Ricardo's report v Rotherham

[ricardo 7,347]

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.

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

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

[ron obvious 1,501]

If you look at the highlights, ricardo, I'm pretty sure their goal was offside.

Wouldn't argue with your MOM, but Max must have pushed him hard, & I'm in love with Big Christoph ❤️  (In a manly sort of way I hasten to add ).

And thanks as always!

 

 

Edited December 1, 2018 by ron obvious
Addition

[ron obvious 1,501]

8 minutes ago, It's Character Forming said:

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

I think they're going to think it's a mistake turning up ...

 

[dylanisabaddog 4,870]

FFS Ricardo! Which way did we kick off?I'm sure we've spoken about this before but otherwise an excellent report. 

On around 70 minutes I turned to the bloke next to me and said that Max is an extraordinary young player but he's useless in the air. Cue a headed goal a minute later. 

An excellent second half performance again and we need to hang on to Aarons as long as possible. He is as talented as the right back that Spurs sold to Manchester City for £50m.

Cantwell was also excellent. A question for you all. Who was the last Norfolk born player to score for us? 

 

[Crabbycanary3 994]

Thanks Ricardo, great summary

 

That bloody Ref (and lino on the City Stand side)..............🙈

[lake district canary 4,531]

Thanks Ricardo.  I think the most positive thing from today is showing that we can still win convincingly without Leitner.  I was starting to think after Tuesday's draw that it might become a bit of an issue if we didn't win today, but that has been well and truly put to bed.

Edited December 1, 2018 by lake district canary

[ricardo 7,347]

3 minutes ago, dylanisabaddog said:

FFS Ricardo! Which way did we kick off?I'm sure we've spoken about this before but otherwise an excellent report. 

On around 70 minutes I turned to the bloke next to me and said that Max is an extraordinary young player but he's useless in the air. Cue a headed goal a minute later. 

An excellent second half performance again and we need to hang on to Aarons as long as possible. He is as talented as the right back that Spurs sold to Manchester City for £50m.

Cantwell was also excellent. A question for you all. Who was the last Norfolk born player to score for us? 

 

I still wish theyd kick my way second half.

The last Norfolk born player to score for us was Dale Gordon

[makham 81]

Ryan Jarvis? Fakenham born?

[Bill 1,788]

 

20 minutes ago, ricardo said:

The last Norfolk born player to score for us was Dale Gordon

a moot point given that most births are now at the local hospital ie N&N

so technically he could be Norfolk by birth

[ricardo 7,347]

32 minutes ago, makham said:

Ryan Jarvis? Fakenham born?

Good call, I'd forgotten about him.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

Agree with virtually all Ricardo but we differ on MOTM.

I thought Cantwell was a bit of a lightweight early doors and although he didn't do much wrong he just didn't seem to be contributing anything. I know he is different to Hernandez and he hasn't the pace to go round full backs and think his position ought to be central. But that is for another time.

However, once he scored and the albatross was lifted, he became a confident stronger player linking play and cutting in side at pace. But overall I thought Maximillian, as the BBC called him, just showed again what a top class player he is already and one we will be lucky to keep. 

[ROBFLECK 132]

Thanks Ricardo for the good read as usual, I too thought Cantwell had a great game...the industrious Buendia deserves a mention too, as do the team in general. I was very pessimistic after going behind against this team...But our boys are showing mental strength which bodes well for the future 

[Cosmic Twin 185]

Thanks Ricardo! How did Vrancic do yesterday?

[Daz Sparks 1,150]

23 minutes ago, Cosmic Twin said:

Thanks Ricardo! How did Vrancic do yesterday?

Vrancic played well Cosmic, he is a neat and intelligent player that knits the defence to the midfield and through to our attacking players. Yesterday was a solid performance from him and although it can be clearly seen why Leitner pips him to the first team, Mario is sound replacement in his absence. I think Mo is slightly more dynamic than Vrancic and that will always give an appearance of looking better, but overall Mo brings just that little bit more to the side.

[Chelm Canary 404]

Rotherham began time wasting from around the 25th minute mark. 

This game proves that it's far too early to begin time wasting.

[Cosmic Twin 185]

Thanks Daz! Pleased he had a good game. 

[CANARYKING 634]

2 hours ago, Chelm Canary said:

Rotherham began time wasting from around the 25th minute mark. 

This game proves that it's far too early to begin time wasting.

It’s about time referees start to cut out this time wasting, every time the goalkeeper had the ball he went to the other side of the goal very slowly, speeded up in the second half. A yellow card would have stopped all that farting about

[ricardo 7,347]

19 minutes ago, CANARYKING said:

It’s about time referees start to cut out this time wasting, every time the goalkeeper had the ball he went to the other side of the goal very slowly, speeded up in the second half. A yellow card would have stopped all that farting about

He hurried up towards the end.

Probably saving his energy early on😁