30 Season Preview 2019-20 FourFourTwonORWICH CITY
Thereasonpromotedsidesbankoncontinuing
momentum in their new surroundings is easily
pinned down: going up is a heady experience.
Points, wins and goals paper over the cracks until
everyone is convinced they’re watching perfection.
The end result only reaffirms the feeling. Norwich had
the lot in abundance last season, and the supporters
went to town as they lifted the Championship trophy.
Then the summer arrived...
Norwich fans have enough recent Premier League
experience to see the open expanses their players
created at either end of the pitch, and know evenPREMIER LEAGUE
2019-20
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havethequalitytomakelifeveryuncomfortable.
Havingbothfull-backsplayingina frontthreewith
Teemu Pukki is already primed for early Match of the
Day analysis, with Alan Shearer, neck muscles tensed,
bellowing, “It’s naive, you can’t do that at this level.”
Given there won’t be significant alterations to the
Canaries’ title-winning squad, much will rest on the
shoulders of head coach Daniel Farke. Philosophy,
culture and comparison will wrestle pragmatism,
inexperience and that brutal reality the Premier
League amplifies with each passing campaign. His
4-2-3-1 may give way to a 3-4-3 more often, which
would also hand an extra centre-back game time.It’s been a long-held belief that the technical and
patient style Farke has built since 2017 is more suited
to top-flight football than Championship rigours. Any
imagined comparisons with Fulham’s recruitment last
summer apply only until you appreciate the Canaries
won’t come armed with a £100m demolition of the
squad that had earned their windfall in the first place.
Cup ties offer shaky comparisons, but in victory at
Cardiff and defeat at Bournemouth last term, Farke’s
side offered encouragement that they have something
to work with. Even the German’s first season featured
standout performances in the League Cup at Arsenal
and FA Cup at Chelsea – glimpses that the manager’s
attractive, controlled possession game was adaptable
when he had to tweak the balance between leaving
space and creating it.
Most intriguing will be the players. Goalkeeper Tim
Krul has improvement to maintain and in Jamal Lewis,
Max Aarons and Ben Godfrey, Norwich have a trio of
genuine top-class defensive prospects.
Never underestimate the determination of talent
and potential – even in the most brutal environments.LAST SEASON
CHAMPIONSHIP 1st
FA CUP Third Round
LEAGUE CUP Fourth Round
TOP SCORER
Teemu Pukki (30)HOW CAn THE CAnARIES SHORE UP
A LEAKY DEFEnCE AnD STAY UP?
MICHAEL BAILEY @MICHAELJBAILEY