Stoke City no match for Norwich, struck down by 1-4

Norwich (2) 4 Stoke City (0) 1 – 13/2/21 3pm

Norwich (no wins or even goals in last 4 games) seem just as scared of Stoke (no wins in ages (10?), despite loads of goals) as Stoke are of Norwich, particularly after Norwich demolished Stoke in the first 60 minutes last November. Nick Powell returns for McClean after growing a dodgy beard. Chester shores up the defence instead of Batth (who won’t like being reminded of that November debacle).
1.31 Somehow Stoke fail to score from Clucas corner from left, as Capt Mikel’s shot just misses the far post.
4.55 Somehow Norwich fail to score when EVERYONE in the Norwich side has a shot whilst keeper Angus Gunn is left floundering on the ground. The next few minutes are as scary as the first hour at the bet365 game!
14.49 0-1 ! Practically a solo goal by Todd Cantwell as he carves his way down the Stoke left, straight through the Stoke defence like a hot knife through butter. A Premier League standard goal.
18.47 Fletcher heads down for Clucas to hit the ball over…but he’s too far away to even see their goal, let alone to shoot at it. News comes in that Lee Gregory has scored…for Derby. Grrrr.
26.15 Fletcher heads home from Clarke, but it’s ruled out. Offside. He should have tried to distract everyone with an overhead kick, although that didn’t work last time either.
33.01 Powell takes his regular tumble, taken out unnecessarily by a guy called McLean (no relation).
41.20 Powell talks his way into the book after a harmless foul. It’s the beard. Mikel then gets yellowed a couple of minutes later! Well, that’s teamwork.
43.56 0-2 ! Norwich latch on to Fox’s failure to clear, and Pukki gets an easy tap in. Crazy.
HT Norwich 2 Stoke 0 – SNAFU
45.00 Rabbi Matondo on for Clarke, and immediately Stoke attacking, but they fail to even get a penalty as Collins tumbles in the area.
49.05 Fletcher latches on to a chronic back-pass, but despite beating the keeper, it’s scrambled away for a corner. Should be 2-1. As keeper Krul commits himself, Fletch should probably have shot rather than tried to round him.
56.15 As the only player up, Matondo does brilliantly taking on that whole Norwich defence. Powell is then kicked off the ball again, and almost keeps his mouth closed afterwards. He’s on a yellow, so he could do with being more careful.
60.33 1-2 !!! Well, who’d have thought that gobby Nick Powell would be gifted the ball by Gianoullis on the edge of the box, and he puts the ball in the corner. Norwich kicking themselves.
61.00 McClean on for Mikel. Bit left-side.
63.51 1-3 !! Stoke carved up again, this time down their right. Buendia clips in from a low cross. Sloppy. Stoke now kicking themselves too. Bad time for a substitution?
66.10 Norwich playing Keystone Cops at the back, but Stoke can’t exploit this silent movie.
69.00 Vokes on for Fletcher, and it’s not just his day (Vokes or Fletch!).
78.15 Penalty for Norwich, as Buendia is upended by Chester.
79.03 1-4 !! Pukki puts away the penalty to his right, sending hapless Gunn the wrong way.
82.05 Cousins and Thompson on for Allen and Clucas.
88.20 Collins goes down clutching his knee, with Stoke having played all their subs. He looks like he’s out for the season.
90+4 Stoke play on with 10 men, but it’s all over. Norwich flatten Stoke again, this time 1-4.
Dave Lee
Dave Lee
Sports Reporter - Stoke City

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