August 14 2004

Andy Johnson

Palace and Norwich shared the spoils, drawing 1-1 at Carrow Road this afternoon, writes Simon Pophale.

One more Round, into the breach dear friends….

If you were like me, as soon as the first months fixtures were made public, you would possibly have gone to Norwich today, expecting 3 points. I know I was. Mind you, no doubt Canaries fans were thinking exactly the same thing. It could have been a lot worse. Remember our previous opening days fixtures? 1992 – Blackburn and the newcomers to the division then, Blackburn and Alan Shearer in particular, tore us to shreds that day but our dogged resistance held out for a 3-3 draw.

Then there was 1994 and the Home game with Liverpool, which ended in a 1-6 defeat. Proof that we could not live with the big boys at all. 1997 and it was away this time to Everton. We were inspired that day by the mercurial Atillio Lombardo who scored one and set up another for Bruce Dyer as we held out for a victory. So what would today’s game bring?

Anticipation, we on the HOL have had this for weeks. Since 29th May at about 16:56 to be exact. As my train pulled into Norwich, it was a different feeling in the pit of stomach. This was no normal game. This was our return to the “big” time. This was an ideal chance for 3 points. This was a chance to show the nation on Match of the Day, that we could hack in this division.

What a shame we passed up the opportunity.

The Premiership is not really one league anymore. It is like having 4 leagues of 5 teams. The Top league, where if you win that, you win the Premier and get into Europe, the there is the 2nd Tier League, for clubs who chase Europe but ultimately fail in that quest, maybe this league would house the League Cup winner and some teams that surprised us all.

Then the 3rd Tier league, where you might get the League Cup runner up, teams which have underperformed and maybe one who has defied the odds and beaten all the pundits. Then there is the Bottom League. If you win that, you have carved out the miracle that is Premiership survival. But for 3 teams, it means going back to the days of Burnley and Grimsby away, players leaving en masse and general gloom of the weekly drag that is now the Coca Cola Championship.

On the evidence of today, we are going to be in the Bottom league. It is not going to be pretty either. In fact, it could be pretty awful. This was always going to be one of the more colourful games in the Premiership, and we fans did not disappoint. The new Jarrold Stand, where we were housed had its roof severely tested today by the Red’n’Blue faithful who out sung the home fans for the majority of the game. In the baking sun, this was going to be a tough encounter.

Speaking of the Sun, the Premiership could be turning into a farce if all these new, and dare I say, American features start coming into our National game. The Premiership anthem? Please. Do me a favour! The idea that teams line up to some classical inspiring rhetoric, like these are 2 gladiators going into battle in ancient Rome, is trying to make it more than it is. The Sun was not helping matters by printing on the front page of their Football supplement all about the “gladiators” and where they will finish this season.

No surprises then, when you looked inside and saw Palace 4-11 on going down. This match was always going to be a foregone conclusion. It was going to be an irrelevant match in the great scheme of the big clubs which pervade the headlines and the column inches. But to both clubs, this was a real opportunity to get 3 points.

Despite all the new shenanigans, when the 2 teams came out all was forgotten. This was now our chance.

The match itself started brightly, with both Sandor Torghelle having a couple of opportunities, one going wide and Wayne Routledge getting some purchase down the right hand side. This could be our day. For the home side, Darren Huckerby nearly broke through the Palace rear guard in the 5th minute and David Bentley, the new “Dennis Bergkamp” according to those in the know at Highbury, was fast becoming involved in everything good the Norwich were producing. The opening exchanges were balanced, fast paced and with both sides eager to make a good impression, this was becoming an exciting game to watch.

However that was interrupted in the 16th minute. A cross field pass by former Palace man Matthias Svennson produced a chase across the edge of the penalty box between Mark Hudson and Darren Huckerby. One slip, and one look up from Huckerby and the ball flew past Speroni into the top left hand corner to put the Canaries ahead. It had taken just 15 minutes to undo all the good work that had been put in. We did not look out of place, we had battled as hard as Norwich and to go behind to a small mistake, was quite hard to take. But that is the Premiership.

>From then on we were playing catch-up. We had a few chances, notably from set pieces. But whether it was Granville or Routledge taking them, there was no end product and the first 45 minutes was becoming not only frustrating but increasingly worrying. Norwich have clearly stepped up a gear. Darren Huckerby, whose signing last season was one of the reasons they won the Championship was becoming a real pest. He has pace, much like AJ and is direct. Fact is, he is 6 foot tall as well. After over half an hour of him tormenting the back four, he found himself almost clear on 36 minutes, only to come clattering to the ground by a great tackle from Michael Hughes.

Chances wise, the first half kicked up very few. Joonas Kolkka, making his debut today, fired high and wide towards the end of the half. You could say that this was the sum total of our effort. Lots of huffing and puffing, but no end product.

The Second Half, however, was not going to follow the first half as almost instantly from the restart, Sandor Torghelle capitalised on a Simon Charlton error and fired a shot which Robert Green, did well to deflect for a corner. Iain Dowie clearly had sent the message out to the players that more penetration was needed during the half time team talk and it seemed to be paying off. Routledge was still being a constant threat and Emmerson Boyce, our free transfer from Luton, was having a game where he would go from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Sublime, in playing neat passes and galloping down the wing trying to send crosses in, ridiculous when he finds himself faced with Huckerby, who time after time sold him down the river by doing the same trick over and over again. Dropping the shoulder and going full pelt. Indeed for about 10-15 minutes after Torghelles’ chance. We were under the cosh somewhat not by Norwich constantly driving at us but due to our total lack of ineptitude at clearing the ball.

Bentley and Huckerby were getting lots of time to create chances but with more luck than judgement, we were managing to clear our lines. However, when the few chances that did come our way courtesy of free kicks or corners, the efforts were wasted. Robert Green was rarely tested and the Norwich backline were never put under any real pressure.

The heat was beginning to take its toll on the players with about a quarter of the game to go. Nigel Worthington clearly thought that it was better to consolidate the lead and keep hitting on the counter attack as he replaced David Bentley, who had been less effective for former Palace man Marc Edworthy. We had toiled hard in the heat but for no real reward. Until the 71st minute that is.

Wayne Routledge set off on another trademark 25 yard run from the halfway line to the edge of the Penalty area and cut inside to play a perfectly weighted ball to Andy Johnson who was lurking in the penalty area and one quick flick off his thigh and he has steered the ball past Green and the game is all square.

AJ dispensed with the Burger munching routine this time to run full pelt to us in the Jarrold Stand, to explode with sheer joy, much as we were doing. We were back in it! The next 5 minutes it was all Palace, Wayne sent over 2 more corners which found only Robert Green or green and yellow shirted defenders who pumped balls long to Huckerby, who was still getting the better of Boyce and one effort on 83 minutes brought out a great save from Julian Speroni, who had gone about his business in an effective and tidy manner, diving acrobatically to his left.

Norwich brought on Leon McKenzie, another ex-eagle for Matt Svennson while Dowie decided to add more bite to the midfield by taking off Hughes. Hall and Kolkka to bring on Freedman, Derry and Aki Riihilahti.

But it was Palace who were finishing the stronger and with 2 minutes to go in normal time, Andy Johnson sent an acrobatic half volley which Green did well to keep out.

So honours even then, which was for me, disappointing. Back to the 4 league idea I described earlier. This was a must win game. On evidence of the performance today, it seems that the occasion and the burden of making a mistake weighed heavily on the players, especially in the first half. We really do need to get more accurate crosses in, especially from set pieces. Today, we looked very poor in this area.

On the plus side, there were some good performances. My marks out of ten for the Palace boys are below: (Man of the match in bold)

Julian Speroni 6 – No chance with the goal, performed adequately otherwise

Emmerson Boyce 5- Will need to find some consistency if going to make the Right back spot his own. Had a torrid afternoon against Huckerby.

Mark Hudson 6 – Mistake lead to the first goal, but had a fair game otherwise. It was his debut as well.

Tony Popovic 6 – Usual commanding self at the back, didn’t make much impression from set pieces though

Danny Granville 6 – Booked in the first half, had an average game.

Joonas Kolkka 5 - Fair debut for the Finn, but needs to get involved more. Crosses were average.

Michael Hughes 7 – The engine room of the midfield. Hughes got stuck in and worked very hard. Disappointing from set peices though.

Fitz Hall 6 – A lively debut, lots of running and passed quite well. Will improve but did well, seeing as he has only been at the club a few days.

Wayne Routledge 8 – He is going to be a star. Ran Norwich ragged throughout the game and set up the equaliser. Needs to work on his corners though.

Andy Johnson 7 – Never stopped running or working hard. Goal was just reward for him today.

Sandor Torghelle 7 – worked hard and had a few chances, brought out a good save from Robert Green. Needs to settle but the talent is there.

Subs

Aki Riihilahti (74 Mins for Fitz Hall) 6 – Worked hard and helped work the midfield while Norwich were wilting in the heat.

Shaun Derry (74 Mins for Joonas Kolkka) 6 – found room as Norwich tired, passed around well as well.

Doogie Freedman (88 Mins for Michael Hughes) 5 – not enough time to make an impression.

Verdict Overall

Despite most of the Premiership games ending in draws today. This could be seen as 2 points lost. We will need to be more effective against counter attacking teams, especially in the midfield as Norwich broke with pace and there was no challenges in the middle of the park. Better teams will get more end results. Pressure of the occasion clearly told in the first half, but Andy Johnson gave us all a reminder that he is going to be the danger man again this year. However, a vast improvement all round is needed, before the Everton Game next Saturday.

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