Norwich City

Simon Lappin's view on Norwich 4-1 Cardiff

Norwich City scored four goals at home for the second successive match as they beat Cardiff 4-1 at Carrow Road in the Championship.

Former City midfielder Simon Lappin was BBC Radio Norfolk's expert summariser, here's what he had to say at full-time:

"It's no more than they (Norwich) deserve.

"An absolutely outstanding performance - to go and back-up a 4-2 victory in midweek with a totally dominant performance."

He continued, "David Wagner talked about 'drawing a line in the sand' and showing unity - you see that now with the players and fans, as well.

"An absolutely brilliant afternoon for the club, what a performance from Norwich City. Cardiff would have no complaints if it had have finished 6-1 or 7-1 given the opportunites they (Norwich) created.

"Going into that business-end of the season, who knows what can happen?"

You can listen to more of Lappin's thoughts on Canary Call with Rob Butler here.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's the answer to our pre-match quiz.

First, a reminder of the question set by BBC Radio Norfolk's Chris Goreham:

When Norwich City played Cardiff City on the opening day of the 2022/23 season which two players made their Canary debuts?

The answers:

Danel Sinani and Liam Gibbs.

Well done if you got it right!

The kind folk at OPTA have provided some stats ahead of the Canaries hosting the Bluebirds at Carrow Road on Saturday (15.00 GMT):

• Norwich City have won eight of their last 11 league games against Cardiff City (L3), including each of their two against the Bluebirds under David Wagner.

• Cardiff have only won three of their 28 away league visits to Norwich, losing 71% of their games at Carrow Road (20/28).

• Norwich manager David Wagner didn’t win any of his five league games against Cardiff City when he was Huddersfield Town boss (D2 L3), but has won both in charge of the Canaries.

• Cardiff have lost four of their last five Championship matches, failing to score in three of those defeats, including their last two games.

• Since the start of December, only Blackburn Rovers (9) have lost more Championship matches than Cardiff City (8), with the Bluebirds netting the joint-fewest goals in that time (9, level with Rotherham).

Norwich City could head back to the top six of the Championship, if they can beat struggling Cardiff City at Carrow Road on Saturday (15.00 GMT).

Wales captain and Bluebirds’ midfielder Aaron Ramsey could make his first start for five months, the former Arsenal and Juventus player has recently returned after recovering from a knee injury.

Wagner says it will be a tough fixture:

Get your thinking caps on, it's time for another quiz question from the BBC's Canary commentator Chris Goreham:

When Norwich City played Cardiff City on the opening day of the 2022/23 season which two players made their Canary debuts?

Have a think and send us your guesses here.

Good luck!

Ahead of Norwich City's game against Cardiff (Saturday, 15.00 GMT) head coach David Wagner was asked about his comments following Tuesday's win over Watford.

Here's what he had to say:

Image source, Getty Images

Opinion: 'Should Norwich City fans be careful what they wish for?'

Matthew Soakell, North East Canary

We should’ve been buzzing after Tuesday night’s win over Watford, however the discontent was palpable, especially across social media. The main reason being David Wagner hitting back at the boos that met his 55th minute substitutions. His comments even had some saying he’d ventured into Dean Smith territory!

This got me thinking that from the outside-in the club might look OK; we’re pushing for the play-offs, we’re on a decent, unbeaten run and we should be really optimistic, right? What have Norwich fans got to complain about, and why on earth would they boo a couple of second half changes? There’s even a contingent of Norwich fans who are criticising fellow fans for booing during the game. It all feels very fractious at the moment.

The problems, however, run deeper than what some outsiders might think of as entitled fans or overly expectant whiners. Those of us who watch Norwich enough know David Wagner is fairly fortunate to still be in a job - even though the team are enjoying a good start to the calendar year. A lack of ruthlessness before the new year to change the head coach frustrated many and seemed to represent a general state of apathy around the club at large.

Those who booed Wagner’s changes didn’t decide to do so randomly. There’s been frustration at his tactical decisions for some time now, with many fans wondering what could be achieved with a more tactically astute head coach in charge. The domino effect of hypothetical 'what-if's' from here is a rapid one: what if we’d changed head coach in the summer or earlier this season? What if we’d made more of a go at staying in the Premier League previously? What if we had more financial backing? What if we’d been taken over by someone who could invest hundreds of millions?

In my opinion, from the top down, our business model is either outdated or naive - or both - and has been proven not to work, not if we want to compete as a top-flight club at least. The accounts released at the back end of last year don’t make for good reading and we’ll likely have to sell key players come the end of the season - yet again!

Fan frustration - aimed at the fact the club appears to be going backwards of late, most likely mixed in with the envy that smaller, yet better ran clubs (Brentford and Brighton being good examples) are having sustained Premier League success - is justified. So should Norwich City fans be careful what they wish for in terms of head coach, ownership and direction? I don’t think so. I think healthy ambition is necessary to avoid stagnation and stagnation is very possible where there’s apathy.

I love what Delia and Michael have done for the club, but what should've ended as a graduation could possibly end as a divorce.

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to your new-look Norwich City page!

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It was quite an eventful night at Carrow Road on Tuesday when Norwich City beat Watford 4-2 at Carrow Road.

During the second half, supporters were shocked to see Canary winger Borja Sainz completely miscue a long-range back-pass to goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

Luckily for the Spaniard, Gunn was alert and headed the ball out to touch before falling over the advertising boards. The Scottish international wasn't hurt.

The BBC's Chris Goreham asked Gabriel Sara about the incident, with Sainz watching in the wings:

Norwich City head coach David Wagner has been speaking to the media ahead of the Canaries Championship game against Cardiff on Saturday (15.00 GMT).

Here are the key points:

• Winger Onel Hernandez is OK to play, he has recovered from a hamstring problem

• Striker Josh Sargent could miss the game though, he will be assessed on Friday. Wagner said they are being careful with him following his return from a long-term ankle injury

• Defender Shane Duffy will be out for two more weeks

• Jonathan Rowe does not need surgery but will be out for 'months' with his hamstring injury

• Wagner on his criticism of the fans following the Watford game: "I don't like to pay further attention to it, maybe the words I used were too strong. But the general message is what I wanted. This is the end of the story now"

• Wagner on Cardiff: "We know they are not on the best run and they have changed their shape. It's a super-competitive team though and this is a very difficult task"

Arsenal assistant manager Carlos Cuesta is a potential target for Norwich City in the summer.

The Spaniard is Mikel Arteta's number two but could be tempted into becoming manager at Carrow Road, with other Championship clubs also interested.

(Guardian Sport), external

Image source, Getty Images

Norwich City head coach David Wagner will be speaking to the media on Thursday (16.30 GMT) ahead of the Canaries hosting Cardiff in the Championship on Saturday (15.00 GMT).

Will he have more to say about his criticism of supporters who booed during Tuesday's win over Watford?

We will have updates on this page.

Image source, Getty Images

'David Wagner deserves more respect from the fans' - Your views

We asked for your views on David Wagner criticising fans who booed his substitutions during Tuesday's 4-2 win over Watford at Carrow Road.

Here are some of your thoughts:

Stewart - I would like a new manager. However, I think not everything Mr Wagner does is wrong. Clearly the fans didn't understand that Josh and Onel were struggling as they don't have all the info. Wagner is aiming for the playoffs so, rightly, he doesn't want to risk Josh being out at the end of the season when it really matters.

Jeff - I booed last night (Wagner, never the players) and I will happily admit that in hindsight I was wrong. It was an emotional reaction to perceived negativity from Wagner (exacerbated by the 2 points lost at QPR). Wagner had the right to respond but I worry he took it too far. Credit to the players for getting the win.

Steve - His views are valid, but he should have a tougher skin. Having a pop at fans never ends well.

Keiran - I get it, it’s nice to boo anything. But the fans weren’t aware of fitness issues at the time, so how are they supposed to know? Wagner could’ve just explained the subs and called for unity, instead he goes down the route of many at the club and takes a pointless pop at the fans that only enflames relations between the club and fans. Stupid mistake.

Joe - Wagner deserves more respect from the fans, especially on this positive run we’re on. He’s been poor a lot this season but the fans must back the team if we want to make the play offs.

Jonny - Totally agree with Wagner!

Mik - I fully support David Wagner’s comments after the match. As supporters, even if we don’t like the manager’s decision, we have to support the players. If it backfires then we can express our frustration at the end. Well done to the players for an excellent result!

Tim - Wagner had good reason to make his substitutions of Sargent and Hernandez on 55 mins. He needs to preserve the squad for the rest of the season and not push players past their limits. But some in the crowd are just itching to boo at any opportunity. It's a shame. The players clearly support the manager and so should we.

Richard - Has Wagner forgotten why the fans turned on Dean Smith? (Because he had a go at the fans). Fans pay their money (and providing it's not abusive) they are entitled to say what they want.

AJ - Fans deserve to be heard. Wagner may not agree with what was being said, but based upon the previous performance against QPR I think it’s justified. His comments reminded me of the AGM and what Delia had to say. I think this shows the division between the club and supporters.

Opinion: ‘These are funny old times to be a Norwich supporter’

Image source, Getty Images

Gary Gowers, My Football Writer - Norwich City, external

These are funny old times to be a Norwich supporter. Funny as in bizarre. Not funny as in amusing because despite having snuck into the top six after Tuesday’s win over Watford, virtually no one at Carrow Road is smiling.

After last night’s game, David Wagner launched a broadside in the direction of some supporters and urged them to stay away from future games. Those in the firing line – let’s call them ‘The Unwelcome’ – were, according to Wagner, a “small group” who booed when he made a double substitution in the 56th minute.

As it transpired, the swapping of Josh Sargent and Onel Hernandez for Marcelino Nunez and Christian Fassnacht was not tactical but instead based on fitness issues, yet, to me at least, the unrest was less around the personnel changes and more about the tactical shift it appeared to signal. A similar change against QPR at the weekend saw City surrender the initiative and drop two points and that “small group” feared that history was repeating itself. No one was booing Fassnacht or Nunez.

But Wagner felt wronged and deserving, in his words, of “more respect”.

In this instance, he may have a point as City went on to win the game – and in the cold light of day it does seem a little odd to be booing when your team is winning – but it appears a lack of trust (and respect) between some supporters and Wagner has led to this bizarre stand-off.

In my opinion, Wagner is not alone in being part of the club's officialdom who resents parts of the Norwich City fanbase. In the recent past, ex-head coach Dean Smith, ex-sporting director Stuart Webber, and joint-owner Delia Smith have all taken very public potshots at various groups of supporters.

But in there here and now, the unease between club and supporter is palpable. Wins are not celebrated with the gusto and fervour of a club that is in with a realistic shout of a play-off spot. The place, by common footballing convention, should be bouncing but it isn’t. Where there should be excitement there is angst.

To try and describe the situation at Norwich to supporters of other clubs is nigh on impossible. It’s a feeling that’s unprecedented.

So, to summarise, we’re in the top six, on a decent run of form, and the play-offs are a possibility, yet Carrow Road feels largely joyless. And we have a joint-owner and head coach who have both been openly and vehemently critical of some City supporters, and the head coach has told the ones who are booing to stay away.

Such a weird situation.

I have no idea how this ends, but one thing’s for sure - the next couple of months are not going to be dull, even if the football is.

Dean Ashton's thoughts on David Wagner's criticism of fans

Former Norwich City striker Dean Ashton was BBC Radio Norfolk's expert summariser during the Canaries 4-2 win over Watford at Carrow Road.

Here's what Ashton had to say about head coach David Wagner's post-match comments on fans booing his substitutions:

"He's sticking to his guns, isn't he?

"You would normally say it doesn't tend to end well if you take on the supporters and question their support and how they should support their football club. But clearly that has really bothered him."

He continued, "I think he's trying hard to keep composed but you can tell it's really bothering him. The fact that he feels like he's not being respected by certain sections of the support, especially with the decisions that he has made with the substitutions.

"I can't really see this going away, if I'm honest."

You can hear more views from Dean Ashton on Canary Call with Rob Butler here.

Have your say on Wagner's comments about fans

Norwich City head coach David Wagner had plenty to say about fans who boo at Carrow Road.

It's fair to say, his comments have divided supporters.

Some agree with him, but others say it's wrong to criticise the fans.

What do you make of what he had to say?

Get in touch here.

Norwich City beat Watford 4-2 at Carrow Road to move back into the top six of the Championship for the first time since September 2023.

However, most supporters are talking about head coach David Wagner's post-match comments.

The City boss criticised what he calls a "small group" of fans who booed his decision to replace Onel Hernandez and Josh Sargent in the 55th minute of the game. He said both players had injuries.

You can hear the full interview with BBC Radio Norfolk here.

Norwich City host Watford in the Championship at Carrow Road on Tuesday (19.45 GMT).

A win could see the Canaries move into the play-off places.

You can listen to full live commentary with BBC Radio Norfolk on FM, DAB and Freeview. The special guest summariser is former Canary striker Dean Ashton.