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The 2018-19 Season

Discussion in 'Norwich City' started by RiverEndRick, Jul 29, 2018.

  1. JM Fan

    JM Fan Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the link to Connor’s article Rick and I hope that the vast majority of NCFC fans are in total agreement. Even in the defeat by Leeds, I felt that there was a difference to the tactics/style of play to what we had endured last season.
    Yes, we have a VERY tough few games starting with our trip to the City Ground and I was reading somewhere that after our impressive showing at Pride Park, the away tickets for the game against Forest sold out in a matter of hours. That’s followed just a few days later by the visit of Villa striving to perform and impress their new manager.

    Edit – I’m volunteering at Porkstock tomorrow and hoping I meet a fellow fan who was berating JM before a ball had even been kicked last season. His words were along the lines of, “What does DF think he’s doing putting a 20 year old in the starting 11??”
     
    #161
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  2. RiverEndRick

    RiverEndRick Well-Known Member

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    Not to mention two other 20 year olds and an 18 year old! Just who does he think he is! <laugh>
     
    #162
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  3. JM Fan

    JM Fan Well-Known Member

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    He’s an ‘expert’ on all things football - (‘x’ is an unknown quantity and ‘spurt’ is a drip under pressure!!).
    I remember he was sitting near me at an Under 23 game and another fan was saying how TC would take over from JM – cue howls of derision from self-proclaimed ‘expert!!’ <rofl>
     
    #163
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  4. RiverEndRick

    RiverEndRick Well-Known Member

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    Going back to Southwell's analysis, this is at the heart of it:

    "Now, Norwich have strayed away from the theoretical football and now operate with more agency and expression. Players who arrived from overseas last campaign are beginning to display their quality after a season of adaptation. What’s more, Norwich have a unique proposition in their full back areas. Two academy graduates have grasped the mantle fearlessly, displaying maturity and altering the dynamic of their side's desired philosophy. Jamal Lewis and Max Aarons are both physical specimens. They possess athletic traits that which have made them useful operators both on the ball and off it. Norwich now have newfound width, Lewis and Aarons positioning is wider and higher on the football pitch when the defensive pairing are in possession. Automatically, this ensures Norwich attempt to play forward through the thirds rather than simply completing safe passes. Couple this aspect with a balanced midfield unit and Norwich have a spinal unit that is both efficient and self-assured."

    Confidence is key to success in football and yes, it comes from a run of good results, but this is more than that, as was evident in the Boro game at the beginning of the run and thereafter. Individual errors cost us points in early games when we playing well, but not winning. Now there's a unity of purpose in the play which has allowed us to dominate games. Where we go now is the key:

    "Ultimately, Norwich now sit at a crossroad. Response to that defeat (Stoke) could prove to be season defining. Should Norwich beat a Nottingham Forest outfit currently unbeaten at home and scoring at will, then it will prove they have the capability of potentially achieving something. Lose at the City Ground though, and a couple of tough fixtures await against an Aston Villa side who will have that new manager bounce and an impressive Brentford side who always prove difficult for Norwich to overcome."

    These next 3 games should tell us a lot.
     
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  5. Canary Spring

    Canary Spring Well-Known Member

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    I love that quote! <laugh>
     
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  6. JM Fan

    JM Fan Well-Known Member

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    Odd, he didn't show his face.l!!!! <laugh>
    I wonder if he'll be at the Beer Festival starting a week tomorrow????
     
    #166
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  7. RiverEndRick

    RiverEndRick Well-Known Member

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    Looking ahead to Forest and beyond, David Freezer makes this analysis:

    "As impressive as the upturn in form has been, the intention for dominating possession makes it clear for opposition teams what they need to stop City. Boro weren’t ready for the Canaries’ quality, Reading, QPR and Wigan weren’t good enough to stop it but Derby grew wise after initially being caught out at Pride Park. Stoke were good enough, congesting midfield and pressing City to thwart their quality. With Onel Hernandez back, an effective plan B could be crucial to this campaign."

    As good as Todd Cantwell has been on the left, we've missed the pace, goal threat and trickery Hernandez provides. It's hard on Todd, but I'd like to see Hernandez start on the left at Forest. DF then has a choice between Cantwell and Buendia (or even Marshall) on the right. Happy with any of those.

    http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/...-is-great-about-hectic-championship-1-5735326
     
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  8. JM Fan

    JM Fan Well-Known Member

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    Indeed Rick and an ‘effective plan B or even C’ is going to be crucial if we’re going to remain in the top 10. DF is now almost ‘spoilt for choice’ in his team selection/formation and it will be interesting to see his starting 11 on Saturday.

    Edit – apparently, we’re taking 2,000 fans to the City Ground on Saturday, so should make for a brilliant atmosphere>
     
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  9. JM Fan

    JM Fan Well-Known Member

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    To while away the days until we re-engage the enemy, an excellent article from Jack Goddard on today’s MFW and I thought this was particularly pertinent – ‘We even have a reinvigorated Alex Tettey and a solid back four (average age just 23.3) sitting behind them. City have a settled, young and hungry squad for the first time since Paul Lambert walked the hallowed halls of Carrow Road
    When you consider that Klose is the ‘Elder Statesman’ in the back 4 at 30, it shows how good we’ve been. Over the last 6 games, we are top of the table for having conceded the fewest goals and just for the ‘doom mongers’ we are 14th for the number of goals scored!!
     
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  10. RiverEndRick

    RiverEndRick Well-Known Member

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    It looks like Pukki's injury may not be as bad as first feared:

    http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...ter-limping-off-during-finland-duty-1-5738498

    As he says himself:

    “It went when Jasse Tuominen played the ball through. I stopped and felt it a little, something perhaps went then,” the former Celtic and Brondby man told Finnish newspaper Iltalehti. It was annoying that I wasn’t able to continue but I have never really had a muscular injury (like this) in my career before. It’s frustrating but these things happen in football, I’ll come back from this. I know we have top-of-the-line backroom staff (at Norwich), so they will patch me up.”

    That's a bit of a relief, but I doubt he'll be risked for the Forest game. Perhaps a rest will be beneficial long-term.
     
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  11. JM Fan

    JM Fan Well-Known Member

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    HUGE relief and hope JR makes the most of the opportunity. Unlikely he'll be risked for Villa either IMO.
     
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  12. RiverEndRick

    RiverEndRick Well-Known Member

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    #172
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  13. General Melchett

    General Melchett Well-Known Member

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    I'm looking forward to the game Saturday too, but inspite of there being differences and greater depth to the squad this term, there are similarities and reasons for caution too.
    The lack of goals even when we are winning will continue to cause us problems. Is there a certain level of figuring out by oposition managers? Rowett actually said he made changes to counter us, is Farke's only way going to be countered similarly by others? And then there is another factor, pitches and weather conditions. A passing side will inevitably struggle as the pitches get heavier with wetter colder winter conditions.
    I hope I'm wrong but I don't feel too optimistic about these games coming up against the teams near the top, I still think we have mid-table written all over us.

    Bah!
     
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  14. JM Fan

    JM Fan Well-Known Member

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    An excellent post General and I can’t argue with it!!!
    The lack of goals is obviously a major concern and I’m optimistic that it’s something that DF and his backroom boys have been working on during the International break – IMO, we have too many ‘blocked shots’, though not sure what can be done to improve that statistic. Yes Rowett made changes, but between the GK and his defence, he had 3 full internationals – I can’t imagine we’ll have to face that TOO often and coupled with a tiring Pukki, it’s understandable why we failed to score!!
    There are no more than a handful of clubs in the Championship which haven’t been in the PL in the last few seasons and so the number of times we have to play on poor/heavy pitches should be fairly few. The CR pitch was completely relaid in the summer and I believe is 25% plastic, so NO excuses at home.
    We have 3 very tough games in the next 10 days and any points we garner from them will have to be earned and thoroughly deserved.
    I’m sticking to my ‘top ten’ prediction’, but may have to reconsider after the singing of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ :emoticon-0102-bigsm

    Edit – Robbie Burns would ‘turn in his grave’ if he heard how the words have been changed!!!! :steam:
     
    #174
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  15. RiverEndRick

    RiverEndRick Well-Known Member

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    Your caution is wise, GM, but as Paddy points out, there are important differences this season:

    "Those experiencing that first icy blast of the Championship last season are better equipped to withstand negative forces, players such as Marco Stiepermann or Mario Vrancic. City’s youngsters, in the shape of Todd Cantwell and Max Aarons, have followed in Jamal Lewis’ heat trail to prove they can grasp the same type of first team opportunities."

    Last year, the new players were still adjusting to hard slog of this league, Lewis was still injured, and Oliveira's goals had dried up. DF now has a bigger and far more experienced squad to choose from and the international break has given most players a rest. The other difference is that the style of play this year has allowed us to dominate games very convincingly, while still playing passing football through the thirds. Yes, Stoke got lucky and then parked the bus, but that was the exception. Forest will be a test 'for sure', as will Villa and Brentford, and we'll know far more after those. Much will depend on how Rhodes does coming in for Pukki, but Hernandez returning will help, especially on the counter. While not getting carried away, I'll stick to my pre-season prediction of finishing somewhere between 6th and 10th.
     
    #175
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2018
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  16. JM Fan

    JM Fan Well-Known Member

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    I'll be EXTREMELY happy if we can achieve a top ten finish Rick, as that was my prediction long ago!!! <ok>
     
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  17. General Melchett

    General Melchett Well-Known Member

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    Whilst i will acknowledge that Stiepermann and Vrancic amoungst others in theory are better placed to play well this October than last, experience of failing is no guarantee of success. I agree we will know more after these next three games and I am cautiously optimistic that we will not only do OK in those games but also in the easier ones that follow through to Xmas.
    If as JMF suggests Farke has worked on the goal getting and actually succeeds without again compromising us at the back then there would certainly be reasons for greater belief. I might even revise my own prediction upwards.
    But I don't know what will happen next. Win the next 3 games 1-0, and we'll be in the playoffs and sitting pretty but some doubts will remain until we start scoring more than 1 or even winning by more than 1. But if you were to push me I would predict we'll maybe pick up 4 points from the next 3 and that would be OK with the calibre of oppo, but it would still leave questions, but we could as easily pick up 7 points or none. It is really tough to gauge where we are.

    Bah!
     
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  18. JM Fan

    JM Fan Well-Known Member

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    #178
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2018
  19. RiverEndRick

    RiverEndRick Well-Known Member

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    Pukki and Krul on free transfers have to be two of the best transfers City has made. Had Krul had a pre-season, I doubt those early errors would have happened. He and his defence look a much more solid unit now and that has helped the whole team, as has Tettey's current form and his understanding with Leitner and the dynamic duo of Lewis and Aarons.

    Pukki's goal scoring and Hernandez's all action play have also helped and both Buendia and Cantwell have also played well. The final cog is Stiepermann who has added another dimension to both attack and defence and Vrancic and Rhodes have been great impact subs.
     
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  20. Walsh.i.am

    Walsh.i.am Well-Known Member
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    So not a single weak link then? Not one?
    In which case we should be top and eight points clear! And we ain't :emoticon-0145-shake
     
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