Leeds United fans chanted “going down” to their fast-departing Norwich City counterparts at the final whistle, and there was little dispute or defiance from the home support. Even Leeds’s chorus of “let’s be ‘aving you”, pinching Delia Smith’s famous rallying cry, failed to spark a reaction. A sad air of resignation pervades Carrow Road.
Norwich have two points and three goals from ten games and are dropping like a chunk of local flint back towards the Championship. They had needed something from this game, a point, a sign of hope, but got nothing beyond another reminder of Andrew Omobamidele’s promise.
What will frustrate their fans even more was that Leeds have been poor of late, were badly missing Patrick Bamford’s presence in attack and Luke Ayling’s combative attitude and driving runs down the right, yet Norwich still got nothing and didn’t deserve anything.
Norwich’s sporting director, Stuart Webber, called the 7-0 thrashing by Chelsea “embarrassing” and “disgraceful” but at least that was against the European champions. This defeat was arguably more damaging because it came against a struggling side who began the game in the relegation positions.
What will alarm them even more is Leeds didn’t have to play that well to win. Kalvin Phillips’ passing was occasionally awry, Dan James’s and Jack Harrison’s minds were not as quick as their legs, and yet Marcelo Bielsa’s players still had too much for Daniel Farke’s side. Norwich certainly had nobody of Raphinha’s quality, technique and ambition.
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Where there is Raphinha there is hope. In the continued absence of Bamford, Bielsa attempted to tackle a problem by throwing wingers at it. Raphinha, their brightest spark in attack, was on the right, soon bringing a great interception from Ozan Kabak. The Brazilian was then clearly blocked off by Omobamidele after spinning him, but bizarrely got no justice from Anthony Taylor, the referee. But his class was obvious.
James started on Leeds’s left, soon speeding on to a Stuart Dallas pass and rounding Tim Krul, but Grant Hanley cleared off the line. “Marcelo Bielsa — Leeds” reverberated from the visiting contingent. Even though this has been a disappointing few months, and the side lacked the intensity that defined them last season, Leeds’s fans typically continue to back them and their manager unconditionally.
Harrison was through the middle, fighting a losing battle with Hanley in the air, and then was given a lesson in the dark arts when slyly tugged back by the same defender. Midway through the first half, Harrison and James switched, but to little effect. Leeds were fortunate to be playing the worst side in the league as a better team would have picked off their errant passes and punished them.
It was difficult to identify Norwich’s strategy. As the first half closed, and Farke’s side resorted to long balls easily picked off by Leeds’s centre backs, a few boos filtered from the home stands. Other supporters drowned out the murmurs of dissent with loud applause for the team. Max Aarons gave some hope with his enterprising runs down the right, and was brought down by Harrison, who was booked, but Norwich offered so little threat. On The Ball, City? Not enough. And when they were, Norwich lacked ambition. It feels as if they have accepted their fate.
One of the obvious problems was their finishing. Norwich resembled a team who had not scored in their previous five games, and it took a second-half set piece to end that run. Until Omobamidele’s header from a corner, Norwich’s finishing was woeful. Teemu Pukki shot wide. Mathias Normann skewed his effort wide. Milot Rashica’s low strike was pushed away by Illan Meslier.
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Such has been the criticism of Norwich’s form and approach that Webber, having had his say on the Chelsea game, mounted a passionate defence of Farke and the club’s methods during the week. “Our strategy is trying to find hidden talent like Rashica,” Webber said. Josh Sargent, the 21-year-old £8.5 million signing from Werder Bremen, was lively at times. Christos Tzolis, 19, the £9 million signing from PAOK Salonika, sat on the bench for 68 minutes. Norwich have bought for the future, as they did so well with Emi Buendía, who joined Aston Villa for £33 million three years after signing for £1.4 million from Getafe. It makes sense in the long term, but they need more quality now.
Norwich have transformed their Colney training ground, again building for the future, and their prudence is difficult to argue with, however doomed to relegation they look. The pyramid is littered with teams who have mismanaged their finances. Norwich don’t have the wealthiest of owners but there are few in the professional game who care as much about their club as Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones.
Where Norwich deserve more criticism is in the use of some of their loan signings. There was huge applause when Billy Gilmour emerged to warm up. Norwich’s central midfield was hardly brimming with ideas. Gilmour, the Scotland international on loan from Chelsea, was surely worthy of a start. Chelsea could be forgiven be wondering why such a talent is not more involved. He would have brought some energy and invention to a poor first half.
A decent game broke out in the second half. There was still some unwelcome simulation from Meslier who reacted theatrically to Kenny McLean’s presence. But after 56 minutes Leeds showed their impressive counterattacking. James swept the ball right to Raphinha, who cut inside Omobamidele, and Hanley ignored a sliding Kabak before drilling a left-footed shot home.
Leeds failed to concentrate and when Meslier and Jamie Shackleton suffered a mix-up, Norwich were gifted a corner two minutes after falling behind. Rashica drove the ball across and Omobamidele profited from Diego Llorente stopping. Free of pressure, the 19-year-old Ireland defender headed in powerfully.
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Now it was Norwich’s turn to fail to stay focused. Within two minutes, Kabak lost possession, Rodrigo advanced before shooting from 25 yards. Krul somehow let it squirm under him and continue into the net.
Norwich looked bereft of ideas of how to get back into it. The only time Bielsa came under threat was when Raphinha brought him down.
With 13 minutes remaining, Bielsa withdrew James and inserted Adam Forshaw into midfield. Leeds simply strengthened their control further. Norwich fans briefly booed at the final whistle but the main sound was Leeds fans telling them, as if they needed it, that they were going down.
Ratings
Norwich City (4-2-3-1): T Krul 5 — M Aarons 7, O Kabak 6, G Hanley 7 (P Placheta 88min), A Omobamidele 8 — M Normann 7, K McLean 6 — K Dowell 5 (C Tzolis 69, 4), J Sargent 4 (A Idah 77), M Rashica 6 — T Pukki 6. Booked McLean.
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Leeds United (4-2-3-1): I Meslier 7 — J Shackleton 6 (C Drameh 71), D Llorente 7, L Cooper 6, P Struijk 7 — K Phillips 7, S Dallas 7 — Raphinha 7, Rodrigo 7 (T Roberts 88), D James 6 (A Forshaw 77) — J Harrison 4. Booked Rodrigo, Harrison, Shackleton, Drameh.
Referee A Taylor.
