Norwich boss David Wagner said he had the feeling his team wanted the derby victory more following the Canaries’ 1-0 defeat of the Blues at Carrow Road.

Marcelino Nunez’s 39th-minute goal proved decisive as Town suffered yet another disappointment in the East Anglian derby.

“I’ve said in the past after our home games that the atmosphere was great or fantastic, this was not the truth,” Wagner said. “Today it was fantastic and great.

“Today it was outstanding, the best since I’m here in charge and everyone has seen what kind of a big influence this has on the big tackles and the 50/50 challenges where, at the end of the day, my players were better.

“I had the feeling they wanted it more, especially in the 50/50 challenges. The workload that they put into the shift, the fighting spirit, the attitude was unbelievable, top class as well.

“They’ve beaten the league leaders, your biggest rivals, deserved from my point of view because we had the clearer-cut chances, second half especially on the counter we were a real threat.

“It took until [Conor] Chaplin’s cutback situation until they had the first chance, a team which has scored so many goals this season.

“To still be in the game and be calm and do your job after they made their super-strength substitutions, which they always have done, was top class.

“A top performance. The only thing was that we should have killed the game earlier. This is maybe something that we can criticise if we like to, but to be fair I don’t like to criticise anything today.

“We said this before, today it’s about us, it’s a league leader, yes they are offensively top-class, playing good football, but let’s make sure it’s about us, about how we play the game, how we approach the game and it’s about us - we need points as well, we have targets as well and this is what the players wanted to show.

“To be fair, there was a big belief in the dressing room before kick-off and to bounce back after not a good performance against Leicester [as they lost 3-1 on Monday] in this manner is top class. A great afternoon.”

Regarding the incidents in the first half where Axel Tuanzebe was penalised and booked following a challenge with Josh Sargent and one where Sam Morsy wasn’t, both just outside the penalty area, Wagner said: “The first one, first half, I’m not quite sure if this was a foul.

“Second half, for me it was a crystal clear penalty and a red card. This is how I’ve seen it from my perspective but I know the referee has a different angle, a different view. I’m not sure if I’m right, but this is how I’ve seen it. But, to be fair, I think the referee has done in general, apart from these two situations, which I’ve seen different, but I haven’t seen it back, I think the referee has done a very good job.”

Photo: TWTD

ArnieM added 12:22 - Apr 7 Can’t remember the last time I ever witnessed a Town side taking the game to scum in a derby match. We ALWAYS bottle it now. It’s not that scum are better, because clearly they’re not. It’s about desire…. We capitulate EVERY time. I’m sick of it.
0

bobble added 03:05 - Apr 8 they looked faster ,sharper and more aggressive but i guess if they dont win that game they may drop out of the playoffs so they had more reason to want to win
0

JewellintheTown added 09:35 - Apr 8 Hope we've learnt our lesson as to how to "bounce back" this time. Last one didn't go to plan.
0

smellmycheese added 12:31 - Apr 8 How many times does Kieran McKenna have to say we have illness in the camp for you utter morons to understand?
0

hyperbrit added 13:23 - Apr 8 I still have a sneaking suspicion the the "powers that be" want a Wembley playoff As Portman Terrorist said.3 or 4 yellows in the first part of the match that were not given would have produced a much less aggressive Norwich and perhaps woken up a sleepy Town.The bookies are salivating having set up thousands betting on Norwich and losing.
0

hyperbrit added 21:44 - Apr 8 I think I said that I hope Town doesn't have to play 12 men.
0

hyperbrit added 14:45 - Apr 10 I was a bit harsh on Moore but frankly letting the ball go out for a corner when he could have banged it into the box was not what strikers should do.
0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls