Rude report in the Sunday Times

Teemu Pukki’s 15th goal of the season sent Norwich seven points clear at the top of the Championship and pushed Rotherham into the bottom three, but all was not quite as it seemed at Carrow Road.

The Finland striker is halfway to emulating his astonishing 2018-19 goal haul that propelled the Canaries up as champions. Which of course they may do once more come May.

But Pukki’s weak finishing throughout the rest of the game meant opponents who could have been sent back to Yorkshire well beaten were always in the game.

Pukki scored 11 times in an otherwise dismal Premier League return last season but even that was an illusion; he was no more suited to prosper in the top flight than any of his colleagues.

Daniel Farke, the Norwich manager, does not subscribe to this theory however. “I think he is unbelievably sharp and the best striker in this league,” he said. “He could have scored three or four in this game, that is definitely right, but when he got the Golden Boot he missed an unbelievable amount of chances as well. If he goes on like this he is unplayable.”

Pukki and Mario Vrancic passed up inviting chances to open the scoring in the first nine minutes as Paul Warne’s Millers pressed like excitable puppies. But Rotherham were bamboozled by a precision pass in the 17th minute.

Emi Buendía can claim an assist for the diagonal ball from his own half that sent Pukki cantering clear but it was Todd Cantwell’s dummy that unhinged the away defence. The Finn’s finish was not emphatic but still good enough to get under Viktor Johansson.

Posted By: Old Git on February 21st 2021 at 08:32:04

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