Tuesday 29 September 2009

At half time I said 3-0

Okay, we benefitted from a sending off (and let's be honest, the guy should ahve got a straight red in the first half for an appalling tackle on Russell). But aside from a couple of shots in the first half, Orien showed little in the way of quality and were it not for their keeper making four outstanding saves, Norwich could have been home and dry long before the first goal.

But let's take nothing away from the quality of the goals.

Great finish from an angle from Martin. Super chest and volley from Holt. Spillane looking like Cristiano Ronaldo with an amaxing goal and a cool finish from Cureton.

There's a real spirit at Carrow Road at the moment and it really is a pleasure to watch them.

I have to say though I was really pleased with Cureton's goal. not just for him but because I told so many people it would be 3-0 that I was starting to feel annoyed I had not put a bet on.

Sunday 20 September 2009

Stupid comment from Charlton Manager Phil Parkinson

What a pathetic and puerile comment the Charlton Manager Phil Parkinson gave to the BBC after his team left Carrow Road with a lucky point yesterday. He said, in a nasty dig at Norwich and the 24,000 fans who attended, which is incidentally, a crowd size Charlton have not seen since they were in the Premiership (gloryhunters ????), that "he had never seen fans so pleased to get a point at home".

Perhaps he failed to see what the rest of us saw.

Charlton have abandoned their passing game, now relying on pace from wingers and a hoofball style which is winning them games in League One, but is not pleasing on the eye. They were extremely lucky that the referee seemed unable to see that one central midfield committed four fouls in the first half (two were going through the back of players legs) whilst Nicky Baily should have been sent off for his reckless off the ball swipe at Grant Holt. The referee apparently told Grant Holt he did not see it, but apparently neither did the 4th official (who stood three metres away) or either linesman.

So playing against a top of the table team, Norwich dominated the second half whilst Charlton remained without a yellow card despite reckless and heavy tackling going on throughout the match. Finally, in the last minute, when all hope was finally going, Norwich got a fully deserved equaliser, and still Phil Parkinson is confused why Norwich fans were so pleased with the result ?

Perhaps he might want to address his comments about fan behaviour to the Charlton fans who waded across their stand to attack Norwich fans when Norwich equalised ? Why did they act so violently ? Why were so many police needed to control the Charlton fans ? Why is he so concerned about Norwich fans reaction to scoring an equalising goal in the 93rd minute ?

I seem to recall this is the same Phil Parkinson who led Hull to a terrible start that nearly got them relegated (and in so doing so lost his job) only for Phil brown to win promotion to the Premier League with virtually the same squad. So clearly Phil Parkinson is not someone whose view we should take too seriously.

Monday 14 September 2009

It's hard to beat 11 men and the ref

Just watched Norwich lose 2-1 to Franchise Dons on Sky TV. Very disappointed with the ref.

As the commentators pointed out twice in the opening 10 minutes, you should be yellow carded if you go straight through the back of a player's legs to win the ball. Franchise did this throughout the game and never got punished for it with a card. Is it any wonder that three Norwich players went off injured when the ref offered such little protection ?

Then there was the penalties.

Norwich, when leading 1-0 should have had a penalty (as the replay showed) whilst at 1-1, Norwich did not deserve to concede a penalty because the Norwich player did get a tough on the ball.

Sadly the score was 2-1 to the referee. What a disgrace !

Saturday 5 September 2009

A dose of realism required and delivered by Walsall

Leaving the dreary 0-0 match today against Walsall I was, of course, disappointed, but certainly didn't think the booing was necessary. Walsall showed that if you turn up with no intention of attacking, when the full backs never went beyond their own wingers (staying as a rigid back four throughout) and that if you come for a 0-0 draw, Norwich (and indeed most League One teams) might not have the guile and quality to unpick the defence. And that is something fans at Carrow Road must learn.

Commenting to my wife that I thought he booing was out of order, I received a torrent of abuse from another Norwich fans who started a tirade against the team, claimed that he could see better down Sloughbottom Park in Mile Cross any Sunday morning, and asked why we had signed players who are not good enough to pull on the yellow shirt. Naturally, I didn't let the ignorance of this chap and his aggressive manner disuade me from putting him right.

The main point this bloke was making was that we needed a central defender who could win the ball, had lots of pace and could confidently pass the ball out of defence. I pointed out that I knew exactly the player he required, but that as Rio Ferdinand was already contracted to Manchester United, he was unlikely to join us.

The bloke looked slightly dumbstruck and didn't seem to understand the point I was making. He seemed oblivious to the fact that Norwich are in League One, has little money and is reliant on Bosman signings so we are getting in the players that we can afford, not world class players capable of playing the in the Premier League.

A further torrent of abuse came about how useless he felt Nelson was in the centre of defence (a player who we felt did well today and didn't really put a foot wrong when defending), and I responded simply with the words "You need a reality check. We are in League One because we were not good enough for the Championship.". He wandered off muttering further abuse as another fan patted me on the back and said simply "Some people cannot gt their heads around our predicament".

Indeed.