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The morning dawned grey and damp here in NR2 and there was a fine drizzly rain that kept up all day. I have had a niggling doubt about the prospects for today as Rotherham seemed the kind of side that we have often struggled against in recent seasons. The absence of Leitner was an obvious concern but I was happy enough to see Vrancic earn his place and with Cantwell filling in for Hernandez it looked good enough to do the job. City were dominant in possession in the early stages but the visitors had everyone behind the ball and consequently everything broke down twenty yards from goal. When Rotherham won a throw in well down the City left I deemed it an opportune moment to nip out to the little boys room only to be greeted with a roar that was obviously for a Rotherham goal as I came back up the stairs.😰 It's incredible the number of times this has happened over the years. Apparently we hadn't defended a corner well and although Krul made a save the ball was forced in. You'll have to take my son's word for it because I never saw a thing. It seemed to shake us for a bit and although we finally got some crosses into the box there was nothing to trouble Rodak. At our end however, a quick movement caught us on the back foot and a low shot looked goal-bound until it hit the inside of Krul's right post and rebounded right across goal and away. It was a moment of good fortune and City tried to capitalise on it with some nice stuff down the right. Buedia had a shot blocked as did Stiepermann as he tried to follow up. It was much better from City but it got very frustrating when the visitors milked the clock for every stoppage and I thought Ref, Steve Martin a bit lax on the time wasting and didn't do himself any favours with one or two dubious decisions.City huffed and puffed, mainly down their right but couldn't set up anything resembling a clear chance Buendia was a bit off with his flicks and touches and nothing seemed to come together. Vrancic just clipped the wall with a free kick on the D and just before the half Buendia's free kick from a similar range was only inches over. Apart from that we had not worked many clear openings and Rodak didn't have to make a save of note. From the off the second period seemed to be continuing the pattern of the first but finally there was some joy as Aarons and Lewis began to find more room down the wings. A couple of corners were won as the home side turned up the pressure and on fifty five minutes City were at last back level. Vrancic's ball pushed Pukki a bit wide but the City striker passed low inside and there was Todd Cantwell to flash a shot across goal and into the far top corner. Confidence seemed to flood through the whole side as City now roared on by a 25k crowd kept the visitors more or less constantly on the back foot. Krul had little to do at our end apart from cleanly catching a cross from the right. The visitors still had plenty of fight in them but you could see that they were gradually being worn down by City's superior passing and movement. Buedia appeared to have got his mojo back as with twenty minutes left City took a deserved lead with a quality goal. When the ball came to Cantwell just outside the box there seemed no clear option until a delicate chip over the defenders found Max Aarons running in from the right to nod past the startled Rodak. "We are top of the League", began to ring out round the ground as the Rotherham defence began to get very stretched. Rodak then made a great save from Buendia and Pukki could only slam the rebound across goal and wide. Rotherham's reply was the odd surge forward by the industrious Williams, but generally the home defence looked very solid. The icing was put on the cake when Stiepermann harried a defender into a mistake on the edge of the area and then had the presence of mind to slide a pass to Pukki who wrapped it into the corner for game over. Rhodes and Trybull came on fro Vrancic and Lewis and there was still time for Rodak to make a fine save from Rhodes as he looked to put the finishing touch to a lovely sweeping move. In the end it all came right and for me a sense of relief more than anything else. I hate going behind in games but with this side it doesn't appear to be a problem. I'm trying not to get too excited but this really could be another one of those years. Cantwell my MOM and fine displays from everyone else.

Highlights are already up https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/championship/11568948/norwich-3-1-rotherham

I think it's sad day that a team with the proudest history of every other club worldwide, the most talented array of youth prospects ever to be assembled at one club at one time, the very best manager in the Championship, the most statues outside their ground and every other football supporter's second favourite team now find themselves in such a perilous position. So sad that I'll now need a drink to drown my sorrows. Nah! Cause for celebration if ever there was one. What's that six win less games for agent Lambert now? Hurst holds the record for that down there. Can Lambert emulate this feat?

If he takes Ipswich down do we need to starting thinking about a statue outside the Carra? 😉

Goal keeping error by the Championship's most reliable keeper, Randolph. And a few minutes earlier he had pushed a left handed save straight out; in this instance though Villa had no one following up and Boro had two defenders back to clear. Given that earlier in the afternoon Leeds were gifted three points by another keeping error, maybe some posters should stop pretending that TK is uniquely fallible.

If you have to ask the question I doubt you'd understand the answer anyway.

How about Rhodes on for Marco? A change of approach might do the trick, Give Teemu a bit more room to work in.

Sheffield/Leeds was heading for a draw until the Blades keeper gifted Leeds a goal! You know, one of those other keepers reputedly so much better than TK ..........

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/championship/11569030/nottingham-forest-2-0-ipswich Forest scored two, and hit the woodwork 3 times, in addition to missing about 5 or 6 golden chances. It really could have been double figures if they'd been more clinical. They are by far the worst side I have ever seen in the Championship... ISN'T IT F**KING BRILLIANT?! Oh, and Lambert has had a worse start over 5 games than Hurst did 😄 Maybe he's not a Judas traitor and is just ensuring Hurst's legacy is not repaired.

Ok if youre looking for someone who might be able to get a team out of league one or battle against relegation in the championship on a limited budget...like to hope our ambitions are a little higher

Hi everyone, thanks for all your help and well done Tilly👏👏.

That is my understanding. If you put aside moronic kneejerk antagonism because he was a Labour politician the verdict has to be that he has done a good job under difficult circumstances, including overseeing the transition to a non-parachute payment existence and especially being the driving force behind the new management system. He was much mocked when he arrived for saying he would work on a long-term plan, but he obviously did, talking to key figures at other clubs and particularly Damien Comolli, who was at Liverpool when Webber was there, and who impressed on Balls the need to switch to a DoF model. It will be interesting to see who becomes chairman. Foulger would be the obvious in-house choice. Probably too early for Tom Smith. And whether Webber becomes a director, although if he attends every board meeting, as he probably does, then that would not be much of a change. Could finally be the Sage of Omaha, of course.

Very happy with that and well done Diesel Doris. Good selections from you PUPs helped me along the way. Sorry to have missed you at The Nelson Nutty as i had to rush home and makes some notes for my speech which i assume you will want me to make at the end of season presentation ? 😜😂

Am I allowed to mention that Max Aarons instructed Todd Cantwell to mark the guy who scored, but he decide not to?. As far as I am concerned we win as a team, we lose as a team...........

He was doing a job.He did it well and we all loved him for it. That apart there's not much to like about the man. I think that is spot on.

Something like this? WA and WB are wins ahead for Norwich and Wins behind for Ipswich

Ryan Jarvis? Fakenham born?

Sure, table updated to reflect today's results - under 2 points per win and either GD or GA we'd be 2nd to Leeds. Added Points / Game and Estimated Points and GD based on current averages through rest of season.

Thanks as always. Teams will start to think it’s a mistake to take the lead against us!

Yet listen to Lambert and theyre playing brilliantly!!.....propaganda to a new level

Now THAT is what you'd call a clanger 😲 .....especially when it gift-wrapped our nearest rivals 2 more points than they should have got from the game

Goal was never offside. Well apart from the 3 players between Max & the goal. I'm wondering if part of our success is down to the opposition having to run their testicles off to keep up with our ability to move them around. Hence our ability to steamroller teams as the match goes on.

Just posted this on the Rotherham match thread about Villa's goal at Boro, but in the spirit of today's posts on here ......... "Goal keeping error by the Championship's most reliable keeper, Randolph. And a few minutes earlier he had pushed a left handed save straight out; in this instance though Villa had no one following up and Boro had two defenders back to clear. Given that earlier in the afternoon Leeds were gifted three points by another keeping error, maybe some posters should stop pretending that TK is uniquely fallible."

To create 5 or 6 clear goal scoring opportunities against a well organised side determined to stick 11 behind the ball shows how far we've come. First goal looked well offside live, although admittedly i sit lower barclay so couldnt see the line. Whenever you think we might be starting to tail off we come back. Delighted for Todd whos fantastic technical ability on the ball helped carve opportunities out of a determined Rotherham.

People need to have a little think of the overall perspective on Krul, whether you like him or don't. Ultimately, yes, he has made mistakes, but which outfield player doesn't? Its only highlighted more-so when its a goalkeeper. He has on the flip side made some great saves and these should be recognised also. For me personally, the positives outweigh the negatives and we should be thankful of a keeper like him, who clearly buys into NCFC and wants to be here. He's part of our team and therefore part of our incredible run, indicating he's contributed to it.

Not sure. Usually I think its better if your nearest rivals share 2 points rather than one getting 3 when theres so many games left in the season. But in this situation a win would put Villa on 31 with Boro on 35. I do think a well orgnaised Pulis team thats only conceded 11 all season will probably finish above Villa this season so ill happily have them get the points today! will leave us 5 clear of 3rd (at least until WBA play tomorrow.)

Seriously? What is the point of a post making plain how clueless you apparently are?

Anyone blaming Krul today doesn't know a great deal about football/goalkeeping.

Yep frustrating is today's watchword.

I registered for iFollow when I got here. I used my U.K. credit card and am now watching my 3rd game.

Bump

Im going to just say it, another goal conceded thanks to Krul. For all our winning results recently we are conceding some very soft goals.

I would say that although I will defend Krul as I think for the most part he's been great, this failure to push the ball away into non-dangerous errors is really starting to stack goals against. Plenty of time left, not the first time we've had to climb a mountain this season. Come on boys!

Ffs. Poor goal to give away that. Im a Krul fan but thats really poor keeping. Bit of a pattern emerging with the lack of awareness as to where he parries the ball.

Well, better a proxy than a poxy family.

Yeah. I moved to Eastern Canada to visit my proxy family.

I am in Thailand and my screen states it will kick off shortly.

Its appeared for me now

The watch link doesnt appear until 10mins before kick off sometimes

I was thinking that Ron. The gap between us and 3rd place is all that really matters!

As always. Carlisle away for me.

Thanks Sussex! Any more takers?

You never went to Eton.

Less than a week to go now and I am looking forward to this its going to be a good night.

This is sure to be a good night and there is going to be something for everyone. I for one am very much looking forward to it and its a great chance to have a little flutter for great prizes or just come down for a chat and a mingle before christmas in what is bound to be a good atmosphere with us being top of the league

I haven't decided yet. I can't decide whether to spend the £3 on the door on the night or spend it on 'er indoors Christmas present, can't do both. I think I'll wait to see if she's behaving herself....

Still think Trybull should have started, not Vrancic. Our first half play was far too slow; it was as if Mario's languid style permeated the entire team.