Hard work only just beginning...
It’s been a frantic marathon of football for all connected with Norwich City since the turn of the year. 16 games in 76 days meaning that Peter Grant’s squad have had a game to contend with every 4.75 days, they’ve certainly earned their pennies in 2007 so far.
The hefty schedule could have easily weighed down an already disheartened and beleaguered squad, which had emerged from a vital January without a single point, but not under the guidance of Grant, no chance. Our passionate Scottish gaffer will not suffer fools and he worked everybody at the club to the bone, not least himself.
With the finish line in sight Grant has begun to, hopefully, turn things around at Fortress Carrow and players and staff can all take a well deserved breather this week before setting their sights on turning recent encouraging form into the consistent norm.
One of the major factors that have gone in tandem with the massive improvements recently, far from coincidentally I’m sure, is the appointment of former Dundee and Hibs boss Jim Duffy as Grant’s assistant.
Duffy has spoken of the two-week break being “a double edged sword” but judging by the second half performances of both teams at Fortress Carrow on Saturday, the rest will be doing far more good than harm. Let’s just hope Safri and Martin return from international duty in the same fitness and form that they left.
We have a worrying pattern of two wins, followed by two losses emerging and I really believe that the squad and management now have the belief and ability to break that form and keep on pushing towards the top half of the table.
Grant has got his wish for more 1-0’s and it’s great to be getting some long coveted clean sheets but it is the goal difference column that needs to be improved upon over the rest of the season. Getting it into the positive would be a really good achievement and should be a big target for the players to aim at.
We’re only six points behind Colchester, with a game in hand, and really hope we can show the over performing U’s who the real pride of East Anglia is. Returning to Norfolk with four points from the away games at Colchester then Hull would be more than respectable but we can definitely take all six if we continue the last week’s form.
With a faltering West Brom set to visit Norfolk on Easter Monday followed by three games against teams currently below us in the table, Leicester, Burnley and that lot down the road, a top ten finish is well within our grasp, if all the effort being put in can continue to pay dividends.
Saying this, our final league position means fairly little and Grant will surely have one eye firmly on building for next season. Hopefully this will mean we will get to have a proper look at some of the other youngsters such as Lewis, Spillane, Eagle, Cave-Brown and maybe even O’Toole and Smart.
Chris Martin has shown them that the chance is there for the taking if they can step up to the plate and show some of the older guys how it should be done, lets hope they can give us further encouragement for the 2007/08 season.
As sods law would have it Dickson Etuhu has played much better since I criticised his performance against Cardiff in the last edition of Freeze Frame. He finally seems to have found some confidence and is obviously appreciating that he has not been doing the right things and learning from his former-midfield-playing manager.
I sincerely hope he continues to prove his doubters wrong and fulfils the potential that he has shown all too brief flickers of. He has played more games than anyone else for City this season, which is definitely a positive, and if his goal tally was closer to ten I’m sure he’d be the toast of the City!
The close season is looking set to be a busy and hopefully positive one for City and the revolving doors of Colney will hopefully need replacing by the time the transfer window slams shut on August 31st.
Jurgen Collin appears to have fallen out of favour and I wonder whether Grant would prefer to have a hungry British youngster to compete with Andy Hughes and perhaps a more established and experienced right-back.
Mark Fotheringham is another one who has an uncertain future as his deal runs out at the end of the season. He has shown some good ability on the ball and some creative passing but he has looked very lightweight as well and he must impress employers and supporters further if the club are to give him another year to get his stuttering career back on track.
It is widely expected that Peter Thorne and Paul Mcveigh will join Mathieu Louis-Jean on the way out of Colney and beyond that it is likely that youngsters Ian Henderson and Andrew Fisk will also be looking for new clubs.
All the other contract expiree’s have got a decent shot at staying but goalkeeper Paul Gallacher is clearly not favoured by Grant and should David Marshall or Tony Warner become available permanently, Gally could also be heading out the back door.
Good to see that Norwich Union’s negotiations to restructure Ipswich’s debt are not going well and I would hope that the reaction of our loyal support and the publicity given by the local press has had a major say in what would be a thoroughly unfair kick in the teeth for the people of our fine city.
The Loan Files
Ryan Jarvis – Ryan completed the 90 minutes of Orient’s 2-2 draw against Oldham on Saturday but failed to add to his tally of five in five. The O’s are unbeaten since Ryan joined and City have agreed to let him stay in League One for the rest of the season, with a 24-hour recall option available to Peter Grant.
The Orient rivals.net site gave his performance a 6 out of 10 and described his performance as, “Linked up well enough with Alexander in the first half but failed to hold the ball up well enough once his strike partner was dismissed, resulting in pressure on The O's backline. Hasn't scored in three matches now.
Ian Henderson – Hendo played the full 90 for Rotherham and had a good chance to score when one-on-one with the Brentford goalkeeper but again failed to find the net in The Millers 1-0 win. The News of the World gave him a 7 out of 10.
Rossi Jarvis – Rossi stepped up his development from his spell in League Two with Torquay, after joining Henderson in playing 90 minutes for League One Rotherham on Saturday. He nearly got put through on goal by Hendo in the second half but otherwise had a quiet and solid defensive game at full-back. The News of the World gave him a 6 out of 10.
Andrew Fisk – Andrew played 90 minutes for Kings Lynn in their blustery 0-0 against Mangotsfield and won Keith Webb’s men a dangerous free-kick right at the death but Lewis Blois’s effort was saved by their keeper. Let’s hope Lynn and Fisky can get back on course at bottom of the league Corby on Wednesday night.
Let's get the Green Flag flying high again!!