“This is an official Norwich City Football Club announcement”
At this time of the season at least, the teams that stand the best chance of promotion are the ones who make the biggest statements
Saturday 2nd April 2011, and the score emerging from Carrow Road is Norwich City 6, Scunthorpe United 0. A team that had won by more than two goals just once so far this season had just sent shockwaves 200 miles west, where, in the Wales capital, Cardiff had also thumped Derby. OK, so it was only by three goals, but in comparison Swansea had imploded, going down 2-1 to Preston North End, a team that, at 3 ‘o’ clock, were bottom of the league. Welcome to the Championship promotion chase, in all its unpredictable glory.
Two weeks previously, prior to the international break, and it was Swansea who were in the driving seat. An impressive attacking performance had meant Forest left the South Wales City with nothing to show for their fairly poor performance, having been spun into shock by the Swan’s contrastingly exceptional one. Both Norwich and Cardiff dropped points where perhaps they shouldn’t, Hull and Millwall both keeping firm in their dressing down of the 2 sides at the top end of the table.
It was, of course, Swansea who made the statement on that day. Nottingham Forest, 6th at the time, have a potentially pulsating starting XI, but one that still managed to lose at the Liberty Stadium. As mentioned above though, it took just a fortnight for Norwich and Cardiff to remedy that, and the tables have now turned. In fact, to say the tables have been flipped 360 degrees and then spun again for extra measure may be a more appropriate statement, as the statements that both the Canaries and Bluebirds have made have left the Swans in relative turmoil. With so few games remaining (seven, in case you were wondering), this battle of the birds may have seen Swansea dip into a frantic nosedive, as the other two swerve off into the horizon, in the slipstream of QPR.
From the perspective of Swansea, they now have to pick themselves up and face a side who smashed six past someone, and that, for Norwich, will be a massive psychological boost. All matches begin the week before, and no matter how much Brendan Rogers may persist with the fact that Swansea are ‘ready for this game’, that ‘the lads believe in themselves’, Round 1 goes to the Norfolk club.
Norwich, on the other hand, are world-beaters. They are indestructible, and they can beat anybody. This, of course represents the views of the players and supporters, not the author. To go into a game with such a lot riding on it with confidence high is vital. Visualisation is everything, and if you step onto the grass with defeat on your mind, then you’ll leave the grass with defeat stained on you - from head to toe. Norwich have shown their capabilities, now its Swansea’s turn to show what they can do.
And so, good luck to both teams come Saturday, as there is no bigger statement than overcoming, and defeating, your biggest barricade on the path to promotion. A resounding win over one of the most overpowering forces in any division is one huge battle cry, and if Cardiff plus the other 21 don’t sit up and take notice, then heaven help them. Or, of course, the match could end up 0-0. And the score emerging from the Keepmoat Stadium could be Doncaster 0, Cardiff 6. And the tables are flipped, and spun, and turned, and Cardiff, despite being 2 points behind Norwich, are suddenly odds on for second place, and everything changes again. So beware Norwich and Cardiff, and their high scoring results at the weekend. But, be warned, 6 goals still equates to 3 points - keep watching, as this league is still as tight as ever – there are still plenty of statements to be made yet.
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