Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson tussles with Borussia's Havard Nordtveit in today's 2-0 friendly defeat for the Canaries at Carrow Road. Picture by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd

Norwich City boss Chris Hughton rues ‘soft’ goals in Borussia friendly defeat

By Paddy Davitt, EDP Sports Writer Saturday, August 11, 2012
6:02 PM

Disappointed Norwich boss Chris Hughton felt the Canaries’ 2-0 friendly defeat to Champions League hopefuls Borussia Monchengladbach today at Carrow Road was self-inflicted.

Igor De Camargo and Branimir Hrgota punished slack defending in either half for the slick visitors on a sun-kissed afternoon in Norfolk that wrapped up City’s pre-season programme.

Hughton insisted afterwards his squad will only benefit from mixing it with one of Germany’s top clubs ahead of next week’s Premier League opener at Fulham.

“That was a tough test – but we knew it would be,” he said. “They showed some real quality at times and when you looked at them, you could see why they finished fourth. But we knew that – and I would much rather have played against that type of opposition than a more comfortable game.

“The area that disappointed me was that I thought we conceded two relatively soft goals. The second one we could possibly put it down towards the end of the game and we were pushing a little bit – and we’d made a couple of substitutions and you lose your shape a little bit.”

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33 comments

Have to agree with Colby Army. Holt looked like he had been "eating the pies". Snodgrass certainly put a "shift" in. I know it was a friendly but I think a tad more effort could have been put into the game.

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Thailand Ian

Monday, August 13, 2012
Now what part of that one upset the censor,must have used a big word

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wivenhoebudgie

Sunday, August 12, 2012
So endeth the phoney war. Hopefully fitness has been topped up, routines rehearsed and of course any watching Fulham scout wont have a clue how City will play next week as we seem to have kept all our best bits hidden. 6 days to go before we see the real city win at fulham.

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wivenhoebudgie

Sunday, August 12, 2012
Hmmm have to say..... my good Friend treated me to a match ticket and have to say i was disappointed in what i saw, the only person who i thought came out with flying colours was the new boy Robert snograss closely followed by Jonny Howson then Bradley Johnson . aprt from those guys everyone else looked laboured and i thought even Grant Holt looked like Morison and looked like he had put on a few pounds toooooo ............ just speaking my mind!

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Colby Army!

Sunday, August 12, 2012
Hmmm have to say..... my good Friend treated me to a match ticket and have to say i was disappointed in what i saw, the only person who i thought came out with flying colours was the new boy Robert snograss closely followed by Jonny Howson then Bradley Johnson . aprt from those guys everyone else looked laboured and i thought even Grant Holt looked like Morison and looked like he had put on a few pounds toooooo ............ just speaking my mind!

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Colby Army!

Sunday, August 12, 2012
Not concerned about a pre-season defeat, it means nothing. What concerns me is the negativity of Hughton, this really can knock a teams confidence. Then there is the poor tactics and inability to create chances. Hope we pass the ball a bit better when the season starts.

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Crazy

Sunday, August 12, 2012
This is pre season stuff, so what we havent scorede many goals as yet but thinking back to last season with very few clean sheets the signs for that to happen this time round are looking better. Maybe we havent scored but if you have a clean sheet you dont lose either. I shall be at at sea going round Pacific Islands for the first game, with baited breath I wait for a good result, we still owe Fulham a good hiding for what they did to us a few years ago. You take it from this far away supporter of the team for 70 years get behind our squad and dont pull them apart in print before they have failed..

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canarydownunder adelaide

Sunday, August 12, 2012
Think your right Swiss just hope CH isn't too fixed in his thinking. Changing tactics is all well and good once the new management and players are bedded in.

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cutty

Sunday, August 12, 2012
I thought that Holt and Vaughan looked threatening up-front and I would bring Cinnamon on as an impact player later if things needed changing. However, our heavy investment in midfield-suggests that we are looking for a 5-man midfield or something with Snodders playing behind Holt, but it has not worked yet, probably because there needs to be a great deal of understanding between the front man and the one in the hole. Not sure where Wes is at in all this and the role for van Morison is back-up for Holt. Swiss, fan ordinaire.

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Swiss Canary

Sunday, August 12, 2012
You tempted me back sooner rather than later, stephen davis. Sadly. ;-) I agree with you on the "one up front" issue, Swiss. Which two up front would we play, though?

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Mad Brewer

Sunday, August 12, 2012
Good to see the Gedster back with his useful irony. Last season it was Shambert the Joker out, but I see he has now been elevated to Lambert the Legend status...........interesting !

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Dubai Canary

Sunday, August 12, 2012
Well that is it for the preparation; let's see what happens in the real season. We never managed to get one-up-front to work last season, it is a great system if you can get it going but we are not there yet. Swiss Canary, who has never met any of the players nor the manager.

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Swiss Canary

Sunday, August 12, 2012
Lets hope MB sticks to his word and does indeed give it a rest, at least for a while. My guess is we'll be reading more tiresome "ethered" comments and incessant waffle sooner rarther than later sadly

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stephen davis

Sunday, August 12, 2012
I hope you`re not including me in that "doom & gloom" thing, stayingup! I just worry a lot `cos I love NCFC. Not like some of these noodles & goons who troll these fans` forums (I don`t include you in that!). I empathise with norfolkngood and I think I`ll take a rest too, while Archant consider the formal complaints they`ve received from blackdog2 and me. BTW, we did actually manage 3 clean sheets last season; versus Bolton, Chelsea & Aston Vanilla, all at home. Superfluous - nice one, Robin Hood. OTBC. I still predict 49 points and 10th place. Call me an eternal optimist.......IHWT, and goodbye.

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Mad Brewer

Sunday, August 12, 2012
We weren`t overwhelmed and at least chances were created but the finishing needs to be more clinical. The lack of goals pre season last year was a concern but look where we finished although we had the worst defensive record outside the bottom 3 (only 2 clean sheets) and that must improve. Having said that realistic cool headed judgements cannot be made until at least 8-10 games into the season so all the doom & gloom merchants (you know who you are) do us all a favour & hang fire till then.

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stayingup

Sunday, August 12, 2012
Server error 503 then my add-on post appears three times, but not my main comment on the game. Strange message board this

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Robin Hood

Saturday, August 11, 2012
I'd have been a lot happier if we'd lost by two goals with the score 4-6 than 0-2. It's going to be a lot harder to improve the number of goals scored in the coming weeks than it would be to reduce the goals conceded. Let's hope that we've now worked out where the goal isn't and can start putting more shots into where it is.

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Robin Hood

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Server error 503 then my add-on post appears three times, but not my main comment on the game. Strange message board this

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Robin Hood

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Fan, no, but there's no doubt that Ged is super in one way: Superfluous

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Robin Hood

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Fan, no, but there's no doubt that Ged is super in one way: Superfluous

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Robin Hood

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Fan, no, but there's no doubt that Ged is super in one way: Superfluous

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Robin Hood

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Oh dear, it's turned into a mad-house and the season has not even started yet.

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Swiss Canary

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Pre season never tells the whole story, got to give chrissie hughton a chance. Sorry Ged who are you super fan of? You really are a strange one.

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Lets-be-constructive

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Agreed Ritchie, but we must support the team at all times, no matter how hopeless they are. I'm a rarity though, something of a "superfan", it's a shame there aren't more like me. Ged - Superfan.

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Ged Steroo

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Ha Ha Ya going down....!

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caleb

Saturday, August 11, 2012
C'mon, editors, why is it so hard to spell Moenchengladbach properly?

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Coleeeey

Saturday, August 11, 2012
I agree with you Mad Brew, the lack of chances we create is criminal. Although with our loan mercenary up front it doesn't really matter. I think we'll really struggle this year too. Ged - Your friend.

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Ged Steroo

Saturday, August 11, 2012
At least at the pub you know who you are talking to, and everyone who wants to say something relevant can do so. Not so on these boards, so its goodbye from me. OTBC

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norfolkngood

Saturday, August 11, 2012
BTW, they did.

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Mad Brewer

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Though I "rue" the "soft" goals let in, I am more rueful about the paucity of chances we created. With "Pitbull" on the bench.

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Mad Brewer

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Dare you to ether this, Ar-chant.

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Mad Brewer

Saturday, August 11, 2012
This is what pre-season friendlies help sort out ,and solves problems before the season starts. Oh by the way jed how is that second rate league club who plays at that council owned ground at Portaloo road getting on ?

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yarco

Saturday, August 11, 2012
Perhaps, Mr Whooton, if you hadn't let our best defenders leave and replaced them with inferior versions we wouldn't be in this situation. Why we ever recruited a Championship nobody as a replacement for a legend like Lambert I will never know. McNally has got a lot to answer for. He's utterly clueless. Ged - Fan Leader.

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Ged Steroo

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Norwich City to play Mexican side Club Dorados de Sinaloa on USA tour

Norwich City have confirmed their first fixture in a three-game USA summer tour will be against Mexican side Club Dorados de Sinaloa in Sacramento on July 18.

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