The ACN Match Review – Cardiff (h)

The line-up

No Gibson after his solid performance on Tuesday was a shame, but presented an opportunity to tick off yet another new central defensive pairing this season. 

Hurrah moment

The five-minute spell in which we equalised, scored again (cruelly denied by the flag) and then took the lead with a simply lovely free-kick into the top corner. A very good response to a frustrating concession and no more than we deserved. Only the whistle for half time spoiled the fun, though Cardiff were glad to hear it.

Boooo moment

The Snakepit responding to the Cardiff players celebrating their goal in front of them with a very muted “En-gur-land” chant. Boring! The only way we should react to an opposition goal is to belt out On The Ball City as loudly and defiantly as possible.

Hero of the match

Marcelino Núñez kept everything flowing through midfield and worked tidily and tirelessly. He and Sara together are a joy to watch.

The atmosphere

The best in a long while, and not just because of the DJ (a hit for me, much more so than Tuesday night’s overly long and ultimately quite boring pre-match light show). Shout out to block H of the South Stand – usually the away end but on Saturday filled with home fans – which was very animated, particularly the two young fans in replica shirts towards the front who sung non-stop and started off the loudest OTBC of the day. With the opportunity to reinvigorate the more vocal sections of Carrow Road this summer with the introduction of safe standing, we need to find a way to get more like them in the stadium every match.

Our post-match takeaway

An enjoyable week’s football at Carrow Road, and well timed if you’re in the business of trying to get people to renew their season tickets. Eight goals, exciting and energetic attacking play, reacting to adversity in both games, a generally good atmosphere around the place (boo-gate aside), and Samba de Janeiro (if we have to have goal music, then it has to be that. And our Brazilian has scored in both games since its return).

It’s a world away from the abject misery that was the Blackburn game in early November (our last home defeat, and also our next opponents). Unlike that game, when we went behind on Saturday I was fully confident we would come back and win. Credit to Wagner for turning around what had appeared to be a dead season, and as we perch on the edge of the play-offs the prevailing mood seems to be one of “Well, we might as well have a go then.” I look forward to another week of messages and emails from non-Norwich supporting friends and colleagues saying, “You’re going to end up playing Ipswich at Wembley, aren’t you?”