HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Sunday’s East Anglian derby at Carrow Road by delving into their forums.

“Oh my God, we’re going to lose to Burton”, “I’m getting the feeling that it’s sadly not going to be our season”, “Losing to Burton Albion, just think about that for a minute”, “Same old, an absolute shambles from top to bottom”, “I feel as flat as a pancake”, “That, ladies and gentlemen, is that.”

Last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at the Pirelli Stadium brought City’s six-game unbeaten run in the league to an end but the manner of the loss, echoing recent poor displays at both Rotherham and Wigan, left many Canaries crestfallen. Many believe they lack the consistency to catch the current top six.

“I fear the play-offs are gone now”, “I can’t see us being anywhere near consistent enough to make seven points up”, “We won’t trouble the play-off positions. Yes, it’s possible, there’s always hope but the reality of what we’re witnessing on the pitch is nowhere near good enough for a play-off place.”

“Who actually thinks we could beat any of Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday or Leeds away? We are just not at their standard, the table doesn’t lie”, “We still can’t beat the top six”, “This team and certainly this manager don’t deserve the play-offs”, “We’re seven points behind Leeds, game over.”

“Promotion with this inconsistent group would be a waste of time. This side would be chewed up by every Premier League side week-in week-out”, “The season more or less just finished today” “We may as well sack Alex Neil now and get a new man in to assess the squad before the summer.”

Alex Neil

“How on earth can anyone defend Alex Neil?”, “The fact that beating Ipswich is all we have to look forward to this season is down to our dope of a manager”, “If he manages to preside over our first defeat to that lot in years, it will mark a new low in this dreadful season”, “Get him out now.”

The 35-year-old former Hamilton Academical manager has been criticised for his questionable team selections and substitutions, his poor transfer dealings and above all else for failing to get what is seen as a talented squad by Championship standards to deliver consistently through the campaign.

“Neil signs expensive players and doesn’t select them. Sack the joker, he’s out of his depth”, “We have got to stop this tin-pot manager wasting millions on woeful players”, “He has shown he’s not up to motivating a highly-talented squad consistently over a season and not just in fits and starts.”

“Alex doesn’t know how to change a game”, “He will never learn about substitutions. He just doesn’t get it and never will”, “Whenever he reveals his team selection, there is always without fail a puzzle, before we even get to his tactical inabilities”, “I would not trust him with another transfer window.”

“I’m utterly exasperated with fans who are still saying we need to stick with him despite all of the evidence showing he’s not up to the job”, “There will be no promotion until he is sacked but Delia [Smith, the club’s joint majority shareholder] likes him so next season is already a write-off.”

Formation

“We have ended up with a set of players who are not quite good enough for the Premier League but completely wrong for the Championship”, “Too many of the old guard are still at the club. The most important time coming up is not the remaining league games, it’s the summer transfer window.”

“How many times this season have posters written about our shocking defending?”, “We have a play-off attack and a relegation defence”, “I’m surprised anyone is surprised. We knew the defence wasn’t good enough after a dozen games, yet nothing was done about it in the transfer window.”

City’s starting line-up (above) at Burton kept the 4-2-3-1 shape they have preferred. Fans have been happy with the form of keeper John Ruddy and newly-arrived left-back Michael Dijks. Ivo Pinto may make a popular return at right-back on Sunday to replace the lessmpopular Stephen Whittaker.

“We have been atrocious in central defence this season.” The Canaries’ centre-backs have all been regularly slated for their soft defending and error-strewn performances. “We had a robust defence two seasons ago. Nothing special, but nothing close to this car crash we are seeing at the moment.”

Canaries have been happier with the energy, industry and creativity of Jonny Howson this season in the holding midfield role, although several have felt that his usual partner Alexander Tettey’s poor form before Christmas coincided with City’s run of indifferent results at the same time.

Norwich’s starting XI (above) for their recent 5-1 home win over Nottingham Forest gives an idea of their wealth of midfield creativity. Wes Hoolahan, Alex Pritchard or Steven Naismith are number 10s who can also play wide roles. City also have Josh and Jacob Murphy or Yanic Wildschut as wingers.

The three playmakers are praised for their creative incisive passing but they are seen as lightweight and can end up drifting inside when stationed out wide. The wide players stretch defences but lose some of their effectiveness attacking the byline with only Cameron Jerome to aim at in the centre.

“Ipswich have lost Tom Lawrence which cancels out us losing Nelson Oliveira.” The former Forest loan striker is out of Sunday’s game with a foot injury and will be missed. He is a less physical than Jerome but more technically creative and a better finisher. Kyle Lafferty is used as a bench option.

Poor Away Form and a Weak Mentality

“We’re a soft touch”, “We can’t control games, especially away from home. It’s like a lottery every time. We have no game management”, “Plenty of goals and excitement in home games won’t get you promotion without some resilience on the road”, “We are mentally weaker than balsa wood.”

Canaries have struggled to impose themselves in difficult away games this season and many are viewing their forthcoming trips to Hillsborough, Leeds and Huddersfield with trepidation. “We are cannon fodder away from home”, “We go into away games with an anticipated defeat waiting.”

Burton 2 — 1 Norwich

“Ye gods, you couldn’t write it”, “This is a joke. We’re supposed to be fighting for a play-off position and are now fighting for a point away at Burton”, “I am completely unsurprised at the result, one team battling for their lives against another with a poor defensive record and poor away form.”

“The usual shocking defending.” A Timm Klose error allowed Brewers striker Cauley Woodrow to open the scoring on 25 minutes. Jerome levelled when he deflected Whittaker’s shot home on 52 but the struggling hosts secured a vital three points with a fine goal by Michael Kightly four minutes later.

“I just picked my lad up and he said there wasn’t anyone who specifically had a stinker. It was just generally lacklustre all over the park. Despite all the huffing and puffing, we never created anything of note after going behind”, “We could have played until midnight and not got close to scoring.”

“Burton worked twice as hard as us and broke in numbers”, “We were second to the ball, weak and uncommitted in the tackle and we lacked leadership. The midfield was stunningly poor”, “It was all too predictable, defending like the Keystone Cops”, “We are cannon fodder away from home.”

Norwich 2 — 2 Newcastle

“A point is a decent result but it doesn’t allay our fears about getting results against bigger teams in this division”, “Every other team above us has won. Neil has cost us again”, “Breathless stuff, I’m devastated that the reward for drawing that game is falling further behind the other play-off teams.”

Ayoze Perez stunned the home crowd after firing the Magpies in front after just 23 seconds before Jacob Murphy equalised on 12 minutes. Jerome capitalised on a blunder by Newcastle keeper Karl Darlow to turn the game around and put the Canaries 2-1 ahead five minutes later.

“Well, surprise, surprise.” Newcastle levelled through a crisp Lascelles finish on 81 minutes after dominating the second half. “That was awful game management by Neil. At 2-1 up it was clear things had to be changed and that we needed to tighten things up. Once again being reactive has cost us.”

“There’s a serious lack of depth to our squad tonight.” Norwich’s line-up (above) was missing squad members Pinto, Naismith, Youssouf Mulumbu and Oliveira. “It was a good result but it took a man-of-the-match performance by Ruddy. Newcastle were the better team.”

Norwich 5 — 1 Nottingham Forest

“An excellent win”, “A good one for the goal difference as well, brilliant”, “I can’t remember seeing a game with so many outstanding goals”, “I doubt if we will see five such good goals at Carrow Road again”, “Our movement was too much for the visitors”, “Just brilliant, the best goals in a long time.”

“What a ridiculous half.” City opened the scoring with a fine volley from Howson from just outside the area on 10 minutes. Hoolahan played Josh Murphy in for a second on 16 and Hoolahan himself fired a third goal home from 30 yards out on 18 to give Norwich an early stranglehold on the game.

“Yes, game over.” Pritchard added a fourth on 61 minutes firing home after a driving run before Eric Lichaj was sent off for a second yellow card nine minutes later. Ross McCormack pulled one back on 75 before Pritchard added City’s fifth with a third goal from outside the area one minute from time.

Goalkeepers and Defenders

“John Ruddy is sparing our blushed with his saves given our defensive chaos.” The 30-year-old one-time Cambridge keeper “seems not only error-free but having his best spell in a long time”, “He is back to his best and looks more self-assured”, “He looks mean and much more commanding.”

John Ruddy

“He is starting to look like the John Ruddy of old”, “It looks as though he has lost some of the timber he appeared to have at the start of the season”, “He is getting down quicker to shots”, “He is more agile and commanding. It makes a big difference as for 18 months he seemed to stop making saves.”

“I would be OK with Steven Whittaker at right-back, but with my fingers very much crossed.” The 32-year-old ex-Rangers man’s “standard game is usually a couple of wayward passes, one terrible tackle and everything else fine”, “He struggles against pace but has decent defensive awareness.”

“I hope Ivo Pinto’s injury doesn’t prove to be too serious.” The 27-year-old one-time FC Porto youth player was substituted during the Forest game with a foot injury. “We know what Pinto brings to the team, a good technical player who drives forward from his right-back position looking for a pass.”

“There was a moment when Michael Dijks was running forward against Newcastle. Matt Ritchie tried to challenge him and literally bounced off his chest.” The 24-year-old left-back has arrived on loan in January from Ajax until the end of the season. “He is huge, with very nifty feet for such a big bloke.”

“Dijks’s grounding at Ajax means he is very comfortable with the ball at his feet”, “He’s a good player and gets around opponents very easily for such a big guy”, “A much more solid player than Robbie Brady and he can act as a third centre-back when we are pinned in”, “Can we keep him please?”

“Sebastien Bassong has all the tools to be better. He’s decent on the ball, quick and strong but his concentration is poor and he is usually good for two terrible errors a game.” The 30-year-old former Spurs centre-half is a bench option at present. “Fans on social media jump on his back too quickly.”

“Ryan Bennett has had chances this season and has not been good enough.” The 26-year-old former Peterborough defender and one-time Town academy schoolboy “is better at dealing with physical play than Klose”, “He is not particularly quick but he makes fewer errors than Klose or Bassong”, “He goes missing when the going gets tough.”

“Are we starting to say the same things about Timm Klose that we say about Bassong? Silly mistakes, lack of concentration and costly errors.” The 28-year-old ex-Wolfsburg centre-back “has been awful this season. He seems to have a blasé attitude to things and gets done as often as Russell Martin.”

“I think the words ‘soft’, ‘goal’ and ‘Klose’ are used far too regularly for a player of his quality”, “I have had it with this guy”, “On his day he is class but this season he has been appalling”, “He is slap bang average, slow, he’s not great in the air, he gets bullied too easily and he is mistake-prone.”

Russell Martin

“The fact that Russell Martin has probably been our best defender this season tells its own story.” The 31-year-old ex-Peterborough centre-half “is so lethargic that it is like he’s asleep. His reaction after Klose’s error for Burton’s first goal was appalling, he just wandered up the pitch to kick-off”.

“Martin’s distribution if the ball is more telling than most. He is constantly the go-to player to pass out from the back”, “He can distribute the ball with some form of inventiveness or accuracy”, “He looks for a long pass more than often”, “He’s gaffe-prone and has been past his best for some time.”

Defensive Midfielders

“Youssouf Mulumbu was dreadful in our draw at Wigan earlier this month”, “Apart from one great block he looked unfit and very wasteful on the ball.” The 30-year-old ex-West Brom man has missed the last two games with a thigh injury. “There is a good player there but he is so immobile and slow.”

Youssouf Mulumbu v Villa's Jonathan Kodjia

“I don’t have enough fingers to count the number of times Alexander Tettey robbed the ball back from Newcastle”, “You just don’t see the ugly side. He was doubling up with one of the centre-backs on Aleksandar Mitrovic on headers”, “His performance removed previous doubts I had about him.”

“It was nice to see the non-glamorous side of the game getting well deserved praise. Tettey was immense in breaking up countless Newcastle attacks.” The 30-year-old one-time Rosenborg midfielder “is a rock”, “He offered very little at Burton. He was not as strong and he was very easy to play against.”

Jonny Howson

“Jonny is probably the most complete player in terms of his all-round ability”, “A true box-to-box player with a great engine”, “A true combative player who can tackle and pass well”, “A fantastic all-round midfielder who pop up with important, spectacular goals”, “Absolutely vital to our success.”

The 28-year-old ex-Leeds man was less effective in their last two fixtures. “Howson was quiet at Burton”, “I didn’t realise he was playing at Burton until the 23rd minute when they mentioned his name for the first time”, “He lost the ball in a midfield tussle to set up Newcastle’s early goal.”

Attacking Midfielders

“Alex Pritchard is pretty quick, but his natural instinct is to play passes rather than take somebody on.” The 23-year-old played on loan at Brentford from parent club Spurs two seasons ago. “He has performed poorly in more games than he has looked good”, “He’s lightweight and lacks strength.”

Steven Naismith and Alex Pritchard

“Alex Neil has hardly played Pritchard since he signed and has never given him an extended run in the team”, “He’s always the fall guy when it goes wrong”, “When Brentford’s Ryan Woods started to control our game last month Pritchard became anonymous”, “He looked like a boy in a man’s game.”

“Steven Naismith is an absolutely key player for us in the way Howson is.” The 30-year-old former Everton man “controls the ball up front and is constantly creating space for others”, “There isn’t another attacking player who is capable of doing the dirty work tracking dangerous midfielders.”

“Naismith’s link-up play is good and his defensive work often goes unnoticed”, “He will run in the channels but isn’t the same type of target man that Jerome is”, “He’s an experience. A clever player with the combative attitude we so often lack”, “Exactly the battling leader we need on the pitch.”

Wes Hoolahan

“I love seeing Wes up against strong, physical teams because of his trickery and picking out the killer pass”, “He carves teams open.” The 34-year-old ex-Blackpool playmaker “has never scored enough goals as a number 10. If he is not creating for others he becomes a bit of a passenger in a game.”

“Hoolahan gives us more creativity and possession”, “Games without him are stressful”, “I love Wes, but he does delay passing a lot rather than releasing his man”, “I don’t like putting him on the flank. It limits his effectiveness going forward and exposes the full-back behind him when he does.”

Wide Midfielders

“Josh Murphy gave his best display in a Norwich shirt against Forest.” The 21-year-old youth product “is very direct so he does lose the ball but it’s a weapon from the bench”, “He’s not great at getting back to defend”, “Sometimes you have to be smarter with the ball than running as fast as you can.”

Jacob and Josh Murphy

“Jacob Murphy played in some awful final balls at Burton”, “I get continually frustrated with his decision-making and how easily he is brushed off the ball.” The twin brother of Josh “is not ready for the amount of first-team exposure he’s getting”, “He’s inconsistent but young players generally are.”

“All wingers blow hot and cold, but Jacob offers pace and direct running, something few offer in our midfield”, “He is less effective when teams sit deep”, “He’s suited to games where pace is needed on the counter. The intricate passing of our creative players is a better tactic when opponents sit back.”

Yanic Wildschut

“We have done our money again with Wildschut.” The 25-year-old January addition from Wigan “is not for me. He doesn’t have the physique to be a winger, let alone any pace or any apparent ‘trick’ to beat a man. The signs are that whatever price we paid, we have lumbered ourselves with a dud.”

“From what I have seen he’s a player is very limited ability. He’s slow to spot a pass, his movement leaves a lot to be desired, his defensive work is non-existent and he’s more of a hindrance with his clumsy challenges when close to an opponent”, “Wigan must be laughing all the way to the bank.”

Strikers

With Nelson Oliveira absent with a foot injury, 29-year-old one-time Rangers frontman Kyle Lafferty is likely to be City’s bench option in attack. The Northern Ireland international “would be OK if we were playing Albania or Liechtenstein every week but sadly we’re not”, “A total waste of space.”

“Lafferty looked like he was playing lower league football when he came on against Newcastle”, “I lost count of the number of headers he went for and was more interested in the defender than the ball”, “He’s an absolutely embarrassing waste of a football kit. He’s woeful in ability and attitude.”

Cameron Jerome

“Jerome’s work-rate and usefulness have never been an issue. Wonder at the ease with which he creates chances for himself only to miss so many of them.” The 30-year-old ex-Stoke striker “is all about the running and hassling of defenders, winning headers and generally being a nuisance”.

“It’s all about Jerome”, “Both our goals against Newcastle came directly from Jerome’s never-say-die attitude”, “His pace and work-rate are superb”, “He does the dirty work superbly”, “His electric pace means he’s one of the best in the division. If his finishing was better, he wouldn’t be playing for us.”

Canaries’ Views on ITFC and the Game

“How come Ipswich are considered to be in with a chance on Sunday? Is it an ample reflection of our stunningly good manager?”, “At home we tend to beat woeful teams so probably 3-1, I’m not really worried about Ipswich”, “Stuffing Ipswich will be good for what it is, winning another match well.”

Cameron Jerome celebrates scoring against Town

“We could beat Ipswich 10-0 on Sunday and I hope we do. We are good enough that it could happen or at least give them another drubbing. I’m not greedy, 5-1 would suit me fine although I’m seriously worried that the state of our team does give them a chance to win.”

“Weirdly this home derby feels even bigger than the last time in the play-off semis for some reason.” Norwich forums don’t run forecast polls or competitions, but their optimists are pointing to their strong home record this season and their belief that their squad is vastly more talented than ours.

“Normal service will be resumed when we beat Ipswich”, “We will win, a good home record and a big supportive crowd”, “It’s probably one of the worst Ipswich sides in recent years, just with a good manager”, “They seem to be playing better and with more flair, dare I say it, so a 6-1 Norwich win.”

“Ipswich will use a similar approach to what we have seen from Barnsley, Rotherham and Burton recently, which was pretty much their approach in the play-offs. You can see why they are optimistic given that teams have succeeded against us with that approach”, “The first goal will be key.”

“On paper, we should really smash them especially with Lawrence out suspended, but to be fair Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich haven’t had too many maulings. They are definitely a side there for the taking but it depends which Norwich City team turns up.”

Fearing the Worst

“Has Alex worked out that a defeat against Ipswich will turn the crowd finally?”, “I don’t think Neil can afford going behind in the Ipswich game”, “We have just got to hope that we beat Ipswich and not make the season a total mess”, “At this moment in time it’s a real make-or-break game for us.”

Knudsen scores against Norwich

“Ipswich are on a good run of form. I don’t like to admit it but it’s time”, “They are due a win.” While many Canaries are confident of maintaining their recent uncharacteristic run of success, a number have serious concerns that we will put the final nail in the coffin of their fragile play-off challenge.

“Ipswich are direct and physical, something we are not good at dealing with. “The way we have played against lesser sides who defend in numbers and put a shift in for their manager does really worry me for Sunday’s game”, “To be honest, I can see this going tits-up.”

“They will drag us down to their level and it will probably work”, “Ipswich must realise that Sunday is their best chance of beating us for quite a while”, “I’m particularly nervous about set plays, as we all know how well we have coped with these over the past few seasons.”

“It seems they have found cohesion with being stubborn at the back and also offering better forward movement, so this is no formality”, “McCarthy is making the best of a bad job, our dope is doing the opposite. I think we will rise to the occasion but rarely have had such doubts in recent times.”

“I have a feeling that Sunday will be the ultimate humiliation”, “I hope I’m wrong. I really fear a loss next week”, “Ipswich are in decent form at the moment so it’s a possibility”, “On paper, we ought to win but this could be the game where our luck finally runs out…”

Websites

The busiest Canaries message board is The Pink Un. Additional comment can be found on the brightly-coloured Wrath of the Barclay which operates in thread mode.

@HarryFromBath

Photo: Action Images

Pip50 added 18:43 - Feb 24 We will get spanked. Hopefully. If Ranieri can get sacked there is hope for us!
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Wark_On added 19:14 - Feb 24 I'm going for 5-0, Matthie hat-trick and two for super Bobby Petta. Time to restore some pride. COYB.
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Wark_On added 19:51 - Feb 24 I'm going for 5-0, Matthie hat-trick and 2 for Petta. Time to restore some '98 pride. COYB.
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GiveusaWave added 23:07 - Feb 24 It's obvious that they think they are going to humiliate us again, hope the reverse happens
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GiveusaWave added 00:27 - Feb 25 Been looking at their forums. It's clear that they expect to beat us but are arguing over how many goals constitutes a good performance. We showed Stevenage and Lincoln more respect.
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ArnieM added 00:42 - Feb 25 GET INTER 'EM AND F LUCK ' EM UP!! I mean REALLY GET IN THERE UGLY FACES AND...F. LUCK ......'EM. ...UP!!!
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The_Romford_Blue added 04:10 - Feb 25 “I don't have enough fingers to count the number of times Alexander Tettey robbed the ball back from Newcastle” So more than 12 then..
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Westy added 18:53 - Feb 25 The match is at Carrow Road. It is already toxic. Keep it up Norwich - putting doubt into your own minds.
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Warkys_Tash added 09:28 - Feb 26 Once again, thanks Harry. Spot on. They seem nervous & have everything to loose. Emyr Hughes is key. However, I hope McCarthy is brave & leaves Skuse on the bench. Toumani has to come back in, surely?
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Sam added 10:40 - Feb 26 Beat that lot at Carrot road, please!! UP THE TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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