Warnock Blames The Ref As Norwich Hit Top Spot

Norwich City went to the top of the Sky Bet Championship for the first time this season, and the first time since May 2019, as they extended their unbeaten run to eight games with a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough.

In a match that turned into something of a war of attrition at times, it ended up being a tale of two penalties. Boro had gone into this game on a ten game unbeaten run, having not lost since the opening day back in September. They don’t score a lot of goals and they certainly don’t concede many either, as they steadily evolve into a typical Neil Warnock styled team, so this win was even bigger in that context.

In a somewhat dull first half, neither goal keeper was really tested, with Tim Krul making a few regulation saves but nothing more. At the other end, Marcus Bettinelli was similarly uninvolved. Norwich’s best chance came from a curling 20-yard effort from Emi Buendia, who despite not yet reaching the heights of 2018/19 still has magic in his feet and looked the most likely to make something happen here, that went just wide.

At the break, Jordan Hugill was replaced by Teemu Pukki. The goat had had a heavy workload for Finland in the previous fortnight and was obviously being rested with that in mind, not to mention a schedule of 11 games in 30 days for Norwich. Hugill had hurt his shoulder in a heavy landing in the first half and laboured afterwards. At half time, I assume he was unable to continue.

The referee, Tony Harrington had a mixed game but did get the game’s two biggest moments right – the penalties. On 50 minutes, Ben Gibson brought down James Tavernier with a late lunge after Norwich failed to clear, and they had ample opportunity too, as well. It was hugely frustrating to see a penalty given because of City’s failings but with “penalty killer” Krul in goal I always feel like we have a chance in these moments and so it turned out to be.

Krul went through his pre-pen shenanigans as he berated the linesman and paced back and forth in annoyance as Tavernier waited with the ball on the spot. The microphones around the Riverside Stadium picked up Krul’s booming voice all afternoon but I couldn’t quite make out what he was saying as the Boro man prepared himself, unfortunately.

Tavernier eventually took his spot kick and scored with Krul the first to shout, point and bring the referee’s attention to something. As it turned out, the ref had seen it too, a double touch as Tavernier took his penalty and slipped doing so – a reprieve and massive relief in the Tuckster household.

I was only watching on iFollow, like the rest of you, and the couple of replays used made it hard to see the double touch but hey, I’m not arguing.

That seemed to galvanise the Canaries and their game improved considerably in the aftermath, helped by the arrival of Pukki as a link up man.

With 18 minutes left Coulson tripped Max Aarons in the Boro penalty area and Mr Harrington pointed to the spot again. This time though, there was no slip as Pukki rolled the ball home for his fifth goal of the season.

It turned out to be the winner as City saw out some late pressure that never troubled Krul, fairly comfortably.

Afterwards, Neil Warnock had a pop at Mr Harrington about not sending off Jacob Sorensen for a second yellow, late on. His first yellow came quite early and was never a booking, the second probably was, so you win some and you lose some but even if he’d gone so late in the game, I would’ve still expected Norwich to win. Boro were hardly an incisive goal threat, were they?

“You need a bit of luck. When Sam goes past that kid on the far side on the far side with ten to go, and he doesn’t send him off for a second booking. It was worse than the first [yellow], Warnock told the media afterwards.

He didn’t even book him. And for then for him to say to me after the game he didn’t think Sam was going to catch the ball, and the ball was only going to go ten yards maximum when you look at it back, 15 at most, and Sam will be through. Why is he telling me that? Because he knows he is completely wrong. They all know he should have got sent off.

“Why haven’t we got officials that know what they are doing. It is a disgrace.“

Not the first time Mr Warnock has blamed a referee and I imagine he’ll get a fine, but ultimately Boro blew their chance to take the lead through misfortune and didn’t have enough in their locker to win the game without it. They may be able to not lose games but it’s winning them that gets you promoted.

Norwich’s “big” squad has already proven it’s value this season and we’re only into the third month. Ten weeks out for Idah and Mumba are a blow, as is Xavi Quintilla’s continuing absence from the side. In the meantime, Jacob Sorensen is filling in and doing an admirable job but he was tested considerably in this game and was, arguably eh, Neil?, lucky to finish the game.

Jordan Hugill could be the latest casualty, if he has shoulder ligament damage, as Daniel Farke feared when he spoke after the game. Pukki has a good record of staying fit but it’s not ideal, is it? Imagine though, where we would be if we had a small squad?

Even with a makeshift left back, one of the most pleasing things for me is the new found resilience of the defence. Ben Gibson has made a big difference to that alongside a fit Grant Hanley who is consistently proving his doubters wrong at the moment. Gibson and Hanley look to be Farke’s preferred pairing at the back and with Quintilla and Sam Byram (fingers crossed for the pair of them) still to return, the signs are good. There must be an investment in a left-back in January though.

In front of the back four, Lukas Rupp and Oli Skipp are the main men. The two have a good understanding now and Skipp’s recovery tackle late on in the game, you know the one, was simply sensational. Rupp’s movement of the ball as the more advanced of the two is very good and already, I’m wishing Skipp was a Norwich player rather than a Spurs one on-loan.

The bottom line here is that Norwich City have topped the league after 12 games, they have 6 points more than they did in 2018/19 and they haven’t played anywhere near their best yet, have they?

There has been a certain level of quiet determination from the side and a pleasing ability to win all three points, whatever the circumstances they are faced with and long may that continue. This season will be the toughest any team in any league will have to face in their histories, so far, due to it’s compressed nature, and every team will be suffering with injuries and finances at some point. The positive thing for Norwich is that the relegation of last season puts them in a good position regarding both for 2020/21.

UP THE NORWICH!

OTBC