- Sam Field has impressed since joining on loan from QPR in the January window.
- Defensive midfielder may not be a Canaries player come the start of next season.
- The dilemma facing Norwich ahead of the summer transfer window
Norwich City claimed an impressive victory over Millwall at The Den on Easter Monday, winning 2-1 in London to move up to ninth.
Philippe Clement’s side came from 1-0 down to secure all three points against the promotion chasers, thanks to goals from Pelle Mattsson and Oscar Schwartau.
Mattsson has now scored three goals in his last three games, on top of scoring an own goal against Portsmouth on Friday, after his stunning strike against the Lions.
Whilst the Danish star will take most of the plaudits, and rightly so, for his performance, his midfield partner quietly went about his business in an impressive manner.
Sam Field did not feature in ReadNorwich’s predicted XI for this game, and we can only apologise for that after the display that he put on at The Den.
Analysing Sam Field’s performance against Millwall
Millwall away is a classic ‘tough place to go’ Championship ground and you need players who can roll their sleeves up and get physical to pass the test.
Field was brought into the midfield alongside Mattsson, with Kenny McLean playing off the right, in what turned out to be a tactical masterstroke by Philippe Clement, what’s new there?
The QPR loanee was impressively average, and that is a compliment. He was no thrills, no spills, and good old Mr. Reliable for the Yellows.
In 90 minutes on the pitch, Field won 100% of his ground duels, completed 84% of his passes, and made eight ball recoveries without being dribbled past.
Every team needs reliable and solid players who can step in and perform well, even if they are not outstanding, and Field fits that profile.
How Sam Field’s Norwich loan has gone so far
Since signing on loan from Championship rivals QPR, the left-footed midfielder has not let the team down when he has stepped into midfield, starting six of his ten appearances.
| 25/26 Championship | Sam Field for Norwich |
| Appearances | 10 |
| Starts | 6 |
| Tackles (Total) | 15 |
| Interceptions | 10 |
| Ground Duel Success Rate | 56.9% |
| Aerial Duel Success Rate | 54.7% |
As aforementioned, Field excels at being average in the best way. He has won just over 50% of his duels on the ground and in the air since joining the club, which is a great example of that.
Clement knows exactly what he is going to get from the 27-year-old workhorse in every game, and that cannot be taken for granted.
However, despite his impressive loan stint so far, Field may not be a Norwich player when the 2026/27 campaign kicks off.
The forgotten star Norwich fans must remember
One of the main reasons why the QPR loanee may not return to Carrow Road on a permanent basis is that the Canaries still have Mirko Topic to, hopefully, welcome back at the start of next season.
The Serbian central midfielder has been out of action since sustaining an ACL injury in the first half of Clement’s second game in charge, against Oxford United.
Signed from Familicao for £3m last summer, Topic has only had the chance to play a run of games in a team managed by Liam Manning in his Norwich career so far.
Whilst the team’s performances were poor and the midfield destroyer had his fair share of low moments, there were signs that he has the potential to be what Field has been since his loan move to Carrow Road.
| 25/26 Championship | Mirko Topic |
| Appearances | 16 |
| Starts | 13 |
| Minutes Played | 1,037 |
| Tackles (Total) | 23 |
| Interceptions | 17 |
| Ground Duel Success Rate | 51.5% |
| Aerial Duel Success Rate | 53.1% |
The 25-year-old talent is not a flashy midfielder like Paris Maghoma or an all-action star who can do everything like Mattsson, but he can be Mr. Reliable for Clement with a run of games.
Like Field, the Serbian midfielder wins the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air, whilst he also completed 83% of his attempted passes before his injury.
What happens next
Topic, provided he can return from his ACL injury in time for the start of next season, can take over Field’s role as the plug-and-play defensive midfield option to rotate with McLean, Jacob Wright, and Mattsson.
Paying a possibly multi-million pound fee for Field, therefore, may not make much sense for Norwich if they have Mattsson, McLean, Wright, and Topic already in the building.
His reason for leaving QPR on loan was to play more regularly, too, which means that he may want to explore his options to see if there is a club that would want him to go in and be a first-choice option.
Therefore, despite his impressive form, Norwich may not sign Field because they have a forgotten star in Topic to take his place next season.
