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Fight and spirit but a lack of quality for City boss
Josh Martin made his second Premier League appearance but it was another Norwich City defeat Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Daniel Farke insisted Norwich City’s battling 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Watford on Tuesday night proved his Championship-bound Canaries have not downed tools this season.
City produced a spirited display at Vicarage Road but relegation from the Premier League will be confirmed if they fail to beat West Ham this weekend after a sixth straight defeat left them stranded at the bottom.
Danny Welbeck’s acrobatic bicycle kick sealed the win for the struggling Hornets once Craig Dawson had cancelled out Emi Buendia’s early opener.
“We can read the table. We are not naïve,” said Farke.
“We will probably go down to the Championship and we have to accept it. You look at the remaining fixtures - two difficult away games at Manchester City and Chelsea to come.
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“But from the first to the last minute we will be committed, we will try to win the last four but even if we did I suspect it would not be enough to stay in this league.
“We tried everything that was possible in this game. There is no blame from me. I was proud and happy of our performance. When you lose games the self-confidence is not good and that is natural.
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“But it is important we show our pride, our dignity and that we understand the responsibility to wear this yellow shirt. That is what we did.
“The players knew before this game it was unlikely we can win all the remaining games but they showed their unity. My lads deserved so much more for what they invested. I really feel for them. I cannot ask this group of players for more.”
Buendia’s first Premier League goal ended a wretched drought for the Canaries.
“We won every statistic, more possession, more passes, more shots but sadly the only statistic that matters is the goals and we lost on that count,” said Farke. “In many topics we were the better side. I can’t accuse the lads.
“They tried until the last second but we have to accept again maybe the individual quality of other teams is better and that is why we lost.
“We have so many young lads or lads playing at this level for the first time.
“I was happy with the commitment, with the spirit and the bravery, and how we tried to win the game.
“To deliver this performance when we knew the pressure was on Watford and they would try to bully us I was pleased.”
