A 7-0 cruise over a side in the Eastern Counties League Premier Division is hardly an accurate barometer to measure Norwich going forward, but here’s five things learnt from the first preseason friendly.
Welcome back, football
Regardless of the match’s significance, it’s nice to have City football again. And for being an afternoon that was supposed to be enjoyable for both sides involved, it met the billing. The Canaries showed their class from kickoff, knocking a few goals in early, including a first half hat-trick from Cameron Jerome. With a mix of first team talent and reserves, it was the perfect start for the Premier League club.
Friendly faces
After a disappointing debut season, Vadis Odjidja never had his chance to impress either Neil Adams or Alex Neil. So it was to nice to see the Belgian not only start, but to score in the 34th minute on a pass from Graham Dorrans. But City also got a strong showing from Tony Andreu, who left Hamilton with Neil, but never showed City fans the shooting boots that made him the leading scorer in the Scottish Premier League. A preseason goal should help his confidence.
We meet again
Michael Turner became a forgotten man after his loan move to Fulham. Yet he had an appearance in the second half, making City’s central defence situation murky moving forward. The Canaries certainly struggled with Turner and Russell Martin together the first half of last season, yet solidified with Martin teamed up with Sebastien Bassong. There’s no question the club should purchase another centre-back, but if Turner shows consistency, that position might tumble down Neil’s transfer wish list.
Let the RVW rumours flow
Ricky van Wolfwinkel didn’t make the team sheet. Nor did Nathan Redmond. But the Dutch international’s likeliness to leave Norfolk grew with his absence, regardless to Sporting Lisbon talks ‘breaking down’ earlier in the week. Throw another signing into the mix, potentially Celta de Vigo’s Joaquín Larrivey joining the club within a week. Last preseason’s squad with ‘O Lobo’ might be his last time in Canary yellow.
Itchin’ for Hitchin
Tuesday night at Hitchin Town will be Norwich’s last friendly before they head east to Germany. For the younger players, it might be a final test to determine who snags the last seats on the flight. Sure, it’s a friendly, but it’s nice to see the squad are treating the matches with some significance, even if it’s not against opposing sides with quality.
