Norwich City: Time for the Canaries to Step Up Their Game

Of course, it’s a little depressing for the Canaries to currently find themselves in the relegation zone of the Premier League. However, it is early in the season and there is plenty of time for the club to get things together.

I have made the point on previous articles that Chris Hughton is under a certain amount of pressure to continue to ensure that the club progresses season after season. It will certainly be interesting to see if that can be achieved, which will likely mean a finish in the top half of the table.

Anyone that has watched Norwich this season will know that there have been a few positives. The team has generally looked good on a number of occasions and the new players seem to be very good additions. However, the balance in the team has not yet been found that will see a consistent run of results.

Of the new signings, Ricky van Wolfswinkel’s performance has been somewhat disappointing, especially since he was the club’s biggest summer purchase. However, he set up a goal in the last league match, and perhaps things are turning around for the Dutch striker.

In terms of service from the flanks, Anthony Pilkington seems to be playing his way into the team and certainly looks in decent form, but his fitness has always been an issue and that is something that will need to be watched.

Nathan Redmond has impressed, especially in the early part of the season. He is certainly a player that has the capabilities to score and assist goals.

Robert Snodgrass was a star of the show last season, but he has struggled to get his delivery right this season, so Hughton is still looking to tweak his squad in order to find the right balance.

The fact that Gary Hooper has yet to start a Premier League game is another issue that needs to be sorted out in the near future.

I think most Norwich fans would agree that good business was done in the transfer market, but it’s now time for that to be proved with performances on the pitch. I assume both the board and fans would like to see the club in an area well above of the relegation zone at the very least.

Although, this is the Premier League and progress is always going to be hard, but it’s logical to think that managers that fail to make progress are always going to be under pressure. In the same way that players that don’t perform consistently will be under pressure for their place.

Fans will be hoping as a whole that things for the club will improve over the next few weeks. As mentioned before, the real key here is to find the right balance in the team. I personally think that the midfield trio of Alex Tettey, Jonny Howson and Leroy Fer is a situation that seems to suit the team, and hope that Hughton sticks with it.