Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup has expressed frustration after his side conceded another late penalty, allowing Derby County to snatch a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road.
Jack Stacey’s rash clearance attempt inside his own penalty area saw him penalised for a high foot on Marcus Harness, with Jerry Yates calmly converting the resulting spot-kick.
The setback marked the third time this season Norwich have conceded a penalty in similar circumstances, and Thorup was clear in his assessment that defensive discipline must improve.
Thorup: ‘Clear penalty’
The Canaries had taken the lead and looked on course for three points before the late controversy, which left their head coach demanding greater composure from his players inside the box.
“He’s raised his leg to a level where his head is. And I think you at least give the chance for the ref and for the player to win a penalty,” said Thorup.
“It was a clear penalty and it’s three times now this season where we try to win the ball, sticking out a leg in the penalty box, instead of using the body. If you just bump into him with the shoulder then there’s never a penalty situation, or a decision to make.”
The late equaliser was all the more frustrating given Norwich’s wastefulness in front of goal. Thorup stressed that his side should have been further ahead before the penalty incident.
Slow start proves costly
While the late penalty ultimately defined the result, Thorup was also critical of his side’s sluggish first-half performance, which he believes set the wrong tone.
“You open up to situations like that when you only have a one-goal lead. That’s one story of the game,” he admitted. “But I would also say a bigger story for us is that we don’t play well enough in the first 45 minutes.”
Norwich improved after the break but failed to capitalise on their dominance, a recurring issue that Thorup believes must be addressed.
“If we had just scored early in the game, potentially scoring again in the second half means it is a completely different game,” he said. “We were not offensive enough in our movements, our positions, or our decisions.”
Writer’s view
Norwich City’s inability to close out games is becoming a concerning trend. While their attacking play shows promise, defensive lapses—particularly in penalty situations—have cost them valuable points. Thorup is right to highlight his side’s slow start, but unless Norwich sharpen their defensive instincts, they will continue to drop points from winning positions.
