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 […]
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If (still a big if) City go up, how do they ‘Premier League-proof’ themselves?
If City do reach the ‘promised land’, how do they ensure they are well equipped to survive? In 2019, Daniel Farke’s City secured promotion to the Premier League playing a brand of football that was foreign to many in Norfolk. Expansive, attractive and progressive were the buzzwords used to describe Farkeball at that moment in […]
VIDEO: City to sign Spurs’ Oliver Skipp on loan
All the Young Dudes…
Most of us think the life of a professional footballer consists of being rewarded with huge wages for doing something you enjoy for a living, holidaying on yachts, consorting with models, and generally exploiting la dolce vita to the full. While much of that is true – yes Beckham, Rooney, Balotelli I’m calling you out […]
Time for a major re-set. The very future of the game we love is at stake right now
I’ve been lucky enough to be allowed to write about the game I love for 10 years now but I don’t think I’ve ever felt as disillusioned with it as I currently do. Before the pandemic the combination of live football to write about and a tight word limit meant that I never had the […]
How much are you missing matchday buddies? Oh for the day when we reunite
As the prospect of seeing real, live football seems to disappear ever further from our cognisance, I thought I might pose the MFW community a question: do you miss your casual matchday mates and if so, how much? You could [like me] sit in a Barclay rag, tag and bobtail of lifetime friends, relatively new […]
Going Deutsch: how outside of the box thinking brought City back to the Prem
Heads dejectedly in their hands, City’s deflated players trudge back towards the tunnel, the boos from the travelling Canaries fans echoing in their ears. It’s Saturday 4th March 2017, the squad with a wage bill in excess of £50 million has just lost 5-1 to Sheffield Wednesday, all but confirming that they will miss out […]
Southgate’s decision testament to his shrewd principles and Angus’ Championship brilliance
Bravo Gareth Southgate. With resources wearing thin, injuries pervasive, and a daunting test against Neymar’s Brazil awaiting, England’s dignified manager was bold. The selection of City’s Angus Gunn revealed a manifold number of things, not least Southgate’s meritocratic values and Gunn’s growing precocity as our increasingly dependable number one. Angus deserves this. His call-up represents […]
Now time to put the fears and grievances aside and throw our weight behind Team Adams?
I hate to be one who blames Adams when City lose and give everyone else, apart from him, credit when we win but Saturday had the knowledge of Mike Phelan stamped all over it. We kept it tight when we needed to and pressed them all over the park.
Hughton's City brushed all-too easily aside by a new-look Spurs side dripping with cash and class
It was a rare foray forward; Spurs were dominant. And looked a class above – right across the park. In short, it was a 1-0 scoreline at the interval that as a Norwich supporter you would take; by rights, Spurs should have been over the hill and far away…
Hughton vows to 'look after' his teenage starlet as the Canary chief celebrates a very big job done in getting a first win
City boss Chris Hughton tonight paid tribute to the young man that will dominate many a newspaper headline tomorrow – 19-year-old winger Nathan Redmond. “We need to look after that one,” said Hughton, as the teenager continued to sparkle on that Premier League stage. The England Under-21 international grabbed the only goal in today’s huge […]
Sloppy City left with nothing to show from a one-man advantage over a spirited Tigers side as Brady's spot-kick proves all-decisive
…that was about as good as it got as City’s final ball proved as ill-considered and ill-hit as all-too much of their movement. There wasn’t a man amongst them that didn’t give away a sloppy pass or fail to take advantage of a half-decent position.
Fair play to City boss Hughton – at 6ft 2in tall, Leroy 'The Bouncer' Fer adds telling presence to the City midfield
“He’s a very versatile Dutch international and at 23 he has that pleasing balance of having acquired experience playing over 100 games in the Dutch League – but still having plenty of time ahead of him to continue his development as a player here with us at Norwich City.”
Sunderland find all the spirit required to dig out a priceless point against Stoke as City's fears of the drop continue to mount
“We can’t concede goals like that and expect to win football matches and we need to be more of a threat ourselves…
Lambert twists the knife ever deeper as Agbonlahor's double strike condemns City to a painful defeat and a fraught final two games
Hughton’s decision to whip Wes Hoolahan off and replace him with the departing Kamara didn’t meet with universal approval – increasingly there will be a section of support for whom Lambert’s successor can do no right; just as the Scot did no wrong…
Canary Faithful faced with yet another anxious week ahead of Lambert's return as the Toon Army hit full relegation panic mode
“Even if that’s a draw – a draw here is always a very tough ask. But we knew we had to impose ourselves, but what we came up against was a Stoke side back to their most direct.”
Hughton blasts Emirates officials for 'almost criminal' decisions that cost City three, huge points and will keep the nerves fraying
“Nobody really appeals for it. Is there some contact? Yes, there is; does he [Kamara] play the ball? Yes, he does. But for a linesman to give it from that distance away… I think it’s almost criminal. On a day when we deserved so much more.”
Liverpool heap the pressure back on Lambert and Villa as City boss Hughton bemoans the 'fine margins' in defeat at JJB
“We’ve got to look after ourselves,” the City chief told the BBC. “We have got four home games out of the seven and our destiny was always going to be about the quality results we could get at home – plus what we could pick up away from home…
Hughton delighted for all concerned as Kamara's leveller lifts the Canary Nation before Holt's winner sets spirits soaring
“He is good in the air and has that little bit of pace. We all know that sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But fortunately for us today, it had the impact that we wanted it to have…”
City gearing up to face the last of the super-spenders as Rs' boss H bemoans the 'gang warfare' that exists in player agent land
“If you’ve got a deal for a player, another agent will try to scupper that deal if he is not involved in it. It’s unreal. It’s unbelievable what’s going on. They’re all fighting for big money, that’s the problem,” he said.