The ACN Match Review – Manchester United (h)

Biggest positive

The last match review I wrote for ACN was after our 7-0 defeat to Chelsea – it’s incredible to think we’re watching the same team that got so thoroughly humiliated in the capital. Everything looks different, better. Defensively we’re more solid, barring some characteristic individual errors. We look more confident on the ball, there’s more energy, more desire to get a result. There’s clearly been a big change in mindset and it’s showing.

There were also some top-notch individual performances to mention; Tim Krul was his typical self with stunning saves against some of the world’s best natural finishers. 

Lukas Rupp was everywhere, dictating play in the midfield, breaking up opposition attacks. 

Dimi was clearly playing for his place and my goodness did it show. 

Given his lack of minutes since signing for Norwich, Płacheta put in a really decent shift. He also got a nice round of applause as he walked around the pitch after being subbed off, and if his ‘thank yous’ back to the crowd are anything to go by, his confidence will have hopefully been boosted as a result.

None of these players were my standout performer, but I’ll get to that later. 

Biggest negative

We seem to be fundamentally incapable of taking our chances. It’s hardly revolutionary to say that if you want to win matches you have to score goals but you can’t ignore the lack of end product currently on show. Under Dean Smith we seem to be getting in good positions, making promising forward runs, delivering decent crosses into the box – yet nothing is going in the net. While the signs are clearly there, if signs don’t start turning into goals we could be in for a difficult festive period.

Funniest moment

I hate to say it. I hate to see it. 

Every time Josh Sargent gets into a promising position, or wins the ball, you fully expect him to fall over his own feet/run off and leave the ball behind. After it’s happened 10 times in a match it does start to look like a sketch out of a tragic comedy; you know what’s going to happen, you want to look away, but you just can’t.

Bless him, the poor lad. Hopefully he’ll score a jammy one against Villa and his confidence will skyrocket.

There was also a moment where Krul motioned to the Barclay to take their time giving him the ball back just before the end of the first half. He got it back almost immediately, and his fuming face was clear from the back of the stand.

Atmosphere?

Before the game I tweeted that Manchester United are the loudest away fans I’ve seen at Carrow Road, along with Portsmouth. They were delightfully quiet until some bloke scored a penalty and gave it large to a bunch of kids, at which point they started singing his name and swaying about like one of those car showroom inflatables. From a Norwich point of view I thought we were fairly decent given it was chucking it down with rain and we were watching a Covid/injury depleted team. When it was clear we stood a fighting chance the noise levels ramped up, and even Tim Krul didn’t really feel the need to try and get the Barclay going. 

Lungi watch?

Welcome to the new section I’ve introduced to my reviews in an attempt to curb the number of mentions I tend to give to one particular player. 

TAKE A BOW, JACOB LUNGI SØRENSEN.

He’s played 9 (NINE!) minutes of football since the Bournemouth cup game. Until Spurs he was the only fit outfield player without a minute of Premier League football to his name. He was once again called upon at short notice to play out of position (although I’ll concede that he did regularly play at centre back for Denmark U21s) in a high stakes match, replacing the club captain. 

Oh, and he was only up against a five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Simple, yeah?

For Lungi it was. We looked a better team for his presence. He spun Ronaldo around, sat him on his arse, made crucial blocks, looked threatening at corners, and played some beautiful long passes to Pukki. Every time he had a moment of magic I’d turn to the people around me to sing his praises. Eventually those moments began to happen so regularly that I stopped turning. 

He is such a talented footballer. Any situation he’s thrown into he meets with maturity and calm composure, never once looking out of his depth or overawed by the situation. It’s a crime that we’ve seen so little of him in the last 12 months.

It was such a joy to hear so many murmurs of ‘nice one Sørensen’ or ‘go ON Lungi!’ echoing around the ground. Twitter was alight with Norwich fans wishing to sing his praises. 

Now if everyone can start spelling/pronouncing his name correctly (‘Ya-kob Sur-ren-sen’) I’ll be content. 

Summary

Okay, we lost 1-0. We had to watch some jumped up tosspot doing a celebration that any other player would get slaughtered for. Opposition fans made their way into our home stands and stood smugly at the final whistle.

And yet. We were competitive. In a Premier League match. I know it’s all well and good saying that we played well and didn’t deserve to lose when we’re coming off the back of another matchday without any points, but that doesn’t make it less true. It’s horrendously frustrating. It’s also a sign of progress. 

If we can have a bit of luck in front of goal to boost the morale, the results will come. I feel more confident now that we have the mindset and grit needed for survival than I have done at any other point this season.