Norwich City - Canaries take on Premiership! [FIFA 12 Manager Mode]

[orion523]

I also like the SKY Sports version just a tad bit better.

[mockme]

Sky Sports it is then! Yeah, that Arsenal defeat was a harsh one. The two penalties helped them increase the difference.

[mockme]

Norwich beat QPR to record overdue win
Holt ends goal drought with brace

Last Updated: Saturday, 26th November, 2011


Norwich captain Grant Holt celebrating after scoring his first goal in seven games

Norwich City won their first game since September, beating Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Carrow Road. Captain and top scorer Grant Holt scored both of the goals, while Djibril Cisse scored for QPR.

The game didn't start off well for the Canaries. After 10 minutes of play, star midfielder Wes Hoolahan had to be helped off the pitch. Johnny Howson came in to replace him as the playmaker in the narrow diamond formation that Paul Lambert had picked out from his wide array of tactics.

After Hoolahan's early exit, the Norfolk-based side seemed to pick up steam and started bombarding the QPR goal guarded by Paddy Kenny. Holt had a couple of chances, but both of his headers went wide of the target.

Half an hour through, Anton Ferdinand brought down Howson unfairly in the penalty box. Holt stepped up to take the penalty, and calmly placed it past Kenny's reach to give Norwich the lead, effectively ending his goal drought that had lasted for six games before this one.

Not even 10 minutes later Holt was at it again, receiving the ball at the left side of the penalty box. He muscled his way through a defender before releasing a floating shot that dipped into the right bottom corner to give Norwich a two-goal lead.

QPR had their share of chances as well, with both Cisse and Bobby Zamora getting a few shots towards John Ruddy's goal. Either the goalkeeper was up to par with them, or the strikers blew them wide of the net. Around 40 minutes Cisse found himself all alone against Ruddy only to shoot wide of the goal.

Around 10 minutes into the second half, Norwich had to make yet another change because of an injury. Fullback Marc Tierney and QPR's winger Shaun Wright-Phillips collided while reaching for the ball, and Tierney stayed down. The Irishman eventually got up, but was still substituted out, while Russell Martin took his place.

The second half offered nothing spectacular until the very end, when Simeon Jackson got away from the QPR defenders after a blunder by Taye Taiwo. The striker missed his chance, however, as Kenny managed to stretch out to deflect the shot away towards the sidelines.

Eventually QPR managed to get a goal of their own, as Adel Taarabt's cross found Cisse in the box. This time the fresh signing did not miss, but instead headed the ball into the top corner. However, it was too late for the London side, as even with substituting Taarabt out for another striker in Federico Macheda, they could not catch up before the referee blew the whistle, awarding Norwich the three points.

2 - 1
29' Holt (pen)
38' Holt
83' Cisse

Norwich City: Ruddy, Naughton, Daniel Ayala, Ward, Tierney (Martin 59'), Fox, Crofts (Johnson 83'), Surman, Hoolahan (Howson 10'), Jackson, Holt (c)
QPR: Kenny, Young, Onuoha, Ferdinand, Taiwo, Wright-Phillips (Faurlín 80'), Barton (c), Tiago (Diakité 66'), Taarabt (Macheda 87'), Cissé , Zamora

Norwich		QPR
2	Goals	1
12	Shots	12
5	Shots on Target	6
53%	Possession	47%
9	Tackles	26
1	Fouls	4
0	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	0
3	Injuries	0
41%	Shot Accuracy	50%
82%	Pass Accuracy	83%

[mockme]

Hoolahan blow for Norwich
Attacking midfielder to be out for three months

Last Updated: Sunday, 27th November, 2011


Norwich City received devastating news about midfielder Wes Hoolahan

Norwich City didn't receive the best of news when midfielder Wes Hoolahan's injury was analysed. The attacking midfielder will be out for at least three months with a broken collarbone.

Hoolahan, the team's playmaker and most creative offensive outlet, received the injury while fighting for the ball against Anton Ferdinand in Norwich's 2-1 win over the London side yesterday. While it was not known how severe the injury was at that point, Hoolahan didn't leave the field with his own strength, being helped off by the physio.

"Losing Wes is a big blow to us. He's one of our best players and we are hoping that he will make a swift recovery," said manager Paul Lambert of the injury.

The one replacing Hoolahan will most likely be Johnny Howson, the recent signing who played a similar role to the Irishman's at his former club Leeds United. Anthony Pilkington might also be considered for the playmaker position, and Lambert also has the option to go with the flat 4-4-2 or the 4-1-4-1 instead of a formation where the number 10-position right behind the strikers is utilised.

"Luckily, we have choices both with tactics and player selections," said Lambert. "While the injury hurts the whole team, we will not roll over because of it."

Regardless of what Lambert decides to do, Norwich will have to be without perhaps their best individual player for quite a while. It doesn't help that their next match is an away game to one of the big guns in the Premier League, as the Canaries travel to Etihad Stadium in order to take on Manchester City.

[mockme]

Quality finishing difference at Etihad
Hart produces magical display

Last Updated: Sunday, 5th December, 2011


Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri of Manchester City embracing after Aguero's goal

Norwich City will feel hard done after their 4-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City. A wonderful performance from goalkeeper Joe Hart and two goals by Edin Dzeko guaranteed a comfortable victory for the title contender.

Norwich have every right to be upset at the scoreline, and even for not getting anything from the match, as for the most part the Canaries looked the more dangerous of the two teams, keeping City on the backfoot for nearly all of the game. A few lapses in concentration and one extraordinary finish from Aguero resulted in goals for the Manchester side, who took their chances, while Norwich did not.

The first scoring chance of the match presented itself within the first five minutes, when Norwich captain Grant Holt found room to shoot the ball towards Hart's goal. The England international had no trouble keeping it out of the net.

Manchester answered with a counter-attack that resulted in James Milner's shot narrowly missing the Norwich goal, just grazing the post as it went wide.

Steve Morison was denied of a great goal a bit later, as he tried to place a curling left-footed shot into the top corner. It beat Hart, but hit both of the posts and bounced out, leaving the Welsh international shaking his head in disbelief as City managed to clear the ball.

20 minutes through, Aguero spun free of Daniel Ayala's marking, took a few steps with the ball at his feet and released a powerful shot that beat John Ruddy to the right bottom corner and put City in front.

The rest of the first half was all Norwich's. Anthony Pilkington's deflected long-range effort was fantastically tipped for a corner by a lunging Hart, and moments later he stopped breakaway opportunities by both Holt and Elliott Bennett. Bennett also managed to attempt a close-range volley that he blasted beautifully toward the top corner, but Hart made yet another incredible save to keep his team in front.

The second half didn't start out well for the Canaries, as only five minutes through a fantastic individual effort by Yaya Toure saw the Citizens take a two-goal lead. However, Norwich didn't give up. Only six minutes after the goal they received a penalty and looked as if they'd found a way back into the match. But Grant Holt missed, leaving players and staff alike in disbelief, effectively breaking the backbone of the team.

Aguero got substituted for Dzeko after the penalty, and the Bosnian striker scored two well-worked goals to put the nail on Norwich's coffin. First he shook off two defenders and easily placed the ball past Ruddy, and only moments later a cross by Wesley Sneijder found Dzeko lunging for the ball, again just tucking it past the Norwich goalkeeper's reach.

As the final whistle blew, the Norwich side looked relieved that the game didn't have to go on any longer. They did manage one more scoring chance in the end, when substitute Aaron Wilbraham tried to put a header in from just in front of the goal, but yet another Hart was in the way. It was not hard to guess who would be chosen as the man of the match.

4 - 0
20' Aguero
50' Toure
74' Dzeko
83' Dzeko

Manchester City: Hart, Sagna, Richards, Savíc, Clichy (Zabaleta 79'), Toure, Barry (de Jong 61'), Sneijder (c), Milner, Nasri, Aguero (Dzeko 57')
Norwich City: Ruddy, Naughton, Daniel Ayala, Whitbread, Tierney, Bennett, Fox, Johnson (Howson 61'), Pilkington, Morison, Holt (c, Wilbraham 76')

Man City		Norwich
4	Goals	0
14	Shots	17
8	Shots on Target	6
49%	Possession	51%
26	Tackles	18
2	Fouls	0
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
1	Injuries	0
0	Offsides	1
3	Corners	8
57%	Shot Accuracy	35%
84%	Pass Accuracy	85%

[orion523]

One thing I'm quickly learning from playing with a weaker side is that scoring goals is not as easy as some teams make it look! In both games I've played with Swansea thus far I've had good chances to score, unfortunately though I've been unable to do so. Tough break with Houlihan, injuries are the one thing difficult to cope with when you're playing with a shoestring budget and little depth.

[mockme]

Quote: Originally Posted by orion523

One thing I'm quickly learning from playing with a weaker side is that scoring goals is not as easy as some teams make it look! In both games I've played with Swansea thus far I've had good chances to score, unfortunately though I've been unable to do so. Tough break with Houlihan, injuries are the one thing difficult to cope with when you're playing with a shoestring budget and little depth.

You're absolutely right about the scoring. It doesn't help when the other team has a goalkeeper like Hart.

Losing Hoolahan is tough, but luckily I have ways to cope with it.

[mockme]

Norwich fight back to earn point against Newcastle
Fox scores to reward fine form

Last Updated: Saturday, 10th December, 2011


Norwich players celebrate after tying the game in stoppage time

Norwich City fought back from a 2-0 deficit against Newcastle United, who broke a three-game losing streak with the draw. Michael Carrick and Papiss Cisse scored for the Tyneside club, while Steve Morison and David Fox were responsible for the comeback.

The game started with huge pressure from Newcastle. Both Cisse and his strike partner Demba Ba had numerous chances on goal, but missed the net on all occasions except one, when John Ruddy managed to turn the shot away. After that the game settled down a bit, with Norwich having most of the possession. Though whenever Newcastle got the ball, they were able to get forward very quickly and the Norwich defense had constant problems.

25 minutes through Ba's shot hit the post, but bounced straight to the feet of Carrick, who was positioned right in front of the goal. The experienced midfielder didn't hesitate when putting the ball into the net for an easy opening goal.

The rest of the first half offered nothing too spectacular. On one occasion Newcastle's Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul was forced to make a good save when Morison fired away from around 16 yards.

Just like in the first half, Newcastle opened the second half with a bang. Yohann Cabaye's cross found Cisse wide open in front of the net, and the striker didn't miss his chance. It felt like the air was sucked away from Carrow Road, as the crowd went completely quiet while watching on with grim faces.

But the Norwich side refused to give up. Only ten minutes after Cisse's goal Morison found himself within shooting range, and this time the Welsh international did not miss, releasing a powerful drive that beat Krul into the right top corner.

Another ten minutes went by before the next significant thing happened. Christian Brocchi picked up a yellow card for his challenge on Cheick Tioté, and only three minutes later manager Paul Lambert decided to replace the Italian with the player that might just have been Norwich's best performer so far in the season as David Fox took the field. This immediately gave the Canaries some creativity in midfield, with both Fox and Johnny Howson getting forward to support Morison and Grant Holt.

However, the rewards wouldn't be reaped until the last few minutes of the game. It was already stoppage time when Fox released a low drive from around 20 yards, that went into the bottom left corner just outside the reach of Krul, sending the Norwich faithful in the stands into a rampage, while doing the same to the players on the pitch.

Newcastle took the kick off, immediately sending a long ball down the wing to Cabaye, but it was too late. Just after Zak Whitbread's clearance the referee blew the whistle to end the game.

2 - 2
25' Carrick
51' Cissé
61' Morison
90' Fox

Norwich City: Ruddy, Martin, Ward, Whitbread, Drury, Bennett, Brocchi (Fox 73'), Howson, Pilkington, Morison, Holt (c)
Newcastle United: Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Taylor, Santon, Cabaye (c), Carrick, Tioté (Guthrie 78'), Gutierrez (Marveaux 68'), Ba, Cissé

Norwich		Newcastle
2	Goals	2
16	Shots	17
10	Shots on Target	8
51%	Possession	49%
11	Tackles	37
3	Fouls	1
1
1	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	1
1	Offsides	1
2	Corners	1
62%	Shot Accuracy	47%
84%	Pass Accuracy	80%