Canaries first goal in 700 Minutes…! Report by Simon Mack

Norwich 1 Leicester City 0

Friday 28^th February 2020

Carrow Road

Nope…. Sleeping on that one didn’t make it feel any better. The foxes went down 1-0 to a spirited and passionate Norwich performance that gave the home side a glimmer of hope that a ‘Pearsonesque’ great escape might still be possible.

Brendan Rodgers reverted to a familiar back 4 defensive line for this one moving away from the 3 at the back last weekend against Manchester City confirming his system preference whenever possible. Hamza Choudhury having sat out the defeat at home to the Sky Blues due to his sending off against Wolves the week before returned to the side in that holding ‘insurance’ role whilst the out of form Youri Tielemans was dropped to the bench in preference to Dennis Praet who took up a more advanced role than his normal duties. The biggest shock of the night was the complete omission from the squad of Jamie Vardy. The foxes focal point had picked up a calf injury during training in the build up to the match and Kelechi Iheanacho took his place as the lone central forward. Rumours resounded around social media that the league’s top scorer had been dropped but Rodgers was clear in his pre match interview on the reason. On a more positive note Wilf Ndidi had recovered enough to make the bench.

The game got underway under the Carrow Road lights with a customary swirling wind and persistent rain that we have all got very used to in recent times and it soon became clear that Norwich were planning on doing exactly what they had in the reverse fixture at King Power Stadium in attempting to stifle the creative talents of the foxes midfield and press on themselves to look for opportunity. Norwich’s points tally and ultimate league position this term to date seems to have told a different tale to the honest, positive performances that Daniel Farke’s side have produced and once again this canaries display was bold and with intent.

That said Leicester were more than equal to the task and as the game swung up and down the Norfolk pitch Dennis Praet picked up the ball centrally and sprayed a neat pass to Harvey Barnes wide right who was intent on switching sides of the park in an attempt to bamboozle the opposition. Full back Ricardo overlapped Barnes in his tenacious, customary style and the resultant cross found Praet (who had driven forward post is pass) and his shin contact with the ball struck the post and rebounded wide.

As the half matured so did the foxes performance and they grew into some dominance which began to defy the possession statistics of the half. Ben Chilwell threw a long cross field ball from the left that seemed to bounce to no one but the canaries defence made a pigs ear of their clearance and Ricardo alert to the right of the box nipped in and played the ball to James Maddison and the young midfielders quick thinking found Ayonze Perez inside the box with his back to goal and his resulting swivel and sharp cross to Kelechi Iheanachofound the Nigerian right in front of goal but his point blank effort fizzed just over the bar.

With the scores level at half time it felt like the foxes should have found themselves a goal up with the pressure they had created later in the first period but no worry because the second half opened up much in the same vein with Leicester in the ascendancy. Not long in Dennis Praet with his back to the opposing goal played a looping long pass to Iheanacho to the right of the box. The Nigerian took control beating Ben Godfrey and drove to the edge of the box curling a sublime effort into the far corner of the net and past a helpless Tim Krul between the canaries’ sticks. As the Nigerian pointed to the heavens in celebration that heart sinking feeling of the VAR review dawned, and multiple replays later it appeared that in the tussle to gain control of play with Godfrey the ball had struck Iheanacho’s hand and the effort was chalked off of the scoreboard. The endless replays that played out on the TV bore truth to the slightness and complete non intent of the contact. In fact Godfrey seemed to have also handled the ball prior to Nacho’s contact and in truth that deviation on the ball from Godfrey had deflected the ball onto Iheanacho’s little finger for a split second. Pathetic? You make up your own mind.

As Brendan Rodger remonstrated with the 4^th official the game continued and whilst not dominant the ‘off the hook’ nature of the VAR decision for the canaries seemed to psychologically give them the belief that this could be their night. Their play and endeavour grew in confidence and Duda forced a top drawer save out of Kasper Schmeichel from 20 yards. The foxes were riding the storm but the yellows kept coming and Slovakian middle man Duda once again found himself with a chance to break the deadlock but his effort square on to goal 12 yards out blew straight at Schmeichel’s head and the Dane managed to swat it away.

Then the deadlock was finally broken. A long cross field ball from Godfrey found Max Aarons driving forward wide right of the foxes box and his resulting almost mistake of a cross found full back Jamal Lewis and the rear corner of the box and the young canaries prospect took control and smashed a superb curling effort into the far corner that bent around Kasper Schmeichel’s outstethced effort and inside of the post.

By now Wilfred Ndidi had replaced Hamza Choudhury for defensive midfield duties and Youri Tielemans soon joined him in place of Dennis Praet but whilst Leicester responded well to the blow ultimately the huff and puff they created post goal did not create a clear chance to level the scores. Albrighton replaced Perez wide right but nothing changed in terms of opportunity, and as the canaries were afforded chances to run down the clock it just didn’t feel like the foxes would find parity.

This had been a bright, even and enjoyable game to watch with lots of positive play from both sides and opportunity both ends of the park but ultimately the match had hinged on the VAR overrule of  Iheanacho’s superb strike. In that moment the belief grew in the home side and they pressed on to capitalise with a superbly taken goal from the talented Lewis.

It was another bitter defeat to add to a poor run of form for the foxes that is now beginning to put a question mark over their top 4 ambitions. This game had marked the 1^st anniversary of Brendan Rodger’s appointment as the Leicester boss and he must have sat at the front of the coach on the long arduous  A-roads home pondering just why the foxes lofty fortunes have deserted them in recent times. Ben Chilwell’s defending for the goal was brought into question by a portion of the Leicester fan base and within his brighter forward work once again there were both defensive and positional mistakes that you’d not expect to see from an International full back.

MOTM for Leicester? Stand out performances in this game were spread amongst a few of the selected side. Ricardo’s ever persistent and hugely driven and talented work down the right flank was of the highest quality but for me I’d give the nod to Dennis Praet who not only set up the goal that never was but also gave a balanced display of defensive and offensive duties in the middle of the park and was unlucky not to get on the score sheet having started a fine move and then driven forward with desire into the box to fire at goal.

Leicester City will have to shake this disappointment off and move on with purpose into their FA Cup clash with Birmingham City if their 19/20 silverware hopes are to be kept alive. Of course had the bitter disappointment of the Aston Villa defeat in the Caraboa Cup semi-final been different this game against the canaries would have been postponed for a Sunday final this weekend. Whilst the foxes season to date has been one across the piece in overachievement let’s all hope that the pre-Christmas delight is not balanced with post festive bitterness. There’s still plenty of time for Rodger’s Leicester to cement that top 4 spot and bring European football back to King Power Stadium.