And so it goes on…
You know it’s bad when you no longer get fired up or angry when City concede a goal. Even worse is when that final whistle goes to signal another defeat and it gets greeted with no more than a shrug.
But that my friends is where we are. Or at least where I am.
I expected nothing from our trip to the London Stadium and wasn’t disappointed. Standard Premier League fare for us.
West Ham, of course, are a good side with top-four aspirations, so it was always going to be a difficult evening, but the football supporter in us all was quietly hoping against hope that City could spring a surprise. They do happen after all.
But not to us. Not in the season 2021-22. In this campaign, Norwich City trades only in disappointment.
Even on an evening where the performance level was okay and there were a couple of good individual performances, Adam Idah in particular, we were still some way off being good enough to earn even a point.
That win over Southampton feels like a very long time ago.
And I’ve reached the point where I actually feel sorry for Dean Smith and Craig Shakespeare. It feels like they were sold a pup by Stuart Webber.
But I don’t blame Webber. It’s his job to make the big calls and it was his job to use all the tools at his disposal to persuade Smith and Shakey that there was a worthwhile project ongoing here and that this squad had enough about it to at least make it a relegation scrap.
While there is an argument that the former of those two selling points still holds – a step back does reveal an ongoing project – there is, by no stretch of the imagination, a squad here that’s about to claw its way to safety.
Yes, we’re only three points from safety but 17th-placed Watford have two games in hand on us, while 18th-placed Burney – who are about to have £25 million from the sale of Chris Wood burning a hole in their pocket – have played three games fewer than us.
It takes mental gymnastics of Derren Brown proportions to take something positive out of that, especially when you’re on a run of six straight defeats and managed to negotiate the whole of December without scoring a goal.
If anyone can offer me some comfort from those two stats, I’m all ears.
We’re done. Our race is run.
And all of the brickbats that continue to be fired in our direction from TalkSPORT and the like – Simon Jordan the latest to have his say (I’ll not post a link because it’s far too brutal and cutting for pre-watershed) – can no longer be contested. We are cr@.p, we are woeful, and we don’t appear worthy of a place in the Premier League.
The fight, I’m sorry to say, has been sucked out of us.
Yet, as hard as we try, we, the fans, can’t just switch off. Most of us are far too invested in this football club to do that, which is why looking too far ahead should also come with a health warning.
On the basis of us being a Championship club again next season, we’ll not be retaining the services of Mathias Normann or Ozan Kabak beyond May. One of those will be a big miss, the other not so much, but the point is there will be two gaps in the squad to fill.
We also have to accept that Max Aarons will finally leave us. Compared to others who have been in a similar position of being wanted, Max’s attitude has been exemplary. He has more than earned his move, although I do sense he has lost his edge as a result of playing in a poor team. Nevertheless, he is the last of the so-called family jewels and when he goes, what then?
Todd Cantwell I guess comes into that equation but his stock is tumbling with every sick note and while it seems clear he will depart in this window, it will be for a fraction of his estimated worth last summer. Quite frankly, the sooner he departs the better.
So what does that leave us with?
Well, with something that’s pretty unremarkable, to be honest. There’ll be no Emi Buendia replacement in that squad to help elevate us above the rest; nor will there be an Oliver Skipp clone to help make us more solid than the rest.
And that’s without considering those, like say Teemu Pukki and/or Tim Krul, who may wish to depart for one final crack at the big time.
With the best will in the world, what remains has the look of a bog-standard Championship outfit.
Perhaps those at the top would be happy with that.
Anyway, in the short-term, it’s Everton up next. The same Everton who have won only once away this season.
*Gulp.
Whilst I think the ownership constraints underpin everything and maybe offer a degree of mitigation, I don’t agree that we can’t blame Webber.
Whichever way you look at it the recruitment this summer has been horrifically bad, verging on negligent snd that’s on him. We didn’t buy players who are ready or who were the type of players we needed. The midfield options are an utter embarrassment and the polar opposite of the extra physicality and athleticism he himself said we needed. So whilst Delia and MWJ are definitely part of the problem, Webber needs to hold his hands up and rectify this now and he could also perhaps come out of his bunker and apologise.
I don’t disagree, Jim. The point I was trying to make (badly) is that I don’t blame Webber for luring Smith and Shakespeare using the tools at his disposal. IE. Telling him it was a squad that’s good enough to survive when it clearly isn’t.
Totally agree with all of that Jim.
And you’re right Gary from your article – we’re done. I’ve never conceded defeat so early in a struggling season, but I’m just hoping for damage limitation now, plus the hope that we don’t allow any serious records to tumble.
Recruiting a CDM must have been top of the list the moment Skipp went back to Spurs, so why 9 months later do we still not have one? Not even a player who minors as one. That glaring omission is positively obtuse.
Secondly – and this may answer my own question – a lot of the business seemed to be quite late this close-season (after the season started in a case or two). I’m assuming that’s because no one wanted to come here. I don’t buy the wages limitations because we pay competitive wages for the bottom half of the PL. Geography may play a part but Newcastle, Southampton and Bournemouth seem to manage.
Thirdly, perhaps it’s a negative perception hangover from our last utterly dismal PL ‘attempt in 2019/20. And if that is the case, then imagine how difficult recruitment will be after this utterly abject season, which has been unforgiveably even worse statistically, practically, and emotionally.
Fourthly, look at the haemorrhaging of the chance to build up a wider fan base among young people across the world. Our side in our kit is instantly recognisable. It’s an instant brand. But what self-respecting kid outside (or inside) Norfolk is going to choose that lot bereft of heroes who lose 3-0 every week? What a wasted – and very probably unrecoverable chance.
I bet Dean Smith wishes he’d stayed in New York. This will not end well.
So the project ultimately failed. We had some great times and like now some woeful times. We cannot judge Dean Smith this season if you get given the worst squad in the league you are going to get the worst results. The club cannot compete at this level in terms of investment, under the current ownership that is not a fault but a fact. What money we did invest has not brought players of sufficient quality and is gone.
When the rebuild comes as it surely will then as delightful as it was Farkeball has to go it’s not feasible for a yo-yo club. Instead we need players who have fire in their belly, basic footballing sense and courage. I’m not seeing much of that.
Cantwell needs to leave the club as soon as possible. What his issues are I don’t know but he is currently drawing a very decent wage for nothing in return.
Gilmour, send him back he is not what Norwich need.
Williams, send him back he’s holding back Gianoulis
Finally Stuart I think your race is over.
Completely agree with all you say Gary and all the comments above. except for one thing.
S & S were well aware of the situation here. They’re experienced Prem and Championship management operators. I don’t think they’re the sort of blokes who could have been sold a pup by SW, unlike the Cowleys for example. They were surely well aware of what happened here in 19-20 under Delia and MWJ. I’m sure they weren’t desperate for any job after the Villa dismissals, hence they must have been assured things would be better in the medium term. Why would they sign up otherwise?
Painful and very boring game to watch. Norwich didnt have not even 1 scoring chance, Idah had very good shot but it was long range shot. Same time Norwich defence is not able to defend and basically 2-0 was slightly flattering result for Norwich. Strangest thing was that West Ham was not given penalty for Krul nonsense. Also disallowing West Ham first goal was 50-50 decision. I got feeling that referees wanted to keep game longer time as goalless, to keep some kind of interest. West Ham didnt impress or didnt have to impress, Antonio was bad and Bowen good.
Norwich seems to play next against Everton, surprisingly Richarlison looks to be back. Same time there is Newcastle-Watford, after that Watford has Burnley and then Norwich. If Watford use their chance perfectly and get 9 points, relegation 3 is almost decided.
Well I still can’t believe we’re spent most of this season with the same sterile attack that couldn’t score last time around and still not trying to get someone in as usual we’re givin up with half the season on and off the field it’s pathetic in for another thumping tomorrow 03 and I’ve said before villa fan said Smith has no idea can’t see him turning us around what ever league were in and by the way Everton have spent half a billion in five years and their still shite 🥳
I’m afraid we are fast becoming a good reason for turning the premiership into a closed shop.
Hi Gary
I got to watch the game last night on Supersport and sadly the studio guest was Andy Townsend.
I can never remember what we have done to him for the continuing vitriolic abuse he gives his former club, didn’t we help to kick-start a faltering career but he ripped into city again.
I think that a couple of the squad have been found wanting at this level and that others have been shocked at how hard the premiership has prove to be.
Tzolis, Rashica, Sargent, PLM, have to find their feet writing them off is a poor decision, McLean, Gibson, Hanley have been effect by injuries and covid-19 so both managers have had an unsettled side but likes others in this league we didn’t and don’t still have the numbers to manage with.
Recently there has been many discussions about the ownership and I along with many others would like to see changes at the top and last night that 2as enforced with the Cameras zooming in on the Jones when WHU scored little or no emotion given or showed.
Will we see a change again like many others NO is the answer surely with all her so called friends there is one that can tell her that they have outstayed their welcome, the media are not putting any blame on her self funding or lack of leadership but ridicule everything about the club when will they realise all decisions have their final say so, It would be a change if Ian Ladyman looked into how they are running the club instead of calling for an 18 league premiership why not have a superb league like Scotland where they play each other 4 times a season now that would be entertaining
We were relegated from the get go.
Everything, from the sale of our best player, the signing of kids with more emphasis on their resale value than their use to the current team, right through to the lack of transfer activity in an attempt to rectify our league position.
The parachute parasite strikes again. Everything that the loathsome collection of critics are saying about our attitude to the top flight is coming to fruition and annoyingly proving them correct.
There really is absolutely no intention to compete at this level. Its humiliating. Just what is the point?
Delia act now and sack the clown that wasted 60 million of our club’s money … only then can this club move forward, if not there’s gonna be a massive campaign against you all !!
Belle Ciao .:(
I’m afraid as the owner Delia is responsible for the shambles not the employees.
The only way we’ll get out of this mess is for her to reassess the viable offers to purchase mentioned at the AGM.
Her continued ownership will only prolong the misery.
How can we expect to lose our two best players, one who is capable of running with the ball at his feet and another who knows how to tackle, and expect to be competitive beggars belief.
Webber sacked Farke as there was only one other person to blame for not learning lessons – and turkey’s don’t vote for Christmas!
After the last premier debacle we were told that we needed big athletes who could physically compete at this level (Burnley, Watford etc) even if they didn’t have the flair. What do we get? Gilmour, Rashica, Sargent etc.
We are left with a midfield seemingly incapable of running forward with the ball. Instead they simple stop in their tracks and hoof the ball straight back to the opposition or knock it back where it came from.
Off the wall suggestion…….try Kabak in a midfield role. At least he runs with the ball.