I wrote on Sunday morning about there being few more satisfying ways to win a game than a backs-to-the-wall smash and grab.
Well, last night was the perfect demonstration of one that matched it. Maybe even trumped it.
Who doesn’t love an injury-time winner?
That we did it via a similar route to the win at Sunderland made it doubly satisfying, and even more so when it took us up to second after winning four games on the spin.
Yet, still social media and, as I understand it, Canary Call was riddled with folk telling us how fortunate we’ve been, how Dean Smith is still not the man for the job, and how this mini-run is merely “papering over the cracks”.
I had a brief but cordial Twitter exchange with a self-confessed Smith-outer yesterday morning, who cited the ‘easier’ opposition City have played so far, how Dean Smith is yet to establish an identifiable style and how he still doesn’t know his best team.
All of which contain elements of logic, as does his assertion that the real acid test comes when we play Burnley, Watford and co, but you can’t choose who you play and what order you play them (unless you’re Liverpool 😉 ) and, as the saying goes, you can only beat the opposition put before you.
Twitter was ablaze with similar levels of negativity and I can only assume that some were a tad miffed when Onel’s shot whistled past John Ruddy.
Yes, we’ve only beaten teams in the bottom half of the table. Yes, there is plenty of scope for improvement. And, yes, there are much tougher tests ahead.
But to suggest we’re in a false position and only second in the table because of the weakness of this season’s Championship ignores the relentlessness and ridiculousness of this league.
Of course the quality is several steps down from the Premier League – no one knows that more than us – but its gruelling, unrelenting nature and the Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday grind make it virtually impossible to deliver performances of excellence week in, week out.
I’ll not be thanked for saying it I suspect, but even under Daniel Farke there were games that were ‘won ugly’ and where the performance level was secondary to the final outcome.
As dewy-eyed as many still are about our favourite German, it wasn’t all raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens and perfect tiki-taka. Sometimes his teams too had to dig in and grind out a result. You don’t win two Championship titles without doing so.
Dean Smith teams are no different.
Obviously, we’re a little disappointed that it was so stodgy last night, particularly in the first half, and that the passing didn’t get even close to flowing. And it’s clear too that two or three who had revelled under the Carrow Road lights have struggled away from home. But that’s why we have a big squad.
Messrs Dowell and Sinani may have used up their lives last night or may be given another chance on Saturday, but will know that if the form doesn’t improve then there are others itching for a chance.
That’s how it works.
And we’re lucky enough to have options on the bench and beyond who can make a difference, as was demonstrated perfectly again last night.
Hernandez, as much as we all love him for all the qualities he brings, does appear more effective when coming off the bench and when he’s able to match that uber-energy up against a full-back who is starting to flag.
That he won the game for us last night and went on the mother of all celebrations made us all love him that little bit more.
But it wasn’t just Onel. Teemu Pukki made a difference, so too Gabriel Sara, and in the closing minutes, Todd Cantwell and Adam Idah helped turn the screw until the Birmingham dam finally burst.
And for it to all unfold in front of the travelling hoards, many of whom will have been at Sunderland on Saturday, made it just that little bit more perfect.
So, let’s try and savour the moment because my god we’ve earned it. We’d have given anything for four games without a defeat last season, let alone four straight wins, so to not enjoy it and instead turn it on its head and drag out the negatives seems just a little bit daft.
Am sure there will be ample opportunity for us moaners to moan as the season unfolds, but now is not that time.
Four from four, up to second, quality on the bench and a team that’s finally, after a very long time, discovered what it’s like to win a game after going behind.
What’s not to like?
On the Ball City…
And don’t forget, until a couple of weeks ago, we were bottom of the bottom half of the table…in my book a win, however ugly, trumps a loss where we played well but didn’t take our chances. Farke will always have a piece of my heart but it’s quite nice not to dread a fixture. OTBC
I’ve got a funny feeling that we just might make it 5 from 5 on Saturday.
Smith is doing ok ATM . But his demeanour on the side , Sheesh.
Err…..He’s from Birmingham he’d be like that off his tits at a rave !🤣
This season reminds me of the Neil Adams season starter after the Hughton inspired 2013 14 relegation. If memory serves we had 20 points after 10 matches without having played that well and people were divided as to the merits of the manager . and the squad,
Good article Gary. It’s great to see the team on a roll and long may it continue. If City do beat Coventry to make it five in a row then it can only boost the confidence level for the next three matches and beyond. Yes Burnley, Bristol City and West Brom will be a sterner test but I’m betting they’re not looking forward to playing Norwich as much as they would’ve been after the first three games.
Regarding those first three games, it’s so frustrating that the points return wasn’t better. With respect to the teams in question, they’re all games we should really win four times out of five but, unfortunately, we decided to “take the fifth” on each occasion.
Hi Gary
A team with fight and don’t give up is something not expected at Norwich in recent times but it’s good to see.
The problems coming up will be injuries and last nights game was just another from the bully boys and there will be many more that will try the naught stuff on us and the REF’s aren’t dealing with it very well the new announcement to let games flow and be more physical is great but the REF’S need to clampdown on the niggling naughty tackles.
Teams like Cardiff, Millwall and the Brummies have there targets and mix it up so the REF’S lose track on who’s fouling who but 5 yellow cards should flag to others what’s happening.
Good result and hopefully no minor knocks to impact team selection for this weekend.
Great to see another win .. but not a great performance.
I did wonder whether the pitch played a part in our performance as the bounce seemed to be higher than what I would expect on grass – I don’t know if they have more artificial surface than natural in these days where the clubs mix the two, but Norwich definitely struggled to get the ball under control.
The other big pleasing point other than the win was that we came from a goal down. In those first couple of matches this season as well as countless times last season, you could see the team confidence disappear if we went a goal down – so it was good to see the comeback – it will add to the overall confidence level for the games to come.
Gary, I’m with you ole partner, a MOG and happy to be so, a contradiction in terms? Who cares, I had a DNA test a few years ago and I’m as local as you can get, so it’s in the blood, I’m a Canary and I can’t help it. So they are family, I can criticise them but others can’t, I’ll defend them to the end. At the moment I’m proud and pleased as Punch, they’re a doing. Their school report, we must have one of those afore long please, will have a few ‘could do betters, must try harder’, but overall 8.5 this term so far. Smudger and Shakie have a grip on things, just a pity Matron is so busy at the mo. Maybe Uncle Sam’s arrival will be timely and a move up to the big boy’s school will be less traumatic next time.
Someone needs to tell Onel to update his tattoo. He’s no longer brand compliant.
Hi Gary,
Just 8 minutes of highlights on Youtube but the team looked sharp, bodes well for the season, and players who were running on empty last season seem to be high on energy now.
Lets hope for no injuries and more of what we are seeing at the minute.
I don’t see that S&S can do anything more than what they’re doing, and they must be getting something right for the guys to respond the way they are.
COYY!
4 in 4 wining ugly and big Grant in the middle of everything!
And again a goal down our right with Max Aaron’s no where in site when the lad crossed the ball, when are people going to wake up to the fact he is not a full back?
Agree he’s still here because he’s average defender but fantastic going forward should be using that more because that is his strength roll on Saturday
Probably on the same day they wake up and realise you’re a football genius who’s unbelievably been overlooked for a coaching role….
PS Aarons was definitely on site, although whether he was in sight is another matter
The comments about Smith are ridiculous in my book. In both Farke promotion seasons we started shakily, In the first 18/19 by this point we had only amassed 8 points having squeaked a point from the binners and snuck the next 1-0. At that time we looked like we couldn’t score in the worlds least expensive knocking shop!
Just as Farke found a winning formula from there, it’s perfectly possible that Smith will too but from an already better points base.
20/21 whilst the football was again not great after the humbling relegation Farke did steer us to 13points after 7, so S&S are certainly doing alright and should be given time.