The sun shone as City’s men took to the field at the Stadium Of Light, outfitted in their half-yellow half-green home shirts. Freshly-cut blades of grass held water droplets which glistened in the afternoon’s rays. A tinny PA system blurted out an overly amplified version of Dance of the Knights which did little to the gee up the home support who were pessimistically cautious after their opening day woes. However, the main tragedy to be seen was Sunderland’s midfield and defence as Norwich took full advantage of their lack of confidence.
Alex Neil opted for the much-preferred Cameron Jerome who remains immortalised from his Wembley performance. Behind him, Nathan Redmond was granted an opportunity following his opening day goal against Palace.
Referee Kevin Friend’s whistle sounded the start of a disastrous 90 minutes for the Black Cats, who were only a whisker away from crumbling completely. Tettey and Dorrans worked hard and bossed a flimsy Sunderland midfield who increasingly retreated towards their defence, isolating their teammates up front. The vacant gap was gladly occupied by Hoolahan and Redmond who got to work dismantling the home side. Overlapping support from Whittaker and new signing Robbie Brady helped further stretch the hosts, and soon it would pay dividend.
Howson went close to opening the scoring, driving low across goal but a strong save from the giant that is Costel Pantilimon denied the City midfielder. Corners and free kicks borne out of trickery on the edge of the box were largely delivered disappointingly by Brady. Acknowledging that the left back was struggling, Redmond came near to offer the option of a short corner. Brady accepted this proposition, playing a one-two with the winger, before cannoning a shot goal-wards. A move straight from the training ground. The shot itself drew the best from the towering Romanian but the rebound fell directly to club captain Russell Martin, who couldn’t have missed if he tried. He wheeled away to the corner flag – as the home fans are placed in the top tier to try and limit their influence – and so the Norwich players instead celebrated in front of a sea of disillusioned, blank-faced home fans.
By contrast, the away end was bouncing.
Norwich twisted the knife as Hoolahan worked his magic to play in Whittaker, and in a move which brought back vivid memories of the trip to Wembley, City’s much criticised right-back clinically finished across ‘keeper Pantilimon in the same ruthless fashion that Redmond managed. Cue the exodus in the stands on 37 minutes. Bodies headed for kiosks, slumped, disheartened, moving in the masses like a zombie dystopia. A chorus of boos echoed around the Stadium Of Light as City nearly found a third through Jerome who could only hook it over the bar.
Norwich had to be cautious of a second half revival but in fact Dick Advocaat’s half time team talk had near enough no effect. Norwich continued to dominate, passing the ball about with ease, before putting any sort of comeback out of contention.
Hoolahan again influential on 57 minutes, threading through to Redmond who slotted in at the near post with extreme accuracy. Clinical, composed: Norwich City have arrived in the Premier League. Almost instantaneously, large chunks of the stadium as one rose, heading for the exits, resigning themselves to another loss. The belief was gone. Ole! Ole! Ole! Those were the chants as Norwich tapped the ball across the field, now at a reduced, casual pace. They had done everything they needed to do.
As time ran out so did more Sunderland fans. There were few left to witness their late consolation goal, which came as a result of a poorly dealt-with corner that fell to substitute Watmore. Sloppy, but the three points are what count. Norwich now sit in the top half in an albeit embryonic Premier League table.
Norwich City: Off the mark.
