Three Games In

(Early Daze)

Although top flight at the Carra has been a rarity in the last two decades, let's try not to 'enjoy it' in the Worthington sense of the term. In as much as admiring the international regulars, queuing for Jonathon Woodgate's autograph and treating the Stamford Bridge village as 'a nice little day out'. Let us all know and believe that we have the right the be there as much as anyone else.

And this 'right' has been evident within the first three fixtures. We perhaps rode our luck at the DW Stadium but we tried to play our own fluent brand football - something that wasn't occuring during away fixtures six years ago. Too often City tavelled home with nothing to show for their efforts during those winter months circa 2004/2005. The lack of quality, variety and leadership was far too thin. Although our January savour in Dean Ashton kept us interested during the last few months, the wound was too deep for even Simon Charlton and Graham Stuart to crawl out from.

Stoke brought their physical presence for the second game and did little to shake off their footballing reputation. City underlined their squad versatility, starting Chris Martin with Pilkington and Bennett on each wing. We effectively bullied Stoke during the first half which is no mean feat. Kenwyne Jones' injury-time equaliser was as sickening as Horsfield's in 2002 and everything felt unjust.

Our Stamford Bridge date arrived and neither one of our three center-backs closed down José Bosingwa. But amidst that quality goal, the sun and the rain, we witnessed a most encouraging performance in which we create chances, looked efficient in midfield and matched the Russian's rubles all over the pitch. Perhaps that above mentioned belief really started there.

PL really has been exceptional so far - the man can do no wrong. In as much as the positive teams he's chosen and his general aura. We can all expect some Lambert-like surprises along the way; which may conversely, not feel like surprises anymore. But on evidence so far we collectively have a young, mixed squad and more importantly, a proper Norwich City team to be enthusiastic about. What Plymouth Argyle would give for that right now...

So let's appreciate it like any genuine football fan would, without the The League Formerly Know As The World's Best League™ delusion and even jesting with the United fans in Norfolk regarding the boys in yellow as "we".

"You've got to get a group of lads to go to the well week after week" - Paul Lambert, May 2011.

J

3 Bullet Points – Vol. III

Diamonds are forever?

It’s the morning of the Wigan game and here at Carra Rud towers we still do not have a clue how we are going to line-up in only a matter of hours. Lambert’s inherently unpredictable tactical nature - who remembers Russell Martin at sweeper? - is one of our great advantages; that we have no obvious first eleven coupled with our now impressive strength in versatility and depth gives us hope for what will inevitably be an oft-frustrating campaign.

Against an open and often porous Wigan Athletic the suspicion is that we will set up with the familiar diamond midfield with Hoolahan providing scuttling between the lines of their midfield and defence. Aside from that it is anyone’s guess: Morison or Jackson? Surman or Johnson? Barnett or Whitbread? We don’t know and we certainly cannot wait. 

The Best League In The World™   
                                

Prediction:
1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Manchester City
4. Liverpool
5. Arsenal
6. Spurs

...
Oh? Are there other teams in the Premier League? We’d never have guessed from the pre-season coverage.

Us

Shitting ourselves. We look forward to musing on this season from the safety of our keyboards.

OTBC

P

The Froidee Fillum Returns

Brand new season, same old feature: every Friday we'll aim to bring you highlights from a vintage game involving the Canaries.

Iwan Robert's farewell game at Gresty Road rounds off a near perfect season for the Canaries as they start the day as Divison One Champions, on Sunday 9th May 2004.

J