Ricardo's report v Boro

[ricardo 7,347]

Again unseasonably warm here in Norwich so still no need for woolly hat and gloves for the ride down to CR. It was announced that Mark Attanasio was here with his family and they received generous applause when introduced to the crowd. Before kick off we were treated to a splendid Rememberance Day rendition of The Last Post from a member of the City staff and as the last strains died away I couldn't help but wonder if there might not be something of a prophetic message hidden here.

Boro certainly began with a bang and a City player had barely touched the ball before a cross from the right was nodded narrowly over the bar.  I was aware that Boro had come into a run of good form and from the off they looked neat and tidy and comfortable in possession. City finally got some decent play going after five minutes when Ramsey got the better of a tackle in centre field and made progress towards goal. Pukki was available to his left and a nice ball left him with a chance that on other days he would have netted with ease but he's lost a bit of sharpness this season and could only direct the ball at the keepers legs and away.

A couple of minutes later the lively Sara combined with Max down the City right and a cut back slipped beyond Pukki only for Kenny to clip the ball across to Sargent who's powerful low strike found the far corner. City were buzzing now and the visitors needed all hands to the pump to prevent a second goal. More neat play down the right led to Ramsey dragging the ball past a couple of defenders before unleashing an on target effort that Steffen in the Boro goal could only parry and a defender had to nod away with Pukki lurking.

A good opening twenty minutes ought to have brought more than one goal but Boro survived the onslaught and began to get the reward for some decent possession. Thankfully crosses in to the box were being well dealt with by the City central defence at this stage but the margin of comfort was rather slim. The home side still appeared to carry the greater threat in front of goal and Sara nearly sneaked a second when turning on Kenny's knockdown and scuffing the ball just over the top.

You could feel thethe crowd beginning to get edgey as the balance of play continued to alter in Boro's favour and I for one was more than happy to herarthe halftime whistle and preserve the lead.

I expect they got a bit of a rocket in the dressing room because they set off the second period at a faster clip and only a flying save by Steffen prevented Josh Sargent from nailing a second. Unfortunately the home side couldn't sustain it and Boro were soon back dominating proceedings as the City were forced to back pedal. A couple of times crosses went right across the City six yard line without anyone getting a touch and it was plain to see something had to give. Only a brilliant interception by Sara saved the day as Boro strikers were lining up on a cut back from the right.

I don't try to second guess tactics but it seemed to me that we needed a better grip in midfield where Boro were now totally dominant, indeed at times it looked like a Premier team toying with a Championship side. A change had to come and on the hour Onel replaced Pukki. I doubt if I was the only one bemused by this decision for it did nothing to alter the direction of travel. Five minutes later the inevitable equaliser came and nobody present could deny that it was fullty deserved. A nothing ball into midfield was picked up by Howson and he quickly found McGree who volled a glorious strike into the top corner leaving Gunn with no chance.

I could only see the game going one way after this although to their credit, with Cantwell and Gianoullis coming on for Ramsey and McCallum we did look a little more dangerous. Sara had a shot brilliantly turned away by Steffen and the Max Aarons effort from inside the box whizzed just the wrong side of the post. The Onel really should have done better when put in on the left but tried one too many swerves and lost the ball.

With six minutes added there was still time but for a long while I had felt that it would be our net that bulged and it duly transpired as two Boro players came away down the right against one defender and when a hard low cross came in I wasn't surpised to see Crooks turn it past Gunn from close range. Boro players naturally milked the time added but even so Onel had another great opportunity but nobody was shocked when he blazed it wide. Hanley went up front for the final knockings but this is not a season where the ball falls kindly for late goals to be scored and on the balance of play today Boro were good value for their win.

I repeat what I said a couple of weeks ago, this doesn't look to me like a team that is going to win automatic promotion although playoffs remain possible. Far too many points are being lost from winning positions and too many decent chances are being squandered. And I still don't understand the thinking in the first round of substitutions.

Sara my MOM, Max was also good today. McCallum got caught out in the second half and Ramsey seems to fade out of things once we go on the back foot.

What Attanasio thought I can't imagine but that Last bloody Post turned out to be prophetic after all.

 

[Robert N. LiM 4,243]

Good report as usual, @ricardo - seems you were watching the same game I saw on my dodgy stream. Agree that Sara was MOM - he's really beginning to look the real deal.

Lots of food for thought over the WC break - to be honest that's the only consolation I can see. A win, or even a draw, would have been papering over the cracks that really need attending to.

[Monty13 2,229]

2 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Good report as usual, @ricardo - seems you were watching the same game I saw on my dodgy stream. Agree that Sara was MOM - he's really beginning to look the real deal.

Lots of food for thought over the WC break - to be honest that's the only consolation I can see. A win, or even a draw, would have been papering over the cracks that really need attending to.

Sara’s looking good. My biggest concern though is he seems to have taken over Kenny’s role of providing one absolutely dreadful death pass a game. Lucky he didn’t give another goal away again today.

[ricardo 7,347]

42 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Lots of food for thought over the WC break - to be honest that's the only consolation I can see. A win, or even a draw, would have been papering over the cracks that really need attending to.

Going in with a win would have set a nice positive tone for the second half of the season but we managed to chuck that away this afternoon. Are we capable of a strong run in?

 

[nutty nigel 7,509]

22 minutes ago, ricardo said:

Going in with a win would have set a nice positive tone for the second half of the season but we managed to chuck that away this afternoon. Are we capable of a strong run in?

 

Not unless we manage to dominate a game for more than 20 mins.

 

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

Agree with virtually everything Ricardo apart from MOTM.

For me Max was the only one who had much of a clue second half. For our best moments it came from his runs up the right.

And if you look at their winning goal, Dimi was nowhere, Gibson nowhere, Hanley yet again nowhere, Kenny jogging back pointing and only Max covering from right back who tried to tackle the goalscorer.

[Chelm Canary 404]

Listening to Jeremy Goss's commentary, he said it exactly how it is "same old story for Norwich this season. Dominate the opening play and get the goal but can't get the 2nd, and let the other side back in"

Paraphrased a little.

[Chelm Canary 404]

I've resigned to the idea this season that these scintillating starts probably mean a draw or worse. 

[chicken 2,604]

2 hours ago, ricardo said:

Going in with a win would have set a nice positive tone for the second half of the season but we managed to chuck that away this afternoon. Are we capable of a strong run in?

Funny one today, I felt we actually had the better chances but not the domination. If we'd scored half of them, it'd be a different story... but we're back here, at the same place again.

Shots on target 6 to their 3 according to the beeb...

Grrrghhh. 

[Branston Pickle 3,638]

3 hours ago, ricardo said:

Going in with a win would have set a nice positive tone for the second half of the season but we managed to chuck that away this afternoon. Are we capable of a strong run in?

 

That’s the most annoying thing - it could so easily have been us talking about 3 wins in 4 and 10 pts, with a good degree of positivity floating about and something to build on into the break.  Instead, the concentration is on 2 wins in 10 and a whole level of negativity with all of it bound to swirl around for the next 5 weeks.

God alone knows what we were up to second half, it was poor (again) for 25 minutes and we allowed them right in it - though they created next to nothing until scoring.  It just felt all totally self inflicted and unnecessary - we still created more than enough to win the game, but just seem to always hit the ‘off’ switch midway through the game rather than carrying on doing what was working.  It’s weird. 

[daly 500]

Probably the fact that this squad is not good enough despite being told numerous times that it is the strongest in the division. We’ve scraped wins out of nowhere when we’ve been second best

Now starting to catch up with us

Playoffs at best at the present time

What the holiday in Tampa will bring remains to be seen 

Sounds a bit like The Jolly Boys Outing 

[daly 500]

Ricardo 

Seems like a lot of apathy about yesterday’s game 

 

Good report 

[ricardo 7,347]

2 hours ago, daly said:

Ricardo 

Seems like a lot of apathy about yesterday’s game 

 

Good report 

I think its beause it has become so predictable, 20/30 good minutes then on the back foot awaiting the inevitable give away. 

I could see the result coming from a long way out but I doubt I was alone in that assessment.

Ive said before that any competent manager ought to be able to get this squad promoted. I still think that is the case.

[canarybubbles 1,915]

11 hours ago, ricardo said:

I think its beause it has become so predictable, 20/30 good minutes then on the back foot awaiting the inevitable give away. 

I could see the result coming from a long way out but I doubt I was alone in that assessment.

Ive said before that any competent manager ought to be able to get this squad promoted. I still think that is the case.

Agreed. So we should get a competent manager while there is still time. But we won't.