Norwich City have kept their manager and most of their Premier League squad since relegation last season and were able to show their pedigree at Ewood Park, cruising into a commanding first-half lead to leave an out-thought and outclassedBlackburn Rovers looking like a side from several divisions below.
The first boos of Owen Coyle’s reign as Rovers manager were heard after 24 minutes, as a sweeping crossfield move ended with Cameron Jerome scoring at the far post to put his side three goals in front. The home centre-backs had been badly embarrassed twice by then, first when Jacob Murphy made space for himself with a neat turn to beat Jason Steele from outside the area, then when Wes Hoolahan made it two after darting between Elliott Ward and Shane Duffy into the area.
Ward went off injured shortly afterwards and Blackburn improved when Gordon
Greer took over in defence, though they were already chasing a lost cause and the situation became hopeless when a third goal went in with less than a third of the game completed.
Steven Naismith and Hoolahan tried to find a way through the middle again but found their routes blocked, though they retained possession and the presence of mind to sweep the ball out to Ivo Pinto on the right, whose low cross behind the Blackburn defenders was tucked away by Jerome with deflections off post and goalkeeper.
One or two home fans could be seen heading for the exits even at that early stage, all the optimism of opening day having evaporated. They did not miss much for the rest of the first half.
Blackburn could not get going in midfield, where Hoolahan and Jonny Howson were in firm control, and all that the Norwich goalkeeper, John Ruddy, was asked to do before the interval was come out to collect a couple of hopeful crosses.
Danny Graham had been unable to accomplish anything on his own up front in the first half, so Coyle sent out Anthony Stokes to accompany him, though Blackburn were still too slow into most of the 50-50 challenges and laboured in their passing for it to make much of a difference.
A good example came early in the second half, when Norwich could easily have increased their lead. Naismith in the centre had options on both sides but chose Murphy, powering into the area on his right. A fourth goal was avoided by only the width of a post after Steele let Murphy’s shot through his legs. No matter, it took only another six minutes for the fourth goal to arrive. The irrepressible Hoolahan cheekily nutmegged Adam Henley in the penalty area to set up Naismith, who finished with his usual calmness and accuracy.
A fifth goal almost arrived straight afterwards when Hoolahan played Murphy into even more space on the left, though this time Steele managed to save with his legs.
Norwich were so neat and precise in comparison with their leaden-footed hosts that some of their attacking moves looked like training ground exercises, though it is easy to put on an exhibition when four goals to the good against opponents apparently unwilling to mount any kind of fightback.
While Stokes did manage to raise a small amount of cheer midway through the second half with a goal on his debut, a downward header from a deep cross that Ruddy probably should have saved, it did not lead to any quickening of Blackburn pulses either on or off the pitch.
It looked as though Norwich had begun their season a few weeks ago and were now hitting their full stride. Alex Neil’s side are among the favourites to be promoted from the Championship and they could hardly have made a more promising or confident start.
Blackburn, in contrast, looked as if they were still on their holidays, or perhaps warming up in a pre-season friendly, with the real thing still a week or so away. Unfortunately for Coyle and his new patch of east Lancashire, this was the real thing and Blackburn are in deep trouble already.
Granted they will not be playing teams of Norwich’s class every week but they will find the going tough against almost anyone in the division unless they improve their work rate, their defending and perhaps come up with the odd attacking idea.
