Bolton (h); The Review

Biggest positive

While City weren’t exactly in their highest gear, some of the team’s play is just so good right now you have to remind yourself you are watching Norwich. While the possession football is rightly getting plaudits, the sheer will of this team is just unbelievable. Chasing the ball down, the controlled yet physical tackles and the runs forward into pockets of space that didn’t seem to even exist last season. And this is why we ended up winning the game.

It seemed inconceivable this team could go to the well again and find a winner, but they did. That takes spirit and builds momentum. A momentum that could well take Norwich all the way to the Premier League if it can be maintained.

Weekend Whinge

We blew a 2-0 lead. This should have been a regulation home win once Stiepermann had doubled the advantage, however Norwich had to make hard work of it. While City weren’t in top gear for the 90 minutes, they were in absolute control and it was a complete lack of concentration to concede both goals.

Farke will be furious with that, and if Norwich are serious about this promotion push there’s an issue that needs addressing. The obvious mitigation may well have been the absence of Klose though. While Godfrey proved more than able in his own personal aerial battles and was comfortable in possession, his lack of experience might just have meant some nerves were transferred into his team mates.

Away from calamitous defending, there was a horrible sense of foreboding before the game today. The stats were stacked so much in City’s favour it was difficult not to think “shit, I know exactly what is going to happen here”. Then with that sloppy equaliser it looked as if the curse was on. But this team does. Not. Give. Up. And Along Came Norwich to put the ball in the fucking net.

Moment of the Match

This was obviously the winner, however there’s not much we can say about last minute limbs that hasn’t already been said. Instead our personal moment of the match was seeing a little boy running into the arms of his dad, who raised him aloft as they both chanted the Teemu Pukki baby song on the Barclay concourse after the match. That is why we love football folks and, as hard as they try to sell it all off, they will never take away those moments.

Notable mention for Alex getting hit by the ball right in the Tettey-isticles too. We felt your pain Tetts, but you were a trooper.

Random star performer

Everyone who has worked with the Norwich academy in the last five or so years. We had four, count em, FOUR, academy players in our starting XI today and, a little bit like how I (Nick) consider the Beatles to actually be UNDERrated, still not enough is being made of this. We are top of the league and four academy players were playing and they are absolutely bossing it. This DOES NOT happen in the upper most divisions of English football in this age of giant bags with pound symbols on them, and it doesn’t happen when everyone in football apparently looks down on you as a pokey little provincial team in a part of the British Isles that supposedly makes it impossible to attract talent. Well done everyone.

Farke Watch

Waited to do his arms-a-loft-to-make-us-cheer thing at the end of the game (we’ll come up with a better name at another time) so that we whaaayyy-ed when the Ipswich score was announced. What a fucking legend.

Oh and he sorted his handwriting so that the wrong players didn’t get substituted this time, which was nice.

Atmosphere rating

A stupendous On The Ball City before kick off today, with scarves held aloft in all stands in the ground (even the River Enders got up from under their blankets).

Plenty of us upped our singing decibels several notches when we saw this. Thanks to the club for supporting the idea, a simple one that worked really well. We’ll be keen to make this a mainstay of future home games, and another order has gone in to produce some more flags which can be spread further across the Barclay.

Pukki’s injury time winner and heavy sigh of relief in front of Blocks D and E raised the roof too. The looks on the faces of the players, visibly engaging with the crowd rather than just congratulate themselves was significant. We really are One City Strong right now both on and off the pitch.

Summary

Good teams find a way to win. Great teams find a way to win after succumbing to an 88th minute equaliser.

It’s been said before, but the composite parts probably aren’t up there with the finest in the division, yet this side has a belief, confidence and inner steel that are unmatched. It could take us a long way.