Carrow Road bore witness to another disappointing performance, one which was received with a cacophony of boos as the final whistle brought proceedings to a halt. A game which carried the pressure piled on by a disappointing 3-3 draw to Brighton last weekend, and was another example of the calamitous defending that has too often been City’s downfall.
The game began tentatively, with a 26,000 strong crowd holding their breath (literally) as the action unfolded. Adams had opted for the unseen, untested partnership of Hooper and Jerome, after the former managed to make a resounding mark when given the chance last week. While changes occurred up top, the back four was also swapped about, again. Hooiveld lost his place after conceding an avoidable penalty against Brighton – his flimsy leg was enough to send Sam Baldock tumbling. Whittaker filled the gap, pushing Russell Martin back into the central defensive position. An interesting choice; neither combination really instilling much confidence within me.
The early encounters saw Norwich with most of the ball, albeit not really going anywhere. However, the pressure was there, and it transferred into a useful output just ten minutes in.
The ball was delivered by Redmond, picking out Jerome in the box. It was a situation that mirrored his goal against Birmingham, with the finish requiring an element of finesse to be steered across Federici and into the far corner. His connection was less convincing, but on the end of it was Gary Hooper who converted from close range. Goal! Oh wait – the linesman’s flag was raised. The cheers died down, before being dramatically rekindled, as referee David Webb rescinded his colleague’s decision. Much confusion followed, but the goal stood. As was a Reading defender who quite evidently was playing Hooper onside. Good call, one-nil.
Norwich dominated the majority of play, and restricted Reading to very few clear cut opportunities. However it was set plays, and corners in particular, where Reading caused trouble. In fact, just four minutes after Hooper’s opener, the away side had something to cheer. A long whipped corner in front of the ‘Snakepit’ whisked its way to the far post where Cooper’s run had created him an opportunity. All he had to do was beat Turner to the header. No easy task – or is it? Well, on this occasion Norwich’s number six was no match for Cooper, who towered above him and headed into the net. One-nil. Disappointing? Yes. Avoidable? Certainly. The organisation was pitiful, the marking practically non-existent. It was the exact sort of goal you practice defending on the training ground, yet Norwich were easily undone by its simplicity.
Although the Carrow Road atmosphere had been vastly dampened, the Norwich player’s spirits remained strong. Lafferty came close, but his rocket of a shot thundered against the crossbar via an important Federici touch. The resulting corner was one of many over the course of the day; one of the few decent deliveries. Turner rose to head the ball, in an attempt to rectify his earlier disappointment, but couldn’t direct it on target. Instead, the flight of the ball found its way to Jerome who had nanoseconds to react, and consequently could only steer wide of the post.
Hooper, whose movement and involvement had impressed thus far, later slotted through Jerome who couldn’t find the finish before Federici smothered. A delicate chip over him was probably the necessary course of action.
While Norwich had created the best chances to take the lead, it was Reading who capitalised. Once again, a long whipped corner soared over yellow and blue shirts in the Norwich box, and past the flailing punch of John Ruddy. A feeble, pathetic attempt. A parade of defensive incompetence. Beyond Ruddy was Cooper, who was present once more to rub salt in the Norwich City wound that is an ever-growing rupture.
The boos that echoed at half time were just a small taster of what would later follow. Despite Norwich’s valiant efforts, entry to the Reading net was not permitted. The pressure was there, the intentions were clear, but the ability to pursue and fulfil them wasn’t. And as each Norwich attack broke down, Reading would race down the other end and threaten once more – this time in open play against a defence who looked as shaky as an earthquake. A real natural disaster nearly occurred when Norwood’s 35 yard effort ricocheted from Ruddy’s paws, behind him, where the empty net waited to gobble up the incoming ball. Thankfully, he turned quicker than a Brazilian dancer’s hips and rescued himself from confidence-shattering embarrassment. The near-tragedy was clearly taking its toll, and considering he’s already come under scrutiny for goals this season, things aren’t going well for him.
The luck that Ruddy received to keep that howler from counting subsided at the other end when Redmond’s cross clearly struck a hand in the Reading box. Despite Carrow Road’s raucous cries, nothing was given and it began to feel very unlikely that Norwich would find a way in this game.
Adams watched on; his face as white as a snowman, blanker than a clean sheet of paper. He knew not what to do, nor did his changes of Murphy, Grabban and O’Neil do anything to stop the approaching fate. Unfortunately for him, even the chances Norwich did create were not converted, namely Murphy in the 85th minute who lashed over the bar after connecting with Redmond’s cross.
“What a load of rubbish”. Those were the unanimous chants as the game finished, underlined by a deep bass line of boos. No happy melody for Norwich, as they sink towards the bottom half of the table.
Ruddy: 3
Whittaker: 5
Martin: 4
Turner: 4
Olson: 4
Redmond: 6
Howson: 5
Tettey: 6
Lafferty: 6
Hooper: 7
Jerome: 6
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