‘There’s A Real Positivity Around Norwich City’

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‘There’s A Real Positivity Around Norwich City’

David Wagner has managed to turn the tide in Norfolk following an impressive start to the season, says Chief Norwich City Reporter Connor Southwell.

2023-09-20T07:48:00.000Z

by Sam Jones

Published

20 Sep, 2023

‘There’s A Real Positivity Around Norwich City’

David Wagner has managed to turn the tide in Norfolk following an impressive start to the season, says Chief Norwich City Reporter Connor Southwell.

Sam Jones

2023-09-20T07:48:00.000Z

‘There’s A Real Positivity Around Norwich City’

David Wagner has managed to turn the tide in Norfolk following an impressive start to the season, says Chief Norwich City Reporter Connor Southwell.

Sam Jones

2023-09-20T07:48:00.000Z

‘There’s A Real Positivity Around Norwich City’

David Wagner has managed to turn the tide in Norfolk following an impressive start to the season, says Chief Norwich City Reporter Connor Southwell.

Sam Jones

2023-09-20T07:48:00.000Z

‘There’s A Real Positivity Around Norwich City’

David Wagner has managed to turn the tide in Norfolk following an impressive start to the season, says Chief Norwich City Reporter Connor Southwell.

Sam Jones

2023-09-20T07:48:00.000Z

- Norwich City entertain Leicester City in the Sky Bet Championship- Fourth host second at Carrow Road on Wednesday (8pm kick-off)- Connor Southwell reports back on the Canaries’ start to the season

Although 2022/23 did not end as the Canaries had hoped, finishing the campaign in the bottom half of the table, a new wave of optimism has swept around Carrow Road prior to Leicester City’s visit on Wednesday (8pm kick-off).

Southwell explained: “It’s been a completely necessary start off the back of how last season ended, which was one win in 11 matches, a lot of pressure on David Wagner and on the hierarchy, and questions concerning whether they could turn things around after what was a really underwhelming campaign.

“It started with Dean Smith and never really got going after a pretty bright start. They were forced into the managerial change, which looked like it was going quite well and then derailed around Easter when they got quite a few injuries. They looked nailed on to be a top six challenger and then fell away in drastic fashion.

“The lack of mentality and issues with the team really began to surface. Turning the mood around the place was absolutely key for Wagner more than anything. If he didn’t start quickly, there was not going to be any goodwill for him a few games in.”

Players have certainly stepped up to the plate in the wake of some key departures, most notably star striker Teemu Pukki, leading to four wins and a draw from their opening six Sky Bet Championship fixtures.

The journalist continued: “It’s a testament to what they’ve done, going from not scoring a goal at home since that game against Cardiff in February to the last game of the season against Blackpool, to this season where they’ve won three games at Carrow Road, which is their best home start since 2006.

“It’s been a really contrasting start to the campaign and a pleasant surprise so far. We saw it in the early weeks under Wagner but scoring goals was a real issue for them at the back end of last season.

“There was more concern after losing Teemu Pukki, who was the club’s top scorer in every campaign that he played apart from last season and was so prolific. Norwich were relying on him for goals so there was always a little bit of doubt over whether players could step up and step in. They’ve spread the goals nicely this year from lots of different areas.

“Jonathan Rowe has had an electric start, but Ashley Barnes has chipped in, Adam Idah has stepped in, Josh Sargent started really well pre-injury and Jack Stacey scored the winner on Saturday. They look much improved as an attacking unit generally and scoring the most goals in the Championship so far probably documents their work in that particular area.”

Sitting fourth in the standings at this early stage, he believes it will be an intriguing battle between two sides with similar records.

“What has been so pleasing is the type of wins,” the reporter added. “The first against Hull was a last-gasp winner from Idah having dominated the game having gone behind, which was the trigger point last year for so much turmoil. Overcoming that felt like a big hurdle.

“They were so comprehensive and so good against Millwall in that 3-1 victory and then Saturday was completely different. They played really well in the first half and could have bene leading by more and Stoke altered what they did and caused a few more problems in the second.

“They had to really dig in and defend central areas really well to ultimately get a clean sheet, even though Stoke were probably on top and Norwich didn’t meet the levels people would expect. They still found a way of grinding out a result, which good teams do at this level.

“Something is building and whether that is anything tangible in terms of getting out of this division, it remains to be seen, but there’s a real positivity around Norwich City at the moment and most supporters are delighted that feeling is back. In many ways, an absence of expectation has helped them. It’s enabled them to do what they have done so far.

“After a defeat to Rotherham, they have managed to bounce back ahead of an incredibly tough game against Leicester. The big question is whether they can maintain this level of performance that they are playing at. It’s a small sample and there’s 40 games to go, but the glass is definitely half full at the moment.”

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