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PUBLISHED: 21:55 October 20, 2020 | UPDATED: 10:23 PM, October 20, 2020
Todd Cantwell was turned away in the first half on his return to Norwich City Photo: Paul Chesterton / Focus Images Ltd
Paul chesterton
Group Soccer Editor Paddy davitt gives his verdict in Birmingham after the Canarias victory 1-0 in the Championship.
1. Answers on a postcard
This seemed destined to be another story of utter frustration. City had 74% possession and had four shots on goal.
But they only needed one. Mario Vrancic illustrates that he remains a key part of the battle plan when he followed Adam Idah and then swept home as the ball bounced his way.
That’s after Adam Clayton had just been fired for a second bookable infraction to remove a blue brick from the blue wall.
Birmingham seemed to see a point as a badge of honor. Like Derby here last time on Carrow Road, they were on their way home with a bounty. But Norwich digs deep. That’s what they do.
That is what they did two years ago to impressive effect. It was a barrage of relentless and exhausting possession. But Daniel Farke must hope that there are easier ways to win soccer games in the Championship.
2. Turning the page, Todd
Straight to the starting line for Dereham’s own Todd Cantwell after missing out on Rotherham with a bruised knee. Farke spoke honestly and openly about the rollercoaster his young attacking midfielder has endured in his pregame press conference.
But with the window firmly closed until January and Cantwell still in the building, there was time to reflect and find common ground on the recent international rift.
Regardless of what the future holds, Cantwell is certainly too good to not be in this Norwich lineup in the Championship. A man from the match display fitted in. The starter could have been even bolder with two clear first-half goal scorers. His first lateral foot effort slipped a bit before Neil Etheridge pulled out a boot to thwart him at the angle. Teemu Pukki may have reason to wonder why Cantwell chose not to cut the ball, but there could be no complaints about his pace of work, his effort and his quality in those tight spaces.
As Farke said Monday, there will be no movement change. This is now a process. Every training session, every game, Cantwell has to show that he is focused on the job at hand.
3. The power of 10
Marco Stiepermann’s illness before the game may well have strained Farke’s hand, but immediately the sight of Pukki on a team sheet with Jordan Hugill sent a shiver of excitement.
Even with the Finn a little more withdrawn than his title role, there’s enough cunning and latent scoring threat to warrant perhaps a longer audition for this pair. It could even turn out to be an inspired tactical move if Hugill can divert attention to allow those smart runs to roll down the channels from deeper positions into the box.
City’s quest to find an answer to that key position led them to recruit Kieran Dowell in the summer.
But with the former Evertonian now on hold until the new year, a vacancy remains. Pukki might not have been the first choice, but these things have a habit of evolving organically.
The only concern was again that he appeared lame in the final stages and was soon replaced by Przemyslaw Placheta. Farke dismissed any post-game fitness concerns when he attributed it to a cramp on a heavy field. It would be nice to see the attacking association have another outing this weekend.
4. Beauty and the beast
In the space of literally seconds after the interval you saw again what Emi Buendia brings to this Norwich group. Good and bad.
A high-stakes drag right inside his own half triggered a counterattack from Birmingham, which required Tim Krul to thwart Jeremie Bela at his top spot. From the next passage in the game, the Argentine was threading a pass through a forest of blue jerseys for Cantwell to pass Etheridge.
Unfortunately, the assistant had correctly pointed out of the game. Then the decisive closing act of the match had its mark with a perfectly weighted pass to Idah who eventually found her way to Vrancic.
He stressed once again that a concession is required for Buendía to be front and center in this mix. With every championship challenger thus far bent on erecting barriers in front of their own 18-yard box, their value is growing exponentially.
Buendía is the maximum exponent of this template if you want someone to see a pass and execute it.
It feels like there will always be a costly mistake in any job. Witness his loss of possession again in injury time which saw Harlee Dean as a stick. But the compensation is extensive.
5. Hat-trick
City now need to round out a Championship affirmation week with a Carrow Road win against newly promoted Wycombe on Saturday. The homeless have had a rough start in life at this level, but rest assured they will study Birmingham’s stubborn approach and seek to match it.
But if City can find a way, as they have against Rotherham and now Birmingham, then there will be a real sense of momentum.
Canarias currently has to polish results. Style and polish may come in the future. But a first home win since defeating Leicester in February was also another important indicator. Fans or non-fans, Farke’s ‘living room’ should be a place where opponents fear to tread.
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