Norwich City have worked out the first part of the survival equation
GettyImagesMichael Turner and Sebastien Bassong have been an immense presence at the heart of Norwich's defence Chris Hughton has managed to put the foundations in place at Norwich City. The next phase of the project may prove slightly more problematic.
Embarrassing early season defeats to Fulham, Liverpool and Chelsea necessitated a complete overhaul of the Canaries' defensive approach. City were too open, too brittle and too reliant on the dominant frame of England keeper John Ruddy. Norwich shipped 14 goals in those three Premier League games and it is no exaggeration to state they got off lightly. Only Ruddy's defiance averted an even bigger hole blown in the goal difference.
The transformation since in a relatively abbreviated period of time is a testament to Hughton, his coaching staff and the character of those players. Norwich have conceded two goals since the last international break and kept two clean sheets. For a defence that looked so porous the statistics are remarkable. City's wins over Arsenal, Tottenham and Stoke in recent league and cup battles have been constructed on a counter-attacking methodology. Pressure has been soaked up.
The likes of Alex Tettey and Bradley Johnson have used their muscular athleticism to provide added protection to a back four that now has a settled look, with Sebastien Bassong and Michael Turner delivering on some of the promise Hughton would have expected from his two summer signings. City have collectively enticed opponents onto them before triggering rapid raids. Wes Hoolahan has been the link man to Grant Holt waging a solitary war against opposition defences. Robert Snodgrass, Anthony Pilkington and Elliott Bennett offer pace and trickery in wide areas to expose flaws against their rivals who have committed men into advanced positions.
The tactic is hardly revolutionary. Chelsea won a Champions League with it. Celtic took it to new heights in midweek with a stunning win in the same competition over Barcelona. The cult of the defensive midfielder is well engrained in football culture if you go back to the arch exponent of the craft in Claude Makelele.
Hughton's tone over the past week or so now hints at his desire to embellish. Striking reinforcements look a safe bet in the January transfer window. The rumour mill has already cranked into gear amid reports Slovenian striker Robert Beric - who scored in the Europa League at Tottenham on Thursday - is on the Norwich manager's radar. Grant Holt is already a fifth of the way to his 15-goal Premier League haul from his debut campaign last season, but Hughton knows City's survival prospects cannot hinge on the broad shoulders of one man.
Norwich remain one of the division's lowest scorers. Defensive solidity is a pre-requisite, but last weekend's hard-fought 1-0 win over Stoke illustrated the stresses inherent in such an approach. Norwich successfully repelled Stoke's physical barrage but a second or third goal would have done much to dissipate the anxiety around Carrow Road. The Canaries' eight Premier League goals have been shared around six players. An impressively broad base, but Hughton has realised he needs an effective support act or two to wrap around Holt. The answer may well have to be found outside his current squad.
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