After a disappointing set of games over the Christmas period, Norwich City found themselves with a final chance to get a win against a resurgent Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Chris Hughton made two changes to the side that narrowly lost to Man Utd, last Saturday with Steven Whittaker replacing Russell Martin and Michael Turner regaining his place from Ryan Bennett.
I thought both players were unlucky to lose their starting berths, although I suppose the thought would be that we would expect an aerial assault and Turner’s strength would be an asset in that respect.
It’s worth mentioning that the weather was foul. Strong wind and driving rain were a real leveller as both teams struggled to come to terms with the conditions.
Chances were at a premium, early on as neither side were able to create much. Eventually, Puncheon horribly miscued a volley when we’ll placed and then Mile Jedinak hit a free kick narrowly over.
The game really came to life with City’s first real effort of note, ten minutes before half time and it resulted in the game’s opening goal.
Gary Hooper nicked the ball off the dawdling Danny Gabbidon and squared the ball to the incoming Bradley Johnson. The City midfielder then hit a well placed first time shot from the edge of the area that went in off a post, for his second goal of the season.
Johnno tries that a lot, nice to see one go in for a change!
But the lead was to last only 5 minutes. In between though there was a real talking point and decision for referee Mike Dean to make.
After tangling with Wes Hoolahan, Marouane Chamakh clearly grabbed Wes and pushed him to the floor by his face/neck. By the letter of the law it should’ve been a red card. Did the ref see it? Who knows, he saw fit to book both players but I can only assume that Dean didn’t see the whole incident or he would’ve shown the Palace striker a straight red card.
Anyway, just moments later, after Olsson had headed a Jerome header off the line and away for a corner, City conceded a penalty from that corner.
Leroy Fer, who was not having his best game, needlessly bundled Jedinak over and Dean pointed to the spot. Fer received a yellow card for his challenge and Jason Puncheon stepped up to score.
At the start of the second half Olsson shot wide before Jerome again wasted a good chance after Ruddy had flapped at a corner.
A big worry for City then came on 54 minutes when Michael Turner swung wildly at a ball that didn’t bounce as you might expect due to the amount of water on the pitch and didn’t connect. He pulled up immediately and it looked like a hamstring pull.
He was replaced by Ryan Bennett, leaving him and Bassong as the only two fit centre backs at the club. We know Russell Mrartin can play there but it now seems imperative to get someone else in, in January.
It was the home side that gradually worked up a head of steam and started to look more likely to score next. Puncheon twice tested Ruddy after cutting in from the right wing while Hooper had City’s best chance when he spun and shot from the edge of the area.
Elmander replaced Hoolahan on 69 minutes before Fer made a terrible tackle on Jedinak which resulted in a second yellow card on 82 minutes. City then had to play the last ten minutes or so with 10 men.
Fer’s second booking was as needless as his first and could arguably have been a straight red – poor decision making from the big man. Although, he’ll only miss one game (against Fulham in the FA Cup), so it’s not a disaster.
However, Bradley Johnson is now the only fit midfield player at the club. I think that David Fox is back from his loan but Hughton has never fancied him. Will he play him against Fulham? Seems unlikely, but at least Foxy is match fit if needed.
So, another point away from home and as always, this point is better for City than it is for Palace. City have four points from the two matches against Palace, and that is a positive (I’m trying here).
It does however, still leave us deep in trouble down at the bottom with anyone up to about tenth being in the same situation.
This was a tough day to play football and was all about effort as there was little opportunity for flair players. Redmond was well shackled mostly, by Mariappa and Snodgrass lacked zip – he admitted afterwards that he has found it hard to play three games in quick succession after returning from injury.
Gary Hooper was often isolated but did very well for the goal and hassled a defender, as he has done several times recently, and nabbed the ball before intelligently squaring it.
The loss of Turner leaves us threadbare at the back and we need cover – come on Hughton, does Heitinga really want to go to West Ham?
Hughton said afterwards that we were always well in the game until Fer was sent off. I suppose that’s true but it was pretty disappointing from Leroy.
We are also very short of midfielders but hopefully Alex Tettey will be back this month and Johnny Howson can get fit sooner, rather than later to ease that situation.
Next up is a Fulham side that we owe one to. A welcome relief from the trials of the Premier League and perhaps a chance for a little squad rotation. Certainly, I’d like to see RvW get a start and a chance to get a goal and also give Hooper a little break.
And if David Fox is back and can play, then let’s give him a run out as well.
So, as always I would consider this a decent enough away point, but as Savvy pointed out earlier this week, it’s going to take more than a single point in games like this to keep us up.
OTBC
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