Pre-season is sometimes an impossible beast to analyse.
Describing it as a ‘faux form’ of football isn’t hyperbole, with each test being useful for working on specific elements of performance as opposed to operating in a finalised system witm the purpose of victory. Undoubtedly, the primary objective of any pre-season campaign is to restore fitness and ensure tactical instructions are absorbed ahead of the campaign.
In pre-seasons of the recent past, a thunderous Marley Watkins strike against Brighton and some sensational Mario Vrancic performances had whetted the appetite before the harsh realities of the Championship kicked in for both. To an extent, false expectations can be constructed in the offseason, with individual performers impressing without the context of competitive football.
Striking that balance between achieving peak physical condition and absorbing tactical instructions is the ultimate aim for City’s head coach Daniel Farke.
There were welcome returns from injury for Teemu Pukki and Emi Buendia, two major protagonists who the German will hope to have at his disposal come August 9 at Anfield.
Only that behind closed doors friendly against Brentford had blemished an otherwise unbeaten preseason for the Canaries, but Champions League competitors Atalanta proved an altogether different proposition to anything City had faced to date.
Last season, it was Farke’s 4-2-3-1 which caused havoc for opponents, with inverted wingers essentially becoming additional ‘number tens’ with the full-backs being invited to push on and help Norwich dictate possession.
In the last two seasons, Farke has forged a reputation in Norfolk for being a pragmatic coach, someone who can sculpt and craft a team into a competitive outfit, but the emphasis, to an extent, seems to have shifted in terms of style.
Norwich’s survival mission will be based on their ability to adapt to opponents with possession needing to be effective rather than extensive.
The system deployed this time out resembled more of a 4-1-4-1, with Todd Cantwell and Moritz Leitner occupying the more advanced central areas, with Tom Trybull screening the back four. That system, in the opening period, proved successful. In possession, the Canaries executed passages of play with aplomb and precision.
Yet, all of that positive play in the opening period evaporated on the stroke of half time, with Timm Klose’s stray pass culminating in Luis Muriel sweeping the ball beyond Ralf Fahrmann.
There was plenty of food of thought for Farke to digest after a pleasing first-half display, which had somewhat dimmed as the half-developed.
What happened in the second was part of the learning curve City will need to prove they can take on board should they possess ambitions of retaining their Premier League status.
A big caveat is the sheer volume of personnel changes, but City’s lack of structure and the loss of fundamental principles cost them dearly as Atalanta, led by the lively Duvan Zapata, caused chaos.
The result wasn’t pretty.
A cliché it may be but it really was the epitome of a game of two halves.
Fundamentally, it’s the scoreline where eyes will be drawn and where the concerns stem, and there is no doubt Norwich will need to be more responsive to changes in intensity and manage the periods where changes are frequent.
But the nature of this encounter will have proved useful for Farke and his players. They competed well against a Champions League side prior to the break only to be left exposed once the players in that starting eleven were replaced.
What played out was Dennis Srbeny and Patrick Roberts operating out of position, Mario Vrancic getting his first minutes for a while and Kenny McLean as the holding midfielder.
In the first-half, there was no respite for the visitors, with offensive phases of play coming at regular intervals, and the way Todd Cantwell and Mo Leitner located space was at times utterly joyous and Onel Hernandez’s combination with Jamal Lewis proved a huge source of productivity.
Off the ball though, City lacked discipline.
In the second half, for the majority of it their defensive shape was non-existent but to be charitable, the inability to track runners could merely be a side effect of the intensity of pre-season.
Undeniably, there are causes for concern given the defensive woes witnessed at times last season and if Norwich want to survive, the ironing out of those issues will play an integral part.
In top-level football, small mistakes will alter the complexion of a match. Consistency is king and no longer will City get through games unscathed by having just impressive patches within performances. The standard is increasing and with that comes the necessity to eradicate those errors.
Tom Trybull wasn’t as his sparkling best and the failure to track midfield runners contributed to the dismantling of the Canaries’ shape in the second half. After his removal, the shield became almost invisible.
Should Farke wish to secure the services of more talent this summer, with the question marks surrounding defensive nous, one can only wonder how important they regard the addition of a screening midfielder.
City conceded goals last season and that has the potential to become a malignant factor in their bid for survival.
Yet, for all the hysteria and panic this result will create in some quarters, a shining light was undoubtedly the performance of academy graduate Cantwell. Dubbed as ‘one our their own’, the Dereham youngster has received his fair share of criticism for some performances last campaign but adjusting from under 23 football comes with multiple tests, including the mentality and tactical nuances.
His movement was purposeful and intelligent, his football simple, without complication, and his ability to find space was reminiscent of the previous incumbent of the number 14 shirt.
After Cantwell’s encouraging performance against Luton and how he acted as Norwich’s offensive metronome in the opening 45 here, you can only wonder whether he is working himself into Farke’s Anfield plans.
But, going back to the events of last night, context for this encounter is critical.
Prior to any changes, Norwich were going toe to toe with a top Italian side. Pre-season and the need for game time for players ensured this game descended into chaos.
Lessons need to be learnt, but this is all with the caveat of it being pre-season and the unpredictability that comes with it, to an extent, makes analysis impossible. Now’s the time to take stock and count down the curtain-raiser at Anfield but for those minds that are wandering, then Saturday is the perfect hangover cure.
There’s no need for drama or hastiness in writing off City.
That first half needs to be stored for positivity from Farke’s perspective, but the second, and the ugliness of it, illustrates what can unfold when City make fatal errors.
It’s all about levels and ensuring they can retain the standard of their level. From here, a friendly against Toulouse and another test against an opponent who poses a new set of challenges, and then it’s go time.
Norwich head into the Premier League as underdogs, even the data crunching script by BT Sport has already written them off, but they need to cultivate that underdog spirit and replicate the opening 44 minutes of this encounter.
The philosophy balances risk and reward, and that bravery will be a valuable ingredient to staying up.
Hi Connor
A very succinct and accurate summary of last night’s performance.
I would add that Tim Krul will almost certainly start against Toulouse and surely be in the frame for Anfield. He has been there more than once before after all. I wasn’t impressed with Fahrmann if I’m being honest.
The raft of changes didn’t suit us, although it seemed to work wonders for Atalanta. Take nothing away from them – they played extremely well in the second half and although the scoreline flattered them a little they thoroughly deserved their win.
Agree Cantwell was very good – I’d venture to suggest that’s the best I’ve seen from him until he faded. Cool finish too.
VAR? Hmmm. I couldn’t see much wrong in the first place so maybe it was a deliberate “test”. If so, I have no complaints and the verdict appeared quicker than I expected.
I found the atmosphere a bit flat, but with a half-capacity crowd and the fact that it was a friendly the explanation for that is obvious.
There will be less substitutions against Toulouse I would imagine!
Hysteria and panic? Of course not. Legitimate concern. Krull is under absolutely no threat. Away from the better 15 players at the moment it looks like thin gruel, and you want a squad of 25 to have better balance than that. But time yet for recovery from injury, to regain fitness, and most importantly sharpness. I was surprised by the result, shocked more by the performance. Oh dear, i thought. There were good things first half…there were bad things second half. We were friendly indeed. Atalanta decided not to be. A game of two halves, but also a game with two Norwich teams. Truly a Spaghetti Western. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Farke will have learned a lot. As will have Liverpool. A friendly mish-mash next time out will not do, as Farke well knows. Formations, strategy, tactics…all will be undermined by individual errors. As everyone has now seen. Still going for mid-table, but it will require maximum effort all the time. Come on you Yellows!
You can see why fahrmanns German side made him 2nd choice goalie ,his distabution of the ball from dead ball and back passes needs to be addressed. Every tlme he layed the ball out it went straight to one of the fullbacks who was immediately under pressure from a forward,it then went back to the keeper who then layer it out to either other fullback or I a central back who were under pressure immediately
. Hopefully krul will be in goal on Saturday. I hope I, m not being too critical and perhaps fahrmann was playing to orders if so this needs to refined more before we play the likes of
Liverpool and the rest of the premier.
Great piece as always, Connor.
Cantwell has grown in confidence for certain and very few positions are now secure. D F will not go with sentiment at Anfield, last season will be as good as it gets for some,
I wonder how Atalanta compare to the top sides in the Prem? However, our success/failure this season will most likely be defined by results against teams other than the ‘big six’. I reckon we will fair well.
The club seems to be in the best shape, both on and off the field, that I can recall, what a fantastic opportunity awaits. If we can’t do well in the P L this season then we probably never will and will have to grudgingly accept that cash is king and without it, however hard we try, we are destined to fail. I firmly believe we will do very well.
Time to bring it on!
Spot on @Colin M. As you rightly say, this is a defining season for NCFC and all their fans – stay up and all is well in the ‘Canary Nation’ – get relegated and ‘Talksport’ and their pundits will be laughing after their interview with our very own David Freezer aka DDF) and saying ‘I told you, but you wouldn’t listen’
How I’d love to see DDF being proved right and I’m pretty confident that he will be!!
Hi Connor
A good article and completely agreeing with the online reporting of DF last night.
I may be completely wrong in my assumption but last night showed why fruendlies need to be played but also wouldn’t city have been served better by instead of a mish mash if substitutions but having a furst eleven out for the first half then second eleven for the kast 45mins.
There could still have been some refinements made during the second have but it would possibly have had more effect getting players game time is important but so is building up team confidence and last night display would have been a big shock to the system.
Farke has said he is happy with the squad hopefully Webber wasn’t last night and just might have a couple more additions up his sleeve
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
It was very useful being able to watch the streaming last night.
Atlanta clearly grew into the game in the second half and were already in control and leading when we made our first substitutions.
What followed was typical of the PL where a lower half team has lost a narrow lead to one of the big boys and has to chase the game; the final score can be rather unflattering.
It struck me that in Muriel and Gomez, and later Zapata, Atlanta had the level of player we’re likely to see from teams such as Everton, Leicester and Wolves rather than Brighton or Liverpool.
The later changes were obviously disruptive and that both Idah and Srbeny came on in preference to Stieperman suggests that the result was not that important to Farke. I doubt if those 2 will see much serious action before the League Cup. Srbny might well have been off again after that angry shove on Palomino, however justified it appeared on replays.
The were 3 big positives for me. Cantwell in the first half, obviously. I can’t yet see him being picked ahead of Buendia, Leitner, Vrancic or Stiepermann, but he’s a lot closer to challenging than he was even 3 months ago. Sorting the contract out must have taken a big load off his mind.
At the back Ben Godfrey’s reading of the game was superb. At one time I thought he was a red card waiting to happen sort of player – remember Leon Barnett, and how he used to get caught out as last man? Godfrey seems to have got past that now.
But I also thought that Byram was defensively very good. He made 2 or 3 very well-timed tackles – the sort that if you get them slightly wrong you can be in big trouble – and covered across the box very well.. He doesn’t bomb up the touchline the way Aarons does, but at places like Anfield it may be that the full backs will be given less licence to charge forward anyway. I just wonder if, in time, he might slot in to a central holding position.
It will be interesting to see what team and formation appear at the weekend.
Finally, I’m not greatly surprised that most commentators have us down for relegation – they haven’t really seen us play yet, have they? And we haven’t spent the zillions that Wolves did last year.?
Some people seem to be getting wound up about us being “written off”. Personally I couldn’t care two hoots what they say. Anyone making predictions has, by default, got to have somebody in the bottom 3. If they think it will be us, fine. It’ll be all the more satisfying if we can prove them wrong.
I’m with you Keith, always happy we are thought of as the under dog. Proving the pundits wrong should be a great motivator for all involved.
Xmas quiz question – Villa and the Blades were promoted from the Championship in 2019, which other team joined them?
Nice question, Colin … although it’ll be a non-question because our spell in the Prem will be likely erased from the record book 🙂
1p5wich?
When friends in the NW ask how I think we’re going to get on I just go for the old “I’m confident we’ll survive at least 3 seasons” line.
Autumn, winter and spring.
Good analysis. First half was good but we didn’t take our chances – really should have been at least 2 up. I still think we need to buy another central defender and a quick one.
Great summing up Connor.
Amazing to think that for 44 minutes in the first half there seemed to be only one winner…….and then big Timm made his (hopefully) one clanger of the season.
The multi substitutions upset us, but Atalanta seemed to thrive on theirs. I can only think that given the previous result for Atalanta, Swansea are going to have one heck of a season!!
Plus, given his performance last night, if Adam Webster is now supposedly worth around 20m, what price would we expect for Ben Godfrey if he were for sale??
O T B C
Sorry if I missed it, but what was the reason for Patrick and Dennis being played out of position?