Ricardo's report v Sunderland

[ricardo 7,385]

Winter made an unwelcome return to Carrow Rd so Ricardo''s woolly hat, gloves and scarf were pressed into action today. There was a cold northerly wind laced with rain, blowing across the pitch as Sunderland kicked off towards the River end. City, despite days of double bluff were without Tim Klose so Bassong took his place in an otherwise unchanged line up.It was hectic stuff from the off with the swirling wind making it difficult for defenders to judge the flight and bounce of the ball. Sunderland quickly showed that they were taking no prisoners with a series of fouls every time a City player looked like breaking clear. When Brady stepped in front of a Sunderland player and sent him sprawling into the barrier there was a rather large free for all but it was mainly handbags at ten paces. An early Brady free kick caused mayhem in the Sunderland box as Naismith flicked it  on only for an offside flag to halt proceedings. It was mostly City in the opening quarter and the corner count soon began to rack up although apart from a 20 yarder from Brady and a header from Mbokani there was little to worry Mannone.We had seen little of Sunderland until the 17th minute when a sharp break wasn''t dealt with and Defoe almost got on the end of a hard low cross from the right. For the next ten minutes City seemed to lose their way and Sunderland were presented with opportunities thanks to sloppy passing out of defence. Thankfully there wasn''t much to trouble John Ruddy and City rode this bad period before coming back strongly. Sunderland were lucky to survive when Brady''s cross shot hit a defender and then Olsson''s terrific volley finally brought the best out of the Sunderland keeper.Kevin Friend seemed very lenient with the away defenders when time after time Naismith and Mbokani were tackled from behind but suddenly sprung into action when Borini was tackled in the City box just before the interval. I must confess to shock and surprise when he pointed to the spot as it seemed Wisdom had got the ball but it was no surprise when Borini picked himself up and netted easily to Ruddy''s right. The first game is oh, so important in these games and played perfectly into Sunderland''s game plan.Redmond was brought on for Brady as the second half began and City immediately won a series of corners that Sunderland managed to clear with some difficulty. Redmond then danced through the middle before unleashing a low shot that looked goal-bound only for it to crash off the outside of a post with Mannone well beaten. At this stage I think most of us with a few games under our belts could see were this was going and when Defoe tucked in a second on 53 minutes our worst fears were confirmed. Bassong looked as if he had been fouled but Kevin Friend waved appeals away and City were faced with a real uphill task.Wes came on for Jarvis as City piled men forward. Mbokani was clearly fouled in the box but again the referee was unimpressed. The same player then diverted the ball past keeper and defenders but the ball did not have enough strength to roll over the line before being hacked clear. The minutes raced away as corner after corner came in only for Sunderland heads and fee to reach it first. Mbokani and Bassong had headers cleared almost on the line and Wes''s low shot looked goalbound until a defender got in the way.It was all so predictable and with so many committed forward Sunderland had several quick breakaways and Howson made up an enormous amount of ground to snuff several clear cut chances. Jerome came on for Naismith with 15 minutes left bu you could not see City getting the break to change the pattern of the game. More corners, more clearances and Bassong being blatantly pushed in the box merely confirmed that it wasn''t going to be our day and when Watmore netted a third for Sunderland with City reduced to ten men through Wisdom''s injury it was all over bar the shouting.I think it''s fair to say that the penalty had an enormous influence upon the result and in the way Sunderland approached the second half. The talk will all be about Big Sam but events ran kindly for his team today. You need a bit of luck in this league but when the chips are down it never seems to run for the smaller teams and in retrospect I think that Tim Klose''s injury will be seen as a major turning point. Disappointing, but we are not done yet.[Y] MOM for me was Johnny Howson who covered every blade of grass and never gave less than 100%

[City 2nd 191]

God report once again Ricardo, but the ref was Andre Marinner?

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,431]

 A few thoughts

 

1. the ref was Andre Marriner

 

2. Sunderland held a vey high line , playing their GK as sweeper. They worked us out - no pace in behind and suck the space out of the game.

 

3. second week running , against poor opposition, we were out thought by an experienced manager.

 

4. We can always blame Bassong.

[CANARYKING 637]

Just got worse, Toon now two up

[ricardo 7,385]

You are right, don''t know what made me think it was Friend.[:$]

[Herman 9,756]

[quote user="City 2nd"]God report once again Ricardo, but the ref was Andre Marinner?[/quote]Different name, same old dodgy ref.[:D]

Cheers Ricardo.Very fed up. Lost hope. Got hope back. Hope snatched away again. This IS the ''Norwich way''. Back to being a three horse race to the bottom this evening.

[Thecanaryfan 0]

I wish it had been Friend today.

And not that useless lump Marriner.

[CJ 0]

Sorry hopehas gone as this manager out thought every game and not enough balls to go for it with two up front until too late.

Only hope is if we sack him now and bring in some one now given two week break for us!

[Lessingham Canary 99]

Well done Ricardo, i don''t think would have mattered who was the ref today, i don''t think we would have scored ! couldn''t pick a MOM today !

[ricardo 7,385]

[quote user="Lessingham Canary"]Well done Ricardo, i don''t think would have mattered who was the ref today, i don''t think we would have scored ! couldn''t pick a MOM today ![/quote]When yo have been to as many games as I have LC, you can sense the moment when you know it''s not going to go for you. When Redmond''s shot hit the post I knew it was going to be one of those days. We had 64% of the possession, 19 shots, 8 on target but they scored with their 3 on target. The truth is that there have been too many games like this and if you can''t make 38 points you are bound to be in trouble.There is still time for a miracle but I fear we have blown our best chance today.

[Cosmic Twin 189]

Thanks for the report! If we''re going to do it (and that if is getting more iffy) then it''ll be the hard way!

[sgncfc 1,227]

I think our chances of staying up ended when Klose limped off last week. Palace scored a goal they probably wouldn''t have scored if he''d still been on the pitch.

Today, we huffed and puffed a bit but had no shape or cohesion.

I see that Naismith has joined Bassong as the boo boy responsible for all our problems, and Redmond would have been our saviour if he''d started the game. Norwich fans have to be some of the most fickle out there (and least knowledgeable).

We are largely a Championship side playing above our level, with one or two players who are PL standard. Sunderland had several, and that was the difference today.

We are not quite down, but it''s hard to see where the next point is coming from - it all feels a bit similar to Hughton''s second season.

[JF 694]

see that Naismith has joined Bassong as the boo boy responsible for all our problems, and Redmond would have been our saviour if he''d started the game. Norwich fans have to be some of the most fickle out there (and least knowledgeable).

Please bless us with your superior knowledge and highlight exactly what Naismith is bringing to the party then? Because from my inferior level of knowledge I''d say it''s sweet fa

[king canary 7,605]

Far too many times this season I''ve come away from games thinking ''we''ve beaten ourselves here.'' At 0-0 it was a game that could go either way and we give them a stupid penalty. We start the second half well before our idiot centre half gifts them a second and game over.

You can''t gift wrap goals at this level and we''ve done it consistently all season. We''ve had a little respite as Klose seemed to have taken the defence by the scruff of the neck but with him out I can see us chucking away many more goals.

[Fish eye view 2]

Great report as always.

We have also conceded 9 penalties this season more than any other side.

Again free kicks & corners are poor & predictable - makes you wonder what they practice on the training ground.

[king canary 7,605]

@Fish- I''d disagree with that actually, I thought we looked pretty dangerous from set pieces. Even our poorer ones were causing Sunderland panic and Mannone was flapping quite a lot. Unfortunately none of them quite dropped for us to bundle home but we looked dangerous.

[Parma Ham's gone mouldy 2,219]

Good report Ricardo.

The penalty fundamentally changed the game and Norwich had looked superior up to that point.

There is truth that the Shnderland back line were well set up - and well suited - to marshalling Mbokani, and that our game plan revolver initially around Naismith buzzing around him (or theoretically beyond him if he won some), though Kaboul played him well and he looked frustrated and a bit limp as the game wore on.

Naismith did well tactically first half and buzzed into interesting areas linking midfield and filling good gaps, though there was not a lot of threat behind as Mbokani had little joy flicking on or holding up.

Jarvis and Naismith were selected because they move in more structured ways and compromise our shape much less than Redmond. With Wisdom mentally a little slow to react to a number of scenarios today, pairing him with Redmond on he right would have been suicidal.

Once Redmond and latterly Wes were in the field, we had more attacking moments, but we were often horribly exposed through the centre, full back forays forward were either limited or laced with heavy counter-attack risk.

Bassong looked uncomfortable throughout and played fast and long when he had time, and slow and deliberate when he didn''t. Klose doesn''t do this. He tended to go long on the diagonal or too slowly to Bennet. Neither of these should trouble premier league defences.

There was nervousness and even Ruddy contributed to the mood, with a lack of good body language and some weak distribution at important moments, high slow balls, when flat, sharp delivery was called for. Small details matter.

Those who assume that simply attacking more, or simply playing your most attacking players, automatically equates to premier league victories or points are deluding themselves or selectively processing the evidence in front of them.

The starting line up was fine. The game was fine. Then they got a penalty that in real time is almost never given. The ball is touched first, the ball is out of the immediately playing area of the attacker in question, there is no scoring opportinity and nobody appeals.

Everything else that happens is a consequence of that action.

Parma ⛈☂💦🧀🌓🕶

[ricardo 7,385]

[quote user="Parma Hams gone mouldy"]

The starting line up was fine. The game was fine. Then they got a penalty that in real time is almost never given. The ball is touched first, the ball is out of the immediately playing area of the attacker in question, there is no scoring opportinity and nobody appeals.

Everything else that happens is a consequence of that action.

Parma ⛈☂💦🧀🌓🕶[/quote]Those are the key points Parma, those talking about us not turning up are letting their disappointment overcome the reality of what happened. Sunderland defended well and rode their luck. Their second half breaks were simply the result of us having to throw caution to the wind after the penalty.

[nutty nigel 7,531]

You summed it up Rickyyy that the first goal was soooo important. Always is but in these games even more so. The fact that it was a soft penalty, a decision that we would never get away from home, just made it all the more galling. Another key issue was that Sunderlands defence played Mbokani better than anyone I''ve seen. We were on top for most of the game before that penalty and the old adage that you need to score when you''re on top rings true again. The incidents later in the game when we were pushing up just go to prove how important that first goal is.

 

Biggest plus for me was that I watched the first half in the company of Parma. I learned a few things too. A real pleasure to meet the mouldy one[Y]

[ricardo 7,385]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

You summed it up Rickyyy that the first goal was soooo important. Always is but in these games even more so. The fact that it was a soft penalty, a decision that we would never get away from home, just made it all the more galling. Another key issue was that Sunderlands defence played Mbokani better than anyone I''ve seen. We were on top for most of the game before that penalty and the old adage that you need to score when you''re on top rings true again. The incidents later in the game when we were pushing up just go to prove how important that first goal is.

 

Biggest plus for me was that I watched the first half in the company of Parma. I learned a few things too. A real pleasure to meet the mouldy one[Y]

[/quote]Having seen so may ups and downs and many games similar to this one today perhaps its easier for us old ''uns to accept it. Those running around saying that we were rubbish etc etc are letting their disappointment colour the reality of what happened on the pitch. I think the players gave their all today but it was one of those games where nothing ever fell quite right for us. If the shoe had been on the other foot we would have felt that it was a good although fortuitous win. Football is like that, you don''t always get what you deserve.

[Branston Pickle 3,657]

it''s good to see some sane/sensible posts among all the garbage. There was very little wrong with our set up and selection, as proven by the fact we dominated the game. The fact is that fortune played a huge part in things today, we got very little of it but it couldn''t really have gone better for Sunderland. It happens, you gave to suck it up and move on.

For me, the single most disappointing thing is how we are yet again left - quite reasonably - discussing the poor refereeing.