Just back from the game

Tight, very tight. Tactically, Leeds did a job on us for much of the contest, and left me wondering just how they've collapsed to such an extent. In this league, clubs with the resources of them and us should win lots of games even when not playing well - as we do often, but they've stopped doing altogether.

I don't think we set out to be negative or defensive at all; but because we were out-muscled in midfield, we were happy to sit, soak up the pressure and invite them to come at us, because potentially, we had the wit and pace for an effective break. Which made it a bit of a chess match - but games like this often are. Remember home to West Brom in March 2004, for example?

In the end, bringing on Martin and Hughes made the difference (I'm not convinced by Elliott on what I've seen so far), and we had that bit of class to force the win. It's so, so refreshing to see a Norwich team which as well as scoring goals (excluding the JPT, we've failed to score just once all season for heavens sake), has the steel and belief to win when it hasn't really deserved to. The fluency we had earlier in the campaign has largely gone (presumably because opponents figured out a way to combat 4-3-3 with Hoolahan floating behind the front two), but we're winning almost every week regardless.

Despite dominating the division, there's a number of holes in the side which Lambert will know about and act upon in the summer - assuming he stays, about which I'm not confident to be honest. Doc was great today, and in common with everyone I spoke to, I had him as MOM - but is he good enough for the step up? Are Nelson, Lappin, Russell Martin or Rusty? I doubt it - but then, good managers extract the maximum from limited players, and that's what Lambert is doing.

Special mention to KentonCanary and IED, who I met and had a good chat with: both really good guys. And mention too for the hilarious moment when, after the final whistle, we all waited for the Millwall score to pop up. Much fun was had when it did - and contrary to how the Football Leeds Show seem to be portraying it, there's no question: Leeds are choking, and will be devastated by what happened yesterday. Devastated. It says so much for our club that, while so many others have taken years to get back out of this league, and Leeds are floundering yet again, we're walking away with the title.

Onwards and upwards, and OTBC!

Posted By: thebigfeller on March 28th 2010 at 00:22:43

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