Norwich City: 8 Things Learned from Blackburn Defeat

The 2-0 defeat on the weekend was a disappointment, especially with the result the previous week. But Paul Lambert will look to get Norwich City to bounce back at the earliest opportunity. The fact that Blackburn needed the points may have played a part.

So, I have compiled this slideshow to review the game. 

Norwich City Need to Find a Quality Partner for Ryan Bennett

I think it is fair to say that the last two games have shown that Elliott Ward is not up to the job in the Premier League. So, Paul Lambert may be in the market for a new centre back in the summer to play with Bennett.

Zak Whitbread would offer decent backup, and there is still hope that Daniel Ayala can do the job. However, there will be concern as to whether or not he can stay fit. 

Shouldn't Kyle Naughton Be an Automatic Choice?

I was surprised that Kyle Naughton was not involved in the game against Blackburn. Adam Drury and Russell Marin have done a decent job for Norwich this season. But Naughton has been a standout player.

There doesn't seem to be any reason why he would be rested.

Did Lambert Get the Midfield Balance Right?

The midfield quartet of Andrew Surman, Jonny Howson, Wes Hoolahan and Elliott Bennett offer plenty from an attacking sense, but not so much from a defensive point of view. The end result was that Norwich failed to control the ball in the middle of the park.

Perhaps a tough tackler such as Bradley Johnson may have made things harder for Blackburn. 

David Fox Plays an Important Role for the Club

David Fox is a very important player for Norwich City. The club tends to struggle to pass the ball when he doesn't play. This was certainly the case against Blackburn.

Fox is a clam player that keeps the ball and passes well. This often enables Norwich to control the ball in midfield. His long passing ability also often opens up space for Norwich's best attacking players.

John Ruddy Still Has Work to Do

Ruddy has had an excellent season, but he will now know that there is always room for improvement. He may look at the first goal that Blackburn scored and feel he could have done better.

No goalkeeper likes to be beaten at their near post. He will also be disappointed to have seen the ball go through his legs. 

Strange Decision for Lambert to Take Grant Holt off While 2-0 Down

Assuming Holt was not carrying a knock, I was shocked to see Lambert taking his top goal-scorer off when his team was 2-0 down. I knew when he was taking him off that Norwich were not getting back into this game.

Did Lambert Take This Game Seriously?

I'm sure Lambert did not set out to lose this game. But I still get the impression that he is thinking about next season more than this season. The choices made about the team selection seems to support this idea.

It was nice to see James Vaughan playing again, but I'm not sure he would have started if the manager was more in need of points. 

The Canaries Must Avoid Finishing the Season in Bad Form

A bad run of form would see a lot of Norwich's good work this season go to waste, if they slip down the league table. It could also have an impact for next season's early form.

However, with games against Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa to come, it won't be easy to get many more points.

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