Norwich City’s Shane Duffy Laments Another Defeat After Bristol City Loss
Norwich City defender Shane Duffy admitted frustration within the squad after their 2-1 defeat to Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Friday night.
Following a dramatic collapse in their previous match—squandering a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to Sheffield Wednesday—Norwich endured another disappointing evening, suffering back-to-back defeats.
The Canaries struggled from the start, conceding twice within the opening 23 minutes as Mark Sykes and Nahki Wells put the hosts in control. Although Norwich showed improvement in the second half and Borja Sainz pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute, they couldn’t find an equalizer despite late pressure.
With just one win in their last eight matches, Johannes Hoff Thorup’s side remains far from the Championship’s top six.
Duffy Frustrated by Norwich’s Defensive Struggles
Duffy acknowledged that morale in the dressing room is low, admitting Norwich have been their own worst enemy throughout the campaign.
“We’re tired of losing games. The mood isn’t great,” he told the BBC. “We keep making the same mistakes—it’s been the story of our season. We had confidence going into the game, but we gave ourselves too much to do. It’s tough right now.”
Despite being the second-highest scorers in the Championship—only behind leaders Leeds United—Norwich’s defensive frailties have undermined their progress, conceding 54 goals so far. Duffy labeled their current league position as “embarrassing” given the attacking quality in the squad.
“Every time an opponent gets a chance, it feels like they score,” he added. “We do so much good work, but then one mistake costs us. Right now, we need three or four goals to win a game, and that’s just not sustainable. I haven’t played many games where I felt the opposition was better than us, which makes it even more frustrating.”
Norwich’s inability to keep clean sheets has been a major issue, with Duffy emphasizing that their struggles at the back have prevented them from mounting a serious play-off challenge.
Thorup Facing Growing Pressure
While this season was always expected to be a transitional period under Thorup, many Norwich fans had hoped for a stronger push toward the play-offs. Despite having top scorers like Sainz and Josh Sargent in their ranks, inconsistency and defensive weaknesses have held them back.
Thorup’s position is not under immediate threat, but expectations will be higher next season. However, if Norwich lose key players in the summer transfer window, the task of rebuilding could become even more challenging.
