It’s safe to assume City’s 1-2 win at New York Stadium was hardly the apex of Norwich’s night in Rotherham on Tuesday. Certainly there are bigger implications, and that takes us to three thoughts…
My little runaway
When the original lineup was announced for the Cup Tie, Norwich fans thought manager Alex Neil’s bench—lacking any forwards—was a message to the board to speed up City’s transfer negotiations. But then it became apparent midway through the first half there was a greater dilemma—one involving Lewis Grabban going AWOL and taking a train back to Norwich. Queue the first major conflict in the Neil Era…
The manager rates the forward. It’s public knowledge and was genuinely accepted until Grabban missed an early chance against Crystal Palace. From there, his future in yellow has been uncertain, with many fans arguing he lacks Premier League quality. Apparently last night was the tipping point. Yeah, Grabban’s expiration date with Norwich is rapidly approaching—but only if Bournemouth are willing to pay up the fees for the ex-Cherry.
Window shopping
The summer window has shown prices have shattered previous fees, leaving many clubs to “over spend” in comparison with previous years. Bournemouth clearly want Grabban. Norwich clearly want Benik Afobe from Wolves. If City have to play a hefty price, they better maximise their return on Grabban. That looks like the boardroom agenda, which I commend the club for. As for adding players to the squad, closing deals needs to be the premium.
He scores when he wants
I’ve long felt bad for Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Fans have justifiably given him a hard time, writing him off. But fans unjustifiably look at players as though they lack emotion. Obviously taking two years to score a goal for a club that paid a record fee for you would be embarrassing, if not unbearable. He’s often mocked if he scores—‘if Ricky scores we’re on the pitch’—because it’s such a rare occurrence. So I was happy to see the former Dutch international got the match winner v Rotherham. More importantly, I’m glad his goal was overshadowed by something else, which will hopefully boost his confidence. He deserves support. Mock his finishing, but O Lobo hasn’t thrown a temper tantrum and runaway (was a loan to France running away?).
Perhaps Grabban’s departure could lead to more opportunities for van Wolfswinkel. City fans should like that. At least it adds value to your ill-purchased shirts from 2013.
