With the midway point of the season having just passed, it’s the perfect opportunity to have a little reflection on the season the best club in the world have had so far.
Having signed no fewer than 8 players over the summer period, (4 being from the Championship and the rest from the depths of the Premier League’s reserve team bargain buckets) it’s fair to say I started the season with a sense of impending doom. Despite our good pre-season form coming into the first game against Wigan, there was always a feeling of doubt in my mind over whether we were actually going to get anything. Wigan they may have been, but with a team that includes the likes of Simon `Spanish` Lappin and Aaron `Does-He-Even-Know-How-To-Kick-A-Ball?` Wilbraham there was a right for me to feel a niggle of doubt.
This feeling, however, was soon to be pushed to the side. A 1-1 draw against the side who are by far the luckiest and worst team in the division seemed to spur the mighty Canaries on and they just haven’t looked back from there. Of course there’s been the odd mishap here and there (a 5-1 drubbing by Man City comes to mind as well as a loss against West Brom) but largely we have looked a decent outfit. Alan Shearer may have described us as the team with the worst squad in the league but may I remind you Alan, if that even is your name, that your `all-conquering` Toon Army lost at the fortress that is Carrow Road. In truth, many teams have struggled to play away to the city, cumulatively taking only 12 points away from us since the beginning of the season.
As far as a highlight goes for the season so far it has to be said that there are few stand out matches to choose between. There have been no major upsets but the one thing to draw from 2011-12 is how we play. For once it can be said that in every game we do ourselves proud, battling for the full 90 minutes and maintaining the trait that every Norwich fan with a weak heart both loves and hates... the ability to score late-on. Only by the 13th May will we be able to tell just how vital the points picked up in the last 10 minutes will be. Without them this year, Norwich would be sitting in 16th; a whole world away from the dizzying heights of 9th spot. Equally, conceding fewer of the late goals would not go amiss either - 6 points have already been dropped due to late defensive mishaps.
My hopes for the rest of the season? More of the same please, lads. May 2012 bring around more goals to fill Holty’s boots and further cement his place in every Englishman’s dream Euro 2012 team (yes, I know he’s on all of your minds), plenty of quality football, a new winger (and possibly a centre-mid; for never again do I want to see shitty Lappin don the green and yellow of us high-flying, world beating Canaries) and a place in the `best league in the world’ for 2012-13.On a slightly less important note, if we are to play a weakened team for the FA cup on Saturday, let’s not get embarrassingly defeated like the last time please, lads. I am still trying to get over the horrific sight of (ex-Canary) Luke Chadwick’s possibly-smiling, possibly-gurning face after scoring 2 against us in the Carling Cup. Definitely one for the `League of Munters`.
Much love,
The Offside Trap
X x X
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