Paddy Davitt delivers his Portman Road verdict after Norwich City’s spirited Championship draw at arch rivals Ipswich Town.
1. ’14 years, 14 years, Norwich City’
That was the chant that rang out around this corner of Suffolk at the final whistle from an away support determined to savour every last sweet moment.
The Ipswich stadium announcer chirped at the end it was ‘another valuable point for our promotion bid’. He might be technically correct in such an assertion, but this day was all about ending the green and yellow hegemony in a neighbourly tussle.
Both team buses were greeted by a pre-planned throng of thousands of home fans, blue smoke, and one or two unsavoury scenes and objects launched in the direction of the car carrying Delia Smith that followed behind.
A line crossed from what David Wagner labelled afterwards ‘idiots’, but that told you all about the passion and the fury and desperation on the blue half of the divide.
Kieran McKenna has transformed the mood in these parts. Ipswich look a club reborn, observing from a distance. A team that swept to League One promotion and had won nine from 10 home league games this season, scoring 30 goals into the bargain.
But they could not beat their arch rivals – 21 points separated the teams at kick-off, 21 points it remained. And 15 years and counting when the foes renew acquaintances at Carrow Road in 2024.
Make no mistake, the body language of the two sets of players spoke volumes at the end. This was a pyrrhic victory for the Canaries.
2. Spiky
McKenna was not sitting on the fence when he raced into the media room for his post-match briefing.
The highly-rated young coach was adamant the hosts were the best side ‘by a considerable margin’ and furthermore had they played the same way in 10 attempts ‘would have won a lot more times’.
There was even a side swipe in the direction of the travelling support, who ‘celebrated a draw when they were a club operating in the Premier League 18 months ago’.
Maybe the words were tinged with frustration. Ipswich certainly dominated the ball and territory but carved out only two more shots on target than the visitors.
Surely McKenna did not expect Norwich to pitch up and make life easy for a team who already looked nailed on for a top-six spot?
That view merely reinforced the sense around the home stands, and his players on their lap of appreciation, this was a missed opportunity.
Ipswich certainly look well-equipped to fight it out with Leicester, Southampton and Leeds for that top two scrap. The Blues now face Daniel Farke’s Whites and the Foxes over a ‘clutch looking’ festive spell.
McKenna has Paul Lambert’s achievement of back-to-back promotions from his Carrow Road time in his grasp over these coming months. But he will have to get used to handling a new-found respect around his club from league rivals, and the noisy neighbours.
3. Rocket Rowe
A third Championship goal of the week for Jon Rowe, his 10th and 11th goals for Norwich City this season. Quite the breakthrough for the 20-year-old. Throw in an England Under-21 cap, and goal, and no wonder the youngster is seen along with Gabby Sara as the two jewels in this Wagner squad.
So with the January transfer window around the corner those recent sound bites from the likes of Wagner and finance and operations director, Anthony Richens, that City do not need to sell next month should provide fans with a layer of reassurance.
It will do nothing to stop the Premier League links. Crystal Palace are believed to be long time admirers. Rowe’s showreel will no doubt attract other suitors. But he is a difference maker at this level in this Norwich squad.
In truth, he had struggled in the midst of Ipswich’s territorial dominance in that first half at Portman Road. But he is a player who makes things happen. When Jack Stacey’s hanging cross veered to the back post he hauled himself off the floor from the previous passage of play and attempted an instinctive bicycle kick.
When that rebounded in the box he was the first to react, cushioning a clever finish on the half-volley past Vaclav Hladky before the Blue shirts could converge. Hladky was beaten again by the power in his shot just five minutes after the restart.
Ben Knapper’s predecessor, Stuart Webber, remarked once in discussions around James Maddison’s next career move there would come a point where the trajectory of a talented player perhaps moved ahead of a club in transition.
With Rowe, and Sara, that may prove the case again. But given 16his pre-match derby rallying cry on social media, Rowe must surely feel at this stage he is in the perfect place with the perfect platform.
He is responding to the love from those supporters who serenaded one-of-their-own after the final whistle.
4. Thumbs up for Sam
Some game to start your first Championship tour since October 7. You could forgive Sam McCallum for struggling for breath in that first half, up against the impressive Wes Burns down the Ipswich right.
Dimi Giannoulis’ hamstring injury – which is only expected to sideline the Greek a matter of days – thrust McCallum back into frontline duty.
At times in that opening stanza he looked off the pace, albeit his gorgeous cross for the diving Rowe did lead indirectly to City’s equaliser.
Burns slammed a fearsome shot past Angus Gunn to level for Town, with McCallum unable to get to the wide player after Ashley Barnes coughed up possession in midfield.
But Burns’ influence waned in that second period. McCallum seemed to lock on a lot quicker and get a lot tighter to halt the Ipswich attacker at source. A point made by Wagner in his post-match media.
He will sleep soundly tonight but it was another reminder Giannoulis’ understudy is a capable Championship performer.
He clearly does not possess the Greek’s natural attacking instincts, but his athleticism and his professionalism got him through an exacting derby test.
