Norwich City beat Rotherham United 2-1 at the weekend in a tough game at the New York Stadium.
If you aren’t a Norwich or a Rotherham fan and just clocked the result, then you’d be forgiven for thinking that it was a simple win for the team at the top of the table over a team in the bottom three.
The story of the game was a whole lot different to that though.
It was tight, with City having to dig in on a cold, wet and blustery day in Yorkshire, against a team fighting for their lives who’s main game plan was to aerially bombard the City box, looking for Michael Smith.
The general consensus amongst the Rotherham fans was that Norwich were a bunch of southern softies, who could be put off their stride by being roughed up and to be fair, that tactic has worked on plenty of technically proficient teams in the past. It’s just that the Canaries are not soft underneath, they’re actually pretty resilient.
Throughout the season, we have come up against teams that don’t have such good ball players as us – don’t get salty, you Millers, it’s a fact. Being overly physical is actually a perfectly valid tactic against better opposition than you and one that is used by teams up and down the country in all leagues, every weekend.
I get it, you have to level the playing field somehow and have seen Norwich teams attempt it over the years. “Win your personal battles” and all that.
Rotherham gave us a good game at Carrow Road and they did the same on Saturday. Paul Warne, clearly knows how to set his team up and if they play the same way in their last eight games then they stand a decent shout of staying up and I hope they do.
Warniola is a son of Norfolk and a Norwich fan, so come on you Millers.
What did make me chuckle over the weekend, was the amount of outrage at our perceived “cheating” during the game. Apparently we were rolling around and throwing ourselves on the floor for no reason.
The EDP’s Michael Bailey is someone that I know personally and I can tell you, if you didn’t already know, that he is a lovely chap who knows his football onions. He is also fair and measured in his comments about the games he watches. Here’s his take on it from his column in today’s EDP:
“Most of us who follow Norwich home and away in the press – some of us well-seasoned – will tell you it was quite the experience in the New York Stadium press box.
Close proximity to home fans usually makes life interesting, but Saturday was on another level as Millers supporters took great offence at the sort of antics Sheffield United and Leeds fans also take umbrage with – unless they’re the ones doing it.
There must be something in the Yorkshire water.
The curious juxtaposition to Rotherham’s sensitivities over City’s perceived softness, was the clear intention to rough them up a little. No surprises there, and an entirely plausible attempt at trying to get a point or three. Therefore City wanted to protect themselves, while referee Oliver Langford gave some he should have ignored, and left others that needed a whistle – for both sides.
Rotherham were excellent. If they can repeat it eight times they will stay up – and with that Paul Warne would get huge credit.”
Social media was full of salty Rotherham fans after the game who were incensed at the dark arts used by Daniel Farke to manage the game and see it out. Three substitutes, one after another at the end of the game just about finished the Millers faithful off.
As Michael points out though, these tactics are perfectly acceptable if the shoe is on the other foot.
Here’s a flavour of the Rotherham reaction…
"F&8$ off"
"Cheats"
"You'll come straight back down."
And that was just to me from the fans sat next to the press box… The Rotherham fans took it well.
Superb effort from Norwich to claw 3pts out of that. Superb.#ncfc https://t.co/kdTVcVxrOs
— Michael Bailey (@michaeljbailey) March 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/tweetingcanari1/status/1106968742934781954?s=21
For the record, this is a pretty good example of the cheating and diving that riled the Rotherham fans so much today. 😳
Never heard anything like it. 🤣 #ncfc pic.twitter.com/vd2HBVqDhV
— Michael Bailey (@michaeljbailey) March 16, 2019
Leeds ✅
Rotherham ✅
Portsmouth ✅Good work Mr Bailey – you’re nearly on @ChrisReevo levels of annoying other fans now.
— Jack Reeve (@JackReeveTNC) March 17, 2019
Looks like Rotherham have joined Leeds and Sheff Utd in the list of pointlessly prissy fanbases that have never seen the opposition see out a match professionally. Apparently their players aren't good enough to get a result unless we "give them a chance". Bless. #NCFC
— Andy Head (@AndyHead02) March 17, 2019
I'm afraid it is you who is deluded. I saw nothing that I would consider next season's premier league in that #ncfc side today. What #rufc do possess in bucket loads is integrity. Norwich is woefully lacking this in what I witnessed today. Good luck, you're gonna need it 🤘🤘
— Laceybod💙🇪🇺🇺🇦🌻 (@Laceybod) March 16, 2019
Out of the top 3 teams to play at the NYS, I personally think #SUFC and #LUFC have been the better sides. Norwich were terrible today, should have gotten more out of then #Rufc
— William Topham (@WillRUFC) March 16, 2019
Lost all respect for Norwich after that display of synchronised diving. Football is being ruined by these cheats. #rufc
— Andy (@Shawey48) March 16, 2019
See if you can get a video of the game & a knowledgeable, neutral viewer to watch it. Then accept what you’re told by them. I’m willing to bet that you will be surprised. We all think our teams are hard done by. The #ncfc view of yesterday is that #rufc kicked them off the park.
— Frank Watson (@frankwatson58) March 17, 2019
It was woeful – missed about six yellows for #rufc players flattening and coming through the back of Norwich players! #notfootball
— The Cycling Economist (@CambridgEcon101) March 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/darththemiller/status/1107007308033331202?s=21
Why is it that all the ‘big’ teams are dirty cheats? 😡 I’m glad Paul Warne is our manager; would rather have his ethos running through the team than winning games by cheating. Held our own again today against the cheaters UTM #rufc
— Claire Dalton (@cmdsteady) March 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/lewis_cheetham1/status/1106969413255864321?s=21
https://twitter.com/dnnyrdrn/status/1106963304667328513?s=21
Speaks volumes for Warne and his squad imo that the champions elect in this league an alleged Premier league team have to resort to cheating to beat us #rufc
— stuart tomlinson (@stuessexmiller) March 17, 2019
I know Leeds and Sheff Utd have some deluded fans (must be a Yorkshire thing), but they are nowhere near the standard set by Rotherham today.
If their team tried to play football instead of just kicking anything that moved maybe they’d be higher up the table #rufc #ncfc
— Paul O'Connor (@thepauloconnor) March 16, 2019
Well #ncfc if the only way you can win games is by diving, cheating and having bias #EFL officials presiding over your matches then I wish you luck in the #PremierLeague cos you're gonna need it. Disgraceful sportsmanship. #rufc you were fantastic today 👏👏👏👏👏👏
— Laceybod💙🇪🇺🇺🇦🌻 (@Laceybod) March 16, 2019
Rotherham fan just told me: "If you're Premier League, then we're Champions League. We were robbed!" Must have been watching a different game. Always one. Always enjoy coming here. Mostly good fans and very welcoming #ncfc ,#canarycall #rufc pic.twitter.com/Av86ci0HIy
— Mike Garwood (@NN10Canary) March 16, 2019
See what I mean?
There is always banter between fans on Twitter after a game and sometimes you can get the measure of a fan base by the general consensus of their tweets.
For example, after beating Forest 2-1 away, their fans generally said a lot of complimentary things about City. Leeds and Sheffield United have come across as being very bitter and Rotherham have joined their ranks.
The bottom line here is that Norwich now understand game management, something we didn’t used to know much about. Every team does it to a greater or lesser extent but their fans moan when they’re on the wrong end of it. Game management has become a crucial, part of the game and it is in every club’s arsenal to a greater or lesser extent.
These facts from Michael Bailey say it all:
“Once again, three subs in three injury-time minutes pushed the home fans back over the edge. Never had they seen such gamesmanship.
That discipline from the dugout is generally reflected out on the pitch – in terms of sticking to their roles, plan, shape, belief and goal. And that includes cards.
Only six sides have earned more bookings than City’s 68 – yet it’s hard to remember a single bad tackle. Tactical fouls, shared around. The 10-booking amnesty passed with the Hull game. It’s now 15 before the season ends. Max Aarons currently leads City’s booking chart, on eight.
And Norwich are the only Championship side without a red card all season. Disciplined indeed.”
You can read Michael Bailey’s full column here and you can read full match reports and fan verdicts at Vital Norwich here.
OTBC