The Bloody Binners It Is Then - Notes for the Norwich First Leg Play-Off Friday, 8th May 2015 10:11 by HarryFromBath HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Saturday’s game at Portman Road by delving into their forums. “A season of missed opportunities, I feel that will be the story of our season now”, “It could be worse but it should have been better”, “We were pretty unlucky not to go up automatically”, “Great that we go into the Ipswich game on the back of a win and a good performance.” Canaries were cheered by their 4-2 win over Fulham in what was a meaningless end-of-season run-out last Saturday. Frustration and anger were more in evidence in the previous two games after conceding a late goal to draw 1-1 at Rotherham and crucially losing 1-0 at home to Middlesbrough. “We are collectively in a time of grief at the automatic places having gone. Alex Neil wanted that top-two spot. It has been obvious all the time he was here”, “I’m still gutted that we have to go through the play-offs. This squad should have walked the automatic places.” The Bottle FactoryCanaries were queueing up to question the mentality of the team in high-pressure games after the defeat to Middlesbrough echoed their crucial lost game late last season at Fulham. “I don’t think these players have the bottle to perform under the ultimate pressure of a one-off head to head.” “I would love a day at Wembley but have this niggling doubt that we struggle when the pressure is on”, “We don’t get massive games done when the opposition need it just as much”, “We don’t handle pressure well”, “We always lose the monster games when it is massive for both teams.” “We aren’t going to win the play-offs. We’ll choke — again”, “Considering we have bottled so many big games this season, why is everyone confident we would win a play-off final at Wembley? They don’t come bigger than that.” Some fans put this down to a lack of leadership on the pitch. “The last time we were promoted, there were games where a certain Grant Holt used to drag the team over the line even when our performances perhaps didn’t merit wins”, “Our squad needs strong leadership because we perhaps lack the strong presence in the dressing room Holt provided.” Alex Neil“Alex will be determined to go down in folklore as the man who rescued the season and pulled us up to the Premier League by the scruff of the neck”, “We have a manager with a single-minded determination to win games”, “He has done a good job and quickly earned the respect of everyone.”  “I would love us to go up, but on the flip-side I have no doubt about us going up next season with Alex Neil at the helm”, “I would be very confident. Give him a good budget from the inevitable player sales and let him build his own team.” The former Hamilton boss has been “a revelation from the start. The only negatives were self-generated in that he got us to the cusp of success only for us to fall at the key hurdles against Wigan and Boro. This is the question he now faces. Can he see us over the line for once?” “Can he and the players stay cool under pressure?”, “He is a passionate driven man who goes all-out to win. Fiery tempers and fast triggers can be wonderful and dynamic assets, but I do detect desperation on occasions in the heat of battle where tactical clarity would perhaps be a better tool.” “The one area where Neil probably has not yet convinced is his use of substitutes. He has a tendency to go route one if things aren’t going to plan”, “When under pressure, he can rush and become a little two dimensional with unnecessary direct football at times.” Formation“Alex Neil has immediately demonstrated that he likes to dominate the centre of the field and overload the space there through much of the game”, “Our strength in numbers lies in our tidy compact passing midfielders”, “Bradley Johnson, Jonny Howson and Graham Dorrans make overlapping runs.” RuddyWhittakerMartin (c)BassongOlssonJohnsonTetteyHowsonHoolahanJeromeDorrans
The Canaries play with three central midfielders and one striker, as with their recent starting XI (above) against Middlesbrough. Three central midfielders can quickly become five, as Howson and Johnson break through the centre to link with Dorrans, Wes Hoolahan or the lone striker. “We have a high-pressing, high defensive line with centre-backs covering the attacking full-backs.” With central midfield overwhelmed, the full-backs are free to attack the flanks while the centre-backs and holding midfielder provide cover. The full-backs can often be City’s only wide option. Neil has increased the intensity and work-rate of the team with and without the ball. “In ensuring that we have Alexander Tettey as a deep pivot and at least two strong central midfielders, we allow Hoolahan to play in his correct and rather specific role as a free attacking midfielder who can press the ball.” Norwich 0 — 1 Middlesbrough“Norwich City, doing it the hard way since 1902”, “Bottled it, as usual”, “The pressure got to us and we looked nervous”, “We were like rabbits in headlights. We wanted our mums. Surely that comes down to belief and attitude?”, “We can’t get it done late in the season in this type of game.” Aitor Karanka successfully engineered a win at Carrow Road by overwhelming the Canaries at the start of the game and securing a lead through an eighth minute Tettey own goal. Having taken the lead they killed the tempo of the game and suffocated the hosts by stifling them in the middle. “It’s all Boro”, “We need to ride this out and regroup. Midfield is being overrun and it could get worse yet”, “They deserved that goal”, “We need to get hold of the bloody ball”, “Patrick Bamford has Russell Martin in pieces here. We’re in trouble at the moment”, “Seven corners in the first 15 minutes.” Canaries’ comments above highlighted the whirlwind they were subjected to at the start. “Boro’s blitzkrieg opening was as effective as it was surprising. We had not set up to do the same and Bamford’s shaped running and movement was very good”, “They did a job on us pure and simple.” “Norwich had only two shots on target.” Despite surrendering much possession and territory after taking the lead, the hosts were comfortably kept at arm’s length. “We could have played to midnight and not tested their keeper”, “Despite our huffing and puffing we created very few decent chances.” “We didn’t have any composure for the first 20 minutes, winning all the headers but giving the ball away. It was as if we were desperate to score from the kick-off, with no assessment of how the opposition would threaten us. It was desperate and tactically naïve when patience was required.” Despite Hoolahan being cautioned for simulation in Boro’s penalty area, City fans were indignant at what they believed to be the visitors’ gamesmanship once ahead. “Now you can imagine Karanka’s instructions, team sheet, warm-up, formation, tactics, cheating options.” “One of the Boro subs told the keeper to go down. That has to be a booking. It was as much simulation as the yellow Wes got for his dive”, “Even their physio was smirking as he came past to treat him. Having said that Wes did take a dive in the box for a penalty”, “We are too honest.” Rotherham 1 — 1 Norwich“What a very Norwich City day”, “We have only gone and got a red card”, “Ten heroic Canaries and one stupid boy”, “Rotherham had 21 shots to our six so we really can’t complain”, “I don’t think I have been so angry. We were handed the perfect opportunity on a plate and couldn’t take it.” A late Jordan Bowery header rescued a well-earned point for the Millers after Gary Hooper had put the visitors ahead after an hour. Canaries were furious with Lewis Grabban, who was red-carded for a punch after 25 minutes. “I’m just disappointed. I wish the season would end. It’s getting painful.” “Rotherham were making it hard for us to play the ball along the ground so we ended up going long a lot”, “Grabban’s red card or not, we got away with it today. We are starting to wobble at the worst possible time”, “It feels like we are that horse which didn’t quite land right on the final hurdle.” Norwich 4 — 2 Fulham“It felt a bit weird today. It kind of didn’t matter but the win built confidence.” City took advantage of some very lacklustre Fulham defending to coast to an easy win last Saturday. “Forgivable in this game maybe, but we do have a shocking tendency to switch off.” Alex Neil took the opportunity to rest a number of players in the staring XI (below). Nathan Redmond, Gary O’Neil and Hooper did not feature against Boro, but all played in their natural positions. Canaries were impressed with the performance of Elliott Bennett in an unfamiliar role at right-back. RuddyE BennettMartin (c)BassongOlssonJohnsonRedmondHowsonHoolahanHooperO'Neil
Defence“If I was scouting Norwich I would tell an opponent to start any game closing down our back four quickly in the first 20 minutes”, “We play the ball out from the back. It works well when the opposition drops off but we can be caught out when they press us in the final third.” “Our defence has been found wanting against top teams’ fast-raiding forwards”, “It wasn’t rocket science for Karanka to work out there would be space in the channels when the full-backs pushed forwards and that we are vulnerable to turnovers in the defensive third through over playing.” “John Ruddy still struggles with crosses and corners, which baffles me given he is such a big man.” The 28-year-old former Cambridge keeper “has not had a great season by his high standards, but seems to have come into form after a confidence crisis midway through the campaign.”  Steven Whittaker was rested after the Middlesbrough game with a hamstring injury. The 30-year-old former Rangers right-back “doesn’t have the skill or speed to get beyond the full-back so he often punts cross field”, “He’s a more skilful player than Martin Olsson but he’s not as quick.” “The increasing diagonal balls from Whittaker to Johnson became more ragged, predictable and ineffective against Boro”, “When he is played with Redmond, this can leave the entire right side exposed, an area where we have conceded many goals on the counter.” “Martin Olsson played the first half of the season like he didn’t want to be at the club.” The 26-year-old ex-Blackburn left-back “is a talented player but he appears to switch off at times”, “He ignored Bowery when he scored for Rotherham”, “He has the pace and technique to get behind full-backs.” “Elliott Bennett didn’t put a foot wrong against Fulham and looked solid, but had very little to defend against.” The 26-year-old ex-Brighton midfielder “has a decent cross, great speed and a lot of dedication”, “He was okay but without adding too much attacking quality.” “Bennett will have a bruising time against Ipswich if he plays. They are not a complicated side. They will hoof it and hack our players, let’s be honest”, “He wasn’t tested defensively. Was it enough to pick him ahead of Martin at right-back if Whittaker is still injured? I’m not sure.” Russell Martin“If there is one player who hasn’t looked comfortable in the past few months it has been Russell Martin.” The 29-year-old former Peterborough centre or right-back “splits opinion. He plays like a centre-back who thinks he has pace. He actually doesn’t, and gets caught out by mobile strikers.”  “Martin’s positioning, movement, comfort on the ball and his playing defensively between the lines help the tactical shape of the team”, “His mobility and experience make him well suited to the type of game Alex Neil wants to play”, “He’s an average defender at best and a very poor captain.” “Martin can dwell on the ball when passing out from the back and this can invite unnecessary pressure”, “The last-ditch tackles are great but an earlier challenge would often be a better choice”, “Let’s just hope he’s on that open-top bus with thousands of us applauding him.” Sebastien Bassong“Perhaps the one area where we have contributed to our own downfall was the Sebastien Bassong loan to Watford, or indeed the general handling of his situation, which saw us without our best defender for half the season”, “We loaned our best defender to a team which gained automatic promotion.”  The 28-year-old former Spurs centre-back “has been typical Bassong once we swallowed our pride and played him. He is outstanding 90% of the time and switches off and gets caught ball-watching the other 10%. He doesn’t read the game that well but has the pace to get out of trouble”. “Bassong always seems to make one screw-up per game and be solid for the rest”, “People underestimate his leadership and organisational skills”, “He is great at typically claiming high balls with Martin dropping a fraction to cover”, “The defence has been tons better since he came back. Midfield“One of our problems is that we don’t have enough creativity or good deliveries from the wings to break sides down”, “The standard of balls into the box from the flanks was poor against Boro”, “It all went too narrow and our continual reliance only on the full-backs for crosses was frustrating.” “Pleased to see Gary O’Neil in there - his experience could be important over the next three games.” The 31-year-old former QPR holding midfielder replaced Tettey against Fulham. “He has looked a steady player and may have been underused”, “Very assured on the ball and keeps possession well.” “I have got to think that Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe is a bigger waste of money than ‘Wolf’.” The 26-year-old former Club Brugge man “is built like a tank, isn’t he? He did well coming on against Fulham”, “He looked class, didn’t give the ball away and was always trying to make himself available.” “Nathan Redmond started the season well but still flatters to deceive. He has so much talent and pace but chooses to slow play down a lot. When he does skin his full-back he frustratingly seems to rest on his laurels. He lacks a killer instinct but his final ball has improved over the season.” “Redmond is still not using his pace enough or putting in good crosses.” The 21-year-old former Birmingham City right winger is seen as the one man who can offer width and pace. “I wish he would believe in himself more. This year he would rather make a safe pass than take on a man and shoot.” “Graham Dorrans was the only one of our midfielders finding any kind of pass against Boro and should not have been withdrawn.” The 27-year-old attacking midfielder is on loan from West Brom. “He looks a good player to me. I would like to see him here next season as he will get better.” “Jonny Howson is a frustrating player. He has great ability but never seems to take game by the scruff of the neck and dominate them by himself, which he has the ability to do.” The 26-year-old former Leeds man “is wasted when played out wide right as he has been in recent times”. Alexander Tettey“Tettey has had a very good season. If there is a better defensive midfielder in the league I’m not sure I have seen him. He breaks up play well and we always look a lot better when he plays.” The 29-year-old ex-Rennes man was rested with a knee injury against Fulham.  The Norway international struggled against Middlesbrough. “His general play and passing were terrible”, “He really slowed the tempo down when he got the ball with short and misplaced passes and taking too much time on the ball”, “His first touch was abysmal for most of the game.” “Tettey wasn’t at his best against Boro. His own goal was more bad luck than anything but he looked tired and his is a high energy game”, “He hasn’t hit the heights of last season when I some games he looked like the only thing stopping us getting slaughtered.” Wes Hoolahan“It has been another good season from the Irish wizard. When on song he is a class above at this level. He still has a tendency to give the ball away in silly positions but you can forgive him when you see some his creative play”, “We surrendered the Middlesbrough game when Wes came off.”  “Wes gives his all and is our most creative attacking threat.” The 32-year-old former Blackpool man “is notionally a number 10 but more accurately is a free-roaming midfielder with licence to drift. Out of possession he joins up with the nearest pair to make up a hunting three to press the ball.” “Wes has been good on the whole and put in some truly fantastic performances, but there have been quite a few games where he has been poor”, “Opponents routinely put two or three players on him, providing room for another creative player to work in, but it it’s happening.” Bradley Johnson“No one seems to realise from outside the club how brilliant Bradley has been for us”, “A great season, his goalscoring has been a revelation. He still gives the ball away a lot but you can’t fault his commitment to the cause”, “Johnson can certainly put some power behind his left foot.”  The 28-year-old former Leeds player “deserves his Player of the Season award with 15 goals from midfield”, “It has been a stroke of genius playing him in the attacking left-sided role. He has always been a powerful tackler but is good at getting forward, making some great late runs into the box.” “We are susceptible on his side when he plays a holding role. His passing attempts from deep are often too ambitious and he’s prone to losing the ball trying to be too clever”, “His confidence suits him more to an attacking role”, “Better at finishing from the front part of the box than anyone else.” Strikers“The lack of striker availability is a big, big worry”, “We are not as direct or quick as Bournemouth up front”, “Just think where we would be now if we had let Bournemouth keep Lewis Grabban and bought Callum Wilson instead.” Grabban’s suspension has left the Canaries down to the bare bones in attack. Gary Hooper“Hooper is one of the most skilful players we have, always trying to do things one or two-touch. He’s involved in games but doesn’t spend much time on the ball so people think he’s not involved or working hard”, “He is forced to play deeper because his first touch and link-up play are so good.”  The 27-year-old former Celtic man “is our most natural striker and has been underused in terms of starts. He has been used in a withdrawn role whereas I see him as an out-and-out poacher”, “Hooper is one of the most skilful players we have”, “He is our best natural finisher all day.” “I wonder which Hooper will turn up, the lazy one or the goalscorer.” He has his critics. “He’s a very mediocre striker for the Championship, a squad player if ever there was one. He won’t score for fun or get bags of goals unless we’re playing relegation fighters. For a fourth striker he’s probably fine.” Cameron Jerome“Unleash the beast in the knock-outs”, “Jerome has worked hard and is still quite pacey. I like his attitude, particularly towards younger players”, “A very good signing for us, but I would like him to show some more aggression”, “He’ll handle Berra and Smith well. They are physical but slow.”  “Big, strong and powerful, Cameron is a natural goalscorer who has scored some crackers as well”, “He’s a good outlet playing on his own up front. You can play a long ball to him and he creates a headache for defenders”, “We will miss Grabban’s movement because Jerome doesn’t offer that.” “Jerome is not injured but needs a break to prepare for the play-offs. He needs to think about when he will score his 20th goal of the season”. The 28-year-old ex-Stoke striker and top scorer was rested against Fulham. “He shouldn’t have played three games in a row in the week before the Boro game.” Canaries’ Thoughts on ITFC and the Game“What’s the largest-ever two-match aggregate winning margin in play-off history?”, “We’ll give them a right seeing-to, one to tell the grandkids about”, “A win will not be enough. There must be a demolition derby — at least 9-2 is the minimum. Bragging rights must come with humiliation.” “Someone asked, ‘I didn’t know you could get a bye into the play-off final’.” City’s win over Fulham on Saturday coupled with the news that we would play them has boosted fans’ confidence no end. “I feel that we could walk away with a two-goal lead in the first leg”, “We can handle Ipswich.” “Will we need to get out of second gear against Ipswich?”, “Save it for the final. We may even be able to rest players for the home leg”, “If the midfield can get at Tommy Smith the game is in the bag. It would be almost impossible to not score at least two against them over three hours.” “We’ll do Ipswich over two legs easily. I can’t wait”, “I’m ridiculously confident”, “The most exciting draw and the weakest team we could face”, “We beat them the last gazillion times we have played”, “We can beat them twice in a week in a semi-final”, “One of the biggest matches in our history.” Preparing For Wembley“Calling all London based Canaries. Wembley Stadium, be there”, “Does anyone know how many tickets each club gets for the play-off final? Making an assumption of a Norwich — Middlesbrough final, their average crowd is only 20,000.” Some Canaries are planning ahead early. “Now that we have effectively been given a bye, what will the price range roughly be for the final at Wembley?”, “If we play Brentford will we get a bigger allocation or would they just remain unsold?”, “It would be great if we could take 50,000 there.” “I haven’t been to the new Wembley, but I always drive to Cockfosters tube station and park there and then get the tube. Is this still a good idea? I want to make the journey as painless as possible”, “The car park is dramatically reduced in size due to the new stadium being built.” The Ipswich Playing Style“If Ipswich went to the Premier League they would get destroyed. They would have to replace virtually their whole team”, “We cannot compromise to Ipswich’s total joke of a footballing style”, “At the moment they are a nothing club playing backwards football”, “They are frightened of us.” Many Canaries have written off our perceived style of play. “Ipswich are being carried by Murphy having the season of a lifetime. They are nothing more than an eighties-style hoof-and-hope team”, “I would rather play Ipswich in this form. They are a shambles defensively.” “Sears and perhaps Murphy apart, they have very little in the way of quality”, “Sears is the bargain buy of the season, but that is saying a lot because Ipswich are piss-poor”, “Do they have a Plan B? Hoofball hasn’t worked against us so far”, “The real test will be in the game after at Wembley.” Post-Middlesbrough Anxiety“Why do so many of you want Ipswich in the play-offs? This is just a car crash looking for a location and probably won’t end well for us”, “Any loss to them and we would have to keep quiet for the next 30 years”, “The biggest fear I have is Sears running at us. I hope Tettey is fit.” It’s worth noting that the mood was a great deal more apprehensive after their defeat to Middlesbrough. “There’s a clear correlation between people who say Ipswich in the play-offs would be great and non-match going fans”, “We all know what might happen.” “What if we lose? It would be the worst day in our history”, “I just can’t deal with the thought of them beating us and rubbing it in our faces”, “We have given them all the ‘Mind the Gap’ rubbish back x 100. It might just come back to haunt us.” “My biggest worry and it has been for some time - Ipswich are due a win over us”, “It will end in tears and we won’t hear the end of it for the next 10 years”, “I just feel like they have got one win against us in them”, “The realists among us will be happy with a one-goal margin over the two legs.” “How often have you been to Portman Road? The risk of losing far outweighs the potential glory of winning. It’s not enjoyable in the slightest until you have won. Everyone I have spoken to who travels regularly wants to avoid it like the plague.” “We certainly have been the best team over the last five years, but in the last 20 years Ipswich have had two campaigns in Europe, two Cup semi-finals, have finished higher than us more often than not and they haven’t been relegated to the third tier.” WebsitesThere are three active Canaries websites. The Pink ‘Un is the busiest and has the most in-depth discussions. The cheerfully coloured and lively Wrath of the Barclay operates in thread mode with a new discussion page every day and the quieter Norwich Talk is a well-moderated forum with some informative contributors.
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