Norwich City

Sunderland v Arsenal Guess the Score: Shakespeare, Shack and shaking expectation

by

[polldaddy poll=9389387]

So, Guess the Score is again a prize edition and again there’s a catch. Only a correct entry predicting a winning scoreline for Sunderland qualifies; it must be the first to be posted before kickoff to claim the prize. Since the cost would be borne by Monsieur Salut, and he supports Sunderland and we need the points, that can be seen as rough justice but justice all the same. And as the prize is only a mug, it hardly matters anyway …

Football can really be quite simple. If Newcastle United can play like men unaccustomed to the sport for most of the season and then come close to beating a top four team, albeit one that barely bothered to turn up despite bringing its own linesman, Sunderland – having been quicker to overcome the same malaise – must go one better.

But at the very least we have to avoid defeat against Arsenal on Sunday.

Read more

Wrinkly Pete’s points projection sends Newcastle and Norwich down. Now you vote

by
Peter Lynn: on keeping the faith and keeping smiling ...
Peter Lynn: too optimistic or spot-on? …

Read Peter Lynn‘s assessment of the relegation run-in and why he believes it favours Sunderland. Check the remaining fixtures – see footnote – for yourselves and vote. Since Monsieur Salut and his Norwich and Newcastle bloggers at ESPN FC all put their teams to finish 17th, we can hardly be surprised if the poll results reflect similar partisan hopes. But have a go all the same – some people may even be objective …

[polldaddy poll=9389387]

Read more

Carroll, Vardy, Wisdom: referees supported after Leicester, West Ham and Norwich rows

by

Every honest football fan knows he or she has occasionally howled at referees and linesmen only for the contentious decision to be proved to be flawless. Every honest footballer knows his entirely subjective view of an incident may not be accurate. And we all know footballers make many more costly mistakes than officials.

Yet weekend after weekend, there is the closest scrutiny of judgements seen as plain wrong, debatable or merely unpopular with one set of fans or the other.

As the season reaches the time when vital points are at stake, at both ends of all divisions and in decisive cup ties, controversy inevitably become more intense.

Read more

Sixer’s Norwich Soapbox: Catt’s Cats calm Canaries’ clappers

by
Pete Sixsmith: Real Betis, real close to home, real football
Pete Sixsmith: a long way from home
  • And so it came to pass that the 11 hours spent on a coach was worthwhile after all.
  • And that the 2,500 disciples shoehorned into the corner of Carrow Road were loud in their praise of The Great God Sam and his angels and archangels on the field.
  • And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the followers of the home team, who vented their fury by renting their garments and hurling their clappers and plastic canaries onto the Holy Ground of the aforementioned Carrow Road.
  • And there was much gaiety and joyfulness on the long and (not very) winding road back to the Land of Milk and Honey that is known as County Durham.

Read more

SA’s essay: we can enjoy the weekend, not to mention the journey back.

by
Jake's take on Big Sam
Jake’s take on Big Sam

John McCormick writes: this was surely an “I was there” game, only I wasn’t, I had to make do with the TV. A nervy start had me hiding behind the settee and I found it difficult to watch, even at 2-0 up, but I persevered and managed to relax when young Duncan scored. What must it have been like for yet another magnificent away crowd, and for the players and manager to win in front of them?

Here’s what Sam has to say in a letter he composed and sent to Colin (and maybe a couple of others) before getting back on the bus

Read more

Sixer’s Sevens: Norwich City 0-3 SAFC. Bliss in Norfolk

by
Jake: 'three steps to heaven?'
Jake: ‘three steps to heaven?’

 

Pete Sixsmith bemoaned the 4am alarm call. He was nervy in the buildup, still nervy at half time with the Lads one up. See how he feels now in his seven-word verdicts (two for the price of one). To finish the game on 3-0, comfortably in the end, reflected a fabulous team display with Lee Cattermole in magnificent form and great sharpness from Borini, Defoe and Watmore. …

Read more

Norwich v Sunderland: Norfolk dumplings, Wearside bruisers and stings in the tail

by
Sixer: 'can we lick them for once?'
Sixer: ‘can we lick them for once?’

The nerves are beginning to show. Monsieur Salut accepts at ESPN that it’s not Big Sam’s mustn’t-lose, but a clear must-win match. History offers little solace. The task falls to Sunderland AFC, in front of their 15th sell-out away crowd in a wretched season, to raise their games and flatten the Norfolk Dumplings, so known because the unflattened version is a traditional local delicacy (Delia probably does them quite well).

Pete Sixsmith anticipates Saturday’s trip and remembers others from the past, including the 2-2 draw also attended by M Salut and also occurring towards the end of a (vain) fight against relegation …

Read more

Norwich City Who are You?: squeaky bums when Sunderland come calling

by
Jake: 'not for the squeamish'
Jake: ‘not for the squeamish’

SEE FULL INTERVIEW AT https://safc.blog/2016/04/the-norwich-city-interview-i-fear-sunderland-will-pull-it-off-again/
Malcolm Dawson writes…….where I agree with Big Sam is that Saturday’s game at Carrow Road is a “must not lose”. Where I disagree with him is that I do feel it is a “must win” fixture. Do the maths. If we lose we are virtually dead and buried. No argument. But a draw still leaves us 4 points behind the Canaries meaning we have to win our game in hand, get at least one more point than them in the remaining four fixtures and hope that should it all come down to goal difference our defeats are by smaller margins than theirs. A win not only puts us just one point behind with that extra game to play but will improve the GD.

Colin Randall flicked through the pages of his interweb contacts and found Gary Gowers, a die hard Norwich fan who maintains the tradition of excellent WAYs from East Anglia. A win for either side will virtually seal the Mags’ fate but I’m pretty sure, whilst wanting all three points both Alex Neil and Sam Allardyce would settle for a draw. Personally I’d rather be in Norwich’s position than ours but as Gary says it’s squeaky bum time this weekend. 

Read more