So, for one final time.
A season that promised so much, yet delivered only a big, fat, Family Fortunes-type UH UH.
At least when we headed to Anfield on August 9, we had hopes and dreams. Okay, so there was a little bit of fear over the level of damage the reigning European champions may inflict, but it’d get easier from there. Wouldn’t it?
And, plus, it was the start of a new adventure.
But this afternoon is just a bonafide buttock-clencher. Full stop. The only good thing that can possibly come out of it is that we don’t suffer a shellacking of Manchester United/Ipswich or Southampton/Leicester proportions.
And when the bar is that low, you know at some point over the last few months the brown stuff and the fan have collided.
That one of our measly five wins was against Man City merely adds to the jeopardy level. So too the records that Pep’s men have in their sights as described succinctly by Archant’s Dave Hannant.
And while revenge is maybe a bit strong, Guardiola will want to put right what went wrong for him on that balmy September night, and he’ll certainly not want to suffer the ignominy of being doubled by statistically one of the worst teams ever to blight the top division.
Alas, for us, this is a very different Norwich team to the one that pulled off that Carrow Road miracle. We may have been on our knees in terms of personnel, but we had spirit and confidence and belief.
The ol’ place was literally abuzz that night and as we left the ground – in something of a daze, to be honest – it felt like almost anything was possible.
As it transpired, the records we ended up smashing were all of the wrong kind. But we were right in a way… anything was possible.
We know from previous experiences what a brutal, unforgiving place the Premier League can be. Been there, done that.
But we somehow convinced ourselves that because our club was being managed a different way, this particular Premier League experience was going to be better than those that had gone before.
We were wrong.
If anything, this experience has been the most painful of the lot; part of which can be attributed to the worldwide tragedy that’s unfolded, part of which boils down to some misfortune and some of which has been of our own making.
The bit over which we’ve had control has been royally screwed up. Of that there can be no debate.
Too much was asked of Stuart Webber by the owners.
Too much was asked of Team Farke by Stuart Webber.
And too much was asked of the players by Team Farke.
And, yes, I know… hindsight. But looking back and knowing what’s unfolded since, it would have taken a miracle of five loaves and two fishes proportions for City to survive.
It isn’t all about money of course, it’s about how you spend it, but when you have barely a pot to pee in, the few coins you do have have be spent soooo wisely.
No wriggle room. No margin for error.
Like I said, the board were not only asking Webber to feed the 5000, he was also expected to walk on water while simultaneously turning it into wine.
I’m tempted to say, hopefully a lesson learned, but if the same opportunity comes along again, I suspect we’ll have no option but to take a very similar path.
In the meantime, keep everything clenched, strap yourself in, and hold on for dear life. Or just hide behind the sofa.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends…
Wise words, mate.
[I’ve overdosed on Harry Enfield and the Fast Show during lockdown].
I wonder what Ron Manager and Julio Geordio would make of this shower 🙂
Maybe if they allow us to use “jumpers for goalposts” we can make our goal a bit smaller? 😉
Cricket season, chaps, I’ll be at my Club and avoiding all radios….
Hi Dan
I’m following day three of the Test on Guardian Live. I don’t really want to watch the Citeh game either but will probably access channel 11 midway through the second half.
Let’s hope it’s not the proverbial “cricket score” when I do.
The short term humiliation is a sacrifice for long term prosperity. Can we call it a screw up if we never had any real intention to survive? The real screw up would have been. If we had spent big and still gone down.
We have spent more for next season than this. Really the players deserved more backup after their efforts last season. Away v Man. City in a packed ground would be a great motivation but we are struggling to put a team together in a meaningless game in an empty stadium.
We must stay with the plan,the wrong reaction would put us back to square one. Hopefully we can look at this season in years to come and think it was part of the journey.
If not it was that _______ Leeds fan, wasn’t it?
Maybe when Man C have got their 3, one of which is a Bruyne assist, they’ll go all defensive so that Ederson can get his award. Gotta look on the bright side of life.
That was going to be my comment, Herr Cutz! Let them have three early goals, four if they insist, as long as they then promise to just pass it around in their inimitable style, we promise not to threaten Ederson’s goal (as if!), and they can relax and look forward injury free to their European game.
Probably end up one nil to us, after all that!
As you say Gary we face the final curtain on the most exceptional season ever all for the wrong reasons.
I feel it is more a Bitter Sweet Symphony, the highs from our very decent start, That brilliant win over Citeh, Pukki’s form, Todd’s form to a virus so tragic that for many people, myself included, it made football irrelevant.
And then on to Project Restart, designed to Cheer up the nation/Save the PL Clubs losing
a pot full £££.
As has been discussed by all of us so many times on here the whys and wherefores of our awful performances after the restart will be dissected by Stuart & Daniel ad nauseum in the coming weeks, along with a much more in-depth study as to why we didn’t survive in the Premiership.
And that is where we must go now, the future. It seems the club have set their incoming targets for next season to be pacier, stronger. Lessons learnt already.
Players who really want to leave must be allowed to but only at the right price, and if that is not forthcoming they must knuckle down and help the new look team make another attempt to finish top 6 minimum.
My real worry is a spanking today could erode confidence even more than it is now.
This will be Daniel Farke’s biggest task in the close season, turn this losing mentality back into a winning one.
OTBC
Hi Gary
Pep’s words that hit home in the last couple of days was scoring 100 goals for the season as other comments once this has been reach will they shut up shop or will they decide to go for 105 only time will tell.
It is going to be a very interesting day of sport with all kickoff times being the same so texting from my Spurs supporting sons will be in full flow and my wife watching Man U in the bedroom and I will be watching city and keeping a weather eye on the cricket.
I will look with great expectations for tomorrow after game article hopefully there will be something good for you gentlemen to get to grips with to end the season and look forward to 12th September for project Chumpionship as with the other clubs relegated city will be out there with a big target on there backs so let’s get prepared.
Krul was interviewed by the Dutch Press and I am not sure his comments came out right yes he states he loves the city and club and says its given his career a boost but then says he isn’t going to push anything as he owes the club, Is he saying let me go if an offer comes in or just trying to see if premiership clubs are interested in him for one last big pay day only time will tell, at least Pukki hasn’t been in the press that we know of.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe and well
I don’t care if the opposition get 8, as long as we score, if we manage that we will double our tally of goals scored since February 28th and more importantly Nick Pope would get the golden glove award if Burnley keep a clean sheet and wouldn’t it be great to see him nudge Jason Pickford from his perch. My other wish for today is to see the Hammers stuff the Villa and Watford sneak at draw against Woolwich Arsenal, ok that’s three wishes, I think I deserve it after assiduously sticking to the task of supporting Norwich City football club for so long, now if Brentford can progress through the play offs…
Wish list – Villa to come down with us and Bournemouth – just to prove money can’t buy success; Fulham to go up through the playoffs – just to get them out of our way so they don’t beat us twice (again).
Topped off by a 2-1 win at the Etihad. I remember Gossy scoring at the Kop end when Liverpool fans were celebrating its final day and it would be equally wonderful to spoil David Silva’s final game and shut up the arrogant mancs who can only talk about the records they are going to break against us. I hope Farke has put those quotes up on the dressing room wall…..
Biggest wish is that Bielsa goes to Barca as Messi has asked there board to recruit him as manager for next season then see them fall back to the championship for another 16 years
It is a sad indictment of the state of the club when the build up to a league match is set against the backdrop of so many supporters hoping that we can get out of town with a single figure defeat.
I have shut my curtains, pulled down the blinds and got a calculator at the ready I truth I am studying the manual on my new camera, never seen so much hidden behind 1 button, If it was a footballer Farke would have signed him, covering every position.
all I can say is thank god it will soon be over, will we be spared further embarrassment or not ?
not holding my breath
You could equally replace ‘Too Much’ with ‘Nothing’.
Was anything asked from anybody? Or was it a season going through the motions?
Norwich City continue to be condemned in the National Media (Archant are far too sympathetic for very obvious reasons which I won’t go into here) for their contempt of the Premier League.
Try going to Penzance and back on a gallon of fuel – That’s Norwich City.
I really don’t think any lessons will be learned. Why should they? The majority shareholders have no interest in the Premier League, so why should it be any different? Even my 15 year old nephew has worked that one out and he’s only been going to matches for 18 months.
City flatter to deceive, but the result is always the same. As fans, how much do you put up with?
That is the question some will be asking with Project Failure.