In a scrappy and often strangely slow game at Carrow Road, Norwich City inflicted a seventh consecutive away defeat on managerless Middlesbrough with a single goal from Canadian striker Simeon Jackson.
Both sides suffered midweek defeats: Middlesbrough surrendered 1-0 at stuttering Nottingham Forest in their first match since parting with Gordon Strachan, and Norwich lost 2-1 at home to struggling Crystal Palace after a languid second-half display.
Middlesbrough’s caretaker manager Steve Agnew made two changes, replacing Senegalese international Mickaël Tavares with £2m summer signing Kevin Thomson – one of several Scottish League captures yet to shine for Boro for whatever reason – and dropping Scott McDonald, yet to recover from the disappointment of missing Australia's World Cup party, for Luke Williams.
Paul Lambert's changes were bolder, dropping Korey Smith for David Fox, whose last start came in the opening day defeat to Watford, and bringing in Anthony McNamee for Wes Hoolahan. This seemed intended with Norwich's faltering home form: City’s diamond, so successful in League One, has been countered by visiting teams putting men behind the ball and double-marking creative talisman Hoolahan. Lambert played a flatter 4-4-2 here, his successful rectification of a tactical problem further endearing him to a crowd who have not bonded so closely with a manager for years.
Middlesbrough seemed stunned by the change of script, with McNamee tormenting former Norwich loanee Matthew Bates throughout. However, injuries to full-back Adam Drury and midfielder Andrew Surman left Norwich’s left side weakened, and initially it looked as though Gary O'Neil and Nicky Bailey might exploit this. However, for all the space Middlesbrough found, they failed to turn lengthy spells of possession into clear-cut chances.
The best efforts during the first 45 minutes came from Norwich, firstly through driving central midfield play from Andrew Crofts, who hit the post and then fired over after tenacious play from right-back Russell Martin, who had more freedom to attack with the more defensively-minded Steven Smith replacing Drury on the left. Martin, in one of his best Norwich games, linked strongly with McNamee (whose contribution to Watford's 2005-2006 promotion campaign was overlooked as Ashley Young attracted the headlines). Indeed, it was McNamee who crossed for Grant Holt – who looked offside on one of the few times he made a telling contribution in the box rather than drifting wide, a tactic that negates his strengths and exposes his limitations – to knock back for Jackson’s tap-in on 44 minutes.
Compelled to push for an equaliser, Middlesbrough again fell short: Lambert and O’Neil both subsequently agreed that Boro looked competent defensively but lacking strength and width in attack. McDonald, who replaced the ineffectual Kris Boyd, fired wide in injury wide – the closest Middlesbrough came as City’s defence held firm, boosted by the sublime Elliott Ward’s return from suspension.
The away fans vocalised their disdain for the prospect of Gary Megson as manager, and this display will have done nothing to persuade Paul Lambert, linked with the post alongside Tony Mowbray, Paul Ince and (optimistically) Frank Rijkaard, to leave Norfolk. Two stars from Middlesbrough’s enigmatic, tragicomic 1996-97 campaign, Juninho and Fabrizio Ravanelli, have also been mentioned: the first thing any prospective manager must do towards reviving the Teesiders is halt a decline triggered more obviously by a lack of confidence than talent.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment