Sideways Sammy

A win and a comfortable performance in midweek in the League Cup keep Coventry City in decent shape heading into the final game of the opening month. After another convincing display at the CBS Arena, it is looking increasingly likely that the Sky Blues will be a different prospect at home than away for at least the time being. Taking further advantage of that home comfort will set Coventry up nicely ahead of the first international break.

The Canaries finished in the top six last season and had looked in a good position to replicate that feat, but a stuttering start leaves them in danger of dropping into the bottom three of the nascent Championship table ahead of a fortnight to stew over it. They haven’t quite clicked yet under the new management of Johannes Hoff Thorup, which could make this a great time for Coventry City to be playing them.

Expected Line-Up

Having made wholesale changes in midweek, Mark Robins looks set to revert to a team closer to the one that drew away at Bristol City last week. The headline team news heading into this game is Ben Sheaf making a return to action later on in the League Cup tie against Oxford United, however, it could be too soon for him to be in contention to start here.

Sheaf’s presumed shortage of fitness means that the biggest selection conundrum for Mark Robins remains in midfield, where there’s been a lack of balance in the captain’s absence. The manager is likely to stick with the pairing of Victor Torp and Josh Eccles, given how they helped control the last home league game, with Jamie Allen a consideration for Torp’s place if there is concern over how to deal with a Norwich City side that are more capable in possession than Oxford United.

The other big decisions look to be in defence, where midweek starters, Jay Dasilva, Bobby Thomas and Liam Kitching made cases for starting with solid performances. Dasilva for Bidwell seems the likeliest change, with the former having strung together a series of strong defensive and attacking showings in the minutes he’s been handed thus far this season. Mark Robins will probably resist the temptation to make changes at centre-back, even if Bobby Thomas’ extra physicality could be handy in dealing with Josh Sargent up top for Norwich City.

Last Time We Met

It may only have been in February, but Coventry City’s defeat at Carrow Road last season went a long way to denying the Sky Blues a place in the top six. David Wagner was under pressure in the home dug-out as a good start to the campaign had long since faded. When the Sky Blues took the lead early in the second-half through Callum O’Hare, the away side looked set to push a fellow play-off contender out of the race almost completely. Haji Wright then had a great chance to kill Norwich City off, only to draw a good save from Angus Gunn, it proved a pivotal moment.

Soon after, it turned out that the Canaries had the better American striker on the day, with Josh Sargent smashing home in the penalty area after an Ashley Barnes effort had ricocheted off a Coventry City defender. It was Sargent who then wrecked Liam Kitching’s confidence for the rest of the campaign, surging past him to draw a desperate challenge that saw the defender sent off.

The Sky Blues could have won the game with ten men, as some neat play between Callum O’Hare and Jamie Allen played Kasey Palmer in from a slightly wide angle. However, Norwich City’s Borja Sainz proved to be the match-winner, hitting an effort from the edge of the penalty area that was simply unstoppable. That result saw Norwich drag themselves back into play-off contention, while Coventry City never quite regained their festive form as suspensions, injuries and fatigue killed off their top six bid.

The Opposition

The Manager – Johannes Hoff Thorup

Despite finishing in the top six last season, Norwich City fans never warmed to David Wagner, whose lack of a clear playing style seemed to embody a directionless at the club that had taken root during their recent yo-yo phase between the Championship and Premier League. As part of a regime change involving a new Sporting Director, Wagner was swiftly booted out after a tame play-off defeat to Leeds United, with the hope being that the new man, Johannes Hoff Thorup can coach a cohesive style into the team, rather than relying on key individuals to produce big moments – especially, with several of those key players having left over the summer.

It’s been a tentative start for the Dane, Thorup, who has only won one game thus far – a chaotic League Cup encounter with League One Stevenage. Johannes Thorup wants to play a possession style akin to Enzo Maresca’s Leicester City from last year, with the team flexibly switching between a back three and four to help dominate the ball and getting their forwards high up the pitch to pin opponents back. Thus far, Norwich have struggled to sustain the control required to make the approach work, being a little sloppy on the ball at times and quite fragile defensively. A draw at home to Sheffield United last week was a step in the right direction, but Norwich are a long way away from the team Johannes Thorup wants them to be.

Who To Look Out For?

Last season’s top six finish was achieved via outstanding moments from the quartet of Gabriel Sara, Jon Rowe, Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz. At the time of writing (10am, the Friday morning before the game), only the latter two remain, with tentative speculation suggesting that Josh Sargent could join Gabriel Sara and Jon Rowe in the Carrow Road departures hall.

That has left Norwich City needing to find fresh faces and new combinations in attack to make things happen, with the early weeks of the campaign defined by trying to integrate new signings into the team. Of the new players, midfielder, Amankwah Forson, has started the brightest, with the diminutive Ghanian making some eye-catching dribbles as a point of difference from the possession-heavy approach.

With the likes of Ante Crnac and Oscar Schwartau still finding their feet in English football, it is the threat of the aforementioned Josh Sargent and Borjan Sainz Coventry City will need to be most wary of. Sargent’s combination of physicality, pace and instincts in the penalty area make him the kind of striker that can be tough to stop when they get a head of steam behind them. Sainz, who plays on the wing, loves to wind up opposing players and fans but can back that up with his close control and eye for goal. In addition, Marcelino Nunez in central midfield is a fantastic passer and set-piece taker who has been given the keys to dictate play more for Norwich this season as they move to a more possession-heavy style.

In defence, the physical duo of Grant Hanley and Shane Duffy are being gradually phased out to help the team’s build-up play. Duffy may keep his place for this game due to the challenge of an away game, but the idea is to build around loanee, Callum Doyle’s, passing ability from either centre-back or left-back and to have the pace of Jose Cordoba to cover counter-attacks. That should help allow right-back, Jack Stacey, to get forward with abandon to support attacks. In goal, Angus Gunn is one of the best goalkeepers in the division, on his day.

Where The Game Will Be Won Or Lost

Both teams will want to dominate possession here as they look to set the tone for how they want to play this season. Just who is able to establish the control here is likely to be based on who can press the best. Thus far, Coventry City haven’t been particularly aggressive in looking to disrupt a team playing out from the back, which might see Norwich City have some long spells on the ball and look to frustrate the home crowd.

The Sky Blues shouldn’t necessarily be scared of operating with less of the ball here, Norwich City have tended to be a little sloppy on the ball this season as they have attempted to integrate Johannes Thorup’s preferred style, which could present opportunities to launch quick counter-attacks, targeting Shane Duffy’s lack of pace at centre-back. Furthermore, staying in shape without the ball helps prevent the threat of Callum Doyle pinging balls over the top for Josh Sargent to race onto in behind the Coventry City defence.

Coventry City don’t necessarily need to let Norwich City have the ball here completely, but there is room to be smart here and prey on an opponent’s lack of cohesion. With the speed of mind that Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Haji Wright and Milan van Ewijk in being able to turn defence into attack quickly, any looseness from the Canaries can be punished here. The key here is likely to be patience, testing the ability of the defence and midfield to be disciplined out of possession.