I usually write my match report immediately after a game. My thinking is a bit like The Likely Lads – I’m trying to avoid seeing the reaction of others which may colour my judgement.
Well, it’s 7.30pm here now. While I have avoided all other reports on the game, I’m still not even sure what I make of it.
A few weeks ago I nailed my colours to the mast. Something had to change. And in startling evidence that Dean Smith reads this column, since then he not only switched to the diamond formation, as suggested by me some weeks ago but has also given Max Aarons more license to attack.
To be fair, most City fans were saying the same. The green shoots of recovery were just evident against QPR, more so against Rotherham in the little I saw of that game. And if I had written this report after 30 minutes of the game, or even at half-time, I might be writing something very different.
Boro were straight out of the blocks, charging at the City goal straight from the kickoff. For the first two or three minutes, City barely touched the ball as Boro passed the ball around.
Another thing I noted was Smith’s choice to defend from the penalty box, which gives attacking wide players time and space before they are closed down. In the opening minutes, and a foretaste of what was to come, Jones and Giles put several crosses into the box – all of which were comfortably cut out by Hanley and Gibson.
After four minutes, City took control. It started with a long diagonal from Sam McCallum across the pitch to Max Aarons. He played it to Josh Sargent whose cross was claimed by USA compatriot Steffen.
For the next 10-15 minutes, I saw the first evidence of a Dean Smith game plan. Every time City lost the ball to Boro, they fought ferociously to regain possession as quickly as possible. Then in a succession of slick, passing moves they cut through the Boro defence. Gabriel Sara was impressive with little touches and passes that opened up opportunities for others.
Pukki had a shot saved, Sara himself hit the side netting. It was eye-catching and impressive.
After seven minutes, City got their reward. A Sara through ball was blocked. Kenny McLean latched onto it and put a perfectly weighted pass to Josh Sargent who slotted neatly home.
From the restart, there was no let-up. Aarons played a great ball to Sara only for his shot to be saved. Sara then played a lovely ball to Ramsey. His shot was palmed wide by Steffen for a corner.
When Boro did win the ball, all Jonny Howson could do was play an aimless ball forward to no one.
After 15 minutes, Boro finally got a breather. They got the ball at the back and managed to sway passes between centre-backs to take the pressure off. City dropped off, getting men behind the ball and stifled the subsequent move forward.
Then City surged forward again. Ramsey played a long ball to Aarons. Initially, he lost it but immediately wrested possession back. A long ball from Gibson was won by Sargent who laid it to Pukki. His shot was saved.
Boro then won more possession at the back and embarked sustained period where they kept the ball. City dropped into a defensive shape and made themselves difficult to break down.
Jones and Giles were still getting dangerous balls into the box but by and large City dealt with everything with aplomb. Angus Gunn didn’t have a save to make.
And this seems to be Smith’s style – certainly from his media comments – press hard to regain possession as quickly as possible in the opposition half. If that doesn’t work, drop off. Be difficult to break down.
City started the second half in a bright fashion. Sargent won a good header but McLean had no one to pass to and ended up coming backwards. Aarons played in Ramsey. His ball to Sargent allowed the American to cut back and shoot. The shot took a slight deflection but Steffen pushed it wide.
Boro then came back into it. Much like the first half, they made the most of possession, passing the ball between them, looking for Jones and Giles in the channels. In the middle, the dangerous Akpom began to see more of the ball.
City were dropping deeper and deeper. Unable to change gear and recover the intensity of the early phases of the game.
You can argue that Boro knew what they were doing. Their passing had City players chasing back and forth, closing the opposition down and inevitably using energy – much like a boxer who stands in the middle of the ring and forces his opponent to run around the edge, before unleashing an attack in later rounds.
To continue the boxing analogy though, City continued to keep Boro at arm’s length and the visitors barely registered a blow. There were some warning signs as dangerous crosses flashed across the City area.
After 60 minutes, in what looked like a forced move, Teemu Pukki was withdrawn and replaced by Onel Hernandez. City switched to 4-2-3-1.
Minutes later, Boro were level. A headed ball forward caught Grant Hanley on the turn and McGree hit a sumptuous bicycle kick into the top corner.
From that moment on, there was only ever going to be one winner. While the intent of bringing Onel on was to introduce pace into the City attack, the change of shape undermined the effect as Sam McCallum, shorn of the protection Kenny McLean was providing, got pushed further and further back.
After 71 minutes, McCallum gave way for Giannoulis and Todd Cantwell replaced Ramsey. For a short period, City looked more promising creating some slick moves. Aarons hit a great shot on the turn which went wide.
At the other end though, Boro were carrying much more threat, Gunn being forced into his first save of the game from Akpom.
Hernandez was getting into some good positions but every time he seemed to want to cut back, then cut back again, and he never really got an effective shot off.
After 80 minutes, Sargent was caught on the edge of the area, appearing to twist his knee awkwardly. He tried to play on but was replaced by Hugill shortly after. Nunez also replaced Sara.
City huffed and puffed but were largely toothless. Nunez played a superb cross-field ball but Hernandez couldn’t capitalize. Hugill nearly nicked the ball from the keeper.
However, the balance of play was with Boro and they were looking more and more like scoring. Dimi and Onel conspired to give Boro a throw on their right. Jones got through from the throw and his cross was slid in by Crooks.
In the six minutes of extra time, City produces some openings – superb balls from Cantwell and McLean were wasted. Jordan Hugill charged around a lot but little else. The on-watching Mark Attanasio was given a clear message as the final whistle went, and the boos echoed around Carrow Road.
Dean Smith may have a game plan, but the City players proved totally incapable of executing it. Once they dropped off in the first half, they were subsequently unable to raise the pace and tempo of their game in order to make the plan successful. They never recreated the sustained pressure that yielded the goal.
The skill and ability is clearly there, as evidenced by the opening period, which makes the subsequent meek capitulation all the more galling.
City lost bite, lost the will to win the ball back. This can only be due to either lack of fitness, or lack of leadership and direction when the game got tough.
Dean Smith apparently wants the players to work out these situations themselves. That feels like passing the buck to me.
“City lost the will to win”
12 months into Dean smiths tenure have they ever had the will to win?
Well summed up James the first 30 mins was as good as seen all season but this team can’t play for 90mins .when boro came forward they came forward we were sideways backwards sidewards coming forward we had enough chances win but as usual not clinical getting tired of it to be honest how we’re in top 6 is a mystery.
Kev, I think Michael Bailey has made the point that we are potentially 9 points off the top 2 by the end of today, and also 9 points off 21st……..
Yes James could go either way .
It’s like a long distance runners taking a breather in the middle of a race and then not able to pick up the pace again.
Smith prefers only 1 session a day for training while most coaches these days have 2 the players just completely look unfit in the middle of the game and once off the pace can’t pick it up again.
Like most teams Boro let city do their thing and saved their energy for the rest period then knocked the stuffing out of us knowing we had little to give.
I enjoy your match reports, especially if I haven’t seen or heard the game. A thorough account and one that lets me come to my own conclusions. Thank you.
Thank you for the positive feedback!
Very good report and assessment of the game James , Paddy would be proud , you last line sums up Smiths coaching “ let the players sort it out for themselves “ obviously they were not capable, this isn’t the first time Sheffield when we were winning and Burnley when we never turned up . That 20-30 minute spell was as good as any we’ve seen to date .The crowd saw this and it’s the best atmosphere I’ve experienced all season , but alas that football never lasted . As for our fitness as you say we ran out of ideas and steam . He’s had enough time to stamp his own ideas and game management, but I’m afraid he’s been found wanting . Time for change . What game Delia and Webber are watching is totally different to ours
Boro fan here. An excellent summary, James, for which many thanks.
I agree that after 25 minutes anyone trying to predict the final score would have gone 3, 4 ,or 5-0 to Norwich. Our defenders were standing yards off their men and given that amount of space and their own intelligent passing and movement it seemed to be only a matter of time before City added to their early goal.
Pukki’s spurned a great chance that he would normally have put away (a good save by the keeper) . Had he taken it the game might well have been sealed. Even so Hanley and Gibson had the measure of our attack and in spite of our increasing possession we did not manage to trouble the Norwich goal throughout the first half.
The game progressed as you accurately told it, your analogy from boxing being particularly apt. Boro held the ring. We had most of the possession, forcing Norwich to do most of the chasing.
The determining factor for me was that Boro seemed to have more conviction and a greater desire to win the game. In his post-match comments Carrick stressed that his message to the players throughout was to go out and win the game. As a supporter I would have been very happy with a point from a fixture that most Boro fans would have marked down as a banker defeat only a few short weeks ago.
So perhaps the game tilted around the cliche of the new manager ‘bounce’. Boro have a new spirit of optimism and commitment under Carrick’s more relaxed and understated approach after the unpopular reign of the old-school Wilder. Winning our previous three away games against very poor opposition has also helped.
Norwich, in spite of having a raft of talented and creative players, seemed to have less desire and conviction and that is what counted most in the end.
By the way I saw the game via a stream accompanied by the local Norwich commentary team. I thought they were eminently fair and completely lacking the one-eyed perspective of the vast majority of their counterparts up and down the country. Don’t have the name of the commentator, but the pundit alongside him was Jeremy Goss, whom I remember from his playing days. Congratulations and thanks to both.
Cheers Len … what a nice thing to say. The commentator’s name is Chris Goreham. He’s brilliant.