Ben Lee is a City season ticket holder and author of the  NCFC Analysis  social media account, who unpicks games with an analytical report highlighting tactical strengths and weaknesses.

Ben gives his take on events at Carrow Road.

Norwich versus Portsmouth: ‘Ave it!’

Score: 0 – 1

Possession (%): 50 – 50

Shots: 9 – 9

• Pompey playing out.

• Hopeful hoofs.

• The long-ball illusion.

• Losing their way.

Norwich City hosted John Mousinho’s Portsmouth on an emotional afternoon at Carrow Road, with a touching pre-match tribute to Michael Wynn Jones.

Both sides lined up in fluid 4-2-3-1 base formations, with Makama returning to the home side.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

The first act of the game was a sign of things to come: a hopeful hoof out of play for a Portsmouth throw-in.

It was a strategy Peter Kay would’ve been proud of; you could almost hear the players shouting ‘ave it’ as they repeatedly cleared their lines.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

This overly direct approach from the home side meant Mousinho’s men dominated the early stages of the game, and they played some nice football too.

From goal-kicks, Portsmouth played out through a 4-3-3 shape.

Initially, their left centre-back dropped alongside the goalkeeper to play the first pass before advancing out wide.

In response, Norwich pressed from a 4-1-3-2.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

Makama (24) began City’s press by closing down the goalkeeper, who played across to the left centre-back.

The hosts then jumped into a 4-4-2 and pressed man-to-man on the ball side without backing it up from behind.

As a result, Dia (44) cut inside and completed a great pass to Segecic (10) in space between the lines.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

In the visitors’ open-play deep build-up phases, Norwich remained in a 4-4-2 shape.

Clement’s men pressed against the touchline and initially prevented an escape, with Mattsson (7) tracking the left centre-midfielder as he dropped to receive.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

But they failed to stop a switch to the far side centre-back in space on the right.

In response, both Schwartau (29) and Makama (24) pressed the same player, leaving Portsmouth’s pivot free to receive infield.

With Chrisene (14) pinned in the last line by the winger, the visitors’ right-back received in space out wide.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

Mousinho’s men completed several escapes like this and were able to advance into Norwich’s half with ease.

They also managed to advance simply by splitting the centre-backs on either side of City’s front two to create a 3v2.

In deep build-up phases, the goalkeeper would step forward into the space centrally.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

In higher build-up phases, Pack (7) dropped between the centre-backs to create the same first-line overload.

But whoever moved into this back three, Portsmouth were able to play out to the centre-backs, who were free to advance beyond Norwich’s front two.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

Another escape saw Pack (7) play across to one side before moving back into midfield in space behind the pressing centre-forward.

By advancing beyond the first line of pressure and into space out wide, the visitors were free to play into the last line.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

On one occasion, Pompey completed a great build-up pattern when Norwich’s winger pressed out wide without support behind him.

In this moment, Mohamed (37) dropped to receive centrally before playing to the right-back in space out wide.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

This was another example of Clement’s men committing two players to press the same player: an error compounded by Portsmouth successfully pinning City’s defenders in the last line to prevent them from jumping to press the free man.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

After escaping the initial phases of Norwich’s press, Portsmouth moved into more settled phases of possession, where they either built through a 2-2 or a 3-1 structure.

The former saw both midfielders remain behind City’s front two while Segecic (10) occupied space between the lines.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

More commonly, however, Pack (7) would drop into a back three to create a better passing angle to the remaining midfielder.

The 3-1 build-up also created more width in the first line, allowing the visitors to advance out wide.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

If City managed to force Portsmouth back into their own half, their press was so passive that the front two were often isolated in 4v2 or 5v2 situations.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

Despite their ineffective press, Norwich’s biggest failing on Saturday was their inability to retain possession when they finally regained it.

You’d be forgiven for watching Saturday’s game and being surprised that Portsmouth attempted more long passes than Norwich – it certainly didn’t feel that way.

It was an illusion, of sorts.

The visitors’ direct passes were targeted and well-executed – with nearly double the accuracy – so they were far less noticeable than City’s rushed and often aimless hoofs.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

Much of Norwich’s build-up play was equally panicked, including from goal-kicks, with Portsmouth in the same 4-1-3-2 pressing structure as the hosts.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

In open-play build-up phases, Clement’s men often played out to one of the full-backs before going long into the last line, where Portsmouth often regained possession with ease.

In fact, the visitors won an impressive 74% of aerial duels throughout the match.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

These repeated long balls rarely resulted in control for Norwich.

Unsurprisingly, their best moments in possession came when they played with more patience and precision.

In one instance, for example, the goalkeeper found Mattsson (7) in space centrally.

The Dane received on the half turn and found Slimane (20) moving away from his marker and into space between the lines.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

Another escape saw Norwich complete a common pattern under Clement as they played out wide before Wright (16) moved into space to receive behind the winger.

He then found Schwartau (29), who passed infield to Slimane (20) between the lines.

Norwich City 0-1 Portsmouth: Ben Lee tactical analysis (Image: Ben Lee)

But these were two of very few nice moments of build-up play from the home side, as they fell to yet another defeat.

For a coach who rightly says he never wants to see his side waiting for something to ‘fall out of the sky’ by repeatedly going long, it was an unusual performance on Saturday.

He deservedly has credit in the bank after his heroics last season, but this wasn’t the Clement-ball that fans fell in love with.