Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Norwich City 2 v 1 Southampton
EFL Championship
Saturday, 13th December 2025 Kick-off 12:30
Southampton At Norwich City The Verdict
Monday, 15th Dec 2025 13:48

I warned in the preview to this match that we needed to avoid the complacency seen in the second half of the game against West Bromwich Albion, but it seems that no one was listening.

This was a game we should have won and won well, we should have been a goal up in the first minute when after the ball had come off the crossbar, Flynn Downes with an open goal and the goalkeeper stranded to his right, inexplicably didn't head it into the gaping goal to his left, but headed it to his right and the arms of the grateful keeper.

This set the tone for the game, a lack of urgency in all part of the pitch.

We should have been at least two up by the break, aside from other chances, Adam Armstrong hitting his penalty kick well, but seeing the keeper guess correctly and stop it.

By half time we were the better side with Norwich only registering one soft shot on goal all half, but the warning signs were there, we were passing it around across the back as if Russell Martin was in the dug out, yes we were trying to draw in Norwich, but we didn't seem to get that quick ball out from the back that has worked so well in turning defence into attack in recent weeks.

Yes we were lacking Tom Fellows, but it was more than that, we were lethargic, we looked like we felt that we were unbeatable, that we didn't need to work too hard for things.

That was fine in the first half, but within minutes of the re start we were behind and now Norwich City felt they had something to defend, something to fight for.

We were rocking a little, but then just 10 minutes after the goal we were back level, Ryan Manning fighting for the ball and firing home from distance, surely now we would settle.

This only made the Canaries dig in and fight harder and we had no real answer, within 4 minutes they were ahead again, yes the goal would have been disallowed if there had been VAR, it was a difficult spot, but it was a clear handball.

But did we up the tempo and take the game to them ? the answer was no, we continued to pass along the back line and play as if we were 3-0 up and not 2-1 down.

There was a complete lack of urgency, the first substitutions did not improve things, Cameron Bragg & Welington came on, the latter being especially strange in that the Brazilian is a full back, yes he likes a surging run, but it rarely leads to anything.

At this stage why no Jay Robinson or Cameron Archer ?

With 16 minutes left on came Robinson with Jack Stephens departing, but little changed, even with Oriol Romeu coming on.

There was again no urgency, we seemed to think that we could walk the ball into the net.

It should be said here that banging long balls into the box was not going to help much, we lacked a big strong forward, we had the guile and poaching skills of Adam Armstrong, the raw skill of Robinson and the speed of Archer, but not once did we seem to utilise their strengths, to be fair if we had banged the ball into the box then the home defence would have lapped it up so there was no point.

We gave up this game with a whimper, so where did it all go wrong ?

The answer was it started with the way we defended and player it incessantly along the back, our 3 central defenders (and yes this was a 3 man defence and not 5, Manning and Fraser spent most of the time in the opposition half) were not quick enough, both in the way they marked up and the way they passed the ball.

To be honest they did not compliment each other, the defence lacked someone who was quick with his feet, quick with his vision, had quick pace, could read a game and more importantly organisation, neither of our trio had any of this, they were not a unit, oh for one Virgil Van Djyk or for that matter even a Jose Fonte.

You have 3 stoppers and they don't offer enough as a unit, how many times were we out of position ? how many times do we not clear the ball, how many times do we let attackers get in behind us unmarked ?

In January we need to address this, look to find another Fonte or failing that a fringe player from a Premier League club, in the meantime, I would consider playing Taylor Harwood-Bellis with both Joshua Quarshie for pace and Ronnie Edwards who is the nearest in style to the aforementioned Portugese captain.

But this was a bad game and should be put in perspective, its a bad day at the office, now Tonda Eckert has to show he has learned from this defeat and move things forward again.

Two bad results in the past couple of weeks has meant that we aren't in the top 6, but we are still only 4 points behind, we all knew that we were still a couple of players light and that has to be addressed, also we were lacking options in key areas, Ross Stewart, Shea Charles and even Damion Downes would have offered options we didn't have there at Carrow Road.

Tonda Eckert has done a superb job so far, he has earned the chance at being manager and he has earned the right to be judged over a longer period of time than 90 minutes at Carrow Road

So onwards and upwards, football is about set backs like this and how you react to them, it is not as if over the years we have not been used to it !

All Photos Via Reuters



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



templarinexile added 13:56 - Dec 15
Excellent, balanced report; thanks Nick.
My worry is that Spors has indicated that we will not be very busy in the January window, so it's unlikely that will be enhancing the squad in the key positions that everyone seems to agree on.
Unless of course, he's bluffing?
1

saintmark1976 added 14:25 - Dec 15
Good objective report Nick apart from your comments concerning the penalty.

Armstrong hit the ball into the area that if the keeper guesses direction correctly, he’s in with a chance of saving it when if it’s hit two to three feet off the ground, which on Saturday it was.

Along the ground or high into the net,no chance of making a save whichever way he dives.
1

Centurion added 14:28 - Dec 15
Missing the penalty turned the game.
Norwich were given hope and from then on they were more aggressive and wanted the win.
They are fighting for their lives, we look decidedly mid table.
1

Boris1977 added 14:38 - Dec 15
It's hard to say for certain if the manager or players were complacent but our second half performances are baffling. However sports Republic and spors could be charged with complacency if they genuinely believe that we have the players at the back to sustain a challenge in the top half of the table. For too long now we've had a defence and goalkeepers who in a successful team would be reserves/backup rather than regular starters.

Eckert has worked wonders with the squad but now he's got to rebuild confidence or protect against complacency (if that is an issue). Norwich did us a favour in many ways by pointing out to the board that despite the improvement in results the squad is flawed but this flaw is fixable if the board are serious about being competitive.

COYRs
2

Farlow added 14:39 - Dec 15
Armstrong is not a good penalty taker time to try someone else maybe Azaz.I know the winning goal should not have stood but why didn’t Bazunu come out for the ball,too often he freezes when under pressure.
4

underweststand added 14:46 - Dec 15
You weren't alone (Nick) with your comment about the danger of becoming complacent over a game against a side in the drop zone. Predictable ?..or inevitable?. not the first time we've come to grief against an East Anglian side and going into a game as the in-form side.

One penalty (missed) and another shout that was ignored by the officials. The absence of VAR at this level does no service to the reality of events when the referee decides to ignore obvious errors when in favour of the home side. Adam Armstrong's goal splurge doesn't include his penalty-kicks, and his fairly-predictable run-up to the ball is a hint for keepers.
(oh for another MLT who put them away 98% of the time).

Scienza hit the woodwork (AGAIN) ...Is this some sort of club record for the season, and Downes' shot from close in was surely easier to score instead of sky-ing it, (as did Manning in a previous game) but good to see that he can take chances when they come.

3 valuable points lost, when we should have been closer to a top spot. A lesson to learn.


1

bryanK added 14:59 - Dec 15
Obviously the defensive players believe All Our Yesterdays starring Tippy Tappy Martin has been rehired overnight and the last few weeks were just a figment of our imagination
I had belief that Wood was a solid uncompromising defender. He is poor defensively currently and can only manage a 5 yard pass to the goalkeeper or Harwood Bellis. Very poor and this sets the tone for the team.
The Manager has stated that he will work on stopping the crosses well we all saw the signs against WBA so why was he not prepared for the Norwich game? I do not want to see the last inspired weeks go to waste. So tactically he needs to show he has solutions as RM just never had a plan B and I sincerely hope he does not find us stating the same about him
3

ItchenNorth added 16:33 - Dec 15
The last 3 games are a reminder that new manager bonce can often mask inherited problems and insecurities. We've very much seen in these games Will Still performance levels and luck (or lack of it). It's fine margins between getting back to 2-2 vs Millwall and holding out for a point, or falling apart in the 2nd half vs West Brom but holding on, to missing two clear chances (Downs and Armstrong) which would have like been enough to to kill of Norwich early doors.

There's still frailty in this group, dispute better team selection under Tonda and that bounce we've seen.
0

highfield49 added 17:00 - Dec 15
Bragg and Robinson are too inexperienced to be saddled with turning games around. Bringing on Welington could have been in preparation for substituting Stephens soon afterwards? I can't recall Archer touching the ball after his late appearance. Romeu brought a bit of muscle into the game but there was no real momentum left.
Scienza took a number of heavy challenges throughout the game and his energy levels dropped.
Those were my immediate thoughts, after the game, and I haven't changed my mind. The team fails to adapt and change shape, it loses shape, and doesn't recover because fluency and inventiveness disappear.
It reminds me somewhat of Southgate's England squads, lots of individual talent but coherence frequently relying on pot luck.
All that said, Eckert is still learning whether some of the players can adapt, rather than flounder, when asked to do a job. The fact that most of our substitutes aren't first choice starters indicates that they're not ready to influence games. Less disruptive substitutions, unless they're in some way tactical. Fresh legs brought on for a specific job not a throw of the dice that gifts the opposition greater control of the game. No need to panic, but better evaluation of the substitution outcomes would be beneficial.
1

halftimeorange added 17:09 - Dec 15
I wonder who is determining our game plan, is it Eckhart or Jack Stephens, as we seem to love knocking the ball around at the back even when time is running out and we need to create goal chance. This was a rubbish and feeble performance with hardly a player worthy of more than 5/10 and just a continuation of the last quarter against West Brom. Coventry is an interesting prospect if we crumple like the empty fag packet we were on Saturday. Apart from the weak-kneed defence you can add the wee man to that list. He looked to me as a man who's run his race and unable to beat his opponent on the outside.
1

Staycalm added 17:16 - Dec 15
With Fellows out, once Norwich had removed the Scienza threat by kicking the sh*t out of him at every opportunity, Saints went back into their Russell Martin 'shell' and it was a pretty sorry show as time went on!
1

saintmark1976 added 17:55 - Dec 15
Farlow, why didn’t Bazunu come out for the ball ?

Because he is a very poor keeper if he has time to think about anything and that is also the reason why he is repeatedly beaten by the opposing teams shots from miles away from his goal line.

Good reaction shot stopper and can play with his feet but those are the limits of his abilities in my opinion.
0

davidargyll added 18:08 - Dec 15
WE 100% HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH A PRESS. NO MORE NO LESS. OR ELSE MID-TABLE MEDIOCRITY AWAITS…
1

Colburn added 18:19 - Dec 15
We are so poor defensively, changes must be made there. A proper goalie commands his box and organises the men in front of him. Neither Bazunu or McCarthy are good enough so we simply have to get in a new keeper on loan in January. Fraser is now a league 1 player, he’s just lost the real pace he had and like Manning, doesn’t understand what it takes to stop crosses from coming in. I agree with those above, this should have been ironed out by now and is well drilled in defence. Wood will unfortunately never be good enough for the top flight, he’s not a bad guy to bring in in certain scenarios but he’s too all over the place and clumsy, even centre backs need to be agile and fleet of foot these days. Romeu looks past it tbh but he may improve over time. Jander has been quieter the last couple of games, looks a bit tired, that has also had an impact on the last two away results.
Overall were a goalie short and a CB too, if we can bring in a defensive coach then I still see us making the play offs.
2

BigbadBarry8myboat added 21:02 - Dec 15
Nick you say the back 3 had noone who could pass forward or was fleet of foot. No, because once again we brought Stephens back in.

Yes West brom scored 2 late on but Quashie is so much better than Stephens. His pace helps the back 3.

He's also a presence which Stephens is not.

We're forever playing Stephens and Bazunu which is a recipe for disaster.

We have to start playing in the 2nd half. We just seem disinterested.
0

IanRC added 22:10 - Dec 15
Yes we were not very resiliant and Flynn Downes should have put us ahead. However, Norwich were disgraceful, poor Leo was kicked off the park, even when he was on the ground after being fouled. The referee started impartial but later was unduly influenced by the home crowd this being the only reason Norwich could finish the first half with eleven on the pitch. Darling in particular appears to be a vile individual. I really hope they go down.

I agree that it is time Edwards is given a chance as Wood appears to have gone right off the boil, ball watching for their goal and their piece of blatant cheating (Wolves did a similar thing a while back). We did miss Fellows badly, I hope he is fit for Coventry. As others have said we need to start getting the ball forward much quicker again.
0

Bowlercow added 22:29 - Dec 15
We have some talented defenders who are not playing to their strengths The 3 centre backs should cover the width of the goal when they are defending at 18 yard 12 yards or 6 yards When they scored the first goal it was at our left hand post, the second at our right hand post In both cases the nearest cb was Wood He was trying to cover for Stevens first and THB for the second
Why are those three cb allowed to play out in the RM way? Are they dictating the style of play?I lost count of the times we almost lost the ball in our own box and it totally failed in sucking players in Norwich played a high,quick press which we could have countered by playing over the top Not every time but enough to make them think
0


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 30 bloggers

Southampton Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Online Safety Advertising
© FansNetwork 2025