My original plan was to encapsulate my thoughts on the whole season in the post-Wednesday piece but by the time Atdhe Nuhiu had bullied home his second goal on the hour mark last Sunday,that idea had been knocked on the head.
An objective analysis in the direct aftermath of such a spineless effort would have been both impossible and probably unreadable, so, I’m sorry, you’re getting it today instead. As ever, some will think I’m being too harsh, others will accuse me of happy clapping, so I’m prepared for whatever comes my way 🙂
A year ago most of us were in the grip of a mixture of excitement and trepidation (trepicitement?) The club had – bravely it has to be said – taken a new, innovative path; one that in these parts had no precedent.
It was a leap of faith into the unknown and given what transpired under Alex Neil, whose overall approach was about as traditional as it gets, this new Germanic themed direction had a certain appeal. It did to me anyway and I can’t recall there being too many dissenting voices.
In some ways, we knew so little about Daniel Farke and his team it was hard to be too critical. His coaching CV, while still in its formative stages, was quietly impressive and at the time we were all dreaming of him taking us down the David Wagner/Huddersfield route. He still might.
Looking back, however, the clues that this was not going to be a march to the top six were there early doors. A massive turnover of staff, playing and non-playing, was always destined to create uncertainty, especially when, in terms of quality, those departing were generally of a higher pedigree than those arriving.
The theory of replacing a departing player with one who is not quite as good tends to head you in a certain direction… but, before anyone reminds me, not always.
Christoph Zimmermann, as it happened, was to be one of the season’s success stories but to be bringing in a German centre-back from their fourth tier was a salutary reminder of the markets in which we were shopping. Only a few seasons previous we were being linked with the likes of Toby Alderweireld and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Admittedly, neither of those big names were even close to coming to fruition – and one could argue that time spent trying to negotiate such deals was time wasted that could have been used to try and secure realistic targets – but for the sights to be shifted from internationals or international-in-waiting to the German regional divisions was seismic, however it’s spun.
Of course, our world has shifted 180 degrees since those heady days of Premier League cash and minus any alternative forms of funding (another piece for another day), last summer was the start of the club preparing itself for now – May 2018 – when the money tap gets turned off for the final time.
Zimmermann’s arrival – and I love the guy – was the epitome of this new era. The poster boy.
The influx of more Germans was inevitable – it was a market that Stuart Webber had already acquainted himself with and it would have been insane not to utilise Daniel Farke’s knowledge of his native leagues – although, to be fair, the rest had plied their trade at higher echelons than Zimmermann. But, compared to the existing squad members and those departing, this lot were as cheap as chips.
That only Marcel Franke from that group – which was subsequently joined by Mo Leitner, Onel Henandez and Dennis Sbreny – was a red buzzer signing was a result in itself (some will be screaming ‘Stiepermann’ at me but I’m reserving judgement on one who, for several games, did a sterling job in the unfamiliar position of left-back).
Of all the summer signings, the clear winner of the red buzzer award was Marley Watkins – ironically the one we all expected to hit the ground running given his experience and Championship pedigree. He was closely followed by another in that same category – James Husband, although I have a feeling that were it not for the emergence of Jamal Lewis, the ex-Boro man could have grown into the role.
Through necessity, we may yet find that out over the next twelve months.
One area where Webber did manage to bring in quality was through his clever use of loan players from teams playing at higher levels – a knack he used to good effect at Huddersfield. Angus Gunn and Harrison Reed both arrived on the premise that Norwich City would merely be a stepping stone on their development journey, and in both cases it was a triumph.
Both contributed wholeheartedly to the cause while getting game time and Championship experience. Win-win. Mo Leitner latterly came into that same category albeit, rather than to gain experience, his arrival was on the premise of resurrecting a career that promised much but had stalled.
Looking ahead for a second, key loan signings are sure to play a massive part over the next couple of seasons.
Having assembled a squad that was, in hindsight, probably not quite fit for purpose – an over-reliance on an emerging James Maddison became ever more obvious as the season unfolded – another area of contention was the style of play.
From the word go Webber and Farke made no secret of their desire for a possession-based game with City working the ball methodically and patiently through the thirds. Some baulked at it from the word go, but I was fully on board. Still am.
Where it fell down was largely around the pace with which the ball was shifted. Weaving pretty patterns is fine if there is a purpose to it, but to shift it from A to B and back to A and then repeat only works if ultimately it creates an overload or works an opening. Part of Farke’s learning curve was identifying how this style could be adapted to cope with the intensity and brutality of the Championship.
In those fraught opening weeks, when we shipped goals for fun at The Den and Villa Park, there was a distinct lack of appreciation of the quirks of the English second tier, not just in terms of style but also in terms of physicality.
Farke did learn however and defensive solidity coincided with Alex Tettey’s return to the fold and an acceptance of the need for a two-man defensive shield in front of the back-four (as it was then). Grant Hanley’s arrival too helped although, initially, his contributions were peripheral.
In addition ,however, to the well-intentioned but lacking-in-oomph tiki-taka style, was a lack of goals, borne for large swathes of the season of a lack of chances. There were signs as the season drew to a disappointing close that Farke had found a way of making us a little more potent but at no stage did we ever look full of goals.
Much has been made of the coach’s dearth of attacking choices and how he inherited his striking options rather than created them, but the problem runs deeper than just blaming Nelson Oliveira for being sulky and greedy (he’s both) or seeing Cameron Jerome as a willing runner who runs his guts out but can’t score for toffee.
In the same way CamJam has enjoyed a new lease of life at Derby, who incidentally don’t hesitate in slinging a blind cross into the box, I have a feeling that if /when Nelson departs we will again find ourselves looking on enviously, asking ‘why didn’t he do that for us?’
I’m not yet prepared to write off Sbreny – Mario Vrancic took six months to acclimatise after all – but the signs of him being the answer were fleeting, again not helped by the fact that being a striker in this set-up is a hellishly difficult ask.
I’d be interested to know what type of striker, or strikers, are on the shopping list and what sort of players Farke deployed up top at Borussia Dortmund II. I can’t decide if it needs to be a big lump, who will pin the centre-backs and offer a platform to play off, or one of the lightning quick, ‘darty’ variety.
Either way, along with the new faces – whoever they may be – needs to be a shift in the methodology of creating chances and a greater propensity to take them when they arrive (yes, every other team will be looking to do precisely that too).
The biggie, of course, is how to make these changes to the squad on fresh air alone. Whether the club will be in a position to raise enough cash to plug the financial black hole, let alone have any left over to help refresh the existing squad, is a moot point for now but with some big names mopping up some even bigger mounds of cash while contributing absolutely zilch to the cause it’s a bloody difficult task.
I don’t envy Steve Stone and Webber in having to juggle all of the above with the hand they have been dealt.
We do need new faces, however, not least in said striking department, but what we don’t need is a turnover of players on the scale of last summer. We’ve been through a revolution, this time round it needs to be evolution. To start again would mean overcoming the teething troubles all over again – and I’m not sure any of us have the stomach for that.
The returning Ben Godfrey and Carlton Morris should at least offer a freshness to the group, as will a fit-again Louis Thompson, and Aberdeen’s Kenny McLean arrives with an ever-burgeoning reputation, but still, there’s a feeling of stepping further into the unknown.
As I’ve said several times before, I’m hoping for the best but genuinely can’t decide if we’re on the brink of something disastrous or something awesome, or something in-between.
So, season 2017/18 had its moments, but for every high there were at least a couple of lows. For season 2018/19 to be an improvement that ratio needs to be reversed.
Hhmm.
Good thoughtful piece, but left me the same questions. what are we in for in the season ahead . I and a friend were mulling over things City, the other day, After several coffees and a beer, I do believe in amongst much chopping and changing points. Changing our minds when another point came up we had not thought of, I think we came up with Something in Between .
Perhaps a little like what we have had, with some improvements.
Hope I am wrong, that it all clicks into place and we show the league how it is done.. That’s my dream anyways .
I struggle with the latest rumour Jordan Rhodes. there has to be a large cut in his wage, but perhaps 1st team football will help lower his demands. But cannot see it myself at 28.
Next year is a step into the unknown and we will find answers to questions that we have not even identified yet. We could find out whether the Tettey contract extension was to enable Godfrey to play in defence or to give Thompson time to recover. We could see exactly how big the financial hole is and whether we can fill it. I still get a sense of this being 1999 revisited but even looking at those dark days players like Holt, Drury and Mackay emerged to help transform a no-hoper team into champions. In a kind moment I even think that the sometimes aimless sideways passing of Hamilton gave a confidence on the ball to players to take a step up the ladder (happened in 1992 too) and could happen again
I think Tom Trybull needs a positive mention as a real bonus of Farke knowing the German players well. It seems to me that striker(s) and right back are the major gaps in the squad so may not be a matter of bringing in that many new faces. It depends on who leaves.
The number of surplus squad members is interesting with Naismith, Martin, Wildshut, Mcgovern presumably not in the coach’s plans. Doubt if many would mourn the loss of Oliveira and Watkins if they depart. Obviously the loss of Maddison is likely to be the big one along with Gunn although hopefully Matthews is ready to step in there.
So i am not so sure we will see Farke having to start again will a very different group of players next season and the way in which they have kept Tettey must give some ground for optimism that they are determined to hang on to those who they feel can contribute positively.
A very good assessment I thoroughly agree with.
The key may well be finding some way of disposing of Naismith and Martin, Wildschut too, although if the relatively inexperienced Remi Matthews starts next season (which seems likely) it might not be too detrimental to have McGovern around as back-up during his final contracted season. I feel we could live with that as his dough isn’t in the Naismith bracket.
I can see a merry-go-round of incoming and out going loan shuffles tbh.
What will pan out is simply impossible to predict!
Martin, loans can be helpful as we have seen this season and I would like to see Reo Griffin from Spurs for the season. Has outscored Kane at every level for them and they could let him go out on loan. We just might not be their choice of club after the Edwards debacle?
Hi Alex
I think we have to read between the lines concerning Marcus Edwards. It seemed like it was an arrangement destined to fail from a very early stage.
Very much doubt Tottenham would hold the failure of that loan against us in terms of any future arrangements. He’s their player and they know him better than we do so I doubt Spurs were too surprised when it didn’t work out.
Never heard of Reo Griffin, honestly.
Sorry Martin got his surname wrong see below
Harry Kane is the star of the show at Spurs right now but it is wonderkid Reo Griffiths they’re in danger of losing.
Another stunning showing from the 17-year-old forward saw him net four goals and claim three assists as their Under-18s thrashed rivals Arsenal 9-0 in a league game, although the Gunners did leave out some starlets owing to their impending FA Youth Cup final.
Nevertheless, Griffiths is creating plenty of hype with his goal-bothering performances, which has seen him net 23 goals in 18 Under-18 Premier League games this campaign, having hit 11 in 17 last year.
This kind of form has, of course, seen him attract interest and, with his contract seemingly set to run out unless a new deal can be confirmed, it appears RB Leipzig are frontrunners for his signature.
Ex-Spurs head of recruitment Paul Mitchell is tailing the teen for the Bundesliga side but what else do we know about Griffths? talkSPORT takes a look…
Name: Reo Griffiths
Date of birth: June 27, 2000
Position: Forward
Club: Tottenham
International appearances: England Under-17 international
Did you know?
1) The forward hit seven braces and two hat-trick across all competitions this season before scoring four against Arsenal’s Under-18s.
2) Although Griffiths has been in incredible form for Spurs, he’s only played one minute of international football at Under-17 level – at last May’s European Championship.
3) Griffiths spent time with Leyton Orient before being snapped up and joining the Tottenham Hotspur academy.
4) As well as being a hotshot striker, the 17-year-old can also play out wide if needed and has captained the Under-18s in some matches under manager Scott Parker.
Video evidence
Tottenham Hotspur
Reo Griffiths
If a striker wants to see his goals dry up, then go to Norwich City. Farke’s (failed) system does not play to a strikers strengths to such an extent that when watching Norwich, it looks like we have no strikers at all!!!
An excellent read this Sunday morning and I agree with your summary.
Gary, if last summer was the start of the project to bring City in line with FFP and this so-called self-financing model, lets hope we can see some major progress this summer.
In a couple of articles, I have commented on City missing out on the young striker at Luton who went to Peterborough by the name of Marriott who continued his scoring and could now be out of City’s financial reach.
Luton have another striker by the nane of Hylton – not as prolific but still knows how to score – but will they be willing to do a deal after the problems with the loan back of Abrahams?
Peterborough have a player that can be the replacement for Maddison by the name of Maddison – not scored as many as ours but still put a few away.
Those that left have been missed but as a City supporter for over 50 years I am used to players leaving not in such vast numbers but we have always been a buy cheap, sell high club, and again always sold emerging talent Sutton, Bellamy, Fox and many others. During the Chase times, City sold more million pound players than any other club so I read – we never got full value for Bruce or Watson who both went on to have great careers.
Some comments allude to going from the top scores in the Championship to the lowest in 2 seasons – that is sad but the nature of the game. Players’ form comes and goes, it is their attitude that makes them a team player.
Oliveria has had numerous loans and never turned it on comes to City has a good loan period and gets a permanent deal. He must be every manager’s nightmare and has had 8 or 9 of them in a short career.
CJ – never the greatest or consistent goal scorer City has had but what a team player – if Oliveria had half of the effort that CJ put in he would have been world class.
I was sorry to see CJ leave but his time was up – not much game time, playing out of position all contributed to his lack of goals. So far his time at Derby is proving Cityjust might have let him go too soon but the Derby fans haven’t taken to him in the league but he might be turning it around in the playoffs. City got a good fee plus add-ons for promotion.
Let’s all hope that City find some gems either in Europe or the lower leagues. Give Raggett, Godfrey, Thompson time to prove themselves in the championship – Morris shows that he can possibly score for us and that Abrahams or Fonkeu get a chance to impress.
My overwhelming wish is that the board puts some much need loans in the club to kick-start the transfers for next season, but I will not hold my breath on that.
Alex, I don’t recall Nelson being signed on an initial loan deal. From memory he was a 5 million pound signing. He didn’t break into the team until October,
I could be wrong. ?
Hi, Chris, I was under the assumption that he was on loan until the January but I am wrong.
Just googled it and it was a permanent signing and scored his first goal in Dec 16.
That’s what I thought Alex. Couldn’t be sure though!
Danny Hylton is 29 years old & has been knocking around the lower leagues his whole career. He looked decent when I saw him a few years back so I’ve kept a bit of an eye on him but I can’t see him being the answer
I was using him as an example that there are still a few in the lower leagues that need to be given a chance, but his ex partner Marriott would have possible been a good gamble last summer
Abrahams was signed form Leyton Orient so I doubt that the failure of the loan-back deal will have soured relations with Luton Town.
My mistake typo error
‘Naive’ leagues must be the most insightful typo of the season! 😉
Ha! … cheers for the heads up Keith. I’d love to say it was deliberate…
Ha! from me too. I didn’t notice it on first read but did on second.
There was, perhaps, a case for “stet” as Brodie suggests.
😀
Didn’t Farke pinpoint lack of pace in the striking department as the reason the team isn’t quite able to implement what he wants? But good luck finding a pacey goal scorer on our budget! Would have to be a younger loanee you’d think.
@CraigBailey – How about Morris/Abrahams???
Let’s hope BOTH might be involved in pre-season
I hope we receive better entertainment next season because I’m fed up being charged premiership prices to watch a very boring experiment!
A thought provoking piece from the editor. Grand read.
My thoughts on the ownership are well known and shred by many.
Reasons to be cheerful? A few little strands to cling to, some shafts of light in the gloom?
I’m currently watching Aberdeen making a good fist of beating Celtic at park head. McLean is yet again giving a very good account of himself and is getting fulsome praise from the commentators. He actually looks rather good.
Hanley, the granite hard pivot, Astonishing pace, tough, an excellent leader, header of the ball, a best in class in the championship. If anyone at the club considers an incoming enquiry for his services they are not fit to be at carrow road.
Tettey, probably only good for 20 games next season. I would wager we will garner more points from those 20 fixtures than the 26 he sits out.
Vrancic. An early masterclass against QPR proved he had ability. He just didn’t show much of it until the last 6 weeks of the season, whereupon he became our most consistent player.
With however many of the likes of Klose, Lewis, Murphy, Nelson, pinto can be salvaged, we have the makings of a half decent starting eleven.
Let’s see what unfolds.
Add trybull to the list. It goes to prove there are still good,players at the club.
The squad looks very thin though.
Congratulations, Gary. At least so far, you seem to have satisfied both the sceptic and happy clapper wings of the Canary family. I’m in the latter category, of course, and can’t fault your summary. Very fair and balanced.
On the other hand, I did say “so far”…
One recurring idea that I really can’t agree with is that Morris is part of the answer to our striking problem.
He’s had 5 years since the Youth Cup to make a break through, and in that time, assuming Wiki is correct, has scored 14 goals in 98 games (i.e. 1 in 7), all at a much lower level than top end of the Championship.
Do people really believe he’s going to leap from a mighty 6 goals in League One to at least double, preferably treble, that in the Championship?
He’s 22. Genuinely talented strikers normally show themselves at 18 – 20. OK, there’s the odd Holt or Vardy – but they leave clubs like ours, fit tyres or whatever, live on peanuts for a while, and that’s what motivates them to get back later.
If there is a youngster who really has the talent to burst through at the level we’re at it’s surely more likely to be Adam Idah.
I agree regarding Carlton, Keith.
However, oddly enough he has just had a monster of a game for Shrewsbury against charlton, scoring the winner and battering the centre halves for 70 minutes. He showed good touches and clearly relished winding up Bowyer and the charlton coaching staff. A big factor I think in the Shrewsbury win.
If only he had scored 7 or 8 more goals during the season, we might look upon him more favourably. Given the leniency of referees at this level, the physicality of both Morris and Godfrey would prove quite a shock to some of the bully boys who had fun at our expense bending the rules last season.
Yes I agree, Keith, I expect that we may well see Adam Idah in the first team squad before Carlton Morris. I would assume both will be given opportunity in pre-season to see how they fare, and this is probably the last season for Morris to make it with City, or be allowed to go elsewhere. Idah is already a big lad (as is Morris), and indications are Idah probably has more goals in him.
On the RB position, it would seem that may depend if Harrison Reed returns, which Farke has already said he would like, or not. If he does return, then maybe Pinto would be allowed ot leave, though I for one will be sorry to see him go at this point. He has always been one of those players always giving of his best, and I see no reason why more can still not be expected of him.
In the middle of the park, if Trybull has less injuries, and there is any likelihood of Leitner returning, Trybull matched with Godfrey/ Tettey, and Leitner in front with Maclean and Vrancis, also offering options, then there may be life after Maddison. Onus will be on that group in particular moving the ball more quickly, and getting used to playing with each other much more.
With regard to the strikers, as you say Gary, it is not just about the personnel, but more balls being played through to them as passes or crosses. If Srbeny is still here, then Idah/ Morris, it is really just one striker, who is clearly able to find the net, that is needed. How to find that person I imagine is the main question that will preoccupy Webber/ Farke and the scouting team in the coming 6 weeks.
At the back Matthews, perhaps with McGovern still as back up, if he is prepared to accept that, seems ok to me…. And all in all I don’t think this is a bad squad, with the CBs also already there. There are enough good technical people and playmakers amongst them. What they do need is to find more chemistry between them this season, that allows them to play with the ingredient missing this season, a faster and more directed pace. Ironically for me it is less the personnel that is the real issue for the coming season (other than the striker), but the question of whether Farke can now work with this group who have mostly been together a season now, and really inject that change in pace and style (using the wings better too) that’s needed.
Personally I don’t understand what our new approach is.
Perhaps incorrectly I always thought a Sporting / Football Director existed to dictate a style, the type of players we’d sign, and provide continuity between managers.
Instead we seem to have a situation where we’ve brought in a manager on a two year contract, have then set about revamping the entire squad to fit his ‘philosophy’, which by the time we’re done Farke could walk. There’s also no evidence the players we can afford, or the coach, can pull this philosophy off, or that it even consistently works in this division.
IMHO it would have been easier to find a manager that could utilize the players we had and tweak, hell Irvine saw immediate results doing just that.
We’re also in a strange situation where there appears to be a divide in the players purchased between “Farke” and “Webber” players.
Perhaps my expectations are wrong, I just don’t understand our setup or how we’re going to achieve our goals, when going into our third Webber transfer window we need to replace around half of the first team players on a shoestring. And while I appreciate Reed and Gunn played well for us unless we buy them we’ve lost a season bedding in permanent players. Even if they would be a lower standard.
I just don’t see the common sense of saying that Nelson and Jerome didn’t fit into the philosophy and therefore we need to replace them. Yet just the season before they bagged nearly 30 goals between them. So with no budget, let’s just say it’s the players fault, sell them, and hope the next two guys can do it (which, btw the next guy was Srbeny).
Dave: I haven’t heard the divide between “Farke” and “Webber” players before – perhaps you could elaborate?
In one sentence you seem to highlight the need for severe cutting of the playing budget; in the next you seem to ignore it. If Irvine had stayed, he’d have had to make the cuts. Would he have ever started Maddison (he chose not to when he had the chance)? Would he have elevated Jamal Lewis (he never showed any interest)? Are you saying Irvine would have addressed our defensive record, cut £25m from the budget, and still got Jerome and Oliveira to score 30-odd goals? Quite a leap of imagination.
Farke’s contract is a bit of a red herring. He’ll stay if his approach is paying off – we’ll have a much better sense of that after the summer, the third of the four transfer windows Webber (completely echoed by Farke) said he needed. You seem to see – or perhaps want to see – division between them. Whether it ultimately works or not, I’d say there’s closer chemistry and shared view between Webber, Farke and Steve Stone than we’ve seen for a long time at Norwich.
Cheers
Let me elaborate. The divide is between the players identified (not between the players themselves). I think some players are clearly ones Farke said he wanted and those who he’d been given. I’d suggest the ones he wanted are given far more chances.
Anyway, the larger point is this. We have an ‘innovative structure’, that actually looks remarkably like a completely regular structure. Manager picks the team, manager picks the style, manager has a heavy hand in the players purchased. We can call him ‘coach’ all you want, but how is this particularly different to what we had?
“Are you saying Irvine would have addressed our defensive record, cut £25m from the budget, and still got Jerome and Oliveira to score 30-odd goals? Quite a leap of imagination.”
Well, firstly, we had Jerome and Oliveira on the books already, so that is completely separate to budget or defense. Irvine also had the team banging in goals, so yes, he may well have kept it up.
Could Irvine have slashed the budget, well, as we all know, many contracts were up , so those same people would have gone regardless. Is it outlandish to think he could have sold a few other players as per Webber (Murphy, Pritchard, Howson)? Isn’t that what most managers do?
As for the defense. Let’s just remember that Webber and Farke’s original answer to the defense problem completely failed, and they had to get an emergency patch (Hanley). Two of Webber’s contract signings were so bad they were sent from the club (Martin & Franke). I’d also suggest the defense still hasn’t been fully patched on recent evidence.
It’s worth noting this. Irvine beat Reading 7-1 with a starting 11 featuring 7 players still on the books this season. Same number of players when he beat QPR 4-0 in the last game of the season.
So could Irvine have cut costs while staying competitive and scoring goals? Yes, it doesn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to think so.
Perhaps ‘innovative’ was a little heavy-handed on my part, but I fail to see how the ‘new’ (is it ok to call it that?) structure resembles one of the regular/traditional variety. Farke’s remit is generally limited to first-team on-field matters, with Webber responsible for overseeing the wider structure, the long-term vision and transfer activity. Of course, Farke will feed into this but it seems fairly clear to me where their duties start and finish.
Let me do this..
“Hughton’s remit is generally limited to first-team on-field matters, with McNally’s responsible for overseeing the wider structure, the long-term vision and transfer activity.”
Not wholly inaccurate. Hughton would have had more say on the transfers than Farke now does, but McNally was an overseer for all signings and the scouting teams (I believe). How well McNally did the sporting side can certainly be debated.
Well, Irvine showed no inclination to start Maddison, no interest in Academy players such as Lewis and no interest in loans or overseas players. So he wouldn’t have had Gunn, Reed, Lewis, Zimmermann, Vrancic, Trybull, or likely Maddison at his disposal. Would he really have used the modest outlay on those players just as effectively?
I’d say it’s a fair stretch.