Norwich City’s recent form has been laughable, reminiscent of Danny Baker’s ‘Own Goals and Gaffs’ VHS series from the early 1990s. However, these comedic moments are only amusing when happening to other teams, as the recent live performance of ‘Own Goals and Gaffs’ by The David Wagner Players has lost its novelty. Their game against Sunderland showcased their comedy of errors, with players giving the ball away, making defensive mistakes, and conceding a panicky penalty. These mistakes highlight the broken state of Norwich City.
In the first month of the season, Norwich looked promising, but their energy and purpose have disappeared. Manager David Wagner attributes their slide to a confidence issue, but the repeated mistakes suggest deeper problems. Players appear unsure of what is expected of them, resulting in dwelling on the ball and overthinking every touch. Losing key players to injury, such as Josh Sargent and Ashley Barnes, certainly contributes to their issues, but Norwich still has talented internationals at their disposal.
While some Championship clubs envy Norwich’s squad, the team’s performances have been disappointing. Fans understand that automatic promotion was unlikely this season, but they expect better than seven losses in ten league games. The head coach’s responsibility is to get the best out of the players, but this hasn’t been happening. The weekend’s results further emphasized Norwich’s predicament, with the top three teams winning while the bottom-ranked teams lost. This shift in focus from chasing the frontrunners to looking at the bottom of the table marks a crisis point for Norwich.
The author’s experience at a Junior parkrun also highlighted the bleak state of the club. Many children wore Norwich City shirts, which could have been seen as Halloween humor reflecting the frightening state of the team. Overall, Norwich City’s recent performances have been far from amusing, leaving supporters and neutrals alike concerned about their future.
