It's interesting to look up this thread at the comments from the dark days after the Leeds loss and I'm beginning to wonder whether that was the odd one out. We were unlucky to lose to both West Brom and Sheffield United and had we drawn those two we'd be on the edge of the play-offs places now. Our large squad is paying off with the injuries we have. Cantwell came in for Hernandez and did a great job. Steipermann and Buendia have been a revelation in the last two matches and Zimmerman has been solid replacing Hanley and Vrancic has been very impressive coming off the bench. In spite of all the changes, we've now shown a good balance between attack and defence. Pukki has to be the best deal we've ever done and he already seems to be a 'Norwich style player' through and through. The next two league matches are a great chance to get more points and move further up the table before tougher matches to come. Sat, Sept 22 – QPR (a) • Tues, Sept 25 – Wycombe (a – 7.45pm) • Sat, Sept 29 – Wigan (h) • Weds, Oct 3 – Derby (a – 7.45pm) • Sat, Oct 6 – Stoke (h) I also liked this on Todd Cantwell: "Dereham’s finest certainly does not appear to suffer from stage fright. Championship debut. Box ticked. First league assist. Box ticked. Glowing praise from his head coach for a mature display. Box ticked. Cantwell has the strut and arrogance you need to make the huge transition from promising academy junior to frontline starting option." Shades of Madders? http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...s-after-2-1-readng-championship-win-1-5703204 Cantwell was also the subject of 'player watch' for this match: http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/spor...dd-cantwell-league-debut-at-reading-1-5703136
I think Cantwell has the potential to become a good championship player, but he's not there yet. He still struggles a bit with the physicality of the championship. Zimmerman, Klose & Krul played well last night. Lewis did ok, Good development for Aarons, but on last night's performance there's still some way to go before he catches up Lewis. Midfield did very well when we were out of possesion or in transisition, but same problem in possession in that far too often the ball was played backwards or side way, Tettey being the main but not the only offender. Could do with some additional coaching re counter attacking and opening up theirs body's, far too much time spent with their backs tothe opposition gaol. Pukki was quality and found some good space / positions, shame our midfield were too busy looking backwards / sideways. Funnily enough when Reading equalised the penny seem to drop and we start to give the forwards better service. This was a decent battling away win to a poor Reading team. A step in the right direction, but only a little one.
Two excellent posts Rick and canario. The Leeds game was a strange one and whereas we got the 'rub of the green' last Saturday - we certainly didn't when we played Leeds. Just after they scored their first, JR looked certain to score, but a Leeds' defender got an important block in at a vital moment. I'm sure some of the teams above us are starting to see how we're slowly climbing the table and we should have McLean at least back for the Wigan game.
Its great to have two wins on the bounce and very encouraging, from where I was with little remaining faith in Farke. I was pretty much ready to step off the fence to Farke out had we only picked up one point or worse from the last two games. I'm now firmly back on the fence, Farke might work out, but I still think between him and Delia's inability to fund us in a modern age we have little chance of promotion. But I still think its a little early to hail corners turned and greatest deals ever done. Pukki looks a fantastic signing and for free its certainly up there, but Messers: Holt, Huckerby and many others have joined City for little and given so much over longer periods. Pukki my exceed them all, but it'll take more than 8 games. Before Boro I thought we had no chance and that then we would have to pickup at least 6 points from the following 3 easier games for Farkes position to look tenable. City have those 6 points but must still pickup more from the other two to keep the momentum. Clearly there has been an improvement in the balance of the side and still there is some good football being played. But we still need to play it quicker more often. I think our game management needs to improve. We profess to be a possession based side, yet when pushed by a poor Reading side, we seeded too much of the ball and with it momentum, leading to them scoring and getting back in to the match. OK we scored straight away, but surely when infront, we should be better at keeping the ball and frustraiting our opponents. I think the BBC had us as having 62% of the ball first half, by full time that had dropped to 52%. I think that figure should be lower if we played more bravely to try to win at 0-0 and increase as we try to control a game and keep it away from the opposition, then hopefully take advantage of their increased fatigue and despiration. So after 2 wins, of course things look much more rosey in the Canary garden, but lose the next two or 3 and its back to square 1 (Although we will still likely have breathing space infront of the binners) I really hope that we can gain some momentum and with it confidence to play it faster through the phases, maybe then I will start to believe. Bah!
Marshall could be available for QPR, but hopefully he and McLean will both be available for Wigan. Cantwell deserves to keep his place, IMO, as do Steipermann and Buendia. Another comment mentioned how Cantwell has added to his upper body weight, which will help. He does remind me of Madders when he first came in, both appearance and passing ability, but he has a way to go to reach Madder's level now. That reverse pass to Pukki for the assist was pure quality though. We had four playmakers on the pitch last night and you can't ask for much more 'entertaining' play than that, but as GM says we need to get the ball forward more quickly. The first goal was an example of that.
For me Marshall and McLean looked so bright at the start of the season but really shouldn't just walk back in, the guys who have been there for the 2 wins have earned their spots for now. Keep performing and not being outshone from the bench and Marshall and McLean can have few complaints. Bah!
I'm pretty sure that's how DF will see it, they'll have to earn a spot and displace one of the current team - which is great for motivation and competition.
Indeed Cromer and how he reintegrates those returning from injury will be a good test of his man management.
Vrancic has shown that by coming on as a sub in the last two matches and even scoring the winner last night. Marshall and McLean will have to work for a place on the bench first.
I would expect McLean to at the very least get a place back on the bench once fit. Cantwell is nowhere near his quality at the moment.
I hope you're sitting down before reading this, but I think that selling JM in the summer was a 'win-win' Not ONLY did we get a massive transfer fee, but his leaving has afforded the opportunity for other players to 'step up to the plate' and it seems that Stieperman did just that last night and gives a new dimension to our playing style. I know JM scoted many vital gosls , but how many/few did he score since February and I think opposing managers woyked out how to limit his opportunities to score, or he was trying too hard. Anyway, we're now entering the next stage of the emergence of the SW/DF blueprint and I for one am certainly looking forward to seeing where it takes us. Of course there will be moans about the amount of 'sideways passing', but IMO, that's something we'd better get used to. I would like to add that our attacks have shown vast improvement over last year and IF we can have a few months without adding to Matron's burden, then I'm HOPEFUL that we COULD find ourselves closer to the top 10 than the bottom 10 by Xmas 2018.
I’d have to agree with that, Madders was such a talent and star in the team that it made our play very one dimensional, most moves had to go through him at some phase. With his sale we have managed to build a team with a greater balance and a wider more varied threat. This was what annoyed me so much about Pritchards departure last year. Adding him into our attacking line up alongside Madders made it so much more difficult for opposing teams to nullify the attack
Edit - So, have we ‘found’ our £10M-£15M striker who can bag 15 goals a season for FREE??? #earlydays http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...argain-buy-insists-head-coach-farke-1-5704903
Maybe, but if he keeps banging them in, he will be a £10-15m striker and plying his wares elsewhere next season Bah!
There was an article in the Evening News a few weeks ago saying why he wanted to come to Norwich and work with DF!!!!
Such platitudes are easy when angling for a move or to keep the club and fans happy, I want to believe him and maybe there is some truth to it, but the cynic in me just see's a player who thought one last chance to get to the PL and the big bucks. With that said, given how goal shy we were last term, he was a brave man thinking he could; impress, score and maybe earn that last big payday. bah!
Goal Shy ??? Basil has just scored for the U23's - competition for the strikers berth hots up ! Bah !
Totally agree, JMF. As Suffolk says, our difficulties up front meant that we channeled most of our play through Madders. It wasn't fair on him either, as he was forced into a second striker type role. Both Hernandez and Leitner suffered as well. Now they can express themselves more freely and Pukki has taken over the goal scoring role. Like you, I look forward to 'the next stage of the emergence of the SW/DF blueprint' which seems to be taking off now. The play of Lewis and the emergence of Aarons and Cantwell continue the Academy success and bode well for the future. I'm confident that we can improve on our position and then compete for the play-offs as well.
Connor Southwell makes some interesting points about our recent form and where it might take us: "The last three fixtures have displayed dominant spells for extensive periods in games. If City can replicate the level of performance witnessed in the last three league games, then they will win more than they lose. Maintaining that high level of performance in the long term is ultimately the difference between the best and the rest." DF's development of young players is part of that and their impact has brought a freshness and drive to our play. He also points out DF's influence on older players: "Tettey has been more forward-thinking thus far this campaign, both in terms of his positioning and distribution of the ball. His defensive position has been more offensive, attempting to push Norwich into the opponent’s half – evident at QPR and Reading. Tettey has also been integral to breaking the press of opponents by occupying a space between the opposing strikers and midfield, allowing us to break the initial trigger of the press." This has reduced the amount of sideways passing and pushed the opposition deeper. Possession has more purpose now. The key will lie in using these changes to achieve consistency week after week, starting with Wigan, Derby and Stoke. http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...mism-but-consistency-remains-the-key-element/
My response to the piece “Undisputable, however, is his ability to improve individuals. He was a critical figure in youth development at one of Europe’s biggest clubs; there are few better coaches for the likes of Jamal Lewis, Max Aarons and Emiliano Buendia to be working under right now. Even with an experienced and seasoned operator like Alex Tettey, improvements to his game have been witnessed.” Undisputable? OK on face value if you cherry pick I’d agree. But I wonder if: Wildshut, Watkins, Naismith, Godfrey, Oliveira, Murphy, McGovern, Husband, Martin and others would agree? He maybe improving some players at a faster rate than others might, we don’t know for sure, we cannot. Was Cantwell’s time before Farke and co’s arrival and his time at Fortuna more influencial than Farkes teams time coaching him? Are some of the others just well suited to his footballing style? Tettey for example. The game is littered with players that have looked bang average in the wrong team only to be spectacular in another. Were they suddenly coached better or worse or played to their strengths in the right system for them. Examples would be Bradders for that season before going to Derby to then be seen as overpriced and average. Widshutt the other way, good for wigan, terrible for us. Holt everywhere, but under Lambert a revalation. Maybe Farke is good at developing youngsters, but undisputable? not for me. Bah!
