So for the second time in the club’s history, City are in the play-offs. If you ask any fan of any club at the start of the season they would frown if told their club would have to go through the enduring emotional rollercoaster of the playoffs. Two tension ridden semi-finals and then if you’re lucky enough a crunch tie at the home of football, Wembley.
The play-offs is a strange creature. It is where the form book, the league table and all your statistics firmly go out of the window. It comes down to which team is the best over 90 minutes. Established favourites have crashed out to the team who scraped 6th place on the final day of the season. It’s completely unpredictable, and that’s why it’s brilliant yet terrible at the same time.
The last time Norwich graced the playoffs was not a great experience. I mean, I was 4 at the time but I’ve heard all about the grueling penalty shoot-out and the pain of a final defeat. An experience I hope that I don’t have to go through. However, it has to be said we’re in a much better position than 13 years ago. Unlike 2002 we go into the playoffs as the highest ranked side in the competition and with momentum from our form under Alex Neil.
The opposition could not be any tougher. We don’t get an East Anglian derby for 3 years and now we get 4 in one season… Mentally the double over the old enemy will give the players some confidence but really those games mean nothing at this point. Ipswich go into the playoffs on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Blackburn. Although the game was very even it has to be said that Ipswich should really be beating teams like Blackburn, which may give us some confidence going into Saturday lunchtime.
Then we can dare to look ahead, Middlesborough and Brentford play in the other play-off fixture on Friday. Both sides would be a tough prospect. Brentford came to Carrow Road and really outplayed us. With threats like Alex Pritchard and Andre Gray, Brentford are a force to be reckoned with. However their form of late has been very inconsistent, with a number of draws they almost missed out on the playoffs altogether. But with the brilliant performance on the last day of the season, Brentford showed what they are capable of.
We all know what Middlesborough are capable of, having lost to them twice this season. Even if it is nice to see that they missed out on the automatics they’re still a force to be reckoned with. Their away form is still an issue for them, as is the fitness of Patrick Bamford. Boro’s key man hobbled all game when we met them last month, and was missing for the away trip to Brighton on the final day. Without Bamford, Boro failed to beat Brighton and handed us 3rd place in the table. Both sides are therefore great challenges if Norwich can get to the final.
So overall we have it all to go through, the nerves, tension, everything. It’ll be a proper rollercoaster ride of a month, but I think, and as should everyone, that come May 25th that Norwich will be a Premier League team once more. We’ve got quite possibly the biggest East Anglian derby there has ever been and if we make it, our first Wembley final since the Milk Cup win in 1985.
So, On the ball City!
Comments.
Loading comments…