I wasn’t really sure where to start when tasked with previewing yesterday’s game. We all knew what was just around the Etihad corner, so to try and paint a rosy-ish picture before a ball had even been kicked wasn’t the easiest of tasks.
I concluded the piece by suggesting the scoreline wouldn’t be as gloomy as Mark Lawrenson’s official prediction and that if we could emerge with spirit and belief intact having played some decent stuff and enjoyed a few good moments then it would be job done.
As ever, I was wrong on all counts.
As it transpired, Lawrenson was generous in predicting only a 3-0 defeat and there were hardly any ‘good moments’ on which to look back on with pride. And I’m not sure I dare even venture anywhere near the impact yesterday’s demolition may have had on the collective spirit and belief – not to mention what impact those two results may have on any potential new signings.
Our season won’t, of course, be defined by these opening two games. With 36 still to go and with two of the hardest four games of the season already behind us, the season is only really now beginning but even when locking horns with teams in a different stratosphere to ourselves, nothing good can come of being timid, subservient and passive.
But our City were all of those things.
The collective view of our critics and the pundits – “too nice” … “too easy to play against” … “too easily bullied” – was played out to perfection as at times the Canaries resembled, in basketball terms, the Washington Generals – the hapless opponents sent out with the sole task of being humiliated by the Harlem Globetrotters.
The stats, of which Daniel Farke usually takes great pride, are not recommended for anyone of a nervous disposition but one that did resonate was the fouls for and against – 13 made by Man City, just seven made by the Canaries.
Now no one wants this iteration of Norwich City to transform into a side that prides itself on kicking lumps out of opponents – not that it would ever happen under Farke’s watch – and, ordinarily, the number of fouls made is an irrelevant statistic, but when you’ve just been pumped 5-0 you would expect there to have been a sense of frustration and, maybe, anger that would manifest itself in a meaty challenge or two.
But no. Seven fouls in 94 minutes, which in itself tells a little story.
Man City are a brilliant team. Of course they are. They should be. In terms of financial might and the ability to spend what amounts to a limitless transfer pot, they are in a different stratosphere to Norwich.
And so we expect them to be better than us. We expected to lose. We just didn’t expect the performance we were given. There are teams against whom we will be battling to avoid the relegation places who will go to the Etihad and play with more spirit and verve than we did yesterday.
We’re realists in the Canary Nation, especially when in the Premier League, and an old mate summed it up perfectly prior to kick-off in a far more eloquent and concise way than I attempted in my preview:
Alas, the only part of Phil’s tweet that came to fruition was that defeat was taken on the chin. To score a goal requires more than a single shot that sails harmlessly into row Z.
But it was the not-being-able-to-lay-a-glove on Man City that stung the most. Their mesmeric passing patterns are well known and the whole week at Colney will have been based around either trying to limit them or, at least, maintain a solid defensive shape when said patterns are occurring.
Unfortunately, a midfield three of Pierre Lees-Melou, Billy Gilmour and Lukas Rupp with Milot Raschica and Todd Cantwell operating just in front of them were unable to stem the sky blue tide, as they were passed around and through with far too much ease and compliance.
Even more painful and costly was the way Man City were able, mainly through Kyle Walker, to isolate our chosen left-back – Giannoulis in the first half, Mumba in the second – and whip a ball inside that gap between him and Gibson.
When it happens it’s hellishly difficult to defend against, which is why at Premier League level it’s rarely seen. We succumbed four times.
Norwich’s other big problem, of course, was ball retention. It’s one thing to inflict our own eye-catching passing patterns on teams in the Championship but as we have discovered in our opening two games, it’s infinitely more difficult to beat that high press and ‘get out’ when said press is being undertaken by the world’s best.
As a result, the Canaries were rarely able to get beyond that first line and when they did the second wave came in and invariably forced us to cough up possession. They were all guilty of it but Lukas Rupp – who along with Giannoulis was hooked at half-time – was more guilty than most, and looked simply unable to operate under that level of intensity.
That surgery is needed in the base of that midfield has been well documented and is, hopefully, being addressed. Right now, Gilmour is being asked to temporarily fulfil a role that takes away almost totally his ability to create.
On so few occasions did we make it into the final third it’s impossible to comment on what improvements are needed. Teemu Pukki’s role has come into question, not least because of a couple of good cameos from Josh Sargent, but so isolated was the Finn yesterday it seems a little premature to cast too much doubt over his place in the starting XI.
Just like the rest of the team, Teemu will have 36 better days and should be judged when the playing field is more level.
But aside from the obvious disappointment at being tonked, I was left with that same uneasy feeling that always accompanies a Norwich away-day at the Etihad. We invariably lose, it’s invariably by an embarrassing scoreline, and we’re invariably left with that sense of ‘how the hell do we compete?’
I mean, fair play to the Man City faithful for feigning excitement and wonder, but other than in their home games against Liverpool and Manchester United, surely they simply expect to win and win handsomely? So great are all the advantages they possess. Imagine Norwich City playing week in, week out in the Thurlow Nunn Premier. That.
The playing field is not just uneven; teams like Norwich are tasked with tackling a 45-degree incline, and there’s no way that can be good for the wider game. Two teams in the same division, one starting the day at 25/1 for the win. That’s healthy?
If days like yesterday drag the European Super League mark II that little bit closer, then maybe that’s no bad thing. But that’s a column for another day.
In there here and now, there are some wounds to be licked before Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup game against Bournemouth. While it does give Farke a chance to get some minutes in the legs of those on the fringes, it also offers the chance for those same players to force themselves into the reckoning for Leicester.
Nothing has happened so far to make anyone a shoo-in. While Farke will not panic and will see two incredibly difficult games against the best two teams in the land for what they are, he will still be smarting and will want and expect more.
But let’s not panic. No one is relegated after two games. Equally, let’s not kid ourselves – some major improvements are needed before we can consider ourselves competitive.
Just 36 to go.
No panic but the warning signs are flashing. Let’s not forget Newcastle as well as Liverpool and Man City. We are a soft touch. We need some nastiness in the DM position. Whisper it, maybe commit the odd foul? You have to earn the right to play pretty football. We probably need two in case one gets injured. Oh yes and Rupp and Zimbo nowhere near the team. Have we learned the lessons? No. Farke still does not have his gun. Every week that goes by makes his task more difficult. If Pukki is out of form give Sargeant a chance.
Yep – fair point about Newcastle. Overlooked that one but, as you say, was the start of this pattern emerging.
I agree with wish for “Effectiveness at set pieces – both ends”. We’ve been pretty useless at these since Farke joined. And Webber has had enough wimdows to address the height issue. Villa appointed a set piece coach this summer and scored after a good throw in yesterday.
Yet we’d never touch someone like Aiden Flint
The Harlem globetrotters occurred to me a couple times during the game too. As did a game my sons team had this season against a very weak side. They too passed the ball backwards from the kick off and then never got out of their own half before they were behind. I think it was 6 minutes yesterday and psychologically we were already beaten by the time our opponents passed the ball briefly over the halfway line before strolling back over it. I had no expectations we would get anything from the game but surely we have it in us to chase and harrie an opposition more than we did yesterday. Pukki in particular didn’t seem particularly interested in doing this and meant the City defenders could leisurely stroll around before launching each attack. The other worry for me was we still persevere with the back 4 and Krul trying to play out from the back which future opponents must be licking their lips.
As I’ve stated in another thread we need more aggression,we are too nice,not enough fouls,no yellow cards.lessons have not been learnt from the last epl season.Wise up everyone from top to bottom or we will be lucky to get even 15 points this season!
We need to address the fact that we’ve lost our two best players in Skipp and Buendia. That would ruin any team: they were so key to ball retention and we haven’t replaced that.
Also, Dimi got plenty of stick yesterday but neither did he get any help down that left hand side. I blame Farke for that. He exposed him and he paid the price.
Tactics-wise, would it have been too much trouble to set the team up like he did against Man City at home when we won 3-2? I know that was put if necessity because of injury but it worked – defend solidly, attack on the counter.
As you say Gary, at the very least a more obdurate display would’ve been acceptable whatever the scoreline. .
Indeed Gary. Tactically, everything is pointing towards an inappropriate base formation and inappropriate signings for that base formation. We were promoted months and months ago. The warning signs were there when we hadn’t signed a soul before the Euros…… in fact, many of us on MFW chose to ignore hints pretending when we thought otherwise that there were viable transfer targets on the tip of the tongue. WhenCitt plump for “surprising” players, albeit exciting ones, and watch free agents like Apex Mowatt drift past, I really started to worry.
I’ve said it until I’m blue in the face…… I genuinely don’t think DF knows how to play in this league, what formation he wants I order to do what Paul Lambert did: survive.
And until DF tells SW matter of factly what his system will be, we cannot recruit appropriately.
It feels very much like we are plucking unexpected signings out of the blue and trying to impose a formation upon them.
What has happened to that promise of being bigger, stronger and more athletic players when we’ve signed no defenders, no defensive midfielders and our first draft pick is 5.5’ and light framed to boot?
It’s early days for the season but Brentford will take us apart as easily as Man City or Liverpool. We are a shell without Buendia and Skipp and we’ve not rebuilt ourselves to a specific gameplan, plain and simple.
A really good post MM.
Farke is as bad a manager in the EPL as he is a good one in The Championship, but his job will always be safe. He hasn’t learnt (so far) from his previous tenure in this league, so how does that bode well? We’re strangled by his own limitations, rather than a manager who will do whatever it takes to win.
While we are only two games in, it is clear there are many problems that need to be resolved and if Webber and Farke want to work in Europe in the future, it will be at a Benidorm Holiday Camp on this evidence.
Think our B Team is 50% better than last years first team.
Farke has got it right defensively in only one of his four/five seasons here. That was last year when he acquired Ben Gibson and Oliver Skipp. We conceded well under one goal a game that season, significantly better than the other seasons. The Skipp disappeared back down the A11. That was three months ago. City’s overwhelming transfer priority was to fill that gap. We’re still waiting… And in that time we’ve bought another three wingers! We have more wingers than a flock of migrating geese. Not a priority. This season is in danger of sailing away from us. A loss to nil against Bournemouth on Tuesday (very possible) and another against Leicester at the weekend (likely) and confidence and hope will have all but evaporated. Let it be said that this is an abysmal start to a season – in addition to the 10 game losing streak from last time (current run is P12 L12 GF1 GA32). I don’t know of any other fans in the country who would not be jumping up and down with rage and demanding blood at this sorry string of events. Inexcusably poor and utterly embarrassing.
Fouls are irrelevant marker of this game, so I’ll leave that aside.
Problem defensively is all our defenders “tucked in” tight allowing their wingers loads of space to hang in and receive the ball/make penetrating runs. Grealish and Jesus left in loads space in high positions to receive ball with no defender tight? That just has to be a tactical error:;
We should have played 5 at the back – 3 centre backs and tight man mark the Man City wingers.
Also, If we do park the bus which we have to in games like this, we have to have a counter attack option, and this means leaving Pukki up front the entire game IMO on the shoulder of the last defender so he a chance of getting in behind. Otherwise we have no outlet and when we clear the ball we just cede possession straight back.
One other small tactical point: our zonal/man marking combo at corners looks cluttered/confused. There’s sometimes just too many yellow shirts in that six yard box and we need to have one player on the edge of the box for the second ball when we clear the corner. Salah was left completely unmarked in this area last week and the Man City players were lining up for a similar opportunity this week. Let’s sharpen up in this area and make sure when our players have to block shots they race towards the ball to block it (as they become a much bigger obstacle then with every step) rather than stand still with their hands behind their back (Hanley last week with the Salah goal).
Finally, we must keep trying to play Pukki in behind when we can. The Buendia/Pukki formula link-up play relied on that pass & it was key to our creativity in recent seasons; we have to try and get in behind teams and we have to see that final pass and execute it quickly, rather than miss it by fiddling with the ball as Cantwell did near the end of yesterday’s game.
Finally, for Norwich this season has not actually begun yet as we have lost to arguably the 2 top teams in world football. So absolutely no need to panic. In fact our passing of the ball last week against the Liverpool press was extremely slick and encouraging for the season ahead.
I agree the number of fouls is an irrelevance but thought, on this occasion, it portrayed how little ‘bite’ we had. To have spent most of the game without the ball and to have been so lame and passive without it was the point I was (clumsily) trying to make.
Fair points.
Oh, for a modern day Trevor Hockey!!!
We sit too deep to play Pukki off the last man. He’s 50 yards away from anyone with the ball when we play out from the back. I agree that it SHOULD happen, but it’s more or less tactically impossible with how the rest of the team plays at the moment, or played before whenever Buendia was injured/suspended. The philosophy to play out from the back is incredibly naive at this standard and we continue to buy specialist players to suit 4-2-3-1 rather than something more pragmatic. We are going to be pinned back by any team in this league, including Brentford, with this system and these players. It is too lightweight. Almost identical to Leitner and immobile Tettey 2 years ago, and that system was binned for 2 CDM’s a few months in. We don’t even have the players to make that change anymore.
After the Liverpool game on another site it was suggested that Krul is a great Championship keeper but not up to it for the Premier League so do we have a problem there?
Lees-Melou looks to be trying to protect Gilmour to give him more freedom to get forward and in doing so it is affecting his own game.
Maybe SW missed a chance at the end of the season or his hands were tied we had a young Spanish LB with a few injuries but solid in defence compared to Dimi who is better going forward, we also had Sorensen play the LB position and didn’t let any one down, and now we have a possible signing of Williams.
Tzolis said he had enjoyed playing with Dimi is this a pairing going forward but to accommodate this will we need 3 CB’s
Rupp – Rabbit in headlights comes to mind. Will he soon join Klose and Trybull as surplus to requirements sitting at home taking a salary that could be going to a midfield minder.
In the Pinkun’s in-game report someone asked the trio of DF, CS and PD why isn’t Sorensen being used in his preferred position as a holding DM and the not so wise ones replied he has proved himself, now since he arrived at City he has covered CB and LB and never let the team down.
Sorensen but brought in to be hopefully Tettey replacement but hasn’t played that role once and personally would have kept AT for another season just maybe he could have added a bit more steel to the defence and tutored Sorensen on the DM role.
Will our performances deter players joining – I don’t think so if they are from the continent as they will want to get a foothold into the premiership and if that benefits city in the short term so be it.
Having lost 2 from our recruitment team just makes me wonder why replacements haven’t been sourced these are all people SW recruited are they jumping ship or being pushed
Only time will tell with 9 days to go how we will progress or will it be panic buys come January to try and save the season
Thought we were playing rugby at times yesterday so many points on the board if memory serves me right it’s the thirteenth premier defeat in a row . Same thing nothing goin forward no chances being created and another left back who can’t defend may make s decent winger so farker got his work cut out sorting out the ticklers and get some steel in the side at least 3 I would say or the 21pts of last time will feel a lot 🙃
E
Having watched the game from the halfway line yesterday, would say Pukki actually made quite a few intelligent runs off the shoulders of their centre backs. Problem being we don’t have someone with Buendias creative vision to slide a ball through to him. With Rashica in the team our style is changing and does probably warrant Sargaent starting.
It was one of those results that was always on the cards especially with Man City losing last week – but the manner of the surrender was totally unexpected.
The covid disruption obviously hasn’t helped, but Pukki up front with no service when he’s nowhere near fit makes me worry about DF’s team selection – surely Sargent’s cameo against Liverpool showed he could offer much more steel and give the opposing defence something to think about.
I can’t believe we’ve got to the final 10 days of the transfer window and not sorted new centre back and defensive midfielder – all the way through the window I’ve been concerned that the focus has been purely on the offensive area of the team.
As mentioned by others Rupp was poor again and is woefully short of the class or composure needed at this level before and once again made too many wayward passes (another questionable DF selection) – don’t want to see his name on the team sheet again this season.
Hopefully Webber has a couple of transfer gems up his sleeve – let’s hope he delivers otherwise it could be another wasted season in the top flight.
Another brutal but honest assessment to add to Sam’s earlier effort.
Groundhog day rolls round again, lessons clearly not learned. We’ve arrived in the Premier league with a weaker side than the one that got us there. Gun my ar5e.
Despite the propaganda relating to the physical attributes of our transfer targets, we’ve signed small, weak technical type players, perhaps with one eye on resale value. Height strength and a nasty streak are required to earn us the right to play. Evident since the end of last season and yet still we have nothing.
If we are to avoid all kinds of records this season we need to release funds and actually address the issues. Balancing the books is not an option. Unless there is no intention of even attempting to put out a competitive side.
It is still early Gary and as you say there are much more “easier” games to come. Though I do not think there are any easy games at this level. Each team offers a different challenge.
Now we know how Huddersfield supporters felt after we outclassed them.
My mates at the game yesterday both said it was very poor but rightly pointed out we had just played two of the best teams in the world in our opening fixtures. God knows how good Manchester City will be when Foden and De Bruyne get fit.
We all knew this was going to happen, the disrupted pre-season, not getting our number 1 or 2 targets in the transfer market and the covid outbreak which I am led to believe has been worse than we have been told (Players struggling to recover), but the reality of it is so much harder to stomach.
Knowing it is going to happen is one thing but the disappointment amongst us Canary followers is understandable. And lets be honest it does bring back all those awful memories of Project Restart.
Take Dimitris from man of the match against Liverpool to being hooked off at halftime against City. The cold harsh reality of life in the Prem.
Personally I only saw the highlights (or lowlights if you like) I thought he lacked help and we looked open all over the pitch. Is it time for a back five ?
Olly Skipp is certainly being missed and I think we all worried that position was perhaps the most important to be filled. Sadly for whatever reason that has not happened yet, I still think we will get someone in this week but if not is it worth trying Jacob Sorenson as our holding midfield player ?
I really feel for Daniel at this time and he needs our support. But as I said earlier we knew this was coming, I would love to know how many of those players yesterday had a proper pre-season ?
It was 12 long Premier League matches ago when we last won at home to Leicester, will it come full circle and Saturday being a day we can surprise a few of our critics ?
Hi Tim,
I agree with you on most points but for me, most importantly, is that DF needs to tell SW what formation he wants to play. Take for example, Aiden Flint, at Cardiff. Plays in a back 3, scores headers, wins defensive headers, wouldn’t cost a bomb. But there is no point getting him if DF wants to play a regular back 4. The same in midfield. Does DF want 3 in there or just a pair? Because the consequence is who SW goes out and buys. And exactly the same happens in attack.
DF has got to knuckle down to a formation and SW then needs to buy to that system. Not the other way round.
Really good points Mike.
As you say I’m sure Farke has spelt out to SW how he wants to play but also be adaptable.
At times in Daniel’s first championship winning season Tettey was almost a third centre back and that really gave us the basis to go on scoring goals for fun.
Not replacing Alex and Skipp has been to me a big problem.
But until the players get match fit and recover from the effects of covid we really cannot make a judgement on this team yet.
I was intrigued by Rafa Benitez comments on having to change to a back 5 in the premiership once he had got Newcastle promoted.
He was emphatic in his belief that playing a back four with the players he had would leave them far too open.
I think he performed a miracle in keeping that Newcastle team in the EPL 2 years in a row.
If we beat Leicester next week, everyone will be saying things are fine, and that there was no need to panic. However, Skipp has not been replaced and that is a growing problem. We committed £17 million to defence, but the jury is still out on whether they can perform at this level. Hanley was great last year, but is still to prove himself against the best. Krul deserves time, but is not irreplaceable, There are other concerns higher up the pitch, but defensively we have to be stronger to get a foothold in games. Williams will walk straight into the team if his loan is agreed with Man Utd.
Wise heads might say only look at the table after 10 games. The only problem with that is that we are very likely to be in the same position.
I think it is very important to keep perspective. We have been debilitated in pre-season and we’ve played 2 of the best teams in the world.
However, I just don’t understand the logic thus far and SW and DF will have known they needed a formula post Buendia & Skipp. DF has repeatedly stated that Kenny McLean is indispensable to HIS team, people see the potential in Cantwell, Pukki should still be a top striker, we have good wingbacks but not fullbacks, there is valid debate about Sorensen but he’s been displaced even further from the first team. All of these are POSITIVES and I think they enable a logical setup (that we’ve not yet seen).
If McLean is indispensable, then the first signing should have been to find his PERFECT midfield partner.
If Cantwell and Pukki are the most dangerous players (prior to the summer signings), formulate a system and identify a player that gets them best involved and takes a burden, so that they can best express themselves.
Let wingbacks get forward but if you do so, put somebody on the end of their crosses rather than overplay in an overload. And if they are going forward, give the defence the cover they need with a 3rd man.
But recruit accordingly.
It’s early days, but just don’t lose to Bournemouth. Scott Parker without Danjuma.
There is huge level difference between premier league top clubs and bottom clubs. In european cups for example Leicester have not been nothing special, it could possible do well in conference league but its unsure, when new club from premier league have got opportunity to play european cup games then results have not been at all what premier league followers have believed. Its obvious that 20 team premier league should be limited at least to 16.
Norwich transfer summer looks to be disaster, if plan is to avoid relegation. Buendia, Skipp vs Gilmour, Williams, Lees-Melou is not huge transfer victory to Norwich. Norwich have put about 50 million to other players and Norwich should have invested to players who make team better and are able to play in premier league. Its of course sure that there is players who does not want transfer to Norwich. There is also tactical mess now. This is very unfair to players like Pukki, Cantwell and Aarons, it would be fair to let them just leave. In pre game press Pep Guardiola commented Norwich playing, Pukkis movement and that was all.
Correct. We are now a ‘tactical mess’ after the summer signings so far….. none of it gels, and that was obvious before a ball was kicked. We keep trying to impose our philosophy and reinventing the wheel, at the moment we need round pegs in round holes.
And what nobody is prepared to say…. Is that DF’s base formation was wrong for both games. Plain and simple. Just as he was wrong to persevere with 4-2-3-1 two years ago, culminating in Project Restart.
We need to be more pragmatic.
I couldn’t agree less about the Premier League size, 1X2, I think it should go back up to 24 clubs to avoid stagnation in what is the best league in the world.
COYY !!
Question marks for Krul for me in the 2 games showing there may be a good reason he didn’t make the Holland no 1 in the Euros.Gunn needs to be given his chance to take over as no 1 keeper sooner rather than later.Krul looks out of form to me.
I hope this is not groundhog days but why have we bought a number of lightweight wide men before a Tettey replacement?
No Skipp, no Tettey, completely overrun in the premier league yet again!
We had a duff game, it was ugly, Man City are quite stunning at times, we need to do better, roll on the Leicester match!
Bournemouth are going to come at us like rats in a bakery, we need to dissuade them by totally dismantling them and we are more than good enough to do so as long as we don’t let their midfield take the game from us.
I would start that game with Sargeant up front – that is not aimed as criticism at Pukki. All of the players in the NCFC squad, established and new, need to get match time in their legs. Togetherness brings awareness and achievement. Bring Teemu on in the second half.
I suggested the other week using Omobamidele as our defensive midfielder, although Sorensen would handle that task equally well.
We should’ve kept Quintilla as well as Giannoulis, it offered us variation to have two highly-skilled, raiding full backs capable of raiding from that side of the park.
I still think we’ll stay up.
OTBC !!
For Norwich City, yesterday’s fixture wasn’t so much a game, more of a contractual obligation.
This might cheer you up. In the last 50 years, if you were to rank clubs by their lowest league position – a league for consistency – then the best performing teams are as follows –
1 Arsenal – worst position 17th 1975/6
2 Everton
3 Liverpool
4 Man Utd
5 Spurs
6 West Ham
7 Chelsea
8 Newcastle
=9 Norwich/Leicester
These are the only clubs to finish top of the third tier or above every season for the last 60 years! We are an elite club! Man Citeh finished 3rd in the third tier in 1988/89 – just above Gillingham – so don’t make the top ten!
Every single Citeh attack started with a bloke hugging the touchline. It was talked about how we should have 3 Centre Backs, most of the time yesterday we had 4. Our Full Backs play so narrow without the ball that it gives the opposition the freedoms of whatever city we are playing in. Regarding the zonal marking, is it that there are so many Yellow shirts in the 6 yard box that no one wants to take responsibility. They all look at their teammates and think “It’s ok, he’ll chase out and close the opposition down. I’ll just jog out in a bit…..”
No worries guys , it will all come good, keep the faith . In effect we are playing our pre season now . Players getting to know the set up . Covid has hit certain players hard. We will get a LB , DM and Centre Back in before the Window Closes . Experiment against Bournemouth, might scrape something ( or not ) against Leicester . Have a break then start the season proper . We will be in the mix come end of season .
3rd Oct 2020 5 games in, 3 defeats 4 points , I remember the comments then . We’ve been here before . Low times make the high times even better
OTBC