It’s a fine old line to tread.
The difficult one of deciding whether to give credit where it is due to a pretty average side – and promotion rival, in this craziest of EFL seasons – for doing a job on us, or to charge in with all available weaponry and rip our own side to shreds for producing an inept display lacking so much of the fortitude and guile we saw on display in South London last week.
For me, it was a devilish combination of both coming together at Carrow Road on Sunday, and we even managed to throw in an ACN moment just for good measure as Abdoullah Ba, aged just 19, scored his first-ever competitive goal for Sunderland.
Whatever some people may choose to have said about it, their injury list was a lengthy one, and Leeds loanee Joe Gelhardt’s panicked blast against Angus Gunn from the very closest of range when put clean through by Dan Neil confirmed that they did indeed play with no strikers on the pitch.
They restricted City to a few shots, and I can’t recall any one of them carrying a genuine threat as Black Cats’ keeper Anthony Patterson had so much downtime that he could have Skyed the game on his phone.
And all this coming after three straight three defeats which ended with a 5-1 drubbing from Alex Neil’s Stoke City at the Stadium of Light in the week
All major criticisms have already been made, so I’m merely going to mention a few of my “favourites”:
- First and foremost the referee. Once again. This time it was Tim Robinson, a founding member of the Late Bookings Society.
- A five-year contract for Adam Idah, The poor young soul looked completely lost all of the time. Andrew Omobamedele and Liam Gibbs I can understand, but what exactly does the Club see in the young Irishman that I can’t?
- And surely we don’t want every other club in the EFL next season to be saying: Norwich are rubbish when their South Americans are having a bad day?
I appreciated what Tony Mowbray said afterwards, so I’ll let him off his none-too-subtle trumpet-blowing on this occasion:
“There’s no one way to play football, and yet Norwich give you a chance to press them, and if you nick it off them 30 yards from goal, you’re generally just one pass away from banging it in their net.”
Ouch – the truth can hurt.
David Wagner didn’t actually say it was a cr@p performance [how realistically could he?] but his thoughts were obviously veering in that direction:
“We have to make sure that we’re independent from opponents and how their setup is. We have to make ourselves independent from what we can’t influence.
“We have to stick to our principles, stick to our idea, play our football, and this is not what we did [against Sunderland]. This is how we’d like to go forward and what we have done in the past much better than today.
“After the 15 minutes we played before the goal, we were not good in ball possession, not quick enough in moving or passing.
“Then we conceded, and then obviously it doesn’t get better. We were still confident that we could turn it at half-time.
“Second half we were better in terms of energy and intensity. The players really tried it, but without clear-cut chances or playing in the right areas.”
After his recent reconversion, all Angus Gunn needs now is his formal selection by the SFA as first choice keeper in order to activate his inheritance of the chant of “Scotland’s Number One” left vacant all those years ago by father Bryan who will, I’m sure, be absolutely delighted when all is formalised.
“I know one of their [Sunderland] players and I was gutted after the game, but he was talking about how crazy the Championship is this season. If we win the next two games then we could be in the top four – you never know.
“Like the manager has said, we never get too high with the wins and we won’t get too low with the defeats. We need to concentrate on putting things right but we can’t get too disappointed with it.
“It was a good opportunity today and it seems that when those come along we slip up, which is the most annoying thing.
“Hopefully we can get the timing right with our push and get there by the end of the season.”
Gary said on Friday’s match preview that he wasn’t going to mention the Friendship Trophy.
I’ll mention it though.
We lost.
There’s more chance of me getting 
than predicting events in Yorkshire in midweek!
Mowbray stated what is so painfully obvious to every Championship manager but ours. ‘ Norwich can be turned over 30 yards and one pass from goal, whilst they play pass ball in their own area!’
Will the penny ever drop????
Hi Bruce
I must admit the man that is Mogga deserves full credit for saying it for, after all, it had to be said.
Cheers
I think we need to appreciate that passing the ball around the back 4 is necessary for us to play the way we/Wagner wants to. I don’t aspire to watch the “Huff it Long” football many of the people around me at CR seem to want. But I do share their frustration. The perceived best defenders that Wagner picks are the worst ball players and I’ve stated a few times before.that we need to say goodbye to them. Max stays, the rest go. Sorensen and Big Andy O can play out from the back so let them. McLean is no quarterback or holding midfielder. He is box to box with a good leap on him and screams Champioship footballer or waves it, apologises for it, yells at other players above it it or whatever he does when he does not have the ball. He is not a consistently good passer of the ball over a few yards. He does not play the tight balls in to Sara and Nunez that are on, probably because he knows he can’t. For now Gibbs has to play that role and McCallum at left back. That leaves Sarge, Pukki and Onel up front. I want Sarge at centre forward but Pukki may only have a few months left with us so for now I stick. That leaves Angus. He may be Scotland number one and he is a very good shot stopper but he does not like the ball at his feet so all the more need for ball players in central defence. I don’t believe this will ever happen, Hanley will continue to be picked, McLean will have one good game in six and we will finish in and around the final playoff position. No fault of the manager, just the very average nature of his senior pros. Tomkinson, Mumba and Springett recalled for next years Championship fight. More goals scored, probably more conceded but no turgid dross and lack of skill on display. Yes please.
Hi Spudgunner
That’s a very good take on the imbalance in this side, soon to be aka Wagner mkI I would imagine.
Particularly like the words on Kenny 🙂
Cheers
Let’s face it the real reason for Sundays performance was our recent disastrous transfers.
Under desperate Delia we are left with some very mediocre players and a decent manager trying to make the best of a bad lot.
The one player who stands out is Sara and there are already a number of top clubs scouting him so he’ll be off in the summer to try and balance the books of a supposedly well run club.
The club needs to urgently sort out what is happening with the new share issue and if nothing is forthcoming they need to start talking to some of the other viable options the Finance Director mentioned at the AGM.
I’m afraid the tribute to Robert Chase on Sunday only reminded me of how far things have slipped and they’re not going to improve under the current regime.
Hi John
I haven’t changed my mind one jot. You I and a couple of others said not to pay any attention to this forthcoming share issue mjalarkey as it will be for the benefit of keeping the business afloat in the short term, they’ll take what they can get for Sara qand anyone else too come to that.
Cheers
Morning Mr P trust you are well, Wagner & Co have their work cut to find how to play against a high press, Farke failed this too. The effect of a team playing that way has an effect on every player out there, possibly
Not picking on anyone player but Gibson really worries me, the attempted pass across the area to Hanley I believe, was terrible getting nowhere near the target and almost hitting the corner flag.
He wasn’t alone in bad passing Nunez gave it away just about everyone lost the ball more than once.
So I still am not sure about a combination of press and a terrible day at the office, which comes first?
I see we just get a player who after a bedding in period is showing signs of being an Emi replacement, or as close as we have seen or likely to get, now looks like he will depart for new grass £25 mill price supposedly placed on his head, Wet Spam are said to be targeting our Sara.
We will never be a force even in the championship, the premier is a pipe dream.
Hi Lad
I don’t even know if Moyes will be at WHU at the end of the season so I’ll simply say that if the right offer is made Sara will be on his way.
Cheers
I also find it difficult to predict which City will turn up. I have sympathy for Idah and Sargent because they suffer from the Pukki effect in that they have to play out of position to accommodate what people must soon accept is a slowly fading star. If we are going to move forward we need a few changes and as with Hanley and Krul “the king is dead long live the king”.
Hi Cyprus
I don’t really think I can make a case for Idah right now I’m afraid.
Cheers
Marty you‘re right it‘s the same old problem, the opposition play high press against our defence we make a mistake and go a goal down. The weakness with a high press is if you get the ball forward quickly there is space in their defence. When we achieve that we have a choice of players with goal scoring abilities. Wagner has to solve the riddle of getting the ball forward quickly, do we have players with that skill? Or does it require the dreaded long ball? Answers on a post card please, the prize a trip to Wembley.
Yes see my comment above! Sorensen to play centre back wit Big Andy O, Gibbs in at CDM.
Wen it comes to the high press we can all see that Pukki has lost some pace and he ain’t gonna get it back anytime soon!
Cheers
Mowbray articulated what we fans have known all season-Norwich are one of the easiest, most predictable, teams to set up against in the division. When we’re having a good day, we can play through most teams, but on days like Sunday many of the players look as though their boots are sponsored by Lyles Golden Syrup.
I can’t see much changing this season. The cycle of a few good performances followed by the occasional stinker will continue. The summer rebuild will be interesting,
Hi Don
The summer building plan will also be done on the cheap.
Cheers
Hi Martin
Sadly, chalk and cheese again.
Like many I could understand the benching of Sorensen our defence looked more solid at Millwall.
When do we start planning for next season ? for me it’s now Pukki should confirm his intentions now we all will be sorry to see him go but if that’s his decision so be it, but if he’s looking for another pop at the premiership then drop him back to the No10 position and let Sargent take the centreforward position.
Too many of this squad are drifting along like flotsam crashing on the beach with no direction due to the uncertainty of contracts, will Dowell, Gibson along with Pukki still be here next season or have they already got deals in hand somewhere else only time will tell.
Mowbray as you say pointed out what ever manager will have worked out about city, it was said Wagner does horses for courses, Saturdays looked more like a team of ASSES than horses 🐎 .
Oh Mrs Robinson why did you let your son out to play, he was poor at Referring if a shove in the back is a foul in the last 15mins of a game why wasn’t it in the previous 75 ?
Sunderland had a game plan simple break up play as often as possible, niggling fouls and close down city players as fast as possible don’t let them settle into a rhythm and it worked a treat.
Should Sargent have had a penalty maybe for the shove but no one appealed thinking this Ref wasn’t going to give them anything but it would have been soft.
Did Sunderland deserve the win as Wagner I suppose so just, it was a poor game and it’s Warnock up next at Huddersfield and I expect his game plan will be very similar to Mowbray’s unless we have our A game on show.
Stay healthy
Sorry Alex;I cannot agree…
After Millwall there is no way that Sorensen should have been dropped.
Most people gave him a solid 9 out of 10…and he scored…….for what exactly??
For me, one of Wagner’s worst exampleof man management!
O T B C
Knowing Alex as I do I reckon that’s a typo, honestly!
Thanks Martin yeah it was a typo, Sorensen should be a fixture in the squad.
Hi Alex
Sunderland’s plan worked and I don’t think we had one!
Cheers
Hit the nail on the head there Martin.
A much improved display from Sunderland and a much worse one from the “heroes” in yellow and green.
For me it was really interesting listening to Tony Mowbray’s assessment of the game. He was really honest, I think he realised that himself towards the end of his talk with the Sky boys😂
The trouble is nearly all of us fall into the trap of “how can we lose to a team that got tanked 1-5 at home by Stoke last time out” ?
Mowbray’s explanation on the different ways in which Stoke and Norwich play was enlightening to explain why these results can happen. Too often we fail to adapt to the different ways teams set up against us.
Funnily enough I do think in the long term David Wagner may find the answer to this as I do think he is more open to change of tactics than our beloved Daniel was.
I find it interesting that DW comments often that Nunez, Hernandez and Sara (and perhaps others) will be so much better when they can play at his standard over 75 minutes of a game.
DW also hits the nail on the head when he says when we get high pressed our passing and movement needs to be a lot quicker. By a country mile!
At times we look slow and ponderous yet on other occasions we look a decent side in this league. It is the inconsistency that is killing us.
Fail to go up and we will almost certainly lose Omobamidele, Sara and Aarons. So a massive rebuild needed..
Go up and so many of this side are clearly not good enough, so a massive rebuild needed.
Either way its going to be a very interesting summer.
Personally I also thought the Sunderland players got away with a lot on Sunday. I was surprised as to me Sunderland have always been a football playing side. But plenty of the dark arts there on Sunday.
Both Hernandez and Aarons were crocked but the blame for this lays with the referee who was the worst I have seen this season. Not playing advantage for Sara’s through ball to Sarge was rank bad refereeing of the highest order.
.
Hi Tim
You can see that I agree abiut the Ref and that’s why he was top of my list when I was apportioning blame!
Cheers
Had we been on a trip to some random place for training, say Alberquerque, cos we looked jetlagged with our decision making .
And as for Gibson’s pass for the corner, oh dear.
We could still end up in the playoffs and whilst I recognise the financial imperative of going up . Going up with this group of players is the stuff of nightmares . We won’t spend enough to improve it in one window.( But is Webber’s track record on premiership windows one to hand him the Dosh).
Hi Bernie
I reckon even the Binners will show up our lack of summer spending war exactly what it will be – risible.
Cheers
The leagues are littered with clubs who can’t afford to be big clubs – Sunderland epitomise this, they crawled around at the bottom of the Premiership for several seasons when the money ran out, then sank down to League 1. Only just back! There is synergy for Sunderland with Norwich, and when you look at the Championship table, we two are not alone.
Ditto Huddersfield up next, ditto Stoke on Saturday. There are 17 former big clubs, whose wings fell off, besides us in the Championship. It really is down to available money, and what you do with what you’ve got. There are seven more clubs in the same chilly state, in League 1.
Pretty certain Wagner has quite a job on and he knows it. Pretty obvious our squad switches off when teams play against us with strength and commitment from the start. Equally pretty obvious that when Norwich decide as a team to dominate a match (did that the previous three games!) our opponents cannot generally compete – Millwall almost bucked the trend through hard graft.
There was no passion in our play on Sunday, we seemed rusty and slow at the start of a crucial week for this season. It’s probably down to how the team was set up for the game, although maybe it’s pertinent to remember that one of the coaching team left a few days before, it can cause ructions in the ‘family’, a disturbance in the force!
Pretty clear this is the way the season will continue for us, we’re playing the best team we can put on the park with few chances to inject a new buzz. We don’t possess an irresistible player who can enter a game and twist it in a way in which we can prosper, no Hucks, no Buendia, no Fleck for instance.
There is no long list of billionaires waiting in the wings to provide the cash to buy top stars – even if they could be got to Carrow Road in the first place! We have as yet to see what happens behind the scenes at our club, and the eventual happening may not even be what we want, when we get it!
What happened against Sunderland was disappointing but not insurmountable, and we go again on Wednesday up in the Potteries – we can still make the play-offs and lay down a marker for what comes next in the history of the club.
COYYs !
Hi Kev
Our players would have known Alan Russell was on his way long before it was announced so that doesn’t explain Millwall, Birmingham and Cardiff.
Cheers
Hi Martin,
Really? Must be a very open society down there! Maybe the guys were so lacklustre because they’d been to his leaving party the night before. You think?
Sunderland took the game away from us easily.
Cheers
Again Norwich didnt create really anything. The only obvious scoring chance came to Nunez, Pukki passed him to the scoring area but his shot was poor. Teemu would already have at least 15 assists in his stats if there were more quality in Norwich players. Sunderland players looked quite young and their movement was clearly better than Norwich had. Norwich win vs Millwall was based purely on luck, so in that way this result against Sunderland was not surprising.
There is a full round starting again today, which is great! If Watford does not start winning today, they really are in clear danger of not even getting a playoff place. Their schedule is brilliant on paper, but if you lose also to QPR there might be no schedule that could save them from disaster. Boro-Stoke is a very interesting game today, tomorrow Sunderland-ShefU. Im honestly surprised to see Neil Warnock as a manager again, the same can be said about Watfords appointment Chris Wilder.
Tenpole Tudor is a band I have some late schooling time memories of. I see them as a mix of punk and rockabilly music, I suppose more punk and not like Stray Cats. Melrose was finnish band which was surely influenced by Stray Cats a lot. Their most known song was rich little bitch, maybe you know someone who liked Stray cats so that band could interest them. Rumble in Brighton is Stray Cats best song to me, they are not really the kind of music I listen to but that song is great. Just wondering how the american band is singing about Brighton?
I think Sunderland deserved the win and certainly a draw at the bare minimum.
Brighton the town came frst and then the people. Many were attracted there because of its culture, Chrissie Hynde and James Honeyman Scott from the Pretenders were just two of many.
Cheers – see line below.
Martin, it seems that the only consistent bit of NCFC this season is their inconsistency!!
Sunday seemed to be very much “after the Lord Mayor’s Show!……although Kenny did a good pointing job again (shame about his football).
A 5 year contract for Idah…why; just why?? We keep hearing about how good he is, and what promise he shows – but when are the paying supporters going to see it?
The other great mystery hasto be that of Sorensen…a goal and man of the match at Millwall but dropped for Sunderland – answers on a postcard please!
O T B C
P. S. Am I the only one who thought BBC’s coverage at the weekend was much better?
Idah’s getting on a bit for a *promising academy poroduct, isn’t he!
Sorry the replies to your comments are a bit late and brief today folks – it’s my fault cos I didn’t realise that mophine could knock you out for six hours straight!
Neither Mrs P nor the dogs could wake me!
Good luck with the morphine Martin, and for the record I imagine all contributers are happy with the constant stream of answers that you post!
Not being grovelly here, but the articles, and the way you guys reply, are generally pretty wunderbar!!
Hearty congratters to Angus.