14 years of opening day pain over as City thrash Blackburn

Norwich City’s Championship campaign got off to the perfect start on Saturday afternoon as they ran away 4-1 winners over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. Having not been victorious in an opening day fixture since 2002, expectations were slightly muted in the build-up to the game but Alex Neil’s side proved any such fears were mis-guided as they strolled to a comfortable victory.

The team selected by Neil had a very familiar feel to it, with 10 of the 11 featuring all having regularly played for us throughout last season. The one exception was Jacob Murphy, on loan at Coventry last year, who was given the nod to make his first league appearance for the club - a brave decision that was perhaps not expected following his substitution after just 19 minutes during last weekend’s friendly defeat to Hannover. Neil’s selection, however, was quickly vindicated as it took the 21-year-old just twelve minutes to score his first senior goal for the club. After neatly finding some space centrally, Murphy fired home spectacularly from 25-yards into the top left-hand corner of Jason Steele’s net to give Norwich the early lead. After his confidence was potentially damaged last weekend, it was the perfect response by Murphy and his moment of brilliance proved to set the tone for the rest of the match.

As good as Murphy’s goal was in terms of a solo effort, City’s second proved to be equally as impressive in the alternative form of a team-goal. Neat inter-play on the wide right touch-line between Steven Naismith, Jonny Howson and Ivo Pinto presented the latter with the opportunity to play in Wes Hoolahan who duly, in typical Wes fashion, weaved through the helpless Blackburn defenders with ease before slotting the ball into the far right corner of the goal. City were two up within 20 minutes and we couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season. Somewhat unbelievably it continued to get better as just 8 minutes later, with only 25 minutes on the clock, Cameron Jerome converted to extend the lead to three. It was again City at their flowing best, as Pinto, Naismith, Hoolahan all delightfully combined once more, with the Portuguese earning his second assist of the afternoon by delivering an inviting ball across the box which Jerome, who struggled so badly last season, duly slotted home.

With the game all but wrapped up it was understandable that by this stage, through to the end of the first half and into the second, City began to ease off slightly. Our dominance was still never in doubt, however, and yet another attractive passage of play ended with the ball falling to Naismith who put the game beyond any doubt by making it 4-0 to City. After a difficult start to his Carrow Road career, it was great to see Naismith on the score-sheet and to play such a prominent role throughout the game. The Scot is undoubtedly a good player and whilst he has so far only proved that in glimpses in a yellow shirt, I feel that he could play a key role for us this season - a goal on the opening day will only help his cause. Norwich were now cutting through Blackburn at ease and if not for the woodwork and some disappointing finishing it could, and perhaps, should have been 5 or 6.

Unfortunately, despite such an assertive performance, a Norwich display would not be complete without our defensive frailties being exposed at least once. This proved to be the case once more as Anthony Stokes pulled one back for Blackburn on the 67th minute mark - a tame header that should have been dealt with by John Ruddy and perhaps should have been prevented from even reaching the ex-Celtic man by Stephen Whittaker. Whilst it was nothing more than a mere consolation, Alex Neil, ever the perfectionist, will have been less than impressed and it did prove that regardless of how strong we may be going forward, unless we can tighten up defensively then we will continue to find it difficult - with far tougher tests than Blackburn to come.

Overall, however, it was a hugely encouraging display and having been so used to opening day defeat, three points and a place at the top of the table almost feels like a head-start. The fluidity of our offensive play was a joy to behold and despite Blackburn’s obvious incompetence, not many sides in the Championship will be able to cope with a Norwich City side on the top of their game. Sheffield Wednesday, we are coming for you.