Comment: Time for Delia to return to the kitchen

Two goals down within a quarter-of-an-hour, and with our record against the Premiership strugglers this season, it did not look good.

However, we managed to get level by half-time and then bided out time before Robbie Fowler netted a timely winner in stoppage time.

I say ‘bided our time’ but I’m quite sure that wasn’t in the gameplan. I reckon it was more a case of it taking over 45 minutes for us to break Norwich down after we had drawn level, and that the first time we managed to do it just happened to be in the 91^st minute.

I always had faith in the Blues though, even at 2-0 down. Unlike mcfc11, in his post on the messageboard (23:19), I didn’t feel like smashing up the TV.

Liverpool’s early goal in the Carling Cup final on Sunday probably worked against them as it meant Chelsea had another 89 minutes to find an equaliser. Norwich had 74 minutes to defend their 2-goal lead and with their defence – the leakiest in the Premiership – I was pretty sure that was enough time for us to make a comeback.

Besides, I’ve found it best to expect the worst with City – that way you can never be disappointed. If Norwich had miraculously held on then never mind – the points we took off Chelsea would have compensated for it.

Having said that, I think it was crucial that we did manage to salvage the three points.

We dominated it even before they went down to 10 men, which, I might add, should have been even sooner because Jonson went in late on Mills and chopped SWP down in full flight in the first half, and didn’t even get a booking for either of those. If think the corner count (12-3) and shot count (17-5), say it all.

SWP was beating their full-back at will, while Joey Barton had a stormer. He rarely lost possession and it seemed that every time he got the ball he managed to get us going forward again, and especially in the closing stages when we were desperately looking for a way through, he always wanted the ball. (Problem is, as we saw in the derby, he can’t yet do it every week.)

Furthermore, although Keegan has ruled out any chance of getting into Europe, it gets us back in the top half, which I think should be our minimum target for this season.

Finally, I can’t leave without mentioning Delia at half-time. Have you ever seen anything like it? “Let’s be having you”? Not quite the same when it’s said with your accent, is it, love?

Fair play to ‘er though, it did seem to rouse the home fans a little, although I expect it was a few dozen of Norwich hardcore suggesting she might want to get off the pitch and back in the bloody kitchen!!