What I.Saw: Norwich you've been 'Ad
Sunday, 15th Mar 2015 14:26 by I.Saw

"Let's Be 'Aving You" she once drunkenly drawled. And "Ad" we were.

Forty pounds a pop. Mine was flat, five rows from the front, no height perspective at all. Others were high, some behind the goal line in the corner. It beggared belief.

As did £4 for a souvenir programme commemorating their Milk Cup victory over Sunderland forty years ago, it included a poor digital reprint of the Wembley programme. It makes you wonder.

You wonder about copyright, about the fact it's been done today when it's not their fortieth anniversary until the 25th March, the nearest home game would be next week against our neighbours' on the Red Side Of The Trent, the side that collects the poo.

You wonder whether to join in with the chant "Twenty's Plenty. Forty's Naughty, Delia you're an (Expletive deleted; place where the poo comes from, not Nottingham mind)" I'm sure you'll get the drift, don't want to upset our younger readers.

Game underway, Lee Grant in goal, back four from left to right Craig Forsyth, Raul Albentosa (with mini ponytail) Richard Keogh and Ryan Shotton.

In midfield we expected Thorne, we wouldn't have minded Mascarell, Eustace would have been a pleasant surprise. Instead we got Jamie Hanson, a central defender, making his first team debut to play in the holding role. He was joined by Will Hughes, Tom Ince and Jeff Hendrick with Johnny Russell and Jamie Ward roaming.

Like our seats we lack height. Lacking time and options we hit the ball long in the air. The outcome is predictable. The Canaries dominate.

Under the cosh, you fear the worse.

It happens.

Norwich run though our midfield, the ball reaches Martin Olsson on our right and he slides a pass into the six yard box where Cameron Jerome unmarked between Keogh and Forsyth has the simplest of tap-ins to fire the home side into the lead. He didn't miss.

Half an hour gone and the home fans chant "That's why it's Forty Quid". Smug Bar stewards.

We lack quality upfront; we try to get by with work rate. It's a position forced on us but understandably we are toothless not a single shot on target in the first half.

Second half and we work even harder, we up the pace, we close down, we match Norwich in midfield, Hanson begins to find his feet and makes the adjustment to the faster pace of first team football. In short he grows as the game goes on.

Pushing forward though we leave gaps at the back, Stephen Whittaker tests Grant, our keeper does well. Very well.

Never looking like finding anything from open play we rely on set pieces, corners and Shottons' long throw with Keogh and Albentosa going up for nearly every throw in the last third.

In the centre circle a clash of heads leaves Canary Alexander Tettey prone on the deck, our player, Hanson remains upright receiving a head bandage for his injuries. The break allows Shotton to replace his now excessively vented shorts.

An hour gone and our first shot on target, Ince from distance, John Ruddy in goal spills the ball but nobody is following up.

One error begets another. Hanson an in swinging corner, bread and butter for the keeper we thought. Ruddy hell. The keeper palms it once twice into his own net as Hendrick stands as the only obstacle at his side. Was there a tug on Ruddy's left hand, no real protests suggest not, a bizarre goal to get us back into the match.

Cryrus Christie comes on for Shotton, Craig Bryson replaces Hughes and Stephen Warnock adds effort on the left wing replacing Ward.

Grant comes to Derby's rescue again.

Russell Martin, Norwich's centre half, finds Russell too fast for him and kicks our diminutive striker in the face.

Having already being booked, it's a clear second yellow and a red. In the expensive seats we bay "Off, Off, Off".

Ref Lee Probert gives the free kick the Rams way but indicates that Russell dipped his head so no yellow. A clear cop out and if he dipped his head then he is guilty of "Dangerous Play" according to the rules and the free kick should have gone Norwich's way.

Ref's eh… who'd have 'em?

We hold on, we steal a point.

Norwich you've been 'Ad.

Admission prices for Norwich's next opponents at home are reduced to £35, clear proof perhaps that Nottingham Forest are no longer a big team.

Players I.Saw:

Grant — 8: Two world class saves kept us in the game.

Shotton — 6: Solid defended well.

Keogh — 6: A quiet game for our skipper.

Albentosa — 6: Composed yet doesn't inspire confidence with his distribution.

Forsyth — 6: Should have been tighter on Jerome for the goal but otherwise played well.

Hanson — 6: Got better and better as the game progressed. A good debut.

Hughes — 7: With our lack of height we needed our midfield, Will was our best outfield player.

Hendrick — 5: For effort alone, he has to impose himself on games, today he didn't.

Ince — 6: Closely marked, Tom resorted to little flicks for most of the game, they didn't come off. He played better once we went behind, seemed more interested in the game, wonder why?

Ward — 6: Not really Jamie's type of match, chased and harried but little end product.

Russell — 7: Worked his socks off, you couldn't ask for more, a reported broken nose for his troubles too.

Subs:

Christie — 6: Never got the chance to get forward.

Bryson — 6: A fresh pair of legs.

Warnock — 6: Added experience on the left and not a single silly challenge

Match Info / Rams Team:

Ref: Lee Probert

Crowd: 26,766

Derby: Grant, Shotton (Christie 70’), Keogh, Albentosa, Forsyth, Hanson, Hendrick, Hughes (Bryson 76’), Ince, Russell, Ward (Warnock 82’).

Unused Subs: Dawkins, Lingard, Roos, Thomas, Warnock.

Match Stats — Norwich / Derby:

Goals: Jerome (31’) / Ruddy (og — 66’)

Possession: 51% / 41%

Shots On Target: 5 / 2

Shots Off Target: 10 / 1

Corners: 6 / 3

Fouls: 15 / 10

We Said / They Said - Match Reaction:

We Said — Steve McClaren:

"It's always going to be tough coming to a place like this, especially when you are without three controlling midfielders and your two main strikers. But I thought we showed real character today to come away with a point - it's a characteristic that should serve us well in the last 10 games.”

"We have taken a lot of points this season by playing fantastic football and that wasn't the case today. But the lads dug in to make sure we came away with something and to be fair I think it was about time we had a little bit of luck.”

They said — Alex Neil:

"Obviously when you make a mistake as a goalkeeper it is highlighted and obviously John (Ruddy) is disappointed with the result, as we all are. But he has been fantastic since I've come in and it was what it was.”

"The main thing to say is that we would have won the game if we had converted more of the chances we created. We had plenty of opportunities and I can't remember Derby having one."