1 week Ago
Paddy Davitt rates Johannes Hoff Thorup’s Norwich City, who exhibited more brittleness in a defining five minute first half spell. Angus Gunn 6 Left exposed twice against Ryan Hardie, who kept his composure to finish. But given Norwich had 76pc of the ball very little else in terms of meaningful shot-stopping work.
Took an early claim from Nikola Katic. Came out to confront Mustapha Bundu on the counter in the 42nd minute. Stood big to claim from Hardie in the 65th minute.
Jack Stacey 4 Hooked at half-time by Thorup and may find opportunities tougher to come by from here on the run-in, irrespective of injuries to full back areas. Failed to sense the danger when Hardie made the move to race onto Adam Randell’s hooked ball back in, as Stacey ran out in the opposite direction before a belated appeal for offside. Second concession even worse.
His throw-in was returned to him, but a rushed clearance cannoned to a Plymouth player who rolled it infield for Hardie and Bundu to produce the second goal. One or two glimpses of his attacking threat in that bright opening 15 minutes. Overcooked one cross when he had yellow shirts to hit in the area.
Shane Duffy 5 Towering initial header above Bundu to clear the Plymouth throw that saw Hardie run off the back of him to slot the opener, when it was helped back in. Too late to get to Bundu for the quickfire second home goal. Speculative clearance interested Josh Sargent in the 11th minute but Julio Pleguezuelo was back on the cover.
Had another chance to clip a diagonal over the top for Sargent in the 70th minute but put too much on the pass. Jose Cordoba 5 Rash judgement call to jump out of the line, and could not get back in to deal with Hardie who was quickest to the Bundu rebound. Earlier clearance failed to get the required distance, allowing Randell to clip a ball over the top for the opening goal.
Did ease Hardie wide after he had bustled past Duffy in the 39th minute. Kellen Fisher 7 Shining light in the back four. Started left, switched to a more familiar right hand side and curled in an assist for Sargent.
Had further opportunities around the hour mark with Norwich on the front foot but hit the near men with crosses. Unfortunate in the 29th minute lead up to Plymouth’s second, when he bust a gut to make a last-ditch challenge on Bundu but the ball ricocheted invitingly for Hardie. Kenny McLean © 5 Any control City had in the opening 20 minutes disappeared with Plymouth’s two-goal salvo.
That was when experienced players like the captain and Duffy need to steady the ship. Not the same influence since he returned from those breathing issues. Switched to left back in the second half.
Slipped a ball behind the Plymouth centre backs, but Sargent was not on the same wavelength. Linked with Jacob Wright to release Sargent again in the 62nd minute but the shot was blocked. Marcelino Nunez 5 Passing was so far removed from the control and poise of his recent Stoke command performance.
Thorup spoke afterwards how he had felt City were too ‘loose’ in those key areas, when explaining his decision to remove Nunez at the interval. Best moment by some distance a 25-yard free kick arrowing towards the top corner before Conor Hazard clawed it away. Did have the awareness to link with Ante Crnac to get into a shooting opportunity, but Hazard again dealt with his angled strike.
Emi Marcondes 5 On the margins. You would expect a player with his quality on the ball to come to the fore in those spells at the start of both halves when Norwich were in the ascendancy. Snap pass released Crnac in the 67th minute to counter.
Probing cross headed behind by Katic under no pressure. Ante Crnac 6 Switched central in support of Sargent, as Norwich chased a second goal, but his most productive work came when he held his width. Harried the full back into a turnover in the 12th minute but Sargent could not divert home his heavy cross at the back post.
Cushioned pass for Nunez to test Hazard. Stretched the play after the interval. Won corners and also put the likes of Kellen Fisher and Wright in good positions around the home box.
Josh Sargent 7 Supreme finish as he contorted his body, in the first instance, to bring Fisher’s cross under control before lashing an unstoppable volley above Hazard from close range. Better service from Crnac inside opening 15 minutes and he has a simple tap in. Shot blocked just past the hour mark after neat interplay between McLean, Crnac and Wright.
Borja Sainz 6 Did make the crossfield burst before picking out Fisher for the Norwich goal. Cut a frustrated figure as he tried to hold the width in the first half, but Nunez was unable to connect on a regular basis. Subs Anis Ben Slimane (for Nunez, 45) 5 Another with the creativity and technical ability to leave a bigger impression.
Wonderful pass for Wright in the 75th minute, who saw his shot blocked before Slimane’s follow up was deflected behind. Not on the same wavelength as his team mates when no-one anticipated his back heel inside the Plymouth box. Jacob Wright (for Stacey, 45) 7 Singled out by Thorup, and rightly so.
Looked a different Norwich game in the middle of the park for 25 minutes following his half-time arrival. Has the balance and awareness to inject some thrust into City’s passing and switch the play. Brought McLean and Crnac into the equation for a shooting chance, before Sargent also had a shot blocked.
Oscar Schwartau (for Marcondes, 69) 4 Bali Mumba kept a tight rein on him with some close quarters defending. Ruairi McConville (for Cordoba, 77) 5 Composed in another outing that brought a handful of Championship minutes. First start must be imminent now over the run-in.
Onel Hernandez (for Fisher, 77) 4 Snatched at a couple of shooting opportunities in the final third..
