You haven’t missed much. The usual rubbish on the pitch, posters on here falling out/calling each other names, disenchanted fans and languishing mid-table in the league!!!! In reality - it’s been BRILLIANT. DF has completely turned things around. We’ve lost once in 17games and are 2nd in the Championship!!!!! This looks like another excellent addition in an effort to keep the players fit and less prone to injury https://readnorwich.com/2018/12/20/...-leading-provider-of-physiological-analytics/ Edit - A great summary from MB - https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwi...e-championship-turn-awaits-canaries-1-5825844
Oh don't worry, I've been keeping a close eye on proceedings at Carrow Road, despite moving to Germany!
Yet another excellent article by Emma James for MFW which takes a detailed look at where our current success has come from: http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...-the-helm-but-everyone-is-part-of-this-story/
TERRIFIC article Rick and thanks for posting the link. As Emma quite rightly says, a LOT of owners would have forced DF out after the Leeds game, but D&M (and SW) persevered with our ONLY defeat since coming as the result of TK's OG. Plaudits for what DF, his staff and the players have achieved (NOT forgetting the fans) are coming in from everywhere and 'for sure' THE Xmas present EVERY NCFC fan would love is to hear that Delia has 'got her cheque book out' and signed DF and SW up until 2021!!!
Yet another great article from the MFW (TNC) stables - http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...ringes-every-bit-as-vital-as-the-starting-xi/
It's not just the double sessions, it's that we've now got a squad of players who are willing to put in the extra work to make success possible.
MB's summary after Blackburn - https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwi...d-following-win-at-blackburn-rovers-1-5830012 'Take your scarves and hold them high for On the ball City. Sing your hearts out. Show both clubs why this isn’t stuff they can buy, but chemistry we’ve created. Opportunities like this don’t come often. This Christmas week is the chance to one.' And this from DDF after an interview with DF - “But to be honest I’m not so interested in praising Teemu too much because the press and our supporters will do this. I’m much more interested in praising my group of players, for example when I think about Grant Hanley, Jordan Rhodes and Ben Marshall, for them it was a massive game to come back to Blackburn with so many emotions. “To then not be in the starting line-up, handle this situation and be so supportive and helpful for us, especially for the young lads, was outstanding – this is really not normal in professional football. “That’s big compliments for our togetherness, our team spirit, and this is crucial at the moment.” “Each and every team is highly motivated when they face a side who at the moment are in the automatic promotion ranks and everyone knows they are unbeaten in several weeks, and wants to beat them,” he continued.
Andy Head's 'half-term' summary - 'I must confess, when I first took a look at the pupils at the beginning of term, I was anticipating a very different set of half-term grades. A more unassuming low-key group of boys I had yet to see. Yet through the efforts of Herr Farke in identifying ways to motivate his pupils, and some outstanding work from our young underclassman, this class of misfits, and bright boys who went astray and needed a second chance, have exceeded all our expectations. This final paragraph - 'Oh we of little faith. Herr Farke has transformed last year’s also-rans into one of the most productive classes in Europe with a record that stands up against anyone. That this change came after such a poor start to the year is testament to the work of Herr Farke in subtly tweaking a system that was not working, and finding a way to evolve the class and bring in the younger students.'
I was hopeful as the season began because of a positive pre-season and promising transfer window, but that only extended to possibly sneaking into the play-offs if all went well. I never imagined we'd be one point off the top at the halfway point. The transformation has been stunning. The sudden rise of Aarons came out of nowhere. That of Cantwell was at least one I hoped for after his loan, but still stunning the way he fitted in immediately and then excelled once he got his chance. Now Godfrey makes it three (Lewis having already established himself). Buendia has also adjusted very quickly with an all round game unusual in attacking midfielders. It's Pukki though, who has answered the question about where the goals will come from with 14 goals so far. Add to that the new Leitner and Stiepermann (who saw that coming?) as well as Krul on a free and the transformation was complete, added to by the togetherness of players, fans and club. There's also the factor of players like McLean and Marshall who haven't really featured yet, and the depth of quality in this squad shines through. Many reasons to be hopeful for the rest of the season.
Yes Rick, this season is surpassing even the most optimistic hopes and IF we can somehow maintain our average of 2 points per game, we'll certainly be VERY close to automatic promotion come May. The Barclay will be a sea of yellow for future games - .
It shouldn't be a surprise that players who come in, can fit in straight away. It's because DF is absolutely clear on his playing philosophy and only wants players that fit it. He stuck with it even when the fans started to lose faith when they assumed DF wasn't capable rather than accepting Rome wasn't built in a day. If players are not able or willing to adopt his philosophy then they have been moved on. Some have done it gracefully like Jerome others not so. The most sigificant change for me is that it's now absolutelty clear who's running the show at Norwich, DF & Webber, the lunatics are no longer in charge of the assylum like they were under AN. Its called leadership and we now have it at the club, something we have been lacking for a few years. Last time was under McNally & Lambert. Hopefully it's an omen.
You're spot on Canario, but how many of us could see that before the season started? We hoped for better, but without much confidence. As you say, players that didn't fit were moved on (like Watkins and Wildschut) and replaced by Buendia and Cantwell, but what's really amazing is DF's ability to spot when a young player is ready, as with Lewis, Aarons and Cantwell and now Godfrey. McNally was good, but he didn't have the detailed knowledge of the game which SW has. My word for that is 'professionalism', rather than expecting the manager to do everything. That allows DF to concentrate on the football and the players, which is what he does best. The togetherness comes from that and knowing exactly what DF wants and how to make it happen game after game. The fact that it's lovely football as well makes it even better, and how many of us saw that coming before the season started?
