A brilliant article by Chris Lakey ahead of the resumption of hostilities - https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/question-time-city-fans-1-6326196
A good read, but surely his argument about the telling impact of the injury list suggests that we haven't really able to play our own game lately. McLean is a good player, but he's not a DM. Neither is Leitner. The only DM we have left is playing at CB. That is why we were battered 5-1 by Villa. The line-up against ManCity was similar, except that we had Tettey playing at DM. The light at the end of the tunnel is that both Trybull and Tettey are back in training. That could make a big difference, but we still have a DM playing at CB. At the very least we should make the tweaks we made against ManCity with a more compact defensive shape and the FBs staying deeper for a tough away game. I fear we won't though and dread the humiliation that could bring. I hope I'm wrong, but that's what I see coming.
Sorry JMF, but "brilliant" that is not. Brilliance requires insight, drawing attention to something that's important that everyone else has overlooked. Not one single point in Lakey's entire article displays any insight. On the contrary what it chiefly displays is a penchant for well-expressed banality. What's more, it mindlessly regurgitates the false dichotomy I've been inveighing against on here: "Watching City try to play their game. Hands up those who want bus parking boredom? Nope, thought not. If you wonder where the plus is in that, cast your minds back to a little over a year ago. The Canaries drew at Ipswich and then won four in a row. Farke stuck to his beliefs and came through a sticky opening to the season. We all know what happened next. The principle at the club is to play football the right way, but no one ever believed it would be easy in the top flight. But it is possible, and possible to survive. If you want to see a conservative, dull, boring, minimum risk Norwich City, you're in the wrong place." Poor, poor, poor!
Similarly thought the either/or dichotomy was mindless in the extreme. He goes on at great length about the injuries we've had then falls back on the current mantra that 'we have to play our attacking game' regardless of the consequences.
Changing topic - I see our have V Spurs is now on Sky @ 5.30 on 28th Dec. And our game V Palar53 on 1st Jan will be on BT Sport. As will ALL games on that day!!
Interesting article - https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwi...t-webber-premier-league-steady-ship-1-6327959 "If we lose, then we won't be the club to sack Daniel or go and spend £50m in January. It's about the journey, and if we get everything right along the way and we get a bit of luck, then we still think we can be successful doing it."
Stuart Webber is the guest on the Football Daily Euro Leagues podcast. very interesting to hear him talk about how he started etc. He’s a very impressive guy. he also said he had a 5 hour meeting with a head scout about their targets for January and next Summer. just made me love him more, and you can tell everyone in the studio were so absorbed and fascinated by him. the story of how he signed Emi was class! https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02nrsln/episodes/downloads
Salient points here: https://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/city-boss-discusses-january-transfer-window-1-6329227
Yes, but it's far better if they are using their best foot when clearing the ball, hopefully to one of our players. On Webber, he is always interesting to listen to and his detailed planning and awareness has put this club on a very sound footing.
It's interesting to cast an eye down the Premiership table this morning. The bottom half, positions 11-20 are almost entirely composed of teams yet to play us. Of those nine ( we are the tenth) we still have to play seven. I think that if we can get into double figures points wise from our next ten games then with 17 points from the first half of the season we would be well set up to survive. An excellent point yesterday btw, although by all accounts a game with less attraction that watching. Johnson get a drubbing on the box.
This was an important game and could just be a turning point. My thought was that we would be mauled, until I saw that Tettey was available, enabling me to change my prediction to a draw (2-2). I still didn't see a clean sheet coming! DF may just have found the formation away from home (4-3-2-1). Amadou looked assured at CB and Tettey did well in both his roles as we looked solid defensively. We also looked effective in attack as Leitner had the freedom to move forward when appropriate, knowing there were still CMs behind him. It wasn't the tweak I wanted, but it worked, so full credit to DF for that and it shows what a difference there is when there is a choice of players available.
On Tettey, this article details why he is still an important player for us: https://norwich.vitalfootball.co.uk/the-importance-of-norwich-citys-most-underrated-player/ His ability to break up attacks and get in the face of opposing players which will be vital if we are to survive this season. Trybull is growing into that role as well and we have yet to see what Amadou will add at DM, but for now, with the defensive injuries we have, Tettey will have a vital role in our attempt to turn things around. DF has also singled out Amadou for praise: https://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/canaries-daniel-farke-hails-ibrahim-amadou-1-6334431 That clean sheet just seems to loom larger and larger.
For me Yes Tettey has a role to play, but he is only vital because we have so many injuries. Amadou for me is an upgrade for Tettey and if all our CB's were fit, Tettey's role would be one of a good squad player who should be used sparingly.
Amadou is obviously seen as a possible long term replacement for Tettey, but that depends on us surviving this year and getting some CBs back so we can see him play at DM. For now, Tettey is our most experienced outfield player who brings a canny toughness to midfield we've been missing in the previous games. He was a key player in the ManCity win and could be the same against ManUtd. His role as an emergency CB just adds another string to his bow.
We all hope that Amadou will prove to be "an upgrade for Tettey", but until he gets a run of games at DM we simply don't know. Also, his current loan is due to end in January I believe. I would imagine we'd like to keep him, but will he decide to stay? And regarding Tettey, on-field leadership is a vital commodity which Tettey, our most experienced player, has. DF has given the armband to Ben Godfrey, but leading by example is not the same as experience-based organising of team mates. In theory no-one should need "organising", they should all know exactly what to do in any situation. But that's not where we are as yet.
Yes I think it can be argued that he's an asset defensively, but his tendency to think defence first holds us back going forward. In balance for me the negative effect he seems to have on us going forward is not a price worth paying when our injured defenders start coming back.
Krul is more than capable of providing the necessary experience at the back, arguably he has more experience then Tettey, but more importantly DF said hew was key last season and we've certainly suffered when he hasn't played. I accept Tettey has a role to play but if all our players were fit he struggle to make the bench let alone the starting 11.
That was true under previous managers, but under DF Tettey has turned into a far more positive player and a much better passer - his pass success percentage this season is 87%, the third highest after Godfrey and Hanley. He has adapted well to Farkeball and looks a different player. His leadership is also excellent as shown throughout the Bournemouth and ManCity games. Amadou has potential for that as well, but as yet it's still potential.