Norwich City fell to their first home defeat since January 4 against Birmingham City, but what can Canary fans take away from the game, apart from the result?
1. Defiance in defeat
Despite going into the half-time break trailing by two goals and a lacklustre first 15 minutes, the final whistle was met by applause from the Carrow Road crowd. Simply because they saw their team giving it everything they had to try and get a result out of a game that looked lost. Something that has become a regular occurrence since the arrival of Philippe Clement, which was rewarded by the chant of ‘Yellows’ as they made their lap of appreciation after the full-time whistle.
2. See you later, Josh
Josh Sargent’s imminent move to Toronto FC will be confirmed in the coming days, as a deal worth up to £17m plus add-ons was agreed. Although it was a long process, both parties have got what they wanted, and the American striker will be able to move back across the pond and be reunited with his family. Ultimately, Sargent turned his back when he was most needed, and the way in which Clement and the club dealt with the matter was faultless, and the agreed transfer fee makes Sargent one of the MLS’s most expensive additions.
3. So much has changed under Clement
In his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, Clement admitted that after watching the first 45 minutes of his first game in charge away to Birmingham City, he realised just how much of a challenge it would be rebuilding this Norwich City team.
But if he wanted an answer as to how far his side has come since then, then he would be astounded by it. Unlike the game up at St. Andrew’s last November, this was a game of fine margins. Yes, there is still a bit of work that needs to be done, but there is no question that there is overwhelming positivity amongst Norwich fans, and the connectivity between them and the team is high.
To truly understand the process under Clement, you just have to look at the two starting elevens in both games against Saturday’s opponent. The only three that have survived from that 4-1 drubbing are Kenny McLean, Vladan Kovacevic, and Kellen Fisher.
Even the owners have grasped just how different things are in NR1, as Clement recalled how, during a training session on Friday, Mike Attanasio commented on just how different the vibe felt walking into Colney compared to under Liam Manning not that long ago.
That is a testament to just how Clement’s body of work has been, and that despite a setback in the league, how important it is for Y’Army to keep the faith in the Belgian and his players.
