Norwich City earn first win since September as Alex Neil proves his adaptability

Jonny Howson’s 70th minute nodded goal earned Norwich City their first victory since 12th September as they defeated Swansea City 1-0. The performance showed a new side to the Canaries and Alex Neil’s tactical nous, as the high-pressing, possession based and attacking football that has characterised our season so far was scrapped in favour of a more conservative approach - to great effect.

It was clear that something had to change. This aforementioned expansive brand of football that served us so well in the Championship was beginning to be punished, leaving us exposed, which with our defensive line error prone at the best of times, was recipe for disaster. This recipe was well and truly served up at St. James Park during our 6-2 annihilation.

Since then, however, progress has been made - even if it hadn’t been in the form of results. Until Saturday of course, as Alex Neil proved once more what a brilliant managerial career he has ahead of him, by showing that he is more than willing to ditch his principles and adapt his approach to the given situation. Neil has already, with this one game, shown himself to be far less stubborn than his predecessor.

In an almost role reversal of what Leicester and West Brom did to City in their victorious visits to Carrow Road, Norwich nullified Swansea. In the two previous home defeats the Canaries had 66% and 61% possession respectively, and yet had very little attacking threat. Leicester and West Brom were more than happy to absorb the pressure and advance wisely, in a possession-efficient, counter-attacking based approach. This is exactly what Norwich did on Saturday, as we had just 33% of the ball, and made a mere 272 passes in comparison to Swansea’s 626.

While at times the football was turgid to say the least, defensively it was effective, as for all the possession Garry Monk’s side had they did not muster a single shot on target. At the other side of the pitch, for much of the game it looked like what was gained defensively had been sacrificed offensively as chances were hard to come by. The introduction of Dieumerci Mbokani, however, saw to this as the Congolese offered a varied dimension to the tireless effort of Cameron Jerome and went on to provide the assist for City’s winner.

Alex Neil has since admitted that his game-plan was inspired by Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal side following their 3-0 defeat of Swansea the week previous, as he told TeamTalk “we watched Arsenal, obviously, and the first half they conceded possession, and then they managed to hit them and hurt them on the counter-attack.” On Saturday, Norwich did exactly that. It is this willingness of Neil to learn from, and even copy, the best in the business which is so admirable - he is still learning and educating himself, something that his success makes so easy to forget.

Last Saturday was a true case of result over performance or excitement, and with three points so imperative to dragging City out of our October rut, such an approach was completely understandble. As Neil said himself post match, however, it is an extremely fine line - had City drawn the game 0-0, which they so easily could have done, fans would have been up in arms complaining at the defensive ‘Hughton-esque’ performance and, with no win in eight, the outlook would have been bleak.

As it so happens, we did not draw, Neil is heralded a genius once more, and City enter the international break four points clear of the drop and above Chelsea - whom, coincidentally, are Norwich’s next opponents, relegation six pointer anyone?