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After battling my way round Marks & Spencers this morning I was dubious as to whether I had enough puff left to bike down to the ground this afternoon. However the habits of a lifetime are hard to break and although it was a little bit windy, conditions were otherwise fairly mild and dry so I gave it a go. The omens were good and having just watched our southern neighbours get a tonking at Elland Road I had a strong feeling that this was going to be a good Xmas. A small cheer went up from me when we lost the toss and kicked off towards the Barclay for a change. In the old days this was always the favoured choice and stood us in good stead for many years. In the early stages City dominated possession without really getting in any goal scoring positons and despite some nice accurate passing most of the play was across and in front of the Huddersfield defence and when the ball eventually came into the box the danger was easily snuffed out. The visitors were mostly set up behind the ball but did come forward in the sixth minute to win a corner and a free kick but they could do no better than find a header that went well over. City did eventually work a bit of space when Rowe burst clear but the move ended when Sara could only find the side netting when forced wide. It was obviously going to be a game of patience as City continued to look neat and tidy with the ball but couldn't find an opening in the visitors packed defence. Midway through the half Huddersfield did manage to exert a short period of dominance but the early pattern of the game reasserted itself and the home side almost snatched the lead when a Stacey cross from the right found Barnes unmarked and his firm header looked goal bound from my end, only for Maxwell to produce a fine save to his left. It was about as close as we had got to a goal first half and apart from a low shot from Nunez that went wide, there was little sign of a breakthrough. Just before the half ended, Gianoullis got a bang in the face it I wasn't surprised when he didn't appear second half. It looked better almost immediately when McCallum came on and linked up with Sainz down the City left and won a corner which Duffy couldn't get enough contact on. The ball ran out to the far side where Nunez retrieved and swung in a ball that McCallum headed into the net from a narrowish angle to give City the lead. Confidence now seemed to flow through the team and with Sara spraying passes right and left the crowd finally got behind the team and we had a few choruses of OTBC. Stacey then put in a lovely cross after a low ball had whistled across the face of goal without anyone getting a touch. Sainz glanced a header just wide then Rowe tested the visitors keeper with another low shot on target. There was little coming back the other way and I can't recall anything that troubled Gunn all afternoon. The introduction of McCallum seemed to have set Sainz alight and the visitors had to resort to a bit of rough house to keep him out more than once. We had Fassnacht and Idah on for Rowe and Hernandez just after the hour but it made little difference to the rythm of the game which was now mostly one way and just after seventy minutes Idah sprung away down the right and had time to look up and see Barnes haring down the middle. His quick low cross was a tad too strong but Barnes touch only set Sainz up and a touch and a shuffle inside was all that was required for the little winger to find space and curl a low shot beyond Maxwell for number two. After this it could easily have been three or four and one glorious move involving Sara and an Idah backheel almost ended with Hwang, who had just replaced Barnes, netting in the far top corner. Unfortunately it was a couple of feet wide. From here on the game was done and dusted and coupled with the 1p5wich result it meant a nice little Xmas present for those of us of the Yellow persuasion. I don't know if you can give a man who only had forty five minutes, MOM but I thought he really was surperb second half and was instrumental in getting the result. Sara and Nunez were again almost faultless and also a special mention for Onell who left it all out there on the pitch today. Hopefully this sets us up nicely for an improved second half of the season because we did look good today once the confidence returned and the crowd found their mojo. Happy Xmas and a prosperous New Year to all from Ricardo.

Anyone else at the game today notice the reaction of the crowd when Gibson came on? Doesn’t seem like many posted about it on the match thread but it was an absolutely dreadful reaction around me. Where I was sitting it sounded like a few boos but the most audible noise was a very loud collective groan / sigh. Like as if he’d already booted the ball out of play stupidly or something, but he was just… running on to the pitch? To be completely honest it sounded like it was coming from the whole stadium not just around me but I could be wrong. If any of this breed of idiot are posting on here then please just why? Our best home performance since the start of the season, the first time the fans and players have been pulling together in a long while and then that? What on Earth must Gibson feel like coming on to that?? And what about the rest of the players? I can’t fathom how they didn’t hear it. Just really poor from some of our fans, shame on you if this was you, do better!!

Not a binner was stiring for they had been trouced! And at Carrow Road the balls had been put into the net with care for thankfuly McCallum and Sainz were there.

Ah, we make it just one loss in 8 and one of the first threads is a winge and a moan moan moan Classic. Love this place

Can’t help but continue to love Farke.

I enjoyed today, I haven't felt Christmassy at all this year but do after todays win. Other than a pretty boring 20 minutes in the first half, which made the stadium fall pretty silent - it was beautiful today from all the boys. Stand out performance for me was McCallum second half, I didn't see him do a thing wrong, he won absolutely everything on the ground & in the air. Awesome from him after a ropey start last week - a big confidence boost & a solid option going forward. Merry Christmas

Gibson boo’d on?? Poor from the fans… right when we’re playing the best we’ve played for months as well?

*bump*

Rancid, reheated offal that makes you sick? But enough about the Daily Mail.

Same bellends booing Gibson were the ones booing Idah a few home games ago.

Sainz looks so dangerous cutting onto his right like that. Also an excellent example of why you shouldn't use assists to assess a players contribution - Barnes gets one there for a dreadful touch while Idah gets nothing for a great run and cross.

I thought we played well first half against a parked bus. This will open up second half when they tire.

This is exactly the poor and negative mindset of the idiot booing today. Will he still be about at the end of season? Probably not as he's old and we want to reduce age and wage. As it stands, we don't have a daft button and he is one of us. Back the players when appropriate. He did nothing wrong and just came back from a broken foot lay off. Stupid fans

Hopefully we are regaining ours while 1p5wich are losing theirs.

Exactly, we were 2-0 up in the 82nd minute in our first of four games in nine days. Subbing the important players late on is common bloody sense.

McLean is doing much better at CB than CM, and Nunez is doing much better at CM than McLean was. If Wagner reverts back to McLean at CM to bring Gibson in at Nunez's expense then we can kiss goodbye to our recent run of positive results. He has to know that, surely? What McLean wants for his tinpot international career is of zero concern to Norwich. He's better, and we're better, with him outside of our midfield.

I’m guessing Leeds is ‘just another game’ too

You were bang on! Well done!

Wow. No it was not - the guy is a human ffs - he 100% would’ve heard that reaction. What is he supposed to think? What are the rest of the team supposed to think? No matter how bad you think the player coming on, as a fan / supporter that is not something you could ever justify. It’s so poor. And it wasn’t ‘just’ a very audible groan but booing as well. I can understand it when a player has cocked up a few times in the game and **** up again (I.e. Duffy playing a simple pass straight out of play twice today), or maybe if it’s annoyance at the tactics of the substitution rather than the player, but when they’re literally just being subbed on in a game we’re 2-0 up and comfortable in? Come on! I’m sure he won’t be renewed regardless of whether the fans react like that, why not get behind the team and players in a match we are clearly coasting in?

McLean has looked better at centre back than Gibson did before his injury. The midfield duo of Sara and Nuñez is working surprisingly well, despite my initial worries over a lack of physicality and defensive steel (although those concerns haven't been completely allayed). I too fear that Gibson may come back into the side, which I don't think is the right thing to do whilst things are working. Wait for an injury or loss of form before putting Gibson back into the team.

Morons, like him or loathe him, he's one of us for the time being and should be supported like the rest.

That's the spirit

Farkes total score v Scum, 14-5 haha

We did this. We reminded them who they really are.

Very true. Having recently spent some time with local politicians (not just Labour) and Labour Party members, I didn’t meet anyone who was spending a considerable amount of their free time for anything other than the good of their local society. The worst you could accuse them of was tribalism and maybe for some, a bit of ego boosting. That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of politicians at every level who have at least partly selfish motivations, but the “they’re all in it for themselves” stuff gets my back up even more now, it’s just a smokescreen excuse for “I can’t be bothered”.

One upping the scarfs from last week 🤣🤣

At 36 points after 23 games, that points towards the last place requiring 72 points. Our recent run has brought us 2 points per game. Continue this and we would finish on 82 points. That run has put us on the staring grid so to speak, but the there is only so much luck you can have and we wait to see if the recent 14 point haul was down to good, consistent play or just us getting the rub of the green. So it's up to the players to show it is the former, and maybe fans to get behind those players. A playoff place is now a possibility, something way beyond our dreams a couple of months back. Time for all good Canaries to dream 😋

Gilmour doesn't look very good...

So there are 7 games to the half way point in the league. Even though our form isn’t great, I am fairly optimistic looking at the fixtures. Home - QPR, Preston, Sheff Wed, Huddesfield. That should be 10 points Away - Watford, Bristol C, Bin. More difficult but maybe 4 points. so 14 in total taking us to 34 over the first half of the season. We would still be behind the rate needed for the play offs, but not much. Whats your prediction?

you might mock them, but they have installed central heating this winter..

The guy had battled back from a lengthy injury . Then met by morons grandstanding . Pathetic .

McLean is a good midfielder at this level and considering the argument was based on his defensive ability, he's better than Nunez at that. Our midfield shockingly looks better when you have a CB who can beat the press, pass out, turn the play and also drive into space. That doesn't mean Kenny can't play in midfield.

Think the only highlight he had was falling over and taking about an hour to get back up

They've had their 4 months, normal service is being resumed

Don't want these morons at our club . Pathetic .

As Goreham has said, teams are going to start targeting him, he’s a walking red card though.

Bosh!!

Merry Christmas to you too Don.... Such an intriguing piece and so well articulated it was worth the read in any event. What's it all mean though? Football is, of course, much more complicated, its not the simple game my old man said it could be. This is the proverbial conundrum of all clubs. We all want points, only three can gain enough for promotion, 3 for relegation.... how do NCFC achieve the former? Your right, it does rely on decisions in the boardroom, who carries out recruitment, how much to spend, how do we develop, how can we compete, improve, develop a team.. etc.... and over what kind of period... Farke, for example, was given the time and patience to develop and acquiring points wasn't all so important during those seasons. He probably achieved the aims too quickly, another year and we may well be a different club right now (and Leeds might not be thumping Ipswich right now!). As far as I can see, we've asked (probably expected) the managers since to acquire sufficient points at all costs; unrealistic expectation trumping squad capability. I agree and have said on many occasions on here, this board has 'lost its way' but right now it needs 'a man with a plan' in charge of the team, then patience and time from the club and the fans. Happy Christmas all.

Like Leeds against Ipswich, you mean?

Byram? Injured? Never saw that one coming

Speak for yourself, some of us are infallible. And my £20 bet in the summer on the automatics proves it 😀

Football fans are fickle creatures Dylan. No patience, quick to create overrated heroes or scapegoats largely undeserved and all from a perspective of infallibility and assuming that they themselves have the unique skills to of been (successful) football managers if only they could of been asked! We all live our fantasies! I think we'll make the playoffs.

The Villa fan I know thinks they'd be 5 points clear if Emi was available and moans like mad about Bailey. Emery called Emi the team's "heartbeat" at the end of last season. He also says Tielemans has made a big difference and says they look better at the back without Mings.

If you’re willing to hit the report button make sure you’re squeaky clean yourself, interesting times ahead on here.