2022-23 Season

Sunderland 1 Middlesbrough 0 78 min

Good result for us atm

2 - 0 now. We stay 5th

 

2-0 final score so we move above Boro on goal difference.

 

Frank "Norwich are not a big enough club" Lampard has just been sacked as manager of Everton, after less than a year in charge, and only 3 wins all season this season - perhaps he's not a "Big Enough" manager

 

At last the soap opera's over. Cantwell has gone.

 

Former Aston Villa and Norwich City manager Dean Smith is one of a
number of candidates being considered for the vacant post at Cardiff City.

 

Player of the month voting open.

Dowell got my vote

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001hk3g

Interesting watch re "On the ball City"

 

Pleasant change to previous seasons:

 

This is a massive turnaround. Night and day! Looks like our dedicated set piece trainer has been working at both ends of the pitch.

 

Yes I thought exactly the same

 

How are they defending now? Zonal or man to man?

 

Looking at the set piece stats on whoscored I saw this:

https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/168/Statistics/England-Norwich

Have we really not scored or even taken a penalty this season?

We're not even listed in transfermarkt's stats:

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/championship/topErhalteneElfmeter/wettbewerb/GB2/plus/1

 

You could see the effect he was having from very early on in terms of structure and organisation. In answer to GE2, it's not a question of "either or", it's a mix of both. I don't know of any team which uses one to the exclusion of the other nowadays. It's just a fan fixation.

 

Yes, it's s often described as a mix of the two in commentaries. I used to dread opposition corners but now I feel more confident.

 

Adam Idah has signed a new long term deal with the club taking his contract expiry to 2028

 

Interesting comparison between Sargent in his new role and Stiepermann in early Farkeball. IMO, Josh is playing more as a second striker than a 10, but like Stiepi, he has taken on the role of exploiting attacking space as it occurs behind or alongside Pukki. This gives him more freedom to play to his strengths than playing up front would. He also has a good awareness of moves being made by the other attacking players and this should improve as more games are played, not to mention the potential contributions of Tzolis and Marquinhos in this new system.

https://norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com/2023/02/02/sarge-now-channelling-his-inner-stiepi/

 

Max is one of those people who always looks really cheesed off. He and Tzolis should get on swimmingly once Tzolis returns.

 

Maybe not so surprising as the MFW article suggests, and more a matter of background and observation than "genius". In the TNC interview, Wagner emphased how much he owes to his years at Borussia Dortmund. So think BVD and the current version of Marco Reus. To quote the latter's Wikipedia page:

"Reus is a versatile forward, who is capable of playing in several offensive positions, and has been deployed as a second striker, in a central role as an out-and-out striker (although this is not his favoured position), as a winger on either flank (although he favours the left side, as it allows him to cut inside onto his stronger right foot), and also in a central attacking midfield role as a number 10."

Sargent of course prefers playing "as an out-and-out striker", but the versatility is there (as also with Stiepermann). Perhaps "round pegs in round holes" is simply a peculiarly British lack of imagination?

 

Hugill is an out and out striker, but that is only one role Sargent can play. As a second striker behind Pukki his is a critical role in the movement up front with the ability to shoot and score as well. Round pegs in round holes is more about allowing players to play to their natural strengths rather than trying to improvise roles they're not suited to.

 

Idah signing a new deal is interesting, considering Dean Smith's comments about his knee issues being chronic and basically unsolvable, that he'd need to have his playing time managed basically for his whole career.

I know we got a lot out of Tettey in similar circumstances, but I'm curious how the new deal handles that potential issue. Another bad injury and he could be a Jarvis/Byram with another 5 years on his contract.