Norwich City’s 1-0 home defeat at the hands of promotion rivals Middlesbrough has put the spanner in the works for Alex Neil’s side. Despite a dominating second half, the Canaries failed to find the back of the net and have once again been pegged back in their chase for the title.
Alex Tettey’s own goal could prove a costly mistake for the Yellow Army who had been in magnificent form going into the title clash. With Bournemouth, Boro and Watford beginning to run away with it at the top, have City left it too late?
With the play-offs a guarantee, City must not rest on their laurels and settle for second best. As we all know, the play-offs are a lottery; and with some big name sides in the mix, City will find it hard to battle their way to hallowed Wembley turf.
A winning ethos has been built in to the philosophy that Alex Neil has instilled since joining the Canaries. Last time City lost, they went on an 8 game unbeaten run and that fact must be something that the players hold on to. With relegation threatened Rotherham up next for the Yellow Army, City will not be handed 3 points just like that. In the wake of the defeat against Boro, City will need to up their game if they are serious about an automatic promotion place.
One thing that might be probing the Norwich City boss is a slight change in his starting XI. The Scot has fielded the same side on a consistent basis, but is now the time to take a gamble and go for it? In the last outing, we saw a very isolated Cameron Jerome left to feed on the scraps up top. Will Neil sacrifice the luxury man, Wes Hoolahan to bolster City’s attacking options, or will he introduce the nippy Nathan Redmond to add width to the side? Whatever the former Hamilton boss decides, the City faithful will hold nothing back if the formulae is not right.
2 games left, the final push.
Yes, we might need a helping hand from predecessor, Chris Hughton to help us out, but City will need to get their own job done too. If Neil can get his troops firing on all cylinders, they will increase the pressure on the teams above them and as Bournemouth showed against Sheffield Wednesday last week, maybe their nerve is beginning to crack.
Can City defy the odds and secure an automatic return to the Premier League, or will we be left enduring the torture of the play-offs? I don’t think I can handle Chris Goreham’s gripping commentary much longer, I have no finger nails left.
It might have gone “Tettey’s Up” last week, but can we salvage our own salvation?
