guardian on Nodge

Norwich's 2-0 defeat at West Ham last month was unforgivable. They outplayed West Ham for long periods, comfortable in defence and occasionally inspired in attack, and were denied four times by excellent saves by Adri?n. But then Chris Hughton settled for a point. He took off Gary Hooper after 76 minutes and Nathan Redmond after 81 minutes; they had been the best players on the pitch. Removing them handed the initiative to West Ham, who had been atrocious, and Norwich promptly conceded two scrappy goals in the final six minutes.

It was a defeat that summed up Hughton's tenure. His natural caution has made him deeply unpopular with Norwich's fans, who would be glad to see the back of him even if their side stays up. Yet with Norwich four points above the bottom three and facing an arduous run-in, now would be a good time for Hughton to embrace a more adventurous approach. A trip to Southampton is not easy but Mauricio Pochettino's side have only won once at home since November and have little to play for now that they are safe in mid-table. There is no excuse for Norwich not to exploit the situation and attack. They have the players to score goals, if only they were let off the leash.

Posted By: Tricky Hawes, Mar 14, 13:55:48