MADD ABOUT THE BOY! Darren Huckerby
Norwich hit top six after youngster’s magical goal clinches Old Farm derby
IT TurnS out nelson Oliveira was right. Or half right, at least. The striker caused quite a stir in these parts last week by not only claiming norwich are the ‘better team’, but that they are also the ‘better club’.
The latter point drew counterfire from the Ipswich squad, given the strength of their club’s history, but on the matter of whose tractor is currently superior, the Old Farm derby churned up in his favour.
not that he cleaned up any of his mess — a groin injury left him on the bench. Instead it was down to James Maddison, a 20-year-old playmaker of immense promise, who was pursued by liverpool and Tottenham last year.
His goal on 59 minutes was excellent, as was his wider performance in a win that lifted norwich into the top six. He might well be going places, and so are norwich on their current trajectory, with an eight-game unbeaten run in the Championship and six of those achieved with a clean sheet. after a sluggish start to the season under daniel Farke, they will face arsenal in the Carabao Cup tomorrow with a strong tailwind.
‘It is a good feeling,’ said Farke. ‘It is a really special situation. We appreciate this run and to do it with a derby game is very good.’
On Maddison, who has scored three and created two more in his past five league games, Farke added: ‘I don’t go too deep in praising young lads but he is full of potential.
‘The definition of quality is to deliver in the long term — he is performing over several weeks. now he needs to do months and then a complete season.’
and Ipswich? Their progress will always be inhibited by a modest budget, certainly in comparison to their
neighbours. Against those circumstances, Mick McCarthy has sporadically had them punching above their weight in the past five years, but three straight defeats have undone most of the progress and goodwill garnered in winning their first four games of the season.
That early sequence quelled the mass grumbling from supporters that dominated last season and the risk is that current results will end the truce.
But McCarthy said: ‘The concern is that we are not winning, not what people might think of me. It hurts me to lose any game. I am someone who is proud of what I do and how I do it.’
His popularity will not be helped by the ongoing failure to beat Norwich, with the Norfolk side unbeaten in eight and a half years against Ipswich.
But this one might have gone the other way had Ipswich finished better, particularly in the first half.
Inside two minutes, Martyn Waghorn got a shot off, albeit one easily saved, and a moment later Jonas Knudsen cracked a drive against a post.
Waghorn, Joe Garner and David McGoldrick all went on to have chances in the remainder of the half against a shaky defence, but not one of them hit the target. No saves needed.
And Norwich? Despite playing the slicker football, they created nothing of note until the 59th minute, when Marco Stiepermann played in Maddison with a square ball on the edge of the area. The forward took a touch before curling into the opposite corner. A lovely finish from a player and a club on the up.