Those who’ve played the game and who’ve come off the pitch with three points after taking a proper shellacking will have recognised the pride and joy in Andrew Omobamidele’s voice.
The young Irishman’s voice quivered as he spoke glowingly of his defensive colleagues in the direct aftermath of yesterday’s win.
“The excitement of that defending when you’re all in it together, especially when that full-time whistle has gone, you’ve won and got a clean sheet.“
He nailed it. There’s no better feeling than stealing three points by virtue of a piece of quality and then defending for your lives, and that’s exactly what City did yesterday.
There are almost as many ways to win a football match as there are, (according to Paul Simon) ways to leave your lover, but this is the best way.
As a supporter, you wouldn’t necessarily want to live through it every week, and it wasn’t football as Pele described it, but it was one of those days when you had to rely on blocks and tackles, and blood, sweat and tears rather than the pretty stuff to get the job done.
It was also the type of away win that, in the final reckoning, could end up being the difference between a good season and an okay season.
(I’m steering well clear of the P word for now because it’s very early days, and if anyone had mentioned it in conjunction with us during that first half they’d have been laughed at).
Among many positives to emerge from what was the trickiest of tricky days in the North East, is that there is so much scope for this team to get better.
For most of that grim first half, City fired on only one cylinder and when Liam Gibbs was forced to gingerly limp off, helped by two members of the medical team, the one functioning cylinder started to splutter.
I deliberately avoided social media during the first half and *definitely* at half-time as I felt sure the usual suspects would be unfurling the #SmithOut banners, such had been the paucity of City’s performance with the ball.
While the defending was heroic, the whole team’s ability to keep the ball was virtually non-existent and there were spells where they literally “couldn’t string two passes together”.
It was a grim old watch.
What should also be noted though is that Sunderland were excellent, and will still be asking themselves now how the hell they managed to come away with nil next to their name.
They looked every inch a team that hasn’t been beaten at home since mid-February and rather than be troubled by the bizarre events of the previous 24 hours, they used Alex Nei’s shock decision to depart to galvanize fans and players.
I’m not sure City will face many sterner examinations away from home between now and next May but I am sure the Mackems will take plenty of points off plenty of teams at the Stadium of Light in that same period.
Combative and hard-working in midfield, creative and relentless in the attacking third, and City could barely handle it. The only chink of light for us in that first half was how, even with scrappy and limited possession, we were still able to create some half-chances and occasionally get in behind.
But it was Sunderland’s half and if City had gone in 2-0 down then we could have had no complaints. And then Twitter would have really been alight.
That we were still in the game at least gave Dean Smith and Craig Shakespeare a little something to work with.
I’m not sure this group is yet ready to mount heroic comebacks, particularly away from home, and only when they have achieved one of those, will I believe the Premier League hangover – the one we’re not supposed to talk about – has finally been shifted.
But, anyway, heroics of a different kind were the order of the day yesterday, especially from Grant Hanley who was happy to use an array of different body parts to protect Tim Krul and the City goal.
Again it was an afternoon that played to the skipper’s strengths. Against Millwall, he was magnificent when tasked with going toe-to-toe with Benik Afode and yesterday, when it was the physical rather than the technical side of his game that was tested, he again rose to the challenge superbly.
While Hanley has transformed himself successfully (because he had to) into a centre-back who’s capable with the ball at his feet, he’ll always be a ‘stopper’ at heart, and that shines through when those qualities are needed. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Of course, heroism in defence aside, the game tilted on the triple substitution made by Dean Smith on the hour mark, when Todd Cantwell, Aaron Ramsey and Teemu Pukki entered the fray in place of Kieran Dowell, Danil Sinani and Onel Hernandez.
All three departees had miserable afternoons – doubly disappointing as each of them had starred against Millwall – and the impetus added by the new faces was obvious from the word go.
Cantwell was able to get on the ball and add some much-needed control in the centre of the pitch, Pukki was able to stretch the Sunderland defence with those trademark runs into the channels and Ramsey, when it mattered most, was able to find a cross of quality.
It was a change that won the game for City.
Sunderland were unable to call on similar levels of quality from their bench and so, almost for the first time, the ridiculous five-subs rule played to our advantage.
There were a few semi-scares to survive after Josh Sargent’s tap-in, but survive them they did and so for the first time since March 2021 City have won three league games on the spin.
As I said earlier in the piece, there are still plenty of areas that need improvement but to have limped up to fourth while still not hitting any great heights can be no bad thing.
No rest for the wicked though and another tough test at St Andrew’s awaits on Tuesday night.
But never fear. Big Grant’s got this.
On the Ball City…
Gary, I think yesterday showed what an important player Gibbs is in the current side. He’s the one who snuffs out the danger and his reading of the game is incredible for one so young. Let’s hope his injury is only minor.
It’s obvious that Pukki has lost some pace but none of his guile and also held the ball well from a slightly deeper position. I wonder if he couldn’t play in the number ten role. He was a big improvement over what went before and links well with Cantwell.
Big hand for the centre backs, Grant and Andy were both outstanding. Why fans often doubt Handley is beyond me, we’re lucky to have him.
Finally we’ll done Dean Smith regarding the substitutions, timing and selections spot on.
Good sum up, It was inferior, although there was the odd flash, we did carve them open a couple of times but failed to make the most of it. The biggest thing for me was the inability to pass and to give the ball away countless times continually.
But you cannot take away the oneness of the defending, The injury to Gibbs did impose a change, I felt he should have started with the Pointer alongside Gibbs, it was clear there were going to come at us like hell, two defensive-minded midfielders may have proved a better bet. Considering Sinani, Hernandez and in some parts Dowell struggled to get into the game.
The changes made us look a different team, would say we came close to controlling the second half at least for odd moments, but I was expecting them to score virtually with every attack. combination of bodies on the line blocks, a couple of top saves, coupled with some poor finishing we kept them out.
It is still a mystery to me how they did not win by a Norfolk yard. Is the mark of a half-decent side that can play poorly yet get the points, Day-light robbery comes to mind.
Need to sharpen up with the basics in readiness for St Andrews
For savage away days, Hanley is your man. Dowell and Sinani are not.
For footballing Pele purist days at home, Dowell and Sinani are your men, Hanley is not.
Agree with all of this, Gary!
Grant hanleys best game for norwich easy and well done sergeant for his all round performance and a lucky 3pts but will take them anyway they come . Shame about gibbs injury didn’t look good hope for 3pts Tuesday with a better performance but taken 3pts yesterday with that performance is surely a good sign 🤘
For once, Gary, Sky got it right with their man of the match. They usually end up giving it to a goal scorer, particularly if it’s one of the home team, but this time they gave it to big Grant. One of his blocks looked particularly painful, and Mrs G was probably in for a quiet night as a result.
Not the sort of game I want to have to sit through too often, but nice to see a battling performance is possible from this group, and the camaraderie was obvious after the final whistle. It really was a case of all for one and one for all.
Now let’s get past the slamming shut of the window (to use one of Sky’s favourite expressions), without loosing Max, and possibly getting in that cover for left back. If Rashica goes, I’m not too bothered.
It was one of those games you just knew one goal, to either team, was going to win it. City players now have belief in themselves, the heads down we’re going to lose again has gone. Give Sarge a decent chance and he’ll stick the ball in the net, bags of confidence, and now bags of confidence with the players at the heart of our defence. No doubt there’ll be a few banana skins along the way but it’s shaping up to be a decent season.
Hi Gary
It was a real dog fight and City were really out played.
Sargent is proving to the doubters he can be our Centre Forward for the next few years unless the call from either a German or American club with deep pockets come calling.
DS&SS are doing a fine job at city but I just don’t see any passion from them even in his after match interview there was the slightest of smiles a mackem friend asked were they cardboard cut outs on our bench, he was at the game and said that Procter was at the 4th official on every decision and Smith not a word and when the goal went in no one moved off the bench.
When DF was at the club there was personality, winks, waves to the supporters and most of all passion especially when city scored and yes different people but there is no warmth coming out from DS&SS maybe that will come later.
Good 3 points 9 out of 9 can we make it 12 against the Brummies just give Warne a call for some advice he bear them yesterday.
Different strokes for different folks, Alex. Dean Smith is not Daniel Farke, and doesn’t pretend to be. He may not be demonstrative, but it doesn’t mean he’s not celebrating inside. Even Pep Guadiola keeps a calm attitude at times. Maybe it’s better not to be a Thomas Tuchel type! At least, that way you don’t get a red card!
It still amazes me Gary that we still have supporters who doubt Grant Hanley’s importance to the team.
Yesterday he was immense. As was Andy O.
I feel over the last few years Hanley has been up there with Emi and Teemu as our most consistent players.
Just look how we missed him in Project Restart. Enough said.
People think he is slow, rubbish, I will bet he is one of the quickest in training.
Whatever has happened to Ben Gibson, injury or loss of form there is no way he could replace Grant.
Yes on occasions just like all centre halves he can get turned but rarely, but look at the recent form of Van Dyjk. Even the best get done now and then. Ben Godfrey as good as he was in the Championship winning side had a fault at letting his man get in front of him too often.
Keiran Dowell is an interesting player, terrific against Huddersfield and Millwall but not so good at Hull nor yesterday. Is he more suited to playing at home ? According to the pinkun his contribution metrics have improved incredibly.
I agree with Canarylad we should have gone with two holding midfielders in Kenny and Liam and sacrificed Dowell or Sinani.
And continuing this unanimity I completely concur with John F, why not play Teemu as a no 10 just behind Sarge.
Because at present Josh Sargent cannot be dropped.
I can’t believe I wrote that. Well done Josh. And my I say Dean Smith for his faith in him.
The Grant Hanley explainer: when we play badly, can’t get our style of play going then Hanley comes to the fore in the Championship, a street fighter dog a centre back, putting out fires, body on the line etc – he is fantastic at this. Andy O learning a lot from him about 1 v 1 defending and heart, passion, never say die etc. I do like Hanley in these situations.
However…….
When we are playing our possession football, Hanley lacks several attributes that mean we as a team don’t open up teams as well as we could. He has a poor 1st touch, especially under a high press. His body position is always closed, whether playing as. Right or left CB so the ball is not moved left to right or right to left quick enough to make progress. His passing is not good enough. This has 2 main consequences for our forward play, 1 he puts the pass receiver under pressure, slowing attacking play down again, and 2, he either doesn’t have the vision or the skill to make passes into the midfield to the 6s and 8s.
Finally, in the Premiership when put up against strong attacking units who move the ball quickly, Hanley was nearly always lost and the pressure put on him (and others) would result in errors gifting goals.
Hanley is the man for a dogfight. With the players at our disposal this year compared to what we have seen so far and what ITV highlights have shown, we should not be in dogfights – we have the skills and class to play progressive football that beats their press and score many goals a game. We are not their yet – the Sunderland match proved that. But , in order to be at our best attacking, possession based football – Hanley needs to make way for another. Does the player reside at the club yet? Gibson at his best but is he anywhere near that? Thompkinson in the future but not ready yet? Bryan definitely but only if we have a left back. With Gibbs out and Heydon not ready, we need Hanley in the short term. But, to move forward, he needs to be replaced. I hope that helps explain why fans are frustrated/not onboard with Hanley all the time.
We may have the skills in the club, but in this league, the opposition will bring a dog fight to us, whether we like it or not. I watched Luton v Sheffield United on Friday, and that was a continual dog fight from start to finish. Hanley is there to stay. Gibson is slow and indecisive when on the ball, and lacks tackling ability, as he showed for Bournemouth’s goal on Tuesday. Our best pairing is Hanley and Omabamideli, and I personally would not want to go with Gibson unless there were no other options.
Interesting analysis Spud.
And you maybe well be correct on your points about Grant passing the ball forward enough or quickly enough in the EPL. I don’t have any stats either way to agree or disagree.
I have a pal who did not rate Wes Hoolhan at all, so it comes as no surprise to me that every player has his supporters and his critics.
What I will say is that both Daniel Farke and Dean Smith have had Hanley as one of the first names on the team sheet when available. EPL or Championship.
I agree Ben Gibson’s passing last time in the Championship was very good, but I don’t accept that Hanley’s is as bad as you say. I just can’t see Farke playing him if it was that bad. He and Ben were a very good team who complimented each other.
But while Grant has gone from strength to strength, Ben sadly seems to be one of the lads having a big hangover from last season.
Daniel was not a coach to persist with dead wood as poor old Franke and Russ Martin found out to their cost on the way home from Millwall. To my knowledge neither played centre half again.
You may well be correct regarding what the defence will look like if and when we do make it back to the EPL.
Grant is 31 in November and for him to have another crack at it we would need to go up this year or next.
Over the last few years, Ben, Timm and Zimbo have all played very well for the club but are any of them EPL class ? Godfrey I think will be but injuries seem to be hindering him in that, so my first name at centre half would always be Grant Hanley.
Though if Andy Omobamidele continues in this form ? who knows.
Hi everyone
Great read as always Gary. Webber has his critics but have to applaud him for getting in Hanley ASAP after the debacle at Millwall in Farke’s first season. And a snip at the £3-4m we paid. Alongside Teemu, Timmy Krul and Emi, the best bit of transfer business done by the club since the likes of Fleck, Drinkell, Crook, Robins and Huckerby…..
Absolute colossus at the back yesterday. Could you see the £80m Harry Maguire doing that ???
Another win albeit not the desired performance but a win nonetheless. Clean sheet. Momentum building.
Off to Birmingham on Tuesday night with renewed optimism
OTBC
NMTD
A fun game to watch with lots of action. Sure we had to weather some storms, but we could have had 2-3 penalties too. A fair, if not tight, result.