Norwich City are back in action on Saturday against Bournemouth and with some very positive news.
🎙 The boss has arrived for his #NORBOU pre-match press conference!https://t.co/LiTzeNyrzN
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) January 17, 2020
Teemu Pukki is back fit and available, as is Ben Godfrey with both players going straight back into the match day squad to face Eddie Howe’s struggling Bournemouth. The Cherries sit six points and one place above the Canaries in 19thposition in the table after a shocking series of injuries to key players that almost rival the injury crisis suffered by Norwich themselves in the first half of the season.
That has coincided with a drop-off in form for main striker, Callum Wilson, who has failed to register a single shot on target since October – sounds like this is ripe for an “along come Norwich” moment.
Speaking at his usual pre-match press conference at Colney on Friday lunchtime, Daniel Farke was bullish about his side’s chances of beating relegation saying:
“A victory is always good for the confidence and the table, but if you lose the next game everything goes down. We need to win seven of our last sixteen. It’s a huge task but one that we want to fulfil.”
Farke also revealed that there is no problem with Grant Hanley and Josep Drmic is also fit and raring to go after three months out with a hamstring issue. Speaking about the centre-back position, Farke pointed out that he now has three of his four senior central defenders fit again and that Timm Klose is only a few weeks away from joining them, suggesting that the club don’t feel the need to strengthen that position in this transfer window.
Farke also pointed out that City now have three fit strikers in Pukki, Drmic and Idah for one position but that they were short in the full-back and wing areas. New signing, Lukas Rupp has recently covered as a winger and full-back for former club, Hoffenheim which suggests that he will be a utility player in the short-term.
Ondrej Duda has been brought in with the expectation that he can add to the club’s frankly woeful zero goal tally from the number 10 position. Both of the new signings are fit and available for this game but as you might expect, Farke was wary of pointing out that neither have fully got used to their new surroundings yet.
Having said that, after the abject performance at Old Trafford last week, I wouldn’t be surprised to see at least one of them start, perhaps Duda and you can guarantee that Pukki will return to lead the line.
“If we win all our home games it will be enough. Our supporters can bring us over the line, but we need one or two on the road as well. Regardless of the opposition, we want to win every game.
You’re often judged by results, so it’s not normal to have the unbelievable backing I have. It’s tough for fans to wait for a win. To celebrate with the manager after a 4-0 loss isn’t normal, so I’m unbelievably thankful and grateful to them.
The fans love this club so much and have so much passion. They deserve us to surprise the whole world and work on another miracle after last season.“
Miracle indeed.
OTBC