FourFourTwo UK – September 2019

FFTVERDICT

FourFourTwo Season Preview 2019-20 31

EMIBUENDIA

Power,precision,poetry.Norwichwonthe

Championshiptitlelastseason– butnot

a singleleaguegamewithouttheiryoung

Argentineattackingmidfielder.Supporters

callhim‘footballheaven’withgoodreason.

KEY PLAYER

17

TH

VIEW FROM THE STAn DS

JON PUNT @PUNTINO

The big talking point among the

fans is a controversial new away

membership scheme. Otherwise,

whether to reinforce the squad or

stay loyal to the promoted side.

This season will be different

because expectations will alter.

From January, Norwich fans

anticipated a win every game.

Our most underrated player is

keeper Tim Krul. Stuttered when

ring-rusty, but his experience

marshals a very young backline.

Look out for young striker Adam

Idah, prolific for Ireland’s U21s.

The best away ground is the

delapidated, but traditional and

heart-warming, Goodison Park.

The best away fans are Aston

Villa’s. Self-important, but almost

constant vocal backing.

The player I’d happily drive to

another club is Nelson Oliveira.

His disruptive ego doesn’t fit in.

The opposition player I secretly

admire is Raheem Sterling –

a vocal spokesperson on injustice.

The pantomime villain will be

Chris Wilder, who picks fight after

fight with his rivals.

The one change I’d make to the

club would be sell fewer season

tickets. An ageing demographic

blocks the next generation.

The fans’ opinion of the gaffer

couldn’t be higher. Farkeball was

achieved with young players and

Bundesliga cast-offs.

If he left, he should be replaced

by the Borussia Dortmund U23s

coach, <checks notes> Alen Terzic.

Save the date for April 11:

Brighton at home. It could be

a springboard towards survival.

We’ll finish 15th, optimistically.

FIVE-POIn T PLAn

1

DITCH THE BAGGAGE

Norwich supporters will feel the
dread. No club has suffered more
Premier League relegations, and
sporting director Stuart Webber has
already declared their budget the
smallest in top-tier history. However,
some of Norwich’s best times have
come when few fancied them, when
they trusted their players and did
things the right way – exactly what
got them promotion in the first place.

2

HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO

Last season’s midfield was prolific:
four were in the Championship’s
top-20 scoring midfielders, three
in assists, and two in the top 10 for key
passes. All can keep the ball and pick
a pass or shot – more than covering
ground, breaking up play and fighting
fires. Tom Trybull is most adept at the
defensive side and has been excellent,
but to get their balance right, Norwich
need some more backline protection.

3

MASTERY NEEDS HUMILITY

City’s success has come quickly,
but Norwich’s self-funding model
is what Premier League riches are
designed to crush. Add in that teams
won’t stand in the Carrow Road tunnel
fearing who’s lined up alongside them,
and Norwich’s acceptance of their new
environment must be swift and sure.

4

THE GOAL IS THE SAME SIZE

The Canaries’ past Premier League
campaigns have floundered on
a lack of goals. Ashley Ward joined
too late to keep them up back in 1995;
likewise Dean Ashton in 2005. This time
they already have football’s best-value
free transfer ever – probably – in Teemu
Pukki. The free-scoring, free-assisting
Finn must now prove his movement
and clinical finishing can step up, while
hoping he still gets poachers’ chances.

5

IGNORE THE DISTRACTIONS

Farke barely made one tactical
substitution in 2019, often simply
using up time with late swaps. But
in the top flight, game management
and tactical intelligence are crucial to
survival. Not conceding goals either
side of half-time would also be handy:
from 41st-50th was the only 10-minute
window last season where Norwich
posted a negative goal difference (-8).

SEASOn PREVIEW

TheCoach& Horses

and The Fat Cat &

Canary are both

10 minutes away

(the latter beyond

Carrow Road from

the station) and in

the CAMRA Guide.

@AlongComeNodge

is a self-styled ‘ranty,

rambling nonsense,

a podcast and general

merriment concerning

Norwich City and the

life of a football fan’.

Essential for Canaries.

TheNorfolkclub’s

traditional chant

of ‘On the Ball,

City’ is the oldest

in world football

to still be heard.

If youhaveenoughtime,take

a trip to North Norfolk and

enjoy the famous Cromer

crabs. Proper British delicacy.

GoandexploreNorwichcity

centre. A cosmopolitan city

steeped in culture, it’s small

enough to easily enjoy on foot.

MATCHDAY PACK

AWAY PUB

SIGn ATURE DISH WHILE YOU’RE HERE...

DID YOU MUST FOLLOW

K nOW...?

AUGUST

9 Liverpool (a)

17 Newcastle (h)

24 Chelsea (h)

31 West Ham (a)

SEPTEMBER

14 Man City (h)

21 Burnley (a)

28 Crystal Palace (a)

OCTOBER

5 Aston Villa (h)

19 Bournemouth (a)

26 Man United (h)

NOVEMBER

2 Brighton (a)

9 Watford (h)

23 Everton (a)

DECEMBER

1 Arsenal (h)

4 Southampton (a)

7 Sheffield United (h)

14 Leicester (a)

21 Wolves (h)

26 Aston Villa (a)

28 Tottenham (h)

JANUARY

1 Crystal Palace (h)

11 Man United (a)

18 Bournemouth (h)

22 Tottenham (a)

FEBRUARY

1 Newcastle (a)

8 Liverpool (h)

22 Wolves (a)

29 Leicester (h)

MARCH

7 Sheffield United (a)

14 Southampton (h)

21 Everton (h)

APRIL

4 Arsenal (a)

11 Brighton (h)

18 Watford (a)

25 West Ham (h)

MAY

2 Chelsea (a)

9 Burnley (h)

17 Man City (a)

FIXTURES

The attacking riches at

Farke’s disposal could be

enough to sneak survival.