Prior to the arrival of Solkjaer’s Manchester United at Carrow Road, we were a little giddy; thinking that their stuttering form meant they were, quote, there for the taking. We paid the price and were reminded of the gulf in quality between the have and have-nots.
The Man City win had lulled us into thinking anything was possible but glorious evenings like that one in mid-September don’t come along very often. Not when you’re Norwich City. They require an extraordinary level of planet alignment
When it’s boiled down, we’re ill-equipped to regularly go toe-to-toe with the haves. As the bonafide kings of the have-nots, we will chuck in the odd grenade – like upsetting Man City – but in the cold light of day, most are realistic enough to know how difficult it is for us to live with the league’s Galacticos.
So why didn’t it feel like that yesterday?
Why did it feel, in that second-half in particular, like we were going toe-to-toe with one of the so-called big six and coming out on top?
Why did it feel like they were hanging on at times and were reliant on a couple of worldies from Bernd Leno to earn a point?
Not bad for little old Norwich.
For all their travails this season, this Arsenal squad remains jam-packed full of quality. Expensively sought quality. They spend sums of money on players we can only dream of – £137 million in the summer, which included £72 million on Nicolas Pépé – and for the opening 20 minutes yesterday it showed.
Free of the toxicity that had built up around Unai Emery, the Gunners played with the fluency and swagger we have come to expect and, despite there being an element of City deliberately sitting tight, it needed an alert Tim Krul and an even more alert Onel Hernandez to stop them going ahead.
But in the face of a breathless onslaught, City held firm 2018-19-style. There is comfort in having the old gang being back together and there are few finer sights than Zimmermann and Godfrey high-fiving with Krul roaring his approval in the background. Feels like our happy place.
And it’s from that more-solid base that City now look like a team that can hurt others on the break – just as they did when Pukki did what Pukki does when his assured touch had Mustafi and David Luiz backing off. The deflection may have helped but it was the Pukki of six weeks ago, which is just what we need.
The Arsenal equaliser was a gut-wrencher but one the law-makers will insist was handled correctly. No doubt those at Stockley Park were giving themselves slaps on the back all around for getting the right decision, but while I’ve tried to be gentle with VAR in its formative stages, there is something that just doesn’t feel right about how this is affecting games.
Of course, Max Aarons was *just* encroaching but I find it hard to believe that there isn’t an element of the same with every single penalty kick. Was it a ‘clear and obvious error’ on the part of Paul Tierney that he didn’t spot Max straying millimetres into the penalty area in that split-second? Of course, it wasn’t.
And for all the technicalities involved, it rips the joy out what should be thunderous moments of sporting theatre, like a penalty being brilliantly saved and the immediate aftermath.
It was impossible not to feel for Krul, whose magnificence increases game-on-game.
City’s second goal had elements of the first in that they won the ball back with Arsenal pushing numbers forward, and let’s not underestimate the quality of Kenny McLean’s pass to send Hernandez clear. His pace worried the visitors all afternoon and on the occasion when he found the right pass, Todd Cantwell profited, with the assuredness of a seasoned Premier League performer.
That Master Aubameyang had to spoil our party was a shame but the attacking threat of Mezut Özil set-pieces – he did little else – was problematic all afternoon.
From thereon in it was pretty much all City, with the tempo and verve taking us back to last season and the type of football that got us here in the first place. In the Championship there would have been no Leno to spoil the party and it was one we would have gone on to win.
It still took a game-saving challenge from Ibrahim Amadou in the closing minutes to secure the point, however; just reward for a fine afternoon’s work particularly without the ball. With the ball at his feet, he’s yet to link with Tom Trybull in an Tettey-style but that will undoubtedly come. His overall contribution was magnificent.
So, a point. A good one. A deserved one. And that we’re a little pi55ed that we didn’t beat Arsenal speaks volumes for where we are right now.
On to St Mary’s.
I’m getting very frustrated with VAR, as I think most supporters of most clubs are. We don’t seem to have benefitted from a single decision this season, and the confusion over what they are doing at Stockley Park doesn’t help. What was the “checking red card” bit all about? We thought they were checking for the handball by the Arsenal player at first, but couldn’t see how it could have been a red card. They didn’t seem to have noticed the handball, because it was apparently for a head butt? Also, why can’t we see the incident they are checking on the big screen? On MOTD on Saturday, they said it was because Man U and Liverpool don’t have big screens, but at Leicester yesterday the potential off-side decision was shown on their big screen. So far, VAR is looking like an experiment that needs a lot more work.
Rant over. What an excellent performance in the second half, shame that Leno found a bit of form.
A great 2nd half for sure. With Zimbo and Amadou in their best positions and the Mayor pushing forward, we look better balanced for a push to break out of the bottom 3. Great to see Pukki scoring again on the same weekend his beer appeared!
Hi Gary
A good summary of yesterdays game.
It looked watching on TV that Zimmermann had a point he was pushed buy why he had his arms so high I just can’t fathom.
As for their equaliser in commentary it was said that once a second ball enters the field of play the game is stopped to save confused by all concerned this so called Ref didn’t as he didn’t think it had any interference in the build up to the goal, it was also mentioned that at that point the cirner should have been retaken.
In all the Ref was a complete waste if space and with some of his decision making it really looked like he wanted Arse-nal to get something out of the game.
Farke needs to find a solution to all the woes that comes from city conceding so many goaks from corners they seem so inept at defending them it causes panic not only for the players but the crowd behind the goals, it’s like a great intake of breath till the danger has past.
City were really slow out of the blocks and but for a couple of well placed interseptions could have lost the game in the first 20mins, with Southampton up next at the Carrow Rd lets hope we can get another 3 points on the board and possibly escape the bottom 3.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Great as always Gary.
I think it just shows how far we’ve come in 3 to 4 weeks to be disappointed in “only” taking one point from Arsenal. Indeed, but for Leon and the beast that is now VAR it could so easily have been all three.
I’m confused as to why Zimbo (who otherwise had an excellent game) had his arm so high, but to penalise Aarons (whose foot still looked behind the line) was ridiculous. As above, why was there a late VAR check for a red card when most of the River End seemed to think that a hand ball had occurred?
I thought VAR would level the playing field for us “smaller” clubs, but it still seems that the Stockley Park residents are happy to look to penalise us, whilst always turning a blind eye to those who sin against us.
Never mind; three points on Wednesday and we’ll all be smiling again!
O T B C
Right, the referee warned the players not to encroach. Aarons, like most young players, took no notice. Had he done so, held his run even for half a second, he’d have still got to the ball first.
Krul, having been booked for his antics, then allowed himself to get involved with the Arsenal guys a couple of minutes later.
Sometimes I get the feeling these lads, in all clubs, not just ours, just need to use their brains a little more.
Encroachment, pre-VAR has always been rife, so it’s not surprising it’s becoming an issue. Breaking a habit that’s probably been trained into them on a “get away with it if you can” basis isn’t going to be easy.
Even before VAR I’ve always thought it would be much better if the authorities took the problem away altogether. Make it simple – either you score with your penalty, or you don’t. No follow up, no corner if it’s tipped wide or over. The keeper simply restarts with what’s effectively a free kick. It is in effect what happens in a penalty shoot out (except there’s no restart) or with a penalty flick in hockey, It would work at every level of the game, and make life easier for referees everywhere bearing in mind that only a very small number actually have VAR to fall back on..
Farke can surely now believe that he has found his best eleven. The more pragmatic approach taken in the last two games has paid off too. McLean’s pass to Hernandez was the pass of the season so far and Todd’s finish sublime. I hope Amadou is getting some shooting practice!
What a cracking match of football. Michael Bailey put it perfectly – we have our mojo back. The commentators on NBC kept saying we lacked speed, but I thought we looked very dangerous on the break.
As for VAR, until people realize that technology should be used for very specific binary decisions (ball went over the line or not), it’s going to keep ruining the sport. What a killjoy.
Hi Gary.
Good write up of the game. I would have taken a draw before the game started but am now frustrated we only got 1 point instead of 3.
Optimism is now back after 2 very good performances. It looks like we can take on any team below the top 3 and give them a good game. The difference in getting players in their preferred positions is so marked. Farke now seems to have found his best team with Amadou and Tettey interchangeable. Byram seems to have stepped up really well and he deserves to have a good run in the team.
Looking forward to getting something out of the next two games to hopefully get us out of the bottom three.
OTBC
Hi Colin
I agree with you – especially your point that Farke has found his best team with the bonus of an interchangeable Tettey and Amadou.
I also agree that Sam Byram was excellent and deserves a run in the team – more on him from me tomorrow.
First thing is to say how much more cohesive we look now that our CDMs are able to play as CDMs and give freedom to our Attacking Midfielders. I had tipped Pukki to score, the drought was not a real drought as he had scored for Finland. It was the kind of match that states “This is why we want to be here and why we deserve to be here” Unfortunately this is one of the seasons where points are being picked up all over so we have little room for error. Regarding VAR, I echo the wish that we could see the replay on the big screen. I watched a recording of Sky’s coverage but it did not answer every point. For the penalty we all thought there was a foul on Zimmerman and it wasn’t until I saw MOTD that I could see that there was minimal contact and he just lost his balance. For the encroachment, Aarons had not set foot into the area so what is encroachment? I seem to remember being able to lean into the area. For the Red Card it did look like handball at the ground but looking again it was clearly chest and maybe a brush against the arm, the red card was potentially for the Arsenal player’s reaction to McLean. VAR was more accurate this week rather than Cantwell’s “shoulder ball” and Mings handball not being picked up. We need a point like LBW in cricket where the onfield decision stands if it is marginal
“Aarons had not set foot into the area so what is encroachment? ”
You don’t have to be within the penalty area to have encroached.
Encroachment is being within 10 yards of the penalty spot. The spot is only 6 yards from the edge of the penalty area at it’s nearest point – that’s why there’s a big D outside the area.