Steve Morison cuts a distraught figure after Norwich City's defeat at West Bromwich Albion. Picture by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images
Momentum is the prize on offer for Norwich City as Chelsea come to town
Michael Bailey
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
5:00 AM
There is a Boxing Day question for Norwich City to answer – is it easier to maintain momentum, or regain it?
Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez will be hoping to see his side excel at Carrow Road.The Canaries have been flying for two and a half months, doing little wrong and plenty right. From 19th in the Premier League table and just three points to their name after defeat at Chelsea on October 6, they face the Blues for the return fixture in the top-flight’s top 10 and 10 points clear of the bottom three.
But no one needs to be told how quickly things can change in football.
Saturday’s defeat to West Brom was City’s first in 11 matches but with a Carrow Road visit from the European champions followed by the defending Premier League champions three days later, it would not take an unexpected series of results to see Norwich head to Upton Park on New Year’s Day off the back of three straight defeats.
Yes, Chris Hughton’s side did an excellent job of maintaining their wonderful momentum. Now against the toughest of opponents, it is all about regaining it.
“Which is easier? I’ll let you know after the next two games,” smiled Hughton. “If you are in a good run of games then things seem to go a little bit more for you because that is the momentum, and I think everybody will say that sometimes you will pick up the odd good result where it’s just about playing the same team, momentum, good habits and that little bit of rub of the green sometimes that goes for you.
“But there is also a massive part of the game which is reaction.
“We had a wonderful reaction after some poor defeats earlier in the season and we’re on the back of a loss at the moment, so the changing room after Saturday wasn’t a particularly happy place and rightly so, because it was a game that wasn’t one of our better performances in the run we’ve been having.
“We certainly felt we deserved to get a draw out of the game. It’s now an opportunity to bounce back into winning ways – but we certainly must not underestimate what a point can mean. I think some people do that. A point in this league is valuable.”
Christmas means only one thing in English football: games – and a lot of them. City are in the middle of a run of five in 15 days and while traditionalists will love the festive backlog, Chris Hughton doesn’t appear to be on their side.
“I would have it a different way, yes – I certainly wouldn’t have a winter break but I would try to pull maybe one of the games out of the Christmas period,” admitted Hughton.
“I think it is one we have got used to regarding the Boxing Day, which is very much set in tradition. But if I look at the bulk of games that we have I would certainly look to pull maybe one of the games out.
“Probably the saving grace is that it is the same for everyone. If you are going through a run of four games in such a short period of time and you are playing more games than everybody else or you have got to television game that is thrown in (it’s different).”
Arguably City’s Boxing Day opponents have the squad to cope with any amount of games – even with a trip to Japan in the middle. Whether they can claw back the gap to be reconsidered title contenders this season, Hughton isn’t sure. But he does expect Rafa Benitez win over the dissenting Chelsea fans still lamenting the departure of Robbie di Matteo.
“The only way in any job you win over people is by getting results and he has great options to be able to get those results,” added Hughton.
“At the moment they are on very much of a high and he will certainly be judged on that.”
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22 comments
ethered. Nearly got a 0-0!
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Chelsea`s just a district of Londinium, replete with 2nd hand BMW showrooms and Burberry shops. And that noise pollution aka Chelsea Fans. We so nearly scraped a 0-0 but we do need to find a route to goal. All 6 of our wins by a single goal margin; 3x 1-0, 2x 2-1 & the aberration of 4-3 at Swansea (a retro-experience!). We have failed to score in 5 games, I think? And we`ve only got past 1 goal four times. Holty got 17 last season in all comps, only been allowed 4 this time round. Still back him to get into double figures, though.
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Come to town? Dereham, Swaffham, Downham Market...Thought they were playing City?
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A fine city
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
One nil to City and Chelski can crunch carrots all the way home ! OTBC
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Dubai Canary
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Been to Montazum's Castle and it's not much of a prize.
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cutty
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Been to Montazum's Castle and it's not much of a prize.
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cutty
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Who are the carrot crunchers?
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cutty
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Oh! Thats why. Silly me, Sad Ar-chant.
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Mad Brewer
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Why not "A**enal"?
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Mad Brewer
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Why not "Arsenal"?
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Mad Brewer
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
I half agree with MBA (is that OK, CanaryWest?). But I don`t see damage limitation as an ambition any more. After all, we got 6 very useful points from the Gunners & ManU. This fixture ended 0-0 last year. OTBC.
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Mad Brewer
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
I sort of agree with MBA (sorry, folks!), but no longer see damage limitation as a success. After all, people were saying that was the limit of our ambition vs Arsenal and MUtd. Those 6 points have proved handy! I`d dearly like us to get a point out of this game - we stifled them 0-0 last season. OTBC.
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Mad Brewer
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Late winner for City 90th minute.
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Timbo
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
The aim of the game today is to do better than Villa did, the league is tight and GD is important.
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MBA Marine
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
The aim of the game today is to do better than Villa did, the league is tight and GD is important.
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MBA Marine
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
La Snott is back, sad bovine.
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Mad Brewer
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
C'MAAAAARN EWE CHELSEA- lets stuff these carrot crunchers
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Liz Knott
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
C'MAAAAARN EWE CHELSEA- lets stuff these carrot crunchers
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Liz Knott
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Whats this momentum, a new after shave or something , i prefer the one called three points today. is Holty fit, hope so, if not lets try citizen Kane, or Simeon
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wivenhoebudgie
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
I await the team sheet with interest. If we elect to start with ‘10 men’ as we did against WBA then we’re going to struggle. However I think CH is a better than that so maybe we will see a totally different set up to what we have been used to?
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baguio
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
No pressure for this game or the Man City game as all the pundits here are also predicting defeats....I ask why not a 1-0 to the City a la Aresenal and Man U matches at home! I hope Holt is back and we put the WBA behind us. OTBC
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Singapore Canary
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
YESSSSSSSSSSSS Lawro has Chelsea to win 0-2 today. Kiss of death for Chelsea !! Has he Ever predicted a Norwich City score correctly this season ? We once has a guy in our village who was a Radio Norfolk racing tipster called 'Sprint" - he was so bad, we all wore badges to the pub saying "I backed Sprint - now I'am Skint".... Lawro are you "Sprint" in disguise ??
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Dubai Canary
Wednesday, December 26, 2012