The news on Friday from Colney in terms of transfers was not exactly encouraging for Norwich fans.
“Right now, sitting here, I expect that we will do nothing,’ Daniel Farke told the EDP
“Normally the agents leave you alone from September to December or February to May and at this stage you are either on the phone all day or else you throw it away. You have to make a choice. I think we will do nothing. I am really relaxed. We have a good squad, I am happy with it. I have mentioned many times we won`t fall asleep if there is a special option. You can imagine some improvements in one or two areas of the squad but I am content.’
The best way of describing the season’s start is ‘bang average’, I’d say. I’m an optimistic fellow though and I know it needs time and I’m giving it time, so fingers crossed.
An encouraging draw on the opening day at Fulham has been followed by a poor loss to Sunderland, a decent win over QPR and then another bad defeat, this time at Aston Villa.
City go to Millwall today looking for their first away win of the season against a Lions side looking for their first win. After two draws, Millwall sit third bottom in the table but could leapfrog City with a win.
Anyway, this isn’t a preview piece as such, more a look at whether or not Norwich have enough in terms of squad players to produce an effective top six challenge.
I’ll start by saying that the midfield looks to be well stocked and in decent fettle. There are enough numbers to cover most eventualities and that is why Ben Godfrey has been allowed out on loan.
That’s got to be a good thing for him. Surely he’d rather be playing regularly than warming the Norwich bench, hoping for someone to get injured?
Godfrey is more a defensive midfielder than defender and fits the bill of a young player who is not quite ready to play in his role so he goes out on loan. In the meantime, Harrison Reed comes in on loan to fill the position and then we see if he develops enough for next season.
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With Tom Trybull and Alex Tettey also able to fill that role, Godfrey is unlikely to be missed while still getting that invaluable first team experience at Shrewsbury.
The link to Stuart Dallas was probably just a typical summer rumour. It started in Yorkshire but could simply be part of a ploy by the player’s agent to get a better, new deal for his client.
Dallas only has a year left at Elland Road but is a big player there so I’d be amazed if they’d let him leave. Also, is he really going to be more effective than Josh Murphy? Probably not.
My biggest concerns are around the attack and the defence.
The striking situation sees just Nelson Oliveira and Cameron Jerome as recognised strikers. Marley Watkins can clearly do a job there but he’s not in his best position up top.
The last week has seen both Jerome and Oliveira miss (rested for) the Charlton cup game due to both having groin problems.
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Watkins duly filled in and against lower league opposition, we got away with it and now, Nelson is seemingly back fit again for the league.
It all fell into place nicely but if Jerome, who will not travel to Millwall with the squad, were to be out for any length of time then we could be in trouble.
Nelson had several periods out with minor injury last season and Cam filled in. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t see Watkins in training everyday and I haven’t really seen enough of him up front to know if he’s up to it long term, should he be needed. I’m just voicing a concern.
At the back, the two new German signings, Zimmermann and Franke have struggled. We can all see it and I’m sure they’d both tell you that they are adjusting to English football.
The good news is that Timm Klose is on the comeback trail, having trained with the first team on Friday for the first time in six weeks. There is an obvious danger of Klose getting better in the minds of the Canary faithful the longer he doesn’t play.
We as a fanbase have a history of this, going back (in my memory) to Phil Mulryne and then more recently with Ricky van Wolfswinkel. There are still fans today that will tell you that RvW was a wasted talent and that it’s the club’s and it’s various managers’ fault that he didn’t make it in England.
Right, anyway, moving on.
I do think though, that after struggling to adapt to the Championship himself, last season, that Timm will be able to help the two new lads out and show them the ropes, so to speak. Playing one of the new lads with Klose could well be the answer to starting a stable partnership back there.
Both Zimmermann and Franke have all the physical attributes to play the position, so it’s surely just a matter of them becoming acclimatised to the league – I hope.
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So, I’m not nodding my head sagely, when Farke says that he expects us to do nothing more in this transfer window, rather wishing we’d buy a new striker and another seasoned Championship defender.
Having said that we’ve seen how Nelson will throw his toys out of his pram if he doesn’t start, so more competition might cause a problem for him. At the back, I’m hoping that the new boys come good and that Timm Klose isn’t just getting better in my mind, the less I see of him on the pitch.
With regard to Nelson and managing him and his expectations, that is Farke’s job and he’s done okay, so far.
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The bottom line here is that we have to trust him and let his vision of a new Norwich City develop. As I keep telling the other members of the Fantasy Football league that I’ve entered, ‘You win nothing in August…’
OTBC