- Norwich City lost their first league game in five matches against Southampton
- Lacklustre defending from a throw-in led to the opener from Finn Azaz
- Kellen Fisher was once again one of the standout performers for the Canaries
City fell to just their third defeat in their last 12 Championship games away to Southampton on Wednesday night at St. Mary’s Stadium. But what can we as fans take away from the game?
1. One mistake can cost you a game
In his pre-match press conference, Norwich manager Philippe Clement focused on the need to avoid mistakes, as he felt that is what separates the top sides from your run of the mill ones. But that is exactly what separated a game that was of very close margins on the south coast.
Finn Azaz’s goal of real quality came from Jose Cordoba losing the first contact from a throw in against Cyle Larin, and Azaz was simply more alert to the ball than Ruairi McConville. It may be a harsh lesson, especially in such a tight game, but that lesson will not be lost on Clement.
This doesn’t mean that the Canaries put up a poor showing by any means of the imagination, though. It says a lot that, nearing the end of the seven minutes of additional time in the second half, there were thousands of home whistles to call time in a stoppage time spell where Taylor-Harwood Bellis diverted Liam Gibbs’ cross against the top of his own bar, before McConville brought a big reaction stop from Daniel Peretz.
That might not ease the pain of a frustrating loss, but Clement will look at this internally as another part of the learning curve his side has been on since his arrival.
2. The playoffs now look a dream, not a reality
After last weekend’s win against Preston, there was a growing belief amongst Norwich fans that the playoffs looked like a genuine possibility that would have exceeded all expectations under the tenure of Clement.
But the man himself said before Wednesday night’s game that he felt it was a dream, but he didn’t want the supporters of his side to give up that dream. That’s ultimately what makes football so popular – but that isn’t the business that the Belgian concerns himself with.
It simply just wasn’t to be at St. Mary’s. Southampton went into the top six at Wrexham’s expense with a narrow win. But if the Saints are the benchmark of what is required to be realistic top six contenders, there was very little between these two on the south coast, after Norwich got a merited win at Carrow Road earlier in Clement’s tenure.
For Norwich and play-offs to even merit a discussion in itself cuts to the heart of the matter.
3. If only we could have 11 Fishers
In a season of real highs and lows, Kellen Fisher has been one of the rare constants in yellow and green.
Not one Norwich player has played more Championship minutes for them in terms of outfield players. That emphasises the progress the 21-year-old has made since he arrived from Bromley, where he first looked like a signing for the academy that was swiftly changed by the end of his first pre-season.
Plus, he has a real bite to his tackles, which was evident again at Southampton as he received a first half booking for sliding in on Kuryu Matsuki.
Due to the current injury crisis, there has been an ever-increasing number of shifts at left-back for Fisher, who was deployed again in the absence of Ben Chrisene.
Fisher is a real talent. A young English player who learned his craft in non-league and has taken every step up in his stride. It would be a major surprise if he is not included in Lee Carlsey’s Young Lions panel later this week for their upcoming games, which include a Carrow Road European U21 Championship qualifier against Moldova.
He is such a vital cog in this Norwich City machine under Clement, and it looks as if the Belgian shares the same high opinions of his predecessors.
