inside, Aarons switch to left, and Byram come in. I think he’s actually very strong defensively and reads the game well and Man U don’t strike me as a team who are going to throw high balls in the box. Stopping Rashford and James on the floor will surely be the order of the day.