So what are you actually suggesting ? We should have kept the same squad that got us promoted minus Buendia? Or perhaps invested in English players from the lower divisions ? Who would you replace Farke with as clearly he is to blame ? Last time we were in the Premiership you were making constant comparisons with Sheffield U even though they were lucky to have had an injury free season. Their luck ran out the following season. Most of your postings are rather childish attempts at winding people up. So putting aside the valid reasons why we have had a slow start, what would you do differently now to get our season going, and how would you have prepared differently for our return to the Premiership. I know you don't often do "constructive", but please just give it a try this once. With the covid interrupted pre season and the new players needing to gel, I was always prepared to give Farke 12 games before jumping to any conclusions.
How do you make out that we spent a net £50M? I only make it around £55M spent over the summer without taking into account Buendia's £30+M incoming funds. That includes Gibson and Giannoulis's fees and approx £4M million in loan fees for Normann and Kabak. Are you accounting for the potential permanent fees of those two as well? I think that would still make us shy of £50M (£45M ish perhaps) net but surely if we do have to pay that extra then it's because we've survived and / or they've shown themselves to be the real deal. i.e. it was worth it!
Hairy, I based the figure on this Michael Bailey article in The Athletic. It does indeed include the potential record fees for Normann and Kabak; Bailey also makes the point that not all the Buendia money went back into the transfer kitty. The exact figures don't really matter; my point was about the strategy -- of which more in my forthcoming reply to Mike
My recollection was that half of the Buendia money £15m was added to the existing budget of £30m. The Gibson and Giannoulis deals came out of the previous year's budget so don't count. The 7 permanent signings are around £37m by my count plus the loan deals for Normann and Kabak for around £5m plus the rest if we stay up. That's a net spend of around £27m plus the rest for the Normann and Kabak deals if we survive, which presumably will come out of the PL money this year with next year guaranteed by survival. The point though, is that is the 9 new players have come in to replace Buendia and Skipp while we still retain the other key players who won promotion. That has enhanced the promotion winning side rather than tearing up the team Fulham fashion. As for the future, thais is how Normann sees it: “If we keep working like we are, keep our heads up, then I believe in the boss’s project. I am not worried at all because in training we have quality players, a quality team, quality staff, everything. It’s the small details we need to turn our way and we will be fine – for sure. I need to get used to the intensity and the tempo of the Premier League. So now it’s two games with 70 minutes and I’m getting there. It’s intense, it’s fun, a lot of duels and a lot of running. I think this league suits me well and this team, Norwich suits me very well also. I’m only looking forward to what’s coming because, 100pc, we will turn this around together.” https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwi...ias-normann-premier-league-key-figure-8370734
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58731216 Covid vaccinations in most Premier League teams are a disgrace. About time this was sorted out. They expect the fans to be vaccinated, but are happy for the players to do what they want.
What would I do differently? I’d like to see us switch to being an unashamedly counter-attacking side, which is what I've been advocating ever since our 2019--2020 season started to unravel. Our base formation should be 4:5:1, with the FBs chained in that back 4. DF's priority is always to have 5 or even 6 players involved offensively when we have the ball, so he favours 4:3:3 over 4:5:1 (and 4:2:3:1 over both), with the FBs pushing forward in possession. That leaves us far too open and IMO the numbers need to be reversed, with 4 (at most 5, and then only exceptionally) committed to attack at any one time. In terms of personnel, I’d like to see a starting eleven along the lines of: Rashica rather than Pukki as the 1, Williams to continue at LB rather than Giannoulis, Kabak and Gibson at CB, and a midfield 5 of Tzolis (wide left), Normann (central), Sargent (wide right) plus two of Rupp, Gilmour and Lees-Melou flanking Normann. How would I have prepared differently? The writing was on the wall two seasons ago: we were committed to a way of playing that required resources well beyond our means to transition successfully to the top level. Even the lowliest EPL sides were able to exploit the structural weaknesses inherent in Farkeball. The time to take that lesson on board was last season, not this one. We were supposed to be building incrementally towards reaching and surviving in the EPL, with consistency in our style of play and continuity in squad development. Instead of which we find ourselves trying, on the hoof, to institute a different style and weld a team largely consisting of new players. Fulham, in other words, rather than WBA, Swansea or Burnley.
That sounds like an appalling idea. Our fullbacks are not designed to be chained back, it would be a total waste of their talents. We do not have a strikeforce designed for counterattacking, still less midfielders or wingers. This sounds like trying to put in place an Alex Ferguson style on players wholly unsuited to it. Plus, the Premier League has long moved on from pure counterattack. The only way this could work is highly structured defensively, and with Hughton we demonstrated that absolutely does not suit our supporters, or our club thinking. Even if it kept us up, I think I would rather be relegated than watch that style, if I am quite honest. It would be early 2000s style football. And would probably massively harm the valuations of players like Aarons.
I can see your thinking, Robbie, but there are several reasons why DF couldn't go that way. We did recruit 10 players last season but it was on a limited budget planning for different possible outcomes. The same applies to this season based on whether we survive or not. What you see as tearing the squad apart I see as squad evolution with players we've moved on from moving on or going on loan. As for tactics, Rob is right that our CBs and FBs/WBs are not at all suited to be chained into a static back four. The idea that we might score more without a striker is curious, to say the least. Counterattacking works best when it contains an element of surprise, but that wouldn't happen if our only tactic was counterattacking. DF's current 3-5-2 isn't that far from your 4-5-1, but it does allow for more possession and more varied attacking tactics, including counterattacking. As the new players settle in this will produce more goals over the rest of the season without being exposed defensively. Personally, I have little desire to see us model our approach on WBA, Swansea or Burnley, or Fulham either for that matter.
I keep seeing newspaper reports about how poorly the Premiership squads are doing on the vaccination front. Any idea how Norwich are doing on that front?
I would hope that after our pre-season Covid scare we are fully covered, but have seen no evidence that this is so.
The priority last season was to get promotion back to the Premiership, not to prepare for life back in the Premiership as you have suggested. . If we had started to change our style last season into more of a counter attacking side, there is every chance we would still be in the Championship . Most people on this forum appear to agree that we should be on 3 points , given the caliber opposition that we have faced .There have been signs that we are slowly improving , and even you were complimentary after the Arsenal game . Everton was was another step in the right direction. Watford was the biggest disappointment , as yet again we allowed ourselves to be bullied by a more physical side. Overall, at this stage of proceedings, it is not the disaster , you and a few other are purporting it to be . If however if things have not improved after 12 games, I am confident that the club will take the necessary action. But be careful what you wish for and remember the atmosphere inside Carrow rd during the turgid days when when your friend Houghton was in charge . Allardyce was sacked at both West Ham and Everton due to the negative , boring football that was on offer, and not due to results being below expectations. Football fans want success for their clubs, but not at any cost. As a self confessed non football fan and more of statistician, I would suggest you are one of the few exceptions.
So, a look at the relegation battle: Norwich 1 point: Played 3 of the top 6, 2 teams who will normally finish top 8-9, and 2 relegation candidates. Only very recently been able to field a side that looks anything like full strength. Newcastle 3 points: Draws with Leeds, Watford, Southampton (14th, 16th, 17th). Losses to Villa, West Ham, Man United and Wolves. They've had excellent fixtures to start the season and done nothing with them. Conceded as many as we have. Burnley 3 points: Played 5/7 of the same fixtures as Norwich (Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Leicester, Norwich), taking 1 extra point from Leicester that we failed to. Also taken 1 point from Leeds, and lost to Brighton. Other than the addition of Cornet (injured today) fundamentally this is a settled, experienced squad made in the image of their manager. I'm not sure they've got any mitigating factors to suggest significant improvement is possible? Not like changing the manager would help either. Southampton 4 points: 4 draws, including both Manchester clubs, suggest they can keep teams out. Losing Ward-Prowse for games against Watford, Leeds and Burnley will be a blow. Not going to detail anyone else, but given 7 points puts you 13th currently, plenty of teams could get dragged into it.
The key IMO is the potential for development which is certainly our hope for survival with 9 new players still adjusting to our style of play and the pace and demands of the PL. I have difficulty seeing where Burnley and Newcastle are going to improve given their lack of new players. We came close to a point against Leicester and performed well against Everton except for two mistakes. Today we eliminated the damaging errors in a good defensive performance and the passing play was also generally better. The competition for places is another factor as Giannoulis earned a start and put in a fine performance. Normann and Kabak look better each week. The other key is to improve the links between midfield and the attacking players and Normann will be an important part of that. He has that knack of finding space in a crowded midfield to take passes and progress the ball forward. He was also the closest to scoring today with his free-kick that their keeper palmed away and his blistering shot that grazed the bar. Hopefully his and other improvements will continue and the points will start coming in.
Burnley 0-0 Norwich: Winless run continues, so are Sean Dyche and Daniel Farke under pressure? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58776022
Judging by the booing from Burnley fans at the end some are not overly happy with their situation. With an aging squad (9 players over 30) they must wonder where improvement might come from. The BBC does identify the unusual factors influencing our start: "However, allowances have to be made for their difficult start. A coronavirus outbreak disrupted their pre-season as two matches were cancelled, while 11 members of their first-team group were sent into self-isolation." They could have also highlighted that we have 9 new players adjusting to the team and PL play. Rashica and Lees-Melou arrived early and are beginning to look settled, but the really encouraging factor was the progress of Normann and Kabak yesterday and there is still more development to come in all 9 new players.
Watford sack Xisco Munoz. I know it's Watford's way, but I thought promotion and having them several places above the relegation zone might have earned him more than 7 games.
Watford have had five managers in two years and there has been no indication of who they will turn to next. Hooton and Big Fat Sam are available
