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And what does it all mean? Not a fat lot right now, if truth be told…

26th July 2007 By theexpert Leave a Comment

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Pre-season results matter not a jot once you get down to the real business on the first day of a new season.

You can look like Real Madrid and smash teams all over the park in friendly games, only to be left with red faces when you find that it isn't quite as easy once the action gets competitive and really matters.

Similarly, pitching yourselves against a higher standard of opposition during pre-season to really test yourselves but continually being beaten, doesn't necessarily mean that you won't be able to turn things around once the actual campaign gets underway against theoretically easier opponents.

So while no-one expected City to be beaten down at Exeter a couple of weeks ago – it was still a shock though I have to admit, no matter what the circumstances! – and as pleasing as the goal-fests were against Lowestoft and King's Lynn last week, little should be read into any of those games in all fairness.

They were nothing more than fitness workouts and chance to gain some match sharpness, and considering the amount of new faces that have arrived here at Norwich this summer, ideal “get to know you” exercises.

Likewise over in Holland this week.

A change of scenery and a different style of opposition brings its own benefits.

The 2-0 win against AGOVV Apeldoorn proved to be a solid enough display, while the 2-1 defeat against FC Zwolle will have kept Canary feet firmly on the ground, and what this mini tour will have hopefully done is focused the players' minds on the job in hand while at the same time allowing them to take a semi-surreptitious look around the rest of the squad at potential competition for their places.

But now it's time to get serious and really hone things into shape.

City boss Peter Grant has certainly done the right thing so far in having a look at various formations and systems ahead of the big kick-off at Preston, seeing as for the majority of his time here at Norwich he's basically had no other option but to play whomever has been fit and available and in whatever formation he thought best on the day whilst trying to drag the Canaries away from a relegation battle.

To be honest, if you'd asked him what his strongest starting XI was and which formation he thought best suited his squad at any time last term he probably wouldn't have been able to tell you, and so this is why it's vital that he uses these pre-season matches appropriately in order that he is confidently able to answer both those questions before August 11th.

Grant has deployed the Canaries in 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 set-ups, rotated all of his players and used several of them in various positions so far, but the upcoming games against West Ham and Vitesse Arnhem next week will more than likely reveal all the answers as to how we can expect to see City embark on what will hopefully be a long overdue crack at those top six places in the table in a fortnight's time.

The starting line-up for Deepdale and the preferred pattern of play should virtually be in place by now, meaning that these final two workouts ought to be little more than a chance to tidy up one or two bits and pieces.

I for one will certainly be watching closely, to see, that is, if we can all look forward to this new campaign with any genuine optimism.

Because although new faces have arrived by the bucketful ? which was clearly needed – but is the quality there and can Grant mould them all into a much improved team on last season?


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