2012/2013 Season
Review:
After a
highly successful return the Premier League under the stewardship of Paul
Lambert, Norwich had to look elsewhere after the Scot left, in rather acrimonious
circumstances, to join Aston Villa in the summer. They settled on previous
Newcastle and Birmingham boss Chris Hughton, who acted quickly in the transfer
market, bringing in Javier Garrido from Lazio, along with Leeds’s Scottish
international Robert Snodgrass. However, their season could not have got off to
a worse start, being decimated 5-0 on the opening day by Fulham. A series of
draws and defeats followed, leaving Norwich with only 3 points and no win in
the Premier League by the end of September, though they had progressed to the
Capital One Cup Fourth Round.
Another
4-1 hammering by Chelsea followed, at which point Chris Hughton was made
favourite by some bookies to be the first manager sacked in the Premier League,
with the Canaries languishing towards the bottom of the table. Next came a
result that turned the form book on its head. Arsenal, who had started the
season in very impressive form came to Carrow Road, and left with nothing, as
the impressive Canaries more than matched their illustrious opponents, claiming
a vital 1-0 win, to hand Hughton his first win as Norwich boss. Norwich then
embarked on a highly impressive run of 11 league games unbeaten, stretching
from mid-October to mid-December, including a couple of memorable scalps. The
defeat of Manchester United at home was particularly memorable, as Anthony
Pilkington’s looping header secured a vital win for Norwich, sending Carrow
Road into raptures.
A disappointing
exit of the Capital One Cup at the hands of Aston Villa signalled the end of
Norwich’s fine run of form, and given the bad blood between the Villa boss and
his old employers, they could have picked a better side to lose to. This also
spelled the end to Norwich’s best chance of silverware, as a Semi Final
appearance against Bradford appeared within their grasp. Four league defeats in
quick succession followed, including a topsy-turvy 3-4 defeat at home to 10 man
Manchester City. After their fine run of form, Norwich failed to win in the
league in the whole of January, and were catastrophically knocked out of the FA
Cup at home to Blue Square Bet Premier side Luton, a full 4 divisions below
them. 9 games without a win pushed Norwich back towards the relegation battle
by the end of February.
March
was another poor month for the struggling Canaries, once again going without a
victory and collecting just two points. Even more worryingly for the Norwich
fans, they were beginning to lose games against those sides around them, such
as away at Wigan and Stoke. By mid-May, Norwich were perilously hovering just
above the drop zone, looking likely to be in the relegation shake-up in the
final few games. Victory over Norwich eased those concerns momentarily, but
subsequent defeats against Stoke and Aston Villa put them right back into
trouble. Luckily for Norwich, those around them failed to take adequate
advantage of their slip ups, allowing Norwich to secure their place in next
years Premier League with an emphatic 4-0 victory over West Brom. This relief
allowed Norwich to produce one of their best performances of the season, taking
advantage of an out of sorts Manchester City at the Etihad on the final day of
the season, winning 3-2.
Overall,
Norwich will be fairly happy with their result this season. Having avoided the
dreaded ‘Second Season Syndrome’, Norwich will play Premier League football,
and that must have been their primary aim of this season. They may have liked
to repeat the achievements of last season, and they will have been disappointed
with their cup exits, but they are well placed to compete next season, perhaps
aiming for a top ten berth.
Player of the Season:
Robert Snodgrass – The former Leeds man has been an inspired signing from
Chris Hughton. Often the driving force behind much of the Canaries attacks, he
chipped in with vital goals towards the latter end of the season, and
dominating the midfield in the crucial 4-0 victory over West Brom. Able to play
out wide or in the centre, the Scot has proven himself to be an integral cog in
the Norwich midfield mechanism.
Game of the Season: Norwich
City 1-0 Manchester United – A famous night at Carrow Road, which saw the
impressive scalp of Manchester United in mid-November, causing the final United
defeat of 2012. An incredibly impressive performance, as you would expect from
an in-form side, at times outplaying the champions elect. Anthony Pilkington’s
81st minute goal was just reward for their efforts, sending Carrow
Road wild.
Summer Transfer
Targets (What I Think They Need): Norwich’s main problem this season has
been goals, with last year’s talisman Grant Holt failing to chip in with as
many as the previous campaign. The fact that he remains the club’s top scorer
with just 8 tells its own story. Sporting Lisbon’s Ricky van Wolfswinkel has
already been lined up for the Canaries, whom I think is a great capture for the
club. Other than that, a true winger could prove useful, rather than asking
Snodgrass to fulfil a ‘jack of all trades’ role. Players like Hull’s Sone Aluko
or Crystal Palace’s Yannick Bolasie would fill that role.
Transfer Gossip
Links:
In:
Ricky van Wolfswinkel (Sporting Lisbon, ST, £7million), Gary
Hooper (Celtic, ST)
Out:
Anthony Pilkington (Stoke City, LM), Chris
Martin (Derby County, CM), Simeon Jackson (Released, ST)
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