Archives Index

‘He was good apart from the…’ This is fast becoming a popular phrase among Norwich City fans. ‘Mathias Norman was good apart from his lax tracking for the second goal’; ‘Christos Tzolis was good apart from the penalty miss’; ‘Ozan Kabak was good apart from the rash challenge on Allan’. Even in a terrible season […]

Another match, another loss for City as they were unceremoniously dumped from the Carabao Cup last night, but after the repetition of a familiar result, at least the script felt slightly altered. After weeks of the same old naivety, defensive errors and lack of creativity, it was courteous of the Canaries to throw in some […]

Norwich City head coach Daniel Farke has passionately reiterated the importance of positivity as the Canaries head into their crucial match against Watford, claiming that 100% of supporters must remain upbeat to earn Premier League establishment. The German denied that the game was ‘must-win’ for his side, but called on supporters to “make Carrow Road […]

After a frantic contest had drawn to a close and various officials from both Arsenal and Norwich City gathered around to complete their post-match duties, one man still stood out as the calmest in the Emirates Stadium. Surprisingly that man was a 19-year-old, who months ago was known to very few but suddenly has been […]

City played well, stood up to the battle, were easy on the eye and looked solid for long periods, but narrowly lost thanks to a bit of bad luck and some questionable defending. Sound familiar? The venue was different, the personnel slightly adjusted (Daniel Farke made four changes to his starting eleven from the 2-1 […]

After a slow start and the arrival of £9million competition, Teemu Pukki had suffered a good deal of criticism, but scoring Norwich City’s first Premier League goal of the season has reminded fans of the Finn’s sensational record at the club. In Iwan Roberts’ column for the Eastern Daily Press, the Norwich City legend stated that […]

It’s safe to say that this summer was a crucial one for Norwich City. Armed with comfortably his largest-ever budget, sporting director Stuart Webber set about transforming a Championship winning squad missing its most important player into a group capable of Premier League survival. So, how successful as he been? We set about deciding with […]

City are closing on the signing of Schalke centre-back Ozan Kabak on an initial loan, MyFootballWriter understands. They will have an option to turn the deal permanent in the summer of 2022 if the deal goes through, which the Canaries are confident of. Kabak spent the second half of the 2020/21 season on loan at Liverpool […]

Heading into the 2021 summer transfer window Norwich City had one top priority: find a defensive midfielder to replace Oliver Skipp. After a long and arduous process, they have their man. In Mathias Normann, brought in from Russian side FC Rostov for a loan fee that could turn into a club record permanent deal if […]

The Foxes’ weaknesses could combine with the Canaries’ stellar midweek to induce a return of the tried and tested Farke formula. While new faces, kit suppliers and sponsors have given Carrow Road a changed look this season, Daniel Farke’s switch from a 4-2-3-1 to a flat 4-3-3 has been the most noticeable tactical change. After […]

Norwich City have considered William Carvalho as an option, but the Real Betis midfielder is unlikely to join the Canaries. Sky Sports reported that City were interested in Carvalho, who has 68 caps for Portugal and made 27 appearances for Betis last season, but MyFootballWriter understands that FC Rostov midfielder Mathias Normann remains a more realistic alternative. Talks […]

City head coach Daniel Farke was pleased with his side’s 6-0 defeat of Bournemouth but remained cautious in his praise, saying that he was not “over the moon” after the Carabao Cup second-round win. £9million signing Christos Tzolis registered two goals and two assists on the night but Farke was not drawn into individual praise […]

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City may be known for their movement, patience and technical quality, but they’re also the Premier League’s most precise and calculated foulers. It’s an approach Norwich would do well to learn from. There were plenty of predictable statistics to illustrate quite how dominant Manchester City were over Norwich on Saturday afternoon. Possession […]

Norwich City were comfortably beaten by Manchester City, the English champions thrashing the Canaries 5-0 on a miserable afternoon for Daniel Farke’s side. Jack Grealish, Aymeric Laporte, Rajeev Sterling and Riyad Mahrez found the net for the Citizens, adding to Tim Krul’s early on goal to comfortably see off their visitors. On a day when […]

Friends Pep Guardiola and Daniel Farke were keen to praise each other’s work in their pre-match press conferences but asserted that it’s business as usual come 3pm tomorrow. “Daniel is an exceptional manager,” said Guardiola of his Norfolk counterpart. “I enjoy a lot watching his teams play. They have the quality and this is a […]

There may not be any signing that excites less than a backup full-back.  Perhaps that particular accolade is commonly taken by a second choice goalkeeper but Stuart Webber has managed to bring excitement even to that signing to City fans this summer. In fact, there’s generally been a great deal of anticipation around every signing […]

Norwich City’s 2021/22 season already has a sense of theatre about it, the feeling of an era-defining battle in the final of a series of blockbuster films. The following ten months will define whether the Webber and Farke era is remembered as the greatest in the club’s history or a tale of what could’ve been. […]

The opposition may have the same coloured shirts, we may go in as big underdogs once again, the game may be the same, but the atmosphere will be totally different. While last time around City faced the pressure of the largest crowd they’d played in front of as a team, in 2021 it’s the weight […]

It’s safe to say that Christos Tzolis’ arrival at Carrow Road has been eagerly anticipated, and there must be a reason for all the fanfare. So, what convinced Stuart Webber to spend €11million on a 19-year-old, and what will he bring now he’s in the Fine City? Tzolis style is not dissimilar to that of one […]

Aston Villa Chief Executive Christian Purslow has seemingly ruled out a move for Norwich City’s Todd Cantwell, claiming that the players required to replace Jack Grealish have already been signed by the Villains. The 25-year-old secured his move to Manchester City on Thursday night, prompting an explanation from Purslow as the Villa faithful mourned the […]

Norwich City Head Coach Daniel Farke praised his players for coming through a “tough 14 days” to thrash Gillingham 5-0 on Wednesday night, joining new signing Billy Gilmour in talking up the atmosphere on a big night at Carrow Road. “I’m quite pleased, the circumstances of the last two weeks haven’t been easy for the […]

City’s penultimate friendly of 2021 became a walk in the park, the Canaries’ midfield oozing class as they waltzed to a 5-0 victory over League One Gillingham. Pierre Lees-Melou’s long-distance opener was the highlight of the night, Lukas Rupp’s tap-in sandwiched by an Adam Idah double before Jacob Sorensen completed the rout.  It had been […]

“I stand for football, and hopefully for beautiful football.” When he arrived at Norwich City four years ago, Daniel Farke walked into a club that was without inspiration or a footballing identity. In an ever-evolving process, starting with a year of inconsistency and impotence, his second season was used to perfect what we now recognise […]

The ball never fell kindly for Milot Rashica or Billy Gilmour, despite their endeavour. Kieran Dowell, on the other hand, looked a smooth operator at The Walks. Understandably, all eyes were on Milot Rashica, Billy Gilmour and Angus Gunn as Norwich City kicked off their pre-season campaign at National League Kings Lynn. They represent 75 […]

Today is the day it all starts to feel real… again. The Walks’ grass is freshly cut and green, the goalmouths are well-rested, the Joma kit newly printed and the players raring to go. Norwich City may not have a full complement as they take the short trip up the A47, but every player on […]

“We never get what we want. We get what we expect. Winners are never surprised by the victory. They saw it in their minds’ eye every day while preparing for it. What are you expecting?” – Matt Grotewold. These words adorn the walls of Colney, and they’ve never been more pertinent for Norwich City. As […]

Gareth Southgate is well known for switching to a back five for big games, but a tweak to a narrow front two instead of a wide front three could provide his side with a wealth of benefits, including solidity in midfield, danger in behind and increased involvement for Harry Kane. There was no surprise when […]

Reports linking Jordan Hugill with Chris Hughton’s Nottingham Forest recently emerged, so, after an interesting first campaign at Carrow Road, should City sell their number 9 or bring him along for the Premier League ride? It was a curious 2020/21 for the 29-year-old, whose dressing room presence was the defining feature of his season. Stuart […]

Norwich City are preparing a bid worth around £12million for Celtic centre-back Kristoffer Ajer, according to the Daily Record.  The 23-year-old has a year left on his Hoops contract and has been open about his desire to leave Celtic Park, telling TV2: “I was promised I could leave last summer but then we agreed I would stay […]

City fans have been debating, discussing and investigating just what Bill Gilmour will offer them from a very limited body of work, a bit like when one Oliver Skipp arrived here from Tottenham last summer. Gilmour may have burst onto the scene labelled “a terrific little footballer” by Graeme Souness and “fantastic” by Jose Mourinho […]

Footballers’ personal lives should always be considered, but it’s vital for Billy Gilmour that he chooses head over heart as he weighs up whether to join Norwich or Rangers for the 2021/22 season. There’s no denying what Rangers can offer a young Scottish midfielder desperate for game time. Billy Gilmour grew up 30 miles from […]

City legend Bryan Gunn joins MyFootballWriter to discuss his son’s delight at becoming a Canary, the battle for the number 1 shirt and why Angus has a lot of catching up to do on the golf course. “Obviously he’s delighted with it, it means he can come back and have a few more golf days […]

Norwich City are close to a deal to sign Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour on loan for the 2021/22 season, MyFootballWriter understands. Reports of the Canaries’ interest in the 20-year-old surfaced yesterday, and a deal is already being worked on, with Chelsea, Gilmour and Norwich keen on making the temporary move happen.  The Scotland midfielder’s presence at Euro 2020, […]

What makes Teemu Pukki so special is his ability to find a yard when there isn’t one, to create a chance for himself when a packed defence seems unable to concede one. The difference on international duty is that the Finn can’t find that yard, because he already has 50. In a possession-based side, Pukki […]

Norfolk car manufacturers Lotus are working on a deal that could see their logos on Norwich City shirts next season, MyFootballWriter understands.  The sports car brand, based in Hethel, already sponsor the club’s academy kit and youth replica wear but will extend their commitment to first team shirts should the deal go through, having purchased naming rights […]

While the start of EURO 2020 has captured the imaginations of football fans, Norwich City’s transfer machine whirs on. Here are the key developments as Stuart Webber looks to bolster the Canaries’ Premier League squad. Tufan not an option for City One player City fans had been keen on scouting at this summer’s tournament was […]

There were lots of gasps of shock around the UK as Grant Hanley bolted back at an electric pace to dispossess the Czech Republic’s Jakub Jankto, halting a potentially dangerous counter-attack. The Scot’s speed came as no surprise, however, to City fans, who’ve been aware of the attribute – which stands alongside fearsome bravery and […]

In case anyone had missed it, Norwich City have terminated their partnership with BK8. Two days after the deal was announced and outrage ensued over inappropriate imagery on the Asian firm’s social media, the club have cut the partnership short while admitting that “we got it wrong.” Chief Operating Officer Ben Kensell also said, via […]

Norwich City captain Grant Hanley has dispelled the suggestion of any fear at the club as the Canaries make their return to the Premier League. Hanley, who will play in his first international tournament at this summer’s European Championships, labelled feelings of inferiority as “worthless,” despite City’s dismal 2019/20 top-flight campaign, when in discussion with […]

Norwich City have distanced themselves from inappropriate social media content by new shirt sponsors BK8, claiming that “these posts do not align with Norwich City values” amid calls for the deal to be cancelled on the day of its inception. There seems, however, to be no plan on the club’s part to take any further […]

With promotion sealed and pre-season weeks away, the focus has well and truly turned to transfers for Stuart Webber. Here are the key stories as Norwich City’s transfer operations start to hot up. Armstrong on the radar One of Webber’s potential options is Blackburn attacker Adam Armstrong, who MyFootballWriter understands, following reports from The Telegraph, to be on […]

As City enter their most important summer in recent times, strong recruitment is at the top of the success criteria. So where do the club see their priorities in the transfer market, and are they correct in their assessment?  Strength and physicality in midfield When Stuart Webber conducted his assessment of where things had gone […]

Norwich City will receive six-figure sums if James Maddison or Ben Godfrey appear at this summer’s European Championships. Clauses were included in the pair’s moves to Leicester and Everton respectively, the Eastern Daily Press reporting that the Foxes would be obliged to pay City should Maddison make it on to the pitch at Euro 2020. MyFootballWriter can confirm […]

While Carrow Road is seen as the home of Norwich City Football Club, the centre of yellow and green activity, the reality is that this hub is actually City’s Lotus Training Centre in Colney, where players report for duty nearly every day, their number of total appearances there dwarfing that of those in NR1, workplace […]

A branding consultancy could bring change at Carrow Road, with aspects of the club being considered from the fonts on the side of stands to the badge on the shirt. The club and the consultants in question have already got to work on improving City’s image and the experience they provide, devising a recent questionnaire […]

Since English football was postponed in March 2020, and fans indefinitely barred from stadium entry, a huge amount has happened at our football club  They’ve played 59 games, been relegated, been promoted, received a record transfer fee, and played the whole of the Championship off the park. The end result, though, is that very little […]

As Melvin Sitti floats across the pitch in Kidderminster, waiting patiently for his next clever touch or classy swerve of the hips, there’s a feeling his chances of breaking into the Norwich City first team are diminishing. He’s been moved from attacking midfield to the wing to defensive midfield and nobody seems to know where […]

It’s a day before the final game of the 2020/21 season, and the positive atmosphere is palpable as Eddie Riemer turns a club laptop to face him. I’m on a Zoom call with the assistant head coach, who is calm, happy and relaxed in our discussion despite the rarity of his media obligations. His demeanour […]

Norwich City 1-0 Manchester United; Norwich City 1-0 Arsenal; Norwich City 3-1 Ipswich Town (Play-off semi-final, second leg); Norwich City 2-0 Middlesbrough (Play-off final); Manchester United 1-2 Norwich City; Chris Hughton as Norwich City manager; Neil Adams as Norwich City manager; the number 27 shirt. What at first appears to be an odd assortment of […]

Norwich City’s unique style of play is perfect for Greek left-back Dimitris Giannoulis, who also heaped praise on boss Daniel Farke as he spoke of his first four months in NR1 with Greek outlet Gazzetta. “I am excited about the football we play in Norwich and that is the job of a coach,” said Giannoulis. […]

“Emi Buendia had an unbelievably undisciplined red card, missed three competitive games, he missed the start of the season and missed two weeks because of injury. Emi was involved in every training session this week but I never pick a team because of the name, I just pick a team that is really greedy to […]

Norwich City’s Errea announcement tomorrow will not be a kit for the 2021/22 season, with the club still planning to seek a new kit supplier at the end of 2020/21. The Canaries’ official online shop recently began displaying an advert that simply reads ’25.04.21’ with club badge and Errea branding, hinting at an announcement. It’s […]

One of the most heralded aspects of Farkeball is its fluidity; the likelihood of a right-back playing as a striker for thirty seconds or a left-winger dropping into a third centre-back position. The reality, however, is slightly less anarchic than you might expect, and requires meticulous work on the training ground. The only fluid element […]

For many of you, although the main emotion on Saturday would’ve been happiness, there was a regret that you hadn’t been there for all of it. There was no City Centre eruption upon the final whistle of the Swansea game, no Just Can’t Get Enough blasting from the speakers, no embracing family and friends or spotting known […]

At the start of the season, Daniel Farke outlined the goals target his strikers had to hit: 30 between them. He didn’t care who, how or when, as long as Teemu Pukki, Jordan Hugill and Adam Idah’s tallies totalled 30 or more. On Tuesday night, they hit that target. Pukki’s hat-trick clinching goal, the sixth […]

The 2019/20 season provided a clearly defined four; the first generation of young City talent hot off the Farke production line. Max Aarons, Todd Cantwell, Ben Godfrey, Jamal Lewis- the boyband. Fast forward two years and while there was disappointment evident at Deepdale, in the background, a second generation was forming. On the pitch were […]

When news started to leak from Daniel Farke’s pre-Preston press conference, there was desperate hope from Norwich fans that the relevant journalists or the City head coach were complicit in a devastating April Fools’ joke. They were not. Christoph Zimmermann has joined Ben Gibson as an absentee, potentially for the rest of the season, and […]

Between 40 and 50 times a season opposition managers, coaches and analysts attempt to plan the best way to beat Norwich City. But in truth, there are two groups of people that know how the Canaries play better than anyone: the club’s technical staff and its fans. I didn’t think Daniel would fancy telling me […]

There is no place in Daniel Farke’s system for lumping balls long to a six-foot-three number nine to hold up or flick on. But in Teemu Pukki, City have a more nuanced version of the classic lone centre-forward. The Finn, who has conquered the Championship again this season, is of average height, slim build and […]

As the team was revealed on Wednesday night there was one question on every City fan’s lips: how will we survive without Emi Buendia? Three hours later, the question had flipped on its head. Lukas Rupp and Kieran Dowell’s fantastic performances against Nottingham Forest came at the perfect time; with Buendia missing, Farke’s attacking quartet […]

Schooled in Hughtonball, many Norwich fans highlighted a visit to the City Ground as a potential banana skin. What transpired was that Chris Hughton’s trademark 4-4-1-1 was his undoing, against a City side in full flow. Although a pair of flat lines of four are easy for players to understand and implement, the rigidity a […]

City came through a stern test to record an eighth win in a row at Hillsborough. So, how did the Owls provide such a problem and what did Daniel Farke do to combat it? The key aspect in the first half was Wednesday’s aggressive press, a problem the Canaries have regularly faced this season. Darren […]

The classic, polite description of a manager who prefers 4-4-2, long balls and a big man-little man striker combination is ‘more pragmatic’. The assumption is that managers who hope to play attractive football – who prioritise possession and encourage their goalkeepers to pass the ball short – are dreamy idealists who have little care for […]

Darren Huckerby’s relationship with Norwich City was at one time a complex one. Largely responsible for City’s 2004 promotion and player of the season in the Premier League, it appeared that nothing could keep the former Coventry, Leeds and Manchester City forward away from Carrow Road. Glenn Roeder’s vendetta brought an abrupt and confusing end […]

The belief that a player must be of a certain build or physical capability seems to have been eradicated from the game, with players such as Wes Hoolahan proving that height and stature aren’t the only qualities that make an effective footballer. What became apparent as I watched Norwich City’s Under-23s, however, was that even […]

In a naïve poll I put out on Twitter this week, I posed the question as to Norwich City’s greatest ever player. The results of the poll were decisive, but the responses I received as to players I had omitted exposed just how broad a discussion I had started. The truth is that identifying the […]

Norwich City have a history of goalkeepers adored by their fans, from Kevin Keelan to Tim Krul and from Bryan Gunn to John Ruddy. As I started my deep dive into the Canaries’ development squad, it occurred to me that the next of these may already be at the club. The most obvious is Daniel […]

It’s well known that Daniel Farke made his name under Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, working as his reserve coach for 18 months. With a club structure that encourages all Dortmund youth sides to play in the same way as the first team, this was where Farke learned to coach his teams to play “beautiful […]

Daniel Farke’s contract is up in the summer of 2022. While many of us may want to ignore that fact for as long as possible, the truth is that finding a replacement for one of the club’s greatest managers of the modern era will take time and planning. With so many clubs opting to bring […]

With Mario Vrancic’s contract set to run out this summer and the Bosnian midway through an impressive season, some Norwich City fans have been calling for a new contract, worried that his creativity would be a big miss if promotion were achieved. Disappointing performances in the 2019/20 season and Vrancic’s age have left the club […]

As a relatively new member of the MFW community I felt a piece to introduce myself was in order at some point. I could bore you with the details of my life leading up to my first piece for the site, but that’s not what we’re here for.  I decided the best way to introduce […]

As a relatively new member of the MFW community I felt a piece to introduce myself was in order at some point. I could bore you with the details of my life leading up to my first piece for the site, but that’s not what we’re here for. I decided the best way to introduce […]

As a relatively new member of the MFW community I felt a piece to introduce myself was in order at some point. I could bore you with the details of my life leading up to my first piece for the site, but that’s not what we’re here for.  I decided the best way to introduce […]

As a relatively new member of the MFW community I felt a piece to introduce myself was in order at some point. I could bore you with the details of my life leading up to my first piece for the site, but that’s not what we’re here for.  I decided the best way to introduce […]

As a relatively new member of the MFW community I felt a piece to introduce myself was in order at some point. I could bore you with the details of my life leading up to my first piece for the site, but that’s not what we’re here for.  I decided the best way to introduce […]

As a relatively new member of the MFW community I felt a piece to introduce myself was in order at some point. I could bore you with the details of my life leading up to my first piece for the site, but that’s not what we’re here for.  I decided the best way to introduce […]

In City’s 1-0 win over Barnsley, it was levelled at them that their lack of adaptability was to blame for a difficult first half. Pundits on NR1Live lamented the Canaries for their failure to go long and take advantage of the Tykes’ high defensive line. While passing out from the back is regularly criticised by […]

As City approach the halfway mark in the Championship season, it’s been levelled at them from some quarters that they’re fortunate to be top of the league. I took a look at the stats behind the Canaries’ first 22 games, looking for some tangible proof either way. The first statistic that most refer to when […]

After the shakiest of Norwich City starts, we’re all desperate for the German to return to the starting eleven. So, what’s changed for the no.7, and where does he go from here? The obvious assumption to make is that the main difference is the chasm in quality between the Premier League and the Championship. It […]

Hear me out, because what I’m about to say is going to sound pretty drastic – but when Tim Krul returns, it may be the best choice to keep Michael McGovern in goal, temporarily. While we’re all well aware of the quality and leadership the Dutchman possesses, something Daniel Farke should consider is the message […]

The Championship is all about momentum, and having weathered the storm of a drab end to a ten-match unbeaten run to string together four 2-1 victories, it would be safe to assume the Canaries’ momentum is due to dry up any second. An extra boost is needed to keep up the promotion chase, and Messrs […]

On Wednesday I went to a football game for the first time in nine months.  As I approached the Carrow Road gates I felt a strange mix of nerves and excitement, as if I was going to watch my team in person for the very first time. Living outside Norwich I have little reason to […]

City’s 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday included late goals, a comeback and victory for a possession-based side. It was everything Daniel Farke loves and everything Tony Pulis hates. From day one Farke has dealt with criticism of his ball-playing sides, from frustration and adaptation of the fanbase in the early throws of his tenure to […]

Xavi Quintilla looks to be out for the foreseeable future, with returning to Villareal very much a possibility. With the January window still weeks away and City’s injury crisis worsening, what options does Daniel Farke have? Recall Sam McCallum The most obvious solution on first glance is to recall Sam McCallum from his season-long Coventry […]

Just hours after Norwich City’s late Coventry heartbreak Josip Drmic took to social media to affirm that “I am not injured, I am just no longer wanted by the club”. It spelt a definite and miserable end to the striker’s difficult time as a City player, during which he’s started just seven times and scored […]

Just as Emi Buendia was showing why he’s back to his best, the Argentinian earned a one-match ban and put three points in jeopardy. Luckily for City, his temporary replacement had already begun to emerge. Josh Martin was a surprise inclusion in Daniel Farke’s starting eleven against Stoke, replacing Przemyslaw Placheta in a move that […]

In years gone by Farke used substitutes late to waste time or as a very last resort, so why is he now the spokesman for allowing more in the EFL? Saturday’s game was the first Championship match in which City had been able to use five substitutes, and Farke used all of them. He covered […]