After an indifferent start to 2020-21, Norwich City’s season has certainly picked up momentum. But how well is Daniel Farke really doing in the Championship?
Let’s compare his record with the managers who’ve managed NCFC in the second tier since Ron Saunders first won the division in 1971-72.
NB. Data covers City’s performance in the second tier only. League matches and play-offs are included but cup matches and friendlies are not. Managers with fewer than 20 games in charge have been excluded.
For interest, I’ve shown both Daniel Farke’s overall second-tier record since he arrived in 2017 – and his record for just this season so far up to and including the 0-0 v Millwall on 3 November 2020 (although that does total fewer than 20 games).
Let’s check out the charts…
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Overall Win Percentage
Winning every other game is a challenge in this division but so far Farke is managing precisely that, which is excellent.
His overall record is slightly lower at 46.1% (still very impressive), but only the legendary Ken Brown (56.0%) and an on-fire Alex Neil (52.5%) have a better win record than Daniel has this season.
Overall Loss Percentage
Again, superb stuff from the Farkester. His record this season (20.0%: losing only one in five) and his overall record (23.5%: losing less than one in four) cements him two places in the top four of this table.
The sublime and much-missed John Bond is in third with 21.0% and highly successful jibber, Jock McTurncoat, tops the shut-out pops losing barely one in six (17.4%).
Despite everything, Lambert was a phenomenon and we’ll always have fond memories of his glorious time here.
Average Goals Scored Per Game
Farke has a reputation of producing teams filled with deliriously goal-happy netbusters but, unfortunately, the stats don’t really back this up. This season so far has been disappointing, barely scoring a goal a game.
His overall record is better though at six goals every four, so there’s room for optimism. Ahead of him in the table are Martin O’Neill, Ken Brown (again), Paul Lambert (och, widja bleevit mon), Alex Neil (McDitto), and Neil Adams slightly surprisingly topping the lot at almost two goals a game.
Average Goals Conceded Per Game
Farke has responded to criticism of possible defensive frailties in the best way possible. This season so far he tops the charts for the fewest goals conceded (against any second-tier NCFC manager over the last 50 years!). That’s no mean achievement. Long may it last.
John Bond, Ken Brown, and Ron Saunders also had terrific defensive records and occupy second, third, and fourth in the table respectively. It’s no coincidence that that was the Duncan Forbes and Dave Stringer era. Wonderfully tough and effective players.
Would you turn away a 24-year-old Forbes or Stringer if they came rapping at the manager’s door tomorrow? Didn’t think so.
In summary, Farke is doing well, really well – even when compared with such historically illustrious figures from the past. Not bad. Not bad at all.
FIngers crossed it keeps going.
OTBC.
Interesting read. Farke’s has had a better start this season. I think we lost 3 of the first five last time round, coinciding plenty too. I think this will be a good season without the frills of last time. Lambert has done nothing since he left Norwich – was worse when Culverhouse and Karsa left him. For me, those two were as much responsible for us going up as he was, after all, the subs that got us many points – Lambert admitted they were down to Culverhouse.