Norwich City: 5 Questions After Man City Defeat

Most Norwich City supporters feared that the game against Manchester City would result in a heavy defeat. They will have little satisfaction on being proved right. However, the team must now move on from this game and look to bounce back against Newcastle next week.

The Canaries should not totally forget about this game, however, because it is often said that more is learned in defeat than in victory. So with that in mind here are five questions to ponder as Norwich City moves forward.

Were Changes Really Needed?

The Canaries put on a decent performance against QPR last week, so it was slightly surprising to see changes made. Ritchie De Laet may have been injured, as he was not seen on the bench and Paul Lambert is still trying to work out his best configuration with the back four.

It was disappointing to see Simeon Jackson dropped after only one game. As an attempt to deny Man City space, the decision to switch to a 4-5-1 system was understandable, but it would have been nice to have had Wes Hoolahan in the side.

Getting men behind the ball is fine, but the team also needed an outlet. The team was playing too deep for much of the match and Pilkington and Bennett weren't able to put the opposition under pressure. Steve Morison did have an opening in the first half, but for much of the game he was an isolated figure that needed support. 

Maybe Lambert is worrying a little bit too much about the threats the opposition has; had we played our normal game the match may have been closer. Either way when a game finishes 5-1 to the opposition the question needs to be asked: what was the point in trying to nullify them? 

Is It Time to Shake Up the Defence?

Marc Tierney, Leon Barnett, Russell Martin and Kyle Naughton have been ever present in the Norwich City team this season. But with no clean sheets this season and a back four/five conceding five in the last game perhaps it's time for a change.

Lambert now has Ritchie De Laet, Zak Whitbread and Daniel Ayala all ready for another opportunity. Norwich City must record a clean sheet sooner rather than later and maybe changes could deliver it. 

Does John Ruddy Need Some Competition?

As well as John Ruddy has played this season, Saturday's game reminded us that he does still have faults and is prone to a costly mistake. Declan Rudd is really only keeping a place on the bench warm and only stands a chance of coming on in the event of injury or sending off.

Perhaps Lambert should make signing another experienced goalkeeper a top priority in the January transfer window. Ruddy needs someone to keep him on his toes. If he has a bad game or two then he can come into the team and remind him that he needs to play his best every week.

Will Steve Morison Continue to Score Goals This Season?

One of the big positives that came out of the game was Steve Morison scoring another goal. He does seem to be pitching in with goals on an regular basis this season. This is also helped by contributions from Grant Holt and Anthony Pilkington.

The hope is that if the Canaries can improve their defensive record then regular goals from strikers like Steve Morison should result in a number of important wins. Either way it bodes well for the rest of the season.  

Does This Game Really Matter in the Context of the Season?

It is always disappointing to lose a game of football. It does not really matter if that result was expected or not, the feeling is the same. However, the Canaries need to keep this game in perspective and remember it is one of 38 and against opposition that has been assembled with financial resources Norwich can only dream of.

The games coming up against Newcastle, Everton and Wolves will offer much more realistic opportunities to put points on the board. Overall, Norwich can be very proud of how they have performed in the Premier League so far and need to focus on building and progressing for the rest of the season.