In the 22nd of a series of pre-season reports, HarryfromBath assesses the mood around the Championship clubs by delving into their forums, looking here at how the Canaries have fared under new head coach Daniel Farke this summer. A match preview on Saturday’s opponents Birmingham will follow tomorrow and a link to reports on all clubs in the division can be found at the end of this report.
"Early days but signs of promise”, "There’s a nice sense of excitement this season”, "We are basically a brand-new team, a team with a far more positive attitude, more like the team from 2009”, "What is happening at our club at a time of sharp cost-cutting is ambitious with a capital A.”
"A fascinating season ahead.” These are exciting times for Canaries, the summer having seen change on an unprecedented scale. Under new sporting director Stuart Webber, who was appointed in April, and head coach Daniel Farke, who came in in May, the squad has been completely overhauled, along with the playing style and philosophy at the club. "The glass is half-full for me now.”
Despite the optimism sweeping the club, fans are cautious in their expectations for the season. "I can see us finishing anywhere from first to 14th”, "There are so many unknowns this season that it’s easy to picture a best and worst-case scenario”, "Factor in all the change I see a mid-table finish.”
"Revolution was called for and I expect fans to be entertained even if we don’t get promoted”, "There could be some good and enjoyable seasons around the corner”, "One thing is clear. The Alex Neil era has been completely blown away in a very short space of time and that’s a huge positive.”
"We must remember that we are very much a work in progress”, "The last time we played this well in pre-season, Bryan Gunn was in charge”, "Gunn rebuilt the team in the 2009 close season and had a very good pre-season with lots of goals and wins, which led to positivity and good cheer.”
"I like Daniel Farke, I like what he brings and am prepared to be patient and see it through”, "I have well and truly bought into his vision for the future. We couldn't have chosen a better way to downsize which was a necessity, yet have a complete new vision and chapter in the history of our club.”
The 40-year-old former Borussia Dortmund reserves manager has quickly won Canaries over with the evidence his work in the pitch. "We have a coach with a clear vision, a defined philosophy on how he wants us to play and he won’t change his approach every week come hell or high water.”
"We like the cut of Farke’s jib”, "I’m confident that he will be better than Alex Neil. At least he seems to have a Plan B and C if needed”, "We have a better person in charge now, and that is key”, "Alex Neil went from one game to the next befuddled, muddled and mixed-up on knowing what to do.”
"Measured is a good way to describe what Farke is working towards”, "He is obsessed by possession and controlling games so expect both to improve this season”, "He is not trying to play possession football per se. He is trying to stop us giving the ball back cheaply, which is not the same thing.”
"We look comfortable with this new style of play”, "Ball possession and passing accuracy are clearly things he has been working on”, "For the first 20 minutes against Brighton, the ball never left the turf, we passed it around well. If the move faltered, the ball just came back and we tried again.”
"Work the ball fast when in possession and attack en masse”, "The whole team has bought into the system, lovely quick, sharp passing and movement, and we chase opponents down quickly”, "It isn’t about lobbing the ball forward in the hope it will bounce to the right person in the right place.”
"We have a very fluid structure and we can overload one side of the field when going forward”, "We will lose the gung-ho aspects of Neil’s style and improve our ability to close out a game properly”, "Our glory years in the nineties were based on a great deal of possession and tactical fluidity.”
"The new playing style is very evident but I’m still not convinced with us playing it out from the back. We had a few ‘Get it forward’ shouts in the South Stand so maybe not all have read the edict for us to show patience.” Some Canaries are worried that this style of play might irritate fellow supporters.
"I can see situations where we are passing the ball around in midfield, seemingly without attacking intent, which will infuriate fans”, "The key thing is going to be patience. We must appreciate that we have completely changed our style in one pre-season and it has produced results, albeit in friendlies.”
"We appear to be gambling with a trimmed squad”, "We knew the cloth-cutting was coming after failing to get promotion. The squad was going to have major surgery”, "The biggest concern is the number of players who wanted out. I didn’t expect us to lose Jacob Murphy and Jonny Howson.”
The Norwich squad has been dismantled this summer, with many of the players who steered the club to the top flight and played there departing. Two of the defensive stalwarts, keeper John Ruddy and centre-back Ryan Bennett are now with Wolves.
Other defenders leaving are centre-half Michael Turner, now at Southend, and right-back Steven Whittaker, who moved back to his first club Hibernian. Goalkeeper Declan Rudd has returned to Preston, where he spent several loan spells, while centre-half Sebastien Bassong is a free agent at the time of writing.
Two high-profile midfielders leaving the club are Jonny Howson, who switched to Middlesbrough, and Graham Dorrans, now at Rangers. Winger Jacob Murphy was lured away to Newcastle, while another midfielder, Youssouf Mulumbu, still has to find a new club at present.
Kyle Lafferty has joined Hearts and fellow striker Tony Andreu is widely expected to depart with no squad number having been allocated to him. Midfielder Conor McGrandles’s free transfer switch to Milton Keynes is the most high-profile departure out of the younger players who have left the club.
"The balance of the squad looks good”, "We now have players to suit the tactics and not the other way around”, "On paper we’re a bit weaker but better balanced”, "None of the new players are well known”, "We are not miles away by any means but we are light but I expected a few more signings.”
The fact that they have added four defenders, three midfielders and one attacker will give an idea of which areas the club felt needed strengthening. Angus Gunn, the 21-year-old son of former City keeper and legend Bryan, has signed on loan from Manchester City and looks likely to be the first-choice keeper.
Left-back James Husband, 23, has arrived from Middlesbrough, while two 24-year-old defenders have come from Germany, Marcel Franke from Greuther Furth and Christoph Zimmermann from Borussia Dortmund II. One-time Bath City midfield-cum-striker Marley Watkins, 26, has joined from Barnsley.
Bosnia international Mario Vrancic is the most eye-catching midfield addition with the 28-year-old joining from German side Darmstadt. Two younger prospects arriving at the club are 19-year-old Adam Phillips from Liverpool and Harrison Reed, a 22-year-old loan signing from Southampton.
City have had a successful pre-season on the pitch. A 5-0 stroll at Cobh Ramblers was followed by a similar 5-1 win at Lowestoft. The Canaries then drew 2-2 at Stevenage and won 2-0 at Cambridge. The German leg of their pre-season saw them beat MSV Duisburg 2-0 and Arminia Bielefeld 3-1.
Saturday’s final warm-up game saw them play out a 1-1 stalemate with Brighton at Carrow Road. The starting XI (above) was set out with the three-man midfield preferred by Farke. He has altered the shape of the team and decided to set the team up against the Seagulls with wing-backs.
The reality of the changes made this summer was apparent to watching Canaries in what was City’s first home game of the season. "Blimey, only Russell Martin and Cameron Jerome out of ‘fixtures’ for the last few seasons in the starting line-up. This is some revolution when seen that way.”
Brighton opened the scoring on 21 minutes with of a glancing Pascal Gross header after the Seagulls got in behind James Husband on City’s left flank. Marley Watkins equalised for the hosts with a shot on 42 minutes. Norwich also changed into their purple third-choice playing kit for the second half.
It’s also worth looking at the starting line-up (above) for Norwich’s win at Bielefeld. Farke used his alternative 4-1-4-1 shape but switched to wing-backs after the break. Watkins and Husband moved to wing-back roles with Josh Murphy joining Jerome in a two-man attack.
"We controlled the second half after switching to a back three against Bielefeld.” "We have a coach who is not afraid to change the shape”, "Farke brings something missing since Paul Lambert with his flexibility. He has shown that the team can adapt to different formations successfully inside a game.”
"The defence is still a massive concern. It has barely improved”, "It has to improve on last season’s as I’m not sure it could have got any worse”, "Our defence could remain our Achilles’ heel as our main keeper is relatively untested and I feel we may be short at the centre of defence.”
"If any statistic will interest me this season, it’s the goals against column.” City had the third-worst defensive record in the division last season with 69 goals conceded. They have only let in five goals in eight pre-season games but the calibre of some of this season’s backline has Canaries worried.
"Have you seen Angus Gunn stop a shot yet?” Their biggest concern in their goalkeeper. "Will fans remain patient with Gunn because he is very much starting out this season?” "He hasn’t been tested but like all keepers we have had for the past few seasons, he does not come for balls in the box.”
"Gunn does look nervous on unsure on crosses. Pity we didn’t go for a more experienced keeper”, "I fear for him in goal. He does seem very unsure in many situations”, "We have had an experienced keeper in John Ruddy and he wasn’t good enough for the past two seasons with all his experience.”
"The last two goals we conceded were from Christoph Zimmerman being out-jumped”, "I’m a little concerned that he’s now a main man for us in defence having come from the German fourth tier. It’s a big step up.” Fans will welcome Timm Klose and Ivo Pinto when they eventually return from injury.
"Russell Martin made individual errors against Brighton and I will be staggered if we have another manager who fails to recognise that he is not suited to a centre-back role”, "James Husband doesn’t look great”, "The way Brighton’s winger buzzed past him on the left for their goal was concerning.”
Canaries like their new midfielders but are worried about a lack of steel in this department. "We are a bit lightweight in midfield. I can see us playing attractive football but also being bullied by stronger physical sides, especially away”, "I am not sure we’re quite tough enough to consistently challenge.”
"I like the look of Mario Vrancic already”, "He gives us a whole new mentality around the middle of the pitch”, "He looks very good breaking up opponents’ midfield play”, "He looks a nice addition. I love the fact he is so aggressive going forward. If nothing else is on he will have a smack at goal.”
"Yanic Wildschut has been allowed to find his perfect position under Farke. He’s powerful, fast, does his defensive work and is best carrying the ball forward”, "He’s far more effective in a deeper role, whereas under Alex Neil he was playing high and relying on technique that he isn’t blessed with.”
"Wildschut was never given a chance under Neil and was injured when he signed.” The ex-Wigan winger has blossomed under the new boss, but fans have noted that 31-year-old Alexander Tettey has struggled. "He seems to be something of a relic on the pitch, unable to cope with the new style.”
"I’m not worried about us going forward. There wasn’t a lot wrong with that side of the game last year”, "The only concern I have is just having two out-and-out strikers”, "We still need another striker.” Canaries are nervous they might struggle if either of their frontmen are out for a period.
"We have a potent-looking attack”, "There’s little to choose between Cameron Jerome and Nelson Oliveira. Jerome’s movement was as good as usual against Brighton, Oliveira’s eye for goal is better”, "I agree with the need for a striker who loves a little through ball to run on to, a poacher or sniffer.”
"To get hammered in your last pre-season game is a very worrying sign. I look at Ipswich’s side and their bench and that’s a poor-looking squad, worse than they had last year”, "If you turn up in a Robin Reliant for a Formula One race there’s only one person to blame, the one behind the wheel.”
There was come predictable crowing over Saturday’s loss at Charlton coupled with large measures of sneering and wishful thinking. "There’s a strong likelihood that their gates could dip below 10,000 this coming season. Could Colchester perhaps replace them as our main rivals any time soon then?”
"I like McCarthy and have always done. You have to say he has done a really good job there, given the support he gets from the fans and board, having to sell any half-decent player”, "If they sack Mick in the winter to bring in someone to get them playing football, they could drop like a stone.”
"I really can’t see us finishing higher than mid-table, too much change to a degree not expected”, "We don’t have a fallback. If this goes belly up all the family treasure has been sold off”, "How long have you been a Norwich fan? The membership pack comes with a free sachet of pessimism.”
Canaries have enough of their own worries. "The bottom line is that we go up this season or every last player with a bit of talent will be sold by our impoverished owners next summer. Promotion or be in a worse place financially than Ipswich next summer. The odds are hugely stacked against us.”
The most active Canaries message board is The Pink ‘Un. Additional comment can be found on the cheerfully coloured Wrath of the Barclay which operates in thread mode.