Norwich City will ensure due diligence is carried out on their player of the season poll, after fears that fans from rival clubs could hijack the vote. After a series of man of the match awards had been dubiously awarded to loanee Oliver Skipp amid calls from fans of parent-club Tottenham to vote for the […]
MATCH REPORT: Burnley Under-23s 2, Norwich City Under-23s 2
Late goals from Burnley’s Lewis Richardson and Dara Costelloe denied Norwich City’s Under-23s a valuable three points, after goals from Abu Kamara and Matt Dennis had given the Canaries a 2-0 lead in Curzon Ashton. The match started in hectic fashion, Burnley striker Richardson smashing a volley over the bar with the Clarets’ first attack. […]
Wayne Rooney’s pre-Norwich press conference: “We’re not underdogs”
Derby County manager Wayne Rooney is aware of the strong City side his injury-hit squad will come up against tomorrow, praising the Championship leaders but dispelling any suggestion of a ‘free hit’ for his team. “It’s a very tough game,” Rooney said at his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon. “Norwich are a very good […]
City strikers hit Farke’s target. Now it’s time to start setting next season’s goals
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 […]
Omobamidele at the forefront of a new generation of City youngsters
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 […]
Tettey? Sorensen? Youth? The potential solutions to the centre-back problem
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 […]
City miss out on target Beukema
Norwich City have missed out on Dutch centre-back Sam Beukema, whose move to AZ Alkmaar has brought an end to speculation around his future. Beukema, who was described by the Eastern Daily Press as a ‘known name to City’s recruitment team’, was unlikely to join up with the Canaries in the short term due to […]
Only five teams have achieved it this season, but how do you beat City?
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 […]
A traditional target man he isn’t, but Pukki *is* the perfect target man for Farke
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 […]
FA Youth Cup Preview: “It’ll be a tough game”| Weaver wary of Hammers
Norwich City’s under-18s face West Ham this afternoon in the FA Youth Cup fourth round; a tie that is, according to Head of Football Development Steve Weaver, by no means a gimme. More than three months after the third round- a Covid-related pause in the competition postponing the fixture until now- Kevin Keen will bring […]
So, who misses out tomorrow? Buendia, Dowell or Rupp?
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 […]
Forest (A) Tactical Breakdown: Hughton’s 4-4-1-1 allows for a Dowell masterclass
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 […]
VIDEO: Norwich City Loan Report – February 2021 | Norwich Talk
Wednesday (A) Tactical Breakdown: The key battleground of the number 20s
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 […]
How and why City’s midfielders now become ‘full-backs’ in possession
One of the more interesting aspects of Norwich City’s tactical setup this season has been the movement of their central midfielders in possession. Oliver Skipp and Kenny McLean are regularly seen receiving possession and covering in deep full-back positions. So, how does this work and why do they do it? The first thing to note […]
Farkeball, hoofball, and the misuse of ‘pragmatism’
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 […]