Well, that was all rather pleasant and unexpected.
In a season where grind has outscored glory by around three to one, not a straw goes by without being clutched, so forgive me if I make the most of this one.
- A hattrick from an 18-year-old
- A place in the fourth round of the FA Cup
- Scoring four goals
- A win!
For once, the positives came thick and fast and for now, I’m going to ignore the yeah but(s)…
Adam Idah’s hattrick was, for him and us, the stuff of dreams and it was grand that in 2019/20 we finally had an entry for the City books that was a celebration rather than a curse.
There’s no such thing as a bad hattrick, of course, but this was a particularly good one that relied on a striker’s instinct and hours and hours of Colney graft. Particularly goal number two.
I’ve rambled on in the past around how the really good strikers – like Teemu Pukki – have this unnatural ability to relax when presented with a goalscoring opportunity, as opposed to experiencing that tightening of the shoulders and befuddlement of the brain. I know this, I’ve been there.
I was clearly in the befuddled camp, and so there was something glorious around the way Idah picked his spot from 35 yards with the goal at his mercy minus any doubt in his mind over where that ball was going to end up. The technique and execution were perfect; that of a seasoned striker.
His afternoon didn’t start too badly either.
Marco Stiepermann, free of the shackles imposed upon him by those pesky Premier League defenders, looked a player reborn and took just 90 seconds to do what came as second nature last season: receiving the ball on the half-turn, driving towards the opponents’ goal and sliding through a perfectly weighted pass.
Idah’s speed over ten yards and goalscorer’s instinct did the rest.
For a co-founder of the Stiepi appreciation society, this throwback to 2018/19 was a timely fillip, having watched him painfully struggle and toil amidst the rarified air of the Prem. Given that extra half-a-second on the ball, he was able to get his head up and pick his passes; the like of which were manna from heaven for Pukki last season.
All too often this season, he’s been allowed no time to take the two of three touches he needs to become effective, often being not permitted the opportunity to get on said half-turn, instead being forced to receive the ball facing his own goal.
But against Championship players, some of them second-string Championship players, he was the Stiepi of old, with Idah the main beneficiary. The German was involved, to some degree, in all four goals and won’t have been alone in benefitting hugely from events at Deepdale.
Another to have been offered a rare outing in the north-west was one Mo Leitner, who within those 94 minutes exhibited all of the traits, good and bad, that have made him such a challenge for Daniel Farke.
We know how good he can be with the ball at his feet when given time to pick his passes and there is no-one better in that scenario at picking the right pass to break the hard press when it comes. His instinct of knowing when to play the safe pass and when to try something inventive is second to none – we have no-one better.
The flip side is his tendency to appear lightweight when what’s needed is a presence to help bolster the muscle of Alex Tettey, Tom Trybull or Ibrahim Amadou. That’s not him, he’s a quarterback, but in the current system, with two deep-lying midfielders used to both protect the back-four and instigate things, he has found it tough, especially in the Prem.
I have no idea if there’s any validity in the theory that him and the head coach fail to see eye-to-eye – I don’t suppose for one second that Mo is happy at not being in the 18 – but I tend to go with the theory that Mo’s not been picked because Farke thinks he has better options at the moment. Simple as.
That Leitner can be a bit stroppy is no secret either, so I’m ignoring his apparent petulance when the ball was handed to Idah for the penalty, but it is perhaps a case of him being one who takes a little more managing than others in the squad.
What he is, is a very good footballer, technically one of our very best, who has not been able to take his chances when they came along in the Premier League. Maybe those opportunities will still come but right now he’s down the pecking order.
But I digress… there was more to yesterday than just Adam, Stiepi and Mo. It was a team performance, against admittedly limited opposition, that reminded us of the joy that Farkeball can bring when it works. It was a reminder that if the worse happens this season, then the next one will be better.
It was also a nod in the wrong direction to our ongoing defensive woes. It needed some Michael McGovern acrobatics late on to deny Preston a late comeback and some last-ditch defending to avoid a Carrow Road replay. So, for all the thrills and spills, some things don’t change.
Yet it was an afternoon joyously free of the blight of VAR; ironic therefore that two of City’s and one of Preston’s goals would likely have been ruled out if Stockley Park’s finest had been on the case.
As a spectacle, however, no-one would argue it wasn’t infinitely better with Martin Atkinson free to make and own his decisions. It ebbed and flowed as football matches should.
So, a good one, an enjoyable one and we – in Norwich City terms – are in on a cup run!
Nicely positive Gary – a shame some fans were still being negative despite the win. Every win or draw is a step in the right direction and we should be encouraging the team along with it.
Can’t help thinking Steipi has a big role still to play, either as a sub (brought on early though) to help us stay stronger and keep the call further up the pitch later in games (something we are weak at right now) or even as a starter now we have a fully functioning playing system again. Seems harsh to judge him on the period he played when the team was so decimated.
Also can’t help thinking a back 3 with Mo just in front might be worth a look. A bit like David Fox used to play, as long as there are tackling midfielders in front of him.
OTBC
1
Nice to have a good win write up Gary.
Look forward to seeing Adam again, if only for ten or fifteen mins towards the end of each prem again.
The less than talented Mr Ripley yesterday gave us plenty of help.
2
Like you Gary I was most impressed by Idah’s cool head – not one second’s hesitation with the second goal. .Weaker foot? So what, just go for it. I wish more players would do that. But he also looks capable of holding the ball up with his back to goal, even under heavy pressure (not all of it legal).
He was probably a bit lucky not to be called offside for the penalty, and even luckier that the keeper only got a yellow – had it been red he’d have had Declan Rudd in the way instead, and I think he might have got down to that. It was powerfully hit, but not as close to the corner as reports seem to suggest.
As for the rest of the team, well you can only beat what’s in front of you, and they did that. I was surprised that PNE made so many changes, I would have thought it was worth them having a go.
I’d love to know who the idiot behind me was who, when Stiepperman ran into traffic once late in the game, screamed “you’re ****ing **it”
If we can get to the last 8 we’ll have won as many FA Cup ties this year as in the whole of the previous decade.
All in all a good day out, including a convivial meal with PNE friends afterwards.
1
Yes gary I was very excited that idah would finally get to start and boy did he deliver within 10 mins his 1st goal was online so he’s clearly got a lot of admirers already and the nicest thing afterwards is the photo of him shaking farkes hand his face beaming with pride 🙂
I hope and am pretty sure he can cut it in the prem and really help us fight for survival .
It would of been good to see the lad akin famewo to at cb to see what he can do because he looks some prospect too.
Was writing down all the quoted prices for our young lads and estimated pukkis and buendias and if we went down and cashed in on the lot we really would have a lot of cash to reinvest in the fruit and build another capable squad to get promoted …..? Not what we want I know but my positive side just seeing the good webber doing he has said we will be a selling club we have to realise this if we don’t survive .
Yesterday was brilliant but do we need a cup run which could bring more injuries ?
0
Hi Gary
A good analysis of yesterdays game.
A N said after the game that VAR would have been used if the gane was at Carrow Rd and his team would gave got something out of it I personally think city would still have won.
Now we must hope for a goid draw on Monday and also hope DF can possibly see away of trying to use 2 up front that might get a few premiership wins and put pressure on tge teams just above us.
City are being mentioned with a swedish striker that has a less scoring rate than Srbyen over the last 2 years just hope that Idah gets a chance to prove he has what it takes in the Premiership after yesterday’s showing
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
0
Considering the score line when last we met this was indeed a great result. Maybe a decent foretaste of the good times to come next season. A pocket full of dosh, no VAR and plenty of wins. And perhaps a cup run this season to ease the pain, gotta agree with you Gary.
2
I’ve seen loads of experienced Premier League strikers, who presented with similar opportunities that Idah had for his second goal, would have put it over the bar or wide of the posts. His chip/lob was perfection, bouncing just about on the goal line. Perfection personified!
Made me laugh to hear Alex Neil lamenting the absence of VAR. Thats the first time this season we’ve benefitted from a marginal decision. Having watched Derby v Barnsley on Friday evening, it was a delight to see decisions made (whether right or wrong), and the game continue. There was a instance in the Wigan game, where a player was given off-side even though the ball was passed to someone else who was on-side, before he eventually scored from the cross, in an on-side position.
Ridiculous decision!
0
Idah is looking like the next academy product, who will make a big impact on the first team. Given the injuries to our strikers he should get some premier league game time, maybe starting at Man Utd.
Hope we get a decent draw at Carrow Road. Cheap prices to attract lots of families so the next generation of Canary fans can get a chance to watch a first team game.
OTBC
0
People want a song for Idah so, to the tune of Danny Boy, how about:
Adam Idah
From Cork he came to City
To live the dream
When he was just(?) fifteen
He’s born to score
So isn’t it a pity
We’ll loan him out
Like Madders,to Aberdeen!!
Excuse the cynicism, but I would’nt put it past them.!
Good luck to Adam and well done on a great full debut.
2
Just goes to prove that even if we go back down we can play good football and hopefully be at the top end of the championship it will all depend on what happens in January who goes and who comes in
0
Great wasn’t it!! I was in 2 minds whether to go or not, though I only live 25 minutes or so away, really glad I did. Did I hear the announcer say the crowd was approx. 7600, and there were 1800 Canaries there? Also, our new hero is it “EYE-DAH’, as in the US State ‘Idaho’. Or as they said on MoTD, ‘EEhHDAH’, anyone know, I’ve assumed the former?
0
Hi Dan
I always thought it was eye-da too but lots of folks [including the all-Nigeria football site] reckon it’s ee-da.
I’ll go with the Super Eagles followers!
0
Fair enough!
0