I think Farke/Webber felt the template that achieved two promotions was doomed to fail in the Premier League, and so that summer recruited for a change in tactics. Smith's style of football was more about having players capable of solving problems and a mixed squad, rather than a rigid tactical philosophy. We recruited for that last summer, but I think those kind of well-rounded footballers Smith wanted come at a premium, and you end up with players who lack a defining characteristic in order to find someone who is 6/10 on more skills. I'm hoping this summer is a return to a defined tactical blueprint we can recruit smartly for, and therefore sign players overlooked by other teams and fit them into a cohesive system. We shall see!
I think we just got totally ****ed by bad timing, bad Covid pandemic in pre-season, bad luck and bad injuries. If we had got lucky on some of that, particularly injuries to the “spine” and a lucky break here or there to generate confidence, that small margin would have been enough. And that applies to Smith just as much as to Farke. Small margins. We got the wrong side.
When Ben Godrey had a very successful season on loan at Shrewsbury, where he was used in central midfield, posters suddenly started insisting that was his best position and that he was never going to be a success at CB. Yet he was signed precisely because our scouts had identified him as a potential first team CB! Bali Mumba is 21. Do you really think "his skills" can be defined by his success in a particular role in Plymouth Argyll's first team this season?
I think Smith had assumed when he took the job that the squad already comprised a group of "well-rounded footballers". What he actually found came as a shock. I remember him saying (I think it was in an interview with The Athletic), that the atmosphere in the First Team dressing room struck him and Shakespeare as more akin to the dressing room of an Academy team. On that same theme, when DW took over, Max Aarons' responded positively saying Wagner wanted him to revert to how he was used to playing under Farke! It's almost as though he couldn't imagine playing any other way well.
For me, the recruitment over the past two years has brought in a collection of players with technical skills rather than adding to the synergy of the squad as a whole (ie. where the team play produces an output greater than the sum of the parts). Rashica, Normann, Kabak and Tzolis brought technical skills but their involvement seemed individual oriented rather than team focused. Hayden seemed a bit aloof, without being fit enough to make much difference. Sargent and Gunn were the exceptions, but Josh had to play in a position he wasn't ideally suited to much of the time. Smith and Shakespeare seemed to work more on situational skills rather than team tactics. When Wagner arrived the tactical approach was introduced in stages, allowing time for the players to absorb the changes and produce the intensity required to make it a success. McLean, Aarons and Sara were given key roles to which they responded to positively and things were going well until McLean, Hanley and Gibson were all injured and we were left with the youngest team we've had in the last 20+ years, which is why we now see experienced players like Barnes, Stacey and hopefully Duffy coming in. Wagner wants to focus on now rather than the future and hopefully he'll be given the players he needs to do that.
Farke has gone from MGB. I guess this ratchets up the pressure on Webber/Wagner even more at the start of next season because there'll be no shortage of fans who want him back, either as Head Coach or as SD. I really just hope he doesn't end up at one of our Championship rivals.
Smith's comment in that interview could be interpreted in a radically different way: as proof that he was totally unsuited to Norwich.
This quote from Bournemouth manager Gary O'Neil emphasises what we need to be looking for on top of a player's skillset: "An incredible guy," he said of Stacey. "To have to just play the small part that he has recently and to still be how he is around the group and to still be how he is in training. I’ve never seen a second from him where he hasn’t been 100% professional, 100% committed, 100% putting the group above himself....I think he’s an incredible professional.” https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/23565151.norwich-city-gary-oneil-interview-transfer-jack-stacey/
I stumbled on this and listened to it (25 minutes) while doing other things, but it does give a deeper insight into Ashley Barnes and what he could bring next season: Or if you prefer a compilation of goals:
Now or never for Tzolis? https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/23564...-christos-tzolis-2022-23-championship-season/
I think we could have a real player on our hands if he goes away and really works on his physique over the summer. Perhaps preseason will work on this for him. If he can really sharpen up and work on his explosiveness there is a real player there
I’ve seen the club are going to be releasing a documentary on Omobamidele. Bit of shop window work possibly
Hope you're right. Here's the right article: https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/23564...-christos-tzolis-2022-23-championship-season/
Having caught up with this thread, I think there is a lot of sense being written here about the togetherness or lack of within the quad. I remember Webber and Farke talking about how they wanted characters within the group that would work together and drive us forward as a team. For example Rhodes was praised in the second season whilst on loan for not moaning when he was relegated to the bench for much of the season after Pukki exceeded all expectations. Last year and for a fair amount of the relegation season the players looked like they had never met each other let alone get along with each other. So getting in some good characters so the team will fight for each other as mates as well as the skills they poses should put us in better position.
I agree with you, Zog, about the lack of togetherness for virtually all of the last two seasons. Hard to say why, but I think the four loans at the start of the relegation season didn't help. They just never seemed to fit in, either with the existing squad or with each other. And I don't see Rashica as a 'we're all in this together lads' kind of person. Let's hope you're right and we'll get the unity back next season. Togetherness went a hell of a way at clubs like Luton and Millwall last year.
Togetherness and team spirit were a huge factor in the PL survival of Lambert's team. That unravelled under Hughton but came back to a degree under Neil. Farke's enthusiasm and tactics took a year to instill until the arrival of Pukki and Buendia led to a transformation in results and team spirit. That was evident in the 3-2 win over ManCity but unravelled because of injuries, particularly at CB and disappointing loan players. It rose again when we won the Championship again but the loss of Buendia and more dubious loans led to another demoralising PL season, after which Rashica, Lees-Melou and more disappointing loan players all buggered off to follow their own interests. With Pukki gone, the attack will have to be built around Sargent, Idah and Barnes as a SS/CAM if Wagner uses a 4-2-3-1 as the base formation again this season. Sargent has natural enthusiasm and a hard working ethic, Barnes will hopefully bring a Holt like strength and experience to a young side but we also need Idah and Tzolis to contribute more. Hernandez's spirit and hard work will help and Sara and Núñez are well bedded in now, but much will depend on how Stacey and Mumba compensate for the loss of Aarons, who will replace Giannoulis if he leaves and how much Duffy (assuming he's coming) strengthens the defence. If we can also add a quality DM and effectively replace the players left or leaving we should compete for a top 6 finish, but the league will be tougher with the teams coming down from the PL and those coming up from League One.