“We Weren’t Prepared” – Norwich Boss Fumes Over One Key Mistake in Costly Burnley Defeat

Norwich City boss Johannes Hoff Thorup didn’t hold back after watching his side slump to a 2-1 loss at the hands of promotion-chasing Burnley — and there was one moment in particular that left him fuming.

Despite a spirited second-half showing that nearly sparked a comeback, Thorup was left lamenting a disastrous first-half performance that gifted Burnley both of their goals and left Norwich with too much ground to make up.

“We Weren’t Prepared” – Thorup Slams Defensive Setup

Speaking after the match, the Canaries boss admitted his side had deliberately altered their usual approach, due to load management concerns that kept key starters out of the initial XI.

“We planned to make it a more compact game and a more slower game in the first-half,” Thorup revealed.

But that plan backfired early, and the manager was quick to point the finger at his unprepared backline, especially for Burnley’s opening goal, a piercing ball in behind that sliced through Norwich’s defense.

“I was not satisfied with the first goal we gave away — we’re not at all prepared in the backline to deal with the pass in behind.”

Calamitous Free-Kick Sparks Second Blow

Things went from bad to worse just minutes later, as Burnley grabbed a second goal — this time, directly off Norwich’s own free-kick, which they squandered with a misplaced pass that handed Burnley the initiative.

“The second goal comes out of absolutely nothing. We have a free-kick but we just waste it and give the pass straight away, which of course changes the game a little bit.”

A Second-Half Reaction — But Too Little, Too Late

To their credit, Norwich rallied in the second period. A late strike from Jack Stacey breathed new life into the match, and Thorup praised his players for turning up the pressure in the closing stages.

“I’m happy with the performance in the second-half, I’m happy we were able to put them under some pressure, especially towards the end.”

He added that Burnley had no clear chances in the second 45 — a small silver lining in an otherwise frustrating afternoon.

The Takeaway: Costly Errors Continue to Haunt Norwich

While Thorup acknowledged the tactical shift in the first half was intentional, his post-match frustration made it clear: the plan was poorly executed, and avoidable goals once again cost Norwich dearly.

As Burnley march on with their promotion chase, the Canaries are left to wonder what could have been — if only they’d shown up before halftime.

In other news, “Not the Right Time” – Norwich Warned Off Nottingham Forest Starlet in Transfer Tug-of-War