Classic Norwich City. Classic Championship.
Following last Saturday’s gritty win at a place few dare to tread, which made it three wins on the spin, we all fell into that same old trap – getting giddy with belief. We started to dream.
Big mistake. Always is.
Because… BANG! In a flash (or the space of 98 minutes), any daft notions we may have had of Wembley are quashed and we’re brought crashing back to reality.
This team has some quality and is capable of having some good days, but at least half the teams in the Championship are capable of delivering those. Last week we looked like top-six material; this week we wouldn’t have looked out of place in the bottom six.
And that’s it in a nutshell.
We are capable, I believe, of still sneaking into the playoffs, but equally – and this is looking more likely after yesterday – we’re also capable of fading into midtable nothingness.
That’s the hand that David Wagner has been dealt.
A squad capable of excellence but not consistently, and a squad also capable of producing performances that are laborious and uninspiring.
Yesterday was of course the latter, with the midfield – the one that proved so effective at Millwall – lacking in invention and craft to such a degree it was painful. And that horrific lack of dynamism and zip that we bemoaned for the entirety of the Dean Smith era was back with a vengeance.
Despite having 72 percent of the possession, Sunderland’s defence was rarely stretched. Yes, they defended well and yes they did all of the things that a decent Championship backline would do, but from a City perspective it was all cringingly powderpuff.
Anthony Patterson had just four saves to make all afternoon. Four.
We could, as the old saying goes, have played until midnight and still drawn a blank.
All of which would, at least, have added up to us earning a point had it not been for another frailty of this group that refuses to go away – giving away soft goals.
Grant Hanley will not need reminding that he should have been a yard closer to Abdoullah Ba as he took aim from 25 yards but he’s far from alone from having a howler in his locker.
Into that same category, you could put Ben Gibson’s horror pass, which drifted aimlessly across the face of our goal, beyond Hanley, and out for a Sunderland corner, or either fullback – take your pick – coughing up possession when subject to a vigorous high press.
Tony Mowbray spoke afterwards of being acutely aware of City’s tendency to cough up chances from individual errors and so went for an exhaustive high-press in the opening 30 minutes. In Mogger’s own words: “We were always one or two passes away from having a chance.”
It should have been 2-0 but thankfully Joe Gelhardt opted to shoot straight at Angus when it looked easier to score.
But that one goal was enough and you kind of had the feeling that Mowbray and Sunderland knew that one would be enough. And let’s not forget they came into yesterday’s game off the back of three straight losses, the third of which was a 5-1 home whooping at the hands of Alex Neil’s Stoke.
You could sense from Mowbray’s post-match tone that he was glad to be playing Norwich – in his words, a team that passes the ball rather, like Stoke, one that’s happy to be without it – and that off the back of those three defeats there were worse places to be going than Carrow Road.
He was right. We’re a soft touch too often.
But this, I guess, is us for the rest of the season. There will be more wins to come but there will also be days, like yesterday, when we enter stodge mode and look anything but a team that’s going to squeeze into the playoffs and give itself a shot at a Wembley final.
As fans, the best way to manage our expectations when the team’s form oscillates so wildly is to adopt the not-too-high, not-too-low ethos espoused by the football fraternity but that’s nigh on impossible when you’re properly invested in its success.
For the very same reason that we get over-excited by wins, the pain of defeat is absolute. But that’s not just us – that’s every set of fans for every single team. We just think it’s only us.
So, we trundle on.
For Wagner’s part, it still feels like the style and method of football he demands is currently being played out by a squad that’s missing some of his key components and that may well be part of his inconsistency conundrum.
The high-energy, high-tempo demands of Wagner-ball don’t sit comfortably with this group as a whole, and I suspect there will be a summer clearout that will hopefully produce a squad for 2023-24 that ticks all of his boxes.
I’m pretty sure that Wagner is no more a fan of stodginess than we are. The sooner we rid ourselves of it the better.
The final word must go to Tim Robinson who produced his usual infuriating display – one that saw him berated by both sets of fans.
The most obvious blunder of the lot, for us, was the advantage he failed to give when Josh Sargent appeared to have a goalscoring chance, but it’s no coincidence that we only ever get angry about referees when we’ve lost.
It wasn’t Robinson’s best day, but neither was it ours.
We move on.
This was the first game ESPN has had in over a month, which means I’ve missed the recent good form.
Yesterday was one to forget, so let’s do that and remember our average pts for game has been on the up. Wagner is the man for the job, he just needs the tools.
Gary after the presser on Friday I popped a comment to a few that as Sargent is fit the only change needed was to get him on the pitch , instead of Idah.
No way would I have moved Sorenson from that shielding position in our midfield . But I can understand why Nunez was picked,it’s a more attacking option. But I think it back💥
I just cannot see the reasoning behind Idah apparently being given a 5 year contract!!!
Hi Gary,
Hard to compare the team we have which likes to play that high-tempo game which brings us victories, with the team we have which just goes through the motions and loses.
And, worst of all, there are very few changes of personnel between the two approaches.
Even the guy who does the BBC text service seemed uninterested!
Sorensen showed good restraint not to lamp O’Nien – what a bizarre incident, I hope the EFL drug-tested the Sunderland player, his whole approach seemed weird.
Possible nine points this week – minus three surrendered on Sunday – possible six points on offer Wednesday and Saturday, for God’s sake, really, lets be having you NCFC !
For the life of me I couldn’t understand why Sorensen was dropped and Nunez played.
I’m afraid Nunez looks well short of championship standard. Too many times he gives the ball away through poor passing or mistimed tackles because he’s off the pace.
Glad there was a minutes applause for the much maligned Robert Chase and rather poignant to reflect on the years of success under his leadership. It compares well with the disastrous twenty five years that have followed, mainly in the lower divisions, and resulted in a mid table championship team not to mention the fact the valuable land legacy has been replaced with a £50 million black hole.
It’s really time we were told what is happening with the new share issue as I feel I’ve once again been duped into renewing my season ticket only to find I’ve bought a dud!
Very good points John F. Although I’ll get stick here I would add Idah to Nunez, who, for me, has never shown any talent whatsoever, nothing more than a Sunday league player, and why he was given a contract extension recently god only knows. I too was pleased with the response given to Robert Chase by the club, the players and the supporters and well deserved, lets face it he presided over an era of success never before seen at Norwich nor since. Chase was hounded out by the fans mainly for selling our best players, strange that, as it’s been our policy by this current regime ever since, either through the development of our academy players or through buying cheap and hopefully selling at a profit.
Like you John I’ve been waiting to here some development in regards to this so called new share issue, it’s been four weeks now since the resolution was passed but typically silence since. I know Gary had an uneasy felling about the whole thing at the time as did I, on whether our dear Delia was up to some devious scheme of hers, but seriously it’s beginning to smell more than a little bit, and I’m a little surprised Gary hasn’t stirred the pot a bit before now.
It’s in hand, David 😀
I should add that for me this season is gone, it’s now time to put some serious game time into our younger fringe players like Gibbs, Rowe (if he’s fit), and the likes of Omobamidele who are the future, players like Gibson and Hanley have had it, time to let those players go.
Gary, as someone who usually disagrees with your off-field opinions, may I take the time to say how privileged we all are to read your take on matches and match days.
Genuinely, you are class at reporting on football games and I always look forward to your insightful take on whatever has happened. Whatever the score.
You are brilliant, we are lucky, I am grateful.
Thank you
Wow… thanks Trev. That really is a kind thing to say.
Load of old nonsense 😀 but very kind nonetheless.
Take care, my friend.
I think Tony Mowbray highlights a key issue for us … any team that is good at a high press will inevitably cause our back four problems .. we are just not that comfortable with the all at our feet at the back when pressurised and with David Wagner wanting high tempo and high press – he is relying on the 2 full backs pushing forward creating overlaps and creating chances … only being highly pressed, means our fullbacks tend not to be so fluent or effective in going forward … so for those teams that let us play, we will look good and probably get points – those that are good at high press themselves will see us turn in the type of performance we saw yesterday.
Well Gary a poor showing indeed lacking passion for a start Sunderland defence everything ours isn’t solid and dependable I noticed five give aways yesterday that against better opposition would properly concided three more at least can’t wait to see a different back four and a couple of better midfielders been three seasons plus for this mistake ridden back line unlikely to take us anywhere soon .
But are they all solid and dependable for Sunderland? I’m pretty sure they conceded 5 last week! I’m not saying we are without problems at the back but we lose by a single goal after 3 wins and they are utterly useless again?
A poor and disappointing performance, we need to find a way of negating opponents high presses, maybe we don’t have the personnel?
The playoffs are still a possibility I remain positive that with Wagner we can once again move forward, even if only after a summer squad refresh.
Hi Winston Sunderland defence was sound on Sunday many great blocks throwing themselves at everything all our back four have a clanger in them the first 30mins against Millwall they were dodgy to say the least but rest off team picked it up and got a great result yes we can still do playoffs but would you want this back four in the premier?
Thought Dean Smith and Shaky had returned, void of any excitement throughout. O’Nien’s smacker on Sorensen was about as good as it got, How Jacob restrained himself I’ll never know.
We only had 10 men in 1st half, I’m afraid Adam Idah needs to go learn his craft at a lower level he’s becoming our Adrian Coote from yesteryear.
Other than Burnley it’s a poor league this season which means we will stay in with a shout of the play-offs I imagine.
Sara is consistently good but sadly he appears to be in a class of his own.
A very good but altogether sobering report of the events after the Lord mayor’s show Gary. I echo the thoughts of my fellow contributors and repeat my assertion that this is the best place for decent detailed reporting and knowledgeable comment on norwich city.
I was really looking forward to yesterday’s match as a result of the millwall win. To say that inwas bitterly disappointed would be putting it mildly.
This team does indeed possess the ability to delight and dismay in equal measure and there is absolutely no rhyme or reason about which of these outcomes we are going to get. Yesterday was an abject performance, careless, lethargic and totally devoid in passion. Laced with stupid, bone headed just plain lazy errors from the usual suspects and a fair few others. Nunez and Hanley were equally putrid, shocking performances that could and should have been punished by an early hook. Worse still was the effort of Gibson, is he deliberately crap? I find it hard to believe he describes himself as a professional when he turns in performance like the one Yesterday.
As it turns out, idah was the only player dragged off at half time. Weak and insipid, bordering on the pathetic. He needs to take a look at himself in the mirror. He really was that bad.
Wagner deserves to be excluded from the flak. He cut an exasperated figure on the touchline. He has indeed been dealt this hand. He has raised the level of roughly 50 per cent of our performances to .more than decent level while the rest unfortunately still languish in the Smith era.
Given that the January transfer window only happens to other football clubs he has performed a miracle in dragging spme wins and form out of this shower.
As ever, the call fro the support needs to be back him- or get out.
Simple solution. Get rid of Hanley, Gibson, McLean, Idah, Gianoulis never to return.
Play Sorensen, Gibbs, Sarg, Big Andy and then you can play out from the back with tempo. The others cannot pass and are afraid to play the forward pass into the small spaces available as they know they will misplace said pass and cough up possession. I have no doubt that Sorensen and Big Andy O will get out muscled a fair bit but at least the play out of defence won’t be square across the back and then given to the opposition centre forward for a free one on one with the keeper.
I’ve made a couple of comments above but I should have first of all echo’d the sentiments of Trev in that this is another good summary of events from you Gary-as always your articles are good reading and I look forward each week to your in depth thoughts and opinions of current events regarding Norwich City- well done buddy.