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 […]
Hucks: “If I’m associated with Norwich ‘til the day I die, I’ve done something right”
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 […]
If the P-word happens, Farke’s tactical nous will be tested even further in the PL
Tuesday night’s trip to St. Andrews was evidence that something is changing; Aitor Karanka led a relegation-threatened Birmingham City into battle against the league leaders and *didn’t* park the bus. He instead opted for an energetic press that barely resembled the Blues’ setup at Carrow Road last October, ditching target man Lukas Jutkiewicz and encouraging […]
Gibson out for Birmingham trip: Press conference bulletin 22-02-21
Ben Gibson’s back injury means he’ll miss City’s game at Birmingham City on Tuesday, but Daniel Farke delivered an otherwise clean bill of health at his press conference on Monday afternoon. “All the players who were available for the last game are available for tomorrow,” Farke said, “we will have to play without Ben Gibson, […]
MATCH REPORT: Norwich City Under-23s 0, Leeds United Under-23s 2
City’s Under-23s fought valiantly against a strong Leeds United side, losing 2-0 as three players were sent off. Leeds’ Nohan Kenneh’s red card was sandwiched by two for the young Canaries, midfield duo Reece McAlear and Melvin Sitti also the recipients of pairs of yellow cards. The game was won by strikes from Max Dean […]
The Next Generation: Pace and Power
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 […]
MATCH REPORT: Soto limps off as City’s Under-23s come unstuck in the Potteries
Norwich City’s Under-23s were left frustrated on Monday night, as a strong Stoke City side came from behind to beat them 2-1. Josh Martin was the most recognizable face in a side that featured three players with first-team experience, Reece McAlear and Andrew Omobamidele also making the starting eleven. Sebastian Soto also made an appearance […]
Norwich City’s greatest ever … by the fans … on Twitter
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 […]
The Next Generation: Goalkeepers
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 […]
Why City have Chelsea’s new head coach to thank for their ‘beautiful football’
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 […]
How is management suiting City legends of the recent and not-so-recent past?
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 […]
What does the future hold for the coolest, suavest Bosnian on the planet?
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 […]
Matches & Moments (6): The one where Tim’s famous water bottle won the day
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 […]
Matches & Moments (5): The one where City went to Elland Road and upset the locals
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 […]
Matches & Moments (4): The one where a moustachioed Holty hit a derby hat-trick
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 […]
Matches & Moments (3): The one where 40,000 of us went to Wembley and saw us win
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 […]
Matches & Moments (2): The one where that bloke said ‘how awful, oh no! When…’
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 […]
Matches & Moments (1): The one where an injury-crippled City toppled Pep’s giants
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 […]
Passing out from the back? Or “HOOF IT!”?
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 […]
Do City deserve to be top of the Championship? What do the numbers say?
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 […]