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Who Stays And Who Goes At Norwich?

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With the final game of the German training camp against Wolfsburg tonight, Norwich will soon be back on home soil and the question of which members of Daniel Farke’s squad will still be there come the start of the season has entered my mind.

It looks to me as though there won’t be much more in the way of incoming transfers but I do think that there will be a few going out on loan because we have a few too many, I’d say.

I mentioned earlier in the week that Farke has a lot of decisions to make about who he will play, particularly in his midfield where he is very well stocked.

To my mind, there are a few players that seem to be playing for their places in the first team squad and who, if they don’t grab their pre-season chance, could find themselves out on a limb and going out on loan.

Remi Matthews has been given the opportunity he so desperately wants as a local lad who has come up through the academy. He didn’t cover himself with glory, particularly against Paderborn though, especially with the second goal, which was a horrible moment.

As is the current way of thinking in modern football, goalkeepers who can play with their feet and pass the ball well are highly desirable commodities right now and as a coach, that’s what Daniel Farke wants in his number one.

I’m not entirely sure that Remi has done enough with his saves, although he has made a couple of crackers, or with his feet, yet. The probable signing by Liverpool of Alisson Becker from Roma for an eye watering £67m could open the way for a loan move for young Danny Ward.

Whether or not City would be in the market for such a loan could depend on how Remi performs in the next couple of weeks, although when you consider that after every loan he’s ever had, fans of those teams have raved about Remi, I’d say the ball is very much still in his hands. I, for one, really hope it works out and the young man from Gorleston becomes our new number one.

Another player that I wonder about is Ben Godfrey, who has seemed to have spent most of his game time in pre-season so far, playing as a centre back.

He had such a great season on loan at Shrewsbury last season that he had looked likely to make the step up at Norwich this year. What has struck me though and I think it’ll affect Godfrey, is the form and performances of Louis Thompson.

Despite only just being back from injury, he seems to have been very good in that defensive midfield role currently vacated by the sick Alex Tettey. Tettey’s chickenpox looks as though it might mean he misses the start of the season and that could offer an instant chance to impress in the league for Thompson.

Farke clearly likes what he’s seen of Thompson and I think that will not bode well for Godfrey, who could be the subject of another loan, because let’s face it, his development will stall if he just plays now and again off the bench or in the development squad.

Thompson has had a horrendous time with injuries and he will need to prove his fitness both to himself and to the coaching staff. If he comes through pre-season okay then I reckon he’ll get the nod ahead of Godfrey.

These are the big questions for Farke to ponder over the next few weeks but if these two lads do end up going out on loan, you can be sure that there will be no shortage of offers for them.

OTBC

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Editor - a forty something Canary, who has been following Norwich for 30 odd years. Family man with wife, kids, dog and a love of sport. Fan of Boxing, Vale 46, F1 and Rock.

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