The troubles of a decent man rarely make for pleasant viewing, but there was something particularly gruesome about Norwich City's 7-0 defeat to Manchester City last week.
It was not a triumph for Manuel Pellegrini’s team as much as it was a capitulation from Chris Hughton’s side. It was the sort of performance that gets managers fired.
Characteristically, Hughton took full responsibility. Typically, too, Norwich’s travelling support gave backing to the players who let them down.
Yet the reality is that the fan base is divided. Dissent and discontent have been apparent on internet message boards and phone-ins for weeks.
A loss to West Ham today would give the City board a decision to make. “The chief executive and directors have been very supportive,” Hughton said.
“A win or two would change the situation dramatically.”
He must hope it does, because Norwich already are in the relegation zone and fear of the dreaded demotion can prompt even the most loyal of board members to reach for the trigger.
In Hughton’s defence, Norwich already have faced six of the Premier League’s top seven this season. Only two of their defeats, to Hull and Aston Villa, have occurred against their peers.
Yet the case for the prosecution did not start in August. The statistics suggest this is not a blip, but an extended slump. This time last year, Norwich were in the middle of a golden run.
Since it ended, they have taken only 27 points from 30 games. That, plainly, is relegation form.
It has been compounded by an increase in expenditure.
While Norwich have tended to carry out their business in unobtrusive fashion in recent years, they were Europe’s 15th-biggest net spenders over the summer transfer window.
A £25 million (Dh147.7m) outlay prompted hopes that Hughton had completed an attacking overhaul to make a cautious side more cavalier.
Instead, they have scored only three goals in seven league games. While the £8.5m, club-record recruit Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored on his debut, he has registered only two attempts on target in his City career. The £5m forward Gary Hooper is still without a league goal, though his introduction was delayed by injury.
Both strikers could cite the paucity of their supply line, but that, too, forms part of the crowd’s complaint. Hughton’s policy of picking a solitary forward is unpopular, especially to those with the rather old-fashioned belief that two out-and-out attackers are required.
The manager recognises that it is increasingly difficult for the Premier League’s lesser lights to play 4-4-2.
Yet his predecessor sometimes did. And this is the other part of Hughton’s problems: he is not Paul Lambert.
To outsiders, the Norwich manager has done a respectable job at a club that was in League One four years ago.
To those in Norfolk, he pales by comparison with the buccaneering catalyst of their rise. Hughton’s is a prime case of the danger of succeeding an overachiever.
The momentum of back-to-back promotions carried Norwich further and faster than was logical, but it elevated expectations. Paradoxically, Hughton now has better players than Lambert did, but is getting worse results.
Most of the Scot’s fearless adventurers are back in the Championship; it is their natural level. Lambert’s willingness to leave for Aston Villa reflected an understanding that the only path for his group of players was down.
When their expensive replacements are scoring fewer goals and procuring fewer points, it reflects poorly on the manager. Hughton faces an uphill battle and he is sliding further down a slippery slope. An impossible task is becoming harder.
There were waves of sympathy when he was harshly fired by Newcastle three years ago. Should Norwich dismiss him, there will be similar sadness in the footballing world.
But not, perhaps, among many of the City support.
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