TOO LATE FOR SAD CANARIES
Redmond shines but Norwich doomed
NORWICH put on a stunning show but a convincing victory against Watford proved nothing more than a top-flight curtain call as Sunderland’s win sent them down.
They produced arguably their finest performance of the season as a goal from the imperious Nathan Redmond, two from Dieumerci Mbokani and an own goal from Craig Cathcart gave them their first win since the start of April.
But where was this fight in their crunch match with Sunderland here last month? Where was it in their winnable game against out- of-form Crystal Palace the week before? Where was it for most of the season? It wasn’t there and that has been the problem.
Norwich had everything to play for in the final few months but let it all slip with four defeats previous to this — against Palace, Sunderland, Arsenal and Manchester United — meaning a slide back into the Championship was inevitable.
The Norwich fans rose to show their support of manager Alex Neil at the end, but the Scot refused to confirm if he would remain in charge. Neil, who led them to promotion via the playoffs last season, will hold talks with the club’s owners in the coming days. ‘The club’s got to decide the road it wants to go down,’ Neil said. ‘A lot of soul searching and discussions are to be had to decide the future of this club.’
He took full responsibility for their relegation, adding: ’Ultimately the burden lays with me. The support at the end was very humbling. I feel as though I’ve let them down. It was tough seeing their faces knowing we haven’t done as well as we should’ve done.’
Watford’s opener after 11 minutes highlighted the lack of backbone which has left them in this sorry position. Russell Martin was easily beaten to a header by Troy Deeney when a long ball was played towards their box and the striker nodded it into the path of Odion Ighalo. Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy beat Ighalo to the ball, but when he failed to hold on to it defender Ryan Bennett made little effort to clear and Deeney scored.
But then Redmond produced a performance Neil could have done with more regularly this season. The winger took it upon himself to haul his team-mates back into the match. He was everywhere — left, right, centre, running at defenders, striking a fear into the opposition which has faded with each of their last four goalless games.
His equaliser came four minutes later. A one- two with Steven Naismith freed him inside the box and he shot low and hard from a tight angle to the right of goal, through Heurelho Gomes.
Norwich were ahead three minutes later. Redmond was on the left flank this time, darting into the box and shooting towards the far right post, beating Gomes but not the upright. Mbokani stayed onside, however, and converted from a few yards out.
Redmond struck the woodwork again after trading a one-two with Wes Hoolahan and cleverly cutting inside Mario Suarez. This was more like it. The fight, the intensity, the sheer determination not to give up which was bereft in the opening 10 minutes before they fell behind, and the majority of this campaign. The Norwich match programme may have suggested they were ‘requiring a miracle’ to stay up, but Watford’s dire defending was proving to be a gift.
Eight minutes before half-time, Allan Nyom fell over as Norwich attacked, allowing Hoolahan to cross and Cathcart slid to cut out the ball but sent it into his own net. Norwich’s early defensive frailty was exposed once again, six minutes into the second half, when Ighalo pulled one back. Deeney shrugged off a man down the right and sent in a low ball which Ighalo finished simply.
‘Maybe for the first time in the season I had a feeling like it’s a party match,’ Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores said. ‘This kind of match is better not to analyse as it doesn’t have any sense.’
But Norwich saved the best until last. Redmond was at the centre once again, flicking a back-heel to Mbokani then playing his teammate in on goal when the ball came back to him. Mbokani clipped the ball over Gomes in style.
Where was this when they needed it most?